One year ago Kyle Lake who was the pastor of University Baptist Church was electrocuted to death while performing a baptism. Apparently sometime before this accident he preached this sermon below. Kyle was going to preach that morning on the movie Garden State as part of his “God in the Movies” series. The last part of his sermon read(see below)
Being that my grandmother died and a friends grandfather died I felt these words would be appropiate. These words are simple but profound. I think its important to remember how to exist apart from the things that are supposed to help us exist better. Things like tech, tv, houses, cars,…stuff.
update: Inspired by his final sermon, some of his friends have produced a film. The DVD includes the film, a montage of Kyle’s life and some extras. The profits form the project will go to the Kyle Lake Memorial Fund which has been set up to provide college scholarship funds for Pastor Lake’s children. YouTube has 2 trailers for this film.
Live. And Live Well.
BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.
On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.
If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.
Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.
If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash then crash well.
Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed.
If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all… because soon he’ll be wiping his own.
If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well.
At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life. Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift.
Just a dude with a blog that probably shouldn't have one.
Randy, those words hit home for me. it’s been a hard last few weeks for whatever reasons and that quote pretty much spells out what my heart desires… whether i’m sitting at work, driving in my car, doing something i hate, doing something i love… my tired bones thirst for life to the full, above and beyond the packaged life that the masses resign to.
i don’t check this blog that often but, for some reason, that quote is encouraging. i’m glad i checked it today.
Yeah it hit me too. I’ve have been thinking about those words for a year now. I hope they were able to breathe a little life in you. They did me.