Over the years, Sarah and I have put together puzzles over holidays or times with family and friends. We’ve never been hard-core “puzzle people”…like we didn’t have a puzzle table or special puzzle mats to build on or any of the other puzzle accessories people collect. We’d do it here and there and enjoy it.
We hosted our extended family for a reunion back in October, and when they were here, we got 2 puzzles of the area for people to put together. My family loved them! Fun puzzles, cool design, and doable in the short amount of time we were together. On one of the puzzles, we got to the end, and there was a missing piece. There were nearly 40 of us…so it is not out of the question that someone took it to get the pride of dropping in the final piece. The people that (nearly) finished it did it late the last night and searched high and low to find the missing piece. No luck. Many assumed, myself included, that my younger son had taken it so he could have that privilege…he did start the puzzle days before, so it was a logical conclusion he was saving the final more for himself.
The next morning, we were cleaning up and packing up, and right before we put away the (nearly) finished puzzle, we slid it slightly, and the table had slight gaps between the wood pieces…and there between the wood, there it was. The final piece.
Last week I had the opportunity to help with an event at the school my kids go to. It was an activity where they practiced social skills and were learning how to be confident, well spoken, thoughtful, kind, courteous, and you know…be good functioning people in society…it turns out that is necessary in life.
It was amazing. These middle schoolers were unbelievably articulate, well thought out, and courteous.
I loved being there and helping out
Before the day we were told to grade these kids hard but fair. Don’t just give them a free pass. Help them learn what they need to work on. Very quickly I learned, golly these kids are good. I guess I need to adjust the curve and grade even harder than I thought so I don’t just give everyone nearly perfect scores.
So I did…because you know…I’m a rule follower.
Over the past year, my kids have essentially two sets of clothes. The uniforms they wear for school. And the clothes they wear every other day. Their standard clothes on the weekend are Chubbies shorts and a Volcom shirt for Foster and a Chiefs jersey for Keating.
I love chubbies shorts, I love Volcom shirts, I love the Chiefs…but if I had to choose the only thing for my kids to wear…it wouldn’t be that…or at least not everyday.
We all have gone through some sort of journey where our parents or grandparents or someone else guided us and taught us…then at some point, we took on those responsibilities for ourselves. We started to make our own decisions and choices.
When I used to dress my kids and didn’t let them decide, they wore the coolest clothes…alas, they now decide. I have given them their own ability to choose clothes.
All of us go through a journey to launch, and it is leading up to our independence, we are being coached or led until we get there. As followers of Jesus, we believe that our coaching or leading that is done in the faith never actually ends. We should always turn to our God and King to help us make wise decisions.
The struggle is many of us think we know best…and we don’t want to consult from anyone else, especially an ancient book or divine creator.
The weeks leading up to Christmas I had lists of things to get accomplished, presents to buy and wrap, and details to finalize. As with most things, I found most of the presents I needed to get, I got some that I didn’t anticipate buying, and wrapping and details adjusted because of the slight change. Funny enough, one of those things was a garlic peeler…have you seen these? I know, they may be really popular and we just stumbled across them, but they are amazing. Sarah had seen one on a cooking show and I randomly found one at a kitchen store. It wasn’t on her list…or really even mine to find, but I ran across this unanticipated kitchen tool, got it for Sarah and she was surprised about this great gift! Sometimes unanticipated things that require slight changes or adjustments end up being a surprising blessing.
All of us have experienced some change in plans and then needed to make adjustments.
I know you have wish lists to fulfill, errands to run, details to finalize, and all the wrapping! So I have no interest in adding to your busyness, but I do want to make sure you have everything you need for Christmas Eve worship and the next few weeks at The Chapel. Read below to get the details and of course let us know if you have any questions.
Five years ago this week, I ran my first marathon. I’ve shared before how I’m built with short, stocky legs and a stout body—not exactly a runner’s physique, less like a gazelle galloping through the woods and more like a pig on a treadmill.
Nonetheless, I completed my first marathon, which, to this day, remains the only marathon I’ve run.
The Dallas Marathon is generally a great experience. It usually enjoys favorable weather, has very few hills, and runs through beautiful neighborhoods, starting and ending downtown. The halfway mark wraps around White Rock Lake, which evokes a love/hate response among runners. The crowds have cleared out, it’s lonely, and you’re the at the furthest point out in the race.
Right after you curve around the lake, there’s a slight elevation that provides a clear view of downtown Dallas—13.1 miles away…and you have to run to get there.
For me, in that moment, in the middle of the race, I thought to myself,
“Maybe I could just collapse, and they’d carry me across the finish line. But would I still get the medal?”
