for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. – Colossians 1:16

(Note: If I’m posting more than usual it’s because writing is therapeutic for me – especially stuck here in the hospital…)
One thing about hanging around in the hospital – it changes the typical flow of your schedule! So today I’ve done a lot of reading, some extra journaling, and a lot of climbing stairs. I’ve tried to have as much of a “make lemonade” day as possible, given the fact that we’re still here.

Stair climbing, for example, works well here on the 6th floor. There are 106 fairly steep steps on my way down to the coffee shop, and – on the climbing back up part – my legs start to protest severely around step 81 or 82. I have to be honest, I haven’t “felt the burn” exercising in a very long time. I guess walking Scoutie isn’t quite the aerobic activity it was a few years ago, back when she was a much younger labradoodle.

Then there’s reading. I’ve been reading aloud to Rebekah. Lots of good stuff it turns out. First, I read her a chapter of one of my favorite books – The Unmaking of a Part-Time Christian. It was the section on our calling as Christians to be subversive in this culture, and I have to admit I found my own words quite challenging.

Then I started reading her “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, a deeply intelligent book. Interestingly, we noted a lot of overlap with The Unmaking of a Part-Time Christian; much of what Christ calls us to do leads us out of the expected, and when we live our lives creatively – without being hemmed in and compromised by expectations – that’s often when we make the most profound difference.

Again, today, I couldn’t help but note some of the cool architectural features of the Wake Med campus. My friend George referred to some of them in my earlier post, writing that, “your photos today are a subtle reminder that we are in and of God’s design, which is sometimes amusing, sometimes baffling, but always there wherever we are…”

And that’s a good thought to wrap on this afternoon. We are in and of God’s design. Often, the very best thing we can do for ourselves, and for those around us, is to take the time to engage with our Creator, and to find out exactly where that understanding leads us.

In love – always – and because of love – DEREK

The Unmaking of a Part Time Christian