Thank you for your service

Costco Wholesale Warehouse is an absolute gold mine around lunch time. Vendors set up 
tables all over the mammoth store, hawking all sorts of samples ranging from vitamin juice 
shots to mini crab cakes. I used to make sure that I would go there with the kids so that we 
would have at least one day when we didn’t have to meal plan.

    
I don’t shop there all the time because we simply can’t afford to. Not that the prices are bad, 
it’s just that I don’t know when to stop. Instead, I will go every month or so to stock up on bulk 
supplies of juice boxes, salsa, pizza rolls, peanut butter, and whatever items I am convinced 
that my family cannot live without. 

     
Perhaps the biggest, if only, drawback to Costco is that it is always crowded. Every aisle is 
clogged with shoppers pushing oversized carts full of their choice of essential goods and, 
while no one is necessarily rude about the rules of the road, it can get pretty dicey navigating 
tight corners and attempting to cross from the snacks to the pasta section. 

    
Whenever I encounter an aisle that’s a little too congested for my comfort, I will backtrack and 
take an alternative route, as if I have some secret shortcut that no one else knows about. Not 
long ago when I was shopping for the next few week’s worth of supplies, as I wheeled my cart 
filled with a 120-count box of granola bars and enough gummy bears to choke a small elephant, 
I encountered a roadblock that had me quickly throwing it into reverse into a detour down the 
next aisle. It contained socks and men’s off brand running shoes, so it was a much safer 
passage.

     
Rounding the corner that would allow me to bypass this latest obstruction, I paused for a 
moment to take in exactly who it was that had caused this latest inconvenience. There in the 
middle of the adjacent aisle was an older gentleman, possibly in his 80’s, hunched slightly at 
the waist and using his shopping cart as a walker. He was traveling at the speed of slow, which 
for him was just fine because he was in absolutely no hurry at all. 

     
On his head he wore a baseball cap, one of those military hats that veterans of wars and armed 
conflicts wear with obvious pride. The insignia on the front told me that he had served in the 
Korean War. My grandfather operated the radio on a B25 bomber during World War 2 in the 
Pacific theater and I knew all about those islands he flew over and the enemy he fought.

I have read books about Guadalcanal and Bougainville and other exotic sounding places where 
our American GI’s fought tooth and nail against the Japanese for what amount to nothing more 
than isolated plots of land made mostly of coral. On these islands we began to win the war 
against Japan, keeping them from overtaking Australia and the rest of the Pacific region. My 
grandfather never spoke much about his time over there, but I know he must have seen and 
experienced some incredible, and horrific, things.

The war in Korea I admittedly knew very little about. I know that we tried to help South Korea 
hold the communists at bay and eventually were successful in doing so, but that’s really about 
it. Nevertheless, I have a great amount of respect for anyone who has served this country in the 
military and I learned a long time ago that it was a good and right act to thank those servicemen 
face-to-face whenever you saw them. Especially if they were wearing those special kind of hats. 

As this elderly hero made his way down the aisle, I purposefully stood in his way so that I could 
garner his attention. I wasn’t all that concerned that he would run me over with his cart because 
of his lack of momentum, but I was careful all the same to watch out for my toes. Right as he was 
about to bump my cart, he stopped and looked up, staring me straight in the eyes. I quickly 
gathered myself and told him in the strongest voice I could muster, “Thank you for your service.” 

Without missing a beat, he replied, “It was my honor to serve you and my country and, if I had 
the chance, I would storm the border of Korea all over again in order to make sure that you 
stayed safe.” Instantly I felt my eyes start to sweat and any response that I could have made 
was stuck in my throat as if I was choking on a piece of steak.

Mesmerized by his response, I stood frozen in place, unable to reply. Here was this weathered 
and worn veteran who could no longer tie his own shoes, now declaring his desire to re-defend 
this country if that’s what it took. Shaking off my stupor, I was finally able to feebly respond to 
him, thanking him again for his service, words which now seemed pathetically inadequate. This 
genuine hero offered a satisfied smile and began to shuffle on his way towards the peanut 
butter and honey section. I in turn quickly turned my cart in the other direction to head toward 
the ice cream and fruit punch.

As I padded my way, avoiding more carts and the glut of consumers, I could not help but admit 
with a bit of sadness that they simply don’t make men like that anymore.

Fridays are for finishers

Fridays are the best days of the week. Period. Need proof? How about these sweet lyrics from George Jones:

It's finally Friday
I'm free again
I got my motor running for a wild weekend
It's finally Friday
I'm outa' control
Forget the workin' blues
And let the good times roll.

