[November 6, 2007] Today was a long and busy day but it was a really good day. We had breakfast around 9:00 and left the compound to go downtown and sing for the Secretary of Culture for Belem. Unfortunately, the secretary had more pressing issues, so we sang for students at the Carlos Gomez Music Conservatory, a school where most of the kids are poor. Belem is a poor region compared to most of the brasilian capital cities. It was kind of weird seeing the contrast between some of the wealthier cities like Campo Grande (which, by the way, means Big Camp) and Belem. It reminded me of Ecuador where, if you have nothing, you have nothing but you find a way to survive because it's necessary. Words can't adequately describe the mobs of people on the side of the road hoping to get picked up to go to work for a very low wage. I was told the average salary in Belem is about 380 reais (sounds like ray-eyes) per month, which translates into less than $200 US dollars. That's so little! Yet, the concert tickets were 30 reais and the 2000-person convention center was sold out completely. We got to share Jesus with a lot of people and heard some great responses. It was clearly the craziest crowd we've had so far, but the love some Jesus. It was also our best performance so far. We hope it will continue to improve like it has been.
I do have a bit of bad news, though. I have suffered the loss of a dear comrade. You may have seen us together, some of you many times. We have been friends for quite a while now. We went through some tough times together but we made it out alright...until now. He may not make it this time. He was severely injured during the concert and I'm really pretty shaken up by the incident...mainly because it was my fault. See, what had happened was, I stuck my hand out to shake a kid's hand and he grabbed my Ecuadorian bracelet and broke the string, losing half of the beads that I spent at least an hour last month repairing...for the second time. I'm really heartbroken about this because it's my "Compassion bracelet." When I look at it I think of the Compassion kids we help support and it's my reminder that real people, real children are suffering more than we know.
Okay, enough with the sad talk. We had a good day and a good concert. We went to the zoo today too. Good times. Pray for my knees, though. I'm feeling a bit arthritic. Moving really slowly tonight. We be aight tho! Another early morning, and it's already after midnight. Hora de dormir!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Friday, November 16, 2007
BRASIL: day 10 - Meio la (Half-way there)
[November 7, 2007] It's been a tough day but a wonderful night. We got up at 6:15 for breakfast and left by 7:00 for the airport. We got stuck in morning Belem traffic and got there a little late, but we made our flight. It was a bit of a long, tiring flight with one stopover, one layover, and one bad landing. In the pilot's defense, it was very, very windy and the landing strip was very, very short. He just came down really flat and kinda jarred everyone. We're all fine...although some people can't seem to stop complaining about it.
Anyhoo, we went to lunch once we arrived in Natal. At the tail end of lunch were a few news crews waiting to hold a twenty-minute press conference that we weren't all dressed for. Some of us were in shorts and t-shirts, unshaven, and exhausted from last night's concert and our short night's sleep. We got through it, though, and came to the hotel to get dressed for a couple more interviews, one of which was at a pop radio station right after a Britney Spears song. It was as weird as it sounds. It's all good. After the interviews we came back to eat at a nearby restaurant. This place was so nice and they had completely shut down, except to host us. The food was excellent and we had a great time just talking and enjoying each other's company. Now we're all back in the hotel. Some of the guys went to the beach a couple blocks away for a little while. Some went to bed (Keith and Sharon). Some worked on getting blogs caught up...and are still a few days behind. Ah well. Soon.
I needed the rest anyway. My body is starting to wear down a lot. I'm pretty sure I have a tough of arthritis or something in my knees because it's a chore to get them from being stiff so I can walk. It's tough, but I'm just as tough.
We have reached our half-way point. One week left. Keep praying. We need it!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Anyhoo, we went to lunch once we arrived in Natal. At the tail end of lunch were a few news crews waiting to hold a twenty-minute press conference that we weren't all dressed for. Some of us were in shorts and t-shirts, unshaven, and exhausted from last night's concert and our short night's sleep. We got through it, though, and came to the hotel to get dressed for a couple more interviews, one of which was at a pop radio station right after a Britney Spears song. It was as weird as it sounds. It's all good. After the interviews we came back to eat at a nearby restaurant. This place was so nice and they had completely shut down, except to host us. The food was excellent and we had a great time just talking and enjoying each other's company. Now we're all back in the hotel. Some of the guys went to the beach a couple blocks away for a little while. Some went to bed (Keith and Sharon). Some worked on getting blogs caught up...and are still a few days behind. Ah well. Soon.
I needed the rest anyway. My body is starting to wear down a lot. I'm pretty sure I have a tough of arthritis or something in my knees because it's a chore to get them from being stiff so I can walk. It's tough, but I'm just as tough.
We have reached our half-way point. One week left. Keep praying. We need it!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
BRASIL: day 11 - Concert em Natal (Concert in Christmas)
[November 8, 2007] Zac spent the night sick and I've had an annoying cough all day. My knees and hips have hurt all day and Zac is still feeling yucky. In other words, we are struggling. It's been a long day and it's just now over. We got up and did three short t.v. interviews, all without Zac, in a couple hours. As a matter of fact, we almost flipped in the van on the way to the last one...a few times. We were in a little bit of a hurry. After we finished that, we went to a restaurant near the hotel, which is near the beach. They surprised us with a special roof top lunch. The view was breathtaking! Nothing but roof tops, sand, and ocean. Muito lindo (very beautiful)! We got Zac some meds and then had a few hours down before going to the venue for sound check. After sound check we sat and waited, and waited, and waited some more. The concert was scheduled for 7:30 and started around 8:30...with four different opening acts, including Anderson. The room was huge and concrete, which means it was hard to hear, and even though there were around 1000 people there, it wasn't even half-way full. Not enough bodies to soak up the sound. Plus, that small crowd was loud enough to drown us out at times. It was all good, though. We got to meet and greet with most everybody there. We got to take a couple pics with my ex-roomate, Jim Kizer's friend, Cris. She went to ACU with him. I went to a fival school. Go Buffs! Either way, we finished that and went back to the same restaurant as last night, which has been my favorite place to eat so far (and you know I like to eat). Very intimate and relaxd with incredible food. After dinner, it was back to the hotel for a night's sleep. No early morning this time. Yay! Zac is starting to feel better, but still needs prayers. Same goes for my knees. Just don't forget that I love you guys and we pray for y'all before every concert. See you soon!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
BRASIL: day 12 - Regozijai! (Rejoice!)
[November 9, 2007] Here's the short version. We were in the same plane all day, got in five hours late, ate dinner, and went to bed.
Now, here's the long version. We were in the same plane from 1:00 to 10:30 PM because of bad weather, got to Belo Horizonte five hours late after stopping in Rio (which is like an hour in the wrong direction) and coming back to the airport reopened, ate a late dinner near our very nice hotel, and then went to bed. Not really much to tell about today except people were not happy.
We are some audacious people to complain about things like unscheduled stops and delayed flights. It could be so much worse. We could have not come on this amazing trip in the first place. We could have not even been in this ministry doing what we do and getting to travel and see the world. We could be dying in a hospital bed or nursing home because we can't take care of ourselves. We could be dying on the streets somewhere because nobody cared enough to help us out.
