Taking Pictures

I've always made sure to take mental pictures that warm my heart when times can be cold. Mental pictures can't be burned, stolen, or lost. I take tons of mental pictures. The time I hit that curveball over the fence. The chance I had to ride an angry bull...hurt. When I slapped the angry bull, hurt more...I shouldn't have slapped him with my face.

Running marathons, hurt in the good way.

My heart tore wide open in an amazingly loving way watching my kiddos be born. Seeing them made me a better man.

Yelling at the ref, forgetting to be a better man, getting thrown out of the gym and the ballpark was a picture I took to learn and grow.

I took the picture today when I plunged my son into baptismal waters. It set my heart on fire with a spark I needed to know again.

I looked around the sanctuary today, on my last day in the WCC pulpit taking pictures. I saw you. I love you. I took those pictures. I miss you already.