What do you have to offer

What a weekend it has been. My baby girl just turned one, took the family for a little vacation to Orlando for Eden and my niece Ellis to celebrate their birthdays together. (check out my wife's blog for some awesome pictures)

Mercy and I talked a good bit in regards to our future on the drive home. I think our marriage has had its best conversations in the car. As she puts it, I am trapped and have to be in a steady state of alertness and attention so I listen better.

Of course our future in God's hands was one of the big topics we covered. It is pretty frustrating to feel like you are capable and qualified for so much more but nothing seems to come your way.

As I was driving home from work the phrase, "What do you have to offer" shot across my mind as I passed an American Red Cross building. I am someone who has an O negative blood type which of course is the most widely accepted blood type for all blood transfers or infusions. But I rarely give blood. I work the humdrum 8-5 shift with a short lunch and want to get home to my family at the end of the day and cant afford to just get out and go across town to give blood.

Cant afford to or maybe don't make the effort to. (they are open on Saturdays as well)

But blood is precious and my type of blood is one of the most precious. It is something I can offer but never do because I dont make it a priority. I dont make it intentional.

It is like tithing at church, communicating to your wife, exercising, drinking more water, reading the Bible. Activities that once you start practicing them make things better.

Maybe even make you better. But activities that have to be decided upon and acted on.

As I look towards my families future I think about what Mark Batterson said the other day to think big is to think long. And although I believe in the full sovereignty of God, that He didnt just throw us into life to figure things out on our own and whatever we decide to do is fine. I do believe that He doesnt want us to sit like a piece of driftwood in the power of the waves of the sea. But rather like a sailing boat a course or direction has to be decided upon and acted on no matter how the wind blows.

I like this sailing idea especially when you start looking at terms like "in irons" and "tacking". (its a good google research break)

So what does my life have to offer? Even when life blows.