Patience

Every morning I wake up, go for a run, eat breakfast, shower, and get ready for work… It’s pretty straightforward, except that I also have to wrestle a one year old child the whole time.  I make breakfast, and he throws it on the floor.  I try to put him in an outfit, and he wants to do somersaults.  When it’s time to load him in the car, he wants to put yogurt in his hair and dance around the house.  This is my life… :)

In the grand scheme of things, I know I really don’t have much to complain about, but it is amazing how frustrated I can become.  I think we all want to be somewhere or do something else.  However, today we are reminded to have patience.  Patience is a wonderful gift, and I don’t think it means we have to spend our lives bored, waiting for something to happen.  Patience is the ability to notice the blessings that are right in front of us.  Patience is cherishing the time we have, instead of wishing for something else.  I wonder what the world would look like if we took time for this…

Peace!

Brian

A Spirit of Gentleness...

“Life is what happens when your busy making plans…”

 -Allen Saunders

I heard this quote last week, and it really struck me.  I spend countless hours planning every day.  However, the best moments often show up when I choose to just enjoy what I have.  Earlier this week, I went for a pretty big hike up to Bridge Mountain in Red Rock.  I was really focused on reaching the top, and I became pretty frustrated when it looked like we would have to turn around just a few feet from the summit.  The rock was just too icy… However, when I stopped to look around – I realized it didn’t matter if I reached the top or not. There was beauty all around me, and I was with a wonderful group of people!

The Bridge on Bridge Mountain

I think our world is filled with blessings, but we’re often too caught up in ourselves to notice.  I can choose to be irritated if my one year old child stops cooperating with me… or I can choose to laugh on the floor with him.  I have the opportunity to choose to embrace the gift that is in front of me. 

This week we are going to talk about living with a gentle spirit.  We are not supposed to live solely for ourselves.  We are to live a life of acceptance, grace, and peace.  If we can find the grace to laugh with God, I believe we will find hope in any situation…

Blessings!

Pastor Brian 

It's winter in Red Rock... 

Enjoy the moment...

Humility

So, about a week ago I had the absolute pleasure of spending an afternoon trying to fix a leaky toilet. Isn’t that how everyone wants to spend their free time?  :)  The fix itself should have been pretty easy.  I just needed to replace a couple bolts and a gasket. Simple! Issues arose however when I realized water had gotten into the carpeting.  After I spent a significant amount of time drying everything out, I discovered I bought the wrong kind of gasket, so I had to run back to the store.  Finally, I got everything back together only to realize the tank was still leaking… I had to start all over again! 

This was exercise in humility.  It should have been simple, but things got complicated. (It’s probably more accurate to say I made things complicated…)  Today, our scripture passage tells us of the value of humility.  This can be a difficult lesson.  Personally, I find it very hard to admit my own failures or weaknesses.  It’s much easier to brag about my strengths.  However, we are not a church of perfect people.  We are a church that embraces imperfect people just as they are.  That is the true power of our community! 

Blessings,

Pastor Brian 

Kindness

When I was growing up, there was an older woman who attended the same church that I did.  In the midst of all the people there, I remember her for her kindness.  There was something about her that made her approachable.  She had an incredibly warm smile, and I could just see the compassion in her eyes.  I remember her taking time to notice me as a young kid, and I remember that making a pretty big impression on me. 

Do you know anyone whose kindness stands out to you?  This week we are beginning a new series, and we are taking a deeper look at kindness.  When I look at our world today, there is so much that seems beyond my control.  However, I believe little acts of kindness can make a big difference in the lives of other people.  Today I hope you can share a simple act of love, because that is how we bring change to the world!

Blessings!

Brian