Don’t Stop Paddling

How do I need to be in order for you to be free?

I was asked this question while watching the Global Oneness Project trailer and I was immediately floored by the gravity of the statement. Obviously if someone is asking this question then they believe that an individual is holding me back or that I am holding another person back from experiencing a fulfilled life. That’s what a lack of freedom speaks to me, an unfulfilled life (there are some that would argue that freedom is a state of mind but generally they haven’t experienced a true loss of freedom).

Staring at my computer screen I begin to wonder if there was something that I was doing or wasn’t doing that wasn’t allowing others to be free. As a follower of Jesus and a believer in his teachings I feel that this is a question that all Christians should ask themselves. Is there an area where we are failing to allow others to be free? What do you think?

The previous post was a song by The All-American Rejects called “Mona Lisa”. As you can see by the lyrics it is yet another song about sitting and watching the world fall apart. It seems every year or so a punk rock group brings out a great song saying screw it all. Every one goes through that satge in life where they wish the country would blow up and society would get turned upside down. Maybe its the dream that we could just hit the reset button and start all over because obviously we’ve screwed up. Surely you can’t take a look around say, “Yeah, we’ve done a great job.” I mean the earth is practically dying beause we keep blowing hell all over the place, people are killing others all day long for a multitude of reasons (all of which seem to point at religion), and millions of children are homeless and starving. So the thought of the world falling apart can be comforting at times, almost like we were getting a do over. Just imagine how Noah felt when he got off the ark. I’m sure it was nightmarish seeing thousands of people drown and die (probably being insensitive) but he was getting a reset. Lucky guy.

Well no resets for us. We’ve got to figure out how to fix this shit. Before the world goes down.

International terrorists. Earthquakes. Drag queens. Drunk Drivers. Ninjas. Man-eating crocodiles. Runaway trains. Bank robbers. Crying babies. Gang bangers. Hurricanes. Rattle-snakes. Easter bunnies. Minature poodles. Wizards. Godzilla. Pirates. (Christians). Tornadoes. Sharks. Gorillas. Lions, Tigers and Bears…and Talking Scarecrows.

There are a million reasons NOT to walk out the front door every morning. You never know what could be around the next corner; your life could over in the blink of an eye. And yet – you decide to get out of bed, put on your walking shoes and open the only barrier between you and the world. With no thought to your safety you strut out into the unknown. Good for you; there are some who just can’t do it …without serious medication.

First I want to congratulate you on this amazing feat. Against all odds you did it. Bravo for you.

Second I want to ask, Why?

Why do you drive (or walk) the streets of this city? Why do you subject yourself to the dangers of this world? Is it to provide for your family? Is it to go to school? Is it to keep up with the Jones’s?

I challenge to look at the reasons you take on the adventure called life. You need to look at your motivations and check yourself. Cause’ it would suck to get eaten by a crocodile while on the way to make an extra buck.

I found this is in a journal I wrote a while back…

Romans 1:20 (message)

Yahweh,

When opening our eyes your sunshine is there. Our feet hit the trail and we stand among the tall pines you are the breath in everything. There were men long ago who knew you without ever knowing a name. You are more than a written word; you are the thoughts and fingers of every great author. No painting or sculpture can match the creation of your love. I will never forget that you are Lord when I touch the sea and look to the mountains.

Later

Deye mon gen mon.

Beyond mountains there are mounatins.

Haitian proverb

Not long ago I wanted to runaway. There wasn’t a specific place or anything, just a longing for a new setting, a place seperate from the one inside my head.

I was living the mindset of a caged bird; I wanted to escape but I thought I didn’t have what it took to survive and “make it”, that wondefully demeaning notion that life takes certain credentials to live and if you don’t have them…well…you’re screwed. Mind brain would sell me on the idea that I wasn’t good enough, that I needed more, ah…what’s that word…credibility.

My best friend is in love with the word credibility, for those of you that don’t know credibility or credible is being worthy of the belief or confidence of your peers.

