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For the past several weeks I have not been contributing my column. Our congregation has been feverishly working to implement some programs and provide information for those programs. Much of that work has fallen to me. In order to be able to craft the programs, do the information brochures and newsletters, organize some of the efforts related to them and still take care of the regular needs of the ministry while at the same time fulfilling family commitments, the column went on the back burner.

We are now getting closer to putting things to bed and finishing the tasks that we set. Life is slowly returning to normal whatever that is. Normality is an odd thing. We tend to see it as humdrum, even boring. The struggle to appreciate the normal has fed the created impulses of authors and screenwriters. A number of years ago a movie came out starring Jim Belushi, Michael Caine, Rene Russo and Linda Hamilton that involved a plot centering around a man whose life was perceived by him to be too normal as a lower echelon executive in a sporting goods company.

He (Jim Belushi playing Larry Burrows) blamed it all on an event that happened in his teen years at a ballgame. He missed a three and two pitch on the last bat of the city championship baseball game and struck out. His team lost the game and the championship and he became the goat. He wondered for years if his life would have been any different had he hit that pitch. Enter Michael Caine. Caine's character, Mike, changed Larry's destiny. Larry hit the pitch for a home run to win the game, married the prom queen (Rene Russo) and became the president of the sporting goods company.

He was still in love with his wife (Linda Hamilton) from his first life and could not escape that fact for any amount of riches or the beauty and desirability of his new wife. Through it all he discovered that what made him happy was the most exciting thing in his life. He discovered that excitement is not manufactured, it's appreciated. He discovered that the comfort of sincere love and good friends is all the excitement that any person needs. Ever feel that life in Christ is humdrum?

There are many who do. They are the ones who try to manufacture excitement in worship, create power in their lives from external influences and generally place themselves effectively under the Law by holding their actions as powerful functions deserving righteousness. You want exciting? Try this. "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain." Revelation 21:3, 4 That will be our "humdrum" existence for eternity.

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

Manifestations of the Spirit