The Music Man

The Music Man is considered one of the classics in the history of musical theatre. It was a beloved musical when it hit the stage of Broadway in 1958 (yes, before I was born), and the film produced in 1962 solidified its position.

So when I heard a few months ago that a friend had landed a major role in her school production of the show, that settled it. I had to travel to Pennsylvania for the weekend and see it. After all, it was the perfect combination - a perfect storm if you will. First, I got to visit the Swank family, some of my favorite people on earth. Second, I was able to support Rachel as she performed the key role of Mrs. Paroo. And finally, I got to watch a show that I've love for most of my life.

So it was a wonderful weekend all around, and I wrote about that in my last blog post. Here is the whole gang at lunch Sunday, before I went to watch the first act for the second time, before leaving to catch my flight. Yes, it was so good I cut it very close just to watch as much as could for a second time.

Scott, me, Sarah, Rachel, Emily, and Lori

So anyway, back to the show. Which is what this post was supposed to be about, right?

For those who don't know, The Music Man is set in 1912 and is about a conniving traveling salesman (Harold Hill) who rolls into an Iowa town and uses the illusion of a crisis (a new pool table!) to manufacture the need for a boys' band to keep kids out of trouble. He uses this illusion to sell musical instruments and band uniforms even though he "don't know one note from another." A part of his plan  is to romance the local piano teacher (Marian Paroo), both to keep her off balance and, well, because he's a man. Since the show is 57 years old, I'm not going to worry about spoilers: At the end, he gets caught but the people he's befriended - especially Marian - stand up for him because of the joy he brought to the town over the summer.

(Again, it was done extremely well and was very enjoyable. I would have been happy I saw it even if I had not known one of the actors. And by the way, playing Marian's mother Mrs. Paroo, Rachel was awesome.)

So is this a story about just getting away with something? That is what had troubled the director of this production, Jill Panyard, for a long time. In her director's notes, she wrote about how she had resisted this play for years:

It has challenges, like every musical, but my problem was with redemption. With every production I saw, I never believed that Harold would actually stay in River City...How does a director direct Harold to portray true redemption? I think I found the spot. As I read the script several times over, I saw the scene where it can happen. With eyes damp with hope, I thought, 'We can do this. And Harold will be redeemed!' I hope you see it too.

Ah! A challenge!

And I watched with that challenge looming before me. If any of my friends in PA happen to point Ms. Panyard toward this post, maybe she will see whether I got it.

As I saw it, the director had Harold carry a card around the entire play - the ace of spades. (Yes, I had a very good seat.) Every now and then during the long con, when he was laying it on thick, he would pull the card out and look at it. It was symbolic of the fact that he was only there to trick people, to take their money and be on his way. No matter how sincere he might appear, that card was always there.

Then as the play nears its conclusion, he meets Marian at the footbridge. He is there, just like always, to use her and then discard her - taking his "reward" before leaving town. But a funny thing happens. For those who don't know, she is carrying a page with evidence that he is a fraud. When they meet, she gives it to him and discloses that she has know for weeks. But she didn't turn him in.

Grace. Total, unadulterated grace. Despite all his shenanigans, his rotten-to-the-core deceitfulness, she forgives him and hands him the page. "With my whole heart," she says.

And then - in this production - he puts it in his pocket and drops the card in the water, never to be seen again. He drops his sinfulness in the water, replacing it with the grace of the page Marian handed him. And for the rest of the show, he pulls the page out like he had the card, reminding himself of who is is now.

And, no doubt, he stays in River City.

Wow! Well done!

It reminds me what grace is for me. God forgives and loves me despite knowing what a fraud I am. And when he gives me that grace, if I will just let go of the old life, he will change me forever.


Yes, it was a marvelous show. And a marvelous time with friends. Rachel posed with her family right after the performance...

...and then I got a picture with the star. I may need to print one of these and get an autograph one day:

And I will never watch this show, on stage or screen, the same way again. Every Harold Hill I see will be walking around with an unseen ace of spades.

As I was. Thank you, Lord, for replacing it with your grace.

Weekends like this

God made us for relationships. For relationship with him, and relationships with each other. Love God and love others.

That is one of the wonderful things about the short-term mission trips I have been blessed to be a part of. Not only have I seen the Lord do wonderful things in the lives of people all over the world, but every time I go I make the best friends. God has put some amazing people in my life.

Some of those people live in the Harrisburg, PA area. I never would have met any of them without going to Ethiopia. But I'm so glad I did. Last weekend, I visited one such family after a long absence from seeing them. The Swanks of Lebanon, PA.

