Gomer

how does a man fall in love with the wind?

how does he hold her close

when she keeps on blowing

away?

I suppose you don't

you let it blow

enjoy as it passes through you

warms you

cools you

leaving behind a sense of life

then it's still

doldrums

flat sails

shes gone

and i can't breathe

it's time to row.

Joy in the Journey

This morning as I sat in the unusual quiet that rainy days bring, I let the normal list of people that I pray for pass from my soul to my lips and became aware that every one of them is on a journey somewhere. Life is in transition and they are all actively seeking a place to rest that looks like them. There is a deep tired in their soul…an ache that comes from movement…and a belief that they are born for more. It’s that belief that keeps them walking.

It’s true that a hallmark of being human is our journey. We do more than survive, reproduce, and die. During our lifespan we hear a call to something greater than ourselves - yet very few are willing to press forward to grasp it. For those of us who are willing to walk this path, the cost will be great We will lose relationships, comfort, and, occasionally, our own way. We will have to question the intentions of those who hover close to us - who might only be attracted to they mystery without understanding the depth of us. Our hearts will beat harder, tears fall more frequently, and find that quite often this road has lonely bends.

However, I woudn’t trade a single mark, line, or scar.

I found that as I prayed I didn’t ask for journeys to end quickly. I prayed for grace to be present along the way. I’ve come to believe that it’s how we exist right where we are that dictates the quality of the quest. It’s hard for us to live presently. Too often we live either backwards (in some past regret or former glory) or we live for the future; thinking that something that we hope to acquire or a next event will give us that moment of happy - or at least peace.

I’ve been learning to simply receive and honor the grace that is right in front of me.
Now, this can sometimes be mistaken as settling. Too many people have given up on the journey and have just decided to mark time. They distract or medicate themselves and work simply to maintain. There is very little thought about where one might go or who one might be. I suppose this can lend itself to a kind of satisfaction, but it feels more like resignation.

The presence that I am considering is one that let’s go of the past, is walking without fear toward the future, and lives each day with eyes wide open for the good gifts that have been provided and makes the most of every one of those gifts. We stay mindful of those things that will take us off the path, make honest confession when we do, and learn what things make us more. We love well and enjoy true love when it reveals itself.

Before long, we will find ourselves on the doorstep of our hearts.

Recently, I took a trip with some friends. The trip was a long one even if there were no obstacles. This one had one after another. There were detours, gridlock, and even a crime scene that made our journey twice as long as it would have been otherwise. We heard word from other travelers how terrible the travel was. Frustration and complaint were abundant. However, when asked about the trip we all answered that it was long…but we had a great time. It was a journey of love and discovery for the people in our vehicle. There was safety and laughter. We learned a lot about each other (TMI?) and have commented about it since.

We got to our destination just like everyone else. There were beds and hot meals and work to be done and a home to rest once we got to our destination. However, I wouldn’t have traded how we travelled. We could have slept, done nothing but listen to external distractions, or spent 10 hours in frustration that we weren’t home.

Instead, we found grace and love. I would argue that this made the arrival more worthy.
So, to the ones who passed my lips today, walk well. There are graces around you that have been given to you as guides for your walk. There is more. There is love. Find things that make your heart sing and don’t be afraid to let the notes rise.

Be here…the world is better because you are.

On Being Human - Come Talk To Me

Where does it all begin? When we talk of being human there are a myriad of voices and ideas that govern our thoughts of purpose and meaning. We tell stories, teach, write music, paint pictures, play sports, and build empires, all in an attempt to grasp this elusive idea of what it is to be human. Then, of course, there is the church - often considered in opposition to worldly philosophies and just as often considered irrelevant to much more than our hopes of eternal rest and the occasional answered prayer.

The tragedy that I see in our quest to become human is that each group, like advertisers competing for dollars, see themselves as the ones who offer the superior product and offer very little room for others to enter into the dialogue. As a result, we only discover ourselves as beings guarding our way of life rather than those on a search for God.

This blog is all about being church. I believe in the basic Christian worldview. I believe that there is a loving God in the universe. I believe that love drives God to find this fearful, beautiful, dangerous, fragile, perfectly flawed, group of creatures and help them discover why they are. I believe that Jesus was from this God and understood, better than all of us, what it means to be human and gave it up as a demonstration of love. As a result, I believe that God loves me.

The rest of it...well, let's talk.

I think the quest toward being human is all about the conversation. I have come to believe that we are people who communicate...we need to communicate in order to find each other.  In the Eden story we find that what we call sin ultimately is the severing of communication. The tree wasn't so arbitrary. It wasn't like God set up a tree that looked really good and God, like we often believe, just wanted to keep something good from man. No, the tree was a choice.  You can have the knowledge of good and evil with just one bite or we can talk. 

See, God showed up in the garden for a daily walk with His creation. The walks were conversations. God, little by little, was unpacking what it means to be human. He was in no hurry. They had the opportunity to pick. They could continue to live in relationship or decide that having the power to know was more important. 

They picked to live alone.

We have an opportunity to no longer be alone. 

This is an invitation to a conversation about being human. In my worldview, the cross stands as an invitation from God to join in. 

Please...let's not miss it.