Here we are, right on the verge of summertime! Wasn’t it January last week? Time flies…
How do we tune in to the sunny season before it’s over? Something that helps me slow down a little bit and enjoy life is remembering what I love about it. Here are a few things that leap to mind:
Summertime is full of favorite fragrances…
The smell of coconut and chlorine means there must be a pool nearby. Blue pool-water below and blue sky above is a beautiful place to be!
And what could be more summery than the smell of a fired-up grill? You might love the aroma of steak over charcoal; I’m partial to salmon and portabellas… yum!
Of course, there’s the scent of fresh-cut grass, which I especially enjoy when somebody else did the mowing.
Summertime is full of favorite sounds…
During the sunniest months, I load up the CD player with music from Brazil; it’s the perfect sonic backdrop. Seventies “power pop” hits the spot too (Badfinger, Big Star, The Raspberries…), and there’s no denying Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” its rightful place as summer essential.
Give us those nice bright colors
Give us the greeeeens of summer
Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh yeah…
Sometimes songs I don’t even like carry wonderful summertime memories. For instance, “Close To You” by The Carpenters transports me back to my favorite Adirondack lake.
Hearing Dave Niehaus call a Mariners game on the radio is a surefire sign of summer. He helps me find the rhythm of the season.
Clocks and calendars seem to have less power in July and August. There are better things to do than worry about what time it is – things like nothing! Nothing is an excellent thing to do in the summer.
Camping is a great way to do nothing; it provides shape and substance to no-agenda. Lounging on the back deck with a book, or shooting the breeze with a friend can do the trick too.
Oh, and let’s not forget one of the very best things about summer in Redmond, WA – the air-conditioned sanctuary at Washington Cathedral! It’s cool to be cool.
What are some of your favorite things about summer? Leave a comment about your favorite aspects of the season.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
In God's Image
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 3:27
There are many things in life that I love to observe. I love birds. I could sit and listen to the birds sing at dawn and waist the better part of an hour. The image of bird watchers has not always been the most macho of images. But I plead guilty, I like birds. I also love to observe insects. When I was a boy I would spend a whole day just watching insects and then would read everything I could about a species of ants or bees. I love to observe stars and someday we will have an observatory on our campus. I have been accused at being like an “old mother” bragging about people in our church. I am amazed at the entrepreneurs in our church that have started from scratch and really built something that financially benefits their employees and our economy. I am amazed at the scientists in our church and the joy I see on their faces when they speak about their chosen area of study. I am amazed at the craftsmen in our church that rebuild cars as a pastime or maintain sailboats. I am amazed at computer programmers, mathematicians, musicians, poets, and stay at home moms. I admire people in service organizations that are the backbone of all their organizations accomplishments. I love to talk to teachers, mechanics and electricians. I enjoy people because the Bible teaches that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. That we are all created in the image of God.
I see flashes of God’s image in the dry sense of humor of a homeless man, or an act of caring by a tired nurse. I see brilliance and genius in the craft projects that children bring home after Sunday school or in the questions of a critic. We are all made in the image of God.
Look in the mirror and see your features and remember – you are made in the image of God.
Your God’s image assignment this week is to take a moment to observe people and look for God’s footprints. Ask someone who loves you to discuss with you the footprints of God’s image in your life.
There are many things in life that I love to observe. I love birds. I could sit and listen to the birds sing at dawn and waist the better part of an hour. The image of bird watchers has not always been the most macho of images. But I plead guilty, I like birds. I also love to observe insects. When I was a boy I would spend a whole day just watching insects and then would read everything I could about a species of ants or bees. I love to observe stars and someday we will have an observatory on our campus. I have been accused at being like an “old mother” bragging about people in our church. I am amazed at the entrepreneurs in our church that have started from scratch and really built something that financially benefits their employees and our economy. I am amazed at the scientists in our church and the joy I see on their faces when they speak about their chosen area of study. I am amazed at the craftsmen in our church that rebuild cars as a pastime or maintain sailboats. I am amazed at computer programmers, mathematicians, musicians, poets, and stay at home moms. I admire people in service organizations that are the backbone of all their organizations accomplishments. I love to talk to teachers, mechanics and electricians. I enjoy people because the Bible teaches that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. That we are all created in the image of God.
I see flashes of God’s image in the dry sense of humor of a homeless man, or an act of caring by a tired nurse. I see brilliance and genius in the craft projects that children bring home after Sunday school or in the questions of a critic. We are all made in the image of God.
Look in the mirror and see your features and remember – you are made in the image of God.
Your God’s image assignment this week is to take a moment to observe people and look for God’s footprints. Ask someone who loves you to discuss with you the footprints of God’s image in your life.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Compartmentalizing the Future
For I know the plans for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
The other day, I had the opportunity to play a round of golf at Bear Creek Country Club with an airline captain, the director of a futurist think tank, and a director of a financial investment company. In 18 holes of golf, none of us talked about our profession or personal life. The only exception was when I hit my tee shot in the yard of one of my playing partners. He said with a smile, “I know the owner of that home quite well and I will retrieve your ball.” I asked, “Whose house is it?” He said with a smile, “It’s mine.” For the rest of the golf game we talked about the weather (it was hailing at times.) We told a few jokes, mentioned our families, and talked about golf.
I think that is the way men are. We are very good at compartmentalizing our lives and just because you know us in one setting, doesn’t mean that you know a lot about us. And one huge compartment that many of us never get around to opening is “the future”. Are you ready for the future? I think all of us have some fear of change. The kids keep growing up, jobs keep changing in description, the community just keeps changing as time goes along. Sometimes, we just wish change would go away. But as we know, change is coming and nothing can gear us up for the future like faith. Faith says, God is in charge of the future! Faith says, God will help us prepare for the challenges of the future! Faith says, stop whining about change, step up to it, and respond with a positive attitude. Faith even says, lets get excited about the great things God has ahead for us in the future.
