under new management

Washed Anew started out of Kelly and I wanting to remember our daughter Lauren's decision to follow Christ and her baptism date. We wanted to celebrate this annually and for her to remember this time in her life.

Kelly and I soon realized we did not even know our own "dates."

I had a manager a few years ago who had everyone that reported to him make a time line of their life. Then one by one, someone would get up and discuss the important events in their life that they chose to share. Due to time constraints of the meeting, and me being "new," I guess, I was the only one looked over and never got to share mine. However, no need to dwell on the past, I am over that now, let's move on (I should have seen the writing on the wall for the lay off).

 


In his book "Under New Management", which was first published in 1966, Sam Shoemaker wrote "I know how important it is to begin. Before a child can grow, he must be born. Before we can grow spiritually, we must be "born again". Growth is gradual; birth is sudden. It takes a long time for an oak tree to grow to maturity; it does not take long to put an acorn into the ground, knowing that the dampness and chemicals go to work at once to break the shell that the new life may begin."

He goes on to say "Of course, everyone does not get started in the same way, but everyone needs to get started".

For me personally, I am a preachers kid. I have been baptized as an infant and as an adult. I trace my decision to follow Christ back to a "Profession of Faith" I made when I was eleven years old. However, I remember several occasions as I left the house as a teen my dad saying with a laugh "just don't tell them your last name"....I was obviously not an instant oak tree.

To be honest, I don't think most people that know me today would describe me as an oak tree. I am a major work in progress, but I am "Under New Management".

Robb