Expect More, Pay Less

JAN 3 - JAN 9 2010 - EXPECT MORE, PAY LESS - ISSUE 135

2010. From here on out, that's what we'll write following the day and month. Does anyone find that as hard to believe as I do? Not from a "how time flies" standpoint, but from a date in time perspective. Maybe if all the movies in the 70s, 80s and 90s hadn't speculated on what life would be like in the 2000s it wouldn't be as hard to accept, but we're ten years into this century and there's no Skynet, time travel, house-keeping robots with Robin Williams' voice, readily available hover boards, manned space trips to Jupiter, or cross-country death races as our primary source of entertainment. I guess not having robots running the world, convicts racking up money by running people over, and worrying that someone from the future may beam into my house at any moment, interrupting my breakfast to tell me my future kids are in court trouble, should be cause for celebration, but are those too high of a price to pay for a floating skateboard, self drying jackets, or being able to watch a sport involving Rollerblades on regular TV? I'm not so sure...

As it is at the start of every year, expectations for the one to come are always high. Goals are set, agendas are written, books, videos, and memberships are purchased, and new mindsets are forged. Changes for the positive are to be commended, and for anyone looking to better themselves by making an alteration to their lifestyle, I encourage you to do just that. But before you finalize those plans, sink your teeth into that new routine, and go willy-nilly with your new aspirations, I have a challenge.

What is your goal(s) based on? The final outcome you are striving for, how did you arrive at that endpoint? I'm beginning to see how expectations are everything when it comes to a challenge. And it doesn't take much to see how expectations in our world have sunken lower and lower, brought down by our natural desire to shy away from hardship, yearn for smooth, easy, paths and to hate the feeling of failure. (Fittingly, Rob discussed this yesterday. He must have peeked at the notes in my brain before doing his Communion thought. Tricky guy, that Rob is. I hope he didn't get anything secret like my email password. Then he could run amuck in my life while pretending to be me. Oh the carnage!) Target's motto, "Expect more, pay less" sums up our desires perfectly. We want a lot of gain for very little loss. If we lower the bar, those issues disappear and suddenly we get all the feelings of accomplishment with half the effort. It seems win-win until we look at the bigger picture.

By lowering expectations we cheat ourselves out of seeing what we can really do and receiving the enormous benefits of accomplishing something truly difficult. We've started aiming for the floor when we should be trying for the ceiling. And by doing that, what was once a low expectation for one generation, becomes the top for the next, who never realize they could do better. Should do better. So in the culture today, watered down and lazy, have our expectations become victim to our modern theology?

Look at your goals again. Are they based on man's aspirations or God's? The difference could determine weather you're aiming for the floor or the ceiling.

EZEKIEL 11:12 - NIV (Click to read)

THINGS TO NOTE: God Works serving on Mon // Normal Midweek // Regular Bible Talk // Leader's Retreat // Evening Service on Sun

WINTER RETREAT NOTICE!- Only three weeks till the Winter Retreat. Make sure you're getting your work schedule, ride, and gear set now. You wouldn't want to miss out on 3 days of life-altering fun and forever be known as a fuddy-duddy would you?

THIS WEEK:

Monday - God Works serving for SINGLES and P-Burg FG in MI. If you can get there at 5:00 it would be helpful

Tuesday- continues our return to normalcy as the holiday season ends. Boo!

Wednesday – Normal 7:00 Midweek at the HFQ

Thursday – Pray for great expectations in your life, and the lives of your Christian family

Friday- Normal 7:30 Bible Talk at Biggby's

Saturday – Leader's Retreat

Sunday - Leader's Retreat // EVENING Sunday service at the MSC - 5:00 to 6:00 pm

Brett "Hopefully Target believes that negative press is good press" Hibbler