Remembering Aunt Sue

Every Thanksgiving for more than 25 years, my wife’s family has made a pilgrimage to the Oregon coast, renting beach houses and enjoying the near-solitude of a week on the beach.  Nobody’s there except us because, frankly, the cold and rain drive everyone else away.  Despite those conditions, it’s an amazing trip, and something I’ve come to cherish every year.

Aunt Sue was one of the key figures each year during these trips to Oregon.  She was my mother-in-law’s elder sister, best friend, and a wise and trustworthy soul to all of us in the family.  Years before I came on the scene, Sue had lost her husband, Doug, to a sudden heart attack.  Doug’s passing forever changed her life, and as a result, I met Sue in a season of her life still marked by loss and mourning.  Much like our family’s commitment to Thanksgiving on the beach despite the weather, Sue had the remarkable ability to push through the dark, cold grief and instead be as loving and kind a person as I’ve ever known. 

I grew to love Sue for many reasons, but mostly because of our shared appreciation for sarcasm.  Seriously – Sue could out-sarcasm any of my comments, which is saying something.  She spent years and years as a waitress and understood people deeply, and I learned to value her insights into relationships.  When Jill and I became parents several years ago, Sue was one of the voices of wisdom and advice we treasured the most.  I remember sitting around the living room, listening to Sue talk about her kids, about parenting with Doug (whom I really wish I’d had the chance to meet), and about the challenges of getting older.

Sue drank hot, fresh coffee.  She would only drink hot, fresh coffee.  I bet that was part an old habit from her many years in food service.  She always interspersed her conversations with “honey” or “baby,” which was probably another hold-over from her waitress days.  I picture Sue as the beloved waitress of the early-morning crowd - people who love good breakfast, hot coffee, and sarcasm.  She was the kind of woman who built relationships of love and trust, rooted in simple service to others.

Sue passed away suddenly this past Sunday, although she had been in declining health for several years.  Thankfully, two of her three daughters were quickly surrounded by family and friends, supported by people they love and trust, just as Sue would have done for anyone in a similar place of  loss.  The third daughter, Jayme, is out of the country and will undoubtedly open her email soon and see the message no one ever wants to see but knows one day will come.

Our families will gather in Oregon again this year for Thanksgiving, and I truly believe that the timing for this trip couldn’t be more perfect.  Everyone who loved Sue as only family can will be together, walk on the beach and remember her life, cook and share meals around the table, and celebrate Sue in a location precious to her.  In other words, it’s hard to imagine a better setting to mourn, to celebrate, and to say goodbye.

Shalom,

Travis

Costa Rica Leadership Lessons

Ten years ago, I graduated from college and jumped on a plane for Costa Rica.  My adventure involved serving on short-term property staff at a camp in the cloud forest, almost 3,000 feet above sea level.  The link to the camp's website is here:

http://lacumbredota.org/?lang=en

I spent six weeks alongside of a dozen other American college students, living and working together at a camp surrounded by mountains and bifurcated by a crystal-clear stream.  The photo above is from our high-adventure ropes course, which was unlike anything I'd ever done before.  Rappelling off of a huge tree in the cloud forest was beyond anything a kid from Texas had ever imagined.  One of my all-time favorite places in the world is at La Cumbre - a quiet spot by the river where I'd spend most mornings, reading, praying, and listening to God.  Speaking of listening, almost every evening before dinner, I would take a walk along the banks of the river and listen to beautiful music like Ryan Adams or U2 while I watched the sun set over the mountains.

It's hard to believe that happened a decade ago.  I remember walking across the stage at my college graduation, then getting on a plane barely a few days later to take off on this adventure.  The trip to Costa Rica was my "study abroad" experience, even though I wasn't going specifically as a student.  Like many of my non-school activities while I was in college, the experience of serving in Costa Rica shaped my character and passion for ministry rather than simply offering classroom knowledge.  I also think it was one of the ways God prepared me for post-college "adult" life because it was a lonely time for me.  The other folks on-staff at the camp were wonderful, but (and this is going to make me sound super-spiritual, which I don't intend to convey) I think God wanted me to learn how to be closer with Him and trust Him, rather than focusing on people.

It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and for a time, I wondered if part of God's call to me was to jump on-board with Young Life's incredible ministry in Latin America.  While that route in ministry didn't end up materializing, I've kept in touch with the area director for Costa Rica Young Life, and I really enjoy getting regular updates on their ministry, even 10 years later.  This past month's update included a link to a blog which I'd like to pass along.  It's written by a youth/college pastor who visited Young Life Costa Rica a few months ago:

http://www.aaronbuer.com/what-i-learned-in-costa-rica/

The observations he makes about Young Life's incredible ministry in Latin America are spot-on.  I'm especially thankful for his observation about mission: "a clear mission is like fuel."

