"Commit To One" - A Blunt Lesson #OneLoveSkate
Stoked to see this inspirational moment of Mark fully committed to his blunt in Fort Collins, Colorado last Wednesday.
Several inches of snow dumped out of the sky last night… the power is out, many roads are closed off, and the integrity of many roofs here in Laramie, Wyoming are being tested under the weight of sticky snowflakes. Something about being in a brand-new place is like medicine to kill complacency, but I can still be forgetful, and I appreciate solid community that helps me make life-giving decisions.
Yesterday, one of the first #OneLoveSkate Reps, Auburn, and I had a great time snowboarding, but on the way home as I reached for my phone passing a 70mph speed limit sign, I had a wake up call. On a long, country road in Wyoming, Auburn encouraged me to focus only on driving. He said, "Josh, if you swerve off the road on a day like today, you're not going to get back on... Cell phones don't work out here, and this is the type of weather that people freeze to death in." Wow. Sobering thought. This insight helped me leave my cell phone alone so I could be fully committed to driving.
Auburn airing the hip on the #OneLoveSkate Fade deck.
Such a fun bro session sharing the stoke and learning to "commit to oooone."
Auburn's blunt comment was refreshing. He was looking out for me, but as a passenger in the car, his desire for me to be fully committed to the one task of driving was also beneficial to him. The day before in Colorado, Auburn and I went to a skatepark with another original 1L rep, Mark. The time with Mark led to a nugget of wisdom not only for skaters but for all who desire to acquire any new skill. During the skate session with Mark and Auburn, a thought formed that has already become a mantra: "Commit to One." This mantra can help each of us see life-changing progression that benefits not only us as individuals but the entire communities where we are living.
Because "Commit to One," is so helpful in every aspect of life, we want to share three ways each of us can execute this memorable mantra. Try one, and let us know how it goes by connecting with us through oneloveskate.org
Ways You Can "Commit To One"
1.) Try A Blunt Slide (For Skaters & More)
Mark & Auburn are the two 1L reps we talk about in the 1L Discipleship Curriculum who worked at Keo skatepark in Maui for a year. They were a positive presence in the skate community at Keo skatepark by leading a life group, giving away 1L products, and building relationships. Their work is still seen today on Maui even though Auburn is now married and living in Wyoming while Mark is engaged and living in Colorado. Though both men are busy, we made time to get together Tuesday for a fun bro session at a small skatepark in Fort Collins, Colorado. Mark learned how to do a blunt on a steep little quarter pipe, and his advice might help you land a blunt slide as well.
Mark, one of the first 1L Reps in Maui, showing us how to "commit to one" with a poppy blunt.
Mark said that what helped him learn was committing to one and being willing to slam. He said it took being all-in to learn what he was trying to accomplish. Once he completely went for it he learned to do what needed to be done, and he started landing blunts with different variations.
Whether in marriage, careers, or skateboarding, backup plans can mess us up. Often, making a backup plan means we start investing time, money, and energy for a "plan b" because we think the grass might be greener somewhere else. Unfortunately, that wasted time and energy strips us of the ability to water the grass of our current situation, and we can fail to accomplish our desires.
Mark is not just a leader when he is skateboarding... From students watching his life at the pizza place where we hung out after skating, to the positive influence he is on his his peers, Mark's commitment creates a ripple effect way bigger than he realizes. Like Mark, each of us influence the atmosphere of our communities with every deed we do. Whether on a skateboard or in other aspects of life, may others be encouraged when they witness our commitment levels.
Blunt Kickflip for new oneloveskate.org blog #OneLoveSkateStoked Derrick Unrein. New "Commit to One" blog on oneloveskate.org #OneLoveSkate
Posted by One Love Skate on Friday, March 16, 2018
Last weekend, we worked with Surfing the Nations and Paia Youth & Cultural Center to have 1L Convos in Paia, Maui. Through this event and One Love interviews, we gave away several skateboards, shirts, and stickers to share the 1L. #LiveOneLove
Ways You Can "Commit To One"
2.) Have a 1L Convo
Last Saturday, we had another great #OneLoveSkate event in Paia, Maui. During that event we had a team of young adults from Surfing the Nations who met us on the beach in Paia to do One Love interviews. In addition, last weekend we gave away 7 One Love Skate decks, shirts, and some stickers to help skaters experience God's One Love discovered in 1 John 4:9. As we prepped our team of about 20 young adults from all around the world we said:
"It's easy to remember... since we're called "one love," today let's remember to "love one." Let's each meet one person in the next hour and learn their names and learn what they honestly believe about the two 1L questions. Let God lead you... maybe you'll get to pray with people today, but the win is getting honest answers from one person about 1) What is one love to you? and 2) Who is Jesus to you? Please log your answers on our website after your conversation so we can discover what more people believe. "
Will you commit to one 1L conversation? Maybe having a 1L conversation is what it will take to get you out of your comfort zone and see a relational breakthrough in other aspects of your life. Walking up to someone you don't know can be intimidating, but you might make their day by helping him or her share something he or she has been wanting to share.
