Reflections on 2007 Part 2 (Spring)

Reflections of 2007 Part 2 (Spring), originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

As I started reflecting on the last year, I realized--there were a ton of things going on in my life in 2007. I don't know about you, but sometimes even the complexity of life can seem so routine that I can run through days and weeks and feel little sense of accomplishment. Or perhaps my days (and yours) are so chock full of busy-ness that we don't fully grasp all that is going on in our world--inside and out..

Or maybe big goals are accomplished after a long grind, and life has so many challenges we fail to celebrate major successes. For instance, back in May, when I graduated with my Master's degree in English as the culmination of 5 years of study, it really didn't register with me because I was alone and didn't really celebrate. A few friends attempted to brighten my day by taking me out to dinner, but my mom was in the hospital. What I remember most about that day was how deeply alone I felt amid all of the families celebrating while my mom was fighting for every breath. My solace that day was having my mom tell me "Every day you make me proud," as I left her hospital room telling her I'd try to make her proud walking across the stage at graduation. She really wanted to be there , but she really needed to be in the hospital.

On top of graduation, I also was captain of a team in the Wood County Relay for Life. My dad, one of my best friends, Dan Van Valey, and I made a front page appearance in the parkersburg newspaper. We were so hopeful that my mom would be out of the hospital. She spent much of the week on a ventilator, and I think she came off it on Thursday. We were thrilled to say the least! And our team of 20 people raised over $1000 dollars in a very short time as a handful of us walked through much of the night.

And then after a tumultuous 3+ weeks in the hospital, went home to be with Jesus. I miss her dearly, as I'm sure everyone whose life she touched misses her. She was a beautiful human being who led a beautiful life on this earth. These last few months have been really strange without her presence here. My best friend in the whole world, Willie, wrote a song for my mom. If you never met my mom, suffice it to say, she was the kind of person people write songs about. I miss her!

It seems like every season has a mixture of joys and challenges. As I reflect back on this time, I can't help but see how Christ was walking with me in all of the pain and all of the rejoicing. He sustains me and gives me direction when times are tough. He also reminds me that as long as I have breath, I am to seek first His kingdom in all that I do.

Was 2007 defined by challenges or triumphs for you? Whose Kingdom are you seeking with your life? In the middle of the challenges and the triumphs I am tremendously thankful that he has given me a community of friends and family who love me and support me in every situation. Last Spring brought that truth out to me in the form of txts, emails, voicemails, and visits from people who gave Jesus hands and feet in the middle of my world.

Spring???

I don't want to jump the gun on this one. I thought spring was here a week or two ago, and then it got cold again. I had a great day yesterday though. Early in the day I was able to get a lot of work done. Late in the afternoon I rode my bike out to meet a buddy of mine for a late lunch. Afterward, I figured I would use one of my tremendous starbucks gift cards and get myself a little coffee, and read outside. While I was sitting there, one of the Baristas approached me, sat down at my table, and completely interrupted my reading.

But it was cool. You see, I go do work out in the midst of people knowing that there will be interruptions. There will be conversations that start. There will be kairos moments in the midst of chronos time.

Yesterday was no exception. I sat and talked to a guy named Justin who was a little shocked when he found out what I do for a living. I like that. It means that I probably don't fit any stereotypes. After he found out, the questions flew though. We talked about justice and our need for relationships, and I was able to talk to him about how Jesus came not only to die for our sins, but to show us how to truly live.

Unfortunately, I had to curtail the conversation because of a prior engagement, but we had a good hour of laughing and being serious, and sharing both our frustrations and joys in this life. I was also able to share a little bit of hope--both for this life and for the age to come.

Do you make yourself available for God to interrupt your life? I would love to hear about a Kairos moment you have had recently.