charmed life

I've had a few conversations about this topic lately, and I thought it would be good to preserve them in blog form-

a couple of weeks ago, it was a Sunday morning, and I took the students out to the field to play soccer. it was a gorgeous day, we were in the shadow of those rolling, green los gatos hills, and the students were thrilled to be outside playing. the leaders were all out there being wacky with the kids- and I went to sit down with some of the kids who were either injured or didn't have the right shoes on- and I looked out on the scene and thought to myself, "I don't think it gets any better than this..."

one time I was watching a giants game on tv, and it was a big moment in the game and in the season. the crowd was tense and into every play of the game. one announcer said to another, "any other place you'd rather be?" and the other one says, "not on your life."
I kind of chuckled, and saved that phrase for later.

a couple of nights ago, I was out to dinner with my daughter, and she was very into our time together. she was chatting and chatting about everything: her schoolwork, her toys, her friends, her dreams for the future, and that phrase came back, "any other place you'd rather be?" even while she was chatting, I just reached out and put my hand on her shoulder to save the moment a little while longer.

a long time ago, I was watching this interview with Billy Idol, and he was promoting his album called "Charmed Life." the interviewer asked, "why would you give your album that title?" and he responded with something like, "I'm a punk rocker- I wasn't supposed to get famous or rich. I wasn't even supposed to live all that long. but things have been good for me- I'm living a charmed life." that was another phrase I saved for later.

recently I went on a walk with my family down a trail near our house. we had just walked to dinner and were walking back. we were looking for rocks to throw in the stream and were racing each other- and that phrase came back- and I thought to myself,

"I wasn't supposed to be this blessed- I never thought that life could be this great- that I could be a leader and serve God and get paid for it; that I would have a marriage that is wonderful and a kid that loves me- that I could live in a beautiful town and neighborhood. things have been good. I'm living a charmed life. or maybe a better phrase is a blessed life."

lately I have been stuck in these moments where they are almost too good to be true- and all I could ask for is a pause button to freeze time and save those moments forever. in these moments I'm struck with how blessed I am and how grateful I am for everything; literally everything.

sometimes when I'm with the students I encourage them, instead of thinking about everything that's going wrong, thing about everything that's going right. not just in your circumstances, but in your body, in your cells, in your central nervous system, and in the galaxy. there is so much that God is taking care of that we don't even think about or will even be aware of- maybe ever. count those blessings- if you can count that high!

be joyful always. pray continually. give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

God is love.
-rev-rob