For Goodness sake

When I went to India in Dec 08, I became suddenly aware of just how self-oriented we can be as Americans.  I’m not just talking about being selfish, but self-oriented. It seems that if we are unaware of it, underneath the majority of our activities we have ourselves in mind.  We seek friends to add enjoyment to our lives.  We look for a raise to add to our financial status.  We can serve others while being motivated by the good feeling we get when we do it.

Through the rapid process of building intense relationships with these wonderful people, I realized this by contrast.  I saw the hearts of those we lived with and laughed with.  I became aware of how they were more others-oriented than I had ever been.  It seemed that at the bottom of their actions of kindness was a genuinely selfless love for others. I felt like they were better people because of it.

What would Jesus say…

Living with Mr. Perfect

There’s this guy I know, he talks to me almost every day.  Drives me nuts.  If he were a twitter follower, I’d block him.  If he were a facebook friend I’d nix him.  But it’s not that easy.

I have to learn to live with him.

while I’m waiting

We are all waiting for something.  Waiting for the weekend.  Waiting for vacation.  Waiting for a raise. Waiting for our call-back date.

Waiting to have kids.  Waiting for them to go to school. Waiting for the kids to come home.  Waiting for them to go back.

We’re waiting for the day to start.  Waiting for the day to be over.  Waiting for tomorrow.

We’re waiting for things to get easier.  Waiting for things to go back to normal.   Waiting for relief.  Waiting for a break.

Waiting… waiting… waiting…

If we’re not careful, we can let waiting wear away at what should be permanent.  A long season of waiting can carve away at our hearts until we end up with a grand canyon of the soul.

water cooler conversations…

…without the water cooler.

Yeah, we have one here where I work, but this talk wasn’t anywhere near it.

Journal entry – 2.10.2009

“I come to you in pieces so you can make me whole.”
- RED, End of Silence, Pieces

Yesterdays, todays and tomorrows

Like many I suppose, I live in a tension between pursuing the bigness of God’s will for my life, and doing daily chores that seem to have little to do with it.  I’m not all that bright, and I don’t see how some of the mundane things I do have anything to do with a grand purpose, plan, or direction.

I literally woke up this morning with a different perspective.

Pencils and Highlighters

[Jesus] sat down and summoned the Twelve. “So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.” – Mark 9.35 (MSG)

In my world and from my perspective, the people who rock, who are doing the most important work on the planet, are those employed by the church.  They endeavor to spend their human energies communicating the most paramount message in human history: Creator God loves His Creation. 

It’s how I see the world. 

pencils and highlighters

Light Redemption from Wordstuck

Sometimes I get wordstuck. Sometimes it lasts for months. Yesterday’s post, in all it’s guttural honesty, was the beginning of getting unstuck. Today, the words are flowing more freely.

God started it with Genesis 1.3-4

Journal entry – 1.26.09

Honestly.

People

I’m slated to sing next at GCC on Feb 7-8th.  As usual it results in a challenge for me.  God never ceases to work on us and takes every single opportunity to do so.  It’s because he loves us so much. (read here)

For me, this song has a particular personal meaning like no other one I’ve done.

Takes me back to December ‘07…