Wow, Turkey Day, who woulda thought a bird could bring so much happiness in one day. This year for Thanksgiving I made good on the perpetual threat I've been making since I left to Baylor: That I wasn't going to come home over Thanksgiving. (Not a threat, it is just hard to get excited to drive alone for 12 hrs. for such a short break)
Since I was so blessed to see a lot of my fam in Sept. for my 21st birthday and baptism, I felt better about not going home...I miss it tho... Instead, my wonderful girlfriend convinced me that I was going home with her. (She is great...sometimes demanding) Haha, that is a lie tho, because I would be crazy to pass up an opportunity to relax at their home for any amount of time. Since I am not crazy, I eagerly awaited this weekend.
It did not come without a few twists though, and when all was said and done it was pretty fun, and crazy how we got their. You see we knew that there was a potential for her Dad to come through with free plane tickets to get us both to the Zone (AZ, for you out of the loop), which of course would be great, but it begs the question...wouldn't it be so much easier for her parents to just worry about getting Cassie home?? (Yea, believe me I tried reasoning with her, but she just got upset, and her parents are not reasonable people when it comes to doing things for people they love, they just do it.) So, although flying was a possibility, we planned on driving until the tickets were set--past experience, told Cassie that her dad liked to wait till the last minute.) But either way we were going to enjoy each other's presence over the break either on a plane or a long, long road trip (16hrs)-- we were going.
As the day approached and the last week of class was here, we planned (in detail) the things we would read, and songs we would sing, and the snacks we'd eat on our epic road trip through the night to the Zone. With less than a week away it was evident we would drive because the free tickets weren't going to work out, and buying them now was completely out of the question (although her Dad actually took the effort to look up the price for two). I began to realize the dangers, and unpleaseantries of driving for that long, which the thought of travelling with someone as amazing as Cassie had previously prevented me from seeing. Really for many people's sake (my Mom's especially) I didn't want to die in transit, and the only way I knew to guarantee a safe trip was to pray to ask God if His will was for us to see her family over break. When the answer was yes, my next request was that our interactions with her family and friends would be a sweet fragrance to Him and that His name would be praised in our safe travel. I prayed that two days before leaving, and it put my fears to rest because I thought I knew how God would keep us safe.
BUTT (that's a big but) the day before our trip (mon. after my classes) I met Cassie on campus as she was talking to her Dad who had somehow gotten the points fanaggled so that we could fly home, and come back Sat, which eliminated our drive and gave us the same amt. of time there as we planned on before. Amen! I didn't even pray for that, but what a blessing! Thanksgiving=Thank God
My wonderful week may have started there, but it did not end with that. Anyone who has been instantly welcomed by anyone who has no clue of who they are or what they are like knows what I feel when I'm around Cassie's family, and their friends at AZ Community Church. What a great picture of God's love these people present because no matter who it is, younger or older, they show their concern for me with big hugs and smiles, and they show their concern and love for Cassie by questioning me and giving me the once over. For the most part I don't say anything too dumb, and pass most of their basic inspections, but since this was my second encounter with lots of this family the mood was one of great reunion and many people there had heard through Cassie's mom of my plans to go on a medical mission trip to India this summer. So on several occasions the conversation centered around a genuine concern and passion for that trip and the work of God, it blew me away to think of all the excellent and encouraging conversations I could have in the entryway of a church. P.S. If you're like me, you are wondering why I was at church if I came back on a Sat. but that's the other cool part about these people, they understand that the point of a church is to love and care for each other, not as a place to go to become Holy, so they take advantage of every opportunity to meet with one another and celebrate the common hope of an eternal place with unfathomable satisfaction, and so they meet on Thanksgiving Eve just to see each other and praise the Lord together..how neat right?
Ok, so the last amazing experience I will share with you on this post is the thought I had while on the toilet (where all good thoughts originate) as I was thinking about the common question, "what are you thankful for?" Well, thinking about my future, this semester, I have begun to understand how thankful I am to be in the position I am in. And this is threefold. First, my position in life, at college, pursuing an education to prepare me to serve and care for kids as a pediatrician, or physician of some sort. I have begun to think back on the exalted careers of my youth, whether it be a fireman, pilot, lawyer, President, or a garbage man a doctor was always been on that list. And it blows my mind to think that I not only have the audacity to pursue such a career, but believe that God will allow for me to achieve such a position to further illustrate his power to the world. So I am definitely thankful, and humbled to be considered for such a position in this world. Secondly, I was very thankful for my position at their house. I was thankful for the community I mentioned before, but I am also thankful that my own family would be caring enough to let me celebrate away from them, and I am thankful for Cassie's family to be so gracious and loving and trusting of me with their daughter. And I was so fortunate to get time the day before playing (some call it babysitting) with Cassie's nephews, and niece, and talking with her older siblings. Finally, (and mind you I was still on the toilet thinking this) I was thankful for my position (or future position) at God's table. That the all-mighty King would consider me worthy of an invitation to join Him and the other heroes of the faith at a banquet, only a little grander than the one I and most Americans celebrate on Thanksgiving. It struck me at what a beautiful, real, picture Cassie and her family could paint for me of this glorious day. The fact that I had nothing to offer her family who desired me to come celebrate with them, I didn't even pay to park Janice at the airport! So here I am, Mr. Unworthy, sitting at a table full of food, in a comfortable chair, eating with people that have grown up with and meant more to this family for considerably longer than I have. And it just seemed too obvious that this was exactly the way God designed it, from day one, and because of Jesus (not Mr. Cork's AmEx points) we are able to get to that celebration, for FREE! How awesome is that??
