What’s on your mind? Anyone asked you that lately? How did you respond? Or, if I were to ask you right now, what would say? What’s on your mind?

    “Oh, not much. I’m just thinking...”

    I’m just thinking about what I need to do today. There are some things I need to do related to work. A sermon to prepare. An article to write. Some phone calls to make. A note or two that needs to be written. A book I have been wanting to read. A book I have been needing to read. A book I have been trying to write. Stuff that is going on at work.

    I’m just thinking what we’ll do on our next vacation. If we have a next vacation. People who are far away and dear to me. I’m wondering how they are doing and that I probably should call them. I’m thinking about Thanksgiving plans. I’m thinking about playing golf.

    I’m just thinking about my brothers, my sister and their families. I wonder how they are doing and wishing we had more opportunities to be together. I’m remembering times we have been together, things we did when we were growing up. I’m thinking about my Mother and my Dad.

    I’m just thinking about something I read in the Word recently. Something Jesus said that is so different from how I normally live that if I lived like that today how people would consider me very strange. I’m thinking that I probably should be living more like that and less concerned about what people think.

“Oh, not much. I’m just thinking...”

    I’m thinking about my children. Their friends. Their school relationships, work relationships, the friends they play with and hang out with. Their church friends. I’m wondering about how they are doing in school, or how they are not doing in school. Their health. Their relationship with God. Decisions they are making, or not making. Decisions that are made for them. How quickly they have grown.

    I’m thinking about my relationship with my wife. How long we’ve known each other. How long we’ve been married. How many Fall days we have enjoyed together. How the future will unfold for us, our children, and... grandchildren?

    I’m thinking about all the things going on in the world right now. Threats of terrorist. Talk of war. The economy. Snipers. Health concerns.

    “What’s on your mind?”

    “Oh, not much. Just thinking about a few things. How about you?”

    The apostle Paul, in a letter all about how to think like Christ, said:

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. (Philippians 4:6-9, The Message)