rekindled

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The initial jump into the falls of the San Marcos River (1995) was exiting, disorienting, exhilarating, and refreshing. I mean the falls below Spring Lake, where the water comes around the old mill chute and falls creating some crazy currents, upwelling, eddies, etc. By the time I moved away from San Marcos in 2000, I knew just where to jump, how to float, drift, and go with the flow so that I could be calm and relaxed in those waters, even though it was always refreshing and exhilarating.

The more I swam there, the more I payed attention to what the water was doing. I even appreciated the power and danger of those waters. I learned to respect the river.

Laura and I recently went to swim in the San Marcos River, and I'm bit out of touch with some of the currents; I still remember the respect. Ben Nelson invited me to talk at the St. Mark's Lenten Lunch but first needed to check in with the river, and stop by the old church building where the campus-ministry-in-a-variety-of-expressions-is-called Christ Chapel.

I pretty sure my talk at the lunch was at least a bit scattered because besides TALKING about spiritual renewal, or rekindling the gift of God, and how that happens, I was experiencing renewal. I was, perhaps not able to reflect quite as fast as it was happening. The run along the banks, the swim in the river, the dinner out with Laura, the visit to a familiar building with new things happening, catching up with Susan Hanson who got me plugged into St. Mark's in the first place, the visit with Jaime Boussard (the Luther-opal Campus Pastor), the visit with Ben Nelson (who knows all about water and Aloha!), my first visit to the NEW St. Mark's and seeing friends there as well as the beautiful buildings and setting, and starting the talk off with a song; well, it was all beautifully overwhelming and renewing.

Photo by Susan Hanson
So as I tried to articulate the need to balance our outer life and ministry with our interior life and spirit, I discovered that I was being taught again by place and friends what that means. I felt a little tossed-about, like that first jump into the springs: exhilarated.  I hope someone got something out of the conversation, because I certainly walked away refreshed, renewed, rekindled.





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