“What are you going to get?”

I went out to lunch Tuesday with the wonderful ladies in my new office.  We’re sitting in the restaurant and you know what has to be asked…”What are you going to get?” 

I started to wonder, why is it so hard to make decisions at times?  I know you all can relate, especially over the summer when you can’t think of anything to do.  There are many famous questions like, “What do you want to do?”…”What do you want to eat?”…”Where do you want to go?”…”What movie do you want to see?”   

These are a few reasons I came up with: One is that we really don’t know and we want to see if anyone else has any good ideas.  Another is that we don’t want to be disappointed in our decision, so we want someone else to take responsibility.  We also may not suggest anything because we don’t want people to shoot down our ideas or look stupid.  Finally, I think we want to make people happy, so we let them decide.  What ever your reasons, there comes a time when you need to make a decision or you won’t ever have a say in anything you do or any where you go.  In middle school and high school I was always nervous about everything I would say and do, so much so that I would never make comments around certain people or some times any one at all.  Needless to say, I didn’t make many suggestions to do anything.  When I look back at that time I missed out on many things and friendships because I was afraid to be me.  The only place I felt that I could be myself was with my family. 

If you know me now, I will talk to anyone about anything.  You will also find out that I am also not afraid to share what I think.  This isn’t because I have all the answers or because I love to hear my own voice (even though some may think so).  The reason I changed, was because Christ became alive in my life and in my heart.  When I realized who God is and His love for me, then I started to embrace the man He created me to be.  Think about this…God is the creator of all things and he took time to create you exactly the way He wanted you.  I believe that God doesn’t make mistakes, which meant that He really likes who He created.  Think about this too…He also loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us to wash away all our sin and junk that messes us up.  Knowing how Awesome God is and how much He LOVES me, helped me to embrace that person that He created me to be. 

So let me ask you a harder question than the ones above, “What are you going to get involved with this year?” or “What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

I will tell you that everyone has ideas on how you should live your life and when I stopped listening to just them and starting listening to what Jesus had placed in my heart and what I was created to be that my life found purpose and joy.  It was a turning point in my life when I stopped listening to what society told me I needed to be happy.  I started to know how God wanted to bless me that I found the best job of my life as a youth minister.  I found my Awesome wife, Samantha, and I will also find out what it means to be a dad this February.   

So thanks for taking time to read my first blog.  You are all in my prayers.   

You are Loved,

Tom 

p.s. Please, feel free to email me any time of your thoughts, prayer requests, things you would like me to answer, or what ever you want. My email is tomlancia@archstl.org