I just sent this email by accident and found a lot of issues, so I’m correcting it and sending it again.

I see that I had the title as “Masks are love” but as you can see from the video and the body of the mail, no they are not, therefore the addition of “NOT”.

Secondly I mentioned the email that I wrote to Dave in the video, but did not include it, but rather the old content from yesterday. This is corrected below.

Also the full video will probably not make it online until tomorrow. I guess that does not matter anyway.

Otherwise, I hope you see that my effort to restore the family continues, as well as my effort to love well. Please join me in that. We all need each other!

This is the second video in two days since I got the letter from my wife.

One of the things from the letter is the idea that wearing a mask is love. NO IT IS NOT. I attempt to explain that and other things in the video. I guess it is time to send another DVD. Anyone else want one? The video is at the email link.

My lady. I hope you see that I am trying to love you and our family well. Please take my hand again!

Dave,

I did an 8 mile hike today to pick up my resoled boots and got food. One of the things I think about as I often speedily pass other walkers is that the ones I have grown the most respect for are those who have limited abilities but still try to do what they can.

Last summer after walking at least five miles I was about to pass a jogger. He notice me approaching and sped up. About a mile later I was catching up with him again on a bridge. He again noticed me, quickly took out a cellphone and stopped at the side of the bridge. Then he gave me a look that clearly hinted at his embarrassment or frustration that a walker was faster than the jogger.

While there have been similar incidents that one stood out. It is so easy to take pride in what we do and assume we are better than others. This gentleman showed that clearly. But then what about me? Where is my pride in all of this? I start with a height advantage over most. Then add to it several years of training my body. I’m now to the point that it appears less than one in a thousand of any age can beat me. But there is the one in a million that will make me look pathetically slow.

I keep in mind that one day a fast hike will be my last. What I can do is only for a while. While it clearly is to my health benefit, it does not make me a better or nobler person. Walking fast is not the epitome of merit.

In the last few week I have done two short runs. Both were pathetic. Then I saw another gentleman about my build but younger. He ran like the wind and I could see I am nothing like him. There is nothing in me to take pride in as a runner, and that helps keep me in check.

When I see the old man or woman, or someone who has health issues or obese and still trying to walk, I find joy in that and when possible try to encourage them. On rare occasion, but it has happened, I walk with them to encourage them.

Why all these thoughts? In the same way when it comes to dialog on theology, I strive to interact with the most gifted and studied, while at the same time do the same with those who are clueless or simply immature. I want to be able to be with a group and one moment talk in depth on a minute point and the next encourage someone who just realize a fundamental concept is true. In other words, I want to love well.

It reminds me of a moment when our family was visiting another family and we were all together in their living room. The other dad, a pastor who was evicted from the PCA for following Scripture, and I were talking in some depth. Then my eldest daughter chimed in stating what a joy it was to be there at that moment to see that level of dialog. It was a real encouragement to me since I have been in her position at other times and had that same joy.

These dialogs do happen and happen a lot. I contend they happen mostly in small gatherings where there is no formal structure. It happens in homes.

The structure of an institution does limit this kind of circumstances. I will take one of those moments in the small gathering than dozens in a structured one. Therefore my time and effort is in finding opportunities to host or be a part of a small gathering.

I contend that the role of the overseer is to find those small gatherings, visit them, correct where necessary, encourage them, and then do it again. There is no institution to report to. There are no credentials required. There is no concern about saying or doing something that will deny someone salvation since that is the Lord alone. Therefore we have freedom as clumsy men to strive to love even when we make a lot of mistakes alone the way.

So for the fast walker or the slow walker, it is the willingness to walk that is important. For the mature in Christ or the new follower, it is the joy of striving that is important. I did not need an institution to teach me to walk, but I do it a lot today. I did not need an institution to teach me to love, but I strive for that each day by the Lord’s grace alone.

I hope you find encouragement in what I wrote.