Finding Keepsakes

Many people will go on a vacation and take an empty suitcase or bag with them to hold their souvenirs. This way they have plenty of space for the things they want to bring home as part of the memory of their experience.

I encourage our mission teams to do the same thing from a mental and spiritual perspective. We come into these trips with varying expectations and levels of experience. Even though we travel together and see many of the same things, we also perceive those events very differently. Practicing the meditative thought of carrying an empty duffel bag with us gives each person the freedom to pack the piece of our shared memories they wish to keep. It can be the first sight of life on the reservation, a sweet interaction with a child, an opportunity to pray over someone, or even just a new glimpse of a piece of creation.

I can't determine what each person will pack in their bag of keepsakes. I can only encourage them to hang onto a part that has had genuine impact and to let it be a reminder of a special experience when we return to the normal pace of life.

Pause

One of the things I've been looking forward to in Arizona was running in the morning. As much as running has now become part of who I am, I love the experience of running in new places. Even though the territory out here is familiar, it isn't the same neighborhoods and routes I am accustomed to traveling.

I enjoy the scenery when I run, but I am also focused on keeping my training goals in mind and making good time. I use a running app to track my speed and have it set to let me know my mile intervals so I can adjust my pace. When I was running yesterday, I was hitting a good stride (especially for being at 6500 feet above sea level) and crested a hill to see the sun peeking over the trees. Normally, I don't do anything to break my rhythm, but I decided I needed to stop and take a picture to capture a moment that would be gone very quickly as the sun continued to rise. I paused my running app and quickly snapped a photo before continuing on my way. It was worth the momentary stop to capture a moment.

I probably need to practice that concept more often. In the hectic pace of trying to keep moving forward and keeping up with the flow of life around me, I forget to stop and capture the simple beauty of what is happening around me. Life isn't just made up of forward progress and productivity, but it's also in the moments you stop and enjoy along the way.

Indirect Benefit

Life is filled with potentially powerful opportunities if we take advantage of them. Short-term mission trips are one of those unique moments. The entire process of putting a group together is a tremendous process. Each team has been a combination of diverse personalities with interesting stories of how they chose to go on the trip. The preparation and fundraising phase is always gratifying as we see needs met and an outpouring of generosity. On the mission field, the collective efforts of a team are fairly amazing to observe as projects come together and people are ministered to. 

The greatest moment on the mission trip might be somewhat selfish in its focus, however. I've found the longest lasting impact is in what I discover about myself. Choosing to serve others provides a mirror in which we see ourselves more clearly. Consciously putting mental and physical efforts into thinking about the needs of others removes barriers of selfishness that normally prevent us from recognizing certain truths about who we are. In the vulnerability of working to help people, we open up our souls to truths that help us grow and show the possibility of who we could become. 

Working Together

It's time for our mission team to head west to Arizona on our yearly adventure. As always, it's a blend of new and veteran team members which always provides a unique experience. There are some things which are the same each year, but there are always new experiences which add to the memories we make together. These short-term mission trips give us an incredible opportunity to grow closer together while serving others. There is power in a group of like-minded people who have sacrificed personal finances, time, energy, and pride to willingly focus on making a difference.

I place great value on these annual trips and can see how they have all had an impact on my family's life. While it reminds me of the potential benefit when we choose to serve others, it also heightens the need for us to have this mindset in our own community. There is something special about traveling to a different culture, but there can also be great power if we adopt the attitude of a compassionate missionary in our own hometown.

A Sense of Control

There are seasons in life when it seems as if everything around you is shifting. The formerly solid ground you stood on has tilted and it is difficult to gain traction and maintain your footing. Circumstances have changed to the point where you aren't quite sure what is happening and you feel a sense of losing control.

Hopefully these periods don't last too long otherwise it leads to other issues which are much deeper. Sometimes when you are working to survive you've got to grab control of something small to help keep you focused. This could be as simple as rearranging the furniture in your living room, choosing to get up early to run even when you're tired, mowing your lawn, or taking an afternoon off to rest. Being able to have influence in these small areas can bring a sense of peace when all around us seems uncertain.

Do Good

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. 

Proverbs 3:27

This is sound advice no matter what your particular religious beliefs might be. In a more simplistic perspective, we should do what's right to help people when we are able. There might be some debate about there always being people in need and how our resources won't stretch that far. I don't know that it always has to be about money either though. I think it's counsel encouraging us to look for ways to do good and how not to withhold it when we are able to make a difference in a life.

What is within your power to do? What do you have that will help others? Perhaps it is an encouraging word for a family member when they need their spirits lifted. It might be a home cooked meal for someone who is sick or asking a neighbor's family over for dinner. Sometimes it's as simple as a smile and a good tip for a stressed restaurant employee. Our engaged presence can be the good thing our family needs instead of being preoccupied with our work and hobbies.

We've all got good things we can offer to people in need around us--some of whom are in close proximity on a daily basis. Why don't we offer what we have to them? We would certainly want the same thing done for us. 

Words Escape Me

Words come to me easily a majority of the time. I'm usually able to sit and write or engage in conversation to share what I'm thinking without a great deal of effort. However, there are those seasons in life (even brief) which seem to take the words out of me. I can strive to put some things together during these periods, but it takes extraordinary effort and the results are not always very fruitful.

This past week has been that kind of difficult period. I have had to conserve my words because I have haven't had extra to share. Several times when I sat down to blog I found myself staring at a blank screen for long periods of time before giving up. Even my personal journaling suffered as I couldn't clearly articulate the things I was thinking and feeling. It wasn't necessarily a lack of desire as much as it was an inability to create the coherent, constructive thoughts I normally can craft.

There isn't a quick solution to this ongoing dilemma, but simply a call to be patient in the process of seeking healing and clarity. When words won't flow smoothly, it's sometimes best to just let silence fall. The lack of words will often communicate more clearly than we expect.