In light of this weeks tragedy at Virginia Tech, it seems almost criminal to ponder my own weaknesses and wonderings—trials and tribulations—safe and secure here in blog-land.

Of course our prayers go out to the families who have had loved ones taken from them—but life does go on. It is like after a big storm that has blown down trees and power lines—we rally around and try to put life back to normal as soon as possible.

Such was the case this past Saturday when several men from church went to a couple’s house, chainsaws in hand, to help them clear a path from the debris left following last weeks thunderstoms. It was reported that we lived through gusts up to 70 miles an hour or more. Some people were even without electricity for a couple of days after the storms passage.

We spent the bigger portion of 2 1/2 hours cutting up the trees that had fallen and clearing away all the limbs and whatnot that had been scattered all over. We then ate a great lunch and left, anxious to get back to our own lives and the stuff we all needed to do that day as well. We left behind several big pine trees that may or may not be taken away and used for lumber.

Yet in all of this, I am more a reluctant servant than a man who can hardly wait to help someone get their life back to normal. I am like the one son in scripture, who when asked by his father to go into the fields and work, declined at first but then later thought better of it and went. In contrast, the other brother said yes and then didn’t go. at all.

This has been the same way most of my Christian life. When asked to volunteer, my hand reluctantly is raised after seeing my friend’s raise theirs.

I guess I am seeing this and writing about it at this time because it is something that God is bringing to light and allowing me to work through and find my way to the other side. This is where life gets a little complicated and really the deeper subject of my last post as difficult to understand as it is.

Can we really be Christians if we are not jumping out of the boat at every opportunity to help others that arises in our lives? If we are not doing the stuff—like feeding the poor and hungry and visiting those in prison and taking care of the widows, are we fooling ourselves into believing that we are something that we are not.

It is a thorny question—and one that I currently don’t have the answer for.

When asked to help, does our mind race immediately to all the things that we have to do instead of how we can be of service. Do we see our weekends as having only so much time which is already filled up with stuff we have to get done by the time we reach Firday evening.

Our lives really are not our own but I guess I have lived mine with the thought that I would get it back sometime after all the kids have all grown up and moved out to lives of their very own.

Don’t get me wrong—sometimes I am all about the journey and find that I lose my life in what there is to lose it in. Other times, I am destination bound—the weekend is coming and I will then take time to relax and enjoy life—the rest of it (the week/our life) is just something we put up with in order to get to where we want to be. Some of us may never reach retirement age—so if we are waiting for that carrot to be reached, we may never be happy if that is what we are living life for.

Like I have said before, life is a ride: today I may go ten miles and then in a couple of days challenge myself to do 20. Today’s thoughts are a small ride that I will talk more about later. Enjoy your ride today.