Meaning What?

Psalm 119:15
I will meditate on your precepts (words)
And contemplate (have understanding) Your ways.

In education we stress the importance of reading for meaning....because what's the point otherwise.  This is connected to our everyday and can be looked at in four phases; (based on a Literacy Initiative)
Phase one: Before you get ready, get ready...meaning having the right mindset before you begin.  Know where you are going and be prepared to be engaged in the process.
Phase Two: Read like you mean it.  Making a connection to the text, going deeper with study verses reading letters that make up words that make a sentence.  (whats the point of that?)
Phase Three: Just because you're done reading doesn't mean you're done reading.  This is where you reflect and make personal connection from the text to your every day experiences....asking "meaning what?"  This is where I like to write on the side bar of my Bible or other resources "He spoke to me".  This is me making a connection and it sticking with me.
Phase Four: Put reading to use.  This is just basic application yet can be the most challenging.  This might you trying to figure out how to do this and how this looks in your life....meaning taking some time to really apply it.
We've got down the listening, the going through the motions of what a student looks like, but we've not practiced enough the meaning behind it.  I'm certainly guilty of this as a student and a teacher.  As a student, I've been to timid to ask a question, or allowed my mind to wander somewhere else, to get up the moment the speaker is finished and walk out of the room never looking back or taking thought of what was just taught.  So, it's a no wonder it never stayed or took root inside of me.  As a teacher, I haven't allowed time for reflection and closure or even challenged my students (or congregation) to reflect and make this personal before you walk out.  If not, it's all but gone....minutes wasted that you'll never get back.  They were just moments without purpose.
Everything we do should have meaning.  Even if it's something that you can't find application...you can find something!  I recently went to an education conference and even though one of the sessions I found difficult to connect with I purposed in my heart to learn something of application.  So I watched each speaker and how they delivered the content.  I caught myself evaluating them and their delivery (this is important to me as a speaker myself).  I made notes of what not to do and what is effective in keeping the audiences attention.  I found meaning!

I challenge you to make everything meaningful!

The Mrs. Pastor