Being a Regular at Smoothie King

I had another great workout at the gym today. I think I saw one of those guys that people warn you about... those lunks? larks? He was grunting, and I think he was gymtimidating people. Who do you alert when you see one of those guys? I'm not sure of the process...

After the gym, what I try to do is go to Smoothie King. I got a great vanilla smoothie today with bananas and almonds. So good. What I decided was, I think I want to turn into a regular at this Smoothie King.

I want to be one of those people that just pull up to the drive-thru and the attendants would just know my voice.

"Oh hello, Eric. Your usual today?"

"Nah, I think I want to mix things up and go with the angel food"

"Oh okay! Curveball!"

I would then go to the window, and we would swap really quick stories. I may share about a long bike or hiking trip I'm going on the next week, and say something like, "if you don't hear from me next week then something may have happened!" We would both share a laugh.

What is it about people that would want to be a regular like that? I have a deep desire to be known; To be known by people and for people to recognize me. And I don't just want to be recognized but to be known deeply, and for people to know my story. 

As a Christian, I have a worldview to where the answer to that question comes from God. God designed us to be in community and in relationship with other people. God is in a constant relationship (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). When He created us, He took into account our loneliness and said, "It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). 

Another great truth... we are known by Him! He can fulfill that deepest desire I have to be known. He is closer than my next breath. I get to be surrounded by a community of friends and family as a bonus. 

So I will continue to stop by Smoothie King, and try to build connections and relationships with others. One smoothie at a time.

Ladles and Life Seminars

I recently had a group of friends over this winter and wanted to prepare hot chocolate in a crockpot. I wasn't quite sure what to serve the hot chocolate with (having very limited cooking skills). Would my friends just scoop up the hot cocoa with their own cup? That didn't make much sense... I'm missing something...

Answer: A ladle!

My friends pointed this out that I was missing a ladle to serve with. They looked at me in disbelief! You don't have a ladle, Eric?! EVERYONE HAS A LADLE!!

That's when it hit me... What else was I missing? I then started imaging that somehow I missed this really important "life seminar" that everyone attends when they turn 22. The very first lesson of that life seminar is that "Everyone Needs a Ladle".

Feeling like I am 'missing something' has always been a deep fear of mine. I feel like I constantly compare myself with my peers and coworkers, and look at what they have versus what I don't have. I'm not sure why I do that, as it never leads to any positive thoughts.

Then when you read scripture, it says that God created us in His image and that we are God's handiwork (aka masterpieces). And it also says that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.." (Philippians 1:6). Passages like this allow me to get rid of those thoughts that I have a missing piece. It instead allows me to focus on my unique skills, abilities, and strengths. I then focus on what I have, and how I can use my abilities to serve His kingdom. It gets me out of my own head and allows me to see a bigger picture.

Maybe you feel the same way. That you have missed out on a life seminar that everyone else attended, and you feel behind the eight ball. That is not the truth! You have a unique set of skills, strengths, and abilities that God gave you. What makes you different, makes you great.

Swahili Songs (Or, What I Experienced in Kenya)

 People often ask me about my recent mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya. And most of the time I just say, "Man it was awesome!" But after that I don't really know what to say. Should I invite them over for dinner, or grab coffee with them, to try to convey the beauty, and the love, and the plight? Even when I try to say what we did over there, and try to say that we served the people in Kenya, I feel like I'm lying to myself as I gained so much more from them.



In this blog, I want to try to capture what I experienced over there, and what lessons I have learned as I'm back at home.

