Enjoying the Moment

Kira came home with some amazing news last week!  She is getting a new job as a school social worker.  This is something she has wanted for a long time, and we are both super excited about it.  However, it does change our schedule around a bit.  For the past 5 years, Kira and I have both been able to take Mondays off.  Since I’m pretty busy on the weekends, it’s been wonderful to have a day off with her.  However, this past Monday was our last day together for a while.  We decided to take advantage of the moment by heading up to Mount Charleston for a snowy hiking adventure.  We traveled up a canyon to Big Falls.  It wasn’t a particularly long or difficult hike, but it was so much fun to check out the snow filled landscape.  We climbed up to the falls and we slide down different gullies.  It was an amazing day.  It was also an important reminder to cherish the time we have. 

We are heading into a super busy season in the church.  It is my hope and prayer that you would be able to take the time to see all of God’s Blessings that are in front of you today.  I hope you can find a moment to be still and know that God is with you!

Blessings!

PB

A gorgeous day!

Down the falls...

Breaking through the snow bridge

Trying to fall into the Abyss... :)

Relationships!

It’s March, and that means we are already preparing for summer!  One of my favorite summer events is our annual mission trip to Los Angeles.  This trip is incredibly powerful, and our youth have done an outstanding job serving there.  However, I have to admit, the Los Angeles Mission trip is really challenging for me.  I prefer staying active building houses or cleaning up after natural disasters. The Los Angeles trip is different.  Most of the trip is based on relationships.  We spend hours sitting with people who are homeless.  We wash their feet.  We talk to them.  We listen… We learn about their joys, fears, and sorrows.  On other trips, if I am approached by someone who is really annoying or smelly, I can choose to work in another area, and I meet other people.  However, the LA trips force me to take a deep look at myself and my own biases.  I have learned a lot simply by forming these relationships.

Skid Row... It can be uncomfortable, but it is a
 powerful place to build relationships.

Today, our Scripture passage tells us how deeply Christ cared about each of us.  He didn’t just work where he was comfortable.  He reached out to everybody.  It is my prayer that we could all learn from His example.  I hope we can all remember that Christ came to this earth for each of us… We are loved just as we are!

Blessings!

PB

Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something really important?  Those moments that can bring about feelings of anxiety, fear, and anger… I know, because I lose things all the time!  I will tear my house apart on a regular basis looking for things that I have misplaced.  It’s not a fun way to spend my time!

A while back I lost my wallet.  I took it with me on a bike ride, and when I returned, it was gone.  I retraced my entire ride, but after a few hours, I thought I would never see it again.  However, later the next night, there was a knock on my door.  It was two 10 year old boys.  Both of them were named Jose, which I thought was kind of neat…  They had found my wallet on the street, and they saw my address on my driver’s license.  I couldn’t believe these kids had come all the way to my house instead of just running off.  In the end, I was blessed to catch a glimpse of God’s love in the world!

This week we are looking at a very famous parable about finding the lost.  Life is filled with chaos and stress, and it’s easy to become lost.  However, Christ is always searching for us.  God is always calling for us to return home to the joy of grace, love, and acceptance.  It is my prayer this week that we would never give up on ourselves as lost.  We are loved, and nothing will ever change that!

Blessings!

PB