Now What?

We planned it for months.  There seemed to be endless meetings and decisions to make about the preparations.  Reservations had to be made for out of town guests.  Catering had to be arranged. Budgets had to be considered.  Shopping had to be done.  And then we hoped for a good crowd to make all the work worth it.

You may not know what specific event I am talking about, but if you have ever been a part of planning a large event, you understand the process and the stress.  I could have been talking about my daughter’s wedding a few months ago.  I could have been talking about a family reunion or a Christmas gathering or a special church or community event.  Here in my hometown of Azle, a lot of people understand it, having just been through the Sting Fling community festival and Homecoming on back to back weekends.

In my case, it was an event in my ministry that we call the Annual Celebration.  I won’t bore you with the details because that’s not my point in writing.  I’ll just say that we had about 5 minutes of business, an hour of food and fellowship, and about an hour and a half of worship and inspiration.  I think the ratio was about right and though our attendance was smaller than previous years, we considered it a success. 

Now what?

Aha! Your event may not be like mine, but I am pretty certain (well, maybe not pretty, but certain) that you understand that feeling when it’s over.  Now what?  All the effort, planning, expense, and stress expended seemed to pay off in a successful event, but the question lingers.  Now what?

I guess if you are a professional event planner, you start planning the next event.  But for the rest of us, life happens.  We go back to work.  We go to the next ball game.  We mow the yard.  We buy groceries.  We do life. 

While we are doing life, hopefully, we really live.  Hopefully, we learn that life is not about events, but about moments and relationships.  It’s every bit as much about tossing a baseball in the backyard with your son as it is about seeing him play in a championship game.  It’s every bit as much about twirling your little girl in your arms at the end of a long work day as it is about dancing with her at her wedding.  It’s every bit as much about snuggling with your wife on the sofa as it is about taking her on a cruise.  It’s every bit as much about chatting with your neighbors in the grocery store aisle as it is about the big main street event.  It’s every bit as much about worshiping God with your church family on a cloudy Sunday as it is about that big church event that you planned for months.

When Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), he wasn’t talking about bigger events. Nor was he talking about a more exciting life with better opportunities.  I believe he was talking about abundant moments.  Every day moments filled with purpose because of the reality of Christ. 

When I build my life around the knowledge that my life matters to him and that my life has purpose because of him, it changes my perspective.  Events are just larger moments along the path that require a little extra time and attention.  They are no more valuable than the simple encounters of today.

Now what?  I think I’ll get back to the business of living.  What about you?