So, I'm making a new pact with myself and whomever will join me. I will not complain anymore while I am on this trip. Jesus said, "Do everything without grumbling or complaining." I encourage those of you who are chronic complainers to take one day, maybe today (or tomorrow if it's too late in the evening today) and just try not complaining. I know it will improve your mood, which will improve your day. Complaining won't solve anything. It only raises your blood pressure and speeds up the aging process (gray hair, balding, ulcers, wrinkles, etc.). So, the next time you start to complain, remember there are people who have it way worse than you and they aren't complaining because Jesus told them (and us) not to.
Tell you what. Instead of complaining, let's find things to rejoice about. Zac is feeling much better today. That's a start. What else? My knees don't hurt much at all. Yay for that. So, here it is. Today I will rejoice because I'm alive, well, working, and a child of the King. What will you rejoice about today?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Now, here's the long version. We were in the same plane from 1:00 to 10:30 PM because of bad weather, got to Belo Horizonte five hours late after stopping in Rio (which is like an hour in the wrong direction) and coming back to the airport reopened, ate a late dinner near our very nice hotel, and then went to bed. Not really much to tell about today except people were not happy.
We are some audacious people to complain about things like unscheduled stops and delayed flights. It could be so much worse. We could have not come on this amazing trip in the first place. We could have not even been in this ministry doing what we do and getting to travel and see the world. We could be dying in a hospital bed or nursing home because we can't take care of ourselves. We could be dying on the streets somewhere because nobody cared enough to help us out.
So, I'm making a new pact with myself and whomever will join me. I will not complain anymore while I am on this trip. Jesus said, "Do everything without grumbling or complaining." I encourage those of you who are chronic complainers to take one day, maybe today (or tomorrow if it's too late in the evening today) and just try not complaining. I know it will improve your mood, which will improve your day. Complaining won't solve anything. It only raises your blood pressure and speeds up the aging process (gray hair, balding, ulcers, wrinkles, etc.). So, the next time you start to complain, remember there are people who have it way worse than you and they aren't complaining because Jesus told them (and us) not to.
Tell you what. Instead of complaining, let's find things to rejoice about. Zac is feeling much better today. That's a start. What else? My knees don't hurt much at all. Yay for that. So, here it is. Today I will rejoice because I'm alive, well, working, and a child of the King. What will you rejoice about today?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
BRASIL: day 13 - Concert em Belo Horizonte (Concert in Beautiful Horizon)
[November 10, 2007] What a great time to take a "no complaining" pact. There were so many things I could've complained about, but, thank God, I choose not to. Instead, I kept my attitude positive and am going to bed happy.
We got to sleep in this morning, which was awesome. We ate lunch at the same restaurant we had dinner last night. It's amazing how a place is transformed when there are no huge crowds of people and booze and plumes of smoke billowing all over the place. After a very tasty lunch, we had a couple hours down before we left for the venue. I took a nap.
When I woke up I had no voice. I had been dealing with some sinus drainage and that annoying cough for a few days, but I didn't realize it would affect me so suddenly and drastically. I was fine when I fell asleep thirty minutes earlier. I had my first big choice of the day. Would I freak out and try to fix it myself or would I trust God and relax, knowing it would be okay? I chose the latter and I'm so glad I did. I went on vocal silence, except when I had to talk for the interview we did, and for sound check. The interview was a little weird and a lot silly, but it was fun and we knocked it out pretty quickly. Sound check was a little longer than normal but we made it through that too. After a shortened rest in the bunk houses we used for dressing rooms, which were a bit of a walk from the auditorium, I shared yesterday's blog with the gang. I never had anyone formally join me in the pace, but I did get some good feedback and the morale was better when devo ended.
So, we changed our batteries in our mics and monitors, only to realize that they were the wrong type (non-alkaline) and we had to scramble to get them changed again before going on stage. We made it, though. Some monitors were lost in the ordeal, but the audience loved us and we loved all 1000 of them. God gave me the voice I needed and then some. The concert went well (even with technical difficulties) and the promoter had dinner served for us at the venue before our thirty-minute drive back to the hotel. Zac and I have been cutting up and having a good time tonight. Now it's bedtime, and I'm so happy because I've kept a good attitude all day and it has paid off. It's midnight. Lobby call is 4:15 AM. Good night!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
We got to sleep in this morning, which was awesome. We ate lunch at the same restaurant we had dinner last night. It's amazing how a place is transformed when there are no huge crowds of people and booze and plumes of smoke billowing all over the place. After a very tasty lunch, we had a couple hours down before we left for the venue. I took a nap.
When I woke up I had no voice. I had been dealing with some sinus drainage and that annoying cough for a few days, but I didn't realize it would affect me so suddenly and drastically. I was fine when I fell asleep thirty minutes earlier. I had my first big choice of the day. Would I freak out and try to fix it myself or would I trust God and relax, knowing it would be okay? I chose the latter and I'm so glad I did. I went on vocal silence, except when I had to talk for the interview we did, and for sound check. The interview was a little weird and a lot silly, but it was fun and we knocked it out pretty quickly. Sound check was a little longer than normal but we made it through that too. After a shortened rest in the bunk houses we used for dressing rooms, which were a bit of a walk from the auditorium, I shared yesterday's blog with the gang. I never had anyone formally join me in the pace, but I did get some good feedback and the morale was better when devo ended.
So, we changed our batteries in our mics and monitors, only to realize that they were the wrong type (non-alkaline) and we had to scramble to get them changed again before going on stage. We made it, though. Some monitors were lost in the ordeal, but the audience loved us and we loved all 1000 of them. God gave me the voice I needed and then some. The concert went well (even with technical difficulties) and the promoter had dinner served for us at the venue before our thirty-minute drive back to the hotel. Zac and I have been cutting up and having a good time tonight. Now it's bedtime, and I'm so happy because I've kept a good attitude all day and it has paid off. It's midnight. Lobby call is 4:15 AM. Good night!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
BRASIL: day 14 - Concert em Porto Alegre (Concert in Happy Port)
[November 11, 2007] 4:00 AM is early, especially after going to bed at midnight. Either way, that's when lobby call was and we made it. We got to the airport on time for our 6:30 flight. Stopped in Rio...again. It's just about as pretty in the daytime as it is at night. The airport is nice too. We spent a couple hours there, mainly sleeping, and then it was off to Porto Alegre. By the way, it's really kinda funny seeing seven hand carts being pushed down the sidewalk at 5:00 AM. It's such a slow, half-dead, pitiful procession of luggage-toting zombies.
Anyway, we went to churrascaria number five. These places are doing some amazing things with food. It seems that I may have found a new favorite churrascaria dish. Roasted pineapple! I don't know how they do it, but they cut the skin off and roast it with cinnamon and sugar, and it's amazing! I can't even describe how good it is (and you know it's good if I'm blogging about it). If you haven't experienced it, you really should as soon as you can. If you have, I'm so proud of you!
Moving on, we hung out at the hotel for a little bit, then went to the venue for sound check and concert. We had all kinds of problems tonight. Bad frequencies, trouble hearing, batteries dying, potty breaks (or the need of them), quiet audience, and all kinds of other fun stuff. It was great, though. God delivered again and gave me a voice for the night. I did pretty well at not complaining. It's tough when I'm so tired, but that's the game. I'm fine.
After the concert, they set us up in a smallish room with sliding glass doors, our own "glass case of emotion" for all you Anchorman fans. They filtered people in and out for pics and autographs. It was kinda weird, but kinda fun too.