It was so much fun hanging out with Scott, Lori, Sarah, and Rachel. And another friend from past trips, Sarah's friend Emily. I wish Jesse had been there too. The focus of the weekend was Rachel's performance in The Music Man as Mrs. Paroo. She did an outstanding job in the role, and I was very proud of her. But we also had a blast with great dinners, a monstrous breakfast, and a very cool coal mine tour.

However, the weekend did not get off to a great start.

I landed a little before 5:00 on Friday afternoon, ahead of schedule. When I landed Scott texted me and we decided I should just get my rental car and drive to their house before we decided what to do for dinner. Well, I got to the rental car and was putting my bags in the trunk when I thought, Hmmm. Is my Kindle in this bag?

It wasn't.

Of course it wasn't. It was in a seat pocket on the plane where I had left it. That's me - always forgetting things. I'd forget my head if it weren't attached to me. So I drove back around, parked, and went to the Delta counter. Yep, they found it. Unfortunately, everyone was about an hour late going to dinner because they had to wait on my boneheaded mistake.

And that's not all. I drove to dinner because, hey, I have a rental car. Well, we got to the restaurant... Wait - gotta point this out: It was the first restaurant we tried. It had a one-hour wait so we gave up on it. If I hadn't forgotten the Kindle.......

So anyway, I parked there and opened my door to get out of the car. It beeped. And beeped. And beeped. Beep beep-beep-beep-beep........

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR?

Well, there was the little matter of the fact that I had opened the car door and started to get out while it was still in drive!

Why did I do this? Here is the only explanation I have:

This picture is the gearshift panel on my car. MY car. There is no stick, only a bunch of buttons. And if I open the car door, it automatically shifts back to Park. So I guess I have gotten so used to this feature that I stopped shifting to Park myself.

How embarrassing. Fortunately, however, I stopped the car before we hit anything.
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Notwithstanding this wonderful start, we had a great time. Weekends like this are what life is made of.

And I did see Rachel's show. One and half times. That's right...but that's a story for another time.

Finally, the director's take on a show I've known for a long time was very interesting. So much so that it deserves its own post. So next time, let's talk about that.

Okay....shifting into Park......and DONE.

It was a great year...

...thanks for being a part of it.

Yes, it seems everyone on Facebook is sharing about their 2014, mainly because Facebook has written code that compiles pictures and makes it really easy. In some cases, it has even caused some unintended heartache. But it's definitely the thing to do.

Well, while I'm not going to click the button for one of those automatic slideshows, there is some value in looking back over the last year. Life is short, and what happens to each of us in a given year has incredible significance. Sometimes good, sometimes bad...but definitely loaded with significance. So, as we come to the end of this year, what stands out about 2014 for me?

There were definitely events and activities that I will remember, both fondly and otherwise. Trips to other parts of the world, exciting sports events, a few days skiing, and a short trip to my favorite big city in the USA. Those were awesome, and they are are the kind of things we usually use to "bookmark" years. ("2014 - It was the year that I.......")

But there are four things about 2014 that make it a remarkable year for me. Two of them are events, and the other two were more of a pattern:

• The graduation of my niece Brooke from nursing school at the University of Alabama. As watched her walk across the floor of Coleman Coliseum, I was so proud of her. It may be the moment from 2014 that stands out.
• The engagement of another niece Macy, and watching her go through the preparations for the wedding. In a way it's hard to realize that these young adults whom I've loved for about 25 years are moving so fast into the world of work, marriage, and building of their own families. But any melancholy is overshadowed by happiness for them. Macy's wedding will certainly be on this list for 2015.

Now, the more subtle:

• I have had such a good year of learning and growing in my knowledge of God and his purposes for the world. I read several outstanding books that expanded my view of salvation, the nature of the universe, and just how big and awesome God is. There has been a growing appreciation in the areas of the work of creation, God's ultimate plan for his kingdom, and my role in it. I am not looking up at the night sky the way I did a year ago. Books, videos, and long talks with friends have opened my eyes to a new sense of wonder.
• And I have had a wonderful year of experiencing the sense of community that God has blessed us with. Regular time with family and close friends, visits to close friends who don't live so close, and developing deep friendships while serving in Ethiopia - I can't even put into words how much these things mean in my life. It's like they are sacraments - means of grace where God speaks to me and draws me closer to himself. I don't mean to put this on a level with the Eucharist. But it does seem to have a similar effect. Every time I get to bask in the glow of people who I know love me with the love of Christ, I am renewed. Even when I go through the struggles of life alongside others - helping and being helped, praying and being prayed for - I am renewed. There is no doubt, I have been blessed with a lot of renewal this year. Thankful.

Yes, to quote the Facebook phrase, it was a great year. One great year - just one. May God grant that I will sense his purpose in 2015, as I did this year.

Happy New Year!

My piece of the pie

Sometimes it's just so overwhelming.

