"When You Run..."

Since I have been running regularly for a little while now, I think about running from time to time. There's a quote from one of my favorite songs of all time (The Weight of Lies by The Avett Brothers) that I think of a lot:

"When you run, make sure you run to something and not away from, 'cause lies don't need an aeroplane to chase you anywhere."

This line usually crosses my mind at least once or twice whenever I go running. Almost every time it does I start to think about the things in my life that I have tried to run from at one point or another...

conflict

work

school

bad habits

responsibility

sleep

God...

The list could go on and on. As I think through all the things that I have run from, two things happen. I realize just how often our response to problems (or things/people/deities that we just don't want to deal with) is running. You'd think after hearing the story of Jonah several times we'd get the point.

The second thing that happens is I begin to see that running away really never seems to pan out. Whatever was demanding my attention that I chose to flee was always still there when I looked back over my shoulder. Sure, I could run for a while and it would be out of my mind, but there always comes a point where we have to look back. And voila! Still there...

So, how do we become people who (to borrow a phrase from some guy who liked to write a bunch of letters) forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead? What can we place before ourselves that makes our running worth something? We are all hard-wired to run (metaphorically). We desire to be about something. However, without purpose that running is useless. I enjoy running, but mainly because the general feeling of being healthier, having to buy new clothes because I shrank out of my old ones, and the time to meditate while I go.

I guess the root issue is about pursuit. Being the pursued in any situation other than love and tag is not a fun place to be. Running with dogs nipping at my heels would be terrible. However, being the pursuer, enjoying the thrill of the chase, and reaching the goals that we set before ourselves...THAT is what we were born to do. So, since someone else already said it better...

"When you run make sure you run to something and not away from."

Blessings,

Matt

The Glass is Half...

...Empty

My time here at North Davis Church of Christ is already half-over. It's strange to work somewhere for only a summer after working at Hillcrest for over a year. The time has just flown by and I feel like I just got here. I love these kids so much. They are so much fun and they love each other so much. It has been so great to get to know them, but I feel like there is so much I have yet to learn about each of them and I'm not sure I have the time. No, I know I don't have the time to get as close to them as I would want, but I will simply have to work with the time that I have.

...Full

My time here in Arlington is already half-over. I didn't realize how attached I had become to Abilene. I love that place. I have missed all my favorite restaurants, coffee shops, etc. I have missed having disc golf courses that are closer than 30 min away. Abilene is where most of my friends are/will be and this summer has shown me how much I rely on them. Part of me is very ready to get back.

It's strange to feel so torn about being halfway done with my internship. Judging by how quickly the first half went by, the second will probably go by even more quickly. We'll see how the glass is then.

Pantokrator

Week after week

Our weak voices speak

Proclaiming in your name

That it's you we seek.

We call you omnipotent, all-powerful

the Almighty,

Claiming that in all our might we

Can't hold a candle to you.

We read of your miracles,

Wonder at your parables,

And one day each week we shout,

"These are not just fables!"

But Sunday school ends,

And the worship service sends

Us out to be about our Father's business,

But our attention span is short.

The rest of the week

We speak of our might

And what we might do

Thinking not of you

But of our own hands

Our own demands

Building castles of sand

And declaring them secure.

But the week ends,

And the weekend sends

Us back to the pew and to you.

Maybe this week we'll see that your power

Leaves the building with us.

"Every New Beginning...

...comes from some other beginning's end. Yeah."

So says Semisonic anyway.

Well, I officially started my new internship on Sunday. We had church then went to lunch at T.G.I. Friday's with whichever youth group kids wanted to go. There were about 25 of us! Then we had a swim party that night to welcome the new 7th graders into the group. It was a lot of fun.

I think my old youth group (it still feels weird to call the kids at Hillcrest that) somehow knew that I had started my new job, because they all started texting, calling, and Facebooking me this weekend. I love them and miss them so much.

I'm beginning to realize how hard ministry can be when it comes to saying goodbye. The sad thing is, that's just the "nature of the beast". Even if I stay at one church for a long time, kids will pass through my youth group and on to college every year. Fortunately, I have found the only remedy I think there is to this: continuing in ministry. The new relationships that I have begun here have already helped to ease the pain of leaving. No matter how many goodbyes I have to say, there will always be more people waiting to be served, befriended, and loved.

And that is something to look forward to.

Stubborn as Mules

The more I read and hear about Harold Camping's prediction of Judgment Day (tomorrow...I thought about posting this at 6 pm tomorrow when supposedly things would be kicking off...but I decided not to be THAT petty) the more I am astounded by the human capacity for stubbornness. This is not Camping's first prediction of The End. He made the very same prediction in 1994. His first assessment was that the world would end in September of that year. When September came and went, he redacted his prediction to extend until the last day of 1994. Lo and behold, December 31 passed uneventfully.

This time, he claims there can be no doubt. He has cracked the code, which as we all know is what scripture is and was always intended to be. Some people will talk about the Bible being stories, letters, and literature meant to pass on truth about the Living God and the saving work performed for all humanity. They talk of peace, hope, and love. What kind of religion is that? The "facts" clearly point to hidden messages and numerology.

So as the day swiftly approaches, I think about Harold Camping, the stubborn 89 year-old. I wonder what would happen in a world without fanatics like him. Would the world suddenly say, "Hey, this Christianity business makes perfect sense! Now that those wackos are gone, I'm on board!" A nice dream, but I highly doubt that would be the case.

Would we instead be forced to look at our own stubbornness? Would we be forced to acknowledge the ways that we abuse scripture ourselves? Without a scapegoat of higher stubbornness, would we actually begin to fix our own problems? Maybe on Sunday we'll get started...

Blessings,

Matt

Muddled Minds and Marathons

I've just about decided to take the marathon training course next semester at ACU.

The teacher, Odies Wright, is a member and active volunteer with the youth at Hillcrest. I talked to him today at church just to ask a few questions about his marathon class. It went a little like this:

Me: "Hey Odies, how far would someone need to be able to run at the start of your marathon class?"

Odies: "Well, I have some who run pretty sporadically. I'd say most come in at a few miles or so. Why?"

Me: "Well, I was thinking about taking it."

Odies: "How far can you go?"

Me: "6 miles. I've been averaging about 13-16 miles per week."

Odies: "Oh you'd be great! I wish all my students started there."

After that conversation, I couldn't really convince myself not to take the class. I've really come to love running this semester, and I think I know why. I have been busier this semester than ever. I thought my schedule was going to be better this semester, but it hasn't quite turned out as I expected (as life tends to do). So the most peaceful times in my week are the times that I run. My running partner recently broke her foot, so I've been running alone for a little bit. I stopped listening to music while I run and spend the time thinking, praying, meditating, or just enjoying the rhythm of running. It has become a very centering time in a crazy life.

I think this has factored into my decision. Next semester looks to be much less busy, but I'm not betting on that again. I always find ways to fill my schedule back up. If I take this course, not only will I accomplish something pretty great, but I will automatically have time set aside for what has been a very important time for me personally and spiritually over the past year.

Now I just have to keep the running up over a crazy summer of interning!

Kingdoms Divided

*Note: To get the full effect of how I would like this poem to appear, check the note on my Facebook by the same title.

We are all kingdoms
divided.

It makes no sense to deny it.

Although we have a king,
we are slaves to others.

Although we have life,
we are plagued by death.

Although we have love,
we are filled with hate.

What matters is that we fight.

For these wars will pass away
and we will all
be taken up
be made whole
be clean.

Until then,

we are all kingdoms
divided.