Organic food for the organismDay three started with a brief run around the neighborhood. I noticed a big difference between running on a treadmill behind a dirty foggy window and on the sidewalk of ‘the evergreen state.’ I loved striding along richly ornamented front yards. Colors of flowers and the coolness of the morning make for a great experience. Still, I can’t run half the distance I used to run on the treadmill.
The morning began with a great organic breakfast prepared by our lovely host. I had an amazing fruit shake with coffee, sunnyside eggs, toast and some kind of berry jam. It was delightful. As I was talking over breakfast we were talking about plans to visit Seattle on Sunday. My host said they have an event at their house that afternoon and so we are welcome to take one of their cars into the city. Yes, this is the same host whose care I damaged the previous night. This is one of the things I love about this conference. We spend 8 hrs at the building of the church talking about their values, identities, and rhytms and then we go back to our hosts to see how those three incarnated in the people that have opened their house for us. I am amazed to see such a church. Rarely do you find people that are so in tune and committed to the vision of the church.
Soma SchoolWe finished the story of God today. I had forgotten the powerful ending to it. The end was abrupt, it ended with the beginning of the church, a comission to present the message to other and a hint that Christ will come again. It ends much like the grand finale of a symphony, a crescendo, the peak with the final note and then silence. But the music continues in our hearts. So does the story of God. We each have our own story that somehow has intersected with the Story of God.
Later in the afternoon we talked about one of Soma’s rythms of celebration. The illustration he provided was putting together a team that offered to drive those who go to bars and drink too much. That way they did not have to drive back home and risk getting in a car accident. In this way your action is a portrayal of redemption in their sinful celebration. There are no guarantees but at least you are doing something to help them and who knows it might give you an opportunity to influence them with the Gospel. Sitting at home in your living room dissasociating from such people and behavior will surely not help them.
Hanging out with my seminary boysAfter we got done with the afternoon session, I tagged along with a few boys that came over from Lou(a)ville (Louisville, KY). My house mate and I cruised Tacoma with these bad boys looking for trouble. We first tried out this place, Cassidy’s Mini Golf and Pub. You can image how cool this place was just by the combination in the title. We allowed out GPS from Australia (at least the voice was there) to lead un into the industrial part of the city to a beat up pub. The mini golf looked more like rocks and carpet thrown into someone’s back yard. It actually was the backyard of the pub. We did not even get out of the car. We drove back into town and found a nice place called Parkway Tavern. All in all we had a great time, laughed a lot, got to know each other. The highlight of the night is when we each vowed that we would never use the word “Dude” in our sermons or become pastors of a video feed church.
Lessons about myselfI think I was more affected by the accident than I initially thought. I kept getting flashbacks all day. It doesn’t scare me, but it’s just there. It wasn’t even a big deal, but I thought about it. I can’t exactly put my finger on it. Anyway, I am grateful that it was a minor one and I hope the next one (if it comes) it is somewhere in the distance.
I get irritated when I ask honest questions that reveal my flaws and desire to improve and I am not affirmed in the things I did well, the vulnerability to share, and the desire to change. My heart is very wicked, proud and full of expectations. This day is over. Tomorrow more of Tacoma or eternity. Whichever it may be, Lord, make it for your glory.
Reflections from Day 3 of 2008
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