It’s almost April and a week ago we were having temperatures in the high fifties. The Chacos were out and I was  enjoying life. Then this week hits.  Tempeartures are back in the 30’s and we’ve got frickin’ snow! SNOW! Gimme a break!

The kids are out on spring break and we’ve got snow. Grrrr.
So currently at latitude 48.11 (48°6′) and longitude -122.17 (-122°10′) [Marysville, WA] the weather is less than satisfactory.

How’s the weather in your neck of the woods? [If you feel like being precise in your answer go here to find your exact coordinates. ]

A recent survey compiled the worries of working Americans.

They are as follows:

34% Being able to retire comfortably

30% Rising cost of health care

11% Stagnant paycheck

10% Losing job

10% Job being outsourced

Now,  even though America sees itself as a Christian nation, we’re really a Secular Consumeristic one. But I know that in this survey it’s laced with a fair amount of church goers. I’m going to run with a tangent on this one, so bear with me.

We worry about comfort and stability. We work hard to make sure things are easy and smooth sailing. But if we call ourselves Christians, we can have none of the above. I believe that the Gospels are here to completely mess up or lives. If we are truly changed by the redeeming power of Christ, our life can’t remain the same. Our desires can’t remain the same. Our worries can’t remain the same (or even remain at all).

So who’s willing to buck the system in the name of our Lord? Who’s willing to put a nail in the coffin of the American dream? Because if you truly see yourself as a follow of Him, you should.

And I’m not alone. Craig Gross notes:

“Christians must take risks and get out of their comfortable pews and classrooms and do something for God. If we don’t, who will?… God did not create you to be a scared, irrelevant Christian!”

Scared. Irrelevant. You could also add worrying or busy. We are busy because we’re worried that if any of the plates we’re spinning drop… we’re toast. I’ll let you in on a little secret. God wants the plates to drop - if they’re more important to you than He is. You say no? How much time do you spend, worrying or being busy on things that don’t matter? I mean things with no eternal value? And then look at how much time you spend with the Lord.

You see that’s our problem. Focus. The things that don’t matter, eat up our time and our lives. The things that do matter, get brushed aside.

So ask yourself this when you’re caught up in the business of life. One hundred years from now… what will it matter? We forget to look at things through an eternal perspective. And when we forget to do that, we miss the entire point.

Why worry? I don’t know. There’s too much time serving the Kingdom to bother with it.

Ah yes, the colors of fall… they are coming. I’ve already noticed the shorter days, the cooler weather - so I’m bummed out. Fall is nice, but it’s often times pretty short and rolls directly into winter - which is not good. I’m a guy what would be content to wear sandals, t-shirt and shorts year round and winter really cramps my style (though I rebel against it and wear them anyway and then usually get sick). Winter is my nemesis! Snow isn’t good for anything other than wiping your bottom in the backwoods when the toilet paper has run out. But that’s a whole other story which I can share sometime if you like. It’s quite brisk and refreshing if I might add.

But back on topic. So what are your thoughts about the impending doom of encroaching winter? Or are you excited that fall is here? Thoughts… Comments…. Good fall memories….

Oh my gosh. Could something so small and colorful wreak so much havoc on one’s body? This stinking cold virus that’s floating around is amazingly awful. I know a bunch of High Schoolers out with it. I’ve got it and so do the rest of my brood.

Curse you! You little bag of skittles or whatever you are!