Our sense of mission at FPC truly is a gift, and we are stewards of our mission under the grace of Christ.  Nothing saddens me quite like hearing about churches who do not seem to have a clear sense of mission.  I certainly don't think every church should have the same mission we do, but I do believe strongly that churches without a mission are missing critical fuel for serving Christ.

I hope you'll read the blog link above and enjoy it.

Travis

Welcoming Hadley

 I never thought I’d be the parent of native Coloradans.  My wife and I joke that because our children are both Grand Junction natives, for their taste buds, Palisade peaches will always be that much sweeter and more wonderful than any other fruit. :)

Our daughter, Hadley Farrell Fletcher, was born ten days ago at 8:57am at St. Mary’s Hospital.  Both Jill and I cried tears of joy when she took her first breath, and once again, I was convicted that the birth of a child is a holy and miraculous moment.  Even though babies are born every day in every corner of the earth, it’s still a miracle, and you just have to be in the room when a baby is born to understand why it’s so amazing.

Hadley has adjusted well to life at our house.  She came home to a welcoming big brother, to loving grandparents, and to two exhausted but thrilled parents.  Her sleeping and nursing patterns have been relatively humane (to us) so far.  Even though I drank at least five full cups of coffee this past Sunday morning, I feel like the sense of the familiar in this season of her life makes it less exhausting than the foreign country of Will’s first couple of weeks at home.

It’s an amazing and wonderful gift to be a part of a church which celebrates the birth of little ones.  Our daughter is treated so well, which is just how we’ve seen this church treat other families with babies.  And of course, when the people around you are filled with excitement about your kiddo, your excitement goes up a notch.  The excitement is nice, but really, it’s the love and care (and generosity!  So many gifts and meals and cards – thanks to all of you!) founded in Christ which is truly life-changing.  My heart aches for my contemporaries who don’t have a connection to a church or family in-town.  Parenting would be such an exhausting and lonely road without the support of others.

Here’s a few photos of Hadley.  Thanks again for praying for us and encouraging us during this amazing season.

Travis

Family of four!  Will is wearing his Halloween costume - a dinosaur!

Will, Grandma and Hadley.  The dinosaur costume really is as cool as it looks.

Siblings.  They'll always be this cute and joyful, right? :)

Integrity: Charlie Strong, Roger Goodell, and the Ethics of Sports

(c) forbes.com

I can’t imagine the challenge facing Coach Charlie Strong.  He was named the head coach at the University of Texas’ prestigious football program in January of this year.  Between the date of his hire and the Longhorns’ first game in late August, he was entrusted with rebuilding the culture of football at one of the most prominent athletic programs in America.  He inherited a program which, while still venerated among major universities, had been through several rough years under the previous coach, Mack Brown, who enjoyed nearly two-decade tenure at UT.

The University’s leadership had the wisdom to allow Coach Strong to bring in his own staff of assistant coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators, and other key leaders from his prior stint at the University of Louisville, effectively giving Strong the reigns to re-cast the culture of football at UT.  One of the things Coach Strong immediately introduced at Texas is a culture of respect, rather than a culture of entitlement.  During spring practice, Coach Strong removed the beloved Longhorn logo from the sides of the players’ helmets, simply stating, “You have to earn those Horns.” 

Strong has built his team’s culture around five key principles, which sound like common sense to many people, but in the world of competitive college athletics (and the larger world of major sports) are major ethical grey areas: honesty, treating women with respect, no drugs, no stealing and no weapons.  You can read a broader description of these values, as well as an interesting conversation between NFL leadership and Coach Strong, at the link below.

http://texas.247sports.com/Bolt/Charlie-Strong-is-the-talk-of-the-NFL-31587363

An article from earlier this year goes into more detail about Coach Strong’s philosophy of football:

http://www.barkingcarnival.com/2014/1/14/5308182/culture-change-at-texas

As the first article points out, the NFL is deeply concerned with learning these five core values because all of them have become issues for several of the leagues’ high-profile players during the last few months.  I think it’s clear why the NFL’s leadership – including their commissioner, Roger Goodell – sought out Coach Strong’s counsel.

Coach Strong – and the team he leads – has integrity.

Despite all of the pressure to just make the team a winner, Coach Strong has taken his five core values to the very heart of the Longhorn football program, and it has been costly to do so.  He and his team have integrity because their values are not merely lip-service; they are real, costly standards for their whole team to abide by.  Nine players have been dismissed from the team during Strong’s tenure for violating these five core values.  Some of the dismissals were starters,  and some were backup players.  Regardless, the on-field results of losing that talent have led to a 2-2 record and lackluster performances against competitive opponents like UCLA and BYU.

Texas’ alumni, fans, and administration want a winning team.  So why support such a bold move by Coach Strong?  Because he’s teaching his team how to play and live with integrity.  Betraying convictions and core values in any family, organization, or relationship does not lead to healthy outcomes in the long run.  Coach Strong wants his players to see this reality before it collides with them after they graduate or – under even greater ethical scrutiny - jump into the NFL.  The young men and coaches he’s responsible for leading are learning that being consistent with the five core values will be costly in the short term.  Buying into these values is a good experience of real life for these players, many of whom are stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey with elevated ego and endless praise.  Theirs is a precarious position, and Coach Strong is interested in helping them succeed beyond their time in burnt orange and white.

