June 4, 2010 The Journey Continues...

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Many of you are aware that our oldest son T.J. has joined the Peace Corps. You know that because simultaneous joy and concern for him spills rather quickly from my lips.

T.J. is in Honduras. Earlier this month he received his permanent assignment for the next two years. The assignment came after two months of intensive language and culture training, along with interviews and analysis of the potential each volunteer possesses. What follows are T.J.’s own words after receiving his assignment to Salama’, Olancho, Honduras.

We had interviews with Jorge and Jesu’s to explain to them what kind of sites we wanted. I decided not to request too much, but I gave them a few outlines. I absolutely do not want numbers. No finance, no accounting. I want to work with children and youth, and I would prefer a big city. 0 for 3. Salama’ is a small town – about 2,700 people – and my counterparts (or work partners) work with bean farmers who need help with their accounting. As I was reading the description of Salama’, I started to get negative thoughts in my head: “This isn’t at all what I asked for. They didn’t give me anything I wanted. This isn’t fair!”

But I’ve been thinking about it, and I realized that I completely missed the point. It doesn’t matter if Salama’ is what I asked for or what I wanted – I didn’t join the Peace Corps for me. I joined the Peace Corps because I wanted to give two years of my life to work with people who needed my help. Jorge and Jesu’s decided that those people are in Salama’, so that’s where I’m going. And I’m going with a positive attitude.

I’m not sure where this quote originated, but I read it in the book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain.”  It says, “That which is around me does not affect my mood; my mood affects that which is around me.”  It’s all about attitude. I refuse to be a hindrance to my own happiness. I’m going to Salama’, and I’m going to love it!

Sound familiar?  This is appointment season – the annual time within United Methodism when pastors are assigned to their places of ministry. Some are returning for another year. Some are leaving for a new place. Some are pleased with their assignment. Some are not. Some lay people wonder how in the world they will ever say goodbye to their current pastor. Some believe it’s time to say goodbye to theirs. Some believe their church will never be able to survive without their current leader. Some think they need a new leader in order to survive. Some have a wonderful spirit about itinerancy. Some don’t trust it all.

Yet, interspersed into this mix of human emotions are three mysteriously divine realities – God promised to be our God, Jesus promised to be with us to the end of the age, and the gift of the Spirit has kept on giving us hope, vision and encourage for the last 2,000 years. When I get discouraged or uncertain, those realities buoy me up and remind me that:
There IS a way through. What you may not be able to see is that God might be unfolding in your midst new possibilities of blessing and opportunity.

There are good people to be found in every pocket (and appointment) in God’s world. I have been so surprised and so blessed by the unexpected people that God has provided to me on the path of life. Haven’t you?

If we open our hearts to the possibility God will provide us with abundant blessings. The old line is really true:  When we feel separated from God it isn’t that God has stopped hanging around us, it’s that we’ve stopped sensing God’s constant presence in our lives. The key is to keep looking for the wonderful blessings that are ALWAYS around us.

My son has been sent to a place he didn’t want to go, but he has gone with an inspiring reminder: That which is around me does not affect my mood; my mood affects that which is around me ... I refuse to be a hindrance to my own happiness.

May it be so!

The Journey Continues ...