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You're Doing that Wrong...

I dropped by the pool at the YMCA yesterday for a quick swim, and, only after I had put on my swimsuit, locked my stuff in the locker, and headed toward the pool, did I find out the pool was closed due to one of the "Y" campers throwing up in the pool -- Bad for me, but I'd imagine a much worse experience for the poor kid who's summer camp memories will include the "pool incident"...

Well, I always carry a pair of shorts, shirt and shoes for such occasions, and typically jump on a treadmill or one of the exercise bikes - But I'm already ahead on both running and biking for the week, and have a couple more of each of those disciplines on the schedule, so, I decide to hit the weight room to salvage something from the time to drop by and get dressed to workout.

Now, I'm not a weight lifter - Never have been, and don't foresee being one anywhere in the near future - Usually, all the swim, bike, and run training keeps me in good enough shape as to not necessitate all that grunting and straining on the weights.  But, I did a few curls, presses, etc, etc, and finally worked my way around to the ab-machine.

I do about a zillion sit-ups a day, so I figured the ab machine would suffice for a few of those.  I jumped on, proceeded to "pump" my abs, when...  A little old lady  [Yes.  She was really little, and... really old] came up to me and unceremoniously said, You're doing that wrong.  What!  I sort of instinctively responded.  Without any explanation or smalltalk she quickly repeated in the same monotone fashion, You're doing that all wrong.  You're not supposed to bend your arms.  See that picture? [The one we seasoned athletes need bother studying]  Do it just like that.  Don't bend your arms, and go all the way down, and all the way back.  Then, just as quickly as she had entered my workout-world, she was gone -  Disappeared into the sea of machines, I suppose to go help some other poor lost soul.

I looked around at the people who had witnessed my correction, and noticed that they tried to act like they hadn't seen me so put in my place by the little old gym-rat.  I thought about how to proceed, and weighed the options - I could run crying like a third grade girl - I could fall over and fake some sort of seizer that would surely explain my lack of understanding how to properly use the machine -I could keep doing it the way I was, wrong as it had been - Or, now here's a thought, I could listen to the old gal and correct my ways and start from scratch doing it right.  I chose the latter... and got a really good ab workout.

I guess that's the choice we all have in life - There are times when we are just not doing it correctly - And, if we're blessed enough, maybe we can have someone interrupt us just long enough to let us know we're not doing things right (or, maybe healthily).  We can pretend they've hurt us, and cry to anybody who will listen - We can ignore them and keep doing the same things with the same results - Or, just maybe, we can wise up and listen to their counsel and correct our ways - As embarrassing as it may be, as awkward as we may feel - As inconvenient and offensive as it may seem - All in order to get on track and make use of this precious little thing we call life...

I'm thankful for my little old gym lady, and the many of her kind throughout my life who cared enough about me and my future to honestly say, You're doing that wrong... See the picture?  Now here's how to do it better.

When Worlds Converge

Monday night my sister called me to tell me my mother had been taken to the emergency room with severe chest pains. Two long nights in the hospital, two days and two hospital transfers later, she's doing fine after receiving two stints for blocked arteries.    But a strange two plus days it was.

I've been in this same situation with many families over the years, so the whole medical process was something I was familiar with - the terminology, procedures, time-lines, and so forth were pretty common fare (Even if it was MY mother and not someone else's).  But, one thing I noticed is how all of my worlds converged in these two days - My family world - work world - church world - friendship world - All coming together because of this one episode...

I am so appreciative for the phone calls, emails, text messages, and even visits I received during these past couple of days from so many people from different parts of my life.  And I'm  relieved that when my worlds came together they were compatible, cohesive, and congruent with one another.

We've all heard of those people who are living double lives - Those stories of people that stun us when something happens to reveal that they have had a secret life totally disassociated from the one we all knew - Utterly foreign - Completely other...

My mind can't fully comprehend all of that, and I cannot imagine having a compartment of my life that is so foreign to the rest, that, when somehow converged, was incompatible - I wonder how someone could ever get their life in the position where such incongruence might lurk...

Perhaps it's an inconsistency of values in their life - The things they say they believe somehow not compatible with the lifestyle they are actually living in one or two of those compartments - Maybe allowing them to be influenced in an area of their life that just doesn't jive with the rest of their worlds - I guess it can be a lot of things, and, probably a compilation of things - But, it is sad to think how many people are walking around living in multiple worlds, that, someday, not if, but when, will converge in an explosion that will surely damage not only them, but all the people in all their worlds in an adverse and harmful way...

HOPE FOR AFRICA CHILDREN'S CHOIR

Our conference has been hosting the Hope for Africa Children's Choir for the past three weeks.  They have stayed at our Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center [That's where our offices are housed as well].  It has been great my few days in this office to hear them rehearsing down stairs each day before going out to the various venues each evening to share their ministry and hearts with others around our state.

It was a sad departure yesterday morning as they loaded up their bus to head over to South Carolina and continue their tour.  As they prepared to load, each of the twenty two children did what they had done since coming into our lives -- They smiled - They hugged, and hugged, and hugged, then... smiled some more.  We are truly going to miss their presence around the Conference Center.

Yesterday afternoon, as I was leaving the main building, I noticed the many smudges and little finger prints all over the front doors where the children had made their final exit in their stay with us.  It was a subtle reminder of twenty two little lives that, even after the windos have been cleand, will forever be a part of our lives and the many they ministered to over their North Georgia stay.   God speed my young friends, and hugs & smiles along your way...

SURROUNDED BY...

I'm sitting in my new office with boxed unpacked, and everything in its rightful place -- Yesterday, Melissa, from Connectional Ministries dropped by my new office to say hi.  She took a quick look around and said, "You must be an outdoors-man."  Hmmm, interesting that she could just look at my office and discern that truth about me...

