Doug Creamer: Back to routines

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 2, 2017

            I imagine most of us are glad we do not live down near Houston, Texas. If you haven’t taken an opportunity to pray for the folks down on the Gulf, please do. They will need more than our prayers to pull through the tragedy that they are facing. They are facing such incredible loss, far beyond what I can imagine.

            They are not even thinking about such basic things as going back to school because many residents are trying to figure out where they are going to sleep tonight. They have a long road of recovery in front of them, some suggest years. I bet the residents would love to have a few days of sunshine so they can begin the process of cleaning up.

            I imagine that many folks living in south Texas would just like to have a normal day. For school teachers and students in our area, we are on the road to normal routines. I am not sure I am used to getting up early, but the routines are starting to take shape. I don’t like waking up when it is still dark outside, but that is a part of school year routine.

            As the school year begins, I am already beginning to see some routines return. It starts with the struggle to get to bed at a decent hour. I am a night owl by nature. My wife says I can get a second wind about ten o’clock. That’s not good. I need to be winding down and getting ready for bed. I have got to work on changing my routines.

            One thing I was thinking about on my way to work this week is how much I am missing the long quiet times I enjoy over the summer on my front porch. I spend a lot of time out there praying, thinking, and reading. I love the quietness, whether it is in the morning or very late at night. Time slips by so quickly.

            I don’t want to lose that quality time as the routines of life start to put pressure on my time. The truth is I can’t sit out there for very long now; I have to be at school. When the school year gets going I have so many things that need to be done there isn’t time to sit quietly on the porch.

            The question becomes, where does quiet time, that special time we spend with Jesus, fit into the craziness of our everyday lives? I want to spend time with Jesus. I want to become more like Him. I have to go to school and focus on my job teaching students. All of us have to go to our jobs every day and focus on the tasks our boss expects us to perform if we hope to bring home a pay check to pay our bills. How does Jesus fit into that routine?

            The answer might surprise you…Jesus wants to go with you as you go about your routines of life. When you got saved He knew you were going to have to work and pay bills. The truth is that He is now sending you as His ambassador to your everyday life. The good part is that He doesn’t send you alone, He goes with you. Invite Him to work with you. I want Jesus to be with me as I go to school. I need His help and wisdom every day in my classroom. Whatever our occupation, we all need His help and guidance.

           I believe that Jesus wants to be involved in every part of our lives. No matter if you are a student at school, an employee going to work, or a retired person…God wants to be with you. He loves you beyond what you can understand. He wants to be with you as you are doing routine things like cutting the grass, washing the dishes, taking the kids to their practices and games, and when you slow down enough to grab a bite to eat. God wants to be with you all the time.