A Different Story

Crazy week going on.

We’re on night three of four consecutive nights of baseball, which will be followed immediately by three straight days of basketball. Number One son headed off in the middle of it for three days of football camp. 

Remind me again why I thought having my kids out of school for the summer was a good thing.

My desk makes me downright claustrophobic as more and more files usurp the open space in bigger and bigger piles.

Remind me again why I thought it was a good idea to take Friday off.

I can’t for the life of me get my head around why, after all he’d seen God do for him and for Israel, Gideon turned out to be such a dork. In one breath he told the people he would not be their ruler — they needed to accept only God’s rule. But then he made like Aaron, collected a bunch of gold and crafted an ephod which became the next best thing in Israel’s little-g god prostitution ring. 

Remind me again why I thought I’d be done with Gideon after today.

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The days go border to border. I lost track of my lifeboat in the sea of paperwork. My mind doesn’t stop very often. 

And then the clock found its way to 9:00.

Some days, 9:00 is the best, most amazing minute of my day.

Today was one of those days.

Remind me again Who God is. Who I am. Why I’m here.

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I remember that, if at no other time, at 9:00 each morning. 

It’s the string around a technology geek’s finger.

I set this up a while ago on my electronic calendar. 

I had to.

9:00 a.m. 

Rain or shine.

No matter what.

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Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

The Shema.

Morning prayers. 

Who God is. Who I am. Why I’m here.

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Shema – Hear

Yisrael — Israel

Adonai – Lord

Eloheinu – Our God

Adonai – Lord

Ehad – One

Shema Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad.

That’s Who God is.

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Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

That’s why I’m here.

Come to think of it, that’s also who I am.

Shema Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad.

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Sometimes when the clock strikes nine, painful words pass through my mind as I switch off the reminder.

Yeah, yeah. I know. The Lord our God is one. Ok. On to the next thing. 

I don’t like to think that’s true, but it is.

But then there are mornings like this one where I stop.

Close the open file. 

Take a deep breath.

And know. And sit in it. And tell it back to Him.

Shema Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad.

The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God . . . 

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Now. Remind me again about what I was all in such a lather about.

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