Friday, September 25, 2009

Do it with style

Hello from camp and I pray that you have had a great summer. For family and staff, know that though I have not been on-line with my thoughts I have continued to pray for each of you. Even though it is Friday I have a few thoughts for you and want you to know you each have been prayed for.

At the end of the summer I packed up the family for our usual trip to Maine. As we load up, I pack a small utility trailer up with camping gear and bikes (Jon and I have new road bikes this year!) and we head to Kristen's families vacation home in Down East Maine. On the way while getting gas on the Tollway in New York, a car hit our trailer. It caused little damage but the trailer needed some repair and we hit the road only to realize the lights on the trailer were out. Seeing as we were getting to our destination at 1 am I realized the lights would be vital so I took the lights off my new bikes and strapped them on the trailer.

These lights were super bright LED lights that would flash for hundreds of hours so I thought they would do the trick until I fixed the lights in Maine. I set them on constant shine and took off. AS we got closer to the Maine house I stopped to check the trailer only to find the lights had run out of juice. How could this be - I thought they would last hundreds of hours? We made our destination OK and I tried to figure out the light issue the next day by reading the light instructions. It said that the lights would last 6 or 7 hours in constant mode but over a hundred hours in bright flashing mode? I would have thought it would have been the other way for sure!

That got me thinking about life - could it be that it really takes less energy to sparkle than it does to just dimly light our world. Maybe, when we conserve our efforts and put a dull shine on our work we are really wearing out quicker than if we gave it our best "sparkling" effort. This week I want you to give it a test - do it with style, do it well, add some zest to everything you do - especially at work or in your homes. Give your efforts over to God and see if he blesses you in a surprising way. Maybe your "sparkle" will bring others around and you can let them know where your energy source is really from - the Father.

God bless and have a great week

Portage Dave