Seth’s World View

Editorial:
Greetings. The past month has been a whirlwind. This summer, I’ve taken advantage of many opportunities to get out and explore, so it’s been really good.
My website, http://dupre.thunderbeach.net, has been updated. Look for more pictures in the Scrapbook section, and a Messageboard in the Writings section (please post!).

Current Events:
The month started off with a weekend trip to Minnesota, primarily to see The Rock in Minneapolis, where it all began. Six of us piled into a minivan and drove through the night, arriving late afternoon. The weekend’s events included, a night cookout, Mall of America, walking through UM, experiencing the Rock, and hanging out with a small group there. It was an exhausting trip though.
The weekend of the 10-12th, a group of us climbed Mt. Elbert, the second highest peak in the continental US. It was an exhilarating trip, both for the climb and for the time with friends. NewWestFest was the following weekend, and the first weekend in a month I didn’t go out of town (which was nice). There were bands to hear (like Kansas and Cowboy Junkies) and booths to check out. At night, went to the Rock for the first time in awhile, and played mini-golf afterwards. The final weekend of the month started off with a night hike of Horsetooth, followed by a morning run of 11 miles (whew, that was tough!). After the Rock, we played a Hearts Tournament. My roommates were the winner and loser (go figure?).
There were, of course, miscellaneous events that happened in between, but I don’t remember what they were. The final event of the month was a farewell HP-ISG gathering for current and former Center Partners HP-ISG people. It was a good time.

Reflections:
Wow, this has been a crazy month! It’s taken it’s toll though, as I’ve had really high highs and really low lows at times. Standing on top of the mountain (literally) and lying down on the floor. I say I like change, but change can be stressful. Being active is awesome, but can be tiring. I’m really thankful to have friends, but real friendships take work. It’s awesome to be in a position where I have more influence, but I also have more responsibility. Funny how it all works…

There are two insights I pull from the past month, as I continually relearn what I already know and try to believe all of it. The first is about grace. As much as I progress in life, I also stumble and fall. I think, perhaps, maturity isn’t so much about becoming more perfect, but knowing how to handle life along the way. The Gospel, in its essence, is Abba Father saying, “Come unto me, and I will hold you, and give you rest. Your worth in life will be that you are my child, fully loved and pleasing to me, just as you are.” To believe that God loves me and accepts me just as I am is unbelievable. The path of guilt can be an easier one to walk, but it doesn’t compare to the freedom that my loving father gives to me through his love. I have nothing to offer God. My hands are empty. He only wants one thing though, me.

The second thought, in reality, derives from the first. In my quest to be perfect (dumb quest by the way), I can be soooo self-centered. Sure, eating right, exercising, being discerning in what I watch and listen to, etc., are all good things for a person to do, but am I putting them above loving another person? If someone serves me unhealthy food, should I eat it? If I am out with co-workers, should I drink? The only real rule we have is LOVE, and if I’m alienating someone because of my personal preferences, then I’m not loving. Granted, there are places where a line needs to be drawn, but I think that most of the time it just comes down to me being selfish without realizing it. Jesus was a friend of sinners. Jesus drank wine. Jesus talked to harlots. All this he did without crossing the line, and more importantly, people loved this man, because he loved them.

So, I continue to learn, and grow, and change, and regress, and struggle. Through it all, my eyes are on God (sometimes with tears), and his love for me won’t change. If I can grasp that to any degree, then perhaps I can extend that love to those around me, and love others for who they are, not what they are.