back burner

Doesn't seem like I get much put up here. At least not like I had imagined it a couple of months ago. Maybe my life doesn't fuel as much thinking as I thought. Well, anyway....

I'm working on Sunday's message and thinking about what it is that could be shared of benefit to both those who are about to graduate and those who may have done so many years ago. What are some of the things that I know now that I wished I knew then? Does it really matter? Everyone has to experience their own life. I guess it comes down to listening. If I share what I think God wants me to share, is anyone paying attention? Particularly those who are intended to receive the message. Wish I had the answer to that one. I know that I don't listen well enough when people who are closest to me offer well intentioned words of wisdom - just ask my wife. I don't even listen to myself part of the time.

This begs another question... If I don't listen to myself or the people I trust the most, how likely am I to listen to God? I can think of specific times that He told me particular things to do and I blew them off as being too weird, too crazy, or just beyond my comfort zone. Good thing God is patient and that He is willing to repeat Himself. But how much good could I have done for Him and subsequently the people around me if I had listened and followed through? I'll never know.

I'll just have to listen more. Follow through more. Do the things that should be done when they need doing more. Thanks for being patient, Lord.