Coasting.

Sometimes when I write I have an idea that has been brewing in my mind for a while and I have to hit the keyboard right away or else I just might burst from holding it in.  Other times I have a single word that comes to mind and I just need to start typing and see where that word takes me.

Today the latter of these two scenario's happened as the single word "coasting" came to mind and I felt to speak to it.  Interesting.

In general, I have found that a majority of my life has been about this word.  Going with the flow.  Remaining super chill and just living by the premise that "whatever will be will be".  Although I think this not a bad thing in an of itself, but by it's nature coasting can lead to unhealthy habits.  Not stressing is good, but being so chill to the point of letting responsibility take the back seat is problematic.  I am grateful to God for providing me with a beautiful household of gals that has helped me focus this.  I still try to remain unstressed even in tough times (once had a t-shirt that said, "I'm too blessed to be stressed"), but I also must be focused in as to best provided for those the Lord has given me responsibility for.

But let's focus on this word coast/coasting.  What is it and what's the implications of coasting in life?

I found this definition of the word coast and it struck me.
Coast: verb (of a person or vehicle) to move easily without using power.

Initially I say, "Yup, that's what coasting means", but as I think on it for a second or two a few things dawn on me.

#1) to move - Life moves. It doesn't stand still so whether your a hyper control freak of a super chill go with the flow person, you have to move and adapt and adjust to life and it's "changes".

#2) move easily - We all want things easily.  Honestly it is how we are bent.  We create inventions to make things less strenuous, less time consuming and to make life easier.  Coasting is moving, but moving easily.  It makes sense that we could lean towards this type of lifestyle and how it is natural to coast.

#3) to move easily "without using power" - This is the point of this definition that really caught me today.  We move.  We try to do whatever it takes to move through life easily, but the definition says in order to do that it comes from doing it without using power.

Hmmm? This piece of the definition startled me a bit.  I've coasted a good portion of my life which has given me the wonderful opportunity to untrain myself with natural frustrating habits that I have coasted into.  As I read this definition and reflect on life I can easily make the connection that it's because I have coasted without a source of power.  Which leads to the question, "Why?"  Being relaxed and worry free is good, but seeking easy without power is not.  God's power challenges our natural.  God's power in our lives doesn't allow us to coast as it focuses me on the shortcomings that coasting misses.

How strange and sad it is that we can live life without the power source in our lives.
Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 4:20

“For the kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” 

Not just a lot of talk.  Talk is easy.  It's from us.  Not a ton of effort or challenge, but serving God, living for God and representing Him is more than just talk.  It's living by God's power which can be stretching as it's beyond us, our thoughts and our capabilities.  

So let me wrap up this way.  How are we living?  Yes it is good to not worry, but let's be careful to not coast without God's power leading us.  Let's be intentional with how we live our lives.  I guess even when I was coasting I was being intentional to not worry and let life's stresses get to me.  That being said I can be intentional to not coast and miss out on those moments when my initiative can be intentional.  Let me give you this definition of Generous that I recently heard from Pastor Andy Stanley. 

"The premeditated (planned not spontaneous), calculated (amount), designated (knowing where it's spent)  emancipation (free from bondage we create with items) of personal financial (or time, or talents, etc) assets."  

So what shall we do?  Coast and hope for the best or intentionally impact our life, this world and the lives of others with the power of Christ leading us the way.  

Hope this makes sense.  Like I said.  Sometimes I just start with a word and run with it.  Coasting.  Who knew this word could spark so much in me.  Hmmmm? 

What do you see?

Hey all,

Obligatory comment about it being too long since my last post... Blah, blah, blah..

Ok, now that I've done that here's what's on my heart.
As Alisha shared on her Facebook page last night we had a neat memory time last night that happened a bit spontaneously.  The best memories always seem to start that way.

Long and short the girls (Ash & Bri) and I were challenged by Alisha to get a flashlight and go to find a Christmas tree.  We were told that it didn't matter what we found as it was about the adventure.  So we searched in the dark with only the small light of a cell phone  as our guide.  We did find the tree and with my dull hatchet I began to claim our prize.  Ashley then carried our trophy back to the homestead and we celebrated our accomplishment.  As we took the tree into the home we discovered that this tree was not "Charlie Brown's" tree, but it was certainly close to the (just barely) big brother of Charlie Brown's tree.  So we came up with some creative ways to make this tree bigger and decorated it with trinkets and decorations that were made by Alisha's children over the years.  This primarily was because they were the only ornaments that were light enough to be held by the branches, but quickly turned into a sentimental time as the tree began to be decorated.

Simplicity became our theme of the night and I could sense God placing some thoughts on my heart as we had this beautiful evening of Christmas music, a make shift Christmas tree and reminders of what Christmas is all about.  Alisha shared that this was the favourite tree that she's ever decorated and again my heart was pricked with some neat truth that God deposited in my heart.  I then shared with the girls that, "It's not about the appearance of the tree externally, but the memories that are created around it."

You see we do this and I don't just mean at Christmas time either.  We look at the external and come to conclusions that often just aren't true.  What we see does not equate to fact all the time.  Just like this lil tree that doesn't really look like much, but is representative of a beautiful family night of memories so too there is beauty in people and situations around us that on the outside don't look like much.

This past weekend Alisha and I were blessed to receive a video message from our sponsor child Albertho and his twin brother Jean-Bertho and it absolutely moved us and made our day.  If you spend time in the community that these boys live in you would say, "Oh boy.  Not much to offer here", but meeting these boys and spending some time in their community has been a very impacting experience in our lives.  Another truth is that when you see their circumstances it would be easy to see the boys and feel sad for them, but in this video the boys were so full of love and smiles and I can tell you that this IS their reality.  My mind says, "How can this be?"  I complain about my "troubles" and these boys are so happy and full of love.  I don't know if I'll ever understand this, but all I know is that what I see with my eyes isn't always what the reality is.  Instead of sadness for what I see, I am reminded that these boys understand joy in rough circumstances way better than I do.

So, let's look at our lives.  Let's explore our circumstances.  What do we see?  Now look a little deeper.  What beauty can be found?  If you are a follower of Christ we always have hope in the darkest of circumstance and this takes me back to Christmas.  We complicate things with our stuff.  Perhaps like my beautiful wife commented last night, beauty is found in simplicity.  Jesus came.  He died. He rose again for our forgiveness.  Lord, help us zoom into this truth this Christmas season when the busyness of hectic schedules, gifts, debt, and foolish attempts to impress others with meaningless pressures we put on ourselves try to distract us.

May we keep it simple and make incredible memories with family celebrating the simple truth of Christmas this year.