Fully Present

I would not call myself technologically savvy, but I do alright for an old guy. I’ve got the smart phone synched to my desktop, synched to my iPad, synched to my laptop, and therefore all my email, appointments on my calendar, music, photos, etc. are all shared. I live on a cloud!

I like the technology that is made available to me. In many ways it makes my life easier. In fact I am writing this reflection on a laptop in the waiting room of the car dealer who is working on my car and I will send it via email using the car dealer’s free wi-fi.

I said to Becky the other day that I would have had a lot more time for socialization in college if we would have had computers rather than typewriters. Pages, margins, footnotes...they drove me crazy. Besides I would have saved a fortune on gallons of “white-out” (those of you younger than 40 will have to look that up in the history books.) She reminded me that I squeezed in plenty of socialization.

That being said, and at the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man, some people’s use of technology has run amuck.  Like so many things, something that was created to help us and make our lives easier, can go sideways. Back in the mid 1980’s James Naisbett wrote a book entitled mega-trends. One of the things he noted in his book is that we were going to become more and more of a “high tech” society. Certainly his observation has been realized. He noted that in such a “high tech” society, there would be a need for more “high touch” opportunities because we are created for face to face relationships, not technological relationships. I remember thinking at the time that that trend would bode well for churches in that we are in the “high touch”, creating community, business. I believe that is true today more than ever.

Last week when we were on vacation we made our not quite daily, but “regular,” pilgrimage to get an ice cream cone. We sat out on the picnic tables and enjoyed the great weather. Sitting at the next table was a young woman with four little girls approximately 3-8 years of age. They were eating their cones, chatting, laughing, and being kids. The entire time, their mom was staring at her cell phone, her thumbs moving rapidly over the keyboard, while she feigned interest and nodded occasionally to the girls as if she were listening.

The four little girls went inside the store which is a paradise for kids. It has all sorts of “treasures” they would like. They were very excited and super cute. I smiled as I watched them. They ran out of the store to their mom to share their discoveries, but she couldn’t look up from her phone to acknowledge them. Then she began to resemble a rope in a tug-of-war, her girls pulling her by one arm, the other tethered to her cell phone which had most of her attention.

I did a slow burn inside. In my mind I said, “Seriously, put your phone away and pay attention to your kids. You will never get these moments back. My guess is that whatever is happening on your phone is not a personal or national crisis. The message you are sending your children, no doubt unintentionally, is that whatever is happening on your phone is more important than them. Believe it or not your kids are listening to that message.”

This is not isolated to an age group, a gender, or a profession. I see it across the board, every day, everywhere. We are addicted to our devices. In meetings with people, if their phone vibrates (assuming they remember to put it on vibrate) they can’t ignore it. If a text or a message appears, they must immediately respond. I have been in meetings with some people where more of their time is spent checking their phone than in conversation. Some leaders require people to leave their phones and computers in their offices during meetings so that people won’t be distracted.

As one who is afflicted with ADD, I would argue that I can multi-task and keep track of several things at once, which is true. However, what message does it send to anyone who is speaking, or presenting, when I signal that I am not fully present with them? I am saying, with my behavior, that they are not important enough for me to give my full attention.

We need one another. People are important. When we are with one another, we need to be “fully present” at all times. Lately, I have been leaving my “smart phone” in my office during meetings to remove the temptation, heeding Jesus’ advice that if you hand is causing you to sin, cut it off!

I like my technology, but I love people. I want to be fully present. I hope that is what I communicate!

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In the Presence of Greatness

One of my passions is leadership. I have shelves full of books on the subject, listen to speakers, and try to surround myself with good leaders from whom I can learn. 1996 was the first Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit I attended. I drove from Palos Heights to Barrington two days in a row for some inspiration, information and to open myself to God, and to stretch me as a person. Since that time, I have not attended every year, but over the past several years I have attended via live feed video at remote sites in Michigan. Last week I did the same thing.       

Eleven of us from Elmhurst Church drove to Michigan to attend the conference at a video venue at a church in Holland. That may seem a bit odd. But attending a video venue is cheaper and actually, more convenient. Getting from Elmhurst to Barrington and returning home during rush hour is not relaxing, or fun...but it is time consuming! We enjoyed the presenters, the venue, and the opportunity for us to be together, to share the experience and to share our perspectives following. It was a good time of team building.

Attending the Leadership Summit is a mixed bag. I am always in awe of the speakers, their accomplishments and their insights. I learn a great deal and often feel terribly inadequate as a leader in comparison. This year’s lineup included Bill Hybels, founding pastor of Willow Creek, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, best selling business author Jim Collins, Pastor and innovator Craig Goeschel, management expert Patrick Lencioni, and Pastor John Ortberg. There were also some lesser known, but significant presenters who touched me with their work and leadership.

As I reflected on the two days I had been in the presence of world class leaders and in comparison I felt inadequate. At the same time, I gained great insights, learned about some new books that could help me, and was inspired to be a better leader in the future.

