First Days

First days are rough.

It doesn't matter how exciting, how much anticipation has been building, how great or how sad the event, the first day is always rough in some way, shape, or form.

Today is my "first day" back in the office following kids camp and vacation. Next week is our church family camping trip, so there's prep for that as well. Plus that to-do list from before I left, this week's reoccurring meetings and tasks, Fall Studies and House Parties to get my brain wrapped around, follow-up from baptisms, new believers and discipleship stuff, building information, and oh - that layer of dust on my shelves that needs my attention.

First days are rough.

So as I sit at my desk and look at the piles, old and new; look at the projects, old and new; look at the tasks, old and new... I decide.

I decide to step away from the desk and sit on the couch.
I decide to crank up the cello solo station on Accu Radio.
I decide to focus on God and pray so the rest of my day can be focused.
I decide to make a new list. Who cares if they're old tasks, it's a new page.
I decide that rough is simply not the right answer.

Anticipation, encouragement that so much is going on, so many lives are being touched and changed, and I get a front-row seat to watch. And I remember that sometimes, I even to be a character in the actual event, and play a role in the stories.

And I sigh.
And I thank God.
And I breathe deep.
And I get to work.