I'm caught up on all my farm chores and so I leave feeling like the farm is going to operate just fine. My kids will take good care of it while I'm gone. This morning my Bible time was in 1 Thess. 5:12-28, where Paul describes the church as a family.
The term adelphoi ("brothers") occurs 17 times in 1 Thessalonians and 5 times in this chapter. It's not a sexist word. The word in the Greek refers to both brothers and sisters, like the German Geschwister or the Spanish Hermanos.
It's sad that we don't have an unsexed kind of word in English. Maybe we can resurrect brethren. Anyway, it is vitally important for us to remember that the Christian life is a family affair. When we gather this coming Sunday, let's remember that God is our Father and we are all hermanos. We love each other as sisters and brothers in the same family. We want to support one another, and we look up to our pastors and leaders as kind of elder brothers who are set over us in the Lord.
This morning I also got in my last workout at the Y in South Boston for a while. Thankfully, Kailua has its own Y that I plan on using.
I've got a surfboard lined up as well as a sailboat, and my hike to Kaena Point is a definite go. This time tomorrow, Lord willing, I will be surfing at Kailua Beach. The next day I plan to surf Queens, my favorite spot on the South Shore, followed by paddling with my canoe club in the evening. Friday is the hike. Saturday is for sailing. Sunday I'll be speaking in Salt Lake near Pearl Harbor. Monday and Tuesday I return to Waikiki.
My early Christian life was shaped in this place. As I return to the islands, I want to embrace all that God has for me. I want to take in the sights again, revisit my childhood haunts, share food with friends, be fed spiritually and feed others. I want to hear stories and laugh. I want to set new goals for myself. I want to reset my priorities if I need to. Not every life is ruined by colossal blunders or gross sin. Highest casualties are among the slaves of the trivial. At the same time, even humble and very ordinary things (like surfing) can be holy and full of God.
I am eager to draw closer to God.