Isn’t that what happens when we are in the presence of God?

We are in the presence of perfection. God is holy (unique, set apart, a cut above). When we are in the presence of God, we feel unworthy and inadequate. In worship, we respond to His holiness by humbling ourselves in His presence. We are reminded that God loves us in spite of ourselves and through His word He teaches us who we can be through the power of His Spirit. We are informed, inspired and stretched.

In God’s presence we are transformed.

Moved to Tears

Another Olympics is drawing to a close. Because they only take place every four years I have some kind of amnesia about what happens when I watch. Last week as I watched the women’s gymnasts perform I found myself applauding their performances out loud in our family room and then feeling a sense of triumph when their scores were posted.

             

Then, they stood on the platform as recipients of the gold medal and the strains of the national anthem began to play. I became emotional and my eyes got “moist”. The same thing happened as I watched swimmers perform and win medals for our nation. Why do I react that way?

             

Is it knowing what it means to compete, doing your best, and achieving a goal?

             

Is it having a sense that the U.S. Olympians are “my” team?

             

Is it part of what it means to be an American citizen and having your nation being honored by the world?

             

Yes…yes, to all of them.

             

Apparently there is something that happens during the Olympics that touches a chord deep within me.

             

I have the same thing happen periodically on Sunday mornings. Unpredictable. Unexpected. Seemingly out of nowhere.

             

Last Sunday I sat in the sanctuary as our music leaders rehearsed songs that would be used in worship. I do this frequently on Sunday mornings. It is part of the way I prepare to be in God’s presence. It is my worship before worship.

             

As I listened to the music and sang the words to myself, tears flowed down my cheeks. I was overwhelmed by God’s love, grace and mercy. It doesn’t happen every Sunday, but for some reason the combination of where I was in my life, the music, and God’s Spirit touched a chord deep within me. It caught me by surprise.

             

God does that. As we move through life and interact with God and His people, God touches a chord deep within us.

             

There was a time when I would try to analyze what was taking place. Why was this happening? What was wrong with me? Was I falling apart?

             

I’ve learned to just accept it. This is what it means to be a child of God saved by grace, overwhelmed by unconditional love, and serving in a role for which you feel inadequate but called to.  

             

I can’t predict when God’s love is going to overwhelm me and move me to tears, but I am not embarrassed by it.

             

God’s love moves me to tears!

             

A Year

I will warn you...this may be the most disjointed and random piece of writing I have done. Think of it as a “stream of consciousness.” What would you expect from an individual suffering from Olympics overload?

O.K., so a year has gone by!

         

On August 3, 2011 the moving van pulled up in front of our townhouse in Westmont, Ill. and we officially began a new phase of life! Two people in their sixties learning a new culture, meeting new people, shopping at new stores, using new gas stations, eating at new restaurants, negotiating slightly more traffic, and serving God in a new location. Should old people be doing this? Apparently, God thought so.

         

You would think at our age we would be used to this kind of thing. This was the fourth time we had made this kind of move. Leaving a place where you had poured your heart, soul and mind into people and starting all over again. It is like ripping plants out of the ground roots and all, and transplanting them in a new locale, hoping they will not only survive, but thrive. There was a lot of uncertainty.

         

Ministry attaches you to people at the depths of their being. When you are in relationships with people centered on Christ, you are relating with them at the essence of who they are as individuals. You walk with people on the mountain tops and in their deepest valleys. You see people reflect the light of God and you experience the worst of our human darkness.

         

We were in Traverse City last week for a few days visiting with our daughter and some friends, as well as enjoying the natural beauty of the area and just chilling! We spent some time reflecting on the last year.

         

We have been adapting to a new culture, both in our living environment and at our church. Some things are familiar to us and some things still feel very new.

         

We have renewed friendships with some long-time friends from our previous 22 year stint in the Chicago area, and we have made some new friends, not only at church, but in the community at large.

         

The body of Christ where we currently serve is filled with many gifted, committed and faithful followers of Jesus.

         

The body of Christ where we currently serve is also filled with people who live in pain, difficulty, struggle and darkness. In other words, they are a pretty normal group.

         

I have never served in a solo pastorate. I have always worked in situations where there was a multiple staff. God doesn’t trust me out there by myself! The people I work with at ECRC are talented, committed, adventuresome, loving, serious about ministry, and a little goofy. I love working with them, building collegiality and collaboration...becoming a team.

         

Ministry...no matter where you serve...is filled with wonder, awe, and moments when you have to pinch yourself at how unbelievable it is that God would use me and others to accomplish His work!

         

Ministry can also be painful and lonely.

         

There are days I wonder why I do it.

         

There are more days that I wonder why I would ever do anything else.

         

Knowing that you are serving God in the place where He has called you is the most rewarding, life giving, and purpose providing position in which you could ever find yourself.

         

We’re looking forward to another year.