Dreams

I've been known to make stories out of a few of my craziest dreams. Mostly the vivid I-feel-like-this-is-real dreams. Oh, and the dreams that I can actually remember that vividly when I wake up! Here is another one. Rather short. But some times I have to wonder, on what level of sleep-induced oblivion do my neurological impulses actually account for such notions as logical and realistic? At any rate, I give you a swimming dream involving my dear friend Brianna (who is by no means as illogical as the story portrays her).

The pool was huge, like nothing I’d ever seen before. Brianna picked up on what her team was all excited about way before any of the other teams or the judges even. Half the crowd surrounding us in the stands picked up on it at that point as she enthusiastically tried to explain to me the move her team was trying to make.

Water filled the entire pool complex. There were no lanes, flags, or diving boards. The bleachers, walkways, and slides all either were themselves or were supported by inflatable objects. The excitement spread like wild fire once Gardner-Webb scurried and scrambled to send their swimmer down the slide before the hosting team picked up on what was going on. Brianna explained in all sincerity—as if it were some common mishap they should have realized and capitalized on long before—that there was a rule the hosting team’s facilities can only be located a certain place within the state.

The crowd was more than a little obvious now about its suppressed loud whispers of intrigue and excitement as Gardner-Webb’s swimmer skipped taking her mark and shot down the inflatable slide quicker than a greased turnip on a hockey rink! As she reached the slightly upwardly curved end of the slide, the swimmer flew into the air with obvious signs that all poise and form where to be abandoned at that moment for the simple goal of hitting the water as soon as possible. That being the case, it was the most well executed belly-flop I had ever seen.

According to Brianna the rule was simple, once you catch an obvious oversight of the rules—like the hosting team’s facility being in the wrong part of the state—then if you get one of your team members into the water before the hosting team figures it out they are disqualified.

The judges were all in agreement. The hosting team was disqualified. Gardner-Webb won by a belly-flop!

WAPPY WEW WEAR!

The craziness of January has swept me off my feet. Quite literally. I feel that right now—this more-than-30-seconds-of-sitting-down-by-myself time—is my new years. Here in the sounds of silence, it has just now hit me that it's time to start afresh, begin anew, anticipate what is to come. I was too loopy during bed rest last week to realize there was a new beginning, but now I'm longing to take full advantage of it.

Years and months are good times to start anew. The beginning of the week is even a good place. But why not start on a Wednesday! The day of the week that is the hardest to spell. The day that falls right in the middle of the work week when you can't say you're starting a new week but you can't quite say you're finishing it either. The only day that starts with a "W"—shoot, there aren't even any months that start with "W"! Speaking of "W"...The day (right nowish really) that "W" is giving a presidential speech. The day after House and American Idol.

Yes, today is my New Years celebration. So here's to Wednesdays! May they ever be wild, wondrous, witty, whimsical, warm, welcoming and whistle-worthy!

Incarnate Gifts

A balloon that says “I’m Sorry”, a cold drink, a photograph of sunshine, a note on Durrer stationary, not just a regular but an autographed CD, a tall vanilla latte. These are the tangible. These are the physical manifestations of an inner gratitude that would otherwise go unacknowledged.

What if God had simply desired to save His creation and yet done nothing about it? Christ is the tangible. Christ is the physical manifestation of an inner desire that would have otherwise gone unacknowledged.

We give the gifts of incarnation because The Gift of Incarnation was given to us.

One Body, Many Members—Romans 12:4

”By using the example of the body, Paul teaches that it is impossible for any one of us to do everything on our own, for we are members of each other and need one another. For this reason we ought to behave toward one another with care, because we need each other’s gifts.” —Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Paul’s Epistles

I have only begun to understand this concept within the last few years—more like year and a half really. I never thought of myself as having the narrow minded view that we are all called to the same task in life, but I was called on it whenever I complained to Der a long while back about a mutual friend. I don’t remember exactly what I said, nor exactly Der’s response, but the idea and the chastisement hit home. It was basically this, “Don’t criticize other people for having a different calling than you.” I didn’t even know what my calling was at the time, but I remember not being too pleased that our friend was not conforming to the educational mold that he had sought to put himself under. An equal arrogance on my part was in thinking Der would care or agree.

The second most important aspect in my journey of learning about the Body of Christ—in all its diversity—is walking so closely with friends and community. I see their strengths, I see their weaknesses, and I’ve begun to see how it is we all fit so well together. We complement each other’s gifts, we hold in check each other’s weaknesses, and often step in to aid when one or the other of us doesn’t have the capabilities of another.

Pelagius, in his Commentary on Romans, was right:

”For as individuals we could not have had all the gifts, for then we might have become proud….Nor could we all have the same gift, for then the likeness of the body of Christ would not be present among us.”

AaaaaaaaaHhhhhhhhh........

