I heard a podcast today that referenced the passing of pastor Kyle Lake who was tragically killed in an accident less than a year ago. The podcast talked about the last message he was writing and then they read part of it. I didn’t just hear those words…I listened. I searched and found his message and thought I would share it. May these words echo in your soul.

“Live. And Live Well. BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now. On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.

If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE. Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.

If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash, then crash well.

Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed. If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all… because soon he’ll be wiping his own.

If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well. At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life. Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift.”

Addiction. One word with huge implications.

Addiction. Life out of balance; beyond equilibrium.

Addiction. Control without controls.

I have always been what I have termed a “life-long learner.” And therein lies the challenge. How to create the balance, the equilibrium, the control without sacrificing the value. It’s amazing how much information is so readily available today. The internet has made gathering this information so easy. The challenge is not in gathering the information, but in discerning what is truth and what is not. Knowledge and discernment really go hand in hand – truth cannot be established without the presence of both.

And thus the challenge. I love learning. I love knowledge. I love the internet. Where else can an information “addict” get a fix worthy of the greatest Kings? I now have DSL in my home and for the past few days, I have not been able to think about much else. I don’t want to cast the wrong idea – I use the internet in postive and constructive ways. It’s just that once you find a certain piece of information, there are dozens of additional pieces available the moment you discover the first.

Some commonly refer to the internet as the world wide “web.” Think about that for a moment. A web can be a networking opportunity that reaches far beyond one’s own capacity. Or, a web can be a snare, an entrapment just waiting for its next victim. The internet fits both roles so perfectly. The never-ending quest for all information. With Web 2.0 now debuting, this quest will continue to spread in ways we have yet to imagine.

Can you imagine a world that is always connected? It’s here, and it’s now. Forget Chaos theory. The internet has provided a means for instantaneous connectivity. Any thing, any time, any where.

I wonder if God is like the internet. Always connected, always knowing. God is just one click away at all times. I like that thought. I mean, so many people are searching for the truth, when it’s been right there the whole time. One click away.

So I close this post knowing that there is still information out there that I haven’t discovered. And I’m okay with that. Balance. Equilibrium. God. Who needs more information when you already have the Truth?

My wife and I finally gave in and are now sporting internet in our home. We’ve used internet (or at least the old bulletin board system if you remember those days!!) since it’s conception, but as we concentrated on our budget the past year or so, internet was quickly one of those “extras” that was sacrificed. We have been without internet in the house for over a year, although both of us have access at work.

At least once every week for the past few months I have had to run out to the office (or in the driveway of a nearby friend with a “hot spot”) to download something or to check an important email. Talk about frustrating!! And with our daughter home for the summer and needing to do some research, we finally decided to take Al Gore’s invention back into our home. Now with DSL readily available, we are speeding our way to a never-ending informational search.

Now we’ll see if this helps me keep this blog up to date!!

It’s funny how life can change in an instant.  You might go to bed one evening and wake up the next in a totally different world.  I’ve always been told that as you grow older time will go much faster.  It has been proven that time is not a constant but simply a variable that is navigated at an unnoticeable rate, but I can’t imagine that time actually "speeds" up as we get older.  I will agree however, that the appearance of time moving faster is certainly true. 

I remember when I was young dreading many summer days simply because they "crept" along.  Do you remember those days?  And then the teenage years where the days seemed long but you had lots of things to do, so you lived in what felt like the "eternal party."  Then along comes marriage, college, a family, a career.  The responsibilities keep piling up and before long you’ve blinked and you’re 30 years old.  I remember my 20′s, but I certainly don’t "remember" my 20′s. 

In just a few short years I’ll be approaching the 40 barrier.  Age has never bothered me, so I don’t anticipate this next one being an issue either.  But what has me asking some questions is whether or not I’ve accomplished anything in those 40 years.  I don’t think many of us will ever be totally satisfied by what we’ve done in life, but can we live with the "how" we lived in life?  I guess that’s the stage I’m in now.  Sure it matters some "what" I’ve done, but at this stage of my life’s journey it matters much more about the "how" I am living life.  Maybe 40 is a natural time to revisit that question. 

But then again, maybe today is the day to revisit that question.  What am I waiting for?  What are you waiting for?

For the first time in quite awhile my wife, my youngest daughter and I took some time to visit a local state park called Millstream Gardens. I talked briefly about this park last fall, but we took a new “route” this past Saturday that ended on a scenic overlook called the “Cat’s Paw.” What a phenomenal view!!

I have attached some pictures of the splendor of nature. It is very similar to Johnson’s Shut In’s, but much more secluded and pure in my opinion. We’ll be back to take some family pictures very soon!It’s nice to take a break from reality and experience the glory of God’s kingdom. At first my brain resisted – I have too much to do, I don’t want to get outside, etc. My wife can be persistent (I love this quality about her – it really pushes me out of my comfort zone!! I love you because…), and before I could process my comment, I had agreed to take this short day trip.

The mile hike seemed longer than it really was thanks to some winding trails, but what a beautiful day!! The trails reminded me of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee where we spent our vacation a few years ago – more beauty and wonder from nature. I forget all to easily why I love to be outdoors. My body and mind get so trapped in the “real world” that I forget my soul needs a break. Watching the streams of water helped to refresh me and “refill” my soul – just what the doctor (or in my case, the nurse) ordered. Thanks Mrs. G for reminding how much I needed the break!

I’ll challenge you to take a break today. Put down whatever you’re doing and walk outside. You might even need to run to the nearest exit. Others may wonder what in the world has happened, but you can simply shout back to them that it’s time for a “soul break.” Peace. Tranquility. Goodness. God always knows just where we can find it. It might be His way of giving us a quick glimpse of His love or what the party might be like after our this life comes to an end. Either way you look at it, it’s a great way to bring “Up There, Down Here.”