cheeseburgers, starbucks, and weirdness
Life is weird.
I have come to the conclusion that life is a journey of give and take. When I was 17, I thought life was perfect. I had just finished high school, I was single (and loving it), and I could eat 3 double cheeseburgers from Mcdonalds in one sitting and not gain a pound. Like I said, life is weird and for some reason I left the place, people, and lifestyle that I loved to move to somewhere far, unknown, and sickeningly flat (yes, that's a word... I spellchecked it).
I eventually came to dislike the weather, landscape, and nothingness of Indiana, but appreciate the university, environment, and community of someplace far, unknown, and sickeningly flat. I found myself in the same predicament 4 years later than when I graduated high school. Though I was ready to move on and start my "life", there was so much at college that I didn't want to lose.
As I'm sitting here typing wandering thoughts onto this screen, sipping on my cold, starbucks coffee, and listening to Norah Jones, I can't help but remember the late nights at the Starbucks in Kokomo, Indiana knowingly failing at accomplishing homework while having more important heartfelt conversations about love, life, and everything in between with Beck, Jared, and occasionally "crazy fingers" Juli (I don't know if I'd ever called her that, but it was the first nickname that came to mind).
As I have that thought I can't help but chuckle at the fact that I'm actually in Kalamazoo, Michigan, living in this house by myself, and trying to act like I know what I'm doing as a pastor.
Life is weird.
But you know what, I love it. Sure, I miss Jared, Beck, the staff, all my house buddies (even Jeremy... Wait, no nevermind, I take that back). I miss tossing the "B", late nights at Starbucks, not having a 1 on 1's with Jmak all year, and hotshots golf until 2 in the morning. Life goes on, or so they say. We give up some things in exchange for others. I had to give up college community for a different kind of community; I had to give up freedom for my summers for purpose in full time ministry, and I will have to give up singleness for lifelong companionship with a woman I adore and love.
Constantly God is showing me that tension is not a bad thing, in fact it's the opposite. Those times of uncomfortableness and uncertainty are the times where God can work the most. I took this ministry position with a primary emphasis in middle school, not because it's my favorite area or because I feel the most equipped for it. Actually I'm scared to death about working with those dang kids. Sure God uses our strengths and passions to guide us and move us into areas of service, but I am convinced that God works the best through our weaknesses because those are the places where we are less likely to rely on our own talents, but rather to seek God's strength and guidance. I know it seems simple, but contradictory at the same time, but it makes sense.
God has moved me to places of uncertainty and uncomfortableness, and those have been the places where I have received the greatest fulfillment and joy. Don't shy away from those areas where you don't feel the strongest in, but seek God's strength and push through the tension and see what happens. Strength only comes through tension and pain.
I think life is supposed to be weird, if it wasn't we'd get bored.
I love and miss you guys.
Matthew 22:34-40
Pete
I have come to the conclusion that life is a journey of give and take. When I was 17, I thought life was perfect. I had just finished high school, I was single (and loving it), and I could eat 3 double cheeseburgers from Mcdonalds in one sitting and not gain a pound. Like I said, life is weird and for some reason I left the place, people, and lifestyle that I loved to move to somewhere far, unknown, and sickeningly flat (yes, that's a word... I spellchecked it).
I eventually came to dislike the weather, landscape, and nothingness of Indiana, but appreciate the university, environment, and community of someplace far, unknown, and sickeningly flat. I found myself in the same predicament 4 years later than when I graduated high school. Though I was ready to move on and start my "life", there was so much at college that I didn't want to lose.
As I'm sitting here typing wandering thoughts onto this screen, sipping on my cold, starbucks coffee, and listening to Norah Jones, I can't help but remember the late nights at the Starbucks in Kokomo, Indiana knowingly failing at accomplishing homework while having more important heartfelt conversations about love, life, and everything in between with Beck, Jared, and occasionally "crazy fingers" Juli (I don't know if I'd ever called her that, but it was the first nickname that came to mind).
As I have that thought I can't help but chuckle at the fact that I'm actually in Kalamazoo, Michigan, living in this house by myself, and trying to act like I know what I'm doing as a pastor.
Life is weird.
But you know what, I love it. Sure, I miss Jared, Beck, the staff, all my house buddies (even Jeremy... Wait, no nevermind, I take that back). I miss tossing the "B", late nights at Starbucks, not having a 1 on 1's with Jmak all year, and hotshots golf until 2 in the morning. Life goes on, or so they say. We give up some things in exchange for others. I had to give up college community for a different kind of community; I had to give up freedom for my summers for purpose in full time ministry, and I will have to give up singleness for lifelong companionship with a woman I adore and love.
Constantly God is showing me that tension is not a bad thing, in fact it's the opposite. Those times of uncomfortableness and uncertainty are the times where God can work the most. I took this ministry position with a primary emphasis in middle school, not because it's my favorite area or because I feel the most equipped for it. Actually I'm scared to death about working with those dang kids. Sure God uses our strengths and passions to guide us and move us into areas of service, but I am convinced that God works the best through our weaknesses because those are the places where we are less likely to rely on our own talents, but rather to seek God's strength and guidance. I know it seems simple, but contradictory at the same time, but it makes sense.
God has moved me to places of uncertainty and uncomfortableness, and those have been the places where I have received the greatest fulfillment and joy. Don't shy away from those areas where you don't feel the strongest in, but seek God's strength and push through the tension and see what happens. Strength only comes through tension and pain.
I think life is supposed to be weird, if it wasn't we'd get bored.
I love and miss you guys.
Matthew 22:34-40
Pete
posted by Pete at 10:57 PM
6 Comments:
Amen Pastor.
1. I don't miss jeremy either.
2. Also just thought I'd mention that its still not to late to keep your singleness. you could be a free man forever! weeeeee!
Hey...whatever happened to that Pete kid? He used to always relax his face...I liked that.
he got married.
Very cool design! Useful information. Go on!
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