Hitting the Mark

I had the opportunity to join the Class of 2011 in their senior retreat to the Harvest Home Farm up north in Wisconsin last weekend. What an incredible time to commune with God in the beautiful hills and woods and pastures of the farm and to fellowship with close friends in a much different setting than our campus.

There were many life lessons learned there, but one that stands out is that of hitting the mark. Dr. Guthrie pulled out his bows and arrows the first day and set up a nice shooting range for us by the pavilion. On subsequent days we shot rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Each type of weapon had a particular type of target to shoot at—3D animal targets for the bows, old bowling pins for the rifles, metal spinning bullseyes for the pistols, and clay pigeons for the shotguns. Each target was very different than the other, but they all have one thing in common—in order to hit the target, one must properly take aim! The real thrill came when I lined things up, fired my shots, and visibly hit the mark. There were a few times when I thought I might just “wing it” on my own—not taking careful aim, or perhaps deviating a little from the form I was taught to use. More often than not, those were the times my shots missed the target completely. I believe this principle is true in my daily living as well—in order to accomplish my intended purpose and obtain fullness of joy, I must align myself with the instructions of God’s Word and respond to the Master’s will so my impact will be on line with His plans and purposes. Attempts to bypass the God-ordained principles result in missed opportunities and could inflict harm on those around me.

Perhaps I will write later on some other lessons from the farm and the adventures of the trip. It was a blast—a wonderful way to wrap up the school year. I praise God for the senior class, and it is my prayer that each one of the graduates will hit the mark as they launch into the next chapter of their lives.

Verity 2011 Senior Trip group picture at the Harvest Home Farm

Discovering Beauty

Lately I’ve been enjoying borrowing a friend’s bicycle after work or on the weekends to explore the area in a several-mile radius of the Verity campus. I, perhaps more than most people, felt that I had a good feel of the area around here due to my long-distance runs over the past five years, but after just a few bike rides I realized how much had gone unnoticed. The first day I rode only a mile down Brookville Road to a neighborhood development I’ve passed numerous times on my way into New Palestine. As I wound my way through the curving streets crossing over the creek, I eventually popped out on the other side of the development overlooking a vast green expanse. Next to this community of beautiful homes and mature landscaping was a huge park with soccer fields, a walking trail complete with mile markers, and a nine-hole disc golf course! The next day I rode north into Cumberland and found another park with basketball and tennis courts, a baseball diamond, sand volleyball, a shelter…the works! On the return to campus, I hopped on a rails-to-trails system that goes for miles in either direction. It’s obviously been there a long time, but I’ve always just passed by without so much as a second thought what it might be or where it goes.

Being on a disc golf kick last week, I got on my laptop and looked up other courses in the Indianapolis area. Finding two of them in close proximity of each other approaching the downtown districts, I decided to check them both out, again making a bike excursion out of the opportunity. (George Washington Park and Brookside Park aren’t as close as I originally thought, turning my ride into a 35-mile excursion.) I must say it’s been really fun to “disc”over these disc golf courses and other parks near to where I’ve been living the last five years; places both in the country and in very urban sections of town. Each area has something different to offer and is beautiful in its own way.

Through these recent experiences, the lesson God is teaching me is to look for the beauty that He has placed all around me. It’s there—I just have to go appreciate it. Then once I have found the beauty, I shouldn’t hold it back for myself—share the joy with others. This past week one of my highlights has definitely been in sharing the enthusiasm for disc golf and these newly-discovered parks with my friends. It’s been a blessing for me to take guys out—some in a group and others one-on-one—to these places and form bonds with them. It doesn’t really matter if somebody who’s never played disc golf in his life goes out and beats me by two shots (way to go, Stevie D!) or if I make a couple eagles and a bunch of birdies on the course—we’re out there enjoying each other’s fellowship and the beauty that God has created. It is my goal to live my life each day seeking for and finding the beauty God has created and sharing it with others.

Be still, my soul

One of the ways I'm stepping in faith is evidenced in the new habits I'm forming. Every day for the last month (or more accurately every night, as is my normal pattern), I've made a concerted effort to sit down at the piano and play through a selection of hymns. In the lobby, there are a few hymnals and a book of beautiful piano/vocal arrangements of the Getty songs that I've come to frequent on a daily basis. Even after just a few weeks of doing this, it's really encouraging to see my progress and see my confidence build. I did grow up taking piano lessons until age 10 or 11, but really got away from having anything to do with the piano for several years. As such, I chose to not play in public, but rather to tickle the keys only once in a great while, perhaps after a long night in the office when I was sure everyone else was sound asleep. These 2- and 3am adventures at the piano were about my only contact for quite a time until recently when I decided to "go rogue" with my playing.

It sort of began one evening a few days after coming back from the Israel trip. Our network had been experiencing problems, and I had called in towards the end of the workday for on-site support to resolve the problem. The technician informed me he would be coming between 10-11pm. Well, someone needed to be there to let him in the building, so I placed myself there in the lobby. Seeing the piano and an empty room, I started to play. By the time the AT&T guy had come and gone a few times (he had to check a few things down the street), I had played through the entire book of Getty songs and had fallen in love with the piano again.

These songs and hymns are so full of rich doctrinal truths that are so beautifully expressed, both in words and music. It has been a blessing to meditate on the different aspects of Christianity as I play the melodies… all creation speaking of God's glory, His love ringing out across the lands, the power of the cross bringing forgiveness, my being secure in Christ because of His incredible sacrifice, the dawning of hope as God's salvation plan is fulfilled in Jesus, the church putting on the armor of God to combat the lies of the devil, a yearning to hear the Lord speak that my faith would rise and I would see His truth and authority.

