a life well lived
After reading Carney's post from monday, I was compelled to share something that I about Kyle. Ben forwarded some people at UBC an email that Relevant magazine had sent out. Relevant, in their leadership issue, was asking people from UBC to write something about Kyle. So, I had to write something.
LOVE GOD. In the 21 years of my existence, I have never known anyone who lived, to the “t,” according to his or her beliefs. Until I met Kyle Lake. Whether Kyle was giving a sermon, playing soccer, or playing hide-and-seek with his kids, authenticity flowed from his every action. For Kyle, the kingdom of heaven and eternal life were present realities. As one friend eloquently said, the line between here and there was very blurry for Kyle. Kyle’s love for God was this authentic relationship with his Creator IN THIS LIFE. He showed each of us at University Baptist Church to embrace our relationship with God, and to love our Creator because eternal life begins now.
EMBRACE BEAUTY. One of my friends at Baylor recently introduced me to the idea of pastors being poets. [Thanks Adam] A poet can see a field of flowers or watch the ebb and flow of the ocean and make the flowers or the sound of the ocean come to life in new and exciting ways. A poet can take an everyday experience and show the beauty of this experience in totally new light. Kyle had this ability. He took reading and understanding scripture, the mundane activities of life, watching movies, listening to music, etc. and breathed new life into them. Kyle not only showed the beauty of our world to UBC, he showed us that we should embrace this beauty.
LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. From the designer jeans and shoes, tight t-shirt, British “fo hawk,” Volkswagen Passat, to a smile that lights up the room, on first impression, you knew how Kyle lived: to the fullest. Of course, we all knew Kyle was a bit on the “metro-sexual” side, but even he knew this. He embraced it. Kyle once talked about how his daughter can only do things “full tilt.” She does not know how to fake it. When she is happy, she embraces her happiness, and you know when she is happy. When she is angry, unfortunately, she embraces this too, and you REALLY know when she is angry. I think Kyle passed this gene to Avery. He too was not a good faker. He was Kyle Lake through and through. He embraced his Kyle-ness and lived as best he could. He encouraged each of us individually and the UBC community to embrace our “-ness,” and in this embrace to live as best we can.
LOVE GOD. EMBRACE BEAUTY. AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. Around UBC, these three phrases, with which Kyle ended every sermon, are now famous words. Our own benediction. While important separately, they cannot exist without one another: to love God is to embrace beauty is to live life to the fullest. Thank you for showing us this, Kyle. peace
LOVE GOD. In the 21 years of my existence, I have never known anyone who lived, to the “t,” according to his or her beliefs. Until I met Kyle Lake. Whether Kyle was giving a sermon, playing soccer, or playing hide-and-seek with his kids, authenticity flowed from his every action. For Kyle, the kingdom of heaven and eternal life were present realities. As one friend eloquently said, the line between here and there was very blurry for Kyle. Kyle’s love for God was this authentic relationship with his Creator IN THIS LIFE. He showed each of us at University Baptist Church to embrace our relationship with God, and to love our Creator because eternal life begins now.
EMBRACE BEAUTY. One of my friends at Baylor recently introduced me to the idea of pastors being poets. [Thanks Adam] A poet can see a field of flowers or watch the ebb and flow of the ocean and make the flowers or the sound of the ocean come to life in new and exciting ways. A poet can take an everyday experience and show the beauty of this experience in totally new light. Kyle had this ability. He took reading and understanding scripture, the mundane activities of life, watching movies, listening to music, etc. and breathed new life into them. Kyle not only showed the beauty of our world to UBC, he showed us that we should embrace this beauty.
LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. From the designer jeans and shoes, tight t-shirt, British “fo hawk,” Volkswagen Passat, to a smile that lights up the room, on first impression, you knew how Kyle lived: to the fullest. Of course, we all knew Kyle was a bit on the “metro-sexual” side, but even he knew this. He embraced it. Kyle once talked about how his daughter can only do things “full tilt.” She does not know how to fake it. When she is happy, she embraces her happiness, and you know when she is happy. When she is angry, unfortunately, she embraces this too, and you REALLY know when she is angry. I think Kyle passed this gene to Avery. He too was not a good faker. He was Kyle Lake through and through. He embraced his Kyle-ness and lived as best he could. He encouraged each of us individually and the UBC community to embrace our “-ness,” and in this embrace to live as best we can.
LOVE GOD. EMBRACE BEAUTY. AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. Around UBC, these three phrases, with which Kyle ended every sermon, are now famous words. Our own benediction. While important separately, they cannot exist without one another: to love God is to embrace beauty is to live life to the fullest. Thank you for showing us this, Kyle. peace
Comments
One time posted the question, what does the "embrace beauty part" of the benediction mean to you, on the otherside discussion board. the way you framed that really sheds some light on my question. Thanks for takin' the time to write this one.
Carney