Author: Stewy Stewart

Day 21

Posted on June 21, 2017 by - Uncategorized

What a beautiful day! Since this is the longest day of the year, I figured I can take a minute and blog…

Kayaking on the lake

 

I got up early this morning and decided to go kayaking. As I made my way to the middle of the lake, there was such a calmness to the water. I stopped to enjoy the peacefulness of my surroundings, and it was almost as if God was saying to me, “Be still and know that I am God.” It was pretty awesome. Then, I was reminded of a podcast I had recently listened to from Andy Stanley. In this podcast, Andy said, “We’ll never get what we really want until we discover what is most valuable. But choosing what’s valuable doesn’t come naturally. We’ve all had the experience of getting what we naturally want, only to discover it’s not what is most valuable—it’s not what we ultimately want.” He went on and added, “When we discover what we really value, we are less prone to settle for what we merely want.” Wow! I cannot think of a more powerful combination of true statements. These words have been rolling around in my head. However, Andy closed the message with a statement that really made me stop in my tracks. He said, “What you really want and what God really wants for you may be closer than you imagine.” This statement hit me like a ton of bricks. How many times have I struggled with this assertion? It’s critical for me to put aside those natural wants and pursue what I ultimately want. In doing so, it’s incredible to realize that what I really want and what God really wants for me may be very similar.

Day 20

Posted on June 20, 2017 by - Uncategorized

I’ve been blessed to share the majority of my sabbatical with family and friends.

On Friday, I got to spend the day watching the second round of the US Open. It was held at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. One of the guys we followed was Brooks Koepka, and he ended up winning the event.

Brooks Koepka, 2017 US Open Champ

 

On Saturday, I was back serving at the Sunshine Food Pantry. Again, it was a great day of meeting new people, and helping out many who are less fortunate.

 

Wrigley is getting comfortable at his new home…

Day 14

Posted on June 14, 2017 by - Uncategorized

The second week of my Sabbatical has flown by. I have enjoyed my routine of working out, journaling, and doing my book study-devotional. I am reading a book by Louie Giglio, called, Goliath Must Fall.  It’s about winning the battle against your giants. Louis is a great communicator, and has helped remind me to…fix my eyes on the size of my God, not the size of my giants.

I had the opportunity to spend this past weekend with friends in Chicago. While there, I got to attend a Cubs vs. Rockies baseball game, and catch up on all the new Wrigleyville improvements. I am amazed at the transformation. So much has changed since I visited last fall. One of the new developments is the open-air plaza, dubbed The Park at Wrigley. It’s kind of like a “town square” outside of the ballpark. Future tenants (restaurants and stores) will open throughout the year. However, the Trophy Room is open.

The past few days, I’ve had an incredible time hanging out with family. The weather has been hot, and perfect for boating. This little one enjoyed taking over the wheel!

 

We visited LOST CANYON and enjoyed a quaint horse-drawn carriage tour through a magnificent mile of cliff-walled gorges. This place is right down the street from where I live, and it is the first time I have visited.  What a gem! The trip takes a half hour, and offers unbelievable views of the Wisconsin Dells.

It’s already Day 7

Posted on June 7, 2017 by - Uncategorized

I started my Sabbatical last Thursday, and it’s hard to believe that day 7 is already here. I have been keeping myself busy with a couple of projects at home, the main one being this little guy:

 

Wrigley (yes, I’m a Cubs fan) is 10 weeks old and I picked up the little guy on Saturday. His breed is Siberian, and he is hypoallergenic. He’s going to be a big boy (his paws are huge), and he already has a great personality. I can’t leave a room without Wrigley following right behind me. He’s a smart dude, and he learned how to play fetch in about 15 minutes. He’s already living out his championship heritage.

 

I spent this past Saturday volunteering at the Sunshine Food Pantry.  The Church I attend has partnered with this organization that serves the underprivileged in our community. Last year there were almost 6,000 families (over 21,000 individuals) that used the food pantry. When you think about it, this is an incredible number of people who are in need. The Food Pantry is operated 100% by volunteers. There is a community action coalition that works with grocery stores and food distributors to help provide food and supplement donations.

I spent most of my day checking in guests, restocking food items, and taking individuals through the grocery aisles to shop. The State designates each family a certain number of points for both general food, and meat/frozen items.  This is determined by the number of people in their household. Every food item has a point assigned to it and they use these points to purchase food items.

I was able to be a part of helping serve 15 families, who walked away with over 1,200 pounds of food. It’s a great feeling giving back and helping people who are in need.  I enjoyed having some meaningful conversations and listening to their stories. Everyone seemed very appreciative and many went out of their way thanking the volunteers. I felt like I should be doing more. It certainly puts life in perspective. I look forward to serving again in a few weeks.

 

On Sunday and Monday, I was able to visit and spend time with my parents (and Baylie). They drove up from Peoria, Illinois. The weather was near perfect, so we decided to get out on the boat. Good times!!