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I am sad. Sad I am.

March 17, 2009 //
3

(Yoda is talking on the tv in the room next to me.  Contagious he is.)

As you may have seen on this blog before, this is my main work area in my office at church.  

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Now, I’d like to walk you through the visual of my day. This was the view this morning:

In order from near to far, you’re seeing:
honeysuckle vines (which I could touch from my chair if there weren’t glass in the window)
driveway (which I could jump to from my desk if I were an Olympic hurdler)
garden area
parking lot

There was a fair amount of demolition work being done outside today in preparation for the new building, but I wasn’t paying much attention.  Until… 

….the big tree on the left just fell over.  
Startled I was. Then this.

 

Giant claw taking down tree #2.  And I’m finding it hard to concentrate on Easter planning while life-threatening machinery is being expertly operated inches from my happy place. 

Tree #2 gone.  Senior pastor’s head in foreground.  He’s not working on Easter planning.

Aack!!! Again, this is about 10 feet from my desk.  The operator has one wrist spasm, and I lose my head, I’m thinking. 

By the afternoon, this was the view. Despite the calmness, it’s a bit surreal.

NOTE:  there were quite a few trees relocated to other parts of our property.  The ones removed were either too large to be transplanted or were discovered to have disease or pests.

(link to flickr.com photo set where I’ll be collecting these pics over the course of construction)

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Categories work I do

It’s Really Happening

March 4, 2009 //
4

This is the view today from my office window.

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This was the view from my office window when I posted about this in October. 

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This garden area is ‘ground zero’ for our new worship center.  
It was the site of our groundbreaking two weeks ago.
And today, it is the place where demolition/construction is actually starting! Part of the landscaping is being moved to a new garden area, then the whole thing will be leveled to begin building the new structure.

Eventually my window, if it still exists at all, will look out into a new hallway/foyer area.

This is all very good and exciting.  The construction process is going to bring all kinds of adventures every week. It will forever change how we do what we do.  I’m not exaggerating.  

I’m still sad about losing the view. But it’s a great season to be here.

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Categories work I do

Breaking Ground.

March 3, 2009 //
4


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It’s always a little daunting to realize you’re in the middle of a Truly Historic Moment. There’s the excitement and emotion of it. The celebration, or the silence, that might be built around it. There’s the weight of history pushing This Moment toward the future, telling How it Will Change Everything.

Then, the moment passes and you walk away and you fumble to find your keys, or you stub your toe, or you can’t decide what to have for lunch and you realize that everything hasn’t changed. You realize a Moment is still only a moment. What really matters is the collection of people and moments that made this one possible, and the people that are committing to fill this thing, this landmark, with significance in the future. And for you, change comes if you decide to be a part of this new commitment, this new thing that might be done.

On February 22, our church had A Moment:  the groundbreaking for a new worship center. For this church, this is a sizable physical step that represents an even larger journey of spiritual growth and transformation. So it’s a good thing.

We chose to hold a short 10 minute ceremony at the end of each of our three worship services so that the most people possible could participate. It was a simple ceremony, but it was joyful, sincere, and it reminded us that we are God’s church committed to carrying out his mission in our community.

This moment was very very real.  But the commitment is about transforming lives.

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all images by Justin Cary Photography

(Read more about our church’s decision to build.)

(View more pictures)


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Categories work I do

Something’s gotta go, part 2.

October 29, 2008 //
13

(Scroll to previous entry or click here to view ‘part 1′)

The question: which thing in the picture am I giving up?

There have been some guesses. View them in the comments here.  
Some I wish were true.  Some implied a level of generosity that I wish were true of me. 

One was correct.

Here’s a hint. 

We’re getting warmer….

Could it actually be the purple pen??!??!?

Oh the suspense.

 

 

The answer:

NO!!!!!!

The nature?  Nature has to go? Why? Why? Why?!??!?

Yes, the answer is the nature.  
And not only the nature, but the window that views it.

WHAT??!?

The fundraising part of our building process has been successful.  We will be breaking ground for a new worship center in January.  Which is awesome. I’ve been really blown away by the enthusiasm and clear-headed, prayerful approach taken by the people of our church regarding this particular project, during this particular economic climate.  

The one very sad downside:  the new part of the building will sit exactly where this really beautiful garden area now resides. (So, yes, Derek, you were correct.  You win.  Everyone: I’m admitting my brother won.) The new construction will connect to the existing building in a way that takes out my window.  I am sad, because I will miss these beautiful trees, and I will miss the view, and I will miss the light.  There will be a new, possibly larger, garden area created near a new main entrance, retaining our precious ‘green space’. But natural light in the office? No such plan.  

I know this isn’t about me, so I’m going to have to deal with it with grace and maturity.

I am also thinking about bringing leftover July 4 supplies to the office, because maybe I can accidentally fashion a sky light. 

Thanks for playing.

Read more about our church’s decision to build.

 

 

 

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