Life by the Slice

Long Weekend Exodus...I just don't get it

Calgary is a ghost town this weekend.  Coming home from the office on Friday I go across Stoney Trail, one of the major artieries out of town.  Sitting at the light I looked north and the south bound traffic was backed up as far as the eye could see.  Every other vehicle was an RV or vehicle pulling a trailer.  Regularly you don't see Stoney backed up in that direction unless there is some serious construction happening.  So at that point I knew the Long Weekend Exodus was on.

The Exodus was confirmed to me when Britton and I went out on Saturday morning to Safeway.  We pulled in the parking lot.  It was only a 1/4 full, it looked more like a weekday's worth of shoppers than a Saturday.  Inside every til was open as usual on a Saturday but there weren't any line ups. 

Saturday night church a bowridge I saw the same thing.  After the service was 20 minutes in there were still 6 parking spots in the parking lot...unheard of.  There were two complete seating sections that were empty...everybody could have fit in the center two seating sections. 

So, Calgary is half empty this weekend and I have to tell you I just don't get the Long Weekend Exodus mentality.  Here's my perspective on what the Exodus...

• I'm dying to get away for a weekend to some nice peace and quite, stress free relaxation. So, I decide to go to the mountains or go camping.
• I pack up our camping gear and get the family in the van on Friday afternoon and set out.
• I hit traffic trying to get out of Calgary, what's usually a 15 minute trip to the highway turns into a half an hour.
• I'm on the #1 highway headed to Kananaskis.  It's bumper to bumper, RV's trudging along and young people in their sports cars loaded with camping gear zipping in and out passing everyone along the way.  The traffic adds another 1/2 hour to the trip.
• Hit the highway into K-Country.  It's single lane and bumper to bumper again with the guy in the lead doing the speed limit...stress level is going up.
• The kids are in the back asking when are we going to get there.  What's normally an 1 hr and 1/2 trip has just turned into 2 1/2 to almost 3 hrs. 
• Ahhh, we hit the first campground, Mt. Kidd...oh its full, okay we'll head down the highway some more
• Second campground is full, third too, fourth, fifth...stress level is definitely high...Britt and I drive in silence while the kids argue in the back because somebody touched somebody elses seat (not them, just their seat).
• All the campgrounds are full, its either overflow or back home.  We chose overflow.
• We get set up have dinner at 8 o'clock.  Ah life is good.
• 10 o'clock.  Our dumb neighbours are having a party.  Kids' can't sleep.
• Saturday, we get into a campspot...bye bye overflow.
• Our new spot has groups on either side of us, great, we are in party central...the previous tenants got kicked out for noise violation...

You get the picture?  And I haven't even mentioned the fun of trying to get home on Canada day!  I'm sorry, I just don't get it, sure I'd be in the great out doors, but my stress level sure wouldn't be lower.  I'd probably come back needing a vacation!

So, I choose to stay put and spend the weekend in a city of a million that currently is half empty.  Actually, Calgary's pretty nice when half the people are missing. 

Have a great long weekend!

Now I've gone and done it...

Well I've gone and done it now and there may be ramifications.  Today I placed an order for a MacBook Pro.

After a month and a half with no laptop I have given up at trying to live without one.  But instead of buying another PC laptop I decided after two years of thinking about it to buy a Mac book.  I've been playing around on a mac for about 6 months after I picked up an old G4 and put Tiger on it.  I've enjoyed my foray into the world of Mac so now I've jumped in with both feet. 

This move may be costly though as I may have to surrender my Microsoft Certified Solution Developer pin as a penalty for making the switch.  Microsoft if you are out there, please take note that I did wait until after Bill retired to make the switch...long live Emperer Bill.  Oh and I'll likely make it a dual boot system so I can continue to play my windows based games, plus my system at the church will still be vista (no chance we are switching there), so chin up microsoft, I haven't totally gone over to the dark side.

Anyway, the MacBook is on order and will be here in a week or so, just in time for my vacation.  In the meantime, let me introduce myself..."Hi I'm Kirk...and I'm a Mac User...Sorry PC"

Driven or Called 3

I'm still thinking about what it means to be a person who is driven vs. someone who is called by God.  My latest thoughts center around identity.

When I am driven...

