“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” C.S. Lewis
One thing I’d like to start doing is writing a thoughtful blog post each Sunday about something I learned in church. This is more for my own benefit than anyone other’s, to force me to pay attention and walk away with something (instead of forgetting the teaching the minute I get in my car after the service).

I’ve mentioned before that Paul and I attend a Newlyweds Sunday School class. Today, one of our church’s pastors, Matt Ballard, spoke, kicking off our series of studying Psalms. He started by asking us to write down on index cards what needs to happen to make us happy in life. Then he told us a story.

I found the story he referred to on USA Today. I quote from an article written on August 23rd, 2004:

With one bullet left to shoot, all Matt Emmons needed was a score of 7.2 to win his second gold medal of the Olympic Games. On his first nine shots in the finals, Emmons’ lowest score was a 9.3. He took careful aim, fired … bull’s eye. Only Emmons’ shot pierced the wrong target — known as a crossfire — resulting in a score of 0. Instead of gold, Emmons, 23, of Browns Hill, N.J., was left trying to explain the rare mistake that left him in eighth place. (Read the rest here.)

Our pastor applied this story to our own lives: Even if you hit the dead center of the target, if you’re aiming at the wrong target then you get nothing. It doesn’t matter if you hit the very edge or the dead center – you still get nothing. If you aim your goals and aspirations on things of this earth, then you will gain nothing. But if you fix your focus and thoughts on Christ, then God will bless you in ways you cannot imagine. And not only will you be richer because you are focusing on Christ, but God will make sure all your earthly needs are provided as well! And really, in the end, which is where you want to be?

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:20