What are you celebrating?
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A friend of mine, Paul Wirth, challenged me with this question a couple of weeks ago. Paul knows me and my tendency to get focused on what is next and what we need to fix. This question refocuses your heart and mind. So- what am I celebrating today? I am celebrating:

• That Jesus Christ has changed my life and its direction because of the Cross
• Sandy and I will be married 30 years this December 23rd and we still are learning about each other (and love each other)
• That I have 2 kids (actually 3- my daughter in law also) who have a passion to follow Jesus
• That I get to be the lead pastor at Church at the Bay
• That God has given CATB some passionate pastors
• We are seeing new leaders emerge and step up in big ways
• That just about every week we see people commit their lives to Christ for the 1st time
• And so much more

In turbulent times like these, focus is everything. Too often I get caught in the stress of the future or the guilt of the past and I miss celebrating Jesus in the now! I don’t want to live like that. So every week (at least) I am asking, “What am I celebrating today.” Okay- your turn- leave a comment…
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Mondays are always difficult for me, that is an understatement. After speaking and connecting for the weekend- I usually wake up discouraged and often angry. I am embarrassed to admit that I have been a Christ-Follower for over 30 years and a pastor for over 25 and my emotions can still wreck my day. It doesn’t really matter what happened on the weekend. I now understand it is coming- I just try not to allow them to run my day. I have even talked with other pastors that I respect and they say they experience the same blah’s. I was hoping they had a secret prayer that fixed them- but they don’t! One thing that helps me to battle back is I begin Mondays at 6am with my work out partner at the gym. I used to try and have my daily time with God before I went to the gym- but I really don’t think God wants to talk to me until I get some attitude issues right. I get back from my work out and pray and journal. It seems than that I begin to gain God’s perspective. I also purposely try not to have draining meetings on Mondays. We all have to have those discussions- I just postpone them for a time when I will have a better perspective.

This verse haunts me …
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. Proverbs 16:32

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