I just rode the Portland Trimet MAX train from Beaverton to the Portland airport with my daughter. She is flying out to Kansas City to visit her husband for a few days. As I’m riding the MAX back home alone, which takes just over an hour, I’m pondering some things I felt like writing out. It’s been a time of much change in my life, and I’m doing my best to cope:
1. I need some more organization and structure to be more effective.
2. Being introverted is something I cannot change, but isolation is something I can do something about.
3. Routine is not only boring, it doesn’t suit me. Whatever happens here in Beaverton, I needed this change to break out of my rut.
4. I love my family more than anything else. As crappy as some of the moving experience has been, having family with me helped so much.
5. As I unpacked 3 boxes of books and put them in my bookshelf I realized that I don’t want to read anymore books. I’ve been in learning mode too much. Now I want to spend more time reading and applying Scripture.
6. I am most comfortable being around people that do not know I’m a Christian or have served as a pastor.
7. There is an essence of my not being in the majority that I believe must be expressed more. I am still working through this myself right now, but there is so much cultural application around in Beaverton that people don’t see.
8. Change is inevitable. How we handle it and what we do with it is a reflection of who we are. I preach this often, yet I’ve failed at living it out lately.
9. No matter how much people want to change, sometimes they just won’t. I can’t fix them--instead, I must learn how to adapt to them no matter how it makes me feel.
10. I need to stop looking too far into the future and start being more open to living life in the moment. Forward thinking and visioneering has its place, but for me that place is not for today.
There are many more thoughts flowing through my mind, but I’ll save those for another time…or maybe not :)
This weekend I’m looking forward to getting fully unpacked, exploring my new surroundings, then getting to work next week digging into to what it is that I am here to do and trusting God to reveal his will in his perfect timing.
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Dave, in reading number 5 above, Colossians 2:7 has been hitting me good the last couple of weeks especially in The Message, Col 2:7 “You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.”
these words, “school’s out; quit studying and start living it” really shout at me.
I believe in you brother…keep serving and I know the Lord is going to continue to direct you and your family.
Jeremiah 17:7 NLT
7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
Have a great weekend!!
Steve, as always, a good word from you that speaks to me. Thanks!