30 Days

I recently watched a Ted talk by Matt Cutts on the power of trying something new for 30 days. The speaker talked about his decision to live life in 30-day blocks of time, and try something new each 30 days. In one month, he jogged. Another month, he took up mountain climbing. In another, he wrote a book. You can view the talk here.

His point was that the next 30 days will come and go whether you like it or not. Will you use it to get better? Or will you let it slip away?

I love that message, because it has a certain playfulness about it. This guy attempted things he never would have otherwise done. He got healthier. He had fun. He found new hobbies. He did amazing things, based on this philosophy.

I think we should treat life like a big playground, a big experiment. I am too driven by my task list, my schedule, etc. I stay within my comfort zone too often. Instead of trying new things, I stick with "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Instead, I want to live life, try things, go places. This 30-day idea might be something to bring into my world, and try it out. I could use it for fitness, creativity, spiritual growth, fun, hobby...the possibilites are endless.

Hmmm....

The Problem of Heaven

In the new heaven and earth, beyond this life, beyond this world, there will be some things now that simply cannot stand. Injustice, greed, laziness, judgment, unkindness, etc. will be exposed, called what they are, and destroyed.

It has made me consider what is inside me now that will not stand in the economy of God's new kingdom. As a sort of confession, I offer these attitudes and actions that must be redeemed, if I am to be a part of God's kingdom:

1. My desire for comfort, which often comes at the expense of other.

2. My laziness when confronted with the need to work in God's kingdom. [For example, when someone in need comes to me, do I put in the least amount of effort I can get away with, and then usher them away, or do I really invest my time, energy, and resources into getting to know them, and helping them along their way?]

3. My sarcasm and cynicism. [Yikes. Will words even come out of my mouth, if all the sarcasm and cynicism is taken away? Sad to see the true state of affairs in my inner world.]

4. My desire to put myself first, think of myself first, accomplish my agenda first, and get my task list done first.

The other problem is this: The Kingdom of God is at hand. Meaning, if I am to partner with God in the ongoing work of His redemptive and creative purposes, these things cannot stand NOW. Not some day, sometime in heaven, but NOW. When I display these behaviors and think these thoughts, I am outside the Kingdom of God NOW. I am working at odds with the good, beautiful, powerful, saving efforts of God NOW.

Heaven is here. Time to act like it.

What Have I Done?

I will be making my debut [for better or worse] in the pulpit, when I deliver the August 7 message at FCC. A friend poignantly asked, "How did that happen?"

Combination of factors:
1. Need. Our regular senior pastor will be on vacation for a few weeks.
2. Development. This will be a growth opportunity, as I tackle a challenge that I never have.
3. It's just time. I am the only other full-time staff at FCC, so I probably should be involved in speaking when our senior pastor is out.

I have no idea what I'm gonna speak about. I have no idea how it's going to go. I asked some people if I should go warm and fuzzy, or if I should be a little more confrontational. They said, "Go confrontational. Warm and fuzzy isn't really you."

They're probably right. Sigh. I'm nervous already.