Dream

Funny thing about taking a day off...

I'd always think that I'd get a whole lot done with extra time that I'd have with not having gone into work.
Funny thing is...
I end up doing nothing.
And find nothings to do in order to pass time because,
boy I have so much time on my hands when I don't have to spend 10 hours out of 24 hours a day at work.

What's scary is...
In the past I would not have been able to sit home and look for nothings to do...
I would always have things to do. Always an agenda.
But now...
Now it's different.

There's no passion.
No drive.
No hope.

Do you see a glimpse of a light?
Because sometimes that's all you need.
But I don't.
It's pitch black.

Just finished watching Million Dollar Baby.
Sad movie.
Angry movie.

"If there's magic in boxing, it's the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys and detached retinas. It's the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you." - Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris -

...risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you.

but whatif even you don't see that dream? ? ?

God

Was talkin' with a friend of mine tonight...

He tells me that his smallgroup (a group of friends coming together to share their lives together and experience God together) has an age-range of 35 years.
Thirty five (35) years!

The youngest girl being 24 years old, and the oldest being 59 years old.
And their smallgroup continues to flourish.
That's crazy! Crazy!

I almost got teary-eyed, listening to him talk about his smallgroup.
Because I saw the beauty of God there.
'Cause only God could bring such odd friendship together.

Countdown

The countdown has begun.

A very dear friend of mine recently told me that she will be moving away...
I somehow had a feeling that this day would come -- much sooner than anyone would dare to anticipate. ...but I sure didn't see it happening so soon.

It's funny how you build relationships with people.
Some people, you can have in your life for as long as 10 years or more and there may not be anything special.
And then there are those who come into your life, may impact you in the most unfathomable way possible -- all in the blink of an eye!

Relationships. That's where it is!

She will be missed. By all of us whose lives she has touched in the blink of an eye.

The good news is, she will be only about 1,300 miles away! One phone call. One email away.
Ahhhhhhhhh...... technology... =)

Practitioners

Here's an excerpt from "Practitioners":

"...relationship is really at the center of mission. Relationship with God, yes, but fascinationgly enough, relationship with each other as well."

"...maybe that's what Jesus was talking about in John 13:35 when He said, 'People will know you follow Me by [by what?] your love' -- what a novel evangelistic tool!"

"You see, if love's not at the center of our mission, people might be joining the Church, but I don't know if they're meeting God."

Whoa!
What a powerful image!
"...people might be joining the Church, but are they meeting God?"

I feel like this has been one of the biggest problems with Christianity today.
Sure, lots of people join the Church. We put on a big show to make sure that happens.
But are they really meeting God?
Are they practicing the love? ...for God as well as those around us?

After all, isn't that what being a Christ-follower is all about?
Loving God and loving our neighbors?

(back of a t-shirt worn by one of Thai Christ-followers)

Relationship

"Do you feel like you have relationship here?" was the question asked by my dear friend tonight.
Sadly my answer was a big fat, "no."

People would never have guessed it.
I know. It's crazy.
But that's how I feel.

It's quiet rather scary.

I don't know why I feel that way.
I do. But then I don't.

'tis the questions in life...