Tension- Sweet Spot

Here are some ramblings. I know it is has been a while...

Tension.... Life is lived in tension.  Relationships have tension. When you "commit" to someone, there is a constant sense of tension. It is not all bad. Frankly, tension is what brings about trust, it brings about a sense of connection. It brings about a sense of accomplishment when you take two different people, set a goal, and then work together to accomplish it. 

I love my wife. We are very different.  But we are a really good team. There is this tension between us that draws us together and to God. We have to lean on each other, and on Him. I love her. I love what we do. I love the things we do together. 

I love my kids.  Again, there is a sort of tension, especially as we see them leave home and build lives.  Each one of our kids has a "core" in them that is good. They love God, and they try to live that out. But each one of them has gone about it a different way. That is the fun of life. They do not always do the things I would do, and isn't that wonderful? 

I love the staff of our church. We are all very different. This last week, I was in for a few days. I was walking around just looking at how different all of them are.  Some are loud and busy. Some are very quiet and studious.  Some are older, some are younger.  Some have lots of experience, some do not. All of US make mistakes... but we have a goal and that goal is to glorify God and to help others know, love, serve and share Him. ( Christ)."

Lately I have been gone alot. It is by design. I have not thought much about the church, but have focused on some space between me and the church, which has cleared my head... It has made me think more about strategic planning... getting out from under the urgent and into the important. I have needed some time to think, some time to rest and some time to spend with kids and Pam. 

There is a tension there. I want to know what is going on at the church. I like knowing...  I want to make decision, I want to see the flow of how things are going. But I have had to turn loose of alot to be gone and let it kind of all happen.  I noticed it these last two weeks, because the emails and the phone calls have been very few. At first that bothered me...."Why don't they call me?"  "Why are they not emailing me?"  Well, because I told them not to. Because it is best that when I am away, I am really away.  What a challenge to do that when you have been trained to believe that you are always on call, 24/7/365.  One of the benefits of being a pastor in a larger church is that you can get away. 

Here is what I have learned...

1. Strategic planning and thinking way ahead of the game is something someone has to do. If you do not have someone doing that you will spend all your time reacting. Most bad decisions are made in a hurry and react kind of mode. 

2. We have very gifted staff that can do a very good job of "managing" the day to day things in the church. I feel a need to develop more "strategic planners" that will see the church grow and develop over the next 10-20 years. They are all leaders... who love God, love their families, love their church and love me. I need to be better at this, and reproduce that in others... lots of work to do there.

3. I love spending time with Pam. She is my best friend. We have a gift in the time that we are given to be together. The next 30 years will be fun.(I would love to live to 80, with her...)

4. Tension is not a bad thing. Too much time away from the pressures and stress kind of becomes a "withdrawl" kind of thing too. It takes me a couple days to decompress...But  I think the tension I am talking about is kind of like the sweet spot on a bat.  When you hit the ball on the sweet spot, there is a different sound. And the ball flys...  I like that sound.  At the church, I think we are hitting more and more of the "sweet spot". It does not mean that there are not some broken bats, some strikes, and even an occasional strike out... but we seem to be able to hit the ball out of the park once in a while now.  The sweet spot for me is to be able to leave, learn from others, rest and recuperate and then come back stronger than ever. 

5. I need the rest. I am finding that rest of all kinds ( emotional, physical and spiritual) are completely inter-related.  I have not done a good job of resting the last 8 months or so.  I am working on it... I can feel it when I am winding down... 

Lots to think about.... Who knows maybe I will be able to get back to blogging more, rather than just storing it up for a big one like this.

later...