“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10
We recently had a close encounter with a sixteen-year-old E.T.
Extraordinary Teenager.
Lucy and her dad, Rury, stayed with us for a whole week. We haven’t shared a roof with a teenage girl in more than thirty years, so we were a little rusty and not quite prepared. The last time we saw Lucy, she was only six.
Make no mistake: this was an invasion. We were pleasantly conquered and happily surrendered, wanting to absorb it all.
Lucy is a whirlwind of fun, enthusiasm, and curiosity. When you are around her, it’s easy to get swept up into her happy orbit.
Now they have moved on, and we miss them. It’s eerily quiet. Gone are the noise, giggling, laughter, and all the talking.
Lots of talking. Lots!
For that week, it was fun to be Uncle Mike and Auntie Sharon to a teenager again.
Their visit feels like a gift.
And gifts are meant to be enjoyed and shared. We did both. Lucy joined in our pickleball fun and charmed us all. There was a house church visit, Paco’s Tacos with family, and a considerable expansion of our vocabulary. We now attach new meaning to words like “unlucky,” “nutmeg,” “fire,” and “calculated.”
Their visit taught us something too.
We caught a glimpse of the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10. We were reminded that abundance is closely connected to presence. When we are fully present, available, and less distracted, we can breathe in more of the goodness God has placed right in front of us.
We were blessed by it all and didn’t waste a drop.
One of the blessings of our approach to retirement is the freedom to connect intentionally with friends and family. To be truly present.
Engaged.
Focused.
Available.
We know love is spelled T I M E.
Our time with Lucy and Rury was the very essence of abundant life.
Then the experience got me thinking and counting. We know quite a few E.T.s.
In our small church family of just fifteen households, I counted no fewer than thirty-three extraordinary teenagers. Most were children, not teenagers, when our church began twelve years ago.
Their parents have spent years loving, guiding, correcting, encouraging, and trusting God with the growth. The world doesn’t hand out trophies for faithful parenting, but if it did, these moms and dads would need a much larger shelf.
These young people are part of our church family’s legacy and its gift to a needy and broken world.
Lucy and these other extraordinary teens carry gifts the world desperately needs. I can’t wait to see where the Lord leads them and how their stories unfold.
Run the play.
Encourage an E.T. in your orbit today. Give them your attention, your curiosity, and your time.
You may discover that the abundant life Jesus promised has just entered the room.
Finding Our Place in the Story
Which extraordinary teenager in your orbit might experience God’s love through your full presence and encouragement this week?
Which parent in your orbit could use a word of encouragement for the faithful work they are doing, much of it unseen?
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