Go Home

Last month I took four separate trips, three by car.   Like just about everyone else on the road I own a GPS.  Amazing technology, I have no real idea how it works except that it uses satellites to pin point our location and guide us to places we want to go.  How cool is that??  I Simply enter my destination, give her (I use a female voice, so..) a moment and she guides me along the way.  Don’t know the address?  No worries, click on Points of Interest, type in the name of the location and she searches for me.  Run into traffic, click on Detour and she finds me another route.  Works perfectly the vast majority of the time, I have no idea how we got along without her.  I even have that technology on my phone.  I’m almost certain you do too.

This week God brought this to mind.  And, I haven’t been able to lose this thought ever since.  I think so many times I use my relationship with Christ like I do my GPS.  I talk to God and I expect Him to tell me how to get where I want to go.  Except, that’s not who God is.  He tells me where I need to go, whether I want to, or not.  Big difference.  

The reminder for me may be best expressed in one of  God’s “I AM” statements.  God tells us “I am the Good Shepard.”  He doesn’t simply want to be my life coach or on my board giving me input, encouraging me and helping me along the way.    As long as I want God to serve as a consultant, it’s never really going to work out.  God has one singular spot in my life, and that’s as my leader.  He’s in charge, He’s the Shepard.  He wants me to understand that He is the one that is able to tell me where my life needs to go.  Message heard.

I think all of this came out of a comment I’ve made several times, “my favorite button on my GPS is the one labeled ‘Go Home’”.  Because no matter where I am, in familiar surroundings or totally lost, I can click Go Home, and she takes me there.  The place I am most comfortable, best known and loved.  Going home is great, and after a long trip there’s no better feeling.  In similar fashion, when life goes bad, when I make terrible decisions, when I fail God and those I love, somehow God takes me to a place when I’m willing to come in repentance, where I can find rest and peace.  

                                                               Photo:Mine

God wants me and you to know that He is the Good Shepard, and if we will trust Him, He will lead us into the life we were created to live.  Jesus said I am the Good Shepard, follow me.  I’ll use my GPS to get around on trips, but I’ll listen to God’s voice to get around in my life.  

Happy Thanksgiving!  I'll see you soon.

Generosity

This post was originally written for Pathways earlier this month.

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.  Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.  2 Corinthians 9:10-11

In 1946 a simple man from a modest upbringing started a business in a suburb of Atlanta, and for many years his business had slow but steady growth.  The man set out to honor God with his business, and based all of his business practices on biblical principles.  In 1981 my father went into business with this man.  The work was demanding, but rewarding.  

Unfortunately, a year later my father had still not realized a profit.  We lived in a rented home, and had all but exhausted our life savings.  My dad requested a meeting with his business partner, traveled to Atlanta and explained that even though he was proud of the business and loved what he was doing, he would not be able to support his family much longer.

His partner, the founder of the business told him he was doing a great job, to be patient, work hard and continue to grow the business.  He then took out his checkbook and wrote my dad a check.  As he handed the check to my dad he asked him if it would be enough to see us through.  My dad looked at the amount, and said yes sir.  I’ll probably never know the amount of that check, but I’ll never forget the impact it had on my family.

My dad went on to a 27 year career, and retired very successfully.  

The founder of the company has grown the business from one location to over 1600, and 2011 annual sales were over 4 billion dollars.  He operates 12 foster homes, a camp for boys and girls, a marriage enrichment center, and has given millions of dollars in college scholarships to employees.  He has taught sunday school to 13 year old boys for more than 50 years, and he created a foundation that will touch young lives well into the future.  

He does all of this without any fanfare, and no desire for recognition.  He does this because he knows all he has actually belongs to God, he is simply God’s manager.  God continues to richly bless his business.

Rachel Turns 21!

21 years ago today God blessed us with Rachel.  Full of life, a gentle spirit, kind, beautiful inside and out, truly joyful.  You have never given us a moments disappointment.  I love you very much.  Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

PS: The friend is Devon Diaz.  He's alright (dad speak).  =)

This Journey's Not My Own

A little over four months ago I began a concerted effort to improve my wellness.  Most of my adult life I've struggled with my weight.  There have been highs and lows, seasons where I would diet and lose weight, but inevitably I'd gain it all back and then some.  Frankly, it's never bothered me enough to work on it all that seriously.