We got done there and now we're back in the hotel with some pizza, getting ready for bed. We may get a full six hours of sleep tonight! That's money right there. Much better than 3.5. Two more concerts left and then we come home! Outstanding!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Anyway, we went to churrascaria number five. These places are doing some amazing things with food. It seems that I may have found a new favorite churrascaria dish. Roasted pineapple! I don't know how they do it, but they cut the skin off and roast it with cinnamon and sugar, and it's amazing! I can't even describe how good it is (and you know it's good if I'm blogging about it). If you haven't experienced it, you really should as soon as you can. If you have, I'm so proud of you!
Moving on, we hung out at the hotel for a little bit, then went to the venue for sound check and concert. We had all kinds of problems tonight. Bad frequencies, trouble hearing, batteries dying, potty breaks (or the need of them), quiet audience, and all kinds of other fun stuff. It was great, though. God delivered again and gave me a voice for the night. I did pretty well at not complaining. It's tough when I'm so tired, but that's the game. I'm fine.
After the concert, they set us up in a smallish room with sliding glass doors, our own "glass case of emotion" for all you Anchorman fans. They filtered people in and out for pics and autographs. It was kinda weird, but kinda fun too.
We got done there and now we're back in the hotel with some pizza, getting ready for bed. We may get a full six hours of sleep tonight! That's money right there. Much better than 3.5. Two more concerts left and then we come home! Outstanding!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
BRASIL: day 15 - Concert em Sao Paulo (Concert in Saint Paul)
[November 12, 2007] It's been another blessed day that could've been ugly. We got about six hours of sleep then found out we could've gotten seven. Our flight was canceled because of delays so we got moved to a later one. Flying into the domestic Sao Paulo airport is a trip! It's in the middle of a very populated, very busy area of the city. You're flying over so many buildings and highways. It looks like you might tap the wheels on the top of a high-rise hotel or apartment building and, all of a sudden, there's a runway. So freaky, but so cool!
We got to Sao Paulo around noon and immediately went to lunch. Simval took us to a vegetarian restaurant in which the owner was advertising the concert. After lunch, and singing a quick line for the owner and the quartet he sings with, we got to rest at the hotel for a few hours. The only problem was that Zac and I didn't know what time to be ready to go, so we were late. It's okay, though. The venue was just around the corner from the hotel. We only had time for a short sound check and then devo. Familia Soul, from Sao Paulo, opened for us, followed by Anderson. They all were fantastic! So was the crowd.
We had a blast during the concert. Afterward, pure chaos! People running up with stuff to sign and then getting mad when we didn't look up from signing to take pictures. That went on for at least a good hour...and a half.
We finished up there and most of us went to bed. Zach and Cory (who is now known as "Marcheens") hung out with some local folk until late. We get to leave a little bit later in the morning...like 9:00! Mais um (one more) concert! Curitiba, here we come!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
We got to Sao Paulo around noon and immediately went to lunch. Simval took us to a vegetarian restaurant in which the owner was advertising the concert. After lunch, and singing a quick line for the owner and the quartet he sings with, we got to rest at the hotel for a few hours. The only problem was that Zac and I didn't know what time to be ready to go, so we were late. It's okay, though. The venue was just around the corner from the hotel. We only had time for a short sound check and then devo. Familia Soul, from Sao Paulo, opened for us, followed by Anderson. They all were fantastic! So was the crowd.
We had a blast during the concert. Afterward, pure chaos! People running up with stuff to sign and then getting mad when we didn't look up from signing to take pictures. That went on for at least a good hour...and a half.
We finished up there and most of us went to bed. Zach and Cory (who is now known as "Marcheens") hung out with some local folk until late. We get to leave a little bit later in the morning...like 9:00! Mais um (one more) concert! Curitiba, here we come!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
BRASIL: day 16 - Ultima Concert em Curitiba (Last Concert in Curitiba)
[November 13, 2007] The madness is finally over! It has been a great trip, but it's time to go home. We had a great day today. We left Sao Paulo around 11:00 this morning and we arrived in Curitiba around noon. We ate lunch at another vegetarian restaurant where we met the promoter of the entire trip, Juvenal. He's a super sweet, kind man and we were honored to meet him. We owe him so much gratitude for bringing us here. After lunch, we rested for a few hours and then met across the street from the hotel at the auditorium for sound check. The concert went off without a hitch. The crowd loved it and we did too. it was Marcheens' last concert with us, as well as Anderson's. It was also Corey Callis' last concert to do lighting for us. We hope to get to work with all those guys again very soon. it was a pretty emotionally-charged night.
The coolest thing happened after the concert. As we were being led to the meet-n-greet area, I heard someone yelling "Peanut! Peanut!" There are only a certain few people who know me as Peanut (love y'all and miss y'all so much!), so I was a little confused. I looked over and found the person yelling and gave him a high five. I didn't recognize the guy but he introduced himself later. He said "I know Lori Beth from orphanage. My name is Ruy!" I was in shock a little bit. It was the coolest thing to meet someone who knows someone I'm so close to. It's such a small world. Last night I met the sister-in-law of one of my friends in Portland, and tonight I meet someone who knows my Peaches, Punkum, and Priscilla! Good times!
So after meet-n-greet, we went to the pizza restaurant next door to our hotel and ate a great meal. We hung out for a while and then it was bed time. This is the first blog of this trip that I didn't have to write in my notebook first. Praise God for that! Saves me a lot of time and effort.
Tomorrow, shopping in Curitiba, flying back to Sao Paulo, then Nash Vegas, here we come! I can't wait to talk to you guys again. I can't wait to sleep in my bed again! I'm gonna get a little rest now. I love you and miss you and hope to see you very soon!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
The coolest thing happened after the concert. As we were being led to the meet-n-greet area, I heard someone yelling "Peanut! Peanut!" There are only a certain few people who know me as Peanut (love y'all and miss y'all so much!), so I was a little confused. I looked over and found the person yelling and gave him a high five. I didn't recognize the guy but he introduced himself later. He said "I know Lori Beth from orphanage. My name is Ruy!" I was in shock a little bit. It was the coolest thing to meet someone who knows someone I'm so close to. It's such a small world. Last night I met the sister-in-law of one of my friends in Portland, and tonight I meet someone who knows my Peaches, Punkum, and Priscilla! Good times!
So after meet-n-greet, we went to the pizza restaurant next door to our hotel and ate a great meal. We hung out for a while and then it was bed time. This is the first blog of this trip that I didn't have to write in my notebook first. Praise God for that! Saves me a lot of time and effort.
Tomorrow, shopping in Curitiba, flying back to Sao Paulo, then Nash Vegas, here we come! I can't wait to talk to you guys again. I can't wait to sleep in my bed again! I'm gonna get a little rest now. I love you and miss you and hope to see you very soon!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Teach Us To Pray
Prayer. Such an integral, essential activity as part of our relationship with God. At the same time, such an easy activity to forget or forego in our daily itenerary. Why is that?
Maybe it's that we have so many other things going on that we put prayer off until later. Maybe we don't know how to pray. Maybe we simply forget. Maybe you're like me and get lazy. Whatever the reason, most of us are stuggling in the prayer department, myself included.
