Translation: I’ve made some mistakes and overlooked some things that have been a pain in the neck and cost more money than I wanted to spend. Ijust like to put a positive spin on it. Here is my learning in a nutshell: I can’t just depend on others to diagnose car problems. I would much rather be able to do that. I’ve got a lot on my plate and I’m not particularly intuitive about mechanical things. I don’t particularly like reading manuals. But how I feel about it doesn’t matter (that statement itself kind of hurts my feelings). I probably won’t ever be an expert—but there are some basic things of which I need to be aware.  

Here’s the problem: stuff like cars and minor home repairs are the easy stuff (that’s hurting my feelings again).  Problems in your own life and relationships are much more challenging to detect as well as to fix. You can find people who can help, but they can’t crawl inside your soul and reconnect things or replace parts.  

I once ran over a curb that was covered with snow. It totally threw the front end of my car out of alignment. I had to do it immediately as the car was nearly un-drivable and not safe. Most of the time, however, bad wheel alignment is more subtle. You get uneven or rapid tire wear. The car pulls or drift off a straight line. Your steering wheel is off center when you’re driving straight. It may not be terribly dangerous, but it wears your tires down and you lose fuel efficiency.

When a person is out of alignment, it takes more energy to make progress. They run out of gas and wear out more quickly. Inside, they’re trying to move in conflicting directions. Values are competing with each other. Should they get weary and have a lapse of vigilence, they could run right off the road and crash. Individuals do this. Couples do too, as well as businesses and governments and even churches. It’s not always a catastrophe. But it’s frustrating to experience and depressing to watch. It’s just such a waste of life.

When others notice you’re out of alignment—its probably moving toward dangerous.  That’s why its so important to have people who are close enough to you and love you enough to tell you when they see you’re out of alignment. It’s also why its important to be aware of yourself. Are you feeling worn out and you don’t know why? Are you lacking resilience? Are you making a lot of excuses for yourself—for not getting things done, or for not spending enough time with your family? Are you dating? If so, does your behavior conflict with the values you want to live by when you’re married or have a family? How about your checkbook. Does what you spend money on not relate to what you say is most important to you? Would the people you live with be surprised at the person you are at work, or visa versa? Would the people in church be surprised at the person you are at school? If you can say yes to,  or if you find yourself defensive on any of these points, you might be out of alignment.

This weekend in worship, we’re going to be talking about alignment. Alignment is about getting the most out of the effort you put into life. God all about helping you do it.

Yours for the Journey,
Pastor Tom

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 7:21-25