But in April that changed.   I boarded a flight from Tallahassee to Atlanta, and as is often the case, it was one of those small regional jets.  Fine by me since the flight is well under an hour.  But this time was different.  I grabbed my seat belt, extended it as far as possible, but to save me, I couldn't buckle it. [sigh] Are you kidding me??  How did I let this happen?  While I was trying to decide what in the world I was going to do, the sweet little old lady next to me leaned over and said, "I think you can ask for an extension."  Really; did you just say that to me right now??  I thanked her just the same,  inhaled and with much effort, finally buckled my belt.  Thankfully it was a short flight, because I was miserable, not to mention embarrassed.

I decided that day to do something about it.  In the last four months I've lost over 40 pounds, and I'm feeling great.  I pay very close attention to what and when I eat.  

Lake Ella                                                                    Photo:Mine

Usually four to five days a week I head over to Lake Ella, a public park near our home to walk.  The wide sidewalk  around the lake is 6/10 of a mile.  Most days I manage to walk/jog 3-5 miles.  Admittedly many days my head is down, I'm out of breath, and just hoping I can make it to the next 'crack' in the sidewalk.  They can't be more than 10' apart, but honestly, sometimes making it 10 more feet is all I can manage to imagine.

Then a funny thing happened one day.  Someone passed me.  Now that's not really all that unusual, but this time it wasn't one of those models wearing the newest spandex outfit practicing for the next marathon.  Rather someone older, larger, and more female than me.   I watched her run by, and about 30 seconds later my competitive juices kicked in.  Without knowing it, she had just entered a race where I was the only other racer.  I raised my head, picked up my pace, stopped feeling sorry for myself and worked to catch her.  As I passed her I realized that without her even knowing it, she had inspired me to be better.  Just the fact that she was out there working, perhaps on the same issues that had plagued me for years, pushed me to try a little bit harder.

I've been thinking about this ever since.  We were not meant to go through this life alone.  After all, no sooner had God created man, He created a helper for him.  This time I have some people helping me along, and it's making all the difference.  No shots, pills or plans.  Just "eat less and move more," as my friend Mark likes to say.

This Sunday my church begins what has become an annual highlight we call Pathways.  This year it's called Pathways Personified.  A 40 day journey we take together.  We read a daily devotional, written by our community for our community, Pastors lead the conversation each Sunday, and those that choose to, meet locally in growth groups during the week to take the conversation deeper.  Pathways has become very meaningful, just knowing my community is on the same page, meeting together, learning together, living out one of our values, "doing life together."

This journey's not my own, and I'm really glad.  To my Tallahassee friends, if you don't have a church home why not check out mine?  We meet Sundays on Mahan Drive across from Costco at 9:30, 11 or 7.  We have great coffee, music and conversation every week.  Come experience this place we call ELEMENT3 or E3 for short. You don't need a denomination, membership or specific attire.  Just come as you are.  Come Sunday, pick up a devotional and join us in the journey.  You and I weren't meant to do life alone, and we don't have to.

And, if you'd enjoy a good walk, you can find me most evenings at Lake Ella.  Come walk with me, we won't race, I promise.

Writing The Next Chapter

I attended a concert Friday, it was unlike any I've ever heard and without a doubt the best I've ever been to.   It was called "A Concert of Prayer," and I had no idea what to expect when I arrived.  We had driven to West Palm Beach on Wednesday to take our daughter Rebecca to college.  She is attending Palm Beach Atlantic University, and has been looking forward to it for more than a year.  This was welcome week, and after move in day the school had several days of activities planned for students and parents.  For mom and dad, events were to end Friday, while they kept the students busy through Sunday evening.

For the most part, the activities for the parents were informative in nature.  I think mainly they were meant to give us peace about leaving our daughter in their care.  If in fact that was the mission, they did a nice job.  To be honest, I knew when we attended an open house in the spring last year, that chances were good this would be Becca's choice for college.  This week turned out to be my third visit to the school, but it didn't take three visits for me to be at peace with her decision.   We like the school, and the people.   I have no doubt that she is where she is meant to be, and it's a great fit for her.

