Skylines

The Chicago fire of 1871 came and destroyed most of the city’s wealth and prosperity. Before the fire came, the city was prepared to burn, with a drought that took away any living water to save it. The fire origin is still unknown, but the root of that matter is that the city burned for 2 days and killed around 300 people, leaving the rest to decide what comes next.

Rebuild or reuminate in our rubble?

They grew stronger. Building codes became stricter, buildings were built taller and almost twenty years later the city hosted the world’s fair-more to say look what we overcame. Everyday when I look at the skyline, I recognize that it might not be there. That someone could’ve thrown in the towel, been too depressed, broken hearted or frustrated and left the city entirely.

Thank God they didn’t. They stayed, they dedicated, they might’ve even prayed. They remained present in their town, with their people and with where they were.

When my mind wants to wander and think through where I could be, the skyline reminds me of where I am. In a city of people who chose rebirth over rubble. Who looked to the sky for the limit.

Living and Fear

Recently the books on my shelf made way to my night stand and moseyed their way into my bag. I have been reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller and if you have not yet read it, do so! I’ve copied quotes and whispered the sweet word yes on my train rides.

In it he talks about meeting Bob Goff, author of Love Does, before Bob put his ideas to paper. Naturally, I picked that book up at the store. In it he writes his anthem of living life, which is truly a series of stories weaved together to make a collective point: Love does.

Aside from trying to convince you to read these great books, I have been thinking that life is meant to be lived with us taking on the role of main character in the story of our lives.

Before the ‘duhs’ and thoughts come pouring out, let me explain. I love reading. I love hearing stories ranging from personal triumph to God’s redemption to pursuing love. Yet, reading them is a lot easier than living them.

 Lake Front

Living life takes work and effort. It means not always plopping on the couch to scroll through Netflix or having the TV on in the background. It might mean getting up early or staying up late to be present with others. And not solely physically there while on phones or thinking about other things, like work, family or friends. Being present-body AND mind.

I fear not living my life. Stories complete the questions, give resolution, map out the path. Stories inspire and drive me to want to do better. To make something of my life. But it’s a want not an action.

Power comes in action. Moving to Chicago for this internship was just an idea, a mark on my calendar with ideas in my head. Until I packed those bags and came, though, it was just an idea, not a moment.

How many moments of life go unlived?

How many thoughts of what it should be remain imagined rather than reality?

I am learning the thing holding my moments back is fear. Fear of failure, rejection, hardship certainly. But how often do we overlook fear of success? Fear of the unknown-regardless of the outcomes.

Here’s the thing about fear.

Fear is not for us.

 Millenium Park

God makes it clear to fear not for He is with us (Joshua 1:9). The truth I am learning about this is fear isn’t designed for us and we weren’t designed for it. So why do I spend so much time trying to overcome it rather than stepping aside so God can do what He is designed to do?

What would happen if we stopped living in fear? If instead of throwing caution to the wind, we threw our desires, dreams and hopes on the table to be exposed? To see the light of day without fear of anything, just honesty in the desires of our hearts. To live in the world instead of our heads.

 Millenium Park

What if these ideas moved. Breathed life. Became present.

Fall

“Life starts all over again when it get’s crisp in the fall…” F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fall. The shedding of the old in preparation for the new. A season where leaves change, air cools and time spent outside becomes a little sweeter. Growing up in Florida we may experience one or two days as respite from the heat.

Being in Illinois this year brings the trueness of this season. Last week, the leaves hinted a change. Now, the reds, yellows and oranges are vibrantly overtaking the scenery. And temperatures are dropping!

In preparation I switched my closet, packing away the shorts and sandals of summer for the boats and coats of winter. As I folded and swapped, I thought of all the memories shared wearing my khaki linen blend shorts, white cotton tank that flows or my red and gold beaded gladiator sandals. And I began to think about the things I want to take with me into the next season and the things I wanted to leave behind with summer. What needs to fall away? What needs to become apart of me?

Seasons are nature’s reminder that time is still moving and the reflecting point of how we are growing. Most people wait until New Year to reflect over the past. What if we took the seasons as our reflection? What if we let life start again, with all the vibrancy, vivacity and joy, at each changing season?