Finding God Exactly Where You Expect

For most of my life I've felt that God and I have been playing a game of hide and seek.  Sometimes it seems God is hiding from me, and other times I'm hiding from God.  We go back and forth like this, it's the nature of our relationship.   Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to attend Uno Camp at Camp Caroline with my 6 year old daughter.  Camp Caroline is nestled on the banks of Dawson's Creek right where it opens up to the Neuse River just upstream from the Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.  This was my kiddo's first church camp and the first for me in many many years.

As a youth, I loved going to camp in the summer.  It was a time to see friends that I hadn't seen since the previous summer, a time to hang out with some grownups (aka counselors, aka just big kids) that I had come to admire, a time to ignite some summertime romance (even if it was just for a week), and mostly a time for fun.  Church Camp in Athens, Texas at Disciples Crossing, though we didn't call it that way back then, certainly holds a special place in my heart.  Among all the fun we worshiped, praised God, and learned to love Jesus together as we joined in fellowship.

In a place as tranquil and holy as either Disciples Crossing or Camp Caroline you just get that feeling that God is there with you.  Guess what?  You're right!  That, my friends, was the highlight of my overnight trip to Uno Camp.  I went so that my daughter could experience camp, like I and many of my friends did, so that she too could grow closer to Christ, and also so that she, quite selfish of me I must admit, could be comfortable with the camp so that next year we could send her away for the weekend.  What I personally expected was to go and have some fun and maybe see if I could find God lurking around there somewhere.  What I walked away with was truly a surprise to me.

I'll just get right to the point here.  For years, I've looked for God to be hiding, to be lurking around the corner, to be whispering to me in that "still, small voice."  I've hidden from God and been distant so that our Almighty Creator wouldn't know the sin I was participating in.  What hit me that weekend was that sometimes, more often than we realize really, God is exactly where you would expect!    It kinda hit me in the face like, "Wake up, I'm right here in  your face!" while I was standing there in admiration observing the beautiful sun set behind the calm flowing waters of Dawson's creek.  Standing in front of the water was a tall wooden cross that towered above the stone worship table.  On the front of the table the words "This Do In Rememberance of Me" and to top off this scene of Glory was my beautiful daughter standing at the table, reminding me that I was lead to this place, to see this beauty and divine creation, by the hand of a child.

Yes, sometimes you don't have to go looking for God, sometimes we just need to open our eyes and look, we'll see that God is right there ready to smack us in the face.  Pay attention!

Peace be with you as you find God exactly where you'd expect.

Graduation is for High School and College

We've come so far in child protection that we lead them to believe they graduate several times before they really do.  I've reluctantly participated in one such event so far and now have to figure out a way to prevent any further pre-high school graduations so I'm not a hypocrite.  Let's look at the definition of the word:

graduation |ˌgrajoōˈā sh ən|

noun

1 the receiving or conferring of an academic degree or diploma.

• the ceremony at which degrees are conferred.

So, let me ask you newly graduation pre-K kid, what degree or diploma did you get?  What? Oh yeah? It's a certification of completion not a diploma?  Yeah, that's what I thought!  Wow, look at me, picking on the pre-K kid.

Each time I see an adorable little person in a cap and gown I stop myself from emitting the audible groan.  I'm fairly certain it kills a kitten when you protest a cute little preschooler holding a diploma while participating in a commencement ceremony.  I just can't stand it though.  Graduation is for High School and College, not pre-K.  I've found it actually is worse than that.  There are Kindergarten graduations and elementary school graduations (5th or 6th grade depending on your locale).  Then middle/junior high graduations.  It's so bad that by the time high school rolls around I wouldn't be surprised if the kids intentionally fail so they don't have do wear that stupid hat (again)!

Sure, I feel crummy for saying, "Hey little dude, that diploma doesn't mean anything."  But you know what?  It doesn't, it isn't even a diploma.  I've never put on any resume or job application where I graduated pre-K or elementary school.  In fact, I may just go and take off my high school because it's becoming less relevant.

We must find a way to alter this mentality that we must have a ceremony for passing a grade.  Surely there have been sillier protests.  Let's do it brandishing signs claiming, "You still can't spell graduwit, and now you are one!"

The Silent Crowd

One of the most difficult things about blogging is getting started.  You start with an idea or concept, or maybe you just start for no specific reason.  For me, the first obstacle is always the title.  Especially on a site like blogger where you find that your great idea wasn't that great after all, so you must hunt and hunt for a new URL that isn't taken.

Getting past title and URL hunting there's the somewhat uncomfortable first post.  I've seen plenty of "Welcome" and "This is my first post" type entries.  I think in order to bring substance you must say more that that.  A first post should state your purpose and drive for what is motivating you.  You must say something that readers will like and want to come back to check you out again.  This is the second obstacle, but not one that leads the blog to death prior to conception.

For me personally, the most challenging thing about a first post is the audience.  It's a tough crowd.  This is really what make me uncomfortable about blogging.  You never really know who's reading, but with the first post you do know who's NOT reading.  That would be everyone.  So, all that to say, the first post is hard for me because there are no readers, and that makes me uncomfortable.

This brings me right to the point and purpose of starting yet another blog.  I wanted to do something that made me a little uncomfortable, something that forces me to step outside my normal day to day life, and step up to the opportunities in life that are out there.  I hope to use this medium to inspire and encourage you to do things that challenge you and challenge your comforts.  I believe that when we break out of our comfort zone a little it can lead to great things, big things, and things that actually matter and make a difference to those around us.  I'm talking about changing lives.  Perhaps it will only be my life that is changed, but that seems like a pretty good place to start because when all things are considered, the only person I have complete control over is me.

So, I lay out my challenge to you.  Journey with me, share your stories as I share mine.  Together, let's break out of our mold of comfort and do things that are bigger than we are.

What have you done today that is bigger than you?