DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!

Just a note:  I wrote this earlier in the week, but it's a combination of a lot of stuff this week, so just bear with me!

Last weekend, I went with my mom and her best friend, Mrs. Cecelia, to the Alabama Junior Miss program in Montgomery. Despite some interesting caviats of the weekend (as in, I don't enjoy walking around an entire church campus in 3.5" heels simply because of one woman's stubborn display of directionally challengedness, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE), we really did have a good time. I'm always inspired by the girls on that stage, standing confident in who they are, and emboldened by the stupendous support of their friends and family. But this year, it wasn't the show that they put on that caught my main focus. Instead, it was the show going on behind me, as well as in both the hotel and auditorium lobbies. It was the show that took place before and after the show I had driven an hour to see. It was the show I was left watching into late hours of the night, and am still thinking about now....I know you're probably confused, but don't worry, I'll clear it up for you!

In high school, I wasn't really a cool kid. I mean, our grade was cordial. We had two to three very distinct groups, and you fell into one of those groups whether you liked it or not. When necessary however, the groups could come together for the common good. We didn't pick fights and drag out disagreements. We simply were who we were, and were able to go about that with some common decency. But the show I saw last weekend made up of actors and actresses from my very own alma mater left me thinking. Now don't get me wrong. I know the Houston Academy legacy, and I'm not filled with any sort of false sense of peace that things will always be happy (although I do want world peace too, Mrs. Cecelia!). And I also know that when you have such small classes, and everyone knows everyone else, it's a lot easier to run across jealousy and deceit. (Along those same lines though, it should be a lot easier to eliminate it as well.)  But what I saw last weekend made me feel raw, and truly made me think about my past, as well.  

This morning (Sunday, January 25, 2009), I was sitting in church getting ready to listen to Brother Al Jackson, our preacher at Lakeview, preach his sermon to the youth of the church.  (Our youth had their equivalent of DiscipleNow this weekend, something they call FUEL).  The sermon was entitled 'Don't Waste Your Life,' and was preached mainly from 1 Timothy 4:12.  Brother Al made five points, all utilizing the things in the passage that Paul is telling Timothy to be an example of.  I wish I could give you all my sermon notes and thoughts, but you would probably be reading for another hour or so!   My favorite quote from the morning was this: "What's down in the well will come up in the bucket," meaning our tongue will show our true heart at its core.  Whether that be in cursing, or gossiping, or malicious intent of evil, it doesn't matter.  In short, the rest of the sermon was about not wasting our life, love, faith or purity. 

When you start thinking about how the average American life span is 75-80 years, then that means that I have had the opportunity to waste 25% of my life already.  But have I?  Only God knows.

I couldn't figure out earlier in the week where I was going talking about the teenagers I saw at Junior Miss last weekend, but it's pretty clear now.  The whole scene just made me want to walk up to each of them, shake them really hard, and yell, "DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE!"  I wanted to tell them that there's so much more than just one-upping (I'm pretty positive that's nowhere near a word!) each other, and creating trivial displays of arrogance and dominance over one another.  I want to tell them that God has SO much more out there for them than that. 

I wish someone would have told me. I know that I was saved at that age, and believed that God died on the cross for me, but what was I doing about it?  I know I went on mission trips and worked with community ministries, but what did I do proactively day by day?  I really couldn't say anything. 

I have the opportunity of teaching two DiscipleNow weekends in the coming month, and I'm excited, because I've found what I'm going to be concentrating on in small groups.  Each one of the weekends will have their own theme, and their own material, but I can't wait to tell the girls about what I've told you as well!  Pray that I'll be able to tell the girls this in a way that will truly relate to them, and where they can understand it personally, instead of just conceptually.   And pray that they'll find me trustworthy and competent on the subject.

I'm sorry it took so long to get this up, but it just took me a while to get it all figured out!  I'm not sure who will read this, but it really doesn't matter.  The message is the same...DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE!  If you don't know what or Who you're living for, I can tell you that if it's not already, then it should be Jesus.  If anyone EVER wants to talk to me about it, I would be happy to share my God with them.  I'm going to try to not to waste my life anymore, and I hope you won't either!