Back Stage Pass

I’ve always been envious of people with backstage passes. These passes not only let you into the event they allow you to go behind the ropes and witness the inner-workings of the concert or sporting event. What fun it would be for me to get a backstage pass for a U2 concert or Masters golf tournament? I might just have a coronary if that ever came to be.

Reality is I might also be disappointed. The ropes or curtains often hide a reality that isn’t quite as glamorous or beautiful. Legends often lose their appeal when you get up close and realize that they too have bad breath.

As I see it, I have had a pretty outstanding backstage pass for sometime now. I have been privileged to witness the behind the scenes happenings of this place called Calvary. What a joy it is to pray with individuals asking and trusting God to carry them closer to wholeness. What a humbling experience it is to see families make sacrificial gifts each week. To see a Sunday school teacher come extra early each Sunday morning so he might be prepared to welcome the children to his class. To climb onto the new roof and be assured that our sacrifices today will make certain this place is here for as long as God might need it. What a rare privilege it is to sit in a staff meeting and be in awe of the great miracle God has done in bringing together people who actually love and trust each other.

As I listen in and walk behind the scenes my impression becomes more beautiful rather than less. Rather than disappointed I find myself more thankful for a good and great God. You have to be somebody or know somebody to mix with U2 backstage or walk under the ropes at the Masters. As we walk with Christ he lifts up the ropes for all of us and lets us in on a reality much more beautiful than you could ever glimpse from the cheap seats.

May this advent season find you backstage engaged in ministry and inviting others in to meet the one the world longs to know.

leaving a bit of me behind: part II

where were we?

oh yes, mikal, paul, bobby, canseco and I climbed into my suburban and pointed it towards colorado. a couple of hours into the journey i learned my first lesson. sitting in a vehicle with a long road ahead and a kidney stone in the pipes is not an ideal place to find yourself. we ventured on stopping several times along the way. at each stop i used the opportunity to make an attempt at passing it. i learned something new about anticipation. it is a beautiful thing. as our next stop approached i began to anticipate the possibility of this thorn on my inside making its way out. i was disapppointed at each stop. with a bladder busting drink in hand i boarded the burb again continued down the road.

24 hours into our excursion we found ourselves at the trail head. this is where we said goodbye to restrooms, air conditioning, comfortable beds, shelter, gramdma klumpp's cookies and a million other things i don't even think of each day. over teh next 4 days we said hello to a good number of things as well: 60 pound backpack, freeze-dried food, the same pair of underwear, fresh trout cooked on a open flame, and god's unmistakeable presence in the colorado wilderness.

the journey was the most difficult thing i have ever physically experienced. we scheduled the four day trip for the first week of october counting on the aspens to be in full bloom. what we didn't schedule was an early dump of snow that left 12 to 36 inches of snow on our trail.

Day 1: most of the trail was clear and free from snow. i didn't take me long to remember why i loved the mountains so. i was also reminded how out of shape i really was. taking off my pack after 4 1/2 miles was a welcomed moment. after a warn meal and great conversation around a hot fire canseco and i made our way to the tent to catch some much needed sleep.

Day 2: i started teh day thankful for a soft bed. sleeping in a bag on the ground really sucks. 240 pounds doesn't do well on hard ground. teh rough night was a precurer to the the day ahead. after hiking a mile and a half or so we found our selves at a point of no return. as we stared up at a snow covered north face we realized we had only two options: 1) go out the way we came or 2) make our way over the mountain through the snow. we chose the 5 1/2 mile second option. and so for 5 hours we trudged our way up the never ending beast. we found several jewels along the way. 1. none of us could have or would have made that climb alone. we leaned up each other for the strentgh and determination to put one foot in front of the other. 2. we learned that sometimes you have to blaze your own trail. more times than not the well traveled, visible, obvious trail was covered in snow. lots and lots of snow and so, we read or map, polled one another, and stepped out into uncertainty trusting that we were headed in the right direction. together we found our way. 3. we each learned that we could each do so much more than had believed about ourselves just a few hours earlier. 4. we learned that difficult if not miserable periods of your life can some day be cherished treasures. I look back on that pass experience as a highpoint to my journey 5. finally, snow is a cold but remarkable substitute for toilet paper. Once again, warm meal, great conversation, Canseco and I headed to bed.

