Look Where You're Going

For most of my life, I’ve thought that the advice given with today’s title makes perfect sense. The phrase reminds us to watch out for hazards. At least that’s what I think when I hear it. 

But, like most of these musings, there’s no direct line from the stories to the point. 

Yesterday, I spent a couple of hours in the halls of a high school for a very cool event. Sponsored by the Iowa High School Speech Association, individuals competed in various categories. These included;

• Radio News Announcing
• Storytelling
• Solo Music Theatre
• Improvisation

As time was a factor, I attended only a few performances, but each was excellent.

I Want to Believe

 I want to believe . . . 

• That the people in our cities and towns would stay on the same side of the road as the Good Samaritan when coming across those experiencing pain and suffering.
• That a choice between a donut and a hungry child would never really be a choice.
• That a voice speaking with a tone of “love your neighbors as yourself” would be our first inclination rather than the murmur of condemnation and judgment. 
• That a delay in our plans would be ‘disruption ignored’ if it meant helping someone through a crisis.
• That the vast majority of us would reject hate-filled speech and self-justified echo chambers in favor of camaraderie, laughter, acceptance, and a peace that surpasses all understanding.
• That an offering friendship could be accepted and embraced without the need for suspicion.
• That all judgment could be withheld until we have stepped into the shoes of our brothers and sisters.
• That lives of gratitude and generosity continue to grow when we consider that where our treasure is, our heart will also be.
• That Simon of Cyrene’s story would lead us to act in the same way when someone’s burden exceeds their ability to carry it.
• And, that these beliefs can be held in my heart and mind with the help of the Spirit of Hope who substantiates my faith in a good and loving God. 

Amen.

The Next Seven Days

Sure. I will hit the “publish” button. But this will happen today (Friday) which is unlike most ‘send now’ events. This is because the “Next Seven Days” starts tomorrow. You won’t receive the email notification until Sunday, but I wanted to keep the integrity of the title. 

The standard procedure is to try noticing God in the week’s events, experiences, thoughts, conversations, and feelings. At this point, I will normally begin to write a lot of words about one of these items and how it might further help me understand what it might look like to live a Jesus-centered life.

What’s different this time? 

Not Once Upon a Time

If you have seen the online Sandals and a Stick blog site, you’ll notice the “Insightful Advice” header. For one reason or another, these bloggers seem to hit the nail on the head for me more often than most. 

Over the years, I’ve noticed numerous articles written about stories. They’re not the once-upon-a-time stories you might be thinking of. A phrase I read often starts with, “The story we tell ourselves.”

After all this time, I am convinced we live by these internal narratives. These ‘stories’ confirm our beliefs and our values. They guide our reactions and they ground us in our comfort zone. I would guess that, to a large degree, they decide who will be a friend or foe.