Practice Makes Perfect
Take a moment to read this weekend’s scripture: Romans 8:12-17
I came to a realization that I laugh like my mother. I always thought it came from dad, but in recent visits I noticed my laugh track is much like my mom’s. As with this (my laugh is notable), I’m generally satisfied with what I inherited from my parents. For instance, I’m in awe at the number of relationships they nurture. And looking at my own life, I keep a list – yes, it’s intentional – of humans I reach out to regularly.
In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sarah reminded us that we are adopted into God’s family and that we should strive for the values of Christ. Of course, this isn’t easy.
As Haidt point’s out in his book, Anxious Generation, that we’ve been referencing in this sermon series, the outside distractions of our modern devices provide us with constant connectivity. While convenient, they also cause anxiety and distraction from what really matters. These devices often pull us away from the deep, meaningful relationships we need. While we think we’re staying connected, many of our interactions are shallow.
In Pastor Sarah’s children’s sermon she helped us understand, through a rather unique chocolate chip cookie recipe, that what goes in is what comes out. So it’s true with us as we work to live into God’s values.
The notion of “Practice Makes Progress” helps me to realize that we can’t be perfect. But we can continue to work to be better. Being in community is a strong start.
True growth comes from building real, face-to-face connections. It’s in these sacred, intentional moments with others—whether over a meal, in worship, or simply being present—that we experience the deeper sense of belonging and purpose we all crave. Haidt calls this shared sacredness. I’m happy that I have several communities I’ve adopted over the years, mainly through volunteering and shared interests and of course Sheridan.
There’s one thing I know I won’t be adopting. A certain cookie recipe. However, if you’d like to try this at home, I’ve provided it for your convenience:
Pastor Sarah’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
One Egg (unshelled)
One Cup Corn Starch
One Tablespoon Vinegar
Generous Squeeze of Ketchup
Dash of Salt
Bake. Pray.
Dear God,
Thank You for the families we come from and the family we have in You. As we work to live out Your values, help us to build deep, meaningful relationships that reflect Your love, even amidst the distractions of this world.
Amen.
Written by Randy Hawthorne
Having a rivaled human network, Randy makes it his personal mission to connect those humans to their next big thing. Randy has decades of experience in the nonprofit industry, having served as a professional and volunteer in a variety of organizations.
He enjoys mentoring students and entrepreneurs, occasionally makes his way to a theater stage, geeks out on local history and goes on dining adventures.