   Photo: Mine                                   H.S.  Graduation Day 2012

It was the last two activities scheduled for the parents that caught my eye.  The first was called "Writing the next chapter."  They had assembled a panel, mostly of parents of older students, all who had been through what we were about to go through.  Even though I had months to process the fact that my youngest was moving out of my home, it was much, much harder for me than I thought it would be.  So, writing the next chapter was not something I've been looking forward to, in fact I'm struggling to deal with it here.  The session was informative and clearly some parents had an easier time than others.  For me, it didn't help all that much.

Following that session, we transitioned into the concert I mentioned.  A leader stepped up and asked us all to circle our chairs into small groups of 6 or 8.  Then he gave us a topic and a few minutes to pray.  Different ones in our group took turns praying.  After several minutes, he would close out that section by praying himself, then give us another topic.  We prayed for our kids, their professors, the classes, campus security, for roommates, for those that might struggle with loneliness, and many other relevant things.  We prayed for about an hour.  It seemed like 10 minutes.

Normally I'm not one that struggles to pray in public, but I couldn't open my mouth.  I found the process to be so emotional, that I literally had to excuse myself and find some tissues before returning.   I'm thinking, you are 49 years old, you knew this day was coming, she's less than 7 hours away from home, besides you are practically going to see her monthly this first semester, now man up!  I didn't.  I just kept blowing my nose, wiping my tears, hoping that everyone else had their eyes closed.

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I got it.  With over 100 people in small groups, all simultaniously praying, it was a concert.  A concert of prayer.  Since I couldn't seem to open my mouth,  I listened.  To those in my group, the groups around ours and others further out.  No instruments, no audience,  but a concert just the same.  Just voices, talking to our heavenly father.  Then without warning, I felt it.  I felt the peace God promises when we focus on Him.  In fact, Isaiah called it "perfect peace" (Isaiah 26:3).

Frankly, this next chapter will still be a struggle for me.  But one that will keep me on my face before my Father, and I don't think that's bad.  I think He's ok with that, and I'll be ok with Becca growing up.  I think.

Speaking of growing up, today is Becca's 18th birthday.  Happy Birthday my sweet girl.  I love you.

The Golden Anniversary

Today we celebrate a major milestone, my parents 50th wedding anniversary!  Absolutely amazing.  Being just over half way there myself, it really strikes me what a big deal it is.  After dinner we sat down and listened to stories about the way things were and such, and as my dad talked I was thinking don't take this for granted.  It was a real treat, reminiscing about how they met, their first date, getting through college, having a child (me) before graduation, the various jobs they held, all the stuff that makes up a life time together.

My parents have done it right.  It hasn't been easy, in fact we didn't reminisce the disagreements, arguments or frustrations.  I know there was plenty of that.  I also know that's not what stands out in their minds, or mine.  My parents have modeled an authentic Godly marriage.  Plenty of highs, plenty of lows, but never wavering in the commitment they made before God and man.  One man, one women, one lifetime.  Just as God intended.

Here's to my parents, Dave and Karen, and to many, many more years together.  I'm inspired by you.  I love my daughters and my wife more because of your example.  Thank you for never giving up.  Thank you for teaching me everything that matters.  Dad, thank you for loving mom.  Mom, thank you for loving dad.  Thank you both for living a life that honors our creator.

I love you!

What a beautiful day!

It's Saturday, and it's beautiful.  Not a cloud in the sky, temperatures in the upper 60's, I mean it's a perfect day for just about anything I can imagine doing.  Today I enjoyed a leisurely walk around Lake Ella with Bear, our four year old Yorkie.  I sipped a nice Americano from the Black Dog Cafe while I watched the ducks and turtles in the lake,  and enjoyed lunch with my family outside on the patio back at the house.  As I write, I'm alone on the patio with my Macbook, a hot cup of coffee and I can hear the water running in our small fish pond.  I mean, it's a nice day.

It's not just any Saturday though, it's the day between Jesus' death and resurrection.  Somehow in my mind I couple the two things and I wonder what that day was like all those years ago.  I think I could understand if it was one of those rainy, dark, stay inside all day depressing kind of days.  How fitting that might have been.  Jesus had just been killed, His small band of followers scattered.  What's to celebrate?  Who cares if it rains.

Instead, I choose to believe that it was a day just like today.  I don't know for sure, but I could see how the religious rulers of the day might have enjoyed a bbq and a cold one.  They had just put down this uprising, and were welcoming a return to the status quo.  I think some of the followers of Christ held out hope, while others were just glad it wasn't them in that cave.  I think the sun came out bright on that Saturday, as if God were saying it's ok, everything will be all right.  Yesterday was dark, but tomorrow is a new day.