Be creative. Maybe buy a coffee for the person behind you in line, and ask them if you can interview them with these two 1L questions. We sincerely believe these questions can radically transform someone's life and eternity, and we would love to hear how your conversations are going.
Think of how much different our world could be if we all lived in the light of our beliefs about "one love." Don't feel pressure to change anyone's opinion. Simply listen and learn, and share with us what was said so we can gather more research about the spiritual beliefs of those around us.
Ways You Can "Commit To One"
3.) Do Something That Will Snowball
Like many things in life, this snowman started with "one tiny snowball" and grew to be something bigger than us.
Stoked by this 1L Vision, and we had a ridiculously fun time meeting Auburn's neighbor as well... "COMMITtoWWUUUNNN."
Last night as the snow started falling outside of Auburn's apartment, I could not resist the urge to start packing a snow man. I knew something would be extremely satisfying for me if I could make snowman eyes out of our "arrow-up" "arrow-down" 1L logo. At first I tried huge shovels of snow to make the base... Unfortunately the huge clumps broke apart when I stacked them on top of each other.
I was amazed to realize that big shovels full of snow were not as effective as starting with a tightly packed ball of snow and rolling it to make it bigger. The counterintuitive task of starting with a small snowball led to a snowman much bigger than us. When Auburn's neighbor, Bob, walked outside with no shirt and accepted our invitation to jump in a picture, my child-like joy in simply building a snowman reached a sporadic ectasy as my expectations for the evening were far exceeded.
Regardless of the climate we are in, we are all making choices that snowball. Life tends to snowball both for good and bad. Written thousands of years ago, according to Solomon "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out" (Proverbs 17:14). According to Solomon, conflict will snowball... we all have an angsty argument ready to snowball in to broken relationships if we're not careful... Nevertheless, positive choices snowball as well.
Maybe you have friends that eat better than you, and when you spend time with them you tend to eat better too. We all can think of teachers who have a passion for their craft that inspires passion in their students. Just as Auburn helped me keep my eyes on the road yesterday, we all have blindspots that can be covered when we choose to put ourselves shoulder-to-shoulder in solid community.
Today, during my time downloading God's Word, I was encouraged that: Relationships are the most difficult & most important part of life. We all hurt others and get hurt, but "by steadfast love & faithfulness iniquity is atoned for" (Proverbs 16:6). In Jesus' steadfast love, we can receive & give #RealLove. #LiveOneLove #SeekTheMostHigh
Jesus said in Luke 10:42, "One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." That ONE thing. Mary's one thing was her relationship with Jesus. Like Mary, I want the One Love of Jesus to be my One Thing I pursue. Jesus' eternal love empowers us to love God and love others better than any amount of earthly time, talents, and treasures every could. I am a work in progress, but for me the main snowball I pray and work to keep in the center of my life is my relationship with Jesus.
“Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
I like the t-shirt that says: "Procrastinators unite... tomorrow." Lol. It's funny, but unfortunately it's true. Complacency kills our dreams and robs the world of creativity. So often, life is "now or never." Go for that one thing. You know what it is. Or you know who it is. Life is a vapor, and it's worth the work to start packing some snowballs of love and life to see the world around us experience new love and life.
What does it look like for you to commit to one?
What's the one thing that you can try that could radically change the direction of your life?
Stoked meeting new friends in Wyoming who want to "know the love" & "be the love" w/ One Love Skate. #Sightings
"Storms will surely come, but true love is a choice you must make."
-Thrice
Please stay in touch and let us know what's new in your life, friends.
When we go all in, others notice; and they enjoy the life-giving community that comes from our commitment. However, for this to happen, we need to try a blunt-slide, have a one love conversation, or do something else that will snowball. We hope you are encouraged to "COMMIT TO ONE" in at least one of these three ways aforementioned. Like the sticky snowflakes that can make snowmen or collapse roofs with their weight, we are better together when we spur one another on to #LiveOneLove.
Please act now so you will start to see a difference in your life tomorrow.
Commit to one! #LiveOneLove
In the One Love of the Most High (1 John 4:9),
Joshua Marburger
1L Disciple
One Love Skate is an international evangelism and discipleship ministry dedicated to being a positive presence in communities all around the world by resourcing & equipping 1L Reps to #LiveOneLove.