Gotta Go Back in Time

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So tonight Kairos was different.

The worship was stellar as usual. The teaching from Mike Glenn was spot-on. There was a full crowd per the norm. Then how, you ask, was it different?

Kairos took place tonight in Wilson Hall instead of Hudson Hall, where it is normally held. As in the Wilson Hall which hosted Kairos from its inception in 2004 through April of 2009.

For me it was like stepping out of that famous Delorean into 2008. It was weird how seeing the coffee and snacks in the lobby instantly conjured up old feelings. And not just any old feelings. I could remember exactly what I was feeling and thinking back then. The only thing missing were the people– there were very few of us in there who were there during the first go-round. That also means that a new group of people got to experience the magic of Wilson Hall.

I’m not saying I’d want to go back. I’m content with where I am now. Who knows how different things would turn out if I went back with what I know now and tried to change things?

This may not be the ideal future I envisioned for myself way back when, but this is where I’m supposed to be. This is where God has put me and where I find His provision for my need delivered at just the perfect moment when I need it most. This is where God promised that His plans for me were not for harm, but for hope and a bright future.

I found this benediction in a book I was reading today that seemed fitting to close this post:

“You go nowhere by accident.
Wherever you go, God is sending you.
Wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there.
Christ who indwells you has something He wants to do through you where you are.
Believe this and go in His grace and love and power” (Dr. Richard Halverson).

 

Time Machines and All That

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I had a mini-marathon of Mad Men Season 6 tonight. Every time I watch that  show, I have a longing to be transported back to the 60’s and all the history that was in the making during those years.

There’s something  about retro and nostalgia that comforts me. Even if it’s from before my time, I’m still drawn to it.

I had an idea for a motel that I think would work. Each room would be completely furnished from whatever was popular and trendy from a particular year or decade. So, there might be a room dedicated to 1965 or to the 50’s. And there wouldn’t be any technology that came after in these rooms.

Maybe that’s a dumb idea, but I’d pay to see that.

Sometimes, I think I’d like to go back and sit and talk with people in my life who have passed on. People like my grandmother and two uncles on my Dad’s side. Both my grandfathers. My childhood friend. People that I at times took for granted and now wish I could spend time with.

This may be me repeating myself yet again, but don’t take those people in your life for granted. Don’t ever assume they know how you feel about them. Nothing brings more regret than unspoken words. People are in your life for a limited time and once they’re gone, you can never retrieve the time or the chances you had with them.

I know that scientifically time machines aren’t possible. But I still like the idea of them. I like reading stories and seeing movies about people who can travel through time. It just appeals to me.

I may not be able to go back in time or into the future, but I can be fully present where I am and not miss the moments God gives me. That’s the best I can do to honor those who are gone from my life.