Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Living Dangerously..."Halal"

I was in Pinedale yesterday and I saw some little league baseball games going on so I stopped to watch. I quickly flashed back to when I played as a little guy. The object of the game was simple hit the ball and run or if you’re on defense catch it if the ball is hit and get the batter/baserunner out. To hit a home run was the ultimate glorious moment all of us dreamed about and when it happened life was as good as it could get. We ran the bases like there was no tomorrow. We’d swing the bat like we were going to hit the ball into tomorrow. Giving our all to win. To be victorious.

I remember the freedom and fun I had playing T-ball with my cousin Tyler. Our team was called the Tigers. We had orange shirts with black lettering and numbers. We’d play our hearts out and celebrate with victory like we won the world series or sob with the agony of defeat like we had just lost it…and then we would go to Dairy Queen or The Cardinal Drive-In and get some delicious ice cream and all would be right with the universe because that’s what you did after a baseball game. Then next week would do it all over again. Of course we would make sure we didn’t go to the pool on game days because as our parents and grandparents told us we would be tired and wouldn’t play well. It was simple. It was fun.

As I read the devotional (sitting on the log to the left in the pic with my feet in the river...a spot I may visit again if the log is still there)I was doing today these thoughts and memories were revisited as it talked about living dangerously. It said, In Dangerous Wonder, Michael Yaconelli writes, “Remember the thrill of thinking you could fly, the adventure of going places in your imagination, the joy and abandon of running and jumping and playing hard-without worrying about what might happen?”

Some of us remember what its like to be a child. Fearless wonder-some call it innocence. It’s the discovery of something new, the abandonment of our whole selves to living life. Somewhere along the path to adulthood, things change. We’re taught to “grow up.” Some behaviors just aren’t acceptable when you get older.

Stop crying. Quit goofing off. You’re laughing too loud. Sit still. Emotions are considered foolishness, and before you know it, we become the adult who doesn’t display passion about anything. We are lost.

I think we sell out with this dignified behavior. I think we miss the God-intended joy of living life.

One of the Hebrew words for praise is halal. It means to celebrate, to rave, and to act foolishly. Foolish actions are acceptable to God. He loves them; they’re heartfelt.

Life is meant to be enjoyed.

Read 2 Sam 6:12-15 This week lose a little dignity. Get lost in the moment without worry what other people think.










I loved it. I caught myself this week actually doing this. I was up in the Wind River Mountains running around taking pictures…literally running around. A guy on a motorcycle came over the hill and I stopped and acted like I was just hangin’ out. And as I’m doing now I laughed and thought what was I doing.


Why did I stop? Who cares. For a moment I was that little kid getting the picture of the lake, the eagle, the butterfly, the mountains and then for a moment that motorcycle made me think…I may look foolish. So I stopped. So what. I want people to know that I love my life and live it with passion. How boring is life if you don't enjoy it? I want to live life and enjoy every moment of it...even if I look foolish.


Kill count:

Mice-9(in my cabin)

Ground Squirell-1( death by vehicle)

Fish-0

Pronghorn Antelope-0 (1close call by vehicle with a mama and 2 little ones…not the way I want to do it)


This guy(Pronghorn Antelope) was in my "front yard" and stopped to pose for a pic(rarely do they stop) not 70yds from my house.















RANDOM WEBSITE:
The Orion Project...if you haven't heard of it you should check it out. Its quite interesting. It deals with our energy sources and poses intriguing questions about our current ones.
http://www.theorionproject.org/en/


Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love.....

3 comments:

Unknown said...

i can see you really are in touch with nature as portrayed by the sky pictures and the butterfly,it is really nice because recognizing that means you are in sync with God ,our creator,it is really beautyful site there.
you really mean that there are no 24 hours in a day,working extra hours means u r worshipping GOd by that.

jae said...

oh my goodness, luke...these pictures are awesome! i thought i was living somewhere beautiful, but you're definitely closer to my preferred state of "nature" than i am =) i could get lost in these pictures...good job, mr. photographer! maybe national geographic will hire you =) hehe!

the Albino Bowler said...

this is some impressive stuff.
What a coincidence. I justed posted an article called "A Storm's a' Comin'" about storms, serendipitous moments, and life in New Orleans in August. I hit "Next" to take a break and read someone else's blog, and yours came up. Nicely done. And I see that you are a fan of juicy stormy weather.
OK, back to work...