September 6th - What's truly important?

The story...

What's really important today?  This blog doesn't contain many lists; yet, this seems like a good place for one.  Here's my plan for being the good man I want to be - in rank order:

1. Pray and be quiet with God - abide with Him.
2. Love the Lord my God and my neighbor as myself.
3. Be conscience of the Holy Spirit's work while remaining grounded in reality.
4. Eat, breathe, and care for my body.
5. Love my wife and grow together.
6. Be joyful, hopeful, peaceful, and bear His fruit - live like in a bountiful deep and calm sea.
7. Love, and receive love from, my church community - the body of Christ.
8. Build on key relationships more than they've naturally declined.
9. Show my neighbors they're respected and loved.
10. Blog within cycles of continuous learning aimed at becoming a better man in Christ.
11. Read to remember truth God's revealed - helps prevent ego from leading me astray.
12. Maintain and grow the assets that I'm entrusted with.

It's easy for me to see other people not acting out their age and life reality.  I hope that I continue to work out the phase of life that I'm actually in and don't cut my life story short.  I want to be a good character, within the epic story of life, who remains faithful to his Creator and Father.

I hope that I'll always remember that my story's only important when worked out within the will of God.  The Holy Spirit indwells me for His biding and I'll be resting in the hands of God after my body breathes it's last breath.  God's promised a new everlasting body designed for all eternity - we only know this through His revealed Word found in scripture.  I hope that each of us stays curious regarding spiritual reality.  Truly, our five senses witness spiritual realities it in a sort of veiled way but He gives His what we need. 

The only church in town would grow Christ ones who live for today, plan for tomorrow, and think on eternity.  They'd learn to live with eternal reality in mind as we journey on this orb for but a few seasons.  One day, our earth body will breath it's last and our spirit/soul will be carried home.

Just for today...

"...most people spend more time planning vacations than they do thinking about what is really important in their lives . . . Am I so busy with smaller, less meaningful concerns that I run out of time for the really important considerations?"  Courage to Change (p. 250)

"Perhaps I have felt a right and an obligation to set the standards for the family and compel those around me to live up to them . . . Teach me to leave to others their inborn right to dignity and independence, as I wish to have them leave to me."  One Day at a Time (p. 250)

"Focused on me; Lost my way - Heart went cold; Change today?"
"Agreed with God; Strong oak tree - Walking with Him; Abidingly free."   Am I a Poet?