Overheard at Five Oaks - February 7, 2017

Not as much overheard this week. And if I shared some of what I heard, I would have to kill you. 

Octoball!

"Brady!" My comment every time I passed by Martha Young, Patriot fan, wearing her Brady jersey.

"The Octoball pit is done." A new game for Student Ministries.

"We had 20 requests for more information about Arrive Ministry and their work with refugees!" Kevin Johnson, Impact Director

"Can you guys help me figure out how to include what you were talking about on Overheard?" Me asking the executive staff team for help.

"Don't you dare, Henry!" Someone's response. I won't say whose. 

Want to be more productive?

There are two kinds of people: those who want to be more productive and those who feel guilty because they're not more productive.

I think we all crave being productive because we crave order in the disorder of our lives. And we crave order because order is a reflection of God's character. 

Okay, there's really only one kind since those two statements just about sum up everybody. 

I was on my way in to work out at my exercise club this past week as one of our members was on her way out. She led with this, "I use to come in early to go to the 5:30am class Lois attends, but I just couldn't make myself get up that early any more."

I told her I had just read a book on productivity. The guy who wrote it said he always wanted to be an early riser because that's what he believed all productive people were. But when he looked into it deeper, he said there was no evidence that getting up early makes you more productive.

She said, "That's the best news I've heard all week." In other words, she was relieved that she didn't have to feel guilty anymore for not being an early riser. 

I think we all crave being productive because we crave order in the disorder of our lives.

And we crave order because order is a reflection of God's character. 

God's orderliness is not about having our clothes laid our the night before, lunches ready to go before bed, or getting up at 5am to go work out (all good things, but not the only way to do things); God's orderliness is about consistently living out of his love and goodness and grace.

So this weekend we look at Exodus 20:12-17 (commandments 5-10 of the 10), and we learn about how to live up to the order we crave, reflecting God's character in our relationships with each other. 

I look forward to seeing you this weekend. Invite a friend.