there's this place
that's hard to get to
it requires effort and timing,
preparation and dedication
a place that becomes rather than just is.
it's a moment, many moments strung together
where all distraction fades away,
a still, quiet place that I have found in a
most unusual way.
Laces tightened,
running gear on,
hydration flowing through my veins, I begin.
Muscles protest, wind distracts,
mental battle engages with a constant "You can't do this",
breathing starts to jag, side stitches threaten and then
counting and breathing and breathing and counting and
that's where I find a still, quiet place.
shoes pounding pavement quiets,
distracted noise fades,
wind becomes less dominant, and it's me
counting in and out, in and out
breathing in and out, in and out
smooth and rhythmic and calm and peace filled
breathe.
count.
count.
breathe.
nothing else matters,
nothing else panics or competes and clamors for attention,
it's this still, quiet place.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
Friendship that inspires....
Rarely, a friend comes along who inspires
and when that relationship forms, everything changes
The kind of friend I'm talking about
challenges, but also encourages,
knowing that life isn't a competition against one another,
but rather against ourselves to become better.
The kind of friend that critiques, but only because love is the foundation,
a mutual understanding that no matter if disagreement occurs,
the sharpening is for good, not for easy.
The kind of friend who accepts you, wrinkles, burps, bumps, and all.
A soul to soul connection that is designed to reflect the beauty of heaven, the love of a creator for his created.
The kind of friend who doesn't envy, won't tear down, never manipulates, wants good and truth and hope and joy.
It's painted vividly in 1 Corinthians 13, and because God is love, we can know God is all of these things....
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
and when that relationship forms, everything changes
The kind of friend I'm talking about
challenges, but also encourages,
knowing that life isn't a competition against one another,
but rather against ourselves to become better.
The kind of friend that critiques, but only because love is the foundation,
a mutual understanding that no matter if disagreement occurs,
the sharpening is for good, not for easy.
The kind of friend who accepts you, wrinkles, burps, bumps, and all.
A soul to soul connection that is designed to reflect the beauty of heaven, the love of a creator for his created.
The kind of friend who doesn't envy, won't tear down, never manipulates, wants good and truth and hope and joy.
It's painted vividly in 1 Corinthians 13, and because God is love, we can know God is all of these things....
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when completeness comes,what is in part disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
May these words from God set us all free today!
saying goodbye
...the hardest part of ministry, I think, is saying goodbye.
In church culture, it's not uncommon for people to visit, to join community, and then for any number of reasons, move along. Maybe it's a job transfer, a move to a new community, a decision to shop around for a new church, or a walking away from faith. And it's the goodbye that I most avoid.
As a leader, my primary role is to invest in others, try to inspire them to serve in the local church, motivate them, encourage them, invite them in, share opportunity of ministry and then trust with everything that I've done, partnered with God's mission, will produce volunteers for the ministry.
Children's ministry, particularly, has a grueling number of needed volunteers.
Children's ministry, specifically, has a pace that's relentless.
Children's ministry, naturally, has a high rate of success in communicating the gospel and seeing lives changed.
Children's ministry, dominantly, has a high investment in the family.
And when a prayed for, poured into, trained volunteer moves along, it's heartbreaking.
Over the ministry seasons, I've seen volunteers come and go, I've watched new opportunity arise and people move along. And I've seen a pace such that there isn't time to morn, or to grieve, or to despair. Emotions are pesky, irritating things anyway. Nonetheless, they rise up.
So, today, I pause to grieve over the loss of many amazing people who have passed by our doors, entered into our ministry, and moved along.
I miss you.
I'm sad you've gone.
I pray you will continue to hold high the torch of loving children and teaching them God's truth.
I morn your absence.
I can't wait to see you, in the global church, on the other side of life.
The role you played was invaluable and I'm sorry if I didn't say how much I valued you enough.
May you know you were loved, you mattered, you made a difference.
In church culture, it's not uncommon for people to visit, to join community, and then for any number of reasons, move along. Maybe it's a job transfer, a move to a new community, a decision to shop around for a new church, or a walking away from faith. And it's the goodbye that I most avoid.
As a leader, my primary role is to invest in others, try to inspire them to serve in the local church, motivate them, encourage them, invite them in, share opportunity of ministry and then trust with everything that I've done, partnered with God's mission, will produce volunteers for the ministry.
Children's ministry, particularly, has a grueling number of needed volunteers.
Children's ministry, specifically, has a pace that's relentless.
Children's ministry, naturally, has a high rate of success in communicating the gospel and seeing lives changed.
Children's ministry, dominantly, has a high investment in the family.
And when a prayed for, poured into, trained volunteer moves along, it's heartbreaking.
Over the ministry seasons, I've seen volunteers come and go, I've watched new opportunity arise and people move along. And I've seen a pace such that there isn't time to morn, or to grieve, or to despair. Emotions are pesky, irritating things anyway. Nonetheless, they rise up.
So, today, I pause to grieve over the loss of many amazing people who have passed by our doors, entered into our ministry, and moved along.
I miss you.
I'm sad you've gone.
I pray you will continue to hold high the torch of loving children and teaching them God's truth.
I morn your absence.
I can't wait to see you, in the global church, on the other side of life.
The role you played was invaluable and I'm sorry if I didn't say how much I valued you enough.
May you know you were loved, you mattered, you made a difference.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
April rains
There was this low spot down the dirt road that
after an April rain was legendary for
being the biggest rain puddle in all of
Isanti County.
It would fill to the brim,
spilling over into the poor neighbor's yard,
feasting on the grass-covered lawn, the path leading
into their home,
running across the span of road,
causing a spray that reached
epic levels as the water
danced on car after car
that dared to pass through.
The puddle, this utopian lake, this place
is a memory tucked in the
recesses of my mind
as I consider April rains, thunderstorms, downpours, bursts of liquid
bringing much awaited signs of Spring.
My siblings and I, mostly my annoying brothers
would crow and trot and jump and splash
in this puddle as the rains would come and the lightening would flash and the thunder would drown out all intelligible conversation, but,
that wasn't the point anyway.
Who needed to talk when all expression of emotion was communicated in the dance?
after an April rain was legendary for
being the biggest rain puddle in all of
Isanti County.
It would fill to the brim,
spilling over into the poor neighbor's yard,
feasting on the grass-covered lawn, the path leading
into their home,
running across the span of road,
causing a spray that reached
epic levels as the water
danced on car after car
that dared to pass through.
The puddle, this utopian lake, this place
is a memory tucked in the
recesses of my mind
as I consider April rains, thunderstorms, downpours, bursts of liquid
bringing much awaited signs of Spring.
My siblings and I, mostly my annoying brothers
would crow and trot and jump and splash
in this puddle as the rains would come and the lightening would flash and the thunder would drown out all intelligible conversation, but,
that wasn't the point anyway.
Who needed to talk when all expression of emotion was communicated in the dance?
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