ramblings of a wannabe rockstar

A couple weeks ago, I was telling my worship pastor and very good friend, Paul, that lately I’ve been very aware of the Good Lord’s workings in my world.  A lot of this awareness has come from my ponderings that began last month with the end of 2005 and the arrival of 2006.  Raquel and I experienced so much goodness and wonderful offerings of Grace last year…some of which was in the midst of some tough times.  When the consideration that comes with the turn of the calendar year began, I started thinking on this goodness that we have experienced, so far past what we would have imagined or asked for ourselves, and my awareness, which has turned into amazement and a feeling of gratefulness to Him has continued throughout the extent of this month.

Yesterday Raquel and I travelled with a group from Genesis Metro to Spring, Texas.  Tim had a speaking gig and the GM band was his opening act.  After yesterday morning’s service, we crammed all of our gear and Tim, Carrie, Kyle, Paul, Timmy, Richard, Raquel, and me in a 15-passenger van for the four hour trip to Houston.  Now, I don’t know if it’s this grateful mood I’ve been in lately or if the mood I’m in comes from my involvement with this group, but I’ve got to say…it is such a joy and honor for me to be associated with a group such as this.  It gives me so much joy to be able to serve in ministry with the likes of these folks and I can’t imagine being involved anywhere else.  This isn’t to say that if we were “called” to another ministry that we wouldn’t be open to it…but it does mean that we won’t be looking for that opportunity anytime soon, so far as I can help it.

We got to the church in Spring late yesterday afternoon and unloaded the van.  We set up quickly, without a soundcheck, and played to a packed room of about 100 kids and their adult leadership.  The worship experience was intense and paved the way for a great session by Tim.  We played a couple more tunes when Tim was finished, and we packed up and headed out.  We weren’t at that church for more than two hours.

We stopped for some quality Texas steaks on the way back and headed back up to Dallas.

Here’s the deal, though.  Because of this incredible awareness that I’ve had for God’s hand in mine and Raquel’s lives lately, my personal worship and praise for God has been so intense.  In a way that I don’t remember experiencing…ever…I’ve been so in touch with His presence in my life and it’s caused to love and appreciate those things and people with whom He has blessed me so much more.  I’ve been pouring myself more into the music I create with this band at church, and our offerings of praise, as a corporate entity have been so much more intense.

And travelling with that group yesterday…just, wow…what an incredible time for me…that lasted all day yesterday.  I feel like we’re in such a good spot and I am so excited to see what happens this year.

Amen and amen.

So, sorry about the blog silence. I’ve not been in very much of a blogging mood lately. I’ve had lots of things that I’ve wanted to write about lately, but when I finally get a chance to sit down and write…well, the desire to write escapes me.

So…there that is.

What’s up then? Let’s see. The Broncos are out. It was a good run but not quite enough. What else? Oh, I started that course at Collin County I wrote about a while back. Should be good. We’ll see what happens there.

The church band is playing a worship gig in Houston this weekend. I’m really looking forward to this. We played a gig at the Tornado game (semi-pro hockey team) a couple weeks ago which, for me, was a pinacle experience…at least up there with them. What a joy it is to be part of that.

I think that’s going to do it for now. I’m just writing because of this desire I have to not let this page sit untouched any longer. I’ll get back on the ball soon. I think.

I’m tired now. I think I’ll go to bed.

Actually, it’s long overdue. I’m hoping these guys are next.

I would like one of these, please.

As a side note, someday I would like to go to this and shake this man’s hand.

I wonder if anyone I know could hook that up.

A lot going on this week.  Blogging will be minimal.  I still have plenty to write, just not a whole lot of time this week in which to do it.

I like busy weeks though.

Love…

Marko posted a fantastic article on his blog today that might be a little timely for one or two of my friends. Being as it is excerpts from a message he delivered at a youth workers’ spiritual retreat, some of the content is directed as such. But the overall theme is there and some extremely solid points are made about maintaining your faith when God seems distant.

A former pastor of mine from my childhood, with whom I’ve reamined in touch across the years, reminded me a few years ago to not “forget in the darkness what He has shown me in the light.”  Marko’s writing speaks almost directly to that point.

In collaboration with my Wordpress 2.0 upgrade, I’ve decided to undertake a long overdue project and cleanup my sidebar. In so doing, I took the opportunity to separate my links into separate categories and add some new ones to the mix. While you’re here, be sure you check out the following quality blogs:

• And this is what I think… – some good, unadulterated thoughts from a class-act of a lady.
• Heather’s So Called Life – it is as it says…from a good friend.
• Looking Forward – I don’t know many people who have such an intense pursuit for holiness as this wonderful lady possesses, while at the same time living life to the full under the banner of Grace.
• Radically Happy: A Transformational Bible Blog – I’ve known Dr. Ernie since the mid 90s. We fell out of touch years ago when he moved to Northern California to go to work for Apple and reconnected this past year when I Googled his name and found his blog. Radically Happy is what you get when you combine the mind of a Cal Tech PhD (a couple times over I think?) with the heart of a sincere, passionate follower of Jesus Christ. You GM folks might appreciate his thoughts on 40 Days of Purpose. He’s currently journaling his thoughts as he works through it. I’m sure his thoughts will prove beneficial to our discussions on the subject next month when we start it.
• YSMarko – Mark Oestreicher is an old pastor/friend of mine from many years ago back in Pasadena. He is now the president of Youth Specialties, an amazing San Diego-based worldwide ministry for youth workers. I stumbled across his blog accidentally this past fall and I am so glad I did…he has some of the best writings in the blogosphere. Good stuff.

Now…go add these fine blogs to your Bloglines and may the good reading commence.

Must get sleep now.

Well, I too, have upgraded to Wordpress 2.0.  By the looks of things, all went smoothly.  I like it when things work the way they should.