As I read this week about the persecution going on in Iraq, it makes me want to do something. I want to make it stop. All by myself.

And then I look around at all the needs in the world, and how desperately the earth's 7 billion people need hope. Hope that is found in the gospel of Jesus the Messiah.

Seven. Billion. People.

In this age of 24 hour news, social media, and rapid communication, it's hard to miss how great the need is. Children all over the world in need of basic necessities like food and clothing. War breaking out in Ukraine, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan with millions of civilians in the crossfire. Disease that's killing thousands and threatening to break out to kill millions. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis.

There are so many people hurting...and I sometimes feel so helpless.

So this morning when our teaching pastor compared me to a piece of pie, it was a perspective I needed.

A piece of pie? Yes. The encouragement I got from him was this: God has given me a role in redeeming his creation. But it's just a small part. When I feel like I've got to solve it all, I've got to remember that I'm just one piece of the pie, and I need to surround myself with people who have the other pieces. This is a group project.

Group project. I got a picture of this Thursday when I was helping judge an MBA contest at the University of Alabama. In the morning session, I saw 12 students making speeches, showing their talents for analyzing business problems. They were impressive. But the afternoon session was so much more impressive. The students were placed in groups of four and given a problem to solve, a company that needed to be revitalized. The group dynamic was so much more powerful, and the solutions they came up with were cool.

So why should I be discouraged? God isn't asking me to solve the world's problems all by myself. He has been working to redeem the world with a plan that has been growing for over 4,000 years, starting with Abraham, culminating in the work of Jesus during his time on earth, and continuing in the hands of his people, the church. I am a small part of that plan, a small piece of the pie.

Small, yes. But definitely a piece.

So what should I do? I believe God asks me to be content in the role he has given me, and go about it with determination and much prayer. I don't need to be wishing I could be somewhere else doing something else. If I do, I will pine away my life and miss the chance to do his kingdom work right where he has me. There is so much to be done!

So, instead of focusing on what I can't do, I will focus on what I can:

• Go to work each and look for ways to show God's love to those at my company. I can do quality work that glorifies the Creator of work, demonstrate servant leadership to my team, and love those around me even when we don't agree on things.
• Love my family with all my heart, letting them see the light of Jesus by considering their needs above my own.
• Love my friends - fellow believers - by spending time with them and building community that reflects the prayer of Jesus in John 17.
• Love strangers, and even those who oppose me. Show them extraordinary kindness. Who does this?? Well, nobody wants to. And so when I do, people can see that the gospel does make a difference in how we live.
• Find a pocket of need and pour my life into others. This is where I have to avoid getting overwhelmed - I can't reach out to and/or visit every widow and orphan in the world or help lift up all the oppressed. But that's no excuse not to reach out to any. For me, at this point in my life, it's the children of Korah in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as well as keeping my eye out for local opportunities.
• Pray, pray, pray. This is how we can be involved where we can't reach. We have a big God.
• Share the resources that God has entrusted to me. He has done so not for my pleasure, but for his glory.

Tackling this list is  quite a challenge. But with God's help, it's something I can do. 

So thanks, Patrick, for reminding me. Instead of being frustrated about the things I want to do for God but can't, I need to do well those things God has placed right in front of me. 

Time to get to it.

Surprise!

What a great day!

I love surprises - both when I am surprised and when I can surprise someone. That's why I loved my niece Macy's plan to throw a surprise party for her mother (my sister) today. And the best thing is...it worked!

So much fun when we saw Kristy walk in the door to see her family and friends.

And then we ate. Awesome burgers, awesome trimmings, homemade ice cream, and one of the best cakes ever.

Swimming, boating, talking...just hanging out.

I really think days like today are a tiny glimpse, a shimmer, of the joy God has prepared for his children in the new heavens and new earth. Eternity basking in the glory of the Lamb, and living life in community with all the saints from through out history. It's going to be glorious!

But while we wait for that, we can enjoy days like today. Awesome!

Happy birthday, sis!

Ethiopia 2014 - thank you

Four ministries in five days. Games. Music. Crafts. Sports. Hugs. Laughter. Tears. Sharing God's word. It has been an amazing week.

Tomorrow is a getaway day, so our work here is done for the most part. And so I want to take the opportunity to thank some awesome people for heeding God's call to Go.Be.Love this week. I have loved every minute of serving side-by-side with them.

Thank you, Clark, for your sharing your heart for reaching the nations with the gospel and choosing to focus that passion on these children in Ethiopia. You are an encouragement to me and someone who keeps me I the right path because you know me so well. And it was a joy to watch you use your language skills to bring the gospel into conversations.

