I Went to the Zoo – By Myself.

Why? Well… why not? And, before that, I went to see the Japanese Gardens.

The sun was out on Saturday, so I took my bike out for a long-overdue summer excursion. I had no destination in mind at the start… It’s just one of those ideas that came about on a whim – much like my decision to stop drinking caffiene (going on a month now!) Check out some photos from my mini-holiday below.

First off, I want to share two bits of wisdom that I gleaned from a friend over the phone this evening. They actually didn’t occur to me until our conversation was interrupted by a dropped call, and it hit hard like a coconut falling from a palm tree:

1. Take control of your day-to-day schedule. Don’t let it run you.

2. Fill your schedule with worthwhile, constructive activities.

One of my favorite excuses for putting off work used to be that there’s just not enough time in my busy life to get things done. But my friend’s timely phone call reminded me that this is simply not the case. I have plenty of time to do the things that are truly worthwhile – such as spending time reading my Bible, praying, building relationships, getting plugged into community service… the list could go on. The only reason I complain of lacking time is because I don’t want to give up other, less productive activities (or rather inactivities like watching too many shows on Netflix, for example).

Sure, a little bit of entertainment can be beneficial to productivity, but too much of it can suck away valuable time. What’s worse, it can lead to social and spiritual stagnation, even isolation. Life’s too short to let that happen.

In a voice message following the dropped call, my friend challenged me to read my Bible tonight. So I read Ephesians, and these verses stuck out to me:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of your time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual song, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” ~Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV)

I think the wine to which the apostle Paul is referring can be a metaphor for any pleasurable activity. Wine isn’t bad in and of itself, but overindulgence of wine or any other kind of entertainment is unhealthy.

And when he talks about singing to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual song, I don’t think he meant that we ought to be walking around literally crooning about Jesus all day (not that there is anything wrong with that). Rather, I believe these spiritual melodies are any number of worshipful acts that bring pleasure to God. For me, this could mean anything from meditating on Scripture to serving at a homeless shelter – even drawing. God gave us passions so we could pursue them and in so doing bring Him praise.

Anyway, this was on my heart, and I felt like I needed to share it with you. I hope you’re encouraged – or, if you’re like me, moved to take action.

And now, some pictures from my (worthwhile) biking excursion to the Zoo and Japanese Gardens. Enjoy!