JANUARY 9th…ORDINARY!! TO EXTRAORDINARY!! I grew up in the country at a time when several roads were not paved. During rainy seasons like we have witnessed lately around here, the dirt roads would develop mud holes and ruts. If you ran into the middle of the mud holes, you got stuck. If your automobile fell into one of those ruts, you followed it until it ended. During the past couple years, a lot of people have allowed their life to fall into a rut. We live life in an ordinary way day after day. It’s one of the reasons there are so many depressed, lonely, and discouraged people in the world today. My Bible reading this morning talked about letting God change your daily routine into an extraordinary experience. We all have our daily responsibilities, but we should do them like they are a blessing from God instead of a punishment we are subjected to. It’s God who assigned us this life and we are to live it joyfully. (Ecclesiastes 5:18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them, for this is their lot.) You may do the same things today that you did yesterday, but they don’t have to be boring. No day needs to be ordinary if we realize the gift God is giving us when He gives us another day to live and enjoy. An extraordinary attitude can quickly turn an ordinary day into an amazing adventure. Jesus said He came so that we might have and enjoy life (see John 10:10). If we refuse to enjoy it, then it’s no one’s fault but our own. I would like to suggest that you take responsibility for your joy and never again give anyone else the job of keeping you happy. Add a little variety to your life—break up your routine, do something different, and so on. When you do, expect God to meet you and help make your ordinary EXTRAORDINARY! Pastor Don