Rockin' on the Rock

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of going down to Phoenix and participate in a Christian Rock festival. My disaster team's mobile kitchen was deployed and just a couple of us were employed in feeding the musicians. There were about 70-80 bands and some of them were big name Christian groups. Kutless was among them, as well as a few others of whom I had heard, but had not heard. Feeding people is a great way to get to know people....everyone wants to be your friend when you have food. I thought it might be a great time to witness to some young people, but they had that covered and I have to say that when I spoke to some of the musicians about the Lord, I was literally "preaching to the choir" albeit an unusual choir.

Although I didn't necessarily care for some of the music....(I'm old) I loved their attitudes. I stood backstage with the front man from a band from Canada (I can't remember any of the band names, but his was Jason)

and we told jokes to each other. He told me a "Neufie" joke (big in Canada) and I told him a couple that were equally as unfunny. We both pretended to laugh and thoroughly enjoyed one another's company. God's people are great to get to know and it doesn't matter the setting. I have an idea that Heaven will be a place that surprises a bunch of us. God has certainly made a patchwork of personalities with which to decorate His kingdom. We all stand on the same rock and it's pretty solid and there's room enough for everyone. How cool is that?

The Highway

With the engine of my Harley screaming loudly (I like it like that....loud pipes save lives) I rolled down highway 60, a definite back road, for 994 miles to visit my daughter and grandchlidren in Tyler, Texas. There are two things, (well there a whole bunch more) that can happen on the road. You can sit and just enjoy the ride or you can contemplate God as well as enjoy the ride. I chose to do the latter. Somewhere in New Mexico I

stopped to take some pictures of a beautiful array of clouds that had positioned themselves around a fantastic mountain in the not too far distance.

I shouted with glee and praised God for His mighty wonders. (Big bang indeed) and I rode on. Not too far from that I came upon the U.S. government's Very Large Array of radio telescopes. (It's where the movie "Contact" with Jodie Foster was made) It is our governments attempt to discover sounds, contacts, etc. from aliens and extra terrestrial beings. A fantasmagoric waste of taxpayer dollars. (I took some pictures there as well)
As I contemplated the incredible contrast between God's beauty and man's inability to accept God on His terms, I decided to go with God. Now, I know that some who may read this will think, "Well he's just another religious nut." I used to go with the array of telescopes rather than the beauty of the array of clouds of the world, but as I began to question my own existence and why we are here, it all began to make sense. God gave us what we see as a gift. We could not, cannot, nor will we ever be able to create anything that can come even close to the beauty of His creation. If you aren't aware of HIm and what He did, do a little research on your own. But you have to be objective and look at every angle. Perhap it will make sense to you too. I hope so.
By the way, the visit with my daughter and grandchildren was great, but they sure keep it hot and muggy in Texas.

Letting Go

It's the middle of the night and I just can't sleep. I have so many things going on in my life and all I can do is bounce from one to another and hope I get some of them right. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with 450 teenagers. I love youth councils (the Salvation Army name for this gathering of kids, some of whom know and have a relationship with the Lord and some who don't) Most come from difficult, to say the least, situations. Typical of Salvation Army youth. Poor, neglected, absent parents, who may be there physically but not involved with their kids for a million different reasons. To reach some of these kids is pretty tough. They have their walls built and they, without being aware of it, are headed toward a repeat of their parent's lives. (Aren't we all?)
I have been praying that God would use me to help facilitate a change so at least one or some, learn to make good decisions.
My disaster crew is feeding 250 firemen who are doing a weekend long wildland fire exercise. I really wanted to be involved with this, but can't be two places at once. I know my team can do it alone, I just can't let go. But this is not their first rodeo and they will do fine.
My first love is teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus, though and I won't be able to do that this weekend either. I'll be with those kids. My wife is not quite ready to preach yet after her cancer treatments, so I am letting a lady who is quite capable, preach in my stead. It's her first time in many years. (She was once a Salvation Army officer) but hasn't stood behind a pulpit for quite a while. But God has put her in a place to be the one who can shine His light in our little Outpost this weekend. I know she will do well too!
I have also been tossing and turning all night wondering what I have forgotten for our motorcycle rally at the end of May. If anyone has any tips for letting go of things, please let me know. I'm not a worrier, and I try not to be a micro-manager, but why tonight??? Well, I just don't know.
So I will depart tomorrow morning on my motorcycle for a 5 hour journey across the beautiful state of Arizona and let those things I cannot be present for physically be taken care of by the One who is really in charge. What a great life I have.
Thanks for being a shoulder.