Tim's World

Those who wait for perfect weather
will never plant seeds;
those who look at every cloud
will never harvest crops…
Plant early in the morning,
and work until evening,
because you don’t know if this or that will succeed.
They might both do well. – Ecclesiastes 11:4, 6

I am challenged this morning in my steps to start 2012 with a fresh start. I have set aside the annual New Year’s Resolutions (which I repeatedly fail), and prayerfully sought God’s best for me in my physical health, relationships, work and ministry and personal growth. The renewed vision of God’s path for me was like a breath of fresh air after spending an hour in a discount perfume store. One of the significant challenges in taking the right steps and decisions in following this new path was life. Life gets in the way of the best laid plans: we get busy, the urgent commands our time, sickness, family, distractions, finances, etc. We could easily accomplish all that we hope if we lived in a vacuum world and we controlled all the environmental factors.

I daydream of what my day would be like in “Tim’s World”. I would get up early spend an hour in prayer and devotions, create a breakfast feast of Swedish Pancakes & eggs for my family, workout in a gym for 2 hours (sauna time included), enjoy a relaxed conversation with my beautiful wife over a cup of freshly brewed coffee, read a chapter from each of the three books I am currently reading, write another inspiring, witty blog, delve into deep thoughts in my journal, begin writing a book…then head off to the office at 8:00 AM and begin my day. I could probably accomplish all of the above if I chose to ignore that pesky time waster, sleep.

“Tim’s World” may never exist, but sometimes I fail to take daily action on the right thing to do for that day because I am still fantasizing about the perfect conditions to accomplish it. The reality is today is the perfect day for action. You may not feel like it, feel discouraged, tired, unmotivated, overworked, etc., but if you wait for the stars to align, time to stand still, and the “perfect” conditions, you will miss out on taking a step of action today. I think that’s what the writer of ancient wisdom in Ecclesiastes shares with us – Plant today, even if its muddy, chilly, and wet, and a harvest will come. For me…well at least I was able to write this blog…by noon.  

Eyes Glued Open

Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. – Proverbs 17:24 (NLT)

What are you aiming at? A couple of phrases you may have heard before: “Tend to your goals. He who aims at nothing is sure to hit it” and “There’s no point in carrying the ball unless you know where the goal is”. As we begin 2012 many often set New Year’s Resolutions to either start or stop something with a change of direction in behavior, habits or attitude. Most will give up their resolution after 30 days. At the heart of resolutions is a hope, an aspiration, a dream…a target. To hit the target we need to aim, to have focus and clarity in the steps and goals necessary.

Many years ago I had a dream, to find a young beautiful Christian woman and hoped that when I smiled at her she wouldn’t run away. One day as a college student in Santa Cruz, CA I smiled at a lovely face and she smiled back. In time the target became crystal clear, to see us standing facing each and sharing our vows before the minister, friends and family with fireworks an 80’s pop band and driving away in a convertible corvette with my beloved. For that to happen I needed to have good aim, focus and clarity in steps and goals along the way. In our dates I tried to be witty, fun, creative and masculine. Even though I failed miserably (like the time she had to push my beat up Ford Pinto so I could pop the clutch to get it started, or when I embarrassed her with a HUGE bouquet of blue flowers at her graduation) she liked me anyway. After a few years the next big steps were to talk to her Dad for permission to marry his daughter, buy a ring on a burger flipping income, surprise her with the BIG question, hope for a “yes”, and then plan for the wedding day (which to my surprise she did 99% of it – thus no fireworks, 80’s band or corvette).

After 21+ years of marriage I am thankful I’ve kept my eyes glued on wisdom and to not let my eyes wander…that would be foolish. I am a blessed man to be married to Charlene, my best decision in life second only to following Christ. There have been many targets, aims, and goals since then, and the ones that have been fruitful are those that have been centered, focused with eyes glued on God’s wisdom. Although my wedding day may not have had exploding rockets, a neon spandex big hair band, or red corvette, I found something much better, a life long treasure.

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. – Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)