Just thinking out loud.

      Montenegro                                                                              photo:mine   

"His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.  Rays of light flash from his hands,
  where his awesome power is hidden."   Habakkuk 3:4

Morning Majesty

Grand Cayman                                                                                    photo:mine

           

                                                                         

Leon Volleyball Wins the Regional Semifinal

Leon won in straight sets tonight, 25-17, 25-20, and 25-20, to advance to the Regional Championship Saturday.  Win Saturday, and we advance to the State Championship Tournament next week.  Rebecca has played year round since 7th grade, and has at most 3 matches left.   She has worked incredibly hard, and we couldn't be more proud of her.  I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.

Go Lions!    

United

Pep Rally

Last weekend I attended the Alabama/LSU game in Tuscaloosa, one of the most amazing football games I have ever seen.  The atmosphere was unbelievable.  We arrived Thursday night, two nights before the game.  ESPN's College Gameday was on the scene with thousands (literally) of fans already in town.  I've never seen anything like it.  Everywhere we went were college football fans. Even our favorite breakfast spot, Rama Jama's, was  standing room only.  Which is interesting since it's not really the food that draws the crowds, but that's another blog.  Friday night we attended the Pep Rally outside Bryant-Denny Stadium on the Walk of Champions, and it too was amazing.  A huge crowd, The Million Dollar Band, cheerleaders, former players, even ESPN was cutting into it's regular programming and showing all of us getting pumped up for the game.  Again, it was unlike anything I have ever been a part of.  Sadly, my Blackberry photo above does not begin to really capture the atmosphere.

Recruits on the Bama Sideline
Pregame

Finally, Saturday night arrived and we headed into the Stadium two hours before kick-off.  One hour before kick-off the stadium was full and loud, very, very loud.  It was impressive to say the least.  I was looking at roughly 101,000 football fans, most of them decked out in Crimson and White, a few missed the memo and for some reason came dressed in Purple and Yellow, but since they had a ticket we let them in too.  There were marching bands, cheerleaders, coaches, players and recruits, more recruits than I have ever seen at a football game.  It was unbelievable, and I guess to be expected when the number one and number two rated teams in the nation play each other.  But it's hard for me to imagine how anyone could grasp the enormity of the event watching on television.  As the old expression goes, I guess you had to be there.  I'm really glad I was.

In the last couple of days I've been thinking about things that unite us.  College football is certainly one, at least among teams.  When I attend a college football game, there are many things I know.  I know how to dress, when to stand and cheer and when not to.  I know that in Tuscaloosa I would be lost without a shaker.  I know the words to the cheers, what food I could expect to find, and I really look forward to it by the way.  I know to bring my radio and what station to tune in to for the play by play.  I even know most of the rules of the game.  But what I don't know are many of the people.  I'm guessing in that large crowd, I knew less than forty people.  It doesn't stop me from attending, dressing in my teams color's or standing for hours yelling my head off.  In fact, since I get to do it less than a dozen times a year, it's something I really look forward to.

It's also convicting.  As a follower of Christ, I'm also united with more people than I can count.  I know many of them, but there are certainly millions I don't.   I often wonder what this place would be like if millions of Christ followers were as passionate about Christ, as myself and the other 100,999 college football fans in Tuscaloosa were about football last Saturday night.  If I haven't lost you already, please don't go now.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with loving the game of college football.  Also, I know there are many, many followers of Christ that are more passionate about being a follower of Christ than about being a follower of college football.  But for me, certainly my passion of football is often more obvious to a stranger than my passion for Christ.  I'm working on me.  Sometimes it helps me to think out loud.  Thanks for listening.

Mark 12:30-31

New Living Translation (NLT)

³⁰ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’^{[a] 31} The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] No other commandment is greater than these.”

I'll see you on down the path.

Just 'In Time'

Synopsis: When scientists unlock the secret to immortality, time becomes the new currency and one desperate man comes under attack from a mysterious group known only as the "Time Keepers." In the not-too-distant future, scientists have discovered a way to turn off the aging gene. As the threat of overpopulation looms over society, money becomes a thing of the past. Now, assets are measured in time; those with the most time also possess the most power.


