Easter eve, sitting in my living room, heart full of emotions
Tonight, I did something that I have never done before. I recorded, and then watched, the
Dove Awards. Were they really that great? No, not
particularly. Most everything on the show was not something that I would really ever be into.
I recorded the show specifically to see the Rock and Roll
Worship Circus' performance. Having hosted them at our church and in my home as well as at a friend's home, I
have developed a relationship with them that is closer than just a "hey I remember you" thing. In no way
are we best buddies or know everything there is to know about each other, but there is a bond there. Its a bond that
has developed just through worshipping together at their shows and through being a servant to their ministry.
My heart was swollen with excitement and pure giddiness (is that a word?) just to see them on that stage in
front of all those people. They only got to play about 90 seconds of "The Blood of Jesus" but it was
still super cool and I was so happy for them. I was sad that they did not win any Doves for their music, but
they did win the award for Recorded Music Packaging of the Year for their CD Welcome to the Rock and Roll
Worship Circus. Anyway, it was just good to see Gabe, Zurn, Blurr, E, and it looked like Solo even got to
come out for the gig, WOO HOO!! I think of them often and pray for them when I do, I know that all they want to
do is move the heart of God and I love the way they do it.
Originally I just intended to watch the Circus and then delete the recording, but something moved me to watch
the whole show. So after finding the Circus and watching their short set, I rewound the show all the way to the
beginning and started to watch. I would watch the intros and then at least bits of each artist that performed.
If it was not up my alley, I just fast forwarded.
I did stop however when Audio Adrenaline played. I probably normally wouldn't have, Audio is good but they have
never been a band that I have particularly cared for. I have never owned any of their CD's. But they were
playing this song, I think it's called "Ocean Floor", I would have never known about it except Erik
used the song in our last XSight worship service Sunday night. It's a song about forgiveness and how our sins
are forgotten and never to be found because they are on the ocean floor. It moved me to tears as I interceded
for loved ones that I know who just don't understand that no matter how bad they have been, God's grace is
bigger. Even if you've done the worst thing imaginable, God is able to do more than we can ever ask or imagine...
including forgive the most detestable acts any human can commit. I am so thankful for God's grace and
forgiveness, I just pray that others would some day come to understand how much of a burden is lifted when you
realize that God forgives COMPLETELY.
So, that was a totally unexpected awesome time during the show. In fact I may have to go get that song from
somewhere, if its a single I'll get it, otherwise I may just get the CD its on. So then the show carried on and
the Circus bit came up again, so of course I watched it again. This time I cranked up the volume and Blurr's low
end was vibrating my house. "And so I wanna thank you Father, for giving up your only Son for our freedom!!"
Appropriate lyrics on the eve of the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. Again I was just filled with happiness
for the Circus and enjoyed the little 90 second worship blast they provided.
So the show carried on, I kept fast forwarding through most of it. But at the very end, I stopped and watched as
Michael W. Smith played piano and Amy Grant joined him and they started into Smiddy's classic - "Friends".
Then Stephen Curtis Chapman joined them. Then others continued to come onto the stage and sing along. And as
all this was going on, again I was moved to tears.
As I thought of all my friends, and the bond I have with all of you, it just made those words all the more true
- "And a friend's a friend forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them. And a friend will not say 'never', cuz
the welcome will not end. Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know that a lifetime's not
too long to live as friends". I love you all and am so thankful for each of you and the times that we have
shared together.
Anyone remember these?:
glow in the dark eyeballs stuck on the ceiling
throwing rolled up socks at the TV
lip syncing 80's glam rock tunes
"I don't remember eating any corn!!"
high fiving during the church invitation
the lake that ate the trolling motor
praying together for hours
someone folding their sheets in their sleep
someone talking in their sleep..a LOT!
"Prime Time...Prime Time...Prime Time"
the "in the car" stage dive
nuclear tea
dog pile in the living room floor in 94 and 95
flat tires in Missouri
praying together for hours
STUFF!
skipping class to play Spades
"selling ads" during journalism class
the Woff-dome
"Man he pounded the sh*t outta those drums!!"
the free-throw dance
standing in line waiting to see Star Wars movies
Shoney's seafood chowder
Kung Fu Chinese Star fights with mini-Tostitos
"beep beep...beep beep...his horn went beep beep beep"
praying together for hours
self inflicted ping pong wedgies
"inventing" eXtreme Croquet
crying together over broken relationships
praying together for hours
pointing at each other and exclaiming, "HA!!"
5 guys in a Motel 6
listening to the Cru as we head out
freaking out over spiders
BYOM, The Simpsons, The X-files
spit on the TV
Little Smokies for dinner
praying together for hours
driving golf ball and getting it stuck in a tree
eating bugs for money
Christmas trees and pita pizzas
washing each others' feet
Cornerstone mealtime devotionals
our own "Stormin Norman"
sleeping 90% of the day away while it rained on our campsite
Sadie Mae
playing hoops at the Countryside pavilion
The Dogs of War
incredibly fun wedding celebrations
"Cha Cha Cha"
praying together for hours
"That's NOT my special place!"
not being able to watch a playoff game without "jinxing" the Rockets
Sing a Song for a Pancake
Barbecue spaghetti
"PULL OVER AND PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!!!!"
midnight Wal-Mart runs
the USSAS
rejoicing over new jobs and promotions
getting run over by a golf cart
praying together for hours
the Mafia game with no Mafia
the "Revenge of the Jedi" poster
"spit spit" Malone and the NBA voodoo dart board
those drunk guys peeing huge rainbow arcs on the golf course
Buck Buck
praying together for hours
the year of the MOYL baby boom
Craig Ehlo - the ultimate "other guy" in the poster
knee surgeries
hauling in that seven pounder
the "death" of Old Blue
Smorgasball
praying together for hours
"They GOTTA grow corn here!"
quoting the "Three Amigos" while in Piedras Negras
getting in the pit at Academy Black
the stage dive that caused him to miss Mindbender
Steve Taylor somersaults
finding out that Stryper broke up
seeing Stryper play together again in 2000
praying together for hours
"Brace yourselves, we're gonna hit that tree."
Jockman rulz wallball!!!
the M&M that pinged and disappeared
saving the sherbet
the golf shot that almost left you sterile
the golf shot that almost left my wife sterile
bouncing bombs, creamed corn, and clowns
praying together for hours
And that's just the tip of the ice berg. Man.....I love you guys. And what's more, I have been married to my
best friend for 6 going on 7 years now. How could it get any better? I miss all of you that I don't get to see
as often. I am grateful for those of you I do get to see on a regular basis. Maybe one day soon we'll have a
MOYL reunion and try to get as many of the gang together as possible. I know I would love to see that happen.
In the meantime just know that I think of all of you often. I pray God's blessings on you, I pray that you seek
His face, I pray that you get to know Him better. Until we meet again....
Lotsa love,
-Greg
PS...if you think of some obvious omissions from my memory list, anything that's a classic that I just plain
forgot, please post in the comments section. You guys and gals are the best!
