[love.]

... and another week passes.  There were soooo many things last week that I wanted to write about.  It was a good, fruitful, wonderful week.  One of the best in a long time!  But, alas, with no internet in my room at Toccoa (where we were most of the week for leadership retreat) and the precious few hours of sleep I was getting last week ... it just never happened.  And then we had three days of Dawgfest, a lawn to mow, and a couple to marry off .... I am so tired, I will probably never catch up to everything that was floating through my heart and head last week ... and that's ok.  But in the spirit of a new start tomorrow (first day of class ... again!) and my desire to get that mojo back, here we go!

Our theme this year is [love.] ... love.  period.

"... let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."  I John 3:18

Last week, I was at Sam's early one morning (I really don't like going to Sam's. ever.) I had some things in my cart for open house tomorrow night, checked out, and pushed it all to the car. While I was opening the back, the guy parked next to me came back from returning his cart and commented, "I was going to offer to help, but it looks like that's all light stuff" ... and proceded to get into his car and drive off. Now mind you, his statement was entirely correct ... cracker jacks, popcorn, peanuts (yep, we are having a sports themed kickoff!). And yes, if he had offered, I would have probably commented the same thing. And yes, we live in a culture where a man approaching a woman in a parking lot can be creepy. But, what struck me most was how often I do just what he did. I see an opportunity to serve someone ... and while I don't generally have the conversation outloud, I DO have the conversation in my head that talks me out of serving ... "they don't have much," "they'll think I'm a creeper," "I'm in a hurry," ... and so I think about serving, see opportunities to show love ... and don't. Time for that to change and I've been working on it. I've actually been excited about it!!!  Sam's dude, like so many of us, was willing to "love" with words ... or in theory.  Our challenge it to love in ACTION and in TRUTH!!  And loving in action is hard sometimes ... it costs us time and money, pride and did I mention ... time???

But, still, it's so exciting!!  Why this makes me soooo excited ...

• I truly, truly believe that the only way we will make an impact on our campus, in our world is by loving like Jesus!!
• I think we STINK at loving well (as a whole) ... but that we can do much, much better!  I think living in a culture of love will make us more intentional!!!
• Loving God and loving others is the heart of what God calls us to ... and it encompasses the totality of our ministry at BCM.  It was aooo much fun last week at leadership retreat to see teams flesh out how each team will love well and lead others to do the same.  For instance, outreach is going to "live [love.]" and discipleship is going to "learn [love.]"
• I have totally already been challenged and convicted to do a better job of loving.  I have the intentions .... but I have a little trouble with the follow through sometimes.  This has propelled me to seek to INTENTIONALLY love on someone each day ... and not just those people who are so easy to love!  So tonight, I've made some cookies, written some notes, addressed some cards, sent some flowers  ...

I cannot wait to see what God's gonna do in this crazy life of ours as we seek to love well.  Tomorrow starts a new semester at UGA.   Sarah (our awesome new intern) and I are gonna start by setting the example and serving coffee and doughnuts in the parking lot ... early in the morning.  So, I think it's time for me to hit the hay! 

[love.]

karen