Sorry that you now have that song stuck in your head. And yeah, maybe that song isn't so awesome after all, but Friday IS all that and a bag of chips. Here are some reasons why:

• Friday night high school football games in the fall
• The one night of the week you can stay up really late because you can always sleep in on Saturday
• In our western culture, Friday marks the finish line to a grueling week of work and school
• Square fish sandwiches in schools on Friday (do they still do that?)

Anyway, Fridays are simply awesome. I always loved Friday because it was the one day of the week growing up that I was convinced I could make it through because I knew what waited for me on the other side. Did I mention fish sandwiches in school on Fridays?

I've heard others try to downplay the importance of Fridays as if people like me use Friday as an excuse to quit trying so hard. After all, they say, every day is just as important as the next and should receive the same amount of effort as Friday. Maybe, but that's missing the real point about Fridays.

You see, I think Fridays are awesome because they mark the natural finish line of what most of us began on Monday. For those of you in cultures that use Friday as a weekend day of worship or your calendar is not like the one I use, just pretend that Friday is as awesome as I say it is, okay?

Fridays are for finishers.

What does that mean?

Ask anyone how they feel about Mondays and more than likely they will speak of Mondays like they are satanic curses, unless of course Mondays are the days that they get paid. Then Mondays are awesome! But under normal circumstances, Mondays are loathed at best. Monday to many is the beginning of the grind, the necessary evil of a new week at school or work or both. Mondays make the weekend seem so far away.

But alas, don't fret! Friday is coming! Friday represents the finish of what you started on Monday. By 5:00 Friday, you have put your 40 hours in. By the 3:00 on Friday, you've finished another week of classes. While this may sound more shallow than a George Jones song, there is something really valuable about propping up Friday to such a high standing.

We live in a world where people don't know what it means to finish anything. They quit their jobs when their boss hurts their feelings, they quit their marriages when they think they've run out of love, and they fail to honor their commitments when they think that something better has come along. How many books have you started yet failed to finish? Guilty as charged.

Other than a full-scale revival of the church, what we need more than anything are FINISHERS! Only those who complete the task fully can declare that they are truly finished. Jesus Himself created this concept when He cried, "It is finished!" as He breathed His last on the cross.

Not long ago I watched a video of an Naval Admiral as he addressed a group of college students at their graduation. He said something in that video that was so profound that I had to watch it again: To change the world, start by making your bed. Seriously, that's what he said. And here is what he meant by that: If you start the day by making your bed, then you've already accomplished something before you've even walked out the door. In other words, you've completed a task before your day even begins. And if you finish something as simple as making your bed, then it will be easier for you to tackle and finish more important tasks the rest of your day.

Will making your bed every morning guarantee that you will finish those critical obligations that loom over you? Not necessarily, but if you start with finishing then at least you will know what finishing feels like. And finishing feels great because when you finish something - and especially if you finish it well - then you will rarely have to live with the regret of "what if."

Let me finish with this great quote by Brad Lomenick from his book H3 Leadership:

Choose to outwork everyone. Great leaders are great finishers.

My friends, strive to finish well.

Compassion is more than just a fancy word

Compassion. This is a word that is not foreign to any of us. We know what it means, or at least we think we know what it means. The word compassion comes from the Latin word compati which means "to suffer with." This means that if you have compassion on someone, then you are there suffering with them. Not from a distance or by throwing money at a cause, but right there with them. This makes compassion personal, real, difficult at times.

As I write this my oldest daughter is in the hospital in Winston-Salem getting treatment for a pretty nasty flare up of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). As I've watched her struggle through pain this weekend, it's been necessary to muster all the compassion that I can for her. Not because I don't care, but rather because I personally don't have JRA and I often don't know how to suffer with her. Yes, I can show sympathy and tell her that I care, but compassion is more than that. It's intensely personal.

Simply put, compassion is more than words. It's a coming alongside of someone and connecting with them through ugly situations in their life. It's getting dirty and not worrying about how bad the stains you receive are going to be and if they will wash out. Compassion has more to do with being unable to go any further until you've done all that you can do to meet a need. It stops you in your tracks and won't allow you to look the other way.

