Walking around the mall here in Peru listening to music I took my headphones out to fix the twists that went down the two of the cords because it wasn’t perfect, (thanks ocd) but I heard Christmas music and just stopped. Im not the biggest Christmas music fan but I had to take it in. Not necessarily for the fact “Little Drummer Boy” was on and was my favorite holiday song as a kid, but for the aspect of the music’s meaning. Seasons changing. Although it’s bright and sunny outside, although the leaves aren’t turning to the autumn of burnt orange, blistering red, and drab brown, although I’m not at home with my family, the seasons are changing. At home with my family everything goes on, the seasons, the holidays, the college football games, the birthdays, and life in general. That doesn’t make it necessarily the same for my family at home, but life still goes on. Whether I’m back at home with them, or I’m sitting here on a basketball court in a village of Cuzco, Peru.
Growing up the night before Christmas I believed the sun wouldn’t come up until I went to sleep and allowed it to, but I liked to test this idea. I enjoyed testing a lot of different ideas on what control I had around life and those around me. On Christmas Eve I did this to see if I really had the control on that/to get a sneak peek of my presents when they magically appeared on the couch next to the Christmas tree. I lived a lot of my life pondering off an idea similar, not realizing how much life goes on around me with or without me. Im not the center of anything, in fact lately I’ve found myself in that circle hugging as close as I can get to the center. Doing this not for the manner of that I’m in control or I am the center, but so that I can be as close as I can to He who is the center. Our Father in heaven.
I miss watching the leaves change, I miss watching the Tigers play, I miss deer and duck season, I miss the cold, altogether I miss fall as its my favorite season of the year. But like I said, whether I’m back at home with my family or I’m sitting here in Cuzco, Peru life is still moving on, the seasons are changing, the holidays are coming. Well tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which will be the first holiday I’m missing that is usually celebrated with my family. A time to reflect on what things were thankful for, which I have a lot of, and a lot I take for granted. You know that “dumb” activity you used to do in class where you make a list of things you’re thankful for? Well yeah I’m gonna do something like that.
Three Things Im Thankful For
Im thankful for the Thanksgiving lamb and the lamb of God. The Thanksgiving lamb that I was given the task of catching, killing, skinning, and sectioning up the meat for our Thanksgiving meal. One of my teammates Caleb got to do this with me, for him something new, for me something I have been around for awhile in the same manner with deer. At first this was really hard for him, something he didn’t really have much understanding on. But throughout this process there was a change that understanding, in the way he now has more respect for animals and life in general. Im thankful for this Lamb that given so that we could have a Thanksgiving meal and also the meals to come. This was also a huge time of reflection on the lamb of God, Jesus. The suffering that this sheep went through was still a lot, even with comfort and being done in the most humane way that we could. But the lamb of God, the suffering that He went through does not even compare to this in the sense of how He did not have anything close to comfort, or close to being humane. In fact we did nothing to deserve the things Jesus did and went through for us.
Im Thankful for my family. Awhile back I asked God to promise me something that I had to come home to. Looking for an answer that would be exciting and adventurous, He simply told me “My Family.” Wow. This answer wasn’t the one I was looking for but sure did hit me with a brick of conviction. Conviction on how much I take my family for granted. Their support, their care, their love, the way they push me in my faith, just four examples on a list that seems to be unending. I love my family, my dad, my mom, my sister, and my dog, way more than I typically show. I’m excited to be able to come home to something better than anything else The Lord could have told me, my family, which is something I am thankful for.
Im Thankful for a man named Dave Moeslein. A lot of times in religion we talk about seeds being planted, by things, places and usually people. “My YoungLife leader” always felt like the wrong title when introducing him, “one of my best friends” felt right. Dave is one person that I can 100% say planted a seed in my life. Everything he would tell us about the jokes we would make, the things we would say, the actions we would do, felt so small and pointless. They didn’t really make sense to me so I just brushed them off my shoulder. Well not anymore, these things make sense now, all of them. These don’t just matter to who I’m saying them to, or who I’m doing them around they matter to The Lord, which really is all that truthfully matters. They don’t make me more clean, or more appropriate, they make me more of a Man of Christ. You challenged me with simple questions, simple tasks, and planted a want & need for more the Lord that I will never be able to fulfill, so I have to chase after it everyday. Dave boy the seed you planted in my life is an ember. An ember that made a little flame that would go out from time to time and you knew that, but them ember remained. That little ember, now a wildfire. Growing more and more everyday, a wildfire inside of me burning for The Lord. In my walk today, I can confidently say you started that fire.
Dave’s Three Closing Remarks For The Boys
1. “Give a crap about people especially when its not cool to do it, just do it.”
2. “If you’re gonna talk about be about it. If you’re struggling, struggle, but don’t try to fake it and you’re good”
3. “Have fun, no one wants to follow someone who’s lame.”
Thank you for all the things you did for me and the boys all while having fun, because like you said, no one wants to follow someone who’s lame.
“Roll Dabo, and uhh God Bless our troops” – Dave Moeslein
