what happened to fun...

When people start yaking about work and fun many of us just shut down. Many of us work at jobs we hate and honetly the best part of our week is Friday when we clock out. I have had jobs like that, walked in those shoes but hope to never put them on again. When i think back about work I think of so many times when we made what we did fun. Yes even at Food Lion when I was in college we had fun while we knocked out our 40 hours during the week. Fun was always relational...yes I connected with the people I worked with and we made it fun. Even as a teen my brother and I found ways to have fun while we worked our rears off on the farm. The thing with the work idea is that it was not our idea. God made it right off the start and gave man work right at creation. Adam was created and began the process of naming the animals...WORK. Can you imagine being the first human to see a elephant and have to name it. That had to be a fun job. We were all made to work, to create, to add value to the world around us by what we "do".

With that said this week at staff meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversery of Lego our co-pastor brought out a box of Legos and we all went to work creating what you see in that picture and yes that is Daniel Doss as a backdrop. We all helped, we all felt a little dumb and first, and we all laughed in the process. We were in staff meeting and had fun. Let me type that again. In staff meeting at a church we had fun. There are not many times where staff meeting and fun merge but many times lately we have found ourelves having fun being with each other. It seems like every time we have fun together we get closer to trusting each other and enjoying the work we do more.

Just a reminder this week that we can relax and have fun in the church world. Our staffs our churches our weekly gathering can be fun and should be a place where leaders want to work and volunteer. We miss it when we do not help our people have fun. When we enjoy what we do in the church we are free to serve in the joy of the Lord at every turn. We are free to bless others with kindness and a smile because we love what we do. Because of a email conversation this week between a few pastors and leaders in the area I have been reminded of how quick FUN can be zapped out of serving God in the church. Problems, doctrinal issues, distrust, arguments and busy work can drain the joy out of serving and being with other followers of Christ. I know, I know there are times to be serious and focus, but come on and lets have fun while we serve the one true God who made us. Today is a new day - live in it to the fullest and take some time to have fun.