Ordinary

It was a busy and full weekend; but, as I look back on it, there was nothing really extra-ordinary about it.   Although I was initially disappointed to realize that there was nothing that really stood out, I am thinking that is not such a bad thing.

My pastor mentioned on Sunday, that we all love "epic stories"; and along those lines, I do think that we as a multi-media entertained culture do tend to look for what is grand and exciting.  Maybe it's time I began to appreciate the "ordinary".  This was well-demonstrated in the Hallmark movie I saw this weekend "The Magic of Ordinary Days".   It was a beautiful story of how a well-educated cosmopolitan woman learned to appreciate the love and simplicity of her life in the country with a caring thoughtful farmer.  The true special moments in life are ones in which we spend time with those we love and care about, whether or not we are doing anything extraordinary.

So, that's why this weekend was special, even if there was nothing really spectacular about it:
I was able to have fellowship over dinner with some friends from class.
I was able to help mom put the last piece of furniture in place and add some finishing touches to the newly remodeled room.
I was able to finish up the book of James with my class, and we had good discussion on the study.
I was able to have my friend and her daughters over for dinner; and even enjoyed a mini-recital as they played their piano pieces for me.

So, my pleasant weekend was actually made up of very ordinary things:  fellowshipping with friends, spending time with my parents and helping at their house, jogging, mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, going to church for worship, teaching Sunday School, interacting with others, watching movies, etc.  There are actually a couple of things I wanted to note.   I had a chance to watch the movie "The Girl" adapted from Catherine Cookson's book.  It was well-done and very engaging; but, does raise some questions about ethics and morality.  The other things was that for dinner with my friend and her daughters, I made enchiladas, corn, cornbread, chips, salsa, guacamole, chilli, asparagus, Mexican rice.  Instead of frying the corn tortillas, I microwaved them before dipping into the enchilada sauce and rolling them up with the filling; otherwise, they would tear or break when rolling.

Actually, my pastor did say something that stood out.  He mentioned that we shouldn't wait for something devastating to happen before it motivates us to do what is really important in life, like, for example, appreciating those we love.  A member of our church passed away last week, leaving behind a wife and two young children.  It is a reminder of how we don't know what our future holds; and that we should always be prepared for His Return.