Mind the Gap

The chime on my phone went off right as I was deliberating whether or not to send the email. Normally I would have just trudged right through and sent it but I have been measuring conflict a lot more and trying to avoid needless drama. This, however, would not go away and the chime gave me the impetus to address the issue. Conflict is inevitable and yet we must with yielded hearts and a biblical framework approach the circumstance through relationship. After the dust settled the conflict wasn’t conflict at all but rather a miscommunication--I’m so glad I responded in faith. Relationships that weather conflict are stronger and richer and capable of greater.

Gazing into the Night time sky

Starry Night Shine

A million miles into darkness you shine,

Starry night shine-reflection of the sun.

An unmoving testimony cutting through the night,

Starry night shine, all that is right, shine.

A guiding light in all the confusion

Starry night shine-leading me home.

Holding out brilliant reminders of hope in the darkness

Starry night shine-sending me promised love-

And I will shine like the midnight starry night shine

And I will run, no not in vain…light shine.

Posted via email from jeffharris's posterous

Waiting in this Life

Moses was a shepherd for forty years prior to God calling him. He wandered around for another forty prior to coming to the edge of the Promised Land. So much of Scripture is waiting, with long gaps of looking toward the fulfillment of God’s promise while abiding on His sustaining presence. So much of our lives are quick fixes and immediate indulgences and yet the object of our desires do not sustain. God sustains us and yet the ultimate satisfaction is always future, always just beyond reach. We are so destination focused that we miss the sustaining presence along the way. Last night I sat down with my fourteen year old, we talked about life and struggles that come; she asked if I could help her with her devotional life. Close to twelve years ago I wrote about this day in my journal and waited, forgot and now remembered. God is faithful when we are not but sometimes what we think is immediate is only a glimpse at what will be. Patiently following is both a discipline to be learned and a process.

PrePosterously Posterous

The wonder of communication is that it is powerful and yet delicate. Imagine posting to all your social networks with the power of one click. That is what Posterous attempts to provide. Right now I’m emailing, blogging, facebooking and twittering. It’s almost too much, but if it works I can do all at one time and communicate widely. The implications move far beyond social networking into the communication and the power of the Gospel. So here it goes.

Hallmark Holiday

Valentine’s Day has come and gone. As I was out tracking down my prey, I ran into a sea of men searching for candy, jewelry, flowers, perfume, lingerie and other assorted apparel. This is the annual day we tell people that we love them. It's so nice to have a day on the calendar or else we might forget. Then, of course, the standard chocolate, perfume and flower gifts really evidently work for most women. I'm guessing this is very different than when Paul said "I am compelled" to preach the gospel. Don't get me wrong—I love my wife and I want to tell her and express that to her through words, actions and gifts, I just don't particularly like a "hallmark" holiday to make it uniform. Hopefully she gets presents, words and actions regularly enough that even if there were no Valentine’s Day she would know she is loved. When I think of Christ's love for me do I realize it only at Easter and Christmas? Or is our relationship so rich that without those dates I would remember, I would honor, I would tell and I would act?

Dancing

The time flew by. When they were smaller, the Dad/Daughter Dance seemed to grind out slowly, but with each passing year those two hours grow shorter. They hang with their friends more, can get their own punch and as they grow older the days near when they may not want to go “dance” with daddy or their lives will take them far away. For now, I got to dance with my girls. The older, more mature and awkwardly dancing with dad, the younger, nestled in my arms excited about balloons and cookies. All three of them still my girls, still dancing. There’s a strange awareness that I am preparing them for someone and a slow realization that that someone is beyond my control. I prepare them still: to be loved, cherished and honored and so I try to show them what they should look for in a man. I hope and I dance.

Technology

My daughter and I were at the Sprint store activating an old phone because she dropped her Phone in the tub. She was texting with her “dry” hand and somehow the phone slipped and ‘took a bath.’ The store clerk was amused, my daughter and her really connected because the store clerk has lost or broken 13 phones in the last year. The whole scenario made me reflect on the intrusiveness of technology in my life. Instant messaging, texting, my blackberry that has to be babysat—when will I have space to be still and know? There is no high tech quick fix for devotion.