Thank you, Trisha, for coming back with us a second time, and taking a leadership role on a critical aspect of the trip - activities for the kids. I don't know how we could have done that without you. And you did it all with a heart of love. And thank you for bringing...

Danny; I appreciated your servant heart and ability to take charge when something was needed. Whether it was blowing up soccer balls, playing with the kids who love sports, hauling food to feed kids, or changing a tire, you were right there. And you were a servant not only to our group but the children.

Chasya, I am so thankful that God led you to our team. You had no previous connection so I know the Lord's hand was in every aspect of that decision. I don't know what it was, but children just flocked to you. It was hard to even get a good picture there were so many around. God blessed the kids of Ethiopia through you - count on it.

And all of you: You really loved each other well. Jesus prayed for the world to see the truth by watching his people love each other, and that prayer was answered in this team. You just can't fake that. Because we grew together this week, God was glorified 24/7.

I will miss you all. But more than that, I am excited that The Lord brought us together for a special purpose. Well done, friends.

Grasping it

How big is the love of God? How deep is it and what are its limits?

It's easy to throw around terms like "infinite," "limitless," and "incomprehensible." But sometimes they are just words. They are what we are supposed to say abut God. But really, how big is his love for us? Is there a way that we can begin to grasp it?

My life experiences are limited. I have seen him work in my life, and I have seen a taste of how much he loves me. Everything I've experienced indicates that it's bigger than I can know. But how can I know more?

With the help of a book I read recently (How People Change), I saw something in Paul's letter to the Ephesians that helped me see a better way to grasp his love. Here is the relevant passage, with the key phrase highlighted:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name…I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpassed knowledge - that you may be filled with measure to the fullness of God.

- Ephesians 3:14-15, 17-19 (NIV, italics mine) 

Yes, that's it! Paul is telling the Ephesians that the best chance we have of understanding God's love for us is together. Life is not meant to be lived solo, and following Jesus is not meant to be a solo project. we need each other. So how does this work?

Well, as the book I referenced above points out (I'm not smart enough to think of this on my own), it's kind of like how a jury relies on twelve different minds to reach a verdict based on a full understanding of truth. When we are doing life together with other followers of Jesus, we get the benefit of each other's perspective on Christ's love.

One person has been brought through incredible suffocating grief from suddenly losing family to the great enemy, death. Another has been freed from a powerful addiction. Still another has seen God's grace repair a seemingly broken marriage. This one has lost everything financially and had to depend on God for their needs, and that one has been freed from an attitude of pride over the things of the world. On and on it goes.

When we gather with other believers and share our stories, when we are open with each other, we see so much more of the picture. We see how the love of Jesus is indeed sufficient for every circumstance, seeing so much more that we could know on our own. In How People Change, Lane and Tripp put it like this:

Not only are we strengthened in our individual growth in grace, but the entire body is built up by a fuller sense of the power and hope of God's grace! The Christian life is not less than individual, but it is so much more.

And so I am thankful to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Every time they share what is going on in their journey and allow me to pray with them, even time they allow my to help bear their burdens, every time they listen, pray, and cry with me - they show me a little more of Christ's love. His love is too big to be grasped, even together. But knowing him - really knowing him - is a group venture.

And so, as Paul concludes in Ephesians 3:21…

To him be glory in the the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Done

Done.

It can be the most dangerous word in the English language. With this one word, you can slam the door on relationships with a chilling finality.

Sometimes we say it out loud, with venom, and follow up on it. I have seen many relationships, both within families and among friends, that ended when one or both people decided that the hurt was too great to forgive. Some healed eventually, and some continue to this day.

More often, we say it to ourselves, for offenses both large and small:

Someone speaks to us unkindly...done!
Someone takes advantage of us financially...done!
Someone betrays our trust...done!
Someone hurts our feelings on Facebook…done!
Someone leaves us to do all the work...done!
Someone fails to call us back a few times...done!
Someone hurts someone we care about...done!
Someone embarrasses us in front of our boss...done!

You could probably add a hundred more without breaking a sweat. We are imperfect people and we hurt each other, and whether it's intentional often doesn't matter to us.

And whether we follow up on our internal outburst or not, we see the spirit of unforgiveness crouching at the door of our hearts every time we perceive that someone has wronged us. I know I do. Done...at least for a while.

We want to know how much we are supposed to endure. Peter came to Jesus and basically asked him, How many times do I have to forgive before I can say "done!"? (Matthew 18:21-23) And the answer Jesus gave was hard to swallow; our fragile egos crave a limit for having to endure pain.

When I think of all the times the word done has crossed my lips, I am overwhelmed with the love, mercy and forgiveness of God for me. No matter how many times I hurt him, he is waiting for me to return with open arms, extending infinite love. When you have some time, go read the book of Hosea in the Bible. In that book, the prophet Hosea's marriage is used an as illustration of God's unfailing love. God was heartbroken at how far his people had strayed from him, but the book ends with a declaration that he is always there, loving them and waiting for them to return to a rich relationship with him.

