“Those were the good
ole days.”
Have you ever said that?
Reminiscing with friends and family, it’s easy to look back
on past memories and think of them as simple yet marvelous times, in which you
recall being somewhat happier and more content then you are with your life
right now.
Often times we think, “If only I could go back.” We think
about how awesome it would be if we could have a do-over. Some of us wouldn’t
even do anything different; simply being there and reliving the moment would be
enough for them.
And yet, when you are in those times – it doesn’t seem that
way at all. In fact, if I’m honest about my “good ole days,” I spent a lot of
time complaining and trying to progress so that I could be out of them.
Let me give you a few examples.
Grade School. For me, when I think back to middle
school and high school – I only remember wonderful memories. I think back to
times filled with laughter, friendships, dating, and (a ton) of pranking and
goofing off. I could tell you a million stories about high school that would
leave you on the floor laughing – even if you didn’t know who the characters in
the story were. Grade school was full of simplicity: being a kid, having little
responsibilities, and hanging out with my friends.
And yet – the entire time I was in grade school – I was
constantly focused on getting out of that time frame. I desperately
wanted to get older, move up to the next grade, and ultimately graduate so that
I could move to college. My entire mindset was defined by the idea that if I
could only get to college – THEN I would be having a blast!
College. To be honest, I can’t tell you which was
more fun: high school or college. Moving 6 hours away to a place where I was all
alone, I met some incredible people and started to sprout roots in a completely
different state. I learned a new worldview – very different from my own – and I
met some amazing people (a lot of whom I still regularly contact today).
And the memories! Oh, the memories. College was full of friends,
fun, laughter, and relationships. In fact, it was at college in which I really
learned how to grow close to others and let them truly be a part of my
life. My entire experience was priceless – and it has shaped who I am today.
YET – if you were to talk to my while I was IN college, I
would’ve told you how focused I was to leave college. I would’ve told
you how constantly busy I was – and how I was determined to be finished in 4
years. I would often ditch my friends to work on school work and been annoyed
at people around me for selfish reasons. Towards my junior year, my entire
mindset was defined by the idea that if I could only graduate and become a
youth minister – THEN I would be having a blast!
Dating.
While in college, I met this wonderful woman (who is now my
wife) named Maiah Johnson. She was smart, funny, and incredibly beautiful.
Thinking back now, I would constantly go out of my way to impress her, make her
laugh, and sweep her off her feet with charm and plant little surprises for her.
Getting to know her was incredible, and I would never want to change or take
back the way that I courted her to be my wife.
BUT – if you were to talk to me during our dating years, I
probably would’ve told you how annoying it was to be in a long distant
relationship. Seeing as how she was an hour up the road, I would tell you how I
hated that we had to be apart, and how driving there and back took a huge toll
on both of us on a regular basis. I’m sure I would’ve complained about other
stuff as well, because my entire mindset was defined by the idea that if I
could only get married – THEN I would be having a blast!
Youth Ministry – North Carolina.
My first, REAL experience being a full time youth minister
was probably the funniest thing ever. Looking back, I had no real idea what I
was doing; I was winging it a lot, but somehow it was working. I was at a
church that loved me, and I had a mentor (Glenn Brickhouse) who had my back and
often was a guard to help me from going in the gutter. I learned a lot about
people, love, youth ministry and the church. I built incredible friendships and
relationships – and I got to be a part of student’s lives who I believe are
going to change the world.
HOWEVER – if you would’ve talked to me then, I’m sure I
would have had a number of complaints. Where to start? It was in the country,
and I was a city boy. They had a dress code (what?! I have to wear something
other than sandals?!). I felt like I was working all the time. A handful of
people didn’t like me. Towards the end of my time there (after I had announced
my resignation), I once again developed the mindset that if I could only get to
Edgewood – THEN I would REALLY be having a blast!
Today.
Currently, I am youth minister at Edgewood Christian Church,
and I work with/oversee around 20 youth sponsors who are involved in the lives
of around 20-30 kids per week. The church has done nothing but grow since we
have arrived, and it is full of genuine people who care for one another.
Every single week I get to do incredible things:
·
Make my own office
hours/work schedule
·
Decide if I want to work at
the church building, a Starbucks, or my back porch.
·
Eat food with teenagers and
catch up with their lives
·
Drink coffee with people
and check up on them spiritually
·
Lead bible studies full of
friends, fun and laughter
·
Oversee our vision and
purpose, and intentionally see that it comes to life
This week we planned a Back 2 School Bash which included
paintball, a cookout, and a waterslide. How is this considered work?!
I say all that because tonight I needed to remind myself
something: I am living in the good ole days right now.
If I could take it one step further – Every day you live
is a “good ole day.”
Every single day that we live is a gift from God. The
memories you make IN THAT DAY will be locked in your head – and years from now
you will look back on them, reminisce and smile. You will miss that moment, and
wish that you were able to return to it and live it out again.
That being said, why do we treat these good ole days like
they are nothing special? If anything, we tend to complain and let our negative
attitude sour everything we experience. We stress ourselves out and constantly
talk about how busy we are. Often times we think, “If only I could make it to
____________, then I’ll be having a blast!
We become so focused
on either the past or the future that we fail to stop and see that the best
time of our life is happening right now.
Maybe this is why God’s word is constantly reminding us to
stop, slow down, and enjoy the life we are living TODAY.
“So don’t worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough
for today. - Matthew
6:34
What if you were to realize that this very day – this very hour
in which you are living and breathing is a gift from God? What if you were to
realize that this precious time (that seems to be slipping away from us faster
and faster) is only around once?!
How would that change the way you live? How would that
change your outlook on life?
The reality is that God has given you another chance to
“relive the good ole days” by simply allowing you to wake up and make one more
“good ole day.”
What are you going to do about it?
So I concluded there is
nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And
people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are
gifts from God. - Ecc.
3:12-13