So, what is prayer? Prayer is simply a conversation between ourselves and God. It may seem a little one-sided at times, since we don't always get answers right away, but it's a conversation nonetheless. It's not limited to when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night. Neither is it limited to worship services when someone gets up and prays on the behalf of the congregation, after which the crowd responds with a hearty "Amen." It's not limited to times when our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, either. It's just a conversation. Those of us (in typical American culture) who have (or had) good relationships with our parents know that we don't have to bow our heads when we speak to our folks to show them respect and love. It's the same with God. He gives us every opportunity imaginable to talk to him. We don't even have to speak aloud. He knows our thoughts, and if our thoughts are prayers, he still answers us.
Matthew and Luke both give instructions and examples on prayer. Luke sets the instructions up with a request from one of Jesus' disciples. He says, "Lord, teach us to pray..."(Luke 11:1) Now the context of this request implies the word "how," as in "Teach us [how] to pray." I like to look at it differently, though. Leave the implied word out of the sentence. "Teach us to pray." A lot of our problem is that we just don't pray...at all. Some of us need to be taught to pray before we are taught how to pray. I often need a reminder to pray. I know how. I just don't do it when I should. Sometimes I need to be taught (or retaught) to pray.
When your entire world comes crashing down around you and you don't know what to do or where to turn, that's when God is saying "Talk to me. Tell me about it. I'll fix it if you let me." Whether it's the porn addiction you just can't kick, or the ungodly relationship you have no business being in, or the drugs that have you by the throat, or the dirt you heard about "Jimmy Sue" that you just can't keep to yourself, or whatever it is. That's God saying "I want to hear from you. Please, just let me work in your life. I can make it all better for you. I've done it before for so many others. It's your turn. Take your turn. It's time for you to be blessed." That's God teaching you and me to pray.
Of course, Jesus gave us a great example of how to pray. I'm sure we have all heard it, and most of us have said it, a thousand times. "Our Father, who art in Heaven..." Some call it "The Lord's Prayer" and some call it "The example prayer." Whatever you call it, you know that it's what Jesus instructed us to do. It's not so much about how you do it, or the words you say. It's a matter of your heart. Let your words to your Heavenly Father be from your heart. If your heart is happy, then rejoice and praise God. If your heart is heavy, then lament and call out to God. If your heart is angry, then wail and cry out to God. He knows we struggle and that it's not all puppy dogs and rainbows for us. Take David, for example. His psalms are a mixture of all those emotions, and then some, and God heard his cries and answered him. Need another example? Try Job. He prayed for his kids when they had parties, just in case they had done something wrong. When Job was struck down with painful sores, after his kids were all killed and he had lost everything he owned, he told God how he felt. Obviously, he didn't feel any joy, but because he was faithful to God, he was healed and given more than he ever imagined. Jesus did it too. The night before he was captured and crucified, he prayed, telling his Father he didn't want to follow through with the pain and the death. He knew, however, that he had to do it because it was God's will. Turns out that Jesus had done the right thing by talking to his Dad because he was raised from the dead three days after he was buried, and he's in Heaven getting ready to take us home with him!
Pray because it is your custom. Pray because it is a part of you. Pray because it is what you do. Don't expect immediate answers all the time. God answers every prayer and he answers them when he is ready to answer and how he wants to answer. There is no such thing as an "unanswered prayer." Maybe God says "No. I have something else in store for you." Either way, he always answers.
So take this opportunity to some praying. If you're not the praying type, right now is the best time for you to become the praying type. If you are, right now is the perfect time for you to increase your conversations with Dad. Whereever you are, just talk to your Father. He will listen. He will answer.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Maybe it's that we have so many other things going on that we put prayer off until later. Maybe we don't know how to pray. Maybe we simply forget. Maybe you're like me and get lazy. Whatever the reason, most of us are stuggling in the prayer department, myself included.
So, what is prayer? Prayer is simply a conversation between ourselves and God. It may seem a little one-sided at times, since we don't always get answers right away, but it's a conversation nonetheless. It's not limited to when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night. Neither is it limited to worship services when someone gets up and prays on the behalf of the congregation, after which the crowd responds with a hearty "Amen." It's not limited to times when our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, either. It's just a conversation. Those of us (in typical American culture) who have (or had) good relationships with our parents know that we don't have to bow our heads when we speak to our folks to show them respect and love. It's the same with God. He gives us every opportunity imaginable to talk to him. We don't even have to speak aloud. He knows our thoughts, and if our thoughts are prayers, he still answers us.
Matthew and Luke both give instructions and examples on prayer. Luke sets the instructions up with a request from one of Jesus' disciples. He says, "Lord, teach us to pray..."(Luke 11:1) Now the context of this request implies the word "how," as in "Teach us [how] to pray." I like to look at it differently, though. Leave the implied word out of the sentence. "Teach us to pray." A lot of our problem is that we just don't pray...at all. Some of us need to be taught to pray before we are taught how to pray. I often need a reminder to pray. I know how. I just don't do it when I should. Sometimes I need to be taught (or retaught) to pray.
When your entire world comes crashing down around you and you don't know what to do or where to turn, that's when God is saying "Talk to me. Tell me about it. I'll fix it if you let me." Whether it's the porn addiction you just can't kick, or the ungodly relationship you have no business being in, or the drugs that have you by the throat, or the dirt you heard about "Jimmy Sue" that you just can't keep to yourself, or whatever it is. That's God saying "I want to hear from you. Please, just let me work in your life. I can make it all better for you. I've done it before for so many others. It's your turn. Take your turn. It's time for you to be blessed." That's God teaching you and me to pray.
Of course, Jesus gave us a great example of how to pray. I'm sure we have all heard it, and most of us have said it, a thousand times. "Our Father, who art in Heaven..." Some call it "The Lord's Prayer" and some call it "The example prayer." Whatever you call it, you know that it's what Jesus instructed us to do. It's not so much about how you do it, or the words you say. It's a matter of your heart. Let your words to your Heavenly Father be from your heart. If your heart is happy, then rejoice and praise God. If your heart is heavy, then lament and call out to God. If your heart is angry, then wail and cry out to God. He knows we struggle and that it's not all puppy dogs and rainbows for us. Take David, for example. His psalms are a mixture of all those emotions, and then some, and God heard his cries and answered him. Need another example? Try Job. He prayed for his kids when they had parties, just in case they had done something wrong. When Job was struck down with painful sores, after his kids were all killed and he had lost everything he owned, he told God how he felt. Obviously, he didn't feel any joy, but because he was faithful to God, he was healed and given more than he ever imagined. Jesus did it too. The night before he was captured and crucified, he prayed, telling his Father he didn't want to follow through with the pain and the death. He knew, however, that he had to do it because it was God's will. Turns out that Jesus had done the right thing by talking to his Dad because he was raised from the dead three days after he was buried, and he's in Heaven getting ready to take us home with him!
Pray because it is your custom. Pray because it is a part of you. Pray because it is what you do. Don't expect immediate answers all the time. God answers every prayer and he answers them when he is ready to answer and how he wants to answer. There is no such thing as an "unanswered prayer." Maybe God says "No. I have something else in store for you." Either way, he always answers.
So take this opportunity to some praying. If you're not the praying type, right now is the best time for you to become the praying type. If you are, right now is the perfect time for you to increase your conversations with Dad. Whereever you are, just talk to your Father. He will listen. He will answer.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
R.A.K.
I've been feeling a bit down lately. I'm not really sure why, though. Maybe it's because my life has become mundane. I get up in the morning, I go to a job that I'm not so sure about, I sing, I go home, I sleep a few hours, I get up in the morning... You get the idea.
