Leaving in 2 days!

Life never really seems to slow down does it?  I just finished school on May 19^th and on Thursday I am flying to Indianapolis for training before heading to Kenya on June 8^th.  Just when I think life can’t any busier, it somehow manages to speed up. 

 

When I was a freshman at Auburn (back in the day!), a campus minister came and spoke to our pledge class and he discussed how life only gets busier with time.  His point was that many people put off their relationship with God, but soon discover that later never comes.  He told us that his same pledge brothers that claimed they would later “settle down and get right with God” had the same excuse when he saw them 10-20 years later.  I remember agreeing with him that there’s no time better than now to pursue your faith, but also remember thinking that he was crazy to tell me that life was going to get busier.  I was a pledge at the time which meant 6 AM football practice, house hours, pledge parties, sober driving, post-party clean-up…lot of work!

At the time, I couldn't imagine life getting any busier, but I’ve got to hand it to him…he was right!  And I always think of that talk he gave when life gets busy. 

 

Trying to pack for Turkana has proved to be more difficult than I expected.  Turkana is out in the bush, so I’m having to pack a lot from the U.S. (shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc.)  All of my Kenyan classmates have said the same thing about Turkana: “it’s a very remote region!”  One Kenyan student I met even told me, “I do not know any Kenyans who would want to go to Turkana!”  This is not because it’s unsafe, it’s just kinda in the middle of nowhere

…so packing has been interesting.  There’s been a lot to do getting ready, and part of me is just ready to get there so things can settle down.  But I’m reminded of that campus minister’s talk and the fact that life only gets busier.  Some of you might argue that your life has slowed down over the years, and I’d tell you…you’re WRONG!  Haha just kidding, I’m sure for some people life has slowed down, but I think there’s some significance to his point about living in the moment.

I read this in my devotional the other day.  It told the following story from Indian priest Anthony de Mello:

“A rich industrialist from the North was horrified to find a Southern fisherman lying leisurely beside his boat. ‘Why aren’t you fishing?’ asked the industrialist.

“ ‘Because I have caught enough fish for the day,’ said the fisherman.

“ ‘Why don’t you catch some more?’

“ ‘What would I do with them?’

“ ‘You could earn more money,’ was the reply. ‘With that, you could fix a motor to your boat, go into deeper waters and catch more fish.  Then you would make enough money to buy nylon nets.  These would bring you more fish and more money.  Soon you would have enough money to own two boats. . . maybe even a fleet of boats.  Then you would be  a rich man like me.’

“ ‘What would I do then?’

“ ‘Then you could really enjoy life.’

“What do you think I am doing right now?’ said the fisherman.”

I read this the other morning as I was tirelessly trying to get all my things in order for Kenya.  This fisherman reminded me to slow down and enjoy my last few days with family and friends.  I realized I was chasing the “light at the end of the tunnel,” assuming that happiness existed outside of my tunnel of tasks and responsibilities.  But life is not about chasing after a light, but rather living in the light.  There are sometimes in life when we definitely need to keep fishing and put the nose to the grindstone…but I hope we don’t miss life in the process because it comes by quickly!   

So take a break, get outside, and enjoy this awesome summer weather!  Because there’s no better time than right now!  

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

Thank you so much for your support!  I will try and update this blog weekly or bi-weekly this summer depending on time and internet connection in Kenya.  Please keep our team and the Turkana people in your prayers!

Peace,