perfect day?

I sent a text message to a few friends that said, “Describe the perfect day.” Their responses (and lack of responses) were interesting. I didn’t really have anything in mind when I send the message; I was just passing an idle thought. But, the responses I did get got me to thinking about how I would answer.

I think the perfect day is one that is unexpected. It isn’t scripted or planned. It just unfolds like a flower in bloom. You really only see the beauty once it is complete.

I find this to especially be true when a day gets suddenly redeemed. You know, one of those days that is booked from one end to the other that suddenly breaks loose when things get cancelled or rescheduled. All of a sudden you have absolutely nothing constructive to do because you had been planning on doing something else. Those days tend to turn out especially well for me.

How would you describe your perfect day?

da beach

I am definitely enjoying my time at the beach. The other evening, I was sitting on the balcony and the sunset just seemed to linger for me. It is amazing at how little one mind can think in moments like those. I don’t know if it is a human trait, a male trait, or a Ryan trait, but my mind can go completely and totally void. It just fills with what my five senses bring in and that is the sum of what I am able to comprehend in that moment. In everyday life, this is not the case – but in certain spots during the right times, I simply exist. Nice.

hans and frans

I have a love/hate relationship with the gym. (I love to hate going.) My favorite part about going – the part that gets me there is that I get to hang out with my work out partner and shoot the breeze for a couple of hours a week. In fact, when he is out of town I don’t ever make it over to the gym. My problem is, I am not really committed to it. I want to be in better shape, but don’t want to do the work that would show results. Since I don’t see any real results, I am not very motivated to go do the work. Hmm. I am sure there is some spiritual parallel that I could draw here if I was a really good pastor . . . well, I’m off to lunch.

the sparkling city by the sea

I spent last week at annual conference in Corpus Christi– and came home tired and frustrated. I thought I had left my political career behind me when I went into ministry, but alas I was slightly naïve. Annual Conference this year held elections for delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences. General Conference is our governing body who meet once every four years. Jurisdictional Conference also meets every four years to select and assign bishops to Episcopal areas. University should be proud of Mark Nerio who was elected to serve at General Conference as a layman along with former senior pastor, Mike Lowry who was elected to serve on behalf of the clergy. In addition, Walt Lengel was elected as a delegate to Jurisdictional Conference. Walt is a youth who has been providing great leadership for the conference camp ministry for a number of years.

On the plus side of my week in Corpus, I did really enjoy seeing good friends who are doing amazing things for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. It was great to hear the way that faithful people are transforming their communities and changing lives. As serious as things seem when you are in the midst of voting and politicking, I was reminded that the true battlefield is not in a convention hall stuffed with religious leaders. Rather our fight is for the hearts and minds of those who are perishing in their sin for lack of knowing Jesus Christ. It is there that our victory lies and there that our hope comes.

otherness

One of my really good friends is in seminary and wrote about our last trip to Rwanda in a final paper. She said, “In this otherness, which is someone else’s someplace, someone else’s home, you are left grasping for something familiar until you accept that all familiarity is gone and you must allow the otherness to come in.” This may be one of the most profound theological statements I have ever come across. It cuts to the heart of our faith and what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. As a people called to live in a world not our own this otherness is a place we must seek to find. I think that is perhaps why so many people go away on a mission trip to some foreign place and come back to find that though they went to change a life it was theirs that was transformed.

rest

I just can’t seem to get enough rest these days. I am tired quite a bit and it is really frustrating. I don’t know if I picked up a bug or am having some serious allergy problems, but I am just exhausted all the time. I am reminded of a line from some movie whose title I can’t recall (I am sure it is totally inappropriate and you will recognize it and think, “I can’t believe he watched that movie.”) that said, “I thought I was depressed, but it turned out I had mono.”

What do you do when you get to that place of exhaustion? When I can get away with it, I like to just lay down on my couch with a blanket and pillow and watch movie after movie. Actually, I have discovered the joy of watching TV series on DVD. You can have hours of uninterrupted storyline that way. I call it “cocooning.” I withdraw from the world for a day or two – refuse to answer the phone or even get the door. I like to say that it is in this state that I can just put my brain in neutral. One thing that is very important – it doesn’t work if you have to do ANYTHING else that day. A true “cocoon day” must be from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep.

As it is unlikely that I am going to get any time in my cocoon before mid-to-late June, I guess I am going to have to figure something else out. In the meantime, I will try to snatch a little renewal where it presents itself!

tgif

It was a hard week for some reason. I don’t know why, but my heart has been hurting some lately. I am pretty sure that part of it has to do with Nathan going home. It was so great to have him staying here with me and sharing his supreme joy for life. I know that many of you in church got to hear him sing during church, but I got to hear him sing every morning and night!

Anyway, I am glad the week is drawing to a close. The weekend has been good. I went to Seguin with Mark, Matt, and the band for Youth Choir Rally. YCR is a great event that my friend Rusty Freeman hosts each year for church youth choirs from all over Southwest Texas. Anyway, we had a late night in Seguin -- engaging worship and decent Mexican food. Mostly, my soul was warmed by the warmth of our laughter and friendship. We got a big kick out of a billboard on I10 that reads (in hand painted red letters) “Sign f Rent.” We think they realized that they didn’t have room for the “or” a little too late. If you rent that sign, you may want to paint it yourself.