Maybe it's because I've forgotten what it feels like to be happy...or is it contentment that I seek? Maybe I'm just not having my daily hug quota filled. Whatever the case, I've been pretty depressed for the past several weeks and I don't like it. It's not the everyday, run-of-the-mill depression. It's more like the can't-get-happy, forgot-how-to-smile, lonely-in-a-crowd, thinking-bad-thoughts (though I would never do anything about them) type of depression. The kind of depression that makes you want to crawl into a hole, curl up, and never see the light of day again. It's pure misery. I insist on being alone as often as possible. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I am normally a very private person. However, when I get invitations to go places and I don't want to go, I always have an excuse handy. That's no way to be. Don't worry, though. I'm okay. I've been through much worse. It's just a phase I have to go endure and I will rise victorious. Please don't be overly concerned.
I was reminded of something last night that might be a life-saver to someone. A very special friend told me about how she and her friend went out and smiled and waved at people. A random act of kindness (r.a.k.). A simple gesture that can have monumental results. She told me about how several people waved back, or at least threw a nod their way. There was an older gentleman who grinned really big and waved as though he were waving at his grandchildren. I firmly believe that in that moment his day was brightened. Someone showed that they cared enough to be kind to him. It's not difficult to smile at someone or give a little wave. I heard somebody say recently that when you're feeling down you should encourage someone else who might be feeling down. You improve your mood when you improve the mood of others. God blesses those who bless others. That's how easy it is. No strings attached. No fuss. No muss. Just simple acts of kindness. Try it sometime. Maybe it'll improve your mood. Who knows? It could even make you smile...which will definitely improve your face value. :)
Maybe it's because I've forgotten what it feels like to be happy...or is it contentment that I seek? Maybe I'm just not having my daily hug quota filled. Whatever the case, I've been pretty depressed for the past several weeks and I don't like it. It's not the everyday, run-of-the-mill depression. It's more like the can't-get-happy, forgot-how-to-smile, lonely-in-a-crowd, thinking-bad-thoughts (though I would never do anything about them) type of depression. The kind of depression that makes you want to crawl into a hole, curl up, and never see the light of day again. It's pure misery. I insist on being alone as often as possible. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I am normally a very private person. However, when I get invitations to go places and I don't want to go, I always have an excuse handy. That's no way to be. Don't worry, though. I'm okay. I've been through much worse. It's just a phase I have to go endure and I will rise victorious. Please don't be overly concerned.
I was reminded of something last night that might be a life-saver to someone. A very special friend told me about how she and her friend went out and smiled and waved at people. A random act of kindness (r.a.k.). A simple gesture that can have monumental results. She told me about how several people waved back, or at least threw a nod their way. There was an older gentleman who grinned really big and waved as though he were waving at his grandchildren. I firmly believe that in that moment his day was brightened. Someone showed that they cared enough to be kind to him. It's not difficult to smile at someone or give a little wave. I heard somebody say recently that when you're feeling down you should encourage someone else who might be feeling down. You improve your mood when you improve the mood of others. God blesses those who bless others. That's how easy it is. No strings attached. No fuss. No muss. Just simple acts of kindness. Try it sometime. Maybe it'll improve your mood. Who knows? It could even make you smile...which will definitely improve your face value. :)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Cha-ching!
Current Mood: frustrated
Okay, kids. I'm about fed up with money. I am in a terrible position with this money thing. I can't realistically get a good second job because of my ever-changing schedule, but I can't afford to live without a second job because I work for a ministry that doesn't pay very much. I know, some of you think "he's in Acappella. He gets paid pretty well." Yeah, not so much. I am not at liberty to discuss how much I get paid but I can tell you that it's not a lot. This is not a matter of whether or not I should be paid more from my current job. It's not even about my job or anything like that. It's about people who want my money and how I have nothing to give them.
Yes, I'm in the middle of a temporary financial setback but that's not the entirety of my issue. I am sick and tired of seeing all these people who have so much money that they don't know what to do with it or how to act. For example, Why are people like Michael Vick and Adam "Pac-Man" Jones in so much trouble with the law and the NFL? Because they got some money and started acting like they have no God-given common sense. They know better than to act foolish. Pac-Man knows he has no business in a wrestling ring. Vick knows dog fighting is just plain wrong. And would somebody please tell me why people like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richey are famous for doing nothing but being rich, spoiled, obnoxious, selfish little girls? Perhaps it's our fault as a society. We praise the rehab princes and princesses because they are "trying to get their lives together," while they walk out of the hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars rehab centers straight into their favorite bar and night club to get all juiced up enough to go for a nice, unsafe, drug-and-alcohol-influenced drive down the PCH into some innocent bystander's car...life. When will it end? How many people have to die for these folk to wake up and understand that there are more people who need the simple things in life that we americans constantly take for granted? How many cars, houses, restaurants, strip joints, designer clothes, or whatever other useless items of garbage do we need just to be happy or feel important? There's so much more to life than money or stuff. That's what we so often forget. IT'S JUST STUFF!!! We can't take it with us when we die. Even if we could, we couldn't do anything with it. It would simply go to waste. Wow. It's overwhelming to think how money (and life) gets squandered. Now do you understand my dispute with money?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Okay, kids. I'm about fed up with money. I am in a terrible position with this money thing. I can't realistically get a good second job because of my ever-changing schedule, but I can't afford to live without a second job because I work for a ministry that doesn't pay very much. I know, some of you think "he's in Acappella. He gets paid pretty well." Yeah, not so much. I am not at liberty to discuss how much I get paid but I can tell you that it's not a lot. This is not a matter of whether or not I should be paid more from my current job. It's not even about my job or anything like that. It's about people who want my money and how I have nothing to give them.
Yes, I'm in the middle of a temporary financial setback but that's not the entirety of my issue. I am sick and tired of seeing all these people who have so much money that they don't know what to do with it or how to act. For example, Why are people like Michael Vick and Adam "Pac-Man" Jones in so much trouble with the law and the NFL? Because they got some money and started acting like they have no God-given common sense. They know better than to act foolish. Pac-Man knows he has no business in a wrestling ring. Vick knows dog fighting is just plain wrong. And would somebody please tell me why people like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richey are famous for doing nothing but being rich, spoiled, obnoxious, selfish little girls? Perhaps it's our fault as a society. We praise the rehab princes and princesses because they are "trying to get their lives together," while they walk out of the hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars rehab centers straight into their favorite bar and night club to get all juiced up enough to go for a nice, unsafe, drug-and-alcohol-influenced drive down the PCH into some innocent bystander's car...life. When will it end? How many people have to die for these folk to wake up and understand that there are more people who need the simple things in life that we americans constantly take for granted? How many cars, houses, restaurants, strip joints, designer clothes, or whatever other useless items of garbage do we need just to be happy or feel important? There's so much more to life than money or stuff. That's what we so often forget. IT'S JUST STUFF!!! We can't take it with us when we die. Even if we could, we couldn't do anything with it. It would simply go to waste. Wow. It's overwhelming to think how money (and life) gets squandered. Now do you understand my dispute with money?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Family Ties
I had the priviledge to visit Portland, OR over the past weekend and it is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. I got to spend time with some folk that I really care about and met some new folk that I have come to care about a lot too. To those of you whom I got to hang with, even for just a little while, you're great people and I have every confidence that your lives will be richly blessed.
