I Am NOT Just a Number

The other day as I was "speed-reading" through the Bible, trying to make my year-end deadline, I found a chapter that was amazing (Isaiah 38). I liked it because it was desperate but authentic. ...And since I am drawn to the "doom and gloom", it grabbed my attention. This chapter is about King Hezekiah who has just been informed that he was going to die. What captured me was his response. Instead of saying goodbye he states "In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?" (vs 10). He goes on to cry out "No longer will I look on my fellow man, or be with those who now dwell in this world". His lament brings me pause because I too have felt that way. As much as I cannot wait to see my grandfather and sister in heaven, I also want more time. King Hezekiah doesnt stop there. "Like a weaver I have rolled up my life, and he has cut me off from the loom" (vs 12). He goes on to say how he fee...

Recently, I went on my annual family vacation to the Adirondacks. It is a rural area of upstate New York surrounded by mountains, wildlife, and rivers. It is truly a beautiful place. I have been reading a book called "In the Wilderness" about how we are all looking for adventure in life to thrive upon when we put down our cellphones, computers, and other multimedia and really listen and look at ourselves. Sometimes this can be very difficult and for me it was. I am not accustomed to quiet. I have become content with chaos. I sat around a campfire, hiked a steep mountain, fished the most peaceful river, and floated down rapids. In this time of solitude, I found myself explaining how far I've come this past year, and how far I have left to go. Who was I trying to convince? I can remain cool as a serial killer at work during the most stressful of events, yet the mountain air could not muffle my anxiety. I have never been more happy with my life, but stress and the pursuit of...