Adventure Ahead

 

Well, the friendly neighborhood dinosaur is helping all of us mark the beginning of another school year. The last time I saw him it was the celebration of a vacation at camp. But summer has passed and school has begun, and another great adventure begins. For some reason this back to school display caused me to wonder how old the child is who lives in this great home. I can’t imagine a day when this friendly dinosaur isn’t at work documenting the milestones of a life. That life, though I have never met anyone who lives there, has become a part of my own journey.

When I was a boy, I loved school. By the time summer drew to a close, I was more than ready to get back and start a new year. I wanted to see everyone. I wanted to meet my new teacher. I wanted to learn and to play and to see what would happen next in my life. There was always excitement with new school supplies. Maybe it was a year that called for a new lunch box. The school year always meant a couple of new pairs of jeans and new sneakers. It was an exciting time for me when I went back to school.

As life rolls on by, we can find it to be a rare moment when we feel such excitement. Work and routine run through season after season and we find ourselves in a rut. We don’t have the same sense of anticipation as we did in those days of childhood. We don’t have the same milestones to remind us that our adventure isn’t over, that there is still a life of possibility in front of us.

We read in scripture, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the through the Spirit.” No matter our age, we are a child of God. We still have an adventure ahead of us as we follow the Spirit through our every day routines and responsibilities. We can’t imagine all that lies ahead, but we can trust the one who has prepared the way.

Peace.