We had just finished a tasty dinner, cleaned up the kitchen and Amy asked me to start the dishwasher. I knew it wasn’t full enough to run because I had surveyed her loading it. So, as she walked out of the room, I took advantage of the opportunity to rearrange a few things. I moved a few bowls, repositioned a few cups and shifted a few plates. And, bingo – there was lots more room in the dishwasher! Running it as Amy had loaded it would have been a waste of soap and water. It had been stocked rather loosely, somewhat haphazardly and without much organization. But, I fixed it. And I stood there gloating over a job well done until…I felt her presence. I was caught in the act. Gloating over. And, it’s not necessary for you to know what happened next.

I can load dishes in the dishwasher like nobody’s business. I can stuff luggage in the trunk of a car like sardines. I can pack items in a shipping box two sizes smaller than it should be. It’s a gift. Unfortunately, I can pack my schedule just as tight.

I often view my calendar as I do the dishwasher. It’s not ready to run until it’s loaded to max capacity. If there are blank spaces, they need to be filled. Things need to be moved around, repositioned and placed differently to make room for more. There’s no excuse for stocking things loosely, haphazardly or without organization.

Guess what? I’m loading the dishwasher wrong. Gloating over. When my calendar is filled to the brim there’s no margin. You know, margin. Space. Like the room the barista leaves for cream in the coffee cup. Like the blank space a publisher leaves on the periphery of the page for marking notes. The opening for the unexpected that happens in life. The gap that leaves room for rest. The distance between breathing freely and suffocating.

Yes, I’m loading the dishwasher wrong. Gloating over. It’s time to unload some items. It’s time to make sure the most important things make it in and not the most urgent things. It’s time to say no to some things – they can wait till the next cycle. It will come around again. It’s even okay if the dishwasher doesn’t run today. It’s called Sabbath. And it’s a good thing.

Yes, I’m loading the dishwasher wrong? Gloating over. What about you?

I saw a cartoon recently that depicted a gentleman struggling to wake up and get out of bed with his wife standing over him pleading with him to get going. He tells her that he doesn’t want to go to church. And her response: “You have to go. You’re the pastor!”

I can relate to that! Can You?

Is church attendance important? Glad you asked! Let me tell you a story.

For Christmas this year, my wife surprised me and the boys with tickets to a Dallas Cowboys game. Isn’t she awesome? It was such a fantastic experience on the Monday night after Christmas versus the Detroit Lions along with 100,000 other Cowboy fans. Well, there were a few Lion’s fans – including the two sitting right next to me – but that’s another story.

I have been a Cowboys fan my entire life – not a bandwagon fan – a true fan. I have loved them through all the good, the bad and the ugly. But this was the first time I have ever gotten to see them play in person. And it brought me to a whole new level of being Cowboys fan.

I was a Cowboys follower long before I ever stepped foot into AT&T Stadium. Likewise, one can be a Christ follower without ever stepping foot in a church. Billy Sunday said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” But experiencing the game in person was way more exhilarating than watching it on my TV. I did more than see the game – I participated in the game. I was one of many cheering and yelling at the top of my lungs. And I’m sure Dak and Zeke could hear me! I was part of a community. Even in the presence of those who weren’t like-minded (those pesky Lion’s fans). It was simply…breathtaking. Perhaps this is why Jesus said, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20, NLT).

This past Sunday I watched the Cowboy’s playoff game against the Green Bay Packers from my living room but with a whole new perspective. I cheered, I yelled and maybe I even cussed a time or two. But I missed being in the community of those who were there at AT&T stadium. I so longed to be there in person.

Did I have to go to AT&T stadium to be a Cowboys fan? No. But it sure brought me to a whole new level of being a follower.

Do you have to go to church? No. But I promise you it will bring you to a whole new level of being a Christ follower.

See you Sunday?

On Monday evening, I joined in with over 26 million others in watching the College Football Playoff National Championship game. What a great game! It was a rematch of last year’s championship game between Alabama and Clemson. Alabama prevailed last year but Clemson won in dramatic fashion Monday night. If you are a Crimson Tide fan don’t hold it against me but I was cheering for Clemson. It’s not that I really love Clemson but I was pulling for the underdog. Besides, Alabama won it last year – it was Clemson’s turn. And if you are not a fan of football and could care less about the game, don’t stop reading – this blog post is not really about football.

Standing on the trophy presentation stage after the game, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he knew his guys wouldn’t quit. He said, “I talked to them about letting the light inside of them always be brighter than the light that is shining on them. If they focused on that, they’d be okay.”

Well said, Dabo. Well said. I do believe this will preach! On a different stage of sorts, it was Jesus who said, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

How’s your light shining? Are others more fixated on the light shining on you or the light shining in you? Who is seeing the light within? Your husband/wife? Your children? Do those at work see the light on you or the light in you? Your students? Your teachers? Your friends? Do those who read your Facebook posts see the light shining on you or the light within you? Strangers you run into throughout the day?

Let the light shining inside of you be brighter than the light shining on you!