About | PARKISHLY

My name is Park Smith and a dear friend of mine coined a term which has taken root in my very soul - Parkishly. Parkishly means that I express myself with a unique flavor - or if you are Canadian - flavour. I am uniquely loved by God and I uniquely express my love for God and others. Those of you who know me are laughing right now and realize just how true that is!

At 18 years old I came to the end of my rope and cried out into some kind of abyss for help. Some people told me about Jesus and that he loved me…that he wanted to give me a life that I hadn’t experienced before…a full life with him that would not only last for all of eternity but, would begin now! Well, my life has never been the same since. I’ve owned a few companies and pumped gas; have been a Career Counselor and a Waiter; poured iron in a foundry and thinned forests as a Lumberjack. Traveled the world and live in New Jersey.

My life has been full - and full of ups and downs, many of them. But I have lived ALL of my life in an ishly manner. I love Jesus with my whole heart and, I love people. Yes, I love you.

I hope you become a part of the family of parkishly.com. Welcome!

Welcome to Parkishly!

Each one of us has an abundance of “ishness” in our lives and we live that out with a variety of intentions and actions that are “ishly” by nature. Our be-ing is rooted in our very Spirits (Heart and Will) and this organically distinguishes us from any other. You may smile with your head turned playfully to the left. Or, you may approach life’s activities with a gusto that most who know you would say, "that sure is her or him!” It’s such a good thing to have our own noticeable distinguishing factors in life, isn’t it? That’s how God has uniquely made you - and me.

At least once a week (and maybe more!) you will have an opportunity to explore "ishly” life right here with me, through writings and pondering as we consider together what it means to do Life - With - God. Everyone is welcome here. The unabashed bias will be to highly value the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), as well as you and I as God's Image Bearers. Did you know that one of the very first activities God decided to do was to express himself by creating the world and then humankind - in his own ishly manner! Wow.

Furthermore, he loved us so very much that he continued to seek us by sending his son to earth as a man who was fully human and fully divine, in the man Jesus. How ishly of him! Let’s explore together and please comment with your take on the thoughts expressed here by me or others in response to a thread of thought.

If you are a person of faith, you might have been told that you have to get it right; have the right doctrine, act a certain way and MUST attend a particular type of church. Well, we’re going to be taking a long look at some alternatives to only adhering to the oughts of life. What if Jesus invites us into a different type of life: One which is rooted in and radiates with his love for us - one which sets us free from a legalistic bondage or feeling bad about ourselves to instead live into who he originally created us to be in the first place? What if, just what if, you are uniquely created by God to live within and act within that love. What if we are truly his beloved? Ahhhh….we see the wind in the leaves but not the wind. Let’s explore together...

Some do’s:

*Be positive

*Be thoughtful

*Be helpful

*Be willing to hear differing points of view

Some don’ts:

*Be negative

*Be thoughtless (particularly of others)

*Be unhelpful

*Be pontifical (believe your thought is all that matters)

So, with that brief introduction to Parkishly.com, feel free to DIG IN and know that you are loved!