Ripples

I do not do very well with vacations. Sitting around this resort for the past couple of days playing basketball, shuffleboard, tennis, and watching the boys paddle boat and canoe as well as swim has been fun. What really drives me is to read, pray, and write though. I finally found a place with some wi-fi and now have left the family to take a little time to reflect and to write.

Earlier this morning I read from the first chapter of Colossians and reflected on that truth while sitting on the bank of Holly Lake. Paul prays for the Colossians that they may be filled with the knowledge and understanding of God's will as well as praying for strength to live a life worthy of the Lord in all respects.

I watched the wind blow across the lake creating little ripples in the water. This is what happens with our lives. God blows us where He wills and our lives cause little ripples across the lake of time. Some lives have bigger splashes than others. Some lives leave tiny ripples few notice. Most of us live somewhere in between.

Through Christ we hope to leave influence over our families, friends, and churches. What a sad indictment that people can live six and seven decades and have little influence on others. On the other hand there are lives lived so well they leave huge impacts on their children, spouses, friends, and those they work and live around.

Today I pray the winds of the Holy Spirit will blow across our lives helping us to leave influence on the lives of those closest to us.

While we have a few more days on vacation I will have the opportunity to love, laugh, share memories, and to enjoy my family. Those are things I enjoy about vacation. I will also have the chance to influence them like I did Sunday morning when we sat around the living room of our condo and dug into the scriptures enjoying our own worship service. May we have leave positive ripples on those around us today.