So, I'm driving up the M74 heading to Scotland and suddenly I'm aware of something beautiful. There, at the side of the road, is the single loveliest thing you can see en route to the homeland... It's the sign for Gretna Services.
Okay so it's no Eiffel Tower, but it's my landmark. When I see it my brain starts telling me 'you're almost home', if I stop there the accents have changed and Irn Bru is available on tap. It spurs me on. It's a journey constant - it points me on my way - and I know how a quick stop there will leave me feeling; full - from the food, happy - hearing the accents, reminiscent - recalling the hundreds of other times I've stopped there, and ready and raring to get back on the road. My landmark pushes me on.
Landmarks do that. And when I think over the horizon of my life what landmarks will there be for other people to see? I'm not talking about one off events or places you've stopped off in - there's no need to build a monument to the baby blues or a fleeting romance. I'm talking about things in your life that are instituted. You visit them time and time again and anybody looking from the outside would know it's a landmark, a constant, something that propels you forward.
I have several.
One is Sunday. Not church - but Sunday. As a family it's a landmark day for us. We visit it every week in the same way. It's blocked out and we are committed to using that whole day as a family to serve God. For us that means serving on team, getting to all the NCLC services we can get to and because it's a landmark it actually brings strength to our family.
My boys know what to expect on a Sunday. Sure, they can expect to be tired, and yes they can also expect to eat foods normally banned (who knows sugar is a staple on a Sunday?) - but they can also expect mum and dad to have grown, they can expect us to be chatting about the message, they can expect that for chunks of the day they will be made to feel like the awesome little men we tell them the are - but by other people dedicated to raising champions. We made a decision from when we were first married that we wanted our kids to know that Sundays are not about us.
It's interesting, by the age of 21 the largest group of Christians I had ever been part of was about 500. By age six Corban had been in a room of 10,000 people. We also made a point of him watching the set up of that too. Landmark Sundays set my boys up to be leaders like this generation can't even envisage. I have to break ground for them.
Family day is another Bruce landmark. Usually a Saturday - but often starts on a Friday, it's a time when we do something - chosen by the boys - and then eat a meal together. This is a non negotiable. It happens every week. We budget to allow this to happen.
But another key landmark on the horizon of my life is Sisterhood.
And by the way here's the sure fire way to check whether something is a landmark or not? Take me and Sisterhood...
Do people invite you to things when Sisterhood is on? If yes - it's not a landmark for you - they didn't see it instituted in your life.
Do you plan other events forgetting about Sisterhood? Yeah... It's not a landmark for you... Yet!
For me Sisterhood is key for my life. I can't even count the amount of times I've needed wisdom and without even thinking too hard the voice of my fabulous pastor Dee resounds in my head. And it's not frilly or pink or even that girly. Unless you count empowering women, abolishing slavery, hands-on meeting needs in the community, great teaching, amazing connection, fun socialising and rubbing shoulders with giants in our church girly???
I mean seriously girls - why would you not take the opportunity to come alongside other women, to learn from Dee and the other great girls on the Sisterhood team, and to grow? Ps - if I lived in Newcastle I would be beating a path to Dee's door hoping to be the one to drive her to Teesside once a month. You can't buy time like that.
But here's the rock and roll part...
To have landmarks you have to plan. Me and Brucey call it rock and roll.
So in my diary I have sisterhood. It's a landmark - it doesn't move. It's the same with connect groups and team vision nights etc.
But around that there are important things - rocks. Now the thing about rocks is that you can roll them but you can't remove them. So for me, that's date night. Usually a Thursday but I could roll that a day or two either way. For me that really helps. The first things to go in are the landmarks, then the rocks and then the other stuff is like sand and pebbles. It can fit into the smallest of spaces around the most important things.
Why am I telling you this? Well tonight is a Sisterhood night. We will go and the amazing team will have prepared a space for us to gather. We will be real with one another, we will learn, be inspired and grow together. It would be such a shame if it was just a fleeting moment when it could be a cornerstone... A landmark, the thing that pushes you forward.
Can I just encourage you whether you are a Newcastle-norther, a Teessider, a Jesmondite or someone just reading the blog... Life gets messy and complicated and busy. Stuff just happens and invades our plans - but in order to keep moving forward, to keep growing and to set yourself and your family up on a course for success, let's get rockin and rolling - and visiting some landmarks.
Read more: Gen 35 Jacob returns to Bethel - blessed every time he visited that landmark
