The Gospel of Dale's Yacht Basin

Little did I know growing up, that everything I needed for a meaningful life was right before my eyes. It wasn’t written on the wall. It was written on a huge boat warehouse. There, as plain as the waves splashing against my boat, were the words, “Fuel, Bait, and Ice.” All I needed to do was apply them to my life, and I would have a real shot at a happy voyage.

Fuel

To live fully, we must have fuel. Of course, we need fuel to sustain our bodies and, like the fuel we put in our cars, there is good fuel and mediocre. I am no expert on nutrition (clearly), but I am convinced the quality of the fuel we use plays a bigger role in our well-being than we imagine.

What I also know is we need spiritual fuel as well. Too often we operate on automatic pilot and forget we need to put something into our tank if we have a chance of moving forward. Whether sitting quietly, reading something meaningful/inspirational, or walking, it is essential we fill up our tanks before we venture out on the seas beyond the harbors.

Bait

“Well,” said the wise old fisherman, “They’re not just going to jump in the boat. You need bait, boy! What the hell are they teaching in schools these days?”

He was right, the fish were not going to jump into the boat, nor would the opportunities of my life. I needed to put bait on the hook. I needed to make the effort to call the potential contact; I needed to follow my instincts, even if I wasn’t sure where they would lead. The world eagerly awaits our participation, but we need to show up, or as the fisherman would say, bait the hook.

Ice

In my childhood home, I didn’t need a clock to tell me when it was 5:00. The sound of ice entering a glass was as predictable as the tides. Still, the memory of the sound reminds me of the gift of sitting with those we love and talking about our days. We were not brought into this world just to work. There must be time to put our work aside (and cell phones, computers, and televisions), grab the ice, and just be present.

Ice can also reduce swelling when we injure ourselves. Like a five o’clock talk, ice can help us heal. So, whether in a glass, or applied to a wound, ice reminds us to slow down, otherwise we are sure to burn out.

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It’s never too late to read the words that were before me as a child, or to recall lessons taught, or advice given at the dining room table. This Lent, I think I’ll pull my boat up to the dock, refuel, get some bait, and also some ice.

Descending this Lent

     Walking in a Lenten direction.

Last night, I went to a movie about P. T. Barnum, the great circus creator. I’m not sure how much of it was accurate, but I was struck by his ability to imagine, his willingness to take chances, and how it almost cost him his family. In a confrontation with his wife in a particularly dark period, he confesses he pushed things so far because he wanted to be more than he was.

I felt convicted by his words. I can look back and see countless attempts to be more than I was. Instead of a circus, I used a school. Instead of entertaining, I used education. Instead of a red jacket, I used a collar. While the particulars are my own, I’m sure I’m not alone in striving to be someone other than who I am. It’s exhausting, and can end up costing us what matters most.

The season of Lent begins on Wednesday, and, while created by the Church to help followers prepare for Easter, it is often thought of as a time to give things up. Ironically, people often use the season to take more things on as they strive to be more than who they are. It becomes a divine self-improvement program, if you will, and I wonder if it isn’t time to use it in a new way. Instead of trying to be who we aren’t, maybe we should use it to become who we are.

On the surface, it might sound easy, but our strivings are deep-rooted and well disguised. Do we volunteer because we love the organization, or do we like to be able to say we volunteer? Do we love running a bank, or do we love being known as someone who runs a bank? Do we go to this party because we love these people, or do we go because we want to be sure to mingle with the right people?

It will take time and effort to separate our visions of who we might be from who we truly are. It will mean walking the spiritual stairs in a new direction. Instead of ascending the stairs and trying to become who we’ve always thought we were (or wanted to be), it will require descending and discerning who we truly are. It’s a new approach to an old season, but it can lead to new life on the other end, and wasn’t that point in the first place?

A Lenten Invitation

LENT:  A SACRED WRITE

Please join us as we walk through Lent with our journals and pens!

In an effort to grow along spiritual lines this Lent, a group of us will be reflecting and writing our way to Easter. Each morning, beginning on Ash Wednesday (2/14), we will respond to a prompt (sent through e mail) by writing for 15 minutes (or more :)) The prompts will ask us to look within, reflect on our lives, and see how we are a part of something far greater than ourselves.

If interested, please e mail: chipbristol@gmail.com