Coach Strong and his staff are helping young men – gifted, talented young men – learn how to navigate real life and be a blessing to the communities around them, not just by putting points on the board but by living out an ethic that is about more than football.  I find it highly appropriate and satisfying that the more “mature” expression of football – the NFL – is taking lessons from the kid brother in college.

Bicycle Crash: One Year Later

A little over a year ago, I crashed my bike.  My friend Michael and I were finishing up a Saturday morning ride through the orchards and wine country of Palisade, and I hit a patch of loose rocks going down a semi-steep incline.  Crash.

By the grace of God, I was spared from pretty serious injuries.  My face was banged up, and my right knee didn’t work very well for a couple of months.  I recently realized that when I get up from sitting on the floor with my son and his toys, I was still using the method I had to employ last year when my knee didn’t work well.

Around October of last year, I was able to run again.  I didn’t get back on my bike again until the springtime.  During my recovery, I spent a lot of time in the pool, swimming laps, trying to get my knee to bend and move again.  Eventually, I remembered how to run, and I began to realize that something more was amiss than just an inflexible knee - which ultimately turned out to be bursitis – generous swelling of the glands and tissues around the ligaments, but no structural damage.  Something was wrong in the deepest part of me.

I love being able to exercise and stay active.  Running, swimming, and biking help me think, and there are times when those activities can even become prayerful exercises.  When I was injured, I couldn’t fully engage with those rhythms of exercise like I normally could.  There's a part of me which feels lost when I can’t exercise.

I think that part of me which feels lost and un-moored is my soul.

John Ortberg’s newest book is called Soul Keeping.  It’s a remarkable work, and I would recommend it highly.  Full disclosure – I’m biased toward this book because I enjoy Ortberg’s work, and also because he details various scenes from his twenty-year friendship with one of my heroes, a philosopher named Dallas Willard.  If you enjoy the work of either of these two men, you’ll love this book. 

The subtitle of Ortberg’s book is “Caring for the Most Important Part of You.”  I’m realizing that running, biking, and swimming involve caring for the most important part of me - not my body, but my soul.  There’s a part of me that is satisfied by these activities in a powerful way.  When I’m alone on a run – or when Will is in front of me in the jogging stroller – I feel gratitude, joy, and peace.  But here’s the key for me: my soul is cared for by my God, and when I run, as Eric Liddell once said famously in Chariots of Fire, “I feel His pleasure.”

Caring for the soul is impossible without a firm center, Ortberg writes.  The firm center we all need for our souls is the author of them – the God of the universe.  When I was injured a year ago, my relationship with God was deepened and strengthened because my normal rhythms of care were disrupted.  I had to learn to live with and lean on Christ in different ways.  Caring for my soul took on different forms, including reading and enjoying books like Soul Keeping.

Pick up a copy of Soul Keeping.  Wrestle with the question – “What does it mean to care for my soul?”  May the Lord of our souls guide you and I always.

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis

Forums, The Story, and Bonhoeffer

The Story and our denominational forums have been two of my favorite ministry efforts during the last month, and both for different reasons.  I came across this quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together which I immediately connected with our study of God’s grand story together:

"Consecutive reading of Biblical books forces everyone who wants to hear to put himself, or to allow himself to be found, where God has acted once and for all for the salvation of men.  We become a part of what one took place for our salvation.  Forgetting and losing ourselves, we, too, pass through the Red Sea, through the desert, across the Jordan into the promised land.  With Israel we fall into doubt and unbelief and through punishment and repentance experience again God's help and faithfulness.  All this is not mere reverie but holy, godly reality.  We are torn out of our own existence and set down in the midst of the holy history of God on earth.  There God dealt with us, and there He still deals with us, our needs and our sins, in judgment and grace.  It is not that God is the spectator and sharer of our present life, howsoever important that is; but rather that we are the reverent listeners and participants in God's action in the sacred story, the history of the Christ on earth.  And only in so far as we are there, is God with us today also" (p. 53-54).

It’s great to be able to see so many people – in discussion groups, in Sunday school, in small mid-week groups – “experiencing again God’s help and faithfulness” through The Story.  I hope each of you has a chance to jump in to our study in ways that bring blessing and fullness through Christ.

                                                                                

Our denominational forums have been civil, well-attended, and open to a variety of opinions and perspectives.  I’ve really enjoyed hearing the heart of this church expressed clearly at each forum.  Thanks to each of you who have been able to participate, and please keep praying for your leaders to listen well to God's calling.

I’m really glad we worship a sovereign God.  I’m grateful to serve under His leadership with each of you.  

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis