What is normal...?

What is normal...? I'm not asking what is normal for the world, I'm pondering what is a 'normal' life style for a child of God...? -What SHOULD be 'NORMAL' for Sam Chadwell...?

I know I'm not where God would have me be with regard to my life and life style. I'm still too busy. But this is something that my wife and I have been discussing for days, now. And we are closer to achieving a 'new normal' for our lives than ever before.

I'm too busy because of pride. Right now, I'm a slave to trying to make a certain amount of money each day, week, and month. I'm a slave to trying to achieve a certain position or status within my profession. I'm a slave to what other people think of me. I'm a slave to eating. This is NOT how God would have me spending my time.

'Normal' should be trying to do and be the best a person can be in order to honor the Giver of All Good Things and Maker of the Universe.

'Normal' should be trying to leave the world in better condition than I found it.

'Normal' should be time spent enhancing and influencing the lives of those around me within my sphere of influence.

'Normal' should be smiling.

'Normal' should be happy and laughing.

'Normal' should be more time spent with my own family.

'Normal" should be love.

I can't say that my life is NONE of those things, but it's not enough of those things the majority of the time.

And TIME is the key word. Once time is spent we can't get it back. My wife and I want to have our act together so we can spend the majority of our time being about Our Lord God's business, not stuck engaged in the 'Enemy's busyness'.

I seem to have lost some of the discipline of my youth.

I used to be so focused on being the best I could be at tennis, and at being an athlete. I worked out daily. Literally every spare moment was spent in pursuit of my dream of becoming a professional tennis star on the world stage. But I was doing all that for me. I was doing it all for my own Glory. I was side tracked by the pride of life. (And still am to a certain extent.)

But Praise God I see what's going on and am turning from the wrong direction. It's all about God and yielding to HIS will and plan for my life. Right now I don't know exactly what God's plan is for my life. But I know what it's not. I know what 'normal' needs to be for me.

Normal NEEDS to be sowing seeds of edification and life into the lives of those within my sphere of influence. I'm doing that some, but I need to do that MORE...!

I need to get back to the discipline of my youth, but that will look like living totally for Jesus Christ...

My prayer this morning is to live every minute of today for Jesus. He's my number one focus. If I do that, everything else will fall into place.