The Vents of Sammy Brent

WOW, it’s been a minute…this is the first blog I’ve cranked out in quite some time and since my pace has somewhat leveled out (now that Myles is back from NC) I thought I’d pen a couple of quick thoughts.

A few of weeks ago, I had the privilege of accompanying my friend Maina on a tour of the Russell Building in Washington, DC.  Not to sound UGLY or anything, but if that means nothing to you, it’s probably because either you’ve never been AND/OR you’re not too sure of the significance of what’s inside.

Prior to this particular visit, I actually was both.  In fact, when I was told of a friend who worked in the building, my response was no different than if he worked at the local Kroger’s.  That is, until I went inside and saw for myself the complexity of the complex, equipped with underground train-access to the other government buildings in the area.

Our tour was led by a police officer that had worked there for a little under a decade.  He gave us access & explanations that most tourists could’ve only dreamed (see pix from the Capital Bldg below).

After touring offices of notable government officials, the most moving part for me was the few minutes we spent viewing the statues (just down the hall from the rotunda in the Capital Building) of statesmen from all over the country.  Several had given their lives (literally) for the cause of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” I couldn’t help but wonder how they arrived at the decision to go into public service and who were the influencers of their day.

A few days ago, I was reminded of my experience in DC while watching the unveiling of Ronald Regan’s statue.  The coverage on C-SPAN was excellent and quite honestly, somewhat moving (a definite first for me).  After hearing several people describe the significance of his life both inside & outside the oval office, I found myself rehearsing one simple truth.  In fact, it was the same statement that continued to grip me during the tour:  Life is too short to be lived without having the end in mind.

Here’s the deal, we all spend each and every moment of our lives doing something.  Whether it’s something we love and have lots of passion, or it’s something we hate, or it’s something we simply got locked into doing and before long, half of our life was spent doing it.  I’m sure we all can relate to either being there or knowing someone who is presently faced with that dilemma.

I think it’s obvious that many of the individuals who are now immortalized in the Capital Building’s halls gave their lives to something they believed in and loved.  They were consumed by the passion they had for public service.  It was their thing…that one thing they felt called & compelled to do in life.  Everything else was just gravy!

Sadly, there’s always a price to pay when our passions are lived without a specific end in mind.  It doesn’t matter what the industry is, there’s always specific trappings that accompany a passion without parameters regardless of the person involved.  Making the conscious choice to live out our passions without defining our parameters is a proven formula for disaster and regret.

Broken promises, disappointed children, forgotten dreams, long hours spent away, misplaced priorities, missed birthdays, missed family times, overlooked & ignored health issues, poor eating habits, sleepless nights, unattended events are all just a glimpse of the heartache caused by passionate careers without parameters.

I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to minimize the impact or importance those in public service have had on this country.  Their efforts truly can’t be recognized enough.  However, one of the gauges I’m consistently asking myself is am I allowing my own personal drive and passion for ministry to adversely affect the ones I love the most.  The truth of the matter is I only have one opportunity to be the best at each of the roles I play in life (husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend).

As I pursue my passions, it’s a must for me to keep the end in mind and have practical parameters in order to maintain the relationships most important.  Tina and Myles should NEVER be (with God’s help) overlooked or undervalued because of my career or anything else I pursue for that matter.

Mark Batterson (www.evotional.com) said it perfectly in one of his recent blogs, “who you are around children is who you really are.”  Given that I’ve worked with students for well over a decade now, I found this to be pretty profound.  It’s a cool exercise even for those who don’t have children.

Now, take it a step further if you’re a parent and ask yourself this question: who are you around your own children?  A stranger?  A tyrant?  A guilt-ridden parent due to lack of attention and instead of parenting you’ve become a doormat for your kids to walk on?  I’d be the first to admit that parenting isn’t easy, but it’s certainly worth making the necessary adjustments to be the best for your kids!

Life really is too short to be lived without the end in mind.  All of us have skills and talents given to us by God Almighty that bring fulfillment and satisfaction when exercised regularly. I could be wrong, but I don’t think He blessed us to effectively use our skills and  abuse our families.  My prayer is that our loved ones will always get our best and whatever we have left to offer the world would be just gravy.