There used to be a commercial on with the jingle "What would you do for a Klondike(tm) bar?" The frozen desserts these commercials touted were pretty good. The problem is that the people on the commercials (as in many commercials) would go out of their way to make fools of themselves for ice cream and chocolate. As I write this I've gone out of my way for something more important to me than dessert. I have a full-time job which pays the bills. I serve for nothing at Churchmedia.net. I do this blog and podcast for no money (okay, the ads did bring in 70 cents last month). What really gets me going, though, is giving my time at my church (usually in the 20-30 hour range). This afternoon I got a call from my wife. She'd been invited on our leadership retreat at the last minute. This meant I had to rush home to help her pack and help our daughter get ready to go to Grandma & Grandpa's house (some 3.5 hours away). They were going to meet me part way so that helped. I drove about 3 1/4 hours round trip so that my daughter could be safe as I go to work for a 1/2 day tomorrow. Then I'll go on the same retreat. Having arived tomorrow night, I'll turn around and come back to help lead a meeting for guys in recovery. Then I'll make the same trip again. "Why?", you might ask. It's simple. At my church lives are being changed. Alcoholics are sobering up; drug addicts are laying down their needles. Marriages on the edge of divorce are being renewed. People without purpose are finding meaning. In short, people are becoming who they're meant to be. Do you know what it's like to be a part of something that helps people in very real, very lasting ways? Do you know what it's like to know that waking up three hours early on your day off helps change eternity? It's unreal. You want to be a part of something like this. Deep down, you know you want to make a mark. I don't know why, but I get to. I've done a lot of things in my life. Nothing, nothing is like being a part of a life changing. People, real people are different--better. What would you do to be a part of something like that? I'll tell you my answer. ANYTHING IN THE WHOLE WORLD, even acting a little silly, driving "unnecessary" miles. Paul