I have never been lost. Why? Because, I am a man. Men are never lost – misguided maybe, but never lost. To admit that I am lost is to somehow admit that I am less of a man. I will admit that it is taking longer to find my destination, but I am not lost!
I recently went to Ohio to visit family. There are no mountains in Ohio; there are lots of hills and trees. The only landmarks are giant water towers that are visible for miles. I suddenly became aware of the compass in our car. That is a handy piece of equipment in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas.
A compass is not what keeps us from getting lost, but it sure helps. Some of us have landmarks in our lives that make the compass less of a necessity. These landmarks may be parents, friends, experiences, or traditions. None of these last forever; nor are they always relevant. Someday you won't be able to see Pikes Peak. At that point, you will need a compass.
You can build a compass that will always point you to True North. This compass is built with friends who will speak truth into our lives – authentic, transformational community. How accurate is your compass? Does it point someplace other than True North? Do you have people that can help you use the compass properly?
1/25/2007
1/11/2007
Making the Bed
Why make the bed? I will get into it within 24 hours and have to repeat the process again?
Before I was married, I rarely, if ever, made my bed. I honestly did not see the point. It is my bed, nobody else uses it, and my bedroom is where I go to sleep. Yes, we spend more time in this room than any other room in our houses, but we are asleep - in our bed, messing it up. Besides, there is really no point of anyone else even coming into your bedroom anyway. The topic of why other people would be in one's bedroom is not the topic of this particular blog.
So, why make the bed?
I have come to the conclusion that it is for no other reason than discipline. To discipline is to teach, shape or form. When a parent disciplines their children, their goal is to shape, mold, form, and teach the child - never to control them. Some parents make their kids make the bed just so that they can feel in control of their children. But, others have a plan that is more about forming, teaching and molding their children.
I have concluded that I must make the bed, not for my benefit, but for my wife's benefit. She does not like to get into an un-made bed. So, when I am the last one out of bed, I make the bed. For years, I would make it the way she made it. I would tuck the sheets and fold them back over the blanket, fluffing and placing the pillows perfectly. I wonder, was she shaping me, molding me, disciplining me for the past fifteen years? Probably. But now, I make the bed quickly (no folding, tucking, fluffing, or placing) and she doesn't complain, so everything must be okay! So who has been disciplined!
But I digress. There are many things in life that seem meaningless, but if we do them for the benefit of others they serve to discipline us, mold us and shape us into the people that God intended us to be. Even better, if we do them as though it is for God, it brings meaning to our mundane lives.
So, take joy in making your bed.
Before I was married, I rarely, if ever, made my bed. I honestly did not see the point. It is my bed, nobody else uses it, and my bedroom is where I go to sleep. Yes, we spend more time in this room than any other room in our houses, but we are asleep - in our bed, messing it up. Besides, there is really no point of anyone else even coming into your bedroom anyway. The topic of why other people would be in one's bedroom is not the topic of this particular blog.
So, why make the bed?
I have come to the conclusion that it is for no other reason than discipline. To discipline is to teach, shape or form. When a parent disciplines their children, their goal is to shape, mold, form, and teach the child - never to control them. Some parents make their kids make the bed just so that they can feel in control of their children. But, others have a plan that is more about forming, teaching and molding their children.
I have concluded that I must make the bed, not for my benefit, but for my wife's benefit. She does not like to get into an un-made bed. So, when I am the last one out of bed, I make the bed. For years, I would make it the way she made it. I would tuck the sheets and fold them back over the blanket, fluffing and placing the pillows perfectly. I wonder, was she shaping me, molding me, disciplining me for the past fifteen years? Probably. But now, I make the bed quickly (no folding, tucking, fluffing, or placing) and she doesn't complain, so everything must be okay! So who has been disciplined!
But I digress. There are many things in life that seem meaningless, but if we do them for the benefit of others they serve to discipline us, mold us and shape us into the people that God intended us to be. Even better, if we do them as though it is for God, it brings meaning to our mundane lives.
So, take joy in making your bed.
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