[romero's prayer]

Found this a couple of weeks ago and love it. When I get overwhelmed thinking it's my mission to change the world, this is a great reminder of my place. And there's humility and there's beauty in that.

Romero's Prayer:
It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificient enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything,
and there is sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it's a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the Master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own."

[Archbishop Oscar Romero]

[mile markers]

In both road races and life, mile markers feel good to cross. They never mean the race is over, but they give you that sense of acheivement. Like you're actually getting somewhere and moving closer toward your ultimate finish.

Yesterday I got to cross another one by graduating from Iowa State. Perfect sunshine. Perfect last day of student teaching cheering on my winning 7th grade Olympic team. Perfect supper with family and close friends. And a sense of true achievement walking at my college's ceremony.

It's strange to think college is truly over. It's exciting to see what lies ahead.

The best parts of the past five years? Doing life with the best friends one could ever ask for. Studying and serving abroad. Struggling, failing, persevering and growing in my faith and walk with the Lord. Spending a summer at camp and another in LA. Falling in love with coffee, new music, thrift stores, wine, Jesus and the nations. Finding a purpose and vision for this life. Meeting people from literally all over the world.

Oh man so many good and fun memories flood me now. I could start and never end. Instead I'll keep it short and say here's to mile markers and finish lines. Keeping my eyes on Revelation 7:9 and my feet on the road!

[beyond redemption?]

Today I found Facebook interesting for the first time in awhile. Instead of posting finals countdowns and weather updates, everyone had an opinion about Osama Bin Laden's assassination. Many cheered the US on. Some other's made me really think about it. One friend posted the following article which I liked best:

http://www.redletterchristians.org/whose-death-does-god-cheer/

Reminded me of a couple different books. And good quotes.

"I always say that if we believe terrorists are beyond redemption, we can rip out half of our New Testament since it was written by a converted terrorist who became an extremist for grace." [Shane Claiborne]

Touche Jimmy and Shane. Touche.