back to the good old days

Something in me wants to hail back to the years of the seven o'clock bedtime. Oh, those were the days. No homework to worry about. No piano practice to neglect. The whole world revolved around one selfish little boy's enjoyment, but only until bedtime.

And now? Everything in this world just heaps up until a focused relationship with Christ becomes a painful and seemingly futile effort. What gives? This is the point at which one of two things suffer: either my GPA or my friendship with God.

Enter FOCUS.

Three times a year, Blue Mountain Academy sets apart a week to cut back homework loads and to "Focus On Christ's Ultimate Sacrifice." This means more singing, more chapel, and usually a more free feeling. Teachers give open-book tests and short assignments while God takes top priority.

But wait! Shouldn't God take top priority all the time? Can't we have the assurance that if we give our all to Christ as an act of worship, He will work out the best results for the trivial matters? Oh, God, please give me that faith.

Until then I have FOCUS...for this week. Maybe it will redefine me.

Speaking of redefinition, my good friend Gina and I just finished reading The Purpose Driven Life together. When we started, I had been skeptical, as I am about most bestsellers. But as we read, my view of Christianity was constantly redefined, as was my life's focus. This time, the other twenty million people were right. In other words, you need to go out and get this book. Now.

As much as I loved reading The Purpose Driven Life, it will be good to curl up in bed with a good paperback again. Maybe I'll make an early night of it after all....