A few years ago a read a book, called
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller. I really enjoyed reading it the first time. In fact, I blogged about it then, here is the link:
http://wvniessners.blogspot.com/2010/05/if-you-need-book-to-read.html I think when I read it then, it made a difference to me, but not like it has this time.
Fast forward to last week or would it be rewind? Either way, I needed something to do. I needed an outlet. Something, but what? To be honest, I am not sure how it happened, but for whatever reason, I thought I needed something to read. I typically don't read books twice. I cannot remember a time when I read something more than once. Well, other then books for the girls or text books at school. But there it was just sitting on the shelf, so I picked it up.
As I reread this book, which is about creating a great story with your life and really so much more, I began to think. A lot. What story am I creating? What am I doing with my life? I thought about numerous aspects of my life. What story am I creating for me? What story am I creating professionally? What story am I creating for the girls? What story am I creating with friends?
We are doing a study on friendship in small group (which is like bible study for those of you who don't go to church with me). So I started thinking about my friends and what story I am creating with them? Most of my friends help me create a pretty good story, and to be honest there probably are a few that don't. Ultimately, I am the one creating my story and I am the one controlling what type of story I want to tell. This makes me think about some really good friends of mine. I look at the story they are creating and I am amazed. They are so deliberate in everything that they do. I admire that about them. Everything they do is for a purpose.
As I was reading, I started thinking about other aspects of my life. I thought about fourth grade. Not because I teach fourth grade, but when I was in fourth grade. Specifically, when my family moved to Millville, NJ. When you are the new kid and more importantly a boy in the fourth grade there are a couple of truths. One there is always a handful of girls that think the new boy is cute. Which I mean, does make a ton of sense, I mean, I didn't have this fantastic beard, but I was cute 30 years ago. If there are a few girls that think you are cute, then it goes without question, there are a few boys that are not to fond of you. There is a point that I am getting too...
Back to the story...My family moved and I was the new kid and not only was I the new kid, I was the son of a preacher (cue music). At some point I got picked on by these boys for being the preacher's son. That is when I didn't want to be a pastor's son any more. In the minds of fourth grade boys, he was a dork. He was not accepted and it hurt. I think I decided to keep that part of my life quiet. I wanted to be accepted. At the same time, I loved being the preacher's son. He was accepted at church and it was wonderful. I am not saying I was living a double life or anything like that. I know I cannot be perfect and I am not saying that either. I just feel like at times I have let the devil compromise who God has created me to be. He has used that fear of not being accepted because I am the preacher's son or a Christian against me. It's funny how that works and how the devil uses that against us. Probably, more than anything, I feel like I have missed opportunities to share my faith and help others come to know God. I have decided I am not going to live that way any more.
As a single Dad that splits custody of our girls, I have time. I think on more then one occasion I have said, I have all the time in the world. When you are raising two girls fifty percent of the time by yourself, the other fifty percent feels endless. Some have suggested some ideas for my spare time, and many of them were great ideas. But they weren't mine. I think I have to come up with things to do on my own. I think I have finally reached that place. I have a bunch of plans and ideas that I need to accomplish to create this better story.
Which brings me back to Donald Miller, and
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. This is the place where I create the story that God has created for me to live. The story of the boy that is accepted for who he really is and who he really wants to be. The story that is deliberate. The story that is begging me to tell. The story that tells itself like a great movie or book. Just like Donald Miller's book, read it, it will make you want to rethink what story you are creating.