And then there is the ultimate statement by God that he is not done with me...

We take offense so easily. But even for the big ones, the ones where everyone can understand our bitterness, this strikes me: No matter how I have been mistreated, abused, ignored, or betrayed, God's Son endured that and worse on my behalf. He came from infinite glory to endure the shame of death, even death on a cross. And as he did it, he cried out for his Father to forgive the ones who were doing it. He never said, "Done!"

Oh, wait a minute...yes he did. Just before breathing his last breath, he cried out, "It is finished!" (John 19:30) Or, translated loosely, "Done!"

The ultimate sacrifice for my sin...done!
The dominion of darkness over this world...done!
The punishment that I deserve....done!
The power of death and the grave...done!

And because his grace and mercy are so limitless, he calls us to the same. Because the debt we have been forgiven is so massive, we must forgive the smaller debts that our friends, family, and yes, even enemies owe us.

Because he said, "Done!" to sin and death, I have the power to stop saying it to others. May it be so.

And now for something completely…Divergent

Yes, I am a sucker for target marketing. As I sat in the movie theater last November waiting for the start of Catching Fire, I saw a trailer for a new movie that would be based on another book trilogy - Divergent. I love great stories and one of my friends at the movie with me indicated that the book had been recommended to her by a friend.

So, within a day or so, I had started reading the book. It didn't take me long to finish all three.

And so there I was Sunday night, on the edge of my seat as I watched the movie. I was not disappointed…not even close.

Divergent is a fascinating story, set in a dystopian society where Chicago had once been. Stories are the stuff life is made of, and this is a doozy. Frankly, the two hours and twenty minutes of the movie flew by. There was not a moment where I was even tempted to look at my watch.

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WARNING: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD

Wikipedia summarizes the premise as follows:

In a post-apocalyptic future in the city of Chicago, survivors have been divided into five factions based on their predispositions:Abnegation, for the selfless; Amity, for the peaceful; Candor, for the honest; Dauntless, for the brave; and Erudite, for the Intelligent. Each year, all sixteen-year-olds take an aptitude test that will tell them for which faction they are best suited. After receiving the results of their test, they must decide whether to remain with their family or transfer to a new faction.

Beatrice (or Tris) Prior, played by Shailene Woodley, is faced with this very choice but finds herself to be very different from her peers. She does not fit into any box…but she must choose anyway.
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There are so ,many aspects of this story that I could write about. It's certainly a story about choices and how they define us. It's also a story of human depravity, showing our deep need for grace because we are rotten to the core. You can also see a story about standing up to evil, even when it is part of society's institutions.

I've seen posts/articles on all these aspects.

But the thing that may have jumped out to me more than anything else was how it showed our desperate need for community. How we need a group of people, however small, that we can love, trust,  and depend upon unconditionally.

Tris never felt like she fit completely in her family - but when she was in trouble she sought out her brother. She struggled to succeed in her faction Dauntless, especially early, but she found a small group of friends that gave her strength to continue. And the most heart wrenching scenes of the movie were those where her community was shattered - whether by death, betrayal, or separation.

Ultimately, that's what we are all looking for. It's why we cling to family, make friends, and sometimes even compromise our convictions to be liked or popular. LIfe works a lot better when we get our identity from the One who made us and then find others who have done so as well. I am blessed to have friends and family like that.

Life is not a solo act. It wasn't for Tris, although at times it felt like it. And it isn't for you and me. My prayer is that you will find people who surround you and love you unconditionally. People who will love you enough to always be there for you, and who also love you enough to tell you when you're wrong.

Our world is becoming so individualistic. I don't want to conform to that trend; I want to be…divergent.

Prayer (Petra)

You never know what gem you're going to be reminded of when you put your playlist on shuffle. Today, for the first the first time in maybe years I heard the song below on my iPhone. And then I listened again, and a third time. Each time after the first, I was 1) lifting a prayer of thanks and praise, 2) requesting God's care for the people I love, and 3) asking to be used by him to build his Kingdom.

