1 More Day…to Open Our Eyes

Due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions, our school district announced we would be closing all campuses and facilities Tuesday.  They did their due diligence in getting the word out - email, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, websites, and school messenger (automated phone/text messages).  Back in the day when we didn't have social media, principals would travel to their schools (if they could get there safely) to make sure no student missed the message.  

Monday night, I excitedly got into bed knowing I didn't have to set my alarm for work.  However, as luck would have it I awoke early.  The weather had not yet gotten bad so I decided to drive up to the school just to make sure everyone got the "we are closed" message.  As I pulled into the dark parking lot, I was relieved to see no cars.  I decided to simply pull up to the front and sit in my warm car for a few minutes to make sure I didn't get any company.  And just then I saw a student walking towards my car.  He had tucked himself behind one of the columns to block the wind and rain.  

His dad had dropped him off a few minutes earlier.  I couldn't believe it.  How did he miss it?  The message was clear - "We are closed."  And it was EVERYWHERE!  And even if he missed the message, didn't he notice that the building was dark, the parking lot empty, and the doors locked?  

After dropping him off at his home, I could not stop wondering how in the world this kid missed such an important message. I have thought about that over the last few days.  This morning I woke up and instead of thinking about him missing all of the signs, I started thinking about me...you...us.

Every morning God is sending us a message - inviting us to participate in this day He gave us. He is doing HIS due diligence getting the word out - through creation, people, His Word, circumstances and more.  Yet we miss it.  

Bob Goff tells a story about Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland.  He says most people know about it but few people go.  Maybe it's because it is surrounded by water and you have to take a raft to get there.  But it's really not that tough to do.  "Lots of people want to go.  Some people even plan to go.  But most forget or just don't get around to it.  It's one of those 'we'll do that next trip' kind of places for a lot of people.  Tom Sawyer Island is like most people's lives.  I think: they never get around to crossing over to it." (Goff, Love Does)

We get invited every day to live a life that God created just for us, a life that moves away from typical.  He loves us and is pursuing us doing things to get our attention wooing us with the beauty of white snow in Houston.  

So wake up...and live.  May we not miss the reason THIS day was given.