I've been told I need to write more. That I need to lower my standards and just do it. That I shouldn't wait for divine inspiration. That my little sister writes more than I do in an average e-mail. That my mama wears army boots. Wait, no body told me that.

Truth me told, I have been writing a little. In a Moleskine not on a blog. I've been doing a verse by verse study of Romans 12, chewing it over, then writing reflections. I thought about sharing on here, but thinking doesn't always materialize into tangible action.

I also wrote a little bit on my evolving view of country music. I'm beginning to respect some of it. Some, mind you. But I will have to post those thoughts another day.

And then there's my documented wrestlings with a new side job. Also in a Moleskine. Back issues of which are likely not to be published on here, but future thoughts very well could be. I dunno, what do you think about grant writing?

I'm currently in Charlotte, North Carolina--in a hotel. Never in my life did I picture myself in a hotel in Charlotte. A house maybe, my house even, but it's a little weird coming back as a visitor to this city that I lived in (or around) for...how many...ten years?

There, these are my thoughts. I have been writing. But I've been doing more thinking about writing than actual writing. So now I've done it. I've lowered my standard and just done it. I haven't waited for divine inspiration. I have now written at least as much as my little sister in one of her average e-mails.

And just for the record--my mama doesn't wear army boots.

Roll Me Away

Here are some snapshots from my weekend get-away to Birmingham. It was a lovely time and, if you'll noticed, nicely punctuated by wonderful food!

The place to get Cinnamon and Bo-berry biscuits.

Ya might could fit 5 people in this place!

Any place that can feed me a gyro and fried green tomatoes that are good is an OK place.

I took in a local foot ball game: UAB v. UTEP

THE reason I went to B-ham!

Ended with a nice view and a contented stomach.

Lessons on Burden Bearing

Why do we carry burdens? Why do we hurt so badly and feel so helpless? Why do we get weary and our defenses lower? What causes the heaviness felt so real in the chest it’s as though bricks were piled there? What brings on the shortness of breath? Why, why does God command us to share in such feelings of hopelessness and deprivation? Why is it a command, not a suggestion or an aside? If I’m not mistaken, it says somewhere in Galatians, “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” How is that the deciding factor, the crowning point of following and completing the law?

I suppose it teaches us to get messy. That life is messy. To roll up our sleeves and get involved in one another’s lives. I guess you could say it’s a part of being that “living sacrifice” Paul talks about in Romans 12. The step beyond the dos and don’ts, it’s the action that replaces the inaction. It’s stepping outside of our comfort zone—we can control how we obey the law, but we can’t control people, their emotions, and relationships. It’s a messy affair but we are called to it, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Life is unpredictable. We could laugh one minute and be on the verge of tears the next. Someone could be a Christian school headmaster and football coach at one stage in life and then be diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes and kidney before the age of 40. Some one else could be hysterically amused by the simpleness of Blue Bugs, sweet tarts, and blue ink early on in life only to come to an incomprehensible impasse with life in general at a later time.

Such is life after the fall. We laugh, we cry. We are commanded to share in both because that is how Christ has chosen to incarnate the message of the gospel—through the practical, tangible mercy of bearing one another’s burdens. We are not meant to be alone no matter how badly we may wish to retreat to a corner and hide.

Just Under 12!

In just under 12 hours we will be at the start of the Uttermost endeavor! Here's a look at some of the things we'll pass along the various routes of the Shelby Park:

Uttermost Airs on BOTT Radio!

Click here to listen to the radio spot from Nashville's BOTT Radio!

More Things Worth Doing

Eat, sleep, breathe, repeat. That seems to be what I'm doing with the Uttermost now that it's October. It's not that I'm expressly busy with the planning and coordinating at this point so much as wracking my brain to figure out who else I can tell, where else I can post a flyer, what other creative things I can come up with to get people to GIVE MONEY! Especially on-line. I was so excited about getting an on-line giving feature up on the UTTERMOSTrace.com website, and you know how many people have donated...TWO! Come on folks! I love y'all with all my heart, but we can do better than this.

This week begins mega planning for me on the financial end of things. I'm in charge of keeping track of the financial donations that come in from around the country to help support organizations such as Blood:Water Mission and African Leadership, digging fresh wells and nurturing both the physical and spiritual needs of our indigenous brethren in Africa. Money to keep Mercy Children’s Clinic a thriving and vital part of our community, enabling them to give medical attention to a wide variety of children with varying needs and means. And then there's Servant Group International--what better way to bring the peace of the gospel to the Middle East, minister to our persecuted brethren, and raise up the next generation of Iraqi politicians, business men, and spiritual leaders than from within the country itself. I want desperately to be so busy this month that it takes me weeks to calculate how much money we've raised for these great missions groups!

These are exciting times. These ministries are doing exciting things. Won't you join us in encouraging them in their Kingdom calling?


Go to UTTERMOSTrace.com to find out more!