There was one momentous event that I will always remember and I want to share it with you. For the first time in my recollection, I got to spend time with both of my remaining brothers at the same time! I know that sounds weird and messed up considering how much I love and respect my family. Anyone who knows me knows that my family means more than almost anything to me. So I called my oldest brother, Bobby (Bob) and we, along with his son, Nathan, his daughter, Jennifer, and my dear friend, Aleisha, went to my other brother, Robert's house. We all spent time talking about our lives and our other brothers who have gone home and our careers and I learned so much. I learned how much my brothers remind me of my dad. Robert looks and sounds a lot like my dad 20 years ago. Bobby speaks and acts just like my dad always has. I also learned that Robert and I have a lot of the same musical taste. We both love Tower of Power! He has (or at least had, at one point) everything they ever released. Now, that's a collection!
We had a great time together and then it was over. Nate, Jenn, Bobby and I had to go our separate ways so we said our goodbyes and told each other we would keep in touch. Robert had one slightly peculiar request of me before it was all overwith. He asked me to pray for him. That made me really happy. He wants to be the righteous man I know he can be and I'm so proud to be called his brother, regardless of his past or anything questionable that he may have gone through. So, my request for you is to join me in prayer for my brother, Robert, as well as my sister, Rahnee (sounds like Ronnie), that they can see Jesus in all their circumstances and rely completly on him to lift them up.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
There was one momentous event that I will always remember and I want to share it with you. For the first time in my recollection, I got to spend time with both of my remaining brothers at the same time! I know that sounds weird and messed up considering how much I love and respect my family. Anyone who knows me knows that my family means more than almost anything to me. So I called my oldest brother, Bobby (Bob) and we, along with his son, Nathan, his daughter, Jennifer, and my dear friend, Aleisha, went to my other brother, Robert's house. We all spent time talking about our lives and our other brothers who have gone home and our careers and I learned so much. I learned how much my brothers remind me of my dad. Robert looks and sounds a lot like my dad 20 years ago. Bobby speaks and acts just like my dad always has. I also learned that Robert and I have a lot of the same musical taste. We both love Tower of Power! He has (or at least had, at one point) everything they ever released. Now, that's a collection!
We had a great time together and then it was over. Nate, Jenn, Bobby and I had to go our separate ways so we said our goodbyes and told each other we would keep in touch. Robert had one slightly peculiar request of me before it was all overwith. He asked me to pray for him. That made me really happy. He wants to be the righteous man I know he can be and I'm so proud to be called his brother, regardless of his past or anything questionable that he may have gone through. So, my request for you is to join me in prayer for my brother, Robert, as well as my sister, Rahnee (sounds like Ronnie), that they can see Jesus in all their circumstances and rely completly on him to lift them up.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Monday, May 28, 2007
Musical Taste
So I heard an interesting question the other day and I finally came up with an answer to it. The person was asking what kind or kinds of music another person liked and the second person told the first. Then it got interesting. The first person asked a very simple question, a question with only one word but a miriad of answers. "Why?" Person number two was dumbfounded, much like I would have been, and couldn't come up with a good answer. I got to thinking about it and came up with my own answer. Now, if anybody asks me that question, I can answer them truthfully and quickly. See, I love most every kind of music, but I love it for different reasons, each reason unique to the genre, but some overlapping styles.
I like jazz for the creativity.
I like classical for the musicality.
I like rock for the energy.
I like r&b for the emotion.
I like gospel for the message.
I like country for the stories.
I like bluegrass for the reality.
I like world music (reggae, afro-cuban, indian, etc.) for the rhythmic qualities.
I like drum & bugle corps, marching band, etc. for the intricacies.
I like a cappella music for the purity of unaccompanied voices.
I like hip hop for the beats.
I like soul/funk for the groove...and you know I like to groove!
I like different types of music for different reasons, but one thing is common. I like music because God gave me a talent and a passion for it and I want to use it to glorify Him in all I do. So, what do you like about music?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
I like jazz for the creativity.
I like classical for the musicality.
I like rock for the energy.
I like r&b for the emotion.
I like gospel for the message.
I like country for the stories.
I like bluegrass for the reality.
I like world music (reggae, afro-cuban, indian, etc.) for the rhythmic qualities.
I like drum & bugle corps, marching band, etc. for the intricacies.
I like a cappella music for the purity of unaccompanied voices.
I like hip hop for the beats.
I like soul/funk for the groove...and you know I like to groove!
I like different types of music for different reasons, but one thing is common. I like music because God gave me a talent and a passion for it and I want to use it to glorify Him in all I do. So, what do you like about music?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Update
We found my sister! Upon some good advice from some dear friends, I called her local police and had them do a wellness check on her. I found out that she just had knee surgery on Friday and is recovering now. In fact, she just went back to work today. Keep praying for her and her kids because we're not out of the woods yet. Thank God she's safe, though.
Also, keep praying for the Freeman family.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Also, keep praying for the Freeman family.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Monday, April 30, 2007
In need of your prayers
Hey guys, there have been some crazy things going on lately and I need to share them with you. First of all, my sister, Rahnee (the one in my pics) hasn't made herself available in quite some time and I haven't heard from her since April 6th. I've tried calling but can't get an answer and now her phone isn't working. She has 4 kids that she's raising by herself. She may be perfectly fine but she may be in trouble. If you're a praying person, and even if you're not, keep her and my family in your thoughts and/or prayers. I just want to know she's okay.
Also, I found out that one of my former students took her own life today. Her name is Kaylana Freeman and she was a student at Canyon High School. I'm not giving details, partially because I don't know them, moreso out of respect for her and her family. Please pray for her family and friends to find comfort in this tragedy. Kaylana was such a beautiful, talented, sweet, pleasant person and I will miss her terribly. Pray as though your life depended upon it.
Also, I found out that one of my former students took her own life today. Her name is Kaylana Freeman and she was a student at Canyon High School. I'm not giving details, partially because I don't know them, moreso out of respect for her and her family. Please pray for her family and friends to find comfort in this tragedy. Kaylana was such a beautiful, talented, sweet, pleasant person and I will miss her terribly. Pray as though your life depended upon it.
What do you like about music?
So I heard an interesting question the other day and I finally came up with an answer to it. The person was asking what kind or kinds of music another person liked and the second person told the first. Then it got interesting. The first person asked a very simple question, a question with only one word but a miriad of answers. "Why?" Person number two was dumbfounded, much like I would have been, and couldn't come up with a good answer. I got to thinking about it and came up with my own answer. Now, if anybody asks me that question, I can answer them truthfully and quickly. See, I love most every kind of music, but I love it for different reasons, each reason unique to the genre, but some overlapping styles.
I like jazz for the creativity.
I like classical for the musicality.
I like rock for the energy.
I like r&b for the emotion.
I like gospel for the message.
I like country for the stories.
I like bluegrass for the reality.
I like world music (reggae, afro-cuban, indian, etc.) for the rhythmic qualities.
I like drum & bugle corps, marching band, etc. for the intricacies.
I like a cappella music for the purity of unaccompanied voices.
I like hip hop for the beats.
I like soul/funk for the groove...and you know I like to groove!
I like different types of music for different reasons, but one thing is common. I like music because God gave me a talent and a passion for it and I want to use it to glorify Him in all I do. So, what do you like about music?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
I like jazz for the creativity.
I like classical for the musicality.
I like rock for the energy.
I like r&b for the emotion.