Here it is, along with the lyrics. Pray with me please:

Prayer:



Lyrics:

First I want to thank You Lord for being who You are
For coming to the rescue of a man who's drifted far
For calling me to be Your son and calling me to serve
Lord the way You've blessed my life is more than I deserve

Keep the ones I love so dearly
Fill their emptiness while I am gone
And fill the loneliness in me, in me

This is my prayer lifted to You
Knowing You care even more than I do
This is my prayer lifted in Your name
Your will be done I humbly pray

Let me be the evidence of what Your grace can do
To a generation struggling to find themselves in You
May they come to know the love of God
May their eyes be made to see

Give me the opportunity to share the truth that sets them free

And may unity in all things
Be the banner of Your church
And let revival's fire begin to burn, begin to burn

This is my prayer lifted to You
Knowing You care even more than I do
This is my prayer lifted in Your name
Your will be done I humbly pray

As we face the last and final hours, turn a wayward country back to You
And keep us from the evil that devours
Keep us on the path and lead us through
Keep us in Your light until Your kingdom comes and our work is done

This is my prayer lifted to You
Knowing You care so much more than I do
This is my prayer in Jesus' name
Your will be done I humbly pray

This is my prayer, this is my prayer

Another year

Another year is gone. Another one about to begin. Of course, this is true every day. Every day ends a period that is one year long and starts another one. But when a calendar year comes to an end, it's typically a time for reflection and looking forward.

I've got to say, the thing that strikes me as 2013 comes to an end is how fast the time of this present age is rolling by. 2013 was another remarkable year, but it really doesn't seem like it could be a whole year. It seems that life unfolds like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you are to the end, the faster it unrolls. It truly won't be long before my time in this life is done, and I need to make the most of it.

Of course, it's easy to focus on the big events, and they were memorable.

Alabama winning its 15th national championship only 7 days into the year:

Traveling to London with my awesome nephew and nieces:

Serving God with an amazing team of friends, old and new, in Ethiopia:

And, afterwards, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a little sightseeing in nearby Tanzania:

All very exciting, and times I will never forget.

But 2013 was defined just as much by daily life, the little moments that emerge a day at a time. The ones that are part of doing life with family and friends. Things like:

• Weekly Monday night gatherings at my sister's house with family and a couple of close friends,
• Getting to see my dad almost every day as I pick up my dog from his house after work,
• Getting together with a small group of close friends to eat pad thai, talk, pray, and even watch a little TV,
• Lunch after church on Sundays with family,
• Going to work each day, looking for ways to glorify God through my work and working relationships,
• Going to football games in the fall with my family, allowing us to spend a whole day together,
• A weekly Wednesday morning small group, challenging each other to live out our faith,
• Weekends visiting good friends and family, and being there for each other in times of need,
• And sooooooooo many more that I don't have time to name.

It's this daily march toward the future, loving God and others in work and leisure, that really defines a year. And I am so grateful for every person that God has put in my life, making those days seem to fly by.

So, for events big and small, 2013 was another fantastic year.

And now it continues, just with another number at the end of the date. Hello 2014. Let's do this.

The power of a good meal

Last week, a friend of mine posted a wonderful narrative on how God has designed us to come together over a meal. He talked about all the Scriptural references to eating together, and how God's invitation to us is one of coming in to dine with us (e.g., Revelation 3:20). And the Lord's supper itself is an example. Please read his entire post here:

Thanksgiving and the Eucharist

Well, this struck a major chord with me, because I thought about how rich my life is because of meals I get to share with family and friends. It truly is one of the great blessings God has provided.

That's why a book passage jumped out at me today during lunch.

I am currently rereading Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Without revealing any major plot points, I was at a point in the story where Katniss and other key characters are in the midst of some very stressful training. They have been through so much together. They were strangers, then in some ways enemies, and now in a weird way have bonded as friends. Adversity tends to do that.

And so our heroes are gathered in this extraordinary situation, and the description - from Katniss' narration - is this:

All around the dining hall, you can feel the rejuvenating effect that a good meal can bring on. The way it can make people kinder, funnier, more optimistic, and remind them it's not a mistake to go on living. It's better than any medicine. So I try to make it last and join in the conversation. (p. 240, italics mine)

What a wonderful description of the power of eating with others.

So yes, Patrick, you are right when you point out the power of eating together. God made us that way, and we can see it not only in Scripture, in our lives, but in modern literature as well.

Thank you, Lord, for good friends and good food. Amen.

Catching Fire: In just a few hours

If you know me, you know I love great stories. Especially ones that make me think and inspire me. You also know that I love big events with lots of hype. And you know I love hanging with my friends and family. So this is one of those days where it all converges - a perfect storm if you will. In a few hours I will be heading to the cinema with friends for the opening of the movie Catching Fire:



For a detailed discussion of why I love this story so much see this previous blog post (but not if you haven't read the books - it contains major spoilers):

The Hunger Games…what's all the fuss about?

The local AMC is doing something cool. They will be showing both the previous movie and Catching Fire back to back, to allow us to experience the story continuously. It's going to be awesome!

So after about 5, yeah, I'll be in up to my neck in the story. See you on the other side.

Tick tock.

