Celebrate!

God works in some funny ways.

For the last week or so, I've been baffled over my experience with robotics on Saturday.  For some reason, things were just good.  I couldn't really explain it any other way.  And if you've had the unfortunate privilege  of being on the receiving end of one of my rants the last two months, you know at times it hasn't been so good.

But something was different this Saturday.  The students were kind (for the most part) to each other.  The lead mentor had some nice things to say.  Smiles were in full swing.  High fives all around.

The reason?  The difference?  The change?

Celebration!

"Common joys can be shared without sanctimonious value judgments." (p. 197)

Throughout the build season, many students and mentors had many varying opinions on various ways to accomplish X, Y and Z.  But this Saturday, finally, opinions faded into non-relevancy as the team celebrated success on the field resulting from a hard 6 weeks of working on the project.  This allowed everyone, myself included, to see their teammates as fellow guests at a party rather than enemies on a battlefield. 

"Our spirit can become weary with straining after God just as our body can become weary with overwork.  Celebration helps us relax and enjoy the good things of the earth." (p. 196)

Weary from overwork, our team enjoyed a celebration of the good things this season.

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In my own heart, I hear God calling me to be interested in seeing the best brought out in others, taking myself far less seriously.  "Another benefit of celebration is its ability to give us perspective.  We can laugh at ourselves.  We come to see that the causes we champion are not nearly so monumental as we would like to believe." (p. 196)

"Far and away the most important benefit of celebration is that it saves us from taking ourselves too seriously" (p. 196)

I pray that the celebration rooted in a joy brought forth out of obedience would not be lost, but sought after and found in relationship with Christ and the way He views those around me, as lost sheep He is romancing to His banqueting table, where the real party is at!

-Mike