Ten Points
Well, it's January so I'm doing the Weight Watchers thing again. I'm counting points. I'm up to ten points for today (for most people doing WW - that's close to half their points - at my weight, it's a third of my points for the day). Not too bad, considering I just finished lunch (chili...mmmm -- gotta love foods with high fiber - well, from a points perspective...there are all kinds of down sides...heh...)
Anyway, Weight Watchers is the easiest program for me to follow because it's pretty easy for me to track how I'm doing. I can have a donut - but then I can have less "real" food... Check off the boxes for water, milk, fruits and vegetables...easy...
So, I want a points system for my spiritual life. Ten commanments -- check. Prayer -- check. Fasting -- um... I know that's just the old "works righteousness" mentality - but without some kind of framework, I get spiritually lazy. And don't talk to me about schedules. Mine is insane (yeah, everybody's is, I know...). How do I squeeze in the spiritual disciplines with the meetings, prep work, family time, etc. that is my life? Well, if I had a checklist...
But then I remember. This whole thing is about relationship -- it's not even about identity. It's about having an ongoing, living, vibrant relationship with Jesus. I was thinking yesterday. I think God lets me "slide" on my devotions on Sundays (I attend two worship services and lead a third). So, while I'm not putting in my "personal" devotion time - I'm joining in devotion within the context of community. I wonder how many points that's worth?
But, just like my wife (who loves me WAY more than I deserve) lets our relationship "be on hold" on Sundays, I think God understands... I could be way wrong in that. Next week I may completely reverse myself. But today...
So, it's not about a checklist... It's not about points... I guess I don't REALLY want it to be, either...
Mmmm, a donut sounds pretty good right now... How many points?
Anyway, Weight Watchers is the easiest program for me to follow because it's pretty easy for me to track how I'm doing. I can have a donut - but then I can have less "real" food... Check off the boxes for water, milk, fruits and vegetables...easy...
So, I want a points system for my spiritual life. Ten commanments -- check. Prayer -- check. Fasting -- um... I know that's just the old "works righteousness" mentality - but without some kind of framework, I get spiritually lazy. And don't talk to me about schedules. Mine is insane (yeah, everybody's is, I know...). How do I squeeze in the spiritual disciplines with the meetings, prep work, family time, etc. that is my life? Well, if I had a checklist...
But then I remember. This whole thing is about relationship -- it's not even about identity. It's about having an ongoing, living, vibrant relationship with Jesus. I was thinking yesterday. I think God lets me "slide" on my devotions on Sundays (I attend two worship services and lead a third). So, while I'm not putting in my "personal" devotion time - I'm joining in devotion within the context of community. I wonder how many points that's worth?
But, just like my wife (who loves me WAY more than I deserve) lets our relationship "be on hold" on Sundays, I think God understands... I could be way wrong in that. Next week I may completely reverse myself. But today...
So, it's not about a checklist... It's not about points... I guess I don't REALLY want it to be, either...
Mmmm, a donut sounds pretty good right now... How many points?
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