A Great Week in the Lowcountry

My week in South Carolina is coming to a close, and it has been great. We peaked yesterday as we played on the beach, swam in the ocean, and had a great dinner at on Bowen Island in the middle of the salt marshes here in what they call the "Lowcountry" in South Carolina. We had fried oysters, shrimp and some cold brews.

Each day we began by reading and drinking coffee, spending time in prayer and scripture. About noontime each day we headed to the beach to surf, read, and take in the sea and sand. My reading focused on 1 and 2 Kings and Life With God by Richard Foster. My takeaways from Kings is just how crazy the Israelites were to ask for kings! The just wouldn't realize that God was their King! But they tried and tried and tried, but to no avail. It was a bit like reading a history of my own life! How many times have I tried to be my own king, or make something else my king while not realizing that God is right here in front of me saying, "Helllooo!!! Hey Jim, over here!" Ah, Lord, forgive me!

Life With God is a rich, deep read about how God has sought us out first to be with us, primarily known through scripture. And the question remains, "Will we be with God?"

As I fly home tomorrow, I will remember this time of checking in with Todd and Brian, praying deeply for one another, crying, laughing so hard we cried, eating great food, watching MMA (Mixed Martial Arts...very manly!), getting a little sun-burned, resting deeply, and enjoying just being. What a tremendous gift from God!

I'm looking forward to heading home to be with my family, and getting ready for Julia's 8th grade graduation this coming week.

God is good!

A Day On The Water

The 3 Amigos (Todd, Brian, and me) spent the day on the inlets of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina fishing for Redfish, Sea Trout, Flounder, and yes...SHARK. We saw several Bonnethead Sharks, but couldn't hook one. We did, however, catch a few Redfish (see photo of Todd and me), and some baitfish (see photo of Brian). All in all, it was a great day of seeing the inner banks of the Carolinas, enjoying friendship, and decompressing.

I'm finding that as much as I need a break from work, I'm starting to miss it, especially those I work with and those I work among. It's going to be challenging to let go and really rest. I know I need to, but I'm so accustomed to interacting with my co-workers and church that I'm finding it difficult to not check in. Pray that I can really let go, really relax, and be available to God's voice.

I've been reading 1 Kings and just today read about when Elijah heard God's voice in the whisper. I have a hunch that word is for me. I need to come out and listen to God's voice in the whispers. That means, however, that I need to learn to be quiet. Hmmm...glad I have 3 months to do this!

Folly Beach

Well, Sabbatical has officially begun! It's hard to believe that after 2 years of waiting, it is finally here. One feeling has overcome me: tired. I rarely sleep on airplanes, but that's all I did as I flew across the country yesterday to South Carolina. Sleep, sleep and more sleep. I have a feeling that may be one of the main themes this week.

I am staying in a little beach town called Folly Beach, South Carolina just outside of Charleston. I'm here with Todd Holdridge and Brian Morgan, friends from Fuller Seminary days. These boys have been God's grace to me throughout the past 12 years. We have laughed, cried, celebrated, and mourned together in the deepest of ways. It is so good to be with them again.

We started our day reading Celtic Devotions by Calvin Miller. The first day is all about how Jesus Christ is at the center of everything: all of creation, all of our lives. What a wonderful reminder as we head out to the beach today: all things are created by him and for him. All friendship, all beauty, all waves, all birds, all of life by Jesus.

Here is the opening prayer for this day:
It were as easy for Jesu
To renew the withered tree
As to wither the new
Were it His will so to do
Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no plant in the ground
But is full of His virtue,
There is no form in the strand
But is full of His blessing.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no life in the sea,
There is no creature in the river,
There is naught in the firmament,
But proclaims His goodness.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no bird on the wing,
There is no star in the sky,
There is nothing beneath the sun,
But proclaims His goodness.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

-Carmina Gadelica

My you find Christ at the center of all you do and are today.

T-Minus 7 Days and Counting!

In 7 days I will embark on the journey that I've been awaiting for 2 years. I can't begin to tell you how grateful and excited I am that I am allowed to take 11 weeks to rest, renew, and listen for God's heartbeat.

I am finding it difficult staying fully engaged in life and ministry this week. I have "sabbatical-itis" something fierce! That's not to say that I don't like ministry or anything of the sort, it's just that I've been waiting for this summer for 2 years. I realized the other day that I haven't had a real vacation in I don't know how long. Maybe over a year??? I had bereavement time last summer, and I had time off for surgery in December, but that's about it. I have a feeling that the first few weeks will be a sort of detox, catching up on sleep, and disengaging from the pace of life that I've known for the past months.

As I prepare, I'm starting to ask the question about what "sabbatical" can look like here and now. That is one of the reasons Celtic spirituality is attractive to me. As I understand it, the Celts practiced a spiritual life that was in pace with the earth, with the day-t0-day living and working and being. One of my hopes is that learning the rhythms of rest modeled by the Celts will teach me to rest once I'm not on sabbatical any more.

So my prayer is that God guides me to deeper wisdom of rest, of space, of rhythm so my life reflects sabbath when sabbatical is 2 or more years away again (but let's not get ahead of ourselves to quickly, right?)

Peace!

Jim