Craig Daily Press

Location – 33,000 feet over the China Straight, March 26 Wow. Fourteen hours on a plane is a really long time. I watched parts of six different movies, played cards, read from three books, played games on my iPod, ate three meals, reflected and slept. I wonder about the Olympians who will make the flight to Beijing this summer. I can’t imagine 13 hours on a plane being anything but detrimental to athletes who are trying to be in the peak shape of their lives. The long list of time killers reminds me of how I entered into this trip: busy, tired and worn down. The opportunity to reflect on my current state is what this blog will be about. The late winter and spring tends to be this way for me - busy and sometimes bleak. I’ve entered into this trip tired in many aspects. Physically I’m worn out because I haven’t been finding time to exercise. Mentally I’m tired because of all the pressures I’ve put on myself to get all of my “tasks” done. Spiritually I’m a bit dry. In the fall we had a former YL leader and now church pastor come speak at one of our regional staff times. One sentence stayed with me from his time. He said, “You have to make sure there are times when you are reading from the Bible and other books that are just for you and not for teaching purposes.” The last two months I’ve read a lot, but rarely was it just for myself. It was for a college class I’m taking or for lessons for YL or for a lesson for my church small group. Today I got the chance to read for myself. It was great. I read Henri Nouwen’s, “The way of the heart.” The book is written to people in ministry and reminds us of a need for our own time. Time away from everything. Here is a little of what Nouwen wrote, “It is in solitude that compassion grows…In solitude we realize that nothing human is alien to us, that the roots of all” evil can harden our hearts if we don’t take time in solitude to search those things in our heart. The most solitude I’ve had was during today’s flight. I need compassion again. I don’t know if this trip is the place to seek it, but God willing it will be. I promise there will be more about Taiwan after we finally arrive.