Sagebrush

Mid-way through October, I was blessed with the opportunity to go with a group of sixth grade students to Central Oregon. If you know me, it's no surprise that I had been anticipating this trip since June! When any opportunity arises that combines spending time teaching kids with the aroma of juniper trees and sagebrush (I'll come back to this, but I hope you know it's one of the most incredible smells ever), I will never be able to say no... top it off with a break from the stress of school and you've got a recipe for a great time!

I loved every minute of the trip... from waking up at 5:15 am to chat around the campfire with some awesome Counselors... to cramming 30+ tired, dirty campers on a bus ringing with melodious camp and worship songs (almost always sung off-tune)... to hiking up and down multiple trails, identifying trees, imagining what it was like to be an original Pioneer coming across the Oregon Trail... I wouldn't trade the week for anything.

While on the trip, I was overwhelmed with how much I enjoyed the break. A break from myself.

Rather than focusing on everything I have to do for school, I was able to step back and pour into others. I'm at the point of grave annoyance with how self-focused I am during school. It shouldn't have to be that way! I just can't figure out how to get around it.... No matter how much I try and pour myself into other people, at the end of the day, I'm stuck thinking about all I have to do (for myself) the next day. Yes, there are ways to be involved and reach out to others even while in school, but I feel a lingering tension that I can't get past... I know I'm not explaining it very well (and I probably just sound like the most selfish person, but I feel almost trapped in a box of self-centerdness while I'm at school.

Now, back to the sagebrush... If you haven't had the opportunity to inhale the aroma of this fragrant little plant, you must. Seriously. On several occasions over the course of the few days, I remembered to stuff several small branches into the pockets of my coat. A few from the banks of the Deschutes, a couple from around the campground, and a handful from the park at Sisters just for good measure. However, I completely forgot to remove them from my pockets before they reached their dry, crumbly stage... and for this I am ever so grateful!

Every time I use my coat pockets as an attempt to warm my hands from the chilling October air, tiny particles of sagebrush-scented fumes permeate the skin of my fingers and latch on to the surface of my hands. And every time I remove my hands from the fragrant pockets, the sweet smell of sagebrush sweeps through the air, leaving a smile on my face. I can't help but be filled with happiness, even if the moment is brief. It makes me wonder... how can I be that breath of joy to others? How can I bless others like sagebrush blesses me (as silly as that sounds)?

Maybe it's not about constantly doing things for others (I'm not down-playing this, only questioning if this is realistic and healthy). Could it possibly have more to do with just being? Being a refreshing presence, an encouragement...  I know that sounds vague, but let's just go with it for a bit. The broken, crumbly branch of sagebrush is not producing any sweet scent at this point, it's simply just hanging out in my pocket. Because it's not connected to the original plant, it will eventually cease smelling good altogether. I don't want that to be me. But what about the rest of the branches (the lucky ones that didn't get plucked from the living plant))... they will continue to produce a wonderful aroma because they're connected to the source. They need only to be.. but they must be in relation to the living plant.

If I want to be a blessing to others, I have to recognize that I must be connected to Christ. I am nothing by a  broken, crumbly branch on my own. However, his fragrant aroma can escape through me if I am alive in him... and then I can just be sagebrush.