Where Beauty Can Be Found

A few weeks ago, I was attending service at my hometown church in New Mexico.  I was struck by so many different colors and hues as the sun shone through the stained-glass windows above the mantel and the fall leaf’s dropped off the trees in the outdoor garden nearby.

As I sat in silence listening to the church choir sing hymnals of my past, I began to realize that beauty is all around me.  I started to reflect on what other parts of my life display the kind of wonder that I was seeing inside that old church of mine.

I considered my family and all those that God has placed in my life, allowing me to be a part of something far greater than just my own existence; my blood family, my adopted family, and those that have helped shaped and influenced me.

I thought of my friends; those that have been such a huge part of my life – my classmates, teammates, shipmates, co-workers, close supporters near and far.  Those that have accepted me and loved me despite my faults, without judgment or scorn.

I pondered on all the places I’ve had the privilege of living and visiting throughout my life; from the great Southwest to the Pacific Norwest.  From my home-away-from-home state of Hawaii to the small village of Bucha, outside of Kyiv.  From Port-of-Prince, Haiti to the Great Wall of China.  God has blessed me immeasurably, allowing opportunities to travel to points near and far from home.

I contemplated elements immediately in front of me; my home life, my work life, my activities and interests.

In my reflection, I discovered that each part of my life holds beauty in some form or fashion.  There is beauty in the love that families share.  There is beauty in friendship and fellowship.  There is beauty in my own backyard and around the globe. There is beauty in the mere existence of my immediate surroundings.

I try to remain humble and thankful for the splendor that surrounds me each and every day.  Most times I take it for granted.  But when I have the opportunity to sit in the church I grew up in, see the sun display its’ brilliance and wonder in the windows nearby, and listen to the choir sing Halleluiahs, I cannot help but appreciate the beauty of my life.

A Common Man

The Ripple Effect

As men we tend to take on a lot, even when our time is already stretched and overburdened.  We worry about our jobs and a steady paycheck.  We worry about our spouses, kids and extended family members.  We worry about the team we’re coaching, or the classroom we’re leading, or the employees we supervise.  We worry about our friends, co-workers, neighbors and our community.  When it comes down to it, we give little thought about our own needs and concentrate on those around us and how best we can serve them.

We are peacemakers, problem solvers, fixers, repairers, and decision makers.  We do not take our responsibilities lightly.  When we see a fight, we step in to stop it or help resolve the issue.  When someone comes to us and asks our advice, we try to come up with the right solution.  We replace leaky faucets, we oil squeaky doors, we clean out gutters.  We determine if we can afford the new family car or take a family vacation.  We don’t work in a vacuum, we have our life partners to help us carry a great deal of these burdens, but as men we feel overall responsible for solutions and end results.

With responsibility comes decisions we must make every single day.  “How do I let Joe Employee go that’s not working out?”  “How will I discipline my son because he took his mom’s car without her permission?”  “How do I tell my best friend that he has a drinking problem?”  With every decision and action, there is always a ripple effect that follows.  As decision makers, we must always consider how our conclusions and actions are going to affect the immediate and those further outside the center of the circle.  Ripple effects can provide new direction for some, and disrupt life for others.

If we were to look at the ripple effect in a different light, we would notice that decisions we make not only affects those around us, it also touches us as well - all the way down to the bottom of pond.  The downward ripple effect tugs on our own emotions.  So, what do we do with that?  How do we deal with our feelings when we have to make a tough decision?  As men, it’s hard for us to ask for help and advice from others, but it’s important that we do so nonetheless.  Let’s not work in a void and feel as though it’s our problem and our problem alone to come up with solutions.  These are times when we must reach out and trust others around us with sound advice.  Take these moments to learn from one another and grow as men.  Recognize that the ripple effect of our decisions is going to have an affect both outward and inwardly.  Find men you can count on, and hear what they have to say about the ripple effects of their own decisions.  Let us travel those journey’s, both far and deep together.

A Common Man