Wheels
“It’s not about the wheels.”
Saturday was a special day. Loretta and I applied sunscreen and packed a few snacks. We put on our sandals, adjusted our caps. It was beach day, but not just any beach day.
The special needs ministry at Calvary Community Church with Gina Spivey (you've heard me mention it before) is Luke 14 in the flesh. From weekly ministries, monthly buddy breaks for parents, to high school proms and retreats, to yes, beach days.
But, let me back up; to Thursday to be exact. Loretta and I walked into a palatial office located just off highway 101 near our home in Los Angeles. Guys, you walk in and your heart is immediately blasted with goodness. Choice, carefully planned prayers are strategically placed along the walls. There's an infinity pool and fountain echoing throughout the building that serves as the foundation of an elevated chapel in the lobby; which by the way is surrounded by the longest indoor wheelchair ramp in the world.
Speaking of, to get our VIP guests in wheelchairs across the sand - from the street to the shoreline - volunteers laid planks of plywood down and pushed each chair along, picking up the wood and running it to the front of the line; think of applying asphalt down as the car approaches and then running ahead of the car to repeat the process. Well, by midday, people of all ages- some at the beach for the first time and some at the beach in a long time - were making sandcastles, riding boogie boards, running away from the waves up the sand, breathing in ocean air. Can you hear a seagull as you read this sentence?
The longest indoor wheelchair ramp in the world supports the wheelchair of the second longest surviving quadriplegic in the world. A diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson, then 17, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. She eventually founded Joni and Friends in 1979 to provide Christ-centered programs to special-needs families, as well as training to churches. Joni and Friends serves thousands of special-needs families through Family Retreat, and has delivered over 100,000 wheelchairs and Bibles to needy disabled persons in developing nations.
This week we're talking destiny. Not success, but significance. Not achievement, but a calling.
Bob Buford in his book, "Halftime" asks himself:
What is my truest purpose?
My life work?
My destiny?
What does it really mean to "have it all"?
What do I want to be remembered for?
What would my life look like if it really turned out well?
Questions I asked myself as I stood in the sand watching Gina. Questions I asked myself as I watched Joni heading up her ramp. Questions I ask you as you read this sentence, as you turn on your cubicle light, as you press start on the treadmill.
Are your running after your destiny? Am I?
Guys, welcome to a new week. Lord, please bless each person reading this sentence. May our day bring You glory. May our hopes, dreams and our lives find us running after You and Your purpose for us. It's all we want. Amen.
- Jimmy