In Matthew 14, Jesus had compassion on a large crowd that had gathered to hear Him preach. His concern for these men and women was that they had been there with Him all day in a desolate place where there was no food for them to eat. It wasn't like they could call Domino's and order a pizza. Jesus' disciples saw what was happening and suggested that He send the people away to their own homes so that they could grab a bite to eat before it got too late, but Jesus had other things in mind. To Jesus, compassion meant owning the suffering of others, not merely offering a solution. Instead of giving this crowd good advice, He gave them something to eat. In that moment, He fed over 5,000 people with only two fish and five loaves of bread. Jesus could have sent them home. Instead, He gave all that He could give.

Look around you. How many needs do you see on a daily basis? Have you ever thought, "Man, I hope those people get the help they need"? Or maybe you've said something like, "I'm praying for you and I'm here if you need me." None of these things are inherently wrong, but they also aren't compassion unless we do what we can to meet those needs.

Compassion could be quitting your job and relocating to a low income neighborhood to run an after school center for troubled kids. Compassion might be sitting for hours with a grieving friend as they mourn the loss of loved one, crying with them and listening to their pain. Compassion is pulling alongside a student whose parents don't invest in him and giving him guidance and encouragement so that he can believe in himself and succeed. And compassion is what keeps you up at night, unable to sleep until you have figured out a way to meet the financial need of a neighbor who just lost her job.

But how much can I really do? I mean, I don't have much money to give and I've got a family of my own to care for! Those are honest concerns, yet compassion goes beyond them because compassion doesn't merely ask what can I do, but rather compassion asks, "What am I WILLING to do?" It's not how much you give but rather your willingness to give in the first place.

99.9% ain't gonna be enough

The other week, right before Easter, a long-time friend shared an article with me about the death of Jesus. The author of the article asked the question, "Why did Jesus die?", and the reason he gave wasn't quite the one I was expecting. He said that Jesus died primarily to show us what love looks like.

Now I don't disagree that dying for someone is a supreme act of love, but in the case of Jesus it was more than just one shining moment that put Him on that cross. When Jesus went to the cross, He went as a sacrifice for our sins. In other words, if Jesus didn't die on the cross and then rise from the grave, we don't have forgiveness of sins. Did love compel Him to die? Yes! But His blood actually purchased something for you and me. The cross stands as more than just an example of affection.

As I mulled these things over in my mind, I began to wonder about what the word sacrifice really means. Sometimes we say that we are going to make sacrifices in our lives so that we can pay off a debt or allow someone else to have a chance to flourish. But when we do those things - which are really good things to do, by the way - what do they really cost us? Have we really sacrificed like Jesus did?

Here is the truth about sacrifice: It will cost you everything. Think about it. When Jesus died as a sacrifice on the cross for you, what did He hold back? Nothing! A sacrifice isn't a sacrifice if it doesn't demand all that you have to give. If I see someone who is hungry and give them half of my sandwich, that is a nice gesture of love but it's not really a sacrifice because I still have the other half to put into my belly. A true sacrifice gives all.

Paul wrote in Romans 12:1 that we are to present our bodies - our very lives - as a living sacrifice to God. His words are carefully chosen here because, in urging us to give all that we have, he also reminds us that we still are to go on living. When animals were sacrificed in the temple prior to Jesus' coming, their blood was spilled on the altar and their life was snuffed out. There was no life left in the animal so the sacrifice had to be repeated again and again with other animals.

But when Jesus died on the cross, His sacrifice was enough. It eternally satisfied the heart of God. That's because when Jesus died, He didn't stay dead. He rose from the grave and He still lives today. So when you as a Christian are called to offer your life as a living sacrifice, that means that you die to the way that you used to live - your desires, ambitions, selfish motives - and in turn live fully for the glory of God.

It means that you hold nothing back from Him. No goals in life, no relationships, no possessions are to be free from the sacrifice. If you choose to hold something back for yourself then you will never know the joy of relying fully on God for all that you need.

A sacrifice means all or nothing. It requires ultimate trust and the all the faith that you can possibly muster. You see, if you truly wish to live for Jesus as a living sacrifice, then you are going to have to give up the entire sandwich.

Christianity = Insanity

"When you heard a story 'bout the hero dying for the villain?"

(Trip Lee One Sixteen)

Let's go ahead and clear the air from the get go - there isn't much about what Jesus did on the cross for us that makes sense. Was His sacrifice beautiful, His love unconditional, His redemption of us incredible? Yes! Does it fit into our rational thought processes? No!

When we see someone guilty of a crime, especially one that is heinous and barbaric in our eyes, we want justice. For some that means the death penalty while for others they demand life in prison with no possibility of parole. Keep the criminals in their cages so that they can no longer prey on the weak and the innocent.

