LIFE'S BETTER ON THE PORCH part2

Well, I'm back at Starbucks and I'm sitting right across from that big sign that reads, "Life's Better on the Porch." Is it really? Do you think so...I do, but I'd like to hear from you. I need to be through with my work in the evenings, so I can sit out in the driveway and visit with people. I need commutes to be replaced by conversations. I need card games that last into the evenings with friends. I need dinners where the conversation is as rich as the desserts. I want to want these things.

Too often, I would rather go into where it's air conditioning and spend a couple of hours "unwinding" by watching TV, or even surfing the internet. I have an "unnatural tendency" to shut myself off from everyone around me...and I'm an extrovert personality. I call this unnatural because I do not believe that is the way God created me to be. I was created in His image and part of that image is a relational component that works in sync with the natural rhythms of life. Did you know that for the ancient Hebrew people the day actually began at 6pm, not 6am (or 10am for some of my friends!). For them, their "day" began with 4-5 hours of relational time with their family and friends. In Genesis, as the days were created, God would say, "It was evening, it was morning - Day One...it was evening, it was morning - Day Two..." Interesting.

Up until about 4 years ago, this had no affect on my life. I didn't even consider it to be relevant. From the time I got home to the time I went to bed was at best, left-overs from a busy day. Today, I still fall back into that thinking from time to time. However, I want to view my evenings as launch pads, rather than left-overs. If I can do this, then my kids sleep better because of my investment in them and will have a better day the next. If Rhonda and I invest in our evenings together, then our rest is better and our mornings start better. I want to protect my evenings. I want to invest in my evenings with family and friends.