Have you ever experienced that moment, when you are watching a movie or reading something or talking to someone, and you find something “real.” Something real about love or life or passion or intent.  These are moments that bring clarity, moments that bring perspective, moments that make some things seem suddenly very important and other things seems suddenly very unimportant.

Those moments sneak up on me a lot.  I’m not looking for real… I’m looking for entertainment or escape or conversation, and I find real.  Often those moments are unexpected, but I’m always grateful for them.  I long for those moments of clarity, I need them, I crave them.  We all need them.

Last night over the course of a couple of conversations with my wife, Cheryl, I had some “clarifying” moments.  Some realities about life, marriage, family and ministry made themselves evident.  In that moment, I knew with a great degree of certainty, what is and isn’t important in life, and the things that are worth focusing on and the things that aren’t.

Those moments serve as road markers.  They direct you and illuminate the path you are on.  I don’t know how many times the insanity, cares, and pace of my life cause me to forget the direction I was called to walk, not just as a Pastor, but as a father and husband.  Thank you, Lord, for those moments…