Time flies...

One of my fave shots of my kids, ever.

What's so heartbreaking (in a way) about it is how recent it 'feels' to me but how 'distant' it actually is.

It's YEARS since I took that shot.

Our whole WORLD has changed since.

But some things haven't.

Like, I still love those kids to distraction, I still love their Mom. I still hope to build a life for them in which they can thrive, meet Jesus, and discover what He's called them to do. I'm still trying to 'find my way' a bit as I do it.

What really gets to me about that shot is how you 'blink' and half a decade goes by. This gets me wondering about how I'm spending my life; gets me thinking about what I can do better, how I can repent, re-focus, re-apply myself.

At the same time, because life is beautiful and fleeting, this shot also reminds me to slow down and just 'be', to make sure that, in my busyness (re: above) I don't miss those moments where the light turns perfect and I rush back to the cottage to grab the camera and my kids actually cooperate and we get some shots that will live forever.

Busyness and beauty.

The hallmarks of a life well-lived perhaps?

I spent yesterday on the compound of THE most successful broadcast ministry in history. I spent time with their top leaders--the ones who've been there from, literally, day one. What struck me about them was how intelligent, committed, focused, 'on message' and hard-working they are...

FIFTY years later.

Their shared focus, their continued fixation on a singular goal, and the effort they've expended TOGETHER is utterly humbling and awe-inspiring.

They really put me in my place (in a good way) in terms of what I need to do, and how I need to do it and who I need to do it with.

The really GREAT news is that (despite past failures...) I think we're finally doing the right thing in the right mix in the right way with the right people.

No, our results are nowhere near where they'll be (DV) fifty years from now but I believe that we're on the right track.

And THAT'S an encouraging thought.

I won't be surprised if, five years from now, I end up feeling about our lives the way I feel about that picture up there.

Man that was beautiful, but where'd the time go?

T