I like gospel for the message.
I like country for the stories.
I like bluegrass for the reality.
I like world music (reggae, afro-cuban, indian, etc.) for the rhythmic qualities.
I like drum & bugle corps, marching band, etc. for the intricacies.
I like a cappella music for the purity of unaccompanied voices.
I like hip hop for the beats.
I like soul/funk for the groove...and you know I like to groove!
I like different types of music for different reasons, but one thing is common. I like music because God gave me a talent and a passion for it and I want to use it to glorify Him in all I do. So, what do you like about music?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Rest
The following statement is not meant to be boastful whatsoever. I have been blessed to be quite the world traveler lately. For those of you who are new to my world, I have the honor of traveling around the country and the world singing praises about the God I adore. I am part of a music ministry called Acappella. It's so much fun to get to travel to (some) new places and meet (some) new people and share the good news that Jesus loves you and me and he died to save us from ourselves, wipe away our sins, and take us to Heaven for all eternity! (Wow, that felt really good to say!) On a regular basis, we get the priviledge of feeding the Bread of Life to those who are starving for the Truth.
There comes a time, however, when those of us who feed need to be fed. It just so happens that now is one of those times. It also just so happens that one of the members of our ministry, Allen Brantley, is starting a new role in his life as husband to Kim Lancaster (yes, Keith Lancaster's daughter) and we won't be performing for a couple weeks. Keep them in your prayers, by the way. Since they decided to have a small family wedding that doesn't involve me, I decided to come home to Texas for a couple weeks and recharge my battery. I've already seen several friends and plan on seeing more soon. I also hope to see my dad this weekend. Pray for him too. He turns 88 at the end of this month. I get to see my "other family" next week and I'm way excited about that. To top it all off, I get more quiet time so I can read my Bible more, pray more specifically and purposefully, and let my body recuperate from the beating it's taken the last few months. Acappella is not a high-paying job (contrary to popular belief) which means I have to have a secondary form of income to make ends meet. Until recently, I waited tables at a restaurant. I have just begun working for a nursery as a vendor to a specific home improvement store. The hours are a little more flexible and I control when I work. The pay averages out to be quite a bit better than where I was because my schedule only allowed for me to work mainly lunch (and servers don't make great money at lunch...so tip them nicely when you get the chance) and I was still worn out by the end of my shift. There were plenty times I went home with less than $20 after a 4 or 5 hour shift. That ain't no good. But I digress.
All I'm trying to say is that rest is good and we should all try to rest when we get a chance. It's basically good stewardship of the bodies God loaned us. If you loan someone a cd, you want them to take care of it and give it back to you without damage. Although our bodies will get damaged and eventually give out, God wants us to take care of them and offer them as living sacrifices (I mean, our body is a temple, right?). That includes eating right, exercising, cutting back on the smoking and drinking, and anything else that promotes good health and is considered being kind to your body. So take care of yourself and get some rest when you can. You'll thank yourself later.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
There comes a time, however, when those of us who feed need to be fed. It just so happens that now is one of those times. It also just so happens that one of the members of our ministry, Allen Brantley, is starting a new role in his life as husband to Kim Lancaster (yes, Keith Lancaster's daughter) and we won't be performing for a couple weeks. Keep them in your prayers, by the way. Since they decided to have a small family wedding that doesn't involve me, I decided to come home to Texas for a couple weeks and recharge my battery. I've already seen several friends and plan on seeing more soon. I also hope to see my dad this weekend. Pray for him too. He turns 88 at the end of this month. I get to see my "other family" next week and I'm way excited about that. To top it all off, I get more quiet time so I can read my Bible more, pray more specifically and purposefully, and let my body recuperate from the beating it's taken the last few months. Acappella is not a high-paying job (contrary to popular belief) which means I have to have a secondary form of income to make ends meet. Until recently, I waited tables at a restaurant. I have just begun working for a nursery as a vendor to a specific home improvement store. The hours are a little more flexible and I control when I work. The pay averages out to be quite a bit better than where I was because my schedule only allowed for me to work mainly lunch (and servers don't make great money at lunch...so tip them nicely when you get the chance) and I was still worn out by the end of my shift. There were plenty times I went home with less than $20 after a 4 or 5 hour shift. That ain't no good. But I digress.
All I'm trying to say is that rest is good and we should all try to rest when we get a chance. It's basically good stewardship of the bodies God loaned us. If you loan someone a cd, you want them to take care of it and give it back to you without damage. Although our bodies will get damaged and eventually give out, God wants us to take care of them and offer them as living sacrifices (I mean, our body is a temple, right?). That includes eating right, exercising, cutting back on the smoking and drinking, and anything else that promotes good health and is considered being kind to your body. So take care of yourself and get some rest when you can. You'll thank yourself later.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
EUROPE: Day 1 (Well on my way...a.k.a. Getting there)
I just got back from one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on in my life and I wanted to share each day with you while we were there. Unfortunately, I never had internet access after the second day. Fortunately, I was able to write about each day and save it on my computer until I got back. So, that's what you are about to read (should you accept the mission). Hope you can get something good out of the different posts. I tried to be as descriptive as I could without giving away too much. There is an underlying theme to all of the blogs. Let's see if you can find it!
And away we go!
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I'm going to try to do something I've never done with my blogging. I'm going to attempt to write a new blog entry for every day of this 10-day mini-tour. I hope it's as entertaining for you to read as it is for us to experience.
It's been a wild ride so far, and getting here has been the bulk of the excitement. We met at the Nashville airport at 11:00 Saturday morning for a 1:25 PM American Airlines flight to Chicago (to be followed by a 3.5 hour layover and then a 9 hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany). I always say "It's not a trip unless something bizarre happens." Well, it was a trip from the time we got to the airport because our flight to Chicago was cancelled because of bad weather. We were re-routed to New York City, however, on a flight that would leave Nashville at 3:55 PM, putting us into LaGuardia at 7:05 Eastern. We would then need to get transportation from LaGuardia to JFK, check into Singapore Airlines and fly to Frankfurt. The fun part was that we would leave JFK at 9:05, a two-hour window to land, get our bags and equipment, get to JFK, check in (to an international flight, mind you) and be ready to go... Yeah... No sweat.
Before we left Nashville, a couple of us started calling around and trying to find transportation so we could just meet them at baggage claim and go. We had big plans. It was gonna work. So we get on the plane and we sit and wait for the pilot to push back so we can get there. Things start looking ugly (wouldn't ya know it). One of the gauges on the plane is not working properly, but come to find out, there's no problem. No problem at all, except that it has to be signed off by a licensed mechanic. He's not on the premesis yet. And so we wait.
Fast forward to 4:45. We're finally taking off. Yay! Now all we have to do is get to our connecting airport, checked in, through security, and on the plane in an hour and twenty minutes. Oh goodie! (What do you think we were doing in the meantime?) Hello, Doubt. Our lovely flight attendants had very little faith that we would make that flight (and we were starting to believe them), but they hooked us up a little bit. As we were exiting the plane, one of the flight attendants gave us 3 vouchers (and made some well-timed phone calls) to get us 3 Lincoln Town Cars to take us to JFK. We got packed into the cars (barely) and sped off. (I love New York. You can drive like you are in the middle of the Indy 500 and, if you look important enough, not even get pulled over.) So we get to JFK at 8:20. Forty-five minutes before take-off on a six-hour international flight. We hustle up to the counter and, wouldn't ya know it, the line is empty! By the way, I forgot to mention earlier that I had been praying for a mighty work to happen so we could make this flight. He'd done it before, He could do it again, if He wanted to. So we check in (and for the second time that day, didn't get charged for our equipment being over weight) and literally run through JFK to get to a long security line. We can see our gate from the security line, it's not far away, still we can't get to it. This can't be happening! From the moment we stepped foot into the airport, they were calling for people to board the plane to Frankfurt. By the time we hit security, it was last call. Nerves were overreacting, tensions were rising, complaints were flying. It was so scary. We finally get through security and high-tail it toward the gate.
