The Cutting Room Floor: The Soul of Christmas

[From time to time, I'll share outtakes from sermons and other writings on this blog.  Below is a dropped section from my sermon this past Sunday - Dec. 7.  The italicized quotes are from the study guide to Soul Keeping.  If you'd like to watch the entire sermon, go to firstpresgj.org and click on the button marked "Sunday's Sermon."  The title for this sermon is "Thinking Like Jesus at Christmas," and it's the second sermon in our series on the soul.]

We cannot distinguish between our feelings and our will.  Even though, according to Ortberg, our minds include our thoughts and feelings, when a mind is disconnected from God, we launch after our feelings impulsively and without regard for consequences.  Our feelings grab us by the throat and direct our actions, which is not how we were meant to live.  And I think you can appreciate this problem whether you follow Jesus or not.  But look at the bullet point right across the chart in the right-hand column, “Characteristics of the Integrated Mind:” We know and accept the fact that our feelings do not have to be satisfied.  

On the one hand, this feels like an obvious statement, right?  But actually living into it presents tremendous challenges.  When I was looking at Black Friday ads, I could actually feel some adrenaline moving into my body as I pondered the great deals and how much money I could save – buying things I didn’t want or need, ironically.  Thinking like Jesus – which I’m not at all saying I have down pat – means I’m able to say “no” to the direction my feelings want to lead me.  I don’t reject feelings as a whole, but I’m not led by them.  Someone wise once said, “Our feelings are a good servant, but they’re a terrible master.”  We can say “no” when we feel like doing something we know to be unhealthy, destructive, or that leads to further isolation in our sins. 

A mentor of mine was telling me this week that in more than 20 years of pastoral ministry, he sees more conflict, pain, and confusion between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31 than any time of year.  Maybe it’s because so many of us lack an integrated mind and simply act instead of stepping back and taking every thought captive for Christ.  Not easy, but I think it’s a goal worth pursuing.

Another suggestion: drop the word “busy.”  Simply overusing the word “busy” during this season might be creating a barrier between us and the peaceful minds God wants us to have.  Try this during these weeks before Christmas – take the word “busy” out with your trash, and choose to use another word or a different approach throughout the rest of the season.  It’s life-giving, and it focuses our minds on something other than ourselves.  Set aside some time this week – when you’re not “busy” – and read through the handout, asking God for help to move toward an integrated mind.

Bruce Springsteen: "The Ones that Got Away"

Christmas came a little early in my life this year.  A friend of mine has been cleaning out his house, and he gave me a treasure of modern art: a box full of Bruce Springsteen CDs.  I’ve been a Springsteen fan for a while, but I certainly haven’t purchased all of his albums, mostly because he’s got a prolific catalogue after being a recording artist for more than 40 years.  I was very excited about this unexpected gift, and so I’ve been listening through the albums during the last couple of days, marveling at Springsteen’s body of work.

I like listening to an entire album – even if I know which single is catchy or fun – just to try to get a sense of the depth of what the artist is trying to communicate.  Sometimes, the exercise of listening through an entire album doesn’t reveal much beyond the catchy single, but in the case of Bruce Springsteen, you can be assured that his albums are never about just one song.

One album in particular has really resonated with me as I’ve listened to it a few times through.  Back in 1999, Springsteen had separated himself from his E Street Band-mates and taken a journey on a solo career.  Some of the albums he made were good, but mostly, I think his fans were hoping for a reunion with the entire E Street Band once Bruce’s solo passion had run it’s course.  Springsteen released an album in 1999 – maybe listening to his fans’ requests, maybe not – simply called 18 Tracks.  Here’s an exerpt from the liner notes, written by Bruce himself.

My albums [are] a series of choices – what to include, what to leave out?  One of the results of working like this was that a lot of music, including some of my favorite things, remained unreleased.  This collection…is the alternate route to some of the destinations I travelled to on my records, an invitation into the studio on the many nights we spent making music in search of the records we presented to you.  I’m glad to finally be able to share this music; 

here are some of the ones that got away.

Usually, when an artist releases a record of “the ones that got away” or “previously unreleased material,” only the most full-throttle fans truly appreciate the offering.  These albums are often esoteric, rambling, and at the end of listening to them, I’ve usually felt like there was a good reason those tracks had littered the cutting room floor.

Not so with 18 Tracks.  Beginning with recordings all the way back from 1972, the songs on this remarkable album chart a course through Springsteen’s evolution as a musician, and his depth as a songwriter.  Even songs which are unabashedly fun like “Lions Den” (1982) and “Part Man, Part Monkey” (1990) carry weighty messages of love and redemption, and in the case of “Lions Den,” reflect the story of the Bible.  I was struck by the idea that Springsteen’s “ones that got away,” combined together in this album, are even greater than some of the best work being made by modern artists today. 

Springsteen’s 18 Tracks never feels disjointed or poorly put-together, even though the musical styles and instrumentation vary widely across the decades.  I think this is possible because Springsteen’s own artistic vision is front-and-center in every song, the messages of his music coming through in stereo, spanning the decades.

Shalom,

Travis

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.