Just Thinking

Here are a couple of things I've written over the last few months.

Fast Pace:
Empty spaces
On crowded faces
Where will you walk?

Tainted traces
Of all God's graces
Too tired to talk

Stop.
Rest.
From life's listless races.

Here's another one written while waiting for my flight at Dallas Love Field.

Gate Six:
Gate six
Just tasted my caffeine fix
Yea, I'm awake,
But is that what it takes
To see
To read
Between the lines
of the signs of the times?
To write
To weave
Lines with simple rhymes?
Is it me
Or just the caffeine?

"Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels"

Ok...nothing like taking something out of context to prove a point....please forgive me. In 1977, Jackson Browne released the album, "Running on Empty", and on that album, the title track, by the same name appeared. Although, Jackson Browne did not intend, at least I think, to make the point that I want to make at this point, but what I am going to say does seem crazy according to the wisdom of this world.

As the road rushes beneath our wheels, one of the places that many of us stop is "Rightsville". Rightsville has a large population, but no one else believes that anyone else exists there because everyone only cares about "one", forsaking "any" and "every". Rightsville is defended by the army of oneself, defeating those who tread on someone else's individual liberties.

I know this place because I own a home there. In fact I often stop there wandering through the streets of my accomplishments, degrees, status, and rights. However, I have found that Rightsville is a lonely place.

Jesus knew the danger of visiting a place like Rightsville. In fact, He encourages us to move out of Rightsville, encouraging us to empty ourselves, like He did, of our so-called rights.

Philippians 2:5-11 (The Message)

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

5Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. 6He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. 7Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! 8Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death--and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.

9Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, 10so that all created beings in heaven and on earth--even those long ago dead and buried--will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, 11and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

Jesus could have laid claim to His rights as the Son of God, but He chose not to take advantage of His position, humbling Himself, taking the form of a human servant. He did this to rescue those in Rightsville. My prayer is that I would have His same attitude-that I would empty myself of my rights to pursue unity, to pursue relationships with others. My prayer is that I would learn to run on empty.

Well, blog, I know that I have not spent time with you lately. I am sorry that I have avoided you. I've been so busy that I have not had time to cultivate our relationship...too busy...will I ever not be too busy? Besides who is in control of my schedule? Don't I say yes or no. Ok, anyway, I've wanted to talk to you for a while, but I felt like so much had already gone unsaid. I know that I told you last month that we would talk some more, so I am sorry.

Enough of that. It's been weird. It's like I've had too much to blog about. I wasn't sure where to begin. So, here is what's been on my mind lately. I have become a slave to time. I have allowed myself to get over-extended. It has occurred to me that I don't have the ability to say "no"...or at least ask for help. This has always been a problem with me; I've always tried to be self-sufficient. As a result of my busyness, I have not created time for the cultivation of relationships. Why is it that I get so wrapped up in executing tasks? I am willing to put relationships on the back-burner in order to complete a task, but I am not willing to put a task on the back-burner to cultivate a relationship. It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that this is a common occurrence. What would happen if people started cutting back on the doing so that they could be in relationship? What would the church be like if people said no to task and yes to each other?

Well, there, I've broken the silence.