.It was one of those days where it seemed that all had gone perfect. Woke up to the crisp morning on the lake. The snow, the deer, the swans trying to figure out how to swim on frozen water, the bald eagles circling and flying along side the car as we headed south. Our little adventure over early as the “storm” was supposed to hit and we needed to get south in case it actually happened. We walked into church; a strange church for us but one that would make the middle of my day just as perfect as the beginning and the end. It’s like when you take in a breath of fresh air that hits every one of your senses. You breath in and suddenly you tingle with delight. Your lungs feel full, your eyes are free from itchy allergens, your brain clears and you are ravishingly hungry and yet full. The pores of your body stretch to soak in the fresh air and you almost don’t want to exhale because it feels so good to breath.. Was it the singing, or the hugs, or the people actually chasing us down to introduce themselves to two total strangers? Was it the spirit, the sun luring through the windows? Some actually think church should be a dark dingy hall, with lights so low you couldn’t see to take notes if you so desired. They sang, and I could read the music if I didn’t know the songs. Simple, effective, I could hear four parts surrounding me and energy…I am not sure what kind of energy but it was infectious. Teenagers were singing, little kids were coloring and singing. The little boy by us had some pink milk in a milk bottle. It felt almost like…we were at church rather than at a place that sells a product. Church has become that..a product. It seems the image portrayed, the bribing people to come with donuts and coffee. We have missed the simpleness of being together as a community and being who God called us to be: the church not a church. The sermon when they got that far, after singing more and more, and prayer time when people went forward for prayer and confession time, communion, shepherds prayer where the church, the people, prayed for each other and then the sermon. Simply put, the sermon was admonishing using the Bible. Simply preaching out to the Bible. Straight, practical, simple, Biblical and then that’s all. I wanted to breath again to make sure I had exhaled but I was having a reunion of sorts with a few old friends: who would have figured that God would have thrown that on top of a refreshing breath. Some days, God just says, enjoy and inhale. Let it fill your lungs and your heart, your soul and your mind. So, when one had a day like that, does one just assume it’s downhill the rest of the day? Usually… just coast and make it into the bed and be thankful something didn’t pop your bubble. However, as I sat in a chair tonight at cowboy church and the church laid hands and began praying for the trip to Africa, it began to realize that in the past several years, days like these haven’t existed. It’s been being kicked while I was down, can we stab you in the back again, and by the way, we don’t want you here, kind of years. Those days, weeks and years are hard on the heart. It does bring one to focus on the giver of life; maybe not the giver of fresh air, but the giver of life to sustain in the midst of the smog and air pollution that living as a human in a fallen world and dealing with other humans tends to deal us. And then God says, let there be a day of blessing. Let there be fresh air. Let that fresh air vigorate and energize. Let that fresh air provide hope. Let that fresh air come from the unfamiliar and unknown. Let that fresh breath come when one had just about figured life would always smell bad and breathing through your mouth was the only way to not gag at every breath.
As we sat talking after cowboy church one man confessed that he was feeling depressed and lonely and had started driving. He saw the flag flying, advertising cowboy church tonight and stopped. Fresh air. The sweet couple that drove through the snow to encourage the ministry. Fresh air. The one who wrote a check and handed it to me to finish the ‘guitar fund’ for the trip to Africa. Even the icy ride home, fresh air. For when God provides fresh air, its fresh. We use air fresheners and Simply cover up what smell exists. I love candles and have lots of them to burn and make me giggle. However, if I don’t take out the garbage that stinks, eventually the fresh aroma goes back to stinking. God removes the odor, and gives us fresh air that fills every pore in our lungs. Not a minute early and not a minute late. Not too much and not too little. Not what we expect and not what we anticipate but exactly what is required for us to operate spiritually. So tonight, all my senses are full. My eyes can’t hold back the tears, my ears heard so much I almost can’t think anymore, my fingers wore themselves out clapping, strumming and caressing old friends, my nose smells the fresh crisp air of an April snowstorm that didn’t quite make it as they predicted and my taste buds,,,well taste and see that God is good couldn’t be any more true. I will sleep well tonight: I felt well loved today. And the thing that remains was the thrust of the message, 1 Peter, prepare your mind for action. I have a feeling God has some more action planned that I will have to just sit back, hold on and enjoy the ride!
Special Touch Ministry 