Who Sparks Our Creative Passions,<\/strong> Who Comes to Us in Bread and Wine<\/p>

I have tried to take spiritual retreats where I go to a quiet place armed only with my bible, a journal, and my thoughts. \u00a0 It usually is a miserable time.\u00a0 I struggle to hear God\u2019s whisper of truth just for the sake of my personal edification.\u00a0 I hear stories of amazing retreats of this nature taken by friends and colleagues.\u00a0 I am always a bit envious.\u00a0 I get too distracted with my random thoughts and don\u2019t come away with much besides frustration.\u00a0 I have learned to take a different type of retreat.<\/p>

The best kind of spiritual retreat for me is to block out some time to do all the things that I love, that I don\u2019t have time to pursue in the everyday.\u00a0 It starts with putting on my favorite shirt, one that people don\u2019t exactly want to see a pastor wearing.\u00a0 I am wearing it in the photo on the top of the page.\u00a0 It says, \u201cLegalize Marinara.\u201d\u00a0 Then it is off to the grocery store where I buy my favorite foods.\u00a0 I cook up my favorite things, usually this involves a charcoal grill.\u00a0 Then I go the wood shop at Milwaukee Maker Space and make lots of glorious sawdust.\u00a0 With no project in mind, I just examine my collection wood and see what speaks to me. \u00a0<\/p>

If it is summer, I also make a late night trip to the boat for night sailing.\u00a0 To go night sailing is to know its benefits. \u00a0 When you are a\u00a0 mile out of the city, under the starry sky, it is so quiet, except for the sounds of sailing.\u00a0 You can hear water splashing against the hull and the gentle luffing noise the sail makes when you get lost in the moment, and head slightly off course.\u00a0 All of these things speak to my spirit in ways that little else does.<\/p>

One thing all of these have in common is the creativity and skill they take.\u00a0 Doing these kind of things produces passion in my life.\u00a0 This passion can then lend itself to our calling as children of God in the world.\u00a0 I am a much better pastor after taking time to work in my wood shop.\u00a0 I have more ability to hear the needs of others when my own needs aren\u2019t drowning them out. \u00a0<\/p>

I also believe that God calls us to be interesting people with something to share.\u00a0 Following our creative passions in life helps to develop us as human beings.\u00a0 I found myself walking through a casino a while back, in search of a new restaurant.\u00a0 As I walked through the smoky room, I noticed people sitting slumped over at nickel slot machines, pulling the handles. Its like they were working at a never-ending factory job.\u00a0 The blank looks of despair made me sad.\u00a0 I wanted to shake them and say, \u201cWe have been created for so much more than this.\u201d\u00a0 For fear of being thrown out of the casino, I just kept walking.<\/p>

We often celebrate God as the creator of all things.\u00a0 I can\u2019t help be inspired by many of the things I see in God\u2019s good creation.\u00a0 Not only is God\u2019s creativity inspiring but God has given us the unique ability to be creators.\u00a0 This is what it means to me that we are created in God\u2019s image.\u00a0 When it is God\u2019s creation that sparks our creativity we become co-creators with God in making this world all that it can be.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

One of my favorite questions that I stole from my time with the Quakers at George Fox college is, \u201cHow is it with your soul today?\u201d\u00a0 It makes me take stock of how much passion I have to give to others.\u00a0 The problem is that I sometimes forget to ask it.\u00a0 It is usually when I get too busy with life, that I miss the importance of balancing work with play.\u00a0 Then I know it is time for another \u201cspiritual retreat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

I would love to know what it is that fills your spirit with passion. \u00a0Feel free to leave a comment. <\/p><\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who Sparks Our Creative Passions, Who Comes to Us in Bread and Wine ALONE WITH MY THOUGHTS I have tried to take spiritual retreats where I go to a quiet place armed only with my bible, a journal, and my thoughts. \u00a0 It usually is a miserable time.\u00a0 I struggle to hear God\u2019s whisper of truth just for the sake of my personal edification.\u00a0 I hear stories of amazing retreats<\/p>\n

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