Released

I am as guilty as anyone of emotionally and spiritually berating myself for poor decisions that I have made. I reflect on the damage I have caused to myself & those that I care about and sometimes allow it to paralyze me with shame. I find myself imagining the possibilities of "what could have been" if decisions had been made differently. 

This is a devastating cycle of refusing to find forgiveness and moving forward in the newness that God promises. Part of the process of healing involves our genuine confession of those things to God and a willingness to seek a change of direction. The supernatural transformation comes to us as God creates beauty out of the ugliness of our past choices. Refusing to accept that gift is a dangerous game as we find ourselves drowning in regret and missing the opportunities for brand new beginnings God is desperate to give to us.

Keep Watering

We put sod down at Northridge around the sides of the expanded children's wings about ten days ago. We have also had the wettest summer since our arrival in Georgia with great amounts of rainfall. Naturally, the rain has now ceased since we put the grass down and I am concerned for its survival. That has led to a repetitive pattern of watering, moving the sprinklers, and watering again. I truly didn't think it was going to make it, but we are slowly starting to see shoots of green that give me hope. Of course the watering will have to continue--a few sprigs of green grass doesn't give us clearance to stop doing what's necessary for growth.

Unfortunately we often take that approach in our relationships. Things can become dry spiritually and emotionally so we start doing the things that we know will make it better. Once we see signs of correction and healing we assume that it's going to be okay and stop doing those positive steps. It doesn't take long for things to dry up again and the relationship emergency to return at full strength. Diligent, faithful efforts will bring results that have deep roots and are able to withstand the changing climates that are certain to affect us. We have to be willing to nurture the important relationships in our life with God and other people for sustainability and health.

My Better Half

I enjoy writing, but will readily admit that I am nowhere near the writer that my wife is. She is truly

brilliant and able to carry you along a journey of thought and emotion like few other writers I know. She wrote a blog today that reminded me again of why I fell so deeply in love with her. I will give you one sentence in particular that left me saying, "Wow!" and then simply link to her blogpost for today for you to read. I couldn't begin to think of outwriting her and won't even try. Read for yourself and catch a glimpse of the intelligent and beautiful woman I am lucky enough to be married to.

"It’s the tiny brush strokes, the lowly eighth notes, the  choice to speak that word, or not, that changes the trajectory of art, relationships, of the future itself."

http://middleplaces.com/2013/08/05/in-the-middle-of-the-small-picture/

More Than Words

There are times when words are difficult to form and cohesive thoughts run apart instead of together. It doesn't always indicate a lack of focus, but often a need for a time of meditation and personal processing. We have the option of pausing to listen to what our King has to say or turning the volume up on life to drown His voice out. God is actively working to stimulate our minds and spirits and if we don't pause to take notice of it, we will eventually condition ourselves to shut Him out.



Be slow to speak and quick to listen. Shut off the technology that captures our every waking moment, put aside the anxieties of tomorrow (and the day after) and turn away from the mindless droning of our entertainment world. Find peace, comfort, and direction in what God is trying to share with you. We will find incredible fulfillment and healing when we can simply be still and know that He is God.

The Comparison Trap

We do ourselves tremendous personal damage when we step into the comparison trap. We believe that we are not measuring up to the exact practices set by other men, husbands, couples, parents and Christians. As a result, we see our self-esteem plummet as we become consumed with meeting someone else's standards and failing miserably. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be encouraged by people who are at different phases of the life journey. We can even find ourselves motivated by those around us to work harder at leading in our personal and professional life. Defeatism occurs when we believe we have to be exactly like someone else that appears to be doing it better than we currently are. Life is better lived when we spur each other to be better leaders and followers. We just don't have to be exactly like someone else or lead in the exact manner that they do.

God doesn't want you to be a second rate version of someone else. He wants you to be a first rate version of yourself.

Refill

When you expend a great deal of energy you have to find time to replenish your reserves. Contrary to what we sometimes tell ourselves, we have a limited capacity for leadership and effective decision making. Even if that gift is exceptional we still need to rest to allow our mind, spirit, and body time to recuperate. Sometimes it's as simple as spending a morning reading, enjoying a simple lunch with your beautiful wife, and lounging in a recliner for the afternoon. It's a necessary process of finding peace, reveling in moments of quiet, and re-energizing for the days ahead.

Different Paths

I don't believe in coincidences. I instead believe in the divine, sovereign plan of God who works through our
choices and circumstances to draw our attention to Him and to highlight things of importance. I had one of those moments occur today from two different stories that were both related to my teaching at Mainland High School.

When I left the Athletic Training program at MHS, I was tremendously impressed with the gentleman who took my place. He & I maintained a great friendship and I couldn't have been more thrilled with the work he did there to continue a tradition of excellence. The position just came open again this year and I was contacted by a former program student asking to list me as a reference for the position. I enthusiastically gave my endorsement and was very excited to hear that he had gotten the position. It is a symbolic continuation of carrying the torch from an invested member of our academy and program. I am proud of him and his excellence in his profession and look forward to seeing what God is going to do through his leadership.

It wasn't long after I saw this excellent information that I stumbled across another former student. Her story is very different. She was in my health class for a semester and I vividly remember her and her best friend. I continued to see her around town over the years and it was obvious that she was struggling with life. She wasn't always making the right choices and that was evident from the company she kept. When she became pregnant, I thought she had cleaned herself up and was on the right path of responsibility. Sadly, that did not seem to be the case. As I read through her Facebook profile I saw that she battled addiction, gave birth to another child, and then took her own life.

I was saddened to travel down the pathway of her destruction even from a distance. It was such a tremendous extreme of paths from one highly successful young man to another very-loved young woman who couldn't seem to escape her demons. My interaction with them was very different, but both will continue to be seared in my memory forever.

I don't understand everything God is trying to show me through these two intersecting, yet divergent paths. Perhaps it's a reminder of how important our investment in other people is and yet a powerful indication that our impact is still limited and personal choices will determine their future. I don't know what else I could have done for her, but it certainly encourages me to keep investing in people for the sake of providing even a small ray of hope for a better future.