In faith, I can say that I am not afraid of old age. There maybe a hole in one still waiting for me. There are new levels of wisdom to be achieved, new accomplishments of mentorship to be adventured through. In fact, in faith, I can believe that God has a better idea than death called eternal life.
Your greatest ideas are yet to be thought of, your deepest friendships are yet to be experienced and your greatest accomplishments are yet to be enjoyed. God has good things ahead for you and me.
Jeremiah 29:11
The other day, I had the opportunity to play a round of golf at Bear Creek Country Club with an airline captain, the director of a futurist think tank, and a director of a financial investment company. In 18 holes of golf, none of us talked about our profession or personal life. The only exception was when I hit my tee shot in the yard of one of my playing partners. He said with a smile, “I know the owner of that home quite well and I will retrieve your ball.” I asked, “Whose house is it?” He said with a smile, “It’s mine.” For the rest of the golf game we talked about the weather (it was hailing at times.) We told a few jokes, mentioned our families, and talked about golf.
I think that is the way men are. We are very good at compartmentalizing our lives and just because you know us in one setting, doesn’t mean that you know a lot about us. And one huge compartment that many of us never get around to opening is “the future”. Are you ready for the future? I think all of us have some fear of change. The kids keep growing up, jobs keep changing in description, the community just keeps changing as time goes along. Sometimes, we just wish change would go away. But as we know, change is coming and nothing can gear us up for the future like faith. Faith says, God is in charge of the future! Faith says, God will help us prepare for the challenges of the future! Faith says, stop whining about change, step up to it, and respond with a positive attitude. Faith even says, lets get excited about the great things God has ahead for us in the future.
In faith, I can say that I am not afraid of old age. There maybe a hole in one still waiting for me. There are new levels of wisdom to be achieved, new accomplishments of mentorship to be adventured through. In fact, in faith, I can believe that God has a better idea than death called eternal life.
Your greatest ideas are yet to be thought of, your deepest friendships are yet to be experienced and your greatest accomplishments are yet to be enjoyed. God has good things ahead for you and me.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Expectancy
That God can be known by the soul in tender personal experience while remaining infinitely aloof from the curious eyes of reason, constitutes a paradox best described as darkness to the intellect, but sunshine to the heart.
A.W. Tozer
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:3
Today, as I work, I am watching the back wall of the Randy & Rod Halvorson Re-Creation Center go up. The crane is lifting the massive steel beams into place and it is amazing how beautiful the new building is becoming. It is a dream becoming reality.
When our family spends time together, we enjoy talking about what it will be like when Rey and Elise’s baby is born in August. What does he look like now, what will he look like when he’s born? Will he have Rey’s wide smile and Elise’s determination? Becoming a grandparent is such a time of discovery! All of us speak up when Elise is around, knowing her baby can hear us and hoping he will become accustomed to our voices. Jackie and Elise told me that the baby must really be accustomed to my voice with all of the sermons he has heard. I try to get Elise to watch basketball, hoping that it will help make the baby a sports fan. Jackie has picked up the hobby of constantly scavenging for baby paraphernalia and I don’t think she can pack one more thing into our garage! No wonder they call it a time of expectancy.
I think many of us feel somewhat like that about our new recreation center. What is it going to be like? Wow – it will change our lives! What a blessing to the community. Is this all really happening?
But the same thing is true of our relationship with God. As Tozer put it, we have a tender, personal experience with God but it is a paradox because there is still so much we don’t know, so much to be learned. And the not knowing about God is sunshine to the heart! It is positive expectancy about life and faith. I suggest to you that this is a great way to live.
It is like this, you live in this room, and you’ve lived there for years. It’s comfortable because you know everything in the room so well that there is a large element of what we shall call, boring. And in the room is a button. It is a little bit scary, and a little bit exciting. No, it is not the “Easy Button” in the Staples commercial, but it is a big button and this button is marked “Surprise!” I suggest to you that the surprise button is God. It is God unleashed. God in an authentic uncontrollable relationship with you and therefore your relationship with life.
I pray that God represents surprise in your life this week!
When our family spends time together, we enjoy talking about what it will be like when Rey and Elise’s baby is born in August. What does he look like now, what will he look like when he’s born? Will he have Rey’s wide smile and Elise’s determination? Becoming a grandparent is such a time of discovery! All of us speak up when Elise is around, knowing her baby can hear us and hoping he will become accustomed to our voices. Jackie and Elise told me that the baby must really be accustomed to my voice with all of the sermons he has heard. I try to get Elise to watch basketball, hoping that it will help make the baby a sports fan. Jackie has picked up the hobby of constantly scavenging for baby paraphernalia and I don’t think she can pack one more thing into our garage! No wonder they call it a time of expectancy.
I think many of us feel somewhat like that about our new recreation center. What is it going to be like? Wow – it will change our lives! What a blessing to the community. Is this all really happening?
But the same thing is true of our relationship with God. As Tozer put it, we have a tender, personal experience with God but it is a paradox because there is still so much we don’t know, so much to be learned. And the not knowing about God is sunshine to the heart! It is positive expectancy about life and faith. I suggest to you that this is a great way to live.
It is like this, you live in this room, and you’ve lived there for years. It’s comfortable because you know everything in the room so well that there is a large element of what we shall call, boring. And in the room is a button. It is a little bit scary, and a little bit exciting. No, it is not the “Easy Button” in the Staples commercial, but it is a big button and this button is marked “Surprise!” I suggest to you that the surprise button is God. It is God unleashed. God in an authentic uncontrollable relationship with you and therefore your relationship with life.
I pray that God represents surprise in your life this week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)