1. God is big. This may seem like a simple statement, but I think that this may be my biggest lesson from my trip. We traveled 16 hours to a foreign land, and the staff at Missions of Hope International graciously hosted us all week. I truly felt like they were my brothers and sisters in Christ. When we had church services with them, they were so unashamed of the gospel, and of God. They were singing to their hearts content, and all of the kids were praying fervently to their God. Their God was the same God I worship back at home. God was already doing incredible things in the lives of these Kenyans, just like God was doing incredible things in my own life. The God of the universe is at work all over the Earth, and I experienced that really for the first time on my mission trip.
2. God is love. Probably the coolest experience over there was when I met my new friends in the eighth grade blue classroom, when we stayed at the Joska girl's boarding school. Before lights out, our team got to build relationships with the different classrooms. So for several nights I built relationships with these girls, and we sang songs, and I told them about my life back home. I did my best to sing with them and worship our Lord, but then when it was their turn to sing they broke into beautiful Swahili worship songs. They encircled you too, so it was better than playing a song on your car radio with sick bass. This was like God serenading you with song, and showing a new kind of love to you. This reminds me of the verse in the Bible, " The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV). Before Kenya, I prayed to God, "God, show me more of your love in Kenya. I want to experience your Love in a new kind of way." He did this by serenading me with song, with these awesome Kenyan eighth graders. On the last night there, these girls sung like usual, but then sang us a song of farewell. It was so beautiful. That night I experienced a love so rich and full. I cried and embraced them as I left, but then when I went back to my dorm I began to weep. I think what was going through my head was that I gave all of myself to these kids in such a short time, and maybe the next time I see them was going to be in Heaven. At that moment I felt all of the pain, that they have nothing, and yet all of the love that they have everything, because they have Jesus. I was so thankful to God that He gave me this experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

3. The Spirit Unifies. This thought kind of goes with the first thought, but I definitely felt the Holy Spirit on the trip move, and unify the church. Even when I was with Kenyans, I did not think of race or culture or language barriers, I thought about God, and the church, and family. I experience community every week with my guys group and community group, but I experienced community on a larger scale with my brothers and sisters in Kenya. I can say to the staff, that I love them and was encouraged by them. And to all of those kids I meant during those VBS's. I could give them a high five, and say "My brother!" to this awesome sixth grade boy every day, and I could pray with this eleventh grade boy who's brother was addicted to drugs. Holy Spirit was definitely moving us and strengthening us. He was definitely guiding our team; a team of acquaintances, who now share a bigger bond because of this experience.

I don't know if this adequately describes my trip to Kenya, but I hope I summarized well. Because of this trip I am going to continue to love big, pursue God, and not put emphasis on my material possessions. As I have ten years left on my passport, I hope I can continue to see this world, love people, and make disciples.

Take the Good, with the Bad

"I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me." Psalm 119:75 (NIV)

Last year, I had the worst anxiety of my life, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Most of it had to do with stress at work, but it was affecting me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I remember in my men's small group on Monday nights, before summer transitioned into fall, I would pace around the room while talking, and even listening to others. I couldn't sit still. My appetite even changed... I noticed at Subway, where before I put down foot longs of that oven roasted chicken, I was then only able to eat the 6 inch.

I remember during that time too, I prayed often for God to take away my anxiety. I didn't want to bear it any longer. It would continue though entering into the winter months. Anxiety is a curious thing to where I would be anxious for the things unknown to come out and get me. It felt like this nagging, creeping thing always in my head that would never let me go. Kind of like a wrestling match, where you are constantly struggling to get up from being pinned to the ground.

During these challenging months I could have ran away from my faith. I could have abandoned Him, and just said, "well hey if I have so much pain in my life, then God must have abandoned me. I will abandon Him." But.. I didn't. I ran to Him even harder, feeling like I needed Him even more.

God remains faithful, even if we are not. God never changes even though we often do. While my world was rocky, and things inside and out were changing all around, the only thing that made sense was to run to a God who was never changing, and always present. I would spend hours and hours just praying, and reflecting, and in His word, and just seeking Godly counsel. There were days where I felt God during these times like I've never felt him before.

I think that is why God allowed this anxiety to attack me, because He knew that it would strengthen my relationship with Him. I still don't really know why I had the anxiety like I did (and to this day I have my ups and downs), but I think I came out on the other end stronger. I also think because I had this battle, I am able to be a help to others struggling with anxiety.