I enjoy watching movies, and today I enjoyed this one.  Time becomes the ultimate possession, and in the world created by this movie, it's really all that matters.  Have time, have life.  Run out of time, run out of life.  Far fetched?  Maybe. Then again maybe not.  


I walked out of the theater reminded that everyday matters, and that if you try, you can accomplish a lot in a day.  I also remembered the words recorded in James 4,


¹³ Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” ¹⁴ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ¹⁵ What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”


I shouldn't have needed a reminder, but I appreciated it just the same. I am not guaranteed another minute, much less another day.  I don't have a digital clock on my arm counting down to my death, but I shouldn't need one either.  


My prayer is that I make every moment count, that I love God and people as if today is my last.  


I'm going to head on down the path, as long as God allows.  

Good Indeed

Near Glacier Bay Alaska, July 2010                                        photo:mine


God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
                                                           Gen 1:31

People of Light

Victoria, BC  July 2010

This morning my friend Rebecca sent me a verse, as she does every morning at 7:00.  For some  reason todays selection has stuck with me all day.  The verse is Ephesians 5:8-9, and it says " ⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true." 


For some strange reason, I have always collected, sort of stock piled really, flashlights.  Not collected like coins or stamps, I just seem to always need or think I need another flashlight.  I am quite positive that at any given time I can name at least a dozen flashlights from my collection.  Each vehicle, including my bike, my nightstand, my closet, desk, office, stored with my camping gear, my kids rooms, etc, etc, you get the idea.  I have a bunch of them.  Right now one of them sits on the counter in the kitchen, not because I'm so paranoid that I might be more than a few yards from one at any given time, although I think I really am, but because when I last tried to use it, it didn't work.  Not only that, but when I opened it up, I couldn't even get the batteries out.  It seems that they had leaked their acid out, fusing all the batteries together to the inside of the light.  What a pain!  Initially I couldn't figure out how this happened.  The batteries were brand new, I installed them correctly, and I stored the light in a safe place. What could have possibly gone wrong?  Then it occurred to me, batteries were never intended to stored in a safe, comfortable place, they were created to be used.  To provide portable power, in this case for my flashlight.  I actually did the batteries harm by never using them.  Lesson learned.


I appreciate Paul's words in these verses.  As a follower of Christ, I have a light inside me that is meant to be shared.  When it's shared it produces what is good, and right and true.  It was never intended to be stored up in a safe and comfortable place.  Unlike my flashlight, this light will never fail, fade or require fresh batteries.  I'm thankful for my friend, and growth group leader who has had me thinking about the light in my life all day long.  Also for forcing me to deal with my flashlight addiction!  


The path is bright ahead, I'll see you soon.

A month of thankfulness

I came  across a tweet early this month from a friend named Tommy and thought it was a great idea, so I re-tweeted so that all of my friends would get the word as well.  Tommy challenged us everyday this month to tweet something we are thankful for, and to use  #monthofthankfulness so we could all follow along.  What a great idea!  A few years ago my father in law suggested a new family tradition.  Before our meal on Thanksgiving Day, he asked us all to go around the table and share one thing we are thankful for.  Initially, I had to admit with such a large gathering of family around the tables, my first thought was good grief, the food is going to get cold before this exercise is complete.  However, listening to what everyone had to say was worth any slight temperature loss.  This year I'm looking forward to going around the table once again, and I've accepted Tommy's challenge to tweet one thing I'm thankful for each day this month.  Why not join us?

A few weeks ago on Sunday afternoon with a good friend in town, we were headed to a movie.  My cell phone rang, the caller id displaying my dad's name.  A little unusual, but I didn't think anything of it.  In the next few minutes I learned that doctors in Boone, NC had determined that my mom had had a heart attack, and that the local hospital was not equipped to provide proper care for her.  My dad made the decision to transport her by ambulance two hours away to Charlotte, where the much larger hospital would be able to provide the care that would be necessary.  He was headed home to pack a bag, grab the dog and rush to Charlotte himself.  As I hung up the phone I felt empty; I was 8 hours away, and there was nothing I could do.  Suddenly, my journey down the path took an unexpected turn.