Red light

Are red lights a bad thing? I tend to think so; when a light is red, it keeps me from getting where I want to go as quickly as I would like. When used symbolically, a red light is anything in my life that tells me to stop. I generally don't like being told to stop. Do you?

Yesterday I was in a car traveling from a service celebrating the life of my friend's mother, and we had a couple of cars that needed to stay together. Unfortunately traffic caused us to get separated and so we were a little concerned that the car behind us might not know how to find my friend's house.

As we pulled up to the next intersection, the light changed on us at the last second. That usually frustrates me - I almost made it! But in this case, Steve slowed, stopped, looked for the car behind him, and said, "The red light may have brought us together."
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I think that in life we see a purpose to red lights sometimes. We know that things are bad for us and God puts red lights to protect us. But this was a purpose I never thought of. What if sometimes the red lights in our lives are God trying to slow us down....slow us down not because of any bad thing we're headed toward, but to let our friends and family catch up to us?

For example, I can think of a time when I was in a hurry to jump into a career and move away from my hometown. God put up red lights, and looking back I can see that it brought me together with my family and countless friends who have built me up as a person. The red light brought us together.

So I think next time God says stop,  it will be time to look in the rear view mirror for people he may want me to be with. The red light may be bringing us together.

Monday musings

Just a few random thoughts on a Monday night....

• In football, things are getting really interesting right now. The Crimson Tide sits atop the standings and probably just need to keep winning. If they do, they'll have chance to play for their third straight BCS Championship. That would be amazing. They seem to be getting better every week, but LSU is coming up and that will be a huge test. In the meantime, Oregon and Florida State are neck-and-neck for the second spot. Right now it looks like we are headed for controversy, but I have a feeling some folks are going to lose before it's all over. It may even be the Tide. So much fun to follow - the best time of year!

• I have the best family and friends in the world. No stories supporting that, just stating the facts. Sometimes it just hits me - today is one of those days.

• Finally, we are 23 days and change from THIS:

Tick tock.....

Reflections on a season

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

- Ecclesiastes 2:1 (NIV) 

I love lazy weekend days. I spent probably two hours this afternoon, sitting on my sister's back porch. A little conversation, a little napping, and a little thinking. And I thought back some 30 years...to a time when I could not see the path.

I spent most of my time in college thinking that God was calling me to YoungLife staff. I don't think I was wrong, I just think the calling was for a short time so he could teach me some things about myself.

What I learned was that I could serve the Lord without ministry being the source of my paycheck. That God was mostly concerned about developing my character and drawing me close to him, regardless of how I would make a living. I just needed to love him and stay close to him. Thus began a six-year period that you could call drifting.

You could...but you would be wrong. It was a season where God was teaching me exactly what I needed to know to live the life he had for me.

I spent some time on YoungLife student staff, helping the ministry through some difficult times. I felt the pull in another direction, toward teaching. So I spent almost two years going back to school for another degree. This was when I shared a trailer with the person who would become my lifelong friend - really more like a brother. I learned to be content with very little. I then went to teach middle school, and spent three years learning so much about myself - including the fact that I do have a temper that I need God to control.

And then the biggest lesson of all. I know God wanted me there for those three years, but I also was learning that it was not for me long term. So I resigned my position in February, effective at the end of the school year. My mom thought I was crazy. My friends thought I was crazy. Everybody asked, "What are you going to do? Do you have a plan? How can you just quit your job without a plan?"

To make a very long story short, a series of circumstances led me to an interview with Alfa about a profession that I had never heard of. And voila, a few months later I was an actuary-in-training. The rest is history. I cannot imagine another path for my life that would have been more fulfilling and more glorifying to God than where I ended up. I have the friends I have, I live where I live, I have served God where I have served him, all because of that one path.

Here's the thing: it took a long time to feel settled. I spent the years between 21 and 27 with no idea of a clear path for my life. I had not even heard the word actuary (that I remember) and yet it was God's plan for me. I was confused and frustrated more times than you can imagine. And I think my parents were even more so.
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As I read Scripture, I see that my path is not so unusual:

• Moses was a young man with a promising future in Egypt until he killed a man who was threatening his kinsman. He waited another 50 years or so before God appeared to him in the burning bush and revealed his purpose.

• God chose David to be king as a boy, but he labored through years of serving under a paranoid king who would try to kill him before ultimately becoming what God intended.

• Joseph was destined to be the second-in-command of Egypt and save his family from famine. But before he got there, he was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of sexual assault, and thrown into prison. Years and years before he ended up in the spot God was preparing him for.

I could go on and on. Peter. Paul. Jacob. Even Jesus - God in the flesh - was living at home working with his father as a carpenter until he was 30.

God is a patient God. I am so glad he knows better than us.

