I Had No Idea

I was talking to my BFF last week......we live far away but stay in touch pretty frequently via the phone. In the course of the conversation she asked me 'so, how are things with the Spencers'? I answered truthfully - they really are going well. The kids are doing fine in school, work is busy but still something I look forward to most days, Dennis and I are good and softball takes up about every free moment we might otherwise have.

Out of nowhere though I was smacked by a thought that just tumbled out ...... "The one thing that I'm bothered by is that I've been missing Wednesday night discipleship class because of travel and softball practice." I said it before I thought it and it really surprised me! I thought to myself that I needed to fill that void some other way and would make it a point to do so.

As most of my thoughts go, some other thought came in shortly thereafter and that was the last time I considered Wednesday nights. Until yesterday. Yesterday I was flying home from Baltimore and was able to get to the hotel a good 3hrs before my flight. Having done my homework, I KNEW that there were two other flights through ATL that would get me back to Memphis earlier. All I could think of was that I really wanted to get home earlier....I really wanted to either go to Emily's practice or go to discipleship class......but both flights were full so I sat. I was bummed.

When I got to ATL I talked to Dennis - he was taking the girls to Emily's softball practice and told me "I know you're tired, why don't you just go home and get some rest." He was right....after being on the road since Monday morning, doing two high profile meetings with customer executives (where I was the expert!) and driving between south Jersey and Baltimore, I was whipped. But deep down I couldn't shake the thought that I didn't just WANT to go to the 6pm discipleship class that I'd missed the last two or three weeks, I NEEDED to go. So "go" I did...showed up 30 minutes late, but showed up.

As usual, class was great. The "I Had No Idea" thought was this. If you had asked me before yesterday why I go to Wednesday night discipleship classes, I probably would've told you that 1) the kids are in choir, so we go there while the kids sing or 2) the classes are great - I always learn something or maybe even 3) it's great to sit and learn with church friends and it's even a little sociable. What I realized last night however was how much I longed to hear the Word of God spoken to me in a way that applies to my life today. I realized that these classes feed me, nourish my spirit, open my eyes to what God wants me to see. Whether its reestablishing what I already know or showing me something completely new, the things that are taught week in and week out are the principles that help guide me to a life more dominated by joy. I realized that when I'm not getting that, I'm more apt to let the world in and allow it's teachings to dominate. And I don't like that one bit.

Thanks Scott and thanks First Baptist, for recognizing the need for ministering to adults. For ministering to me.