Today is Monday, October 22, 2007 and it has begun like most Mondays… with just a few exceptions. It started for me this morning around 5 a.m. as Michael, our youngest son (a boisterous 3 years old) burst into our bedroom singing "Happy Birthday" to me. Yes, today is my birthday and Michael is particularly excited because it means he gets cake… chocolate cake… his favorite. I was less than enthusiastic at 5 a.m. "Happy Birthday to you…" he continued, "You live in a zoo…" (You know how it goes from there.) I thought to myself, though, that truer words have never been spoken. Indeed, sometimes I feel like I live in a zoo! Before long the other boys were up and we were rapidly moving through our morning routine of feeding, getting dressed, brushing teeth, packing our backpacks and heading off to school… a zoo, indeed!
Even though it is a normal Monday in most respects, it somehow feels different. I find myself preoccupied with the haunting questions of life this morning… Am I where I thought I would be at this point in my life? Am I doing what God wants me to be doing? What have I accomplished? Where is God taking me from here? What does he have in store for me next? Of course, I have no idea as to the answer for most of those questions, but the first question… am I where I thought I would be at his point in my life… I know the answer without a doubt. Are you kidding… I NEVER imagined myself as a preacher (you may not have either)! When I was a kid, I never even liked going to church. I thought it was what "old" people did who were just trying to get in to heaven. I'm not sure I ever gave much thought to having a family either. I knew I wanted children, but really had no idea what it would be like. I'm quite sure that I never pictured myself in a mini-van driving to soccer practice (we have a game tonight). What happened, I wonder?
Well, God did. Somewhere along the way God stepped in and changed my life. I'm not sure what path I had been on, but I know now that he radically altered course! He has incredibly blessed me beyond anything I could have ever hoped or imagined. He has given my life purpose and meaning. He has blessed me with the most incredible opportunity (and responsibility) in the world… to preach "good news" and to serve in his kingdom. He has given me the most wonderful family (a.k.a the zoo) and has so fully blessed my life through it. I can't even imagine my life any other way!
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2 comments:
Hey Jim Black! This is Amy Tryggestad Bowman. I saw your name on Stephanie Schwieter's blog.
Your boys are adorable. Glad you and Celeste are doing well. Stop by our blog sometimg lamaramyluke.blogspot.com.
Hey Jim - glad I have added to your number of blog lookers and that you've been able to connect with an old friend.
FYI - Amy and I met at Brentwood Hills church. She and Lamar were in the class that we atttended.
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