Update #156 - Oil

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18

Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

Have you ever felt overwhelmingly loved? Felt it all the way to the core of who you are - an awesome, tremendous, amazing love? I was recently asked to think of a related memory and relive it. It was a powerful experience.

I remember simultaneously feeling peace and excitement. I was happy and joy-filled but completely relaxed. I didn’t care much about external world events and happenings – I wasn’t ignoring them, but felt they had a big bubble of love to conquer before impacting me.

I also remember people being present who, in the past, had rubbed me the wrong way - said or acted hurtfully toward me – and I didn’t care they were in attendance. In fact, I engaged them in conversation and happily splashed some of the love I felt all over them (I am sure they thought I was on an illegal drug induced high).

The love I felt coursing through me was like thick oil – coating, covering, concealing – filling in missing pieces, softening sharp places, smoothing over rough parts. I was unconditionally, irrevocably, undeniably loved.

I contrast that feeling to my everyday life. The reality of the love I felt hasn’t changed. It is still there – the person is still in my life and I can access the love whenever I want. I can tap into its source and feel peace-filled, joyous, excited, relaxed – happy - anytime of the day or night. I just don’t always make it a priority.

I can hear your thoughts – “Are you nuts? Who would want to live a dry, desert existence when they could feel fantastic and joyous all the time? Why would you choose that?”

Because I am task oriented and my day gets away from me before it begins. Because I wake up with a list running though my head and I want to conquer it before it conquers me. Because my calendar is double and triple booked in places and I don’t have fifteen minutes to myself. Because I am involved, engaged, engrossed, occupied, absorbed, connected with so many other good things… (Sound familiar?).

So often we are offered the best but are happy with good; we are presented the finest and settle for standard. Why?

I honestly think it is due to the fact our circumstances, the “shoulds” of the now, the desires of the day, the wants of the world, drive and distract our focus… and sight on our eternal purpose and position fade.

I am so guilty of this; push off the eternal, push off the distant to attend to the temporal - what is right in front of my face. Yes, I am wired as a firefighter; yes, I am duty oriented and love nothing more than a juicy project to dig into – but it doesn’t excuse me from remembering why I am here and what my real purpose on earth is.

The Bible is filled with “to do’s” and “to don’ts” – but basically boils down to loving those around you as you love yourself. If I can’t love myself enough to stop, to take the time and plug into the source of love itself am I really loving anyone else, or am I deluding myself?

This was a hard truth for me to face in my own life – am I really loving others like Jesus would want me to?

Where is your life dry? Where are you weary? Where are you feeling stress, anxiety, fear or doubt? Where is there confusion? What keeps you from tapping into the source of love, joy and hope? What keeps you from partaking in the love so generously given?

Updates:

Travel – Coronado was SO MUCH FUN! Thanks ladies for a fantastic finale to my 40th birthday celebration.

Work – Training is at its halfway point and we are solidifying travel destination and plans for the upcoming venture cycle. Brett is heading to Nigeria the week after Labor Day and the rest of us are gearing up for the LEMON Leadership Forum / Webinar and The Big Weekend Retreat.

Personal – Looks like I may make it home to Seattle mid-September for a short visit to see my family. Thanks for praying this into happening!

Requests:

Travel – Indonesia in November? Nigeria / South Africa in December?????

Work – For upcoming forums and webinars (for good attendance and participation) http://inst.net/events/index.html. For The Big Weekend Retreat September 23-25 I am in charge of planning and execution.

Personal – Still waiting on the dentistry thing. Thanks for praying!