• My identity is wrapped up in what I do and what I am trying to accomplish.  Typically this means my work.  When I'm driven I'm convinced that I have to make things happen and I become consumed with reaching my goals and in order to do that I take the goal within me and it becomes part of me.  How many people in the world have spent their lives consumed with accomplishing something or achieving a certain position only to find that the accomplishment is the only thing that defines them?  And in the end been dissatisified by what they've accomplished or their whole identity now becomes trying to hold onto what they've accomplished. 
• When my identity is wrapped up in what I am doing, my work, then I find it hard to accept criticism or comments, regardless of how helpful the person is trying to be.  This is because when you talk about what I do you are actually talking about me, and who likes to be personally criticized or told they could do better right? I get mad, I get frustrated, I fight back.  I get defensive.

When I am called...

• My identity is found in Jesus.  I realize that my work and my accomplishments do not define me or make me significant.  I am significant and defined by the amazing love the Jesus has for me.  I don't have to accomplish anything or hold onto anything in order to be loved by Jesus. 
• I can accept feedback, criticism and comments because this does not threaten me personally.  I am secure in who I am in Christ Jesus. 

Driven or Called 2

I've been thinking more about what it means to be driven versus called. Here is another way that I know that I'm leaning to hard on my person drive and not listening enough to God's will can and calling on my life.

When I'm driven...

• I believe I have to do everything myself.  When it comes to living a God honouring, Christ pleasing life I feel weighted down.  I think, I have to do this, think like this, act like this.  Kingdom living becomes a list of do's and don't's that I must live up to...and no matter how I try, I fail.

When I am called...

• I live in the reality that Christ's grace (translate as help) is sufficient for me and it is new every morning.  I realize that that there is no possible way I can do it on my own; it is Christ who helps me through everyday and every situation.  Christ living in me and changing me and as a result my thoughts, actions and being are radically changed.  I realize that Kingdom living is about a relationship with the God of the universe and the list is not a list do's and don't's but a list of the markings of a citizen of God's Kingdom.

Driven or Called?

I am reading a book by Carson Pue called Mentoring Leaders.  In chapter 8 Pue writes about budgeting time and resources.  One of the things he says is...

"Leaders need to understand that when the Lord gave us twenty-four hours in a day, he gave us all the time we need to do what he is calling us to do.  So if you are as a leader are frazzled by busyness, it is time to examine closely the priorities of your life.  If Jesus gives us enough time to do his will then being overly busy is suspect."

What Pue said resonates with me and I have come back to re-read this paragraph a number of times over the weekend. 

This morning I read James 4 and in verses 13 to 17 James warns about self-confidence and self-reliance.  I believe what James is talking about is not only about boasting in ourselves, but also living a life of driveness versus a life of calling.  James says...

"Look here, you who say 'Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year.  We will do business there and make a profit.' ... What you ought to say is "If the Lord want us to, we will live and do this or that." 

I am a very driven person, I often have the mindset that "If I don't...then it won't..."  I've been waging war on this driviness within me for a few years.  I want to be someone who is called by God into every good and perfect blessing that he has for me.  I do not want to be someone who is consumed with making things happen for himself.  I want to be someone who trusts on the promise of Jesus in Matthew 6 where he says, "See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  

I have found that when I live a life that is driven...

• I make plans about where I want to be and when I want to get there...then I ask God to bless those plans
• I become consumed with achieving the goals and find little time for the other things in my life (family, fun, my spiritual well-being, health) and this results in feelings of guilt.
• My joy quotient is low, because I'm always focused on achieving the next thing and I get frustrated when I'm not achieving
• I am slow to grow in my relationship with God

But I've found that when I live a life that is called...

• I listen for God's calling and what is it the Lord wants
• I have time for it all...all that God has called me to do and be.  (family, fun, spiritual well-being, health)
• My joy quotient is high, I enjoy the moment, knowing I am exactly where God has called me to be. 
• I experience growth in my relationship with God.

Reading these two lists, who would want to be driven?

What Pue said resonated with me because I believe it to be true.  What God has called us to do and be,  He has also given us the time, energy and resources to accomplish.  The longings that God has put in my heart can all be accomplished, I just need to listen to his calling and do his will. 

Father, help me to be a person of calling always listening and obeying your will.   Help me to put away the busyness and do what you would have me do.