Central Park

Woke up this morning around 7am which is not normal for me on a saturday.  Waking up at noon is more common for me than 7am.  My plans were to go back to bed by 8am but once I had a chance to step outside and saw how beautiful it was out I couldn't justify going back to sleep.

I came back upstairs changed into my running shoes and decided to go for a walk and spend some time with God instead.  I headed over to Riverside Park so I could walk along the Hudson but before I did that I stopped at this place in the park that overlooks a soccer field and the Hudson River.  I only sat there for a few moments soaking up the quiet of the Park and the city on a saturday morning.  It was so amazing.

After that I walked down to the pedestrian path that runs the length of Manhattan on the west side.  Easily one of my all time favorite places to go.  I often find it the most calming and relaxing place for me in the city.  I turned on my iPod to some worship music and started my walk.  It was just such an amazing time of worshiping God and being outside getting some fresh air.  I stopped along the way to relax on a bench so I could read some of his word.

When I read the bible I often start in Psalms and pick the Psalm that matches the day of the month.  This morning I read from Psalm 16, 17 and 18.  There are always so many great verses in Psalms it is hard to focus on just one.  However, the one I really liked the most while reading today was:

He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Ps 18:34

I love the fact that God trains me for battle everyday and that my arms (i.e. gifts) are able to do the impossible.  After reading the word and meditating for a bit I resumed my walk.  I left my iPod off so I could spend some time praying.  I prayed for C3 (my church) and especially the men of my church.  We have seen so many great things come to pass in the last year or so with the men at our church.  It has been so cool to see.  I then prayed for marriages and families at our church and also in our city.  I prayed for my job and my life of course.  I prayed for Sharlay and her family and of course our relationship together.

After praying I continued my walk down the Hudson and past the boat basin cafe.  As is my normal routine I went out to the pier and spent a few minutes enjoying the sights there.  Never gets old for me, I love being out there and seeing the city from the river.  From there I walked back towards the boat basin and then decided to climb the steps up to Riverside Dr. and walk over to Central Park.

It has been awhile since I had spent time exploring Central Park.  Which makes Central Park also one of my favorite spots in the city.  I have spent a lot of time there during my 4+ years here and I am always finding new things and new spots that are so amazingly beautiful and special I cannot always take it all in.  Frederick Olmstead was such a genius!!  I am going to try and find an autobiography of his today and add it to my pile of unread books lol.

So I walked down 72nd street past the Dakota where John Lennon was killed and continued to Strawberry Fields.  I continued to walk down by the lake and enjoy some of my previously discovered spots during the cool of a saturday morning.  It was so relaxing.  I then walked across a bridge I had never crossed before and had an amazing shot of New York City.  This is one of my favorite views of the city from Central Park.  The Essex House is such a great landmark in this city.  It was just a very special moment as I stood on that bridge listening to worship music and praising the God who makes all things and has been so very good to me my whole life.

I continued on my journey past the Castle and walked a little on the Ramble (where in Law & Order they always find the dead bodies) and explored a few other areas that looked cool.  Walked up by the pond at 100th Street and then as I was crossing a small foot bridge I came across a little waterfall that I had never noticed before.  I sat down and spent a little time enjoying the cool breeze that was coming off the water.  I noticed some small sunfish in this littel estuary that had been built so many years ago.  This place is certainly not secret but I cannot wait to go back and share this spot.  I will try and make it back here next week in the morning to just chill and enjoy it.

After that I spent a few more minutes wandering around the park and then headed home to relax, shower and now maybe take a nap.  I spent 3 hours walking around the city and loved every minute of it.  I remember when I used to do that many days in a row just seeing what the city had to offer and stopping at places randomly to see what they were all about.

Great day today!  Very thankful to be alive and very thankful to be so blessed and fortunate.

Love Sincerely

That is what Paul writes in the book of Romans Chapter 12 vr 9. "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

What I love about this passage is that Paul doesn't bother to explain the "why" behind the first part of this verse. It is one of my favorite things about his writing style. There are just some things that he would encourage us about and because they were so fundamental and logical no explanation is needed. He doesn't say "Love must be sincere because..." He just makes a very easy to understand statement that it MUST be sincere knowing that as brothers in Christ we should know why without having to ask.

Therefore this morning men I ask you whether or not your love is sincere? The love you have for your wife, friends and family, is it sincere? More importantly do they believe your love for them is sincere?

Trust me gentlemen, especially when it comes to the women you care about in your life, they will know when your love is not sincere. They might not say that to you nor will they usually let it show that they are on to you. However, women can always tell when something is amiss.

As men we think we are so smart and ingenious when it comes to fooling people and outsmarting others, especially women. I am here to tell you that we aren't fooling anyone other than ourselves. Women know and women can tell when you aren't sincere in your love for them. However, rarely will they let on (at least initially) that they have figured you out. They generally allow us to keep digging our own holes until it becomes so obvious we are in a hole that we have to admit it ourselves. It can be a very painful prospect.

That is why I am writing to you today. I want to encourage you to love people sincerely. Be genuine with the people you care about. Don't let familiarity rob the power of the words "I love you."

The key to loving sincerely is through our actions. It is easy to say words that we don't mean. Anyone can say they love you to get what they want (As men we are terribly notorious for this) but not actually care about you sincerely.

Jesus said to his boys: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:12-14 (NIV)

Even Jesus knew love without sincerity is mostly meaningless. Loving sincerely means you will lay down your life for your friends and loved ones. Jesus wasn't necessarily talking literally here, although giving your life for someone is also expected it is not limited to just that. He is simply saying that when you sincerely love someone you will serve them and lay down your own agenda and motivations in order to love them.

Our biggest problem in this area is the whole "I don't feel like I love them." This is probably one of the worst rationales humans have every come up with. Christ didn't say that you should lay down your life for someone when you feel like you love them. He said when you love someone you should lay down your life for them.

If you love someone you love them all the time. Not part time. Not 3/4 of the time. All the time. We may "fall" in love with people but it is our choice to continue to love them. That doesn't mean loving people is always easy but as followers of God we must choose to love people even when it is hard and inconvenient. Any one can love someone when it is easy or they want something in return for their love.

Real men (and real women) love at all times and they do so sincerely. That doesn't mean we are perfect or that we walk in this command all the time but we are asked to try. Therefore we must.

I leave you with a thought and also with some encouragement. First, who in your life do you claim to love but have recently been loving without the sincerity Paul and John write about in the Bible? Seek God and ask him to show you. You may be surprised at what he will tell you. God wants to see all your relationships restored to right standing therefore there is no judgment ('There is no condemnation in Christ Rom 8:1). If you are confused about how to show love sincerly ask God, He will show you. Everyone wants to be loved sincerely and if you pay attention you will see how people in your life desire to have love expressed to them.

I leave you with a scripture we all know or have heard but you cannot escape the beauty and sincerity of God's love in it: "For God so LOVED the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Love sincerely and I promise you, your life will change in so many amazing ways you will have to shout to God from every roof top you can find!

Peace out!
Drew