I think we have to take the good with the bad, because I think we need both to strengthen our relationship with God. I think if we just run away from the bad, or if the bad didn't exist at all, then in our hearts we may feel like we don't even need something bigger than ourselves to get through life.

If you are going through a season of your life with anxiety, keep running towards God, and towards His word to get you through this. With good times, or bad, He will always remain faithful.

Skyscrapers

I love Cincinnati. Every time I see the beautiful skyline at night, when I'm coming home from a long trip I feel at peace. Over the river in Northern Kentucky, I can see the skyline from my kitchen window, and it almost looks mystical, like I'm looking at Oz or something.

The other weekend, I went downtown to a concert at our Fountain Square. I was like an hour and a half early, so I decided to take a walk around town. I decided to take the skywalk (public passage you can walk that connects to several buildings). While I was walking, in the midst of silence, I had some time to pause, pray, and reflect.


I remember when I was in High School, I really wanted to work in one of those skyscrapers. My career aspirations were as vague as my geometry class. I remember wanting to be a business man, and wanting to wear a suit everyday. I remember wanting my office to be in a skyscraper. I remember wanting to have a corner office, probably with my name etched on the door.

I was chasing an image, money and perhaps prestige. 

After graduating college, and working at a nonprofit, I realize now that my own definition of success has changed. Instead of chasing "stuff", which is always elusive, and always leaves you with wanting more, I want to chase after God, and people. I want to chase after love. 

Now I don't care about how much money I make. God will give me what I need to afford my living expenses. I would like to just pour out my compassion on people who need love the most; people who need to see light and hope. And that hope is Jesus! This makes me feel so much better, that I don't have to worry about making more money, or getting a job that sounds impressive, but that I can just run after God and love with all my heart.

Instead of chasing after more money, I want to chase after more love.

Jazz and Rain

How are you feeling?

Do you ever get asked this question, and you are just not really sure the answer? You may say fine, but you are not really. Or you may say "hanging in there" but you don't really feel stressed or overwhelmed?

Often times I don't really know how I'm feeling, and words possibly can't describe it.

I think things like Jazz and Rain describe feelings where words may not have an answer.

Right now I'm sitting back in my apartment listening to "Dave Brubeck's Greatest Hits" on Vinyl, watching the rain and quiet lightning outside my window. It definitely puts me in a pensive and reflective mood. It definitely does a great job evoking the unexplained feelings I may have.

For an introverted person, or maybe in us all, I think that we need to take the time to listen and not talk, be still amidst busyness, and reflect not react.

Are We Really That Different?

I went to a writers conference this past weekend in northeast Ohio. It was my first conference, and I was ready to network with other writers, and pick up some tips. The trip ended up being amazing! My favorite part wasn't necessarily the workshops (although they were great!) but it was more getting a chance to feel united with other writers. I met several new friends with diverse backgrounds. It was cool because after exchanging pleasantries with these conference goers, the next question was usually something along the lines of, "So what do you write?" I loved that perfect strangers can meet all in one building and have things in common. We all loved to write!

When I was younger, probably in middle school and high school, I had this mentality that I was vastly different from everyone else. I almost had this unspoken pride that I was more original and more unique than the common man. But I also felt lonely and alienated often during these years.

Are we really that different?

I really have started asking myself this question recently-usually ending up with the same answer: no not really. At this conference I befriended a retired engineer who had a cabin in Maine, and loved to fish. My story did not match that at all, but there we were united in the same room.

The Bible also talks about this idea of being united with other believers. Paul talks about in Ephesians that we should be of one body. The church, just one. Isn't that an amazing thought? We don't have to feel alienated and alone! Paul even says "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work" (Eph 4:16 NIV). So we help each other grow, and build each other up because we are part of the same body.

What if you had a torn ligament and you just didn't take care of it??

Just like we take care of our body, we have to take care of each other! This makes me feel more connected to humanity than any other thought!

Hope this encourages!

Eric