Love Is In The Blair

So what is a guy to do when it’s Mother’s Day and he’s on the World Race in Mozambique, with no internet, and hasn’t spoken to his mom on Skype in a few days?  Well first he asks his friend who’s going back to America to call her and tell her Happy Mother’s Day from him, but then his friend would think that’s too much trouble.  So then when he sent his mandatory text message into the home office with his monthly SIM card information he’d include for the mystery person on the receiving end of his message a request with his mom’s phone number to call her and tell her he said Happy Mother’s Day.  But, of course, he’d have to assume that this mystery person behind the veil would quite possibly not oblige his, according to his presumption, uniquely original request. (ß repetitive redundancy alert) So based on that assumption he’d decide to give her the only gift he could other than, “staying safe” and “having fun.”  He’d write a Mother’s day blog, in her ...

Bob Dylan once wrote ... "The times, they are a' changin'."  Ron Burgandy never heard that song.  I wrote, " The teams, they are a' changin'."  The two are very similar, except I never actually wrote my song, and no one has ever heard it, but you could imagine what it'd be like if I did right? Right? At the end of month 3, before leaving Romania we my old team, Mosaic, got the ax.  Some garbage about breaking up monopolies and some anti-trust mumbo jumbo... I don't know I wasn't paying attention. I had feelings about leaving my old team.  I knew I would miss them, but I mean hey this is The World Race... time to suck it up and move on.  Besides, it's not like I'm being thrown into a group of people I hate.  Ahem... Speaking of segways... I now have a pretty awesome team too.  Don't worry Mosaic, you will always hold a special place in my heart, more specifically each of you individually. ______________________...

...FALSE!!!  If you feel misled, and are hurt by it you can feel free to only read the 1st 500 words of this blog (or look at half of a picture... your call.  But if you decide you wanna read more... I suppose I'll welcome the dedication. By now you may know that I'm out of Romania, or maybe you don't.  But either way I am... I'm in Moldova... kinda, but that's for another blog.   I just thought I'd take a few minutes to fill you in, vaguely of course, on the month that was Romania. My team of old, Mosaic, was in Draganesti-Olt  (pronounced DRAHHH GONNE ESH TSSSS!!!) with Monarch (kah kaw), spending our nights nestled in "the mission house," and our days praying, working with children, helping with church logistics, doing garden work, and digging a well.  We also tried our hands at a little "construction," nevermind the fact the wind was a little stronger than one of the walls we built.  Although, to be fair, what tall, one-block-wide wall wo...

What's the point? Is it to get things done?  Is it to change the world?  Is it to even make a difference? Seems like a no brainer... Or is it? Perhaps somewhere along the line, in the midst of knowing the right things, we've forgotten them in favor of what our thoughts and feelings tell us is the "right thing." Sometimes we get to the point when we want to do the right thing, but we're so bogged down by how ineffective we think it might be.  We might have been shut down so many times before in what we view as our sincere attempts to do the right thing.  And though they may have been sincere, we may be discouraged because we feel like our attempts to love or serve the interests of others will be a failure. But what determines failure? I would say that with no goal, there is no failure. But fear not... I'm not saying to not have goal, that would be boring and lame... not to mention wrong, but rather that we re-examine what the goal is.  If the goal is for our lo...

So just know... I haven't been ignoring you all... also just know that this blog will not be as good as it would have been had it not been 3 am as I write this and everything I just typed hadn't just been deleted. Also just know that it wasn't that great to begin with so you don't have to cry too bad for what you're missing out on. I've done a poor job of blogging. Not because I don't care about you folks knowing what's going on, it's just that I've not felt like I've had anything that I'd consider worth reading in terms of quality of composition. Not that what I've been doing sucks or isn't a great experience, but I’m not normally one for just sharing experience I wanna go deeper into what that experience means normally.  And my thought process has been, "Well if my narcissistic self wouldn't wanna read just this about what's going on, why would I subject other people to the email or the Facebook/twitter link and ...

Four score divided by 80 fortnights ago, I set out for this whole World Race thing.  And I've yet to blog anything...until now.   I haven’t forgot you all (just some of you…I think… I don’t remember)… I just don’t feel inspired to write.  I haven’t and honestly I still don’t, but here I am typing away in the church enveloped by the sounds of overly loud motorcycles and trucks puttering outside the window of the church where we are staying and the sound of singing children in the next room… and of course some Needtobreathe from my computer. Before I really begin let me say this…  The church body here is super hospitable and wonderful.  They are greatly in tune with community and sharing things as each has need to a degree that is encouraging to see anyone reach.  And my team is absolutely wonderful (understatement)… so far at least ha.  So in spite of what message the rest of this blog MIGHT send (if misinterpreted) I am incredibly blessed. That...

“...I am humbled.” I want to live my life with the thankfulness, grace, mercy, and love that spring from the weight of that statement truly defining my heart. I’m humbled by the graciousness and mercy of a loving God.  That’s nothing new, but lately I’ve been repeatedly humbled by the generosity and trust of people.  From complete strangers to those I know well and from people with significant financial resources to those who don’t have very much at all; I have been amazed.  I have been amazed at generosity and obedience to the Spirit.  I have been amazed that these people have so graciously opened their hearts and their wallets to help support me on The World Race. All this leads me to ask…   “Who am I?” Who am I that the Lord would bring me to a place of opportunity to serve Him in any capacity, much less one of the caliber and make of The World Race?  (It’s no more special a call, but it’s still pretty freakin cool). Who am I that the King of all cr...