Hopefully I will talk to you soon, if you're ever bored or lonely give me a call or creep me out on Facebook I'm gonna make myself check that more.
Peace
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
A Birthday Shout-Out (4 min)
Techno trouble kept me from writing last week (and of course lack of time). November is already here- how crazy is that!? My Dad's birthday was this past weekend (Fri.) so if you haven't wished him a happy birthday you might as well now, cause it's a long time until his next one (but what is a long time once you are as "experienced" as him??) Haha, I'm sorry, it will be a very long time before he truly gets old so...Happy Birthday Dad.
Actually, I was thinking of him this Sunday and how thankful I am for him, and how guilty I feel sometimes for taking advantage of his love for me. He really exemplifies Christ's love in that.
It wasn't the main point, but the story of the prodigal son was brought up in the sermon sunday. I love/hate reading that story. I always feel such an awkward, almost uncomfortable feeling, the Dad sees his son who has taken advantage and misused everything he had been given, and he runs out to meet him, picks him up, identifies him as a prized son by slipping a ring on his finger, and then celebrates without restraint b/c of the great joy his son has brought him. Just try and tell me that this father did not genuinely fret and think about his son every day he had been gone. That's when it gets me, what love is this?? That I should be treated with such disregard for what I've done. Unbelievable. Seriously tho, right? Unbelieveable?
I don't think so. Why? because I have felt this love. My own dad has demonstrated this love for me on many occasions throughout his long life. Imperfectly? Sure. We fought? Sure. But whether it's being ridiculously biased on my behalf in any little thing I do, or offering more and more even as I turn and misuse that responsibility. Whenever I come home from college I feel this, my dad is like my girlfriend and would hug me for hours until his muscles were too fatigued to squeeze. Yea, the whole family cleans up, and has a room ready (who woulda thought that can mean SO much??) But it's my Dad who, when I see myself as one day being as foolish as the younger son (although obviously I relate more with the elder;) I see this story in my head. And I know --exactly-- how my father would react if he ever saw me on my knees, if he ever saw me at the the bottom of a dumpster, or pig sty in this story. Even if there was no possile way he could help me he would try. No matter what it costs him, whether it was respect from family or friends, money, or time asleep or at work, he would give it in abundance to me when I neither have need, nor deserve it.
How incredibly blessed am I to honestly say this about a man in my life? How wonderfuly blessed?? Why me? Well, me because I will and have had the opportunity to show this love to others beside me, but I won't measure up to my dad's love, rather the love my heavenly father's love. That is the perfect love that my day thankfully learned from and was able to display to my family. Where would I be without my father's love? Where would WE be without our Holy Father's love?
Actually, I was thinking of him this Sunday and how thankful I am for him, and how guilty I feel sometimes for taking advantage of his love for me. He really exemplifies Christ's love in that.
It wasn't the main point, but the story of the prodigal son was brought up in the sermon sunday. I love/hate reading that story. I always feel such an awkward, almost uncomfortable feeling, the Dad sees his son who has taken advantage and misused everything he had been given, and he runs out to meet him, picks him up, identifies him as a prized son by slipping a ring on his finger, and then celebrates without restraint b/c of the great joy his son has brought him. Just try and tell me that this father did not genuinely fret and think about his son every day he had been gone. That's when it gets me, what love is this?? That I should be treated with such disregard for what I've done. Unbelievable. Seriously tho, right? Unbelieveable?
I don't think so. Why? because I have felt this love. My own dad has demonstrated this love for me on many occasions throughout his long life. Imperfectly? Sure. We fought? Sure. But whether it's being ridiculously biased on my behalf in any little thing I do, or offering more and more even as I turn and misuse that responsibility. Whenever I come home from college I feel this, my dad is like my girlfriend and would hug me for hours until his muscles were too fatigued to squeeze. Yea, the whole family cleans up, and has a room ready (who woulda thought that can mean SO much??) But it's my Dad who, when I see myself as one day being as foolish as the younger son (although obviously I relate more with the elder;) I see this story in my head. And I know --exactly-- how my father would react if he ever saw me on my knees, if he ever saw me at the the bottom of a dumpster, or pig sty in this story. Even if there was no possile way he could help me he would try. No matter what it costs him, whether it was respect from family or friends, money, or time asleep or at work, he would give it in abundance to me when I neither have need, nor deserve it.
How incredibly blessed am I to honestly say this about a man in my life? How wonderfuly blessed?? Why me? Well, me because I will and have had the opportunity to show this love to others beside me, but I won't measure up to my dad's love, rather the love my heavenly father's love. That is the perfect love that my day thankfully learned from and was able to display to my family. Where would I be without my father's love? Where would WE be without our Holy Father's love?
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