Below is a collection of random thoughts from our vacation as I begin to decompress a bit. Warning, these are very random and not all warm and fuzzy.

1. One quote both started and wrecked my entire week in Wrightsville Beach. One simple quote.

Human beings never behave more badly towards one another than when they believe they’re protecting God.”

2. That quote came from This Sermon (pick it up at 32:35). Go ahead and watch that. This blog will still be here when you get back.

3. He also said “We’ve convinced ourselves that God needs protecting.”

4. God doesn’t need protecting.

5. I quit using facebook for reasons of the quote above (among other things).

6. That quote was an uppercut, this was the knockout punch….

All these things that you’re protesting. All these things that you’re holding you’re hand up and saying God’s against that, they hold no value.

7. Yeah but…..

The ONLY THING that counts is faith EXPRESSING itself through love.” -Galations 5:6

8. Paul with the ultimate Mic Drop there. I spent the week thinking about how that could possibly look. It’s almost easier to be against a bunch of stuff. Love is messy.

9. Example – How can I love someone I have a fundamental disagreement with regarding how you treat people…..and he’s a Pastor. (think about THAT.)

10. All of that happened on our first day there…..

11. I warned you this was random…. I was born in Alaska, grew up in Cleveland and am convinced I was created to live in North Carolina.

12. There seems to be a large number of population of Wilmington that smoke. Either that or Columbus has done an incredible job of curbing public smoking. No statement, just an observation.

13. For the first time I was walking with my 12 year old daughter and began instructing her on what to look for when she (gulp) dates. If he’s not opening the door or walking on the proper side of the sidewalk to protect you, keep looking. Chivalry is not dead. Set that bar high Princess 1.0.

14. Multiple times I looked at my children and thought “when did they get so big?”

15. I turn 45 on Tuesday. In a rather somber and maybe morbid moment of reflection, I realized I’ve most likely passed the halfway pole. I doubt this body will see 90 years old. In complete honesty, my next thought was 60. That’s only 15 years. That’s my first born child. While I sure hope it’s longer than that, it was a hard drink of reality that every moment, every day, every year must absolutely count.

16. I took the book “Not a Fan” with me. Good read…for 3 chapters. I couldn’t stay engrossed in it when life was happening right in front of me. There were waves to body surf and laughs to share.

17. Body surfing is natures largest “Neti Pot.”

18. We stayed in a friends home all week. I was obsessive about keeping it clean and perfect. “The body is a temple of God” and I take horrible care of mine.

19. Wilmington to Columbus is a long time to process.

20. I came up with most of this during that drive from Wilmington to Columbus.

There will probably be much more to come. This was just the stuff that came from the drive back home. I miss being there already…..

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