Day 3: This day was to be the highlight. after a mile hike up and through the deep snow we were to descend on blue lake. we stared early so to have the day for fishing for dinner. for soem reason i faced this day with great hope. sure enough, not 30 yards from our summit i asked the guys to stop. i took a moment, caught my breath, and said goodbye to canseco. i passed my stone @ elev. 11,450. talk about turning a day around. nothing quite like a boost of hope than leeting go of your burden on top of the world. we hiked on to the summit only to look down on the most beautiful scenery i have ever witnessed. to the left was breathtaking blue lake. it truly was more remarkable than mikal had described. to the right was a canyon deeper than i have ever imagined myself to be. breathtaking. literally. we hiked down a 1/mile to the waters edge and spent the day like 4 kids at disneyworld. our good dehydrated meal was set aside for fresh brown trout, rice pilaf, and raspberry crumble. food is a reminder to me of God's provision. hard for me to think of a time i had been cared for better. after a heart warming fire and great conversation i hollered goodnight to canseco and found my way by my self to my tent.

day 4: downhill. 5+ miles of riverfront downhill. downhill is much easier than uphill. downhill, however, brings its own set of struggles. down is much harder on your knees than up. down encourages you to go faster than you probably should. longstretches of coasting down blind you from remembering the final climb out. i remebered again that you can't have the up without the down.

96 hours after making our way into the wilderness we found our way out. i look forward to going making the trip again. i found out alot about myself on that trek. i also left a bit of me behind.

if you ever find your way though the south san juans say hello to canseco for me. come to think of it the snow melt might have him in the gulf my june.

leaving a bit of me behind: part 1

three weeks ago i found myself desperatly anticipating a much needed backpacking trip through the colorado wilderness. nothing clears out my mind, my doubt, my anxiety, my ego quite like a long walk in the mountains. three buddies and i had planned a 19 mile excursion through the south san juan mountains. i was so leaning into this trip.

an obstacle found its way into the scenario. i woke up early one morning with what i thought to be a reptured something. i didn't know what it was but it figured it must be important if it hurt like this. i soaked in the tub, no relief. i curled up on the floor, no relief. i tried getting back in bed but th epain only escalated. finally, i whimpered the words to my sleeping wife, "jennifer, i think i need to go to the emergency room."

not quite as smooth a way to wake up someone you love as say maybe the smell folgers wafting down the hall. i must say though, it was effective.

jennifer jumped into gear and help me come up with a plan. since the kids were asleep we thought it wise to call a friend to take me to the hospital. who would you call @ 5:00 a.m to ask if they'll take you to the hospital? we called sharyn.

sharyn helped me into her car designed for liliputians and sped her way to the hospital. after a couple of hours of being naked in a hospital gown the smug doctor on duty tells me i have another kidney stone. you see, i am a stone maker. i got it from my dad. he has birthed over 200 of these bad boys. 52 at one time. this was my tenth. this one, however, felt more like a sticker burr on steroids than its ancestors.

needless to say, dr. personality strongly cautioned me to pitch my tent in waco and not underneath an aspen. for the next ten days.

his words never found a home in my mind. they slowly drove by, waved, and then went on their way never to return again. jennifer, who loves me dearly, never really consider it an option either. she knew me well enough to know what this trip could provide a canseco burr could never take away.

and so five days later canseco and i jumped into my suburban, picked up my three buddies, and began making our way to the wilderness.

learned lots of things on that trip. i'll tell you about them next time.

One Brick Short

this is my maiden voyage in this blogging world. pardon my ignorance as i trample through this realm.

how many times? how many times have i used the phrase "one brick short of a load" to describe some innocent traveler? "Boy, he's one brick short of a load." maybe some deserved it but not most i'm sure.

you might have a simlar phrase with a slightly different flavor: sandwich shrt of a picnic, can short of a six-pack...

for me it's always been one brick short. i love the construction industry. in fact, it might even say it makes my heart sing. building things, renovating things, redeeming the old and helping them to shine helps me to come alive. i've put a new shine on several places now and feel a deep sense of satisfaction and hope when i finish up another. did that this morning actually. a small garage apartment. once was: dark, musty, extra storage. and now: beautiful place for grandpartents to rest their tired bones. it was one brick short. it actually took a whole lot more than just one brick. 4+ months to be exact.

i think back to the many times i have said "he's one brick short" and cringe. in this hobby of mine i have found a few truths from God. the first is that i am one brick short. a beautful, beloved one brick short. how long have i used my abilities as a plumb for the worthines of others. i have found anew a good a gracious God who longs to take our worn and musty lives and bring them to life. i am finding that it is not a 4 month project however. my overhaul looks like it might take a lifetime.

so pardon me as a stumble through this life. pardon as i forget who i am and who you are. please pardon me as i leave beloved bricks off of the load. for i do believe we are all the beloved children of a good and great God.

onebrickshort