But, as I took a look around the office after she left I quickly realized that, in just the one day I had been in this office, I had surrounded myself with indications of who I am - There is the porcelain duck, and sculpture of a person riding a bike that gave away my bent toward the outdoors - Then there's the diplomas, ordination certificates, plates with my grand children's hand prints, picture of my wife, Dee, sand art given to me from the Indian reservation in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico -- The books and their titles and subjects, the photo of the "prayer rock" from the church I founded, the crosses, the book mark made from the flowers of a six-teen-year-old's funeral spray given to me by his mother...  Just a quick look around and anyone could see pretty much who I am, and what is important to me.

I suppose that's the way it is with life - We need but to look around and see the things we allow to surround us to get a really good glimpse into our priorities and, maybe even, our souls...  I'm glad I have the things I have in my office.  I'll take an inventory of those other things I have surrounding me in my life regularly as well to keep a good check on who I am, and what I value as important...

I'M BACK...

I've taken a long hiatus trying to transition from my position as Pastor of Sugarloaf UMC to the Executive Director of New Church Development in our conference.  I'm in my new office now, and, hopefully will be able to be more up-to-date in my blogging efforts in the future. 

On Remaining a Barbarian

Thought it was worth a re-post - Even if it's just for my own reminder...

I've been re-reading Erwin McManus' The Barbarian Way recently.  He speaks of how real Christianity is not about religion, but an encounter with the Crucified & Resurrected Christ...  He talks about how western Christianity seems to domesticate us and hinder us from living more like Christ in our everyday lives.

This jives with my own understanding of the Christian life not being one of religious compartmentalization, but, of a relationship with Christ that totally, unabashedly, uncontrollably encompasses every aspect of our lives - At home, in our schools, workplaces, places of recreation, our church, and our world!

I was thinking about how unleashed and untamed I was after my conversion as a 25-year-old man on that mountain top in Pagosa Springs, Colorado over a quarter of a century ago.  I didn't reason everything to fit nicely into a tidy packaged religious box, but simply TRUSTED the intuition as one who had been mysteriously, yet miraculously changed!  The old instantly disappeared and everything was truly becoming new -- A new attitude - new behavior - new understanding - new passion - new motive - new relating to others - New - everything new!

I didn't know much of the Bible, nor many Christian words and phrases - I hadn't a clue about church polity, denominational stances, nor religious protocols.  I just had this inner assurance that somehow, because of Jesus, I was radically different from the man I had been before that amazing God-encounter on that mountain.

And now, in my third decade of pastoral ministry, pastoring one of the top 50 United Methodist Churches in our nation, I plead with the God on that mountain to never let me lose that assurance, peace and passion - To continually rejuvenate my weary soul and let that innocent, wandering seeker deep inside my spirit continue to be free to pursue - Simply pursue my God, my Maker, my King and my Savior!

Lord, please don't allow me to ever become so civilized and domesticated - That I leave behind that barbarian you birthed on that mountain top!

 

I am very thankful for all who have served in the Armed Forces of our country.  They have secured the freedoms we so often take for granted - All have sacrificed, and some made the ultimate... Thanks to you.

Facebook Friends...

We all have this need to be loved, needed, accepted, a place to belong.  Maybe that's why Facebook is so popular.  I click, invite you to be my friend, and boom!  I have a new friend on my friends list.  I think I've got something like 50 friends on Facebook - Not bad for an old guy I suppose.  But, there's this point of acquiring friends on Facebook that's really scary -- You know - You click the invite this person, then....... you have to wait to be accepted.  That's pressure, huh? 

I guess it, in many ways, mimics life.  We reach out to others with no certainty that they'll reach back - We invite without being sure they will accept - We hope to develop a friendship, but there's no guarantee it will all work out --

I'm really glad that's not the way it is with God.  You know that would be stressful -- God, will you be my friend....Wait a minute and let me think about it.  He doesn't have to think about it - He already invited me - Before creation, before I was even born - Knowing how I would turn out, what I would do, and not do...  But, he chose me, and that's a good friend to have...

Rethinking...A Different Perspective

                                                                            So, yesterday I posted this same picture with the title, Limits, people should sometimes just know their limits.  But, perhaps a rethink, review, revisit can allow a different prespective...

I missed my run on Tuesday due to a little stomach bug that kept me close to the house all day.  I made up some of the miles by tacking onto my runs Wednesday & Thursday even though it meant one day on the streets before daylight, and the other long after dark.  But, even with that, I was still coming up 4 miles short going into tomorrow's long run on the schedule.  So, that left today to pick up the 4 miles - No problem - Except, maybe, that today has been in the 40s, steadily raining, and windy - Just one of those yuck days that would be better suited for curling up with some good reading, or, at least, staying inside.

Well, I kept looking a my schedule, and that 4 miles kept gnawing at me - Now I understand 4 miles, in the big scheme of hundreds during my training, probably won't make or break my marathon.  And, I'm doing 20 miles tomorrow to train my mind and body to be upright and moving for hours at a time - So, why not just write off the dinky 4-miler?

I guess because, December 13 just might dawn to be rainy, windy and cold (or worse), so, why not go ahead and condition the mind and body to endure the elements now, to be prepared for the worst, so I'm better prepared when the real day comes... 

So, I got wet - I got cold - I got looked at with some interesting gazes from passersby in their cars - But - I got it done - Finished - In-the-bag - Complete...  I saw the hurdles and went for it -

Maybe that's what Paul meant when he said perseverance leads to character, and character leads to hope...

Limits...

 

Sometimes - It just pays to know your limits...