What Do You Say When You're Going Away?

I realized after I finished publishing the collage below this writing that the truth is deeper than what we wear or how we appear to others. My friend Darren from Canada has art on many parts of his body, but the one he is the most fond of is the picture of his image of Christ crucified done by a 20 something artist back home. Most of the folks in ministry during the Blackhills Motorcycle Classic(Sturgis Rally)have one thing that brings them all together under one flag, their Savior! I'm back, been back for a few days, from the journey to another mountaintop event. It has taken me a little longer this year to decompress. I guess that's because my heart was tugged so hard in the direction of full-time service, again. Many of those with whom I ride and serve are just that, full-timers(and some, like me, are old-timers now)that fly the flag of Christendom wherever the road leads them. The patch holders you see below are only a quick sampling from 'one' camp that does outreach in Babylon. I can't even count the number of folks that have tents set up to serve the Lord during the rally weeks. The stories that accompany the various outreach programs are awesome! It's far too soon for me to start sharing my personal experiences from this year, but they will come in time. I look forward to that as I sift through the hundreds of photos brought home this year. I always take more than I need, until I start thinking later about the shots I missed. This year I spent hours each day on stage playing(more than usual)so my time was limited for peeking through lenses and screens. I would not have wanted it any other way. Music gets people's attention in so many ways and also provides us the opportunity in song to lay the foundation for messages geared to reach the lost and dying out there. It all seems like a great big "whoosh" now that it's over for this year, but it takes nearly a year to get ready so I guess now is the time to start planning how to increase our output for 2006. Things have really changed since this ministry began during the 50th(this was the 65th)! But there are some things that haven't been altered in over 2000 years. The sharing of the "Good News" of God's Son coming to earth and providing a way where by you and I can enter into eternal life. With tongue in cheek I'd have to say that the "Best News" you will ever hear is "well done my good and faithful servant." That is what we strive toward, one lost soul at a time. God smiled on everyone, bigtime, this year. When I was riding the road that led back home I could hear the angels singing and see the faces of every person that received Christ as Lord of their life. What do you say when you're pulling away? Hallelujah! I had to include Slag on the collage below, that's the Harley T from Iraq. His youngest son is serving over there right now, and he found a Harley shop. The story was hilarious that goes with the shirt. The buildings on both sides of the HD place were all shot to, well you know, but not a single bullet had hit the dealership. In full battle gear in the midst of door to door street fighting Slag's son stopped at the shop and picked up a couple of Ts for dad and a few of his buddies back home. Even the insurgents understand that there are sacred places you just don't shoot up or use as a cover. Now if we could just get that kind of thinking through the heads of the politicians maybe we could find some common ground based on a great machine instead of nitpicking over who's God is the better God. There is only one God, and He loves us all! I pray for all of our sons and daughters overseas everyday, but my most fervent prayers are for peace in our world that the children might grow up and learn to live together better than we have. In Christ's Love, Preacher.