Remember how I prayed for a mighty work? And remember how God answers prayers (even those from we who doubt)? Well, He did it again! I was the last person on the plane and we arrived in Frankfurt just before 10:00 AM local time.
It reminds me of Romans 8:28 where it says "God works for the good of those who love him." It's so good to be loved and cared for by a God who is madly in love with us, regardless of how we feel about Him. So I'll end this by saying that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Pray for us!
Peace, Love and Chocolate
And away we go!
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I'm going to try to do something I've never done with my blogging. I'm going to attempt to write a new blog entry for every day of this 10-day mini-tour. I hope it's as entertaining for you to read as it is for us to experience.
It's been a wild ride so far, and getting here has been the bulk of the excitement. We met at the Nashville airport at 11:00 Saturday morning for a 1:25 PM American Airlines flight to Chicago (to be followed by a 3.5 hour layover and then a 9 hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany). I always say "It's not a trip unless something bizarre happens." Well, it was a trip from the time we got to the airport because our flight to Chicago was cancelled because of bad weather. We were re-routed to New York City, however, on a flight that would leave Nashville at 3:55 PM, putting us into LaGuardia at 7:05 Eastern. We would then need to get transportation from LaGuardia to JFK, check into Singapore Airlines and fly to Frankfurt. The fun part was that we would leave JFK at 9:05, a two-hour window to land, get our bags and equipment, get to JFK, check in (to an international flight, mind you) and be ready to go... Yeah... No sweat.
Before we left Nashville, a couple of us started calling around and trying to find transportation so we could just meet them at baggage claim and go. We had big plans. It was gonna work. So we get on the plane and we sit and wait for the pilot to push back so we can get there. Things start looking ugly (wouldn't ya know it). One of the gauges on the plane is not working properly, but come to find out, there's no problem. No problem at all, except that it has to be signed off by a licensed mechanic. He's not on the premesis yet. And so we wait.
Fast forward to 4:45. We're finally taking off. Yay! Now all we have to do is get to our connecting airport, checked in, through security, and on the plane in an hour and twenty minutes. Oh goodie! (What do you think we were doing in the meantime?) Hello, Doubt. Our lovely flight attendants had very little faith that we would make that flight (and we were starting to believe them), but they hooked us up a little bit. As we were exiting the plane, one of the flight attendants gave us 3 vouchers (and made some well-timed phone calls) to get us 3 Lincoln Town Cars to take us to JFK. We got packed into the cars (barely) and sped off. (I love New York. You can drive like you are in the middle of the Indy 500 and, if you look important enough, not even get pulled over.) So we get to JFK at 8:20. Forty-five minutes before take-off on a six-hour international flight. We hustle up to the counter and, wouldn't ya know it, the line is empty! By the way, I forgot to mention earlier that I had been praying for a mighty work to happen so we could make this flight. He'd done it before, He could do it again, if He wanted to. So we check in (and for the second time that day, didn't get charged for our equipment being over weight) and literally run through JFK to get to a long security line. We can see our gate from the security line, it's not far away, still we can't get to it. This can't be happening! From the moment we stepped foot into the airport, they were calling for people to board the plane to Frankfurt. By the time we hit security, it was last call. Nerves were overreacting, tensions were rising, complaints were flying. It was so scary. We finally get through security and high-tail it toward the gate.
Remember how I prayed for a mighty work? And remember how God answers prayers (even those from we who doubt)? Well, He did it again! I was the last person on the plane and we arrived in Frankfurt just before 10:00 AM local time.
It reminds me of Romans 8:28 where it says "God works for the good of those who love him." It's so good to be loved and cared for by a God who is madly in love with us, regardless of how we feel about Him. So I'll end this by saying that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Pray for us!
Peace, Love and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 2 (Frankfurt, Germany)
So we got to Frankfurt and found our way to our hotel which isn't very far from the airport. We took a train to the proper exit and got to the hotel (across the street from the train station) to check in. We slept for a few hours and then went out to explore Frankfurt...on foot. We ate and fellowshiped and enjoyed the scenery. It was great. That's all for now. I'm being rushed off of the hotel internet. More tomorrow! Pray today!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 3 (Florence, Italy)
So we got to the airport when we needed to, but once again, complications slowed us down. Thanks to the weight charge difference, we ended up having to deal with a difficult situation that I can't really talk about right now. Long story short, we ended up getting on our plane...barely...but we weren't the last people on. After running through a fairly crowded Frankfurt airport and cutting in front of some nice German people, we got through a slow security station and ran to the bus that was waiting for us. Problem was that there was no driver. I guess that's a good thing because another group or two of people got on the bus after we did. The bus took us to a pretty small plane, along with several other people, including a basketball team.
We got to Florence where we met our first promoter, Robbie Shakelford (head of the HUF program) and went to the Harding University, Florence (HUF) villa. We spent some time meeting people associated with HUF and then we went to our housing site which was the Florence Bible School located a few minutes from the HUF villa. After we got our stuff put away, Robbie took us to the Piazzale Michelangelo which overlooks Florence. What a breath-taking view! We could see the majority of the city from there. We got to visit a nearby church and listen to the monks do vespers (Gregorian Chant - very soothing, especially when you haven't slept much in the previous couple of days). We capped that portion of the day with some wonderfully tasty gellato (YUM!).
Next, we returned to the school so we could clean up and change for our first European performance. We went back to the HUF villa and sang for the 40 college students and probably 25-30 other local folk (and a couple of American parents). We sang off mics and it was a super-fun 45 minute concert. We had a great time hanging out with the Harding students and eating and fellowshipping with them.
We finally got to go to bed and sleep for a full 6 hours or so (wish it could've been longer, but that's the life of musicianaries).
Keep the prayers going up!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
We got to Florence where we met our first promoter, Robbie Shakelford (head of the HUF program) and went to the Harding University, Florence (HUF) villa. We spent some time meeting people associated with HUF and then we went to our housing site which was the Florence Bible School located a few minutes from the HUF villa. After we got our stuff put away, Robbie took us to the Piazzale Michelangelo which overlooks Florence. What a breath-taking view! We could see the majority of the city from there. We got to visit a nearby church and listen to the monks do vespers (Gregorian Chant - very soothing, especially when you haven't slept much in the previous couple of days). We capped that portion of the day with some wonderfully tasty gellato (YUM!).
Next, we returned to the school so we could clean up and change for our first European performance. We went back to the HUF villa and sang for the 40 college students and probably 25-30 other local folk (and a couple of American parents). We sang off mics and it was a super-fun 45 minute concert. We had a great time hanging out with the Harding students and eating and fellowshipping with them.
We finally got to go to bed and sleep for a full 6 hours or so (wish it could've been longer, but that's the life of musicianaries).
Keep the prayers going up!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
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