Fleetmack.com - Have Fun With Your Life!

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"This shirt is dry clean only. Which means... It's dirty." --Mitch Hedberg

Have fun with your life!
by Bryan Mack
05-10-2003

Wow, it’s been awhile hasn’t it? I’ve been slacking lately, or so I thought. Mind you, before you read this, that everything I’ve written here in the past isn’t supposed to be read in chapter-format. Whenever I add something to this page, it’s just how I feel at the current time. It’s not necessarily right and I’m not telling anyone what to do, I’m just putting my current feelings out there for everyone to read and maybe relate to.

Several people have emailed me with questions, asked me for advice, yadda yadda yadda lately. I’ve been asked what church I am going to now, I get asked why I haven’t been updating this page. Well, here’s my current story….

I haven’t been to Church in just over 2 months now. I’m back to square one of not seeing any reason or need to go to Church. Events have happened in my life where I realize that people do things for reasons that are stupid and irrational. Things are done that are not needed and it is a waste of time. I’m not at all saying that Church is a waste of time, it’s a great place to go – if you’re there for the right reasons. Outside circumstances have not allowed me to be all I can be at Church. I am much better on my own at prayer and worship. I don’t feel it necessary to sit in a building for 2 hours a week to listen and sing with superficial fools (not everyone is a fool). Like I said, I am back to square one. Through my recent discoveries and adventures, I have tried new paths and new ways to show my appreciation to Jesus, and I’ve found that for me the best way is the way I have taken for the past 5 years. I discovered that what I had been doing in the past was right for me.

I know I’ve used this analogy before, but it seems so fitting. Let’s make up imaginary person Jan. Jan’s birthday is coming around and I purchase a wonderful gift for her. Jan is so happy to have this gift and uses it every chance she can. Jan never stops thanking me for this gift. Jan shares this gift with everybody and uses it to help others and make them as happy as it has made her. I love watching Jan enjoy her gift, nothing makes me happier than seeing my gift to her be appreciated and enjoyed.

God’s has given us uncountable gifts. The Earth, our friends and families, our lives, and most importantly – His son! We need to do with God’s gifts to us just as Jan did with my gift to her. We need to respect our Earth and treat it like the fantastic place that it is. We need to help and love our friends and families. We need to share our lives with others and make them happy. God WANTS to sit back and watch us enjoy our lives and all the gifts he has given us. He wants us to go to the beach and have a great time playing volleyball with others. Drinking is bad? Then why did Jesus change the water to wine for those at the party to enjoy? Jesus wants us to socialize and be happy with others. Just as I enjoy watching Jan enjoy her gift, God wants us to enjoy our lives. We need to thank Him, just as I want Jan to thank me.

People can thank in different ways. For me, I think by getting on my knees every night and literally thanking Him for everything. My safe drive to work, my friends, my health, my family’s health, my happiness, my job, my apartment, etc. SPECIFICS! I thank Him for all of these things. I feel uncomfortable sitting in Church watching fakers (not everyone!) pretend to thank Him. Jesus doesn’t want me to uncomfortably thank Him, He wants me to do it sincerely. When I write these things, he doesn’t want them filled with a bunch of crap that you can hear from anyone, He wants me to share my true feelings with you. My sincerity will shine through in the end. I am not afraid to tell anybody that the ring I wear on my right hand is a crown of thorns. I used to be, but since I discovered that it’s right for me to feel this way, I have nothing to be ashamed of. I know that for me, this is the right way to feel and act towards my savior. I will share His word, try to model myself after Him, and live a great life. But God didn’t call everyone to dedicate every waking minute to Him. While thanking Him and realizing that He created us and will save us, we must enjoy this earth, our friends, our families. Living our life without sin IS necessary – but living it without fun is just plain stupid.