Question: If the Red Cross knocked on your door and asked if you would be willing to donate your organs - your very life - to a terminal death row inmate, how would you react? "Um, no thanks, but I appreciate the free snacks that you give when I donate blood." You see, that line of thinking just doesn't make sense. Why would we waste our good resources, time, and energy on someone who doesn't deserve it?

Thank God those thoughts weren't on Jesus' mind as He suffered, bled, and died on a cross that He didn't deserve for a people who don't deserve His sacrifice.

This, my friends, is the gospel. A loving God giving a perfect Savior to rescue a world that had been given a death sentence. (Romans 5:6-8)

This is more than prison rehabilitation; the gospel commutes our sentence and clears our record of guilt. (Romans 8:1)

This is more than some random act of kindness; the gospel is calculated grace. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This is more than giving a released prisoner a job and new chance at life; the gospel brings the sinner to the very throne of God, who in turn adopts us and declares us heirs with Jesus for eternity. (Romans 8:14-17)

Now tell me, does this make sense to you? Why in the world would God do this for us? People are quick to blame God for all of the ugliness and evil that occurs on a daily basis, but are they just as quick to blame God for His incredible grace that sets them free?

I'm so thankful that Jesus bled and died for me. I will never fully understand why God loves me - and you - to the extent that He does. Following Jesus is without a doubt the craziest decision that you can possibly make. The gospel is nuts!

Don't cheer for Jesus. Follow Him.

The most significant time of the year has arrived: College Football season. Just in case you doubt that claim, consider these facts for a moment:

• For the 2013 College Football season, the average attendance for FBS games was 45,815 per game. That's more people than live in 98% of towns in America (I don't know if that percentage is actually true, but it sounds pretty good).
• Almost 50,000,000 people attend College Football games each year. That's 50 million. That doesn't even come close to the number of people who watch the games on TV. 
• The University of Michigan football stadium has a capacity of 110,000 but you can cram 115,000 in it if you want to. That makes this stadium the 236th largest city in America.

Numbers don't lie. Americans love their college football and follow their teams with a passion. Fans will drive long distances to sit on horribly uncomfortable bleachers in horrific weather to shout themselves hoarse for college players who they will never meet in hopes that they can push a piece of leather across a white stripe more than the other team's eleven players. That's just nuts, but we love our college football.

Did you know that each year after the Auburn/Alabama football game there is at least one homicide attributed directly to the outcome of that game? Usually it's a fan of the winning team that gets shot or stabbed as a result of being a little too obnoxious about his team's big victory, but nonetheless that's pretty nuts too. Some teams' followers are just so hardcore.

And then there are followers of Jesus. You can count them every Sunday morning as pull into the parking lots of churches across America and file into their regular seats in the worship center. No car flags or fanfare, although many of them dress a little bit nicer for the occasion and will refrain from any unwholesome language during the hour or so during which the service takes place. At many churches you might get called a name like "brother" and usually side hugs abound. On any given Sunday morning it's not too hard to spot someone who looks to be a follower of Jesus.

Sad thing is, it's getting harder to identify followers of Jesus on Monday through Saturday.

I can't tell you how many college football fans I see on a daily basis, and I don't even live in SEC country where it's against the law to NOT cheer for your team. Whether it's car flags, bumper stickers or car magnets, logo t-shirts, or just the constant verbal bravado that I hear, it's not hard to spot a college football fan.

Yet every day I see Christians who look and act just like everyone else, myself included. Our style and choice of dress doesn't set us apart and our words don't give away the fact that we know Jesus at all.

There's nothing quite like the thrill of being at a college football game. The anticipation at kickoff, the choreographed cheers from thousands of people, the euphoria of a touchdown. And then you can't help but talk about the game for several days after, recounting every score and big play that you saw. Man, that game literally changed your life!

The church service was great this past Sunday - the music was worshipful, the fellowship sweet, and the message challenging. But for some reason, you don't seem to have much interest in talking about your experience on Monday with your friends and co-workers. Jesus, the object of your Sunday worship, doesn't seem to be much of game changer for you the rest of the week..

Why is it so easy for us to follow our favorite sports team and cheer for them as if our lives depended on it, yet we can't seem to maintain enough spiritual momentum after Sunday to even acknowledge that we know Jesus? Jesus could care less if you are a fan of His. He's looking for followers.