In the next several minutes all of the 'what if' thoughts poured into my head.  We began discussing whether or not we should go, could we go, how would we get there, all the details we weren't planning to be discussing on a random Sunday afternoon.  After some silence, Donnie said, "I can't tell you what to do, but I know if I went and wasn't needed, I would never regret it.  But, if I didn't go and was needed, I would always regret it."  I'm thankful that he said those words.  Within 60 seconds we were online looking at flights, calling my sister Debbie and making plans to go.  Within 60 minutes, bags were packed and we were making the final arrangements.  At 9:30 pm we landed at the Charlotte International airport.

By the time we arrived by cab at the hospital, my mom was settled into a room, hooked up to an assortment of hoses and gadgets.  My dad had arrived safely as well.   The next day was full of tests, blood work, and waiting.  Late in the morning moms doctor informed us that the first test showed absolutely no blockage.  This was good news, and we were thankful.  He also said that even though the heart was clear, he was concerned that it was weakened.  He ordered another test, and by 7 pm he returned to the room with the results, and the news was good.  Not only were there no blockages, the heart was undamaged, and strong!  We were amazed, thankful, and yet puzzled.  I remember mom asking, "so, did I have a heart attack or not?"  The doctor said there were no signs of a heart attack.  This was good news, but didn't explain the chest pain that sent her to the hospital to begin with.  He told us he would do a CT of her lungs the next day to ensure that they were clear.  By mid-afternoon Tuesday we knew the results; her heart, and her lungs were fine.  The doctor went on to explain that this could be as simple as a pulled muscle.  He is giving her something for pain, and it seems to be working.  I am praying that as each day passes she will feel better and better.  Oh, and I'm thankful that it wasn't more serious.

 October 8, 2010

As Debbie and I flew home that Tuesday night, I remember feeling a little guilty.  I was very thankful for the outcome, but in my spirit I felt a gentle reminder that regardless of the outcome, I needed to always be thankful.  It was easy this time, but what if the news hadn't been so good?  I know what my bible says, but the reminder did me good.  Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5, "¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."  Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings, and I know I know that, I've just got to do a better job of living it.  I do know that when I make a conscious decision to do what God says, I always see situations from a better perspective.  When I do God's will for my life, I find it easier to be joyful and thankful.  Maybe you will too.


I'll use Tommy's challenge as a reminder to be thankful, this month, and always!  I'll see you a little later, a little farther down the path.

Heading down the path

July in Juneau, Alaska

I've always loved stories, listening mostly, frequently inserting myself into the story, imagining what life would be, or could be when I grew up.  I have fond memories of listening to my pastor teach the bible in such a way that even a simpleton like me understood, or at least wanted to understand.  I'm thankful for that master teacher, master communicator, master lover of people named John Ed, who taught me how important it was to love God, and people.  He's by no means the only one, just the first I can remember.

Over the last number of months I have enjoyed following the various written stories, or blogs, of both people I know and some I'll never meet.    Beginning today I'm going to head down the path of blogging.   I don't consider myself a teacher, or much of a  communicator, and I am still learning to love God and people.  Maybe one day I'll love others as much as I love myself, I know I ought to, and somewhere deep inside I want to.  I won't shove my blog down any ones throat, and won't be surprised if I'm the only one that reads it.  But, we all have stories to tell, so for a season or two I'll tell some of mine.  At the very least it will be therapeutic for me. 

So, why entitle my blog "Snapshots along the way?"  I am an amateur photographer wanna be, well, let's just say I really enjoy taking pictures.  I'll share many of them.  {Insert warning to friends and family here.}  The one above I took while hiking with my family last summer.  Additionally, it seems snapshots is a good word to use when referring to the small portion of someones life you see in a blog.  Collect a bunch of snapshots, store them in a book, share them with others and then you begin to learn something.  Where they've been, what they're in to and who and what is important to them.  Oh yeah, the "along the way" part.  Considering that life is a journey, we're all on a path, along the way.  We were never meant to do life alone.  We were designed by God (who Himself is a group of three persons living in an amazing relationship) to live in relationship.  One of my favorite shows of the last decade was Friends, a show mainly about a group of 6 friends, who spend a lot of time in a coffee shop and are just trying to make it through.  In the 90's it was Seinfeld, a show they said was about nothing, but was really about a group of friends who hang out, and talk about meaningless stuff.  The point in both cases:  there was a group of friends; it's not what they did that was significant, it's that what they did, they did together.

Paul told a story in the book of Acts that gives us a glimpse of what life can be one day, " ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."  Acts 2:44-47


Let's do life together.   I'll see you down the path.