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And so I look back. And I know that while I was wandering in my own personal wilderness, God had something great for me. Friends. Family. Career. Ministry. All in front of me if I would just trust him.

I know it's not over. I know as I'm writing this that I might sound like some old man on his deathbed. I don't know, but I'm not planning on it. What I do know is that God leads us day by day, not by showing us a roadmap. And I'm grateful.

I can't wait for tomorrow!

Ethiopia 2013 - our amazing team

It's hard to believe our time in Ethiopia is almost over. We just spent our last day in Korah and we have seen God moving in the lives of the children there.

A little over a week ago I asked you to pray for the members of our team by name. I want you to know that your prayers were answered big time.

First, the team had such a tremendous servant attitude. It is hard spending a week with 15 people 24 hours a day. And there are so many moving parts to what we have been doing. So many opportunities to grumble and complain. Nope - didn't happen.

Then, it was amazing to see the way that everyone was loving kids. It's hard to describe what it's like when you arrive in the morning. Kids are covering you up - younger ones wanting to be held and older ones craving someone to talk to them. That's what we were there for, and that's what our team did. With joy.

Everyone really had fun together as well. People from Alabama, New York, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida - all coming together and enjoying each other's differences. Differences that are microscopic compared to what we have in common, the presence of Jesus in our lives. I am going to miss being with them.

It's kind of strange, but I am going to miss them as a community, not just as individuals. Some of them I will continue to see regularly (Macy, Clark, and Steve for sure), and many I won't. I hope to see them all again, either through visits when we travel near to each other or maybe future missions (hint, hint, guys). But regardless, this team - this community, this body - will cease to exist tomorrow. And that's kind of sad for me. But the joy of having done this together will linger on.

And this team was special in its determination to do things that mattered while realizing that the greatest work is that which supports the ones here 24/7/365. They prayed and talked and worked, with the result being a specific plan to meet the needs we were seeing. This was no cookie-cutter mission where we followed a script. This was a living, breathing work and I was amazed to see how it all worked out.

So...

Thank you, Mike, for following God's call to prepare for leadership by being a co-leader. You were invaluable with your servant attitude.

Thank you, Rhamsie and Trisha, for being willing to step out on faith and go on a trip where you literally knew nobody going in. You are now loved by 14 new friends who I think would do anything for you.

Thank you, Macy, Sarah, Mark, and Melissa for following the fire that God put in your heart from previous Visiting Orphans trips to Ethiopia. It has been fun going with you again, and I hope it's not the last time.

Thank you, Emily, for trusting the word of your friend Sarah that this is something you really would want to do. I am so glad you were with us - it would not have been the same without you.

Thank you, Steve and Clark, for following God's call and thus allowing me to have long term friends to support, encourage, and gently correct me when needed.

Thank you, Campbell and Lexie, for together having such a heart for God and the world that  you led your families to be part of this. I am amazed to see such maturity in young ladies your age. And you were fun too.

And thank you Tommy, Kendra, and Melissa for giving them that chance, but even more for giving us the chance to get to know all of you. And I know that God did great works because of needs you saw that we addressed.


Yep, it's almost over. But not really. I believe there will be ripples in Ethiopia for years because you were here, and that there will be ripples in your lives as well. God is an awesome God.

Love y'all! :)

Can't wait!

It's coming up fast. Before long, I will be headed back to a very special place where some amazing people live. And I will be going with an awesome group of people. Yes...it's back to Ethiopia. And I can't wait!

It really hit me today as I had to go to the Health Department and get a vaccination that had expired. It's errands like this that let you know it's coming up soon. And it is...just a little over two weeks.

I wish all of you could experience what is going on there. God is working in ways that are beyond our comprehension. As I left last year, I was pretty sure I couldn't stay away. 

One of the really cool things this year is how I am going get to go with so many awesome people. God has put together an amazing team - longtime friends and family, friends I met through my trips, and others who I know will be my friends soon.

There is my niece Macy who is going back for the second time:

There are my friends Steve, who has been helping my walk close to Jesus for more than 30 years...

...and Clark, who lives less than a mile away from me and inspires me every day with his commitment to the Kingdom:

And then there are good friends I met on past Visiting Orphans trips to Ethiopia, and I can't wait to serve with them again. There's Sarah from 2011...

And Mark and Melissa from last year...

And then there are Mike, who I met at VO training a few months ago, plus another eight brothers and sisters who I will meet face-to-face when we leave. If past trips are an indication, I will miss them when we head home.

How does that happen? I think it's a mutual commitment to Jesus and to loving children, and an attitude of wanting to honor each other and look to for each other's interests instead of their own. That can come only from God's Spirit, and it has a tendency to make for strong friendships.

So bring it on! Let's get on with God's business. Can we start now?