Sorry if this assessment seems harsh, but then again I'm not sorry. When it comes to matters of faith, many Christians have gotten their lives so out of balance that their relationship with Jesus looks more like a casual acquaintance on Facebook as opposed to the life-saving, soul-changing gift from God that it is.

To quote Kyle Idleman: We have settled on becoming mere fans of Jesus instead of being truly committed followers of Him. And that's not okay. People are so afraid of having to give up stuff or miss out on something that they simply stop trying. Sure, they wear the title of "follower of Christ" but that's about it. Jesus didn't come and die to make you happy. He came and died to give you life. That's worth following.

A real leader is one who serves. Are you listening, DC?

For obvious reasons I stay away from writing or sharing about politics as much as possible. Nobody every seems to agree on anything and I've yet to see a community become politically united over a few pithy social media posts. That being said, I'm gonna touch on politics a little bit today but hopefully not in the way that would label me as "that guy."

It's hard to ignore the turmoil in our country right now. We seem to add a new issue everyday to a long list of concerns that has more than enough of us wringing our hands in doubt and confusion over the future. Whether it's the health care crisis, budget concerns, or the fact that in spite of all the talk of the importance of education it still gets underfunded, there are many things which seem to be spiraling out of control.

In my teens and 20's, I considered myself a bit of a maverick concerning my political views, ready to debate with the best of them. Now, not so much. I no longer carry a party label but rather have registered myself as an "Independent" because neither side seems to fully represent my views. This way, I am free to examine a particular candidate or issue and vote my conscience without having to worry about whether or not I am betraying some kind of intrinsic loyalty. That being said, I join many of my fellow citizens in being less than dazzled over how our leaders are handling the current state of affairs in our country.

Just overhearing basic conversations, I get the idea that most of the people in America pretty much know what they want. The problem I'm seeing is that there seems to be scant communication at best between the politicians in place and the people that they represent. Sure, I've called my state and national representatives offices and voiced my concerns, but voice mail is hardly my idea of what it means to be concerned about one's constituents. Yet more than the issues are at stake in all of this. Whether or not a budget gets passed or schools get funded are important issues, but they speak of a more dire underlying void that grows deeper in the daily doings of our elected officials: A LACK OF LEADERSHIP.

Leaders lead in spite of. That's a mantra that I've been throwing around for years now. Yet this is hardly what we see in our state or our nation's capital. Leadership is such a broad term encompassing a myriad of character and personality traits, but perhaps the most crucial aspect of a good leader and one that is most often ignored is that of servant leadership. Most political leaders are in place because the will of others have put him or her there. The goal of a political leader is to serve the interest of the people, and in doing so it might mean the sacrificing of more than one personal agenda. This is the ideal but hardly the reality.

Let me give you an excellent example of what this looks like. Go back a few thousand years ago to ancient Israel where a guy named David was king. During his reign he enjoyed much success and the people loved and followed him willingly, not because he lorded his position over them but rather because he was willing to sacrifice first what he demanded of others.

David wanted to build a magnificent temple for God, yet he knew that it would not get built during his lifetime. Instead, he instructed his son and successor, Solomon, on how to build it when he became king. David worked hard to gather as many materials as possible for the construction of this beautiful edifice, but he asked for no more from the people he led than he was willing to give himself. David was fabulously wealthy, yet he had no problem donating most of his personal treasure for the project. In turn, the leaders under King David did the same. How did this affect the people of Israel?

Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders' willingness to give, for they had given all they had to the Lord with a whole heart. (1 Chronicles 29:1-9)

King David and the other leaders under him knew that if they were not willing to count the cost and give what they had, they had no business asking the people to do the same. What an amazing, novel concept that has been by-and-large lost on this generation of leaders. What if our president, senators, and congressmen were willing to do the same?

I do not know how to fix what's going on in Washington nor do I care to dive into open and hostile debate about it. But I do believe this: If those that we have elected to lead us would give as much to working together to solve the current crises as they demand from the rest of us, then these problems would be things of the past.

Less is more

Simplicity. Scaling back from the tangled mess that is our lives and narrowing our focus on what's most important. That's what's missing from so many of the lives of people that I know, including myself. We pride ourselves with our work effort, how much we can accomplish in a day or a week, and reward ourselves with mini-getaways that promise escape from the chaos that is our lives. It's as if we are resigned to believe that the daily grind is what we should expect until we've earned the next brief respite of escape.

But should simple be the exception instead of the rule?

