Being Me

Me & the Washburn, 1997

Thanks to everyone who sent so many "cool" thoughts and prayers yesterday.  By early afternoon yesterday my air conditioning was fixed. But mid-afternoon it was broken again.  And by about 6:30 PM I had a new AC unit installed and so much cold air that the dog was in danger of becoming a "Pupsicle!"  Slept like a hibernating Grizzly last night...


I have to tell you, it is good to be me.  God has blessed me with so much more than I deserve. In the midst of all the silliness and whining yesterday about being hot, I was reminded again that there are people who really care about me.  I continue to discover that 5 years after I thought I was through being in ministry God still uses me every day. Want examples?  Monday and Tuesday I talked for hours with a former youth who is changing the world through her work with missions, and we talked at length about the church and how it needs to make a much bigger difference in lives all around the world.  Yesterday I heard from friends all over the country who wished me well on getting the AC fixed, including my ever-expanding and wonderful Twitter family.  One old friend offered to drive to Tampa and buy me a portable AC unit if needed- and he meant it.  Several of my former youth checked to make sure there was nothing I needed. I spoke at length with a Hall of Fame inductee about college choices for Will, baby-proofing her home and a wide variety of other topics. I visited on the phone with a gifted church communicator (and dear friend) and we talked at length about the difficulties of nurturing creativity in the church.  Another dear friend grabbed some dinner with me. I spent about half an hour playing my old Washburn guitar and singing some of the greatest youth group songs ever written from my little green Songs & Creations book. One of my oldest and best friends texted with me at length last night, as did a former youth who has just recently come back into my life after a nearly 2o year absence. I got a call from my wife and son, currently on vacation in NC.  And my night ended with a text conversation shared with someone who means the world to me.  This is what it is like being me.  It is indeed a wonderful life...


Each of us face dark moments in our lives.  We exist in a world in which it is very easy to get caught up with "doing OK under the circumstances."  Many of you know that because of my own failures my circumstances are EXTREME.  I hope this snapshot of my life will remind us all that despite our struggles, we all are blessed.  Jesus does not leave us under the circumstances. He calls us to rise above them.  For instance, I can dwell on the fact that I do not have a job and cannot contribute to my family in any real financial way, or I can celebrate the fact that because I am unemployed all of these amazing things had time and space to happen in my life these past few days. It is all about perspective. Today, take a moment and think about what it is really like to be you.  Celebrate the blessings.  And then thank God for the joy that can be found in simply being you.  I love you guys!


Because of Jesus,