Church planting is tough stuff.  It is very time consuming.  If you are trying to do it right, you find yourself thinking about it all the time, and it is easy to find little time for anything else.  Yet, last night was different.

Last night there was a Leadership Meeting at our home church, Southwest Christian Fellowship. Though in the morning I had planned to be in attendance, I did not go.  You see, lately I have been really pressed for my time and energy.  It seems I spend most of my time studying.  And when I am not studying, I am in meetings.  And if I am not studying or in a meeting, I am traveling.  And if I am not studying, in a meeting, or traveling, then I am sleeping trying to catch up on the rest that I am not getting from studying, meeting, and traveling.  What this has meant is that I have not been able to spend quality time with the kids and Adriane.  Sure, we make it point to have dinner together everyday, and we have family worship most evenings, but I have done little with the kids that has just been fun and spontaneous.

Yesterday I decided enough is enough.  I didn’t go to the meeting.  Instead I took the family on a picnic and took the kids fishing.  It was a wonderful time!  Yes, my mind kept turning to the studying I needed to get done, but with every fish that was caught I was reminded that the study can wait.  The weather was good and the fish were biting.  Everyone caught fish and had a wonderful time.

When I got home, I was tired and after some brief time of study, I hit the bed.  I knew that I had done the right when before they went to bed, one by one the children came into the room to kiss me goodnight and said, “Thanks Dad, for such a wonderful day at the park.”  Whatever was talked about at that meeting last night does not compare to hearing and seeing the joy of my children for time spent with me.  Today I am thanking God for leading me to do the right thing.

Now, back to studying.