Which is weird for me because aren’t we supposed to be a society of individuals but everyone wants to be credible. If we want to succeed as influencers and change makers, individuals who strive to change the mindset of others, we have to gain credibility. So in turn we’re killing ourselves to become credible-counter cultural-change making-individuals; radicals who need to have the approval of society before they can be new radicals.

So here I am at this seemingly large crossroads in my life where I want to do something radical in the name of Jesus yet I’m trying to figure out how to fulfill this deed while gaining the respect and confidence of others to allow me to do this. I didn’t want to be a radical. I wanted to be a cool radical. Sure I wanted to help people but first I needed to figure out how to look legit while doing it. Let me break the ice for you, without substance legit is shit. There’s a reason why Tom Hanks is cooler than Colin Ferrell.

Recently I started reading Moutains beyond Mountains about the work and life of Dr. Paul Farmer. Only 50 pages in and this guy is one of the coolest guys I’ve ever read about.

This guy is a stud.

Paul Farmer didn’t start a legit social justice group with slick business cards and a design savvy website. He didn’t start out looking like an iconic anthropologist changing the world, he became one. This is a man who is changing an entire nation (Haiti) because he is doing and not worrying about how he looks while doing it.

I’m not saying design doesn’t matter. I’m just saying if design or looking cool isn’t your thing then screw it. Go do your thing and make an impact and when the time comes and if somebody wants to do a documentary on the work you’re doing then let them make you look cool.

If we all sit on our hands waiting to become legit then nothing is ever going to get done.

I’m all alone in the office today, my co-workers are working at Catalyst One Day at North Point Community Church. The last West Coast Catalyst deadline is today so I am smiling and dialing working the phones hoping we sell out by the April 22nd event. Ticket sales haven’t gone as quickly as we would like due to the economy and a lot of churches are buckling down on their budgets. I have had more than a few phone conversations with pastors who recently lost their jobs and now they’re living in prayer believing that everything will work out.

I admire their faith and their moxie. Most of these pastors have a wife and a couple of kids (pastors must suck at putting condoms on) and their degree is in Youth Ministry or Small Groups Administration, not exactly a recipe for stress-free peaceful unemployment. Not to mention that these men and women feel a strong calling on their lives to make a differance in the community so its hard for them to accept a position outside of the ministry (which is a fabled land).

I appreciate them for their dedication and hardwork to the ministry but I have a quiet proposal….more of a what if.

What if God was using this economical downfall to pull ministers and believers back into the outside world? Take a moment and think about it, there are literally thousands of churches that are going under, what better way to start a movement than dispensing believers all over the country as car salesman, real estate agents, drive thru attendants, bartenders, etc.

Just a suggestion, I need to get some things done at work, more on this later today.

Later

My mind is a dangerous place to be this early in the morning filled with should have’s, what’s next’s, and maybe’s lying around like landmines. Images and thoughts flash before me as I flip through mistakes from years ago to hopes about what’s to come. Truthfully this is when I am the most afraid; afraid that I didn’t learn from my last mistake and tomorrow I’m going to fail again.

I’m afraid that I am going to waste my life making mistakes.

And I’m afraid that I am going to waste my life worrying about those mistakes.

Why can’t I bury the hatchet with myself? My dream is to live a vibrant life full of unknowns and new adventures and I am afraid that I’m missing it. Maybe it’s time to stop living at 5 AM and start living as if I am back on the Ocoee.

The Ocoee River is located in East Tennessee and for the summer of 07’ it was my home. I was never a great raft guide (probably not good either) but I gave it my all. The beauty of the river was that when you got on there was no getting off. One way or another you were going down so the only option was to keep paddling. We’d scream at our customers, “Don’t stop paddling!” and they would push their arms, faces somewhere between a smile and a look of fear.

I think it’s time to move on past the morning hours and hop into the river. This life is fast and rough and the only way to take it is to smile and Don’t Stop Paddling.

Later,

Ross