Bear with me for a few moment of seemingly ridiculous reflection. My wife and I have been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately and we've gathered most of our ammo from television shows. I know, not exactly the best source for unbiased and healthy perspective, but there is a lot to learn from the past. The Hardy Boys book series, learning about our local history, and shows like Little House on the Prairie and the older movies that constantly stream on TMC and Retro TV hearken the mind back to a time when life didn't seem so complicated and issues seemingly resolved themselves without bloodshed.

Granted, I know that many of these depictions are fictional, but behind them lies a yearning for this elusive concept of simplicity that is an inherent desire in the heart of man. Think about it: wouldn't you want to come home to a family meal each night and enjoy an evening sitting around a campfire reading a book, playing board games together, or taking a family walk? Instead, our schedules control us and we justify our busyness with the belief that we absolutely must be involved in these things for the well-being of our children or to further our own professional, cultural, or social development. The more that we take on, the less simple life becomes and that leads us to a very dangerous crossroads.

We risk losing sight of each other.

Why do so many chance it all by worshiping at the altar of chaos? The only thing that most of us have to show for lives that are pulled in a plethora of directions is a resume that screams, "You're too busy! Slow down!" Nevertheless we plod on in exhaustion, believing that if we can make one more meeting or take one more class or run one more errand then we can have a chance to breathe. And then we sink into bed in exhaustion only to repeat the cycle all over again the next day.

So what do we do to make life more simple, to strive to live as if less is more? Not everyone has the opportunity to live like Swiss Family Robinson and, granted, most of us don't want that for ourselves. But living simply requires making an intentional effort to step away from it all and taking time for yourself and your family. Other than selling it all and moving to a hut in Tahiti where you live off of fish and whatever grows on the trees (which I think is a brilliant idea), here are a few suggestions on how to simplify life even when everything around you is so complex:

1. Get outside more often. Take a walk, go for a hike, swim in the ocean, tube down a river, ride your bike, sit outside and gaze at the stars, hang out on your porch, go the park and swing. God has created nature for us to enjoy and when we take the time to get out into it, the beauty of His creation provides wonderful therapy.
2. Learn to say no. As a parent, I know that it's hard to say no to your children because you don't want to deprive them of opportunities that might harm their development. But let's be realistic here - what will develop your children more, sending them to every class/practice/audition that you can or pouring more of yourself into their lives? Peel the "Mom's Taxi" sticker off of your minivan and keep it parked in the driveway more often.
3. Stop making excuses. "But if I don't stay over at work then I might not get that promotion!" "My clients are depending on me to come through!" "We've got to travel every weekend for softball/baseball/soccer/etc., if we want our kids to excel and make it to the next level!" The list goes on and on for why we push ourselves like we do. Hey, don't get me wrong, there will be seasons when more is asked of us and it will require a hefty chunk of our time (ask a CPA during tax season), but these times are just that - seasons. There really is no good excuse for voluntarily pushing yourself and your family to their limits week after week because you are afraid of what you might not gain if you don't. That's a cop out. Translation: If I don't do this for myself or my family, then I will have failed them. No, you fail yourself and your family when you put too must trust in what you can do and so little in what God can and will provide.
4. Pursue what really matters. Writing from a purely Western perspective, we have convinced ourselves that being successful equals having more. Whether it's a better job with higher pay, a nicer car filled with more gadgets, or a bigger home in which to store our stuff, bigger has become synonymous with better. No one wants to poor. Shoot, we have campaigns to fight poverty, and we should indeed help those in need. But let's not fool ourselves any longer - we've begun to believe the lie that more is always better and in doing so we've gotten our priorities way out of whack. What really matters on this side of heaven is relationships, first with God then with family and our fellow man. When we trump time with family and friends for work projects, five sporting events a week, and a schedule that would make an air traffic controller's head spin, then it's time to step back and ask ourselves what in life really matters. In the end, none of these things will go with us but we are promised a satisfying relationship with God for all eternity through Jesus Christ. 

Maybe this list itself is too simple, and I'm okay with that because I wrote it just as much for myself than for anyone else. Truthfully, we don't need to harken back to an age where simplicity was often artificially manufactured. What we need to do is take a deep breath, step back from the ledge of chaos that surrounds us, and seek to pursue what truly matters most. Seek to excel in your work, charm the pants off of your clients, and strive to be the best on the athletic field, but do so only when you've given priority to your faith and your family first. If you don't know how to do this, then mark through some of the events on your calendar, turn of your TV and your phone, and sit outside with your family to plan it all out. In doing so, you will have already made your life a little more simple.