Perspective

Psalms 42: 1b As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

Wow.  What a whirlwind the last 4 weeks has been!  It started with a work trip to Hawaii that included Reja and Kerianne followed by two trips to Starkville to see Ryan and watch MSU play.  As I think back and pour through pictures, I pause to count my many blessings:  I've snorkeled with turtles in Hawaii, walked nature trails through tropical rain forests to a picture-perfect waterfall, tailgated in StarkVegas, watched MSU play football twice (and win big once - not bad for us), all with my favorite people on the planet.  Wow.  How many people can say they've done all that in four short weeks? 
Yesterday we accompanied Ryan to First United Methodist Church in Starkville.  As the first song kicked off, I felt a strange sensation, one akin to that first sip of cool water after a long hot day of work.  Satisfaction, joy, and peace overwhelmed me in a way that it had not during all of those world-class events.  I was where I needed to be at that moment and I knew it.  I don't recall the last time I went four weeks in a row without a corporate worship experience, but I was really surprised at just how thirsty I had become.  Truly my soul longed after God and His people.  While it was one of the most simple services I've been to with four songs, (with an offering during the last one) and a fairly straightforward (and little bit long-winded), sermon wrapped up with a repeat of the the tag line from one of the songs, it was nevertheless one of the most needed in a while.  The feeling of fulfillment and contentment could not be achieved in any of the other activities despite the expenditure of time, effort, and funds.  Nothing could replace the stirring of the Spirit within. 
Often we critique the lay out of the service, the dedication of the participants and leaders, the quality of the music, and content and delivery of the sermon.  Sometimes a critique is necessary as things can be improved or people held accountable.  Yet I wonder how often we completely squelch the movement of the spirit and in so doing rob ourselves of the peace, joy, and contentment that flows from simply being aware of God's presence.  Yesterday's service wasn't world-class by any measure, but the contentment and peace I felt was palpable and outclassed any such feelings of the world-class events of the past four weeks.  There's a life-lesson here that I pray doesn't go unlearned.