Hello, friends!
Back in college, I had a friend once tell me that the only thing that everyone can agree on is that they are a better than average driver. This, of course, is impossible, because if everyone is above average then no one is below average, thus meaning the average is meaningless. We had a good laugh at that because we realized just how true that statement is. We both considered ourselves better than average drivers.
Now, I am now much older, and hopefully wiser. I know that I am probably an average driver. I don't regularly get myself into wrecks or close calls, but I am by no means flawless. My girlfriend will attest to the fact that I have a terrible sense of direction and sometimes make less than perfectly safe moves on the road because I have realized the error of my current trajectory. Still, one thing about driving is that while I may not be an expert, I sure do love to do it. There's something about being behind the wheel that gives me great joy. I love taking people places and giving rides too. I don't know if it is a control thing, a generosity thing, a combination of the two, or whatever, but whenever I get the chance to drive, especially long distances, I really enjoy it.
Saturday I was given an opportunity to put my joy to the test. Here's how it borke down. I got a text from my aunt, asking if she could stay at my place in Columbia on Saturday night. See, my cousin had a dance competition in Kansas City and my aunt wasn't sure if she could make the 4 hour trip back to Saint Louis that late at night safely. Her plan was to keep my place open as an option so that if she got too tired, she could stop in Columbia, get some sleep, and head out again in the morning.
This is where my gears started turning. I have a friend who does not follow Jesus but has wanted to start going to church with me. He was going to be in Saint Louis this weekend, so there wouldn't be an opportunity for us to go together. Unless we were in the same place, that is. Here was my proposed plan. Meg and I were both going to take a Sabbath on Saturday. I would drive in to Saint Louis on Friday night. Meg would meet me at my aunt's place. We would then drive to Kansas City, spend the day together, watch my cousin dance, and drive my cousin and aunt home. Then, I would already be in Saint Louis so I could go to church with my friend. My aunt jumped at the chance to not have to drive at all, and Meg was up for exploring Kansas City, so we were set.
I won't bore you with the details of the trip, but on the way back, Meg and I were talking and I had a bit of a mini realization. Joyful does not necessarily mean restful. I spent 8 hours driving a really nice car (my aunt's) with folk that I love and I loved every minute of it. But, it didn't really feel like much of a Sabbath. In fact, I was more tired by the end of the day than when I started. I had to take some extra time today to recharge my batteries a bit so that I would actually be good to go for the week to come. Meg put it really well when she said, "you know, it was more like a vacation than a Sabbath."
What's the moral of the story? I am not sure entirely. I think that it has something to do, though, with the idea that a Sabbath is meant to be a day of rest, not a day off. It doesn't mean that I sit on my butt all day and watch cartoons (although that would be pretty sweet). It means that I have to be sure that the things I am doing are actually going to give me rest and give me life. I suppose it is something to think about.
Prayer Points:
- One of our student leaders is going to be leading part of our leaders meeting tomorrow for ACF. Please pray that God will speak through him and that this experience will grow him as a leader.
- I have a short week this week BCM wise because of a staff meeting in Saint Louis. Please pray that the time I do have on campus will be fruitful and that we will be able to build some more momentum.
- Praise Jesus, we have 12 students signed up for our City Lights Spring Break Project! I am super excited because a number of them are non-Christians. Right now we are getting ready to begin the process of group fundraising. Please pray for God's favor and provision as we begin this process.
If you would like more information about the City Lights Project, please visit: http://citylightsstl.org/
You can also help with scholarship by visiting: https://donate.intervarsity.org/donate/to/MizzouScholarships
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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