Distractions
I’m thinking about Distractions and how they lead to becoming disconnected with our life. Seems that if you want to live intentionally, you learn how to ignore the distractions or you learn how to dismiss them quickly. I know, I know, distraction is good when you want a break from thinking about work or something else that is consuming you. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about those things which distract us from our relationships. Excessive work, hobbies, the internet, sports, TELEVISION…these things distract us from the reality that matters. In fact, Ive had a hard time finishing this post because my kids and my family need attention -irony? So, I’m thinking about what distracts me on a consistent basis and I’m asking myself if it’s helping or hurting my relationships. By the way, Fantasy Football begins soon, how many leagues constitutes a distraction???
The Good I want to do…
Romans 7 talks about the Good I want to do. From The message Verses 17-20 reads:
I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
Christians are in a struggle. We are in a struggle with something as old as time itself. Sin. ALthough we ‘want’ to win, we ‘often’ don’t. Because of the failures, many of us feel alone in our fight. Well, we aren’t. can you relate to the above verses?
This Sunday I will be talking about things that kill relationships. As I’ve been studying, I’ve been reminded of a ministry I’ve already mentioned. It is a ministry that offends some Christians. It can be found at www.xxxchurch.com A ministry focused on helping people get out from underneath their addiction to pornography. A ministry focused on helping people in the sex industry find freedom from their slavery. A ministry that helps ‘Heal’, not ‘Kill’ Relationships.
Problem is, the sex industry markets to self involved people. It produces self absorbed people that separate themselves from realistic relationships only to be left to feel completely and utterly alone – but they aren’t. I ran across this message that I would like to share. I would love to hear your responses. If you have the time please watch some or all. The video is around 30 minutes, but is an important thing to hear. How will you live intentionally today?
Cash only!!
Ok, so this may not be a monumentally moving moment, but it is alliterative and it is practical. Our fridge went out. 2 servicemen and 150 dollars later I was told that it was going to cost me $628 to fix a 4 1/2 year old bottom of the line GE Fridge. No thank you. To be honest, the first thing I did was to grab my Home Depot Credit Card. After all, it’s an emergency right? Resorting to a 12 months-no interest payment plan could be construed as an emergency right? Of course then I ask myself, how many months of no interest payment plans have I thoroughly tanked because of some other emergency that came up? So, I slowly put the card down. I’ll be honest, it was difficult. I then sighed largely and grabbed my only remaining emergency fund, which happened to be the cash we are saving for disney and christmas. Long story short, $906 later we own a new fridge. OWN. I’m not going to live to owe, no matter what the culture says is ok. I am attempting a cash only 2010. I haven’t charged anything on credit since March. Amazingly, we aren’t behind and we haven’t really wanted for much. The bank account goes low, but it’s because we know where the money is going. Emergency fund is coming back.
It seems that money is the thing we deal with at the most basic of levels. We deal with it every day. If I don’t live with purpose with my money, then how would I be able to live with purpose in any other area. So, I start with the basics. Anyone tried this before? How far did you get?
What Now??
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to live with purpose. Despite its few good qualities, I think the purpose driven life by Rick Warren has done a lot to push the word ‘Purpose’ into the realm of kitsch and cliché. How, then, do I reframe this idea into a realistic and achievable lifestyle? This is something I’ve been talking with my wife about for quite some time. We see so many people controlled by their inattention to their lifestyle. Their schedule is overwhelming. Their kids are involved in everything under the sun. They tend to have many of the latest models of ‘stuff.’ There seems to be a heaviness on them at any given moment. In short, their activities plus their property equals the sum total of their life. Granted, you can still have moments of beauty, but the less we are in control of those moments, the more we must wait for that serendipitous aligning of the universe before we can experience it. I was falling into this pattern. I didn’t like it. I kept finding less money at the end of every month. My job wasn’t satisfactory. I kept looking to what was next without really experiencing the here and now. I looked up and realized that I hadn’t really changed all that much. The guy I hoped I’d be 10 years ago is not the guy I am. I needed to change.
I know I cannot be in control of everything. I know that life happens and we are forced into decisions and changes that we cannot control. Being a minister, I understand all too well the storm that a unwanted test result can bring. Or how a job loss can send your world into miserable turmoil. These things happen. It’s the day to day life of which I speak. Being able to say as your children go off to college that I did my best with them. I spent time with them. I helped shape them into a man or woman of passion, purpose and mission. It’s saying to your wife on each wedding anniversary that the journey has been difficult and passionate and at times terrible and at times Beautiful, but we’ve been together and I love you more now than I ever have because I know you deeper than I ever have.
These are idealistic images, but not too unrealistic. Fact is, not many people live in control of the minutiae. Most are controlled by it. So, here on Day 1, I focus on my family. It won’t take much…but when I Get home, I’m putting up the cell phone, turning off the TV during Dinner and I’m paying attention. Who knows, maybe there will be a story to tell.
Intentional Living
Funny, but the original title of this blog was “Intentional Ministry,” but not everyone considers living as a ministry. The pages of this blog will chronicle this quest I have put upon myself. The challenge is to
‘live intentionally.’
What does this mean? I’m not even sure I know. What I think it is so far is this. I’m going to live each day with purpose.
- In my home, I will spend more time living with my family instead of living ‘near’ my family.
- In my finances, I will give every dollar a name so that I am not controlled by what I don’t have.
- In my Relationship with my spouse, I will live to love her.
- In my relationships with my kids, I will be their daddy and not just the guy who comes home every night.
- At work, I will be there…fully present and positive. I hope to not allow my irritation with any type of job situation own me.
- In my friendships, I will be open and vulnerable and attentive.
I will be chronicling my progress. Where will it lead? I have no Idea. What I do hope is that a few weeks into this challenge of living intentionally that I will begin to discover what it means to really “live.”
So, wish me luck. Thanks for journeying with me. Here Goes…
