THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS

In my most recent post (THE SAFEST ROAD TO HELL, August 21) I began exploring the theme of “pure fun.” It seems like there’s such a strong emphasis in our culture on what I refer to as “the big three”: ALCOHOL – SEX – MONEY, there’s seemingly no other options available to us if we’re looking to have a good time. One or more of “the big three” has to be included in our weekend plans or we’re going to be bored out of our mind. Or so we think!

I was recently reflecting on a verse, 2 Corinthians 3:14: In the New International Version it reads, “…but their minds were made dull.” Paul, the earthly author of this verse, is directly referring to whether people accept or reject the good news about Jesus Christ. Those who lived under the old covenant, basically those who live before the birth of Christ, found it difficult to accept Jesus as the Messiah. It was like they had a veil over their eyes making it hard to see the Truth.

In a similar way, I believe sin (habitual disobedience) dulls a person’s senses. When someone is enslaved or in bondage to sin, someone may suggest a pure fun activity and sin will make it seem boring and uninteresting. Our flesh, the unspiritual part of us, wants what it wants. The fleshly part of us makes demands upon us and doesn’t give up the fight too easily.

I recently heard a talk by a good friend and I think that's what caused me to think more about “pure fun” activities. Scott spent a few moments commenting on how many of us have allowed technology to take over our lives, and in many cases we’ve lost touch with the superNATURAL things our Creator has made available to us. My friend is a big outdoors guy, so he enjoys hiking, camping, biking, etc. So, at the top of my “pure fun” list of suggestions is…Experiencing nature.

To help you to begin thinking more about “pure fun” activities here’s some additional suggestions (in no particular order):

Exercise (I writing this post from the Oregon State Fair and there’s plenty of evidence that most people need to exercise.)

Celebrations (Get together with family and friends to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, job promotions, school achievements, etc. Don’t wait for something big to happen to have a party; make a big deal out of small accomplishments!)

Group meals (One of the great pure fun activities is getting together with a group of friends and sharing a meal. You have to work real hard not to have a good time over food. If you fire up the grill, toss a salad and add a few other items, the conversation and laughs will follow.)

Car games (Organize your friends to have a scavenger hunt using your camera phone)

Group Karaoke (Many people have a personal MP3 player; print out lyrics and have a great time singing together)

Sports (watching; participating; coaching; etc.)

Read a book (When I’d whine to my mom about not having anything to do, she would often suggest reading a book. For some reason, it hardly ever seemed like a good idea.)

Journaling (Whether you ever share what you write with others, I think the process of writing is a great way to keep you mind sharp and to express your deeper thoughts and emotions.)

Call a friend (Live conversations have been replaced by texting, chat and email. Calling a friend will feed your soul. Fight the urge to gossip, or this activity will no longer be “pure.”)

Volunteer (I think it’s especially helpful to volunteer to serve with others. There’s so much synergy when people work together towards a common project or goal. There are many places in your school, church or community who are looking for someone just like you.)

Learn a new skill/subject (This may seem like a self-serving suggestion because I work for a university, but I think being a life-long learner is extremely important. You might consider learning a new language, or taking music lessons, or classes at your local community college, technical school or university)

As I wrote earlier, there’s a good chance the above “pure fun” activities look boring and uninteresting. Don’t allow your flesh to make the decision about how you’re going to enjoy your weekend or free time. There are other options to ALCOHOL – SEX – MONEY, you just need to open your eyes to all the possibilities.