Then and Now

I got an idea yesterday.

Knowing that I would be writing this blog today, I planned on bringing with me my journal from the winter of 2008. I had an inkling that the words I wrote during the second week of February during my ski bumming experience would in some way connect and correlate with reality today. So, while eating lunch with a special someone in the "Multi-cultural Kitchen" at school, we read what I wrote.

Here's what I read ...

2/10/2008
" ... It's snowing again so I'm getting up early to go up to the hill & give'er. I read the Beatitudes this morning but I didn't take much time to think about it or pray about it much. This week I will be trying to focus more on my prayer habits and learning new things and growing in some way."

This was intriguing to say the least. At eight o'clock this morning I turned in a group project covering the first six verses of Matthew chapter 5 - the beginning of the Beatitudes. For the past two months I have once again been focusing on my prayer habits. When this semester started, I was blown away by all the new things I have been learning and I am continually pumped about growing. Most of this growth is spiritual, emotional, or relational in nature, unfortunately little growth is happening with hair follicles.

After reading from the exact date, three years ago, I opted to read from the Thursday before. Once again, stars aligned, dots connected, and the rooster crowed again.

2/7/2008 (Day 40)
"Another really fun day of skiing. I rode the gondi w/ Brady the patroller & he told me that Poacher's just got ski cut and was open. I was the first one there & it was knee deep. Very fun run. I met up w/ Ethan & skied w/ him and Eirik, Scott, and Kate. We got into White Wall just after it opened - it was great snow. We had a great day rippin around. I left them & skied Truth off of Terminator Peak - was an awesome run - I was like 3rd or 4th into that. Had an amazing time enjoying God's creation - He is blessing me so much this winter. This morning I read about prayer again and how it needs to be me seeking God & what God wants me to do for Him rather than me asking God to do things for me. I know God is really pushing me to spend more time in prayer to be in conversation w/ Him to grow in my relationship w/ Him."

Simply speaking, this is where I'm at again today. While I haven't skied forty days this winter, I have been blessed so much by God. I still see that prayer needs to be me seeking God and what he wants me to do for Him. Today, the words that come to mind are solitude and listening. To know what God wants me to do for Him, I need to listen. Prayer is a conversation with God. As I spend time talking to God and listening to Him in solitude, I grow closer to Him.

I'm not claiming to be a prophet, but in three more years I will say something similar to this again. My geographic location may change, but my spiritual location will be the same. As a human, humbly coming before God, quietly listening to Him, sharing my honest feelings, and doing this thing we call "prayer" it will be of the utmost importance to remember where I've been and look forward to where I'm going.

During February of 2008, I saw in front of me was saw snowy mountains, skiing, new friends, long beards, and a growing faith. During February of 2001, I see snowy flat lands, school, new friends, long beards, and a growing faith. The space between has been filled with adventure, dreams coming true, stress, physical and emotional pain, laughter, memories, and a whole lot of God's grace. If I've learned one thing in three years it is this:

God never ever ever changes. The love He has for every human is consistent. If I spend an hour with Him or 5 minutes, He loves me the same. If I eat pietistic pie, walk around with a halo over my head, and do innumerable good things, God loves. If I spit in someone's face, lie to my friends, steal, kill, and destroy, God loves. Unconditionally loving unconditionally is God's favorite thing to do.

Now, that's better than hearing it snowed a foot last night ...