Running to Win It

Paul wrote it best, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

My life as a roughneck has officially come to an end!  Yesterday, Christmas, as soon as we arrived at work we were told that we would be leaving our hitch (seven days) at the end of the day.  Sunday was going to be my last day before I called it quits, but since we finished the well, and there wasn't anymore work for us, they went ahead and let us have the rest of the week off.  A real rarity in the oil-field normally, but not necessarily during this time of year when companies are trying to stay within budget at the end of the year.  

It was a huge relief, and at the same time a bit of sadness.  The relief came from knowing that I had accomplished a goal I set out to conquer 6 months ago, and the sadness was from the fact that I would be leaving this season and the people I had come to know as friends would return right back to work in about one week.  I felt and still feel like I'm abandoning my post.  I'm overwhelmed with sorrow at the thought that there won't be anyone to try to Love these men as Christ would have.  I failed so many times with these guys.  I was impatient at times, frustrated at times and just down right apathetic at times, but it didn't change the fact that I really do care about those men.  I care about their souls, and even though I didn't always win the race, I ran to win most of the time.  I'm not writing this as a consolation, as to say, "look at me...I wasn't always Godly, but at least I tried."  I simply want the reader to know that I care, and that it wasn't easy learning to carry The Message into a place I could barely pass on a compliment.  However, the fact that it wasn't easy, although discouraging, didn't keep me from pushing my way past emotional barriers to get a peek into the hearts of man.

What I saw was amazing...eye-opening...beautiful...and sad all at the same time.  You would think that me being a Christ follower, would have gone in there and just unloaded all the wisdom I "had" up to that point, but what I came out knowing is that I didn't really know anything about Loving who God calls us to Love. (Matthew 5:46-48)  Derek (mentioned in earlier blog) and Nate taught me so much about giving.  Everything they had, including their lunch, was mine.  They gave with no regard for themselves, money, or even my performance.  Nate would buy my an energy drink ($4) almost everyday without me even asking, or sometimes even wanting one.  I was flat out embarrassed at how giving these guys were, and there I was...the Christian learning from the Godless.

It's only been about 12 hours since my life as Roughneck came to an end, and I already feel the need to be nostalgic.  I know I'm going to miss the crew!  I can't help but to feel sad about my departure, but at the same time I feel a sense of relief.  I hope that in some way this blog has opened your eyes the way mine have been open over the past six months.  I hope that you, the reader, will try as I did to lose yourself in places you already live your life.  I hope that you will seek to find who Jesus was, and moreover, that you strive to live like He did.  He gave up the thrown to become poor, to Love the poor and to pray for those who persecuted Him.  He said, "Father, forgive them for the know not what they do."  "They" were taking his life when he uttered those words.  I've held grudges for years simply because someone called me a "bad" name.  Makes you wonder.  

I'll end with this...

Matt Chandler (Pastor, The Village Church), once said that "Christians" have taken the most precious, delicate, most beautiful message (The Gospel) in the entire universe and hi-jacked it!  It's taken me a couple of years to really take hold of the gravity of what he was trying to communicate, but I think it's come full circle.   We preach sin instead of Love-Condemnation instead of Grace.  To often we forget what sinners we were when Jesus rescued our souls, and in turn we condemn people with the same lives we were living just before He bathed us in His blood.  There's a whole hurting world out there waiting, hoping for something or Someone to come and instill hope.  Go!  Go Now!  Let yourself be used for the sake of the Kingdom!  

Peace,

Rafael

Where's Relief?

It's cold here in West Texas this time of year.  Currently 36 degrees in town, but once we get to the ranch, it's usually about 10 degrees colder.  It's already begun to snow, and snow is only going to add frustrations to an already long an hectic work day.  I'm leaving in the next thirty minutes, jumping in the truck with the crew and headed about thirty miles south of town, onto the dirt road for about another thirty minutes, and then our "twelve" gets underway.  

Although this might seem like a bad deal for everybody, there are some people who will be relieved by the fact we are coming to work.  One day is composed of 24 hours, as I'm sure all of you very well know, and since we only work twelve, someone else (another crew) is needed to work the other twelve.  You see, the oil-field doesn't recognize holidays or sickness.  Well, not formally at least.  Just about two weeks ago, most of you enjoyed a day or two off with the family.  Had some time to eat, drink, and be merry, but for those of us on Rig 5 and many other rigs across West Texas, the only way we celebrated was through smiling at the extra eight hours earned for working on Thanksgiving.  So, to put it plainly the drilling never stops.  And that's why we work through the night, and the Daylights crew works through the day.  24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.  That's right we'll be working on Christmas!  All to say, that what we most look forward to, other than our days off, is at the end of our "twelve" when the other crew shows up for their shift and we get relieved of our duties for the at least the next twelve hours.  No matter what crew you're on, the one event that is sure to put a smile on anyone's face is "RELIEF".       

My relationship with Nate has been steadily growing, and although we have had one major falling out (3 mos. ago), I could have never imagined how much God would show me through my friendship with Nate.  My days are coming to an end (12 days exactly), and I know that my heart will be filled with a bit of sorrow.  I'm leaving this place and headed back to the comforts of friends and a warm place to study.  All of which I'm very thankful for, and all of which I anticipate with great joy.  My mind and my heart with still partially be with Rig 5, and I will forever wonder if the seeds of life were planted, but moreover, will there be harvesters enough for the harvest.  As my time wears down, I can see that my departure isn't something to be celebrated with my crew, but instead I'm trying to soak up as much as possible, drink as deeply as I can and open my eyes to what God would have my see.  But still the question remains...

Where's Relief?

I ask this, only partially as a rhetorical question, and the rest of it is left for you to comment about.  As long as I have known my step-father (dad), he has worked in the oil-field and most time on the rigs.  So my exposure to the oil-field runs deep.   It's always been a barren land, but it has never been bigger than it is now.  Which leaves me hurting, wondering and hoping that someone will notice these people.  Notice, that they are a different breed, but still worthy of God's GREAT gift.  I hear about mission opportunities all the time.  Some to other countries, inner cities and most to impoverished places.  However, I keep thinking that the industry that has consumed my family life and my life for the past six months need missionaries just the same.  I do understand that because of certain circumstances, typical missions style isn't really plausible.  Which kind of excites me in a way.  I have always believed that missionaries are a very necessary vessel for advancing the Gospel, but I have never been intrigued myself. I've always felt that my everyday life was a mission field, and every appointment a divine appointment.  When I was younger I thought I wanted to be a pastor of a church, but as I grew in my faith I realized a need for spreading the gospel in places that have access to churches, but to people who would never step foot in a church to seek God.  This lifestyles has brought about accountability, because I don't ever feel like my faith possess and "on/off switch".  No one's should, but I'm afraid sometimes it's easy to assimilate back into the ways of this world.  As I conclude the next two weeks on Rig 5, my prayer is that I will keep my eyes on the prize, maintain an eternal perspective and Love as I have never loved before. 

Not Worrying About Tomorrow, 

-Rafael