Sunday, March 22 was World Water Day. The timing was perfect. Saturday night at dinner I was discussing with my favorite how difficult the quest of 40 days of water has become. In the beginning, it was an easy adjustment. I started to crave water. It was exciting to drink only water.
A few weeks passed and the cravings began. At first, they were easy to tolerate and push to the side — but the denial of my taste bud favorites triggered war with my attitude. I sat at dinner and said, “I don’t want to do this anymore.” Frustration was loud that night.
With wise counsel, we considered the cycle of sin. So, I break my commitment, justify every beverage thereafter, and stand at the end of 40 days with self disapointment. No, it’s not worth it. I can fight for this.
It was a lesson my parents taught me when I was young. I was never allowed to quit anything until the end of the season. They taught me to stick it out when it got tough. That when I don’t “feel” like doing or being apart anymore, I have to finish it. And just don’t finish, but finish with as much enthusiasm and excellence as I had when I began.
I watched a short dvd of my trip to Mozambique last week. There is a scene when a woman bends over a hole in the ground and dips a cup into the water and then takes a big drink. The color of the water was the same color of water that washes off your hands after working with pottery. But she’s thirsty and there isn’t any clean water. What would you do?
We’re halfway to 40, but my heart is more than halfway stirred. Consider the opportunties before you to allow more people access to clean water.
One dollar provides clean water to an African for one year. I bet we’re easily on our way to reaching hundreds when one day, a drink of clean water will be like a refreshing rain after a long, dry season.
I love this.
“Where God will choose to lead you and how God chooses to use your life cannot be predicted by how God has worked in the lives of other before you. ‘If I want John to live and you to die, what is it to you? Your part is to follow Me. My part is to lead the way.’”
“We’ve created a religious culture in which – even though we’re the most blessed society in the history of the planet – our best selling literature still focuses on how we can be more blessed.”
He continues,
“And if it means a life of suffering, hardship, and disappointment, it will be worth it because following Jesus Christ is more powerful and more fulfilling than living with everything in the world minus Him.”
“Rather than living a long life, are you willing to live a life worth living?”
McManus, Erwin (2005). The Barbarian Way, 2, 37-49.
http://erwinmcmanus.com/barbarianway
I made a list – 7 of my favorites. They came quickly. Memories. Stories. Events. Lessons. I marked each envelope accordingly and sealed each one shut. I held the stack of envelopes, one for each day, for a few minutes as I recalled some of the things I appreciate most about pops.
- Riding around town in his sweet red convertible topped him on the charts of the coolest dad ever. It only got better when he let me drive it when I earned my license.
- He read my name as I walked across the stage to receive my high school diploma. An awesome perk to having my dad as a teacher.
- I love bedtime stories because pops always told them the best.
- My dad can fix ANYTHING.
- I can go to him for advice on anything — he always has answers to all of my questions.
He flew to Arizona today. By himself. He told me yesterday he’s never traveled alone in his 59 years. I think he’s looking for fresh energy. Escaping Minnesota winters for warm climates will do that for anyone. But I think he’s on a quest and I hope the next 7 days will bring him some answers.
At times I’ve grown weary in the last few months — frustrated and maybe confused. My heart wasn’t used to feeling this way. Unsure of what the story could become, I knew I had to keep at it. So, I wrote down 7 of my favorites and delievered them to pops before he left. Uncertain of what he would think, I trusted they would be life, encouragement, and love to him on dark days.
I guess I was surprised to receive a call from him this morning. “Thank you for the sweet note today,” he said with lightness in his voice. “I love you.”
Encouragement is great for other people, but it is so necessary for ourselves to participate in the act of encouraging as well. Because for me, in the few moments it took to write down some favorites to share with my pops, I felt what I hope he will feel when he reads them. Refreshed.
“Sometimes when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
And then, it’s all you see.
