A Tree that STANDS

Hey again!  I wonder if you have been thinkn about the tree?  The one that is burning inside - maybe with passion...

I love that tree - it has made me think so many times.

There was the tree, in the field, by itself - only crops around it in the spring and summer and fall and in the winter only open field.  The tree stood tall.  I would even say it stood proud.  Glad to be a tree - the last tree of what I am guessing was a forest of trees plowed over for houses and crops.  The tree doesn't pretend.  I doesn't hide.  It stands for something.  There is something beautiful about that.

You see, I want to be like the tree.  I want to stand.  I want to be true.  I want to know who I am and what is REALLY important in life and I want to stand for those things.  When I say something is important to me, I want people to look at the details of my life - how I spend my time - how I spend my money - how I invest the passion (fire) in me - all the moments of my life - and I want them to see that what I say is important really shows in all the areas of my life.  I want to be true to who I am and who I want to be.

After all if I say family is important and no one can tell by looking at my time, passion, money, moments, is family REALLY important to me?

If I say that serving the world and loving people is important to me but no one sees me investing time, money, passion, moments, in serving and loving, is serving and loving REALLY important to me?

If I say that honesty is important, if I say that standing for the little guys, the weakest, the defenseless is important, if I say that being a peacemaker is important, if I say that laughter is important....if no one can see it in my life...is it REALLY important?

Reminds me of another Switchfoot song:

"The World You Want"

I'm kickin up the pieces
I'm trying out adhesives
I'm trying to fix a place that feels broken
All my words they fail me
My voices don't avail me
I'm trying to say the hope that's unspoken

Is this the world you want?
Is this the world you want?
You're making it
Every day you're alive
Is this the world you want?
Is this the world you want?
You're making it

The world feels so malicious
With all our hits and misses
Feels like we're in the business of rust
It's when I stop to listen
All the moments I've been missing
I finally hear a voice I can trust

Is this the world you want?
Is this the world you want?
You're making it
Every day you're alive
Is this the world you want?
Is this the world you want?
You're making it
Every day you're alive

You change the world
You change the world
You change the world
Every day you're alive
You change the world
Honey, you change the world
You change my world

You start to look like what you believe
You float through time like a stream
If the waters of time are made up by you and I
If you change the world for you, you change it for me

What you say is your religion
How you say it's your religion
Who you love is your religion
How you love is your religion
All your science, your religion
All your hatred, your religion
All your wars are your religion
Every breath is your religion yea
Is this the world you want?
Is this the world you want?
You're making it
Every day you're alive
Is this the world you want?
Is this the world you want?
You're making it
Every day you're alive

You change the world
You change the world
You change my world
Every day you're alive
You change my world
Honey, you change my world
You change my world

I love this idea.

Problem is that so many times I look up from my day and realize that it would be pretty hard for someone to identify me as I claim to be...

Instead of being true to who I am and what I believe, I am worried about what people think. 
Instead of standing up for good, I cave to finance.
Instead of fighting for the little defenseless ones, I concede to big healthcare.
I preserve myself.
I save myself.
I pretend so i'll look good.
When I go to stand up like the tree, I find that it is sometimes lonely and hard and I would rather feel good and do what is easy, even if i am acting more like a fern than a mighty burning tree.

I see the same thing all around me - our country is chock-full of people who say they believe this or that and you would never know by looking at them - they look more like a cup of pudding than a tree!

I hope that you are not like me on this one - i hope that you are always true to who you are - that your life lives out what you believe and anyone who meets you would know what you believe and who you are by how you act and what you say.

But, if you struggle with being true.  If you find yourself in the tub of jello, no backbone, wallowing in the way of this crazy world we live in.  I hope you would consider joining us at More than more.  By no means have we perfected our trueness to where we stand up tall and strong all the time, like passion-filled trees and say to the world around us, "Bring it!"  But we are all on our way - all of us closer to the tree than we used to be.  We are learning to be true.  We are helping each other along and finding that as we journey through life together it is easier to be true.  Each time we get together we focus on something that shows what really matters in this life - we remind each other of what is true and good and right and real.  We accept each other making fake unnecessary.  It is a great way to live life.

We hang out every other Thursday night at McAllister Recreation Center - just off 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette - 645-800 pm - activities for all ages are available.  We will return to this usual schedule on the 16th of October.  We hope to see all of you then.

This next Thursday night, October 2nd, will be a different More than more time together - for those who are part of the group already.  It will be a special outreach night serving the families of Murdock Elementary.