Last night after coming back from the park, I joined in on the final minutes of dishpit. Those that were involved were exhibiting such an attitude of joyfulness, breaking out in hymns of praise while brandishing the brooms and mops throughout the huge dining room. As there happens to be a piano in the room, I sat down after a few a capella verses and started into the hymnbook. The final hymn really brought it home for us: Be Still My Soul. I'd like to quote one of the verses (sadly the hymnbook omitted it from the register, but it stands as a personal favorite).

"Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy works and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine."

The Final Summit

For me to sit down and read a book cover to cover in one sitting is a rarity. That just doesn’t happen often because I’ll either get distracted or fall asleep or move on to something else. The last time it happened was with a historical fiction story by Andy Andrews called “The Traveler’s Gift,” which I read just over a year ago. Today I sat down with another of his books, which happened to be its sequel, “The Final Summit.”

David Ponder (the main character in “The Traveler’s Gift”), with 28 years of applying the Seven Decisions in his personal life and business ventures, is called upon to lead the Travelers’ final summit as they are tasked with solving what, to mankind, has become a dire mystery. Out of the crowd of Travelers present, David interacts with Winston Churchill, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln (again), Eric Erickson, King David, George Washington Carver, and Joshua Chamberlain, each offering parts of the solution from their various life experiences and wisdom. As it turns out, each idea from the characters was needed to come to the final conclusion.

From the very onset, this book drew me into its pages and gave me, as it were, a prime spot in the gallery of the meeting hall as the discussions between all the characters were going on. I liked the ways the author added dialog that fit the individual’s personality. At times I recognized a few quotes that the person is famous for saying, and other times the new “quotes” seemed to fit right in with what the character is known for. All told, this is a very intriguing book, well-written to maintain interest throughout.

I could hardly put this book down long enough to grab another box of crackers! Woven through the pages are quotes and lessons to be learned from wise men and women from ancient history all the way through modern times—lessons on restoring hope, seeking wisdom, being courageous, exhibiting self-discipline, building character…the list goes on. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes history with a little bit of a new twist mixed in.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of “The Final Summit” through Book Sneeze, in exchange for my honest review.

Out of the Blue

Years ago, I was privileged to be in the sixth grade Sunday School class taught by Don McKinnon. Mr. McKinnon cared for each one of the boys in ways I have not seen other teachers do, truly wanting the boys to internalize the lessons we talked about on Sunday morning in our lives at home every day of the week. To help myself and the boys be faithful in our Bible study homework, we reported in the next week and earned points for Scripture reading, devotional diligence, memorization, etc. At the end of the term, out of his own pocket, he gave each one of us boys gifts based on the points we had each accrued. Being one of the most diligent and faithful in the class, I was awarded the grand prize—a framed plaque with my achievement and a huge autographed 8x10 picture of the LA Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser. Wow—I had collected a few baseball cards here and there, but this blew them all away! The plaque and autograph had a special place in my room for years until I moved away from home.

Kind of out of the blue the other day, I ran across a copy of Orel Hershiser’s book, ironically called “Out of the Blue.” Seeing the cover picture, remarkably similar to the one I had on display for years in my room, I couldn’t resist picking up the book and reading through it. In this book, Orel recounts his life to present, written just after his remarkable 1988 season being the MVP-winning pitcher for the LA Dodgers.

Similar to Jesus changing Simon’s name to Peter (rock) to remind him to be steadfast, Orel’s manager in his first year of pitching in the big leagues had an idea. He called him aside after a bad game and laid into him, but instead of the typical berating a manager might give a player who performed poorly, he lit a fire under Orel and gave him the nickname “Bulldog”—not because he was one at the time (in fact, he was quite the opposite), but because that is the type of player he wanted Orel to become—fierce, aggressive, the take-charge type, the best in the business. From then on, Orel was a different pitcher out there on the mound. He had several very successful seasons of pitching thanks in part to his manager preaching the “Sermon on the Mound” that one day in 1984. In 1988, everything seemed to come together, with Orel pitching his team to victory all the way to the final out of the World Series, earning multiple MVP honors along the way!

In the book, Orel explains his philosophy on baseball and what he attributes his success to. In short, attitude, mechanics, strategy, and regimen all play into delivering the proper pitch, the key most important element of the game. Being a Christian, Orel views that he ought to attain to a higher standard in all aspects of the game, whether in word or conduct. One interesting note, during the World Series games, Orel would calm his nerves by singing hymns to himself there in the dugout. Orel brought us into his “game day regimen” which always includes spending time alone with God before the game gets underway, not letting any distractions get in the way, and putting the game face on.

I found this book to be very interesting—a blast from the past, if you will. I always enjoy a good sports story, and this book very well falls into that category. It begins with the chronicle of a young man who was a prodigal son through college, entered the minor leagues, came back after some serious injuries, and met the Man who would change his life, continuing on with the story of Hershiser’s amazing season pitching for the LA Dodgers in 1988.

Part of what hits home for me in reading this book is actually the connection with my sixth grade Sunday School class. God is sovereign in everything, and I know He has the perfect plan. I was blessed to be a part of that class when I was because the next year, my family moved away from the area, and also that year God called Mr. McKinnon home after a struggle with brain cancer. I thank God for Mr. McKinnon’s influence on my life and for touching the lives of countless 6^th grade boys throughout the years like I once was, and for his sparking my interest in #55.