...one foot in front of the other.

The sky looks as sleepy as I feel.

Somehow I have gotten into the pattern of getting up earlier than I am used to. The usual rolling over and going back to sleep after a long day isn't an option this Saturday morning. I have three appointments to make and then we're due for rehearsal at the church sometime after that.

Yawn...stretch...yawn again. Okay, what's the address again?

To top off all of the hustle and bustle, my phone is off. Yeah, can you believe it? We have kept a phone going all this time with practically no money and just when we are getting a chance to step out of the 'hole' we found ourselves in a few months back the bill comes due before the finances are in place to cover it. Now I wouldn't ordinarily admit to such a calamity but I think that the situation bears scrutiny because I know it will be taken care of by the head bookkeeper, Jesus, my Lord. I read somewhere in the Word that if I take care of God's business first that he will take care of me, so I know that I'm in line for a blessing. And what better blessing than to be able to communicate better through the use of a modern convenience that reaches out to anyone and everyone all across the country at will? Yep, I expect my phone to be back in service very soon.

My friend is launching his new book this week. It's called "Choices" by James Willcox. The plot is a wonderful story of how a person can really show his or her love toward another human being in the most trying of circumstances. At first I wondered about it, putting myself in the main character's place. What would I have done? Don't miss this chance to get some terrific insight into my friend's perspective on love.

...setting the stage

I awakened to the sounds of busy people on the floor below.

I could hear their voices and the happiness in them. It is so pleasant to hear happiness these days. Far too many of us carry the extra baggage of discontent around like the extra pounds we also need to shed. I for one am not going to be unhappy. It takes more effort to be unhappy, you know. Just as it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. Our vantage point on the issues of life are too often from a negative perspective. We tend to 'look down' on things as opposed to looking up.

Try this. Every day when you get up, say,"Good morning Master, I am ready for the day you have planned for me. How can I be of service?" After awhile you will be looking forward to what God has in store for you because you will have seen the actions he put into play that changed over the course of your asking for an 'assignment' instead of just accepting whatever comes along like most people do. Remember, God said to ask him for things. Why not ask for good things. It works out that as I have done this on a consistent basis the days have 'smoothed out' and I tend to get more accomplished in a shorter period of time and my attitude is one of genuine happiness and joy over the fact that I'm actually doing something important for my Master.

...the run for the finish

I shut the front door and locked it. Hearing the sound of the metal tongue fall into the slot was a welcome noise. It signaled the end of another long day. I agreed to a last minute filming at a church service that had been planned for a month, but I had forgotten about it. They asked me to do a video for advertising purposes and I realized that it would be an opportunity to hear the person preach after several years. We had heard her before but not for some time. I was please that she ministered in truth and in plain terms. Too many play around with the Word and try to make it say what they want it to say so they can get something out of it. Not so here. It gave me a better sense of how to help in the future. The earlier part of the day was spent in an early morning prayer meeting at the Man Up location. The staff of the mission pray each morning and air their opinions, interests and woes openly and without reservation. I find the meetings refreshing. Some prayer meetings turn into way too much 'asking' and not enough listening. These guys get right to the heart of the matter and address each others needs in frankness. Even when they use the wrong word to describe the issue it strikes home and speaks to the reality of life 'out in the open'; the way they live every day.

I am primed for tomorrow. we are set to install new main speakers in the sanctuary and a new video screen and projector. This will usher in a whole new era for this little church. The Pastor's son and daughter in law will be running the new video, adding words to the songs on the screen so everyone can sing along easily.

Adding the new mains frees up some much needed monitors for the Praise Team, so that is an exciting element I'm anxious to 'tinker with'.

It's all a concerted effort to make a "run for the finish".

...."how sweet it is"

The sounds of the interstate kept me company in the way home.

I sat, almost dozing, watching the traffic around me busily jockeying in and out of position on their way home; almost everyone in a hurry to get 'there'.

Today was my first official day as the Program Director `for the new plan we intend to put into place to help homeless men.

The Pastor at the church is a very fine man. I don't use that term very often, so you can understand my use of it here. I will learn a great deal from him in the coming weeks, I'm sure.

The others are all very nice and interestingly enough, very dedicated. I find that a marvelous trait, especially these days when so many are only out for what they can get for 'you know who'.

And so, in the end, at the end of a long, but fruitful day, I can sit back in my chair and sigh,"...how sweet it is".

are you busy yet?

I wonder just how it is that we schedule so many things into our lives and then complain about it?

I was thinking of how many meetings I am involved in all of a sudden. First, one here, then on to the next one and reschedule yet another so you can be at still another meeting and not miss any of them. I have definitely been pampered these past months not having anything pressing in or encroaching on my "me " time. I will "just have to adjust" as my beautiful wife has reminded me just now. Yes, I suppose I will. I've come to the conclusion that I've been the center of my world here in 'the upper room' for too long.

On a brighter note, I will get to interact with new people again; something I relish but seldom do with my work load here in the studio. I am going to change that and make a concerted effort to reenter the 'flow' that runs it's course each day throughout the city. The problem will be the commute from small town to big city. I am so used to just getting out of bed and stepping into the next room and I'm 'at work'. How convenient is that? Now you are getting the picture of just how spoiled I've become. I know I shouldn't be telling on myself this way but I think it's good for my ego to humiliate itself in this fashion even if it is just slightly, and see how I take it.

I think little 'ouches' are much better than big 'owies', don't you?

...the easy stuff

It's the shank of the day and I feel a simple satisfaction for having completed so many things without having a car wreck of an issue to deal with.

Isn't it nice not to have a problem for a change? Oftentimes, the day is broken up by the little disasters that plague our existence, putting a damper on the fun.

I am sincerely looking forward to the work on the Operation Man Up Program. It's in it's infancy just now, but I expect the pace to pick up a great deal in the next few days, having set meetings all through the week.

It will take some time, but what good thing doesn't? I relish the idea of the interaction with the men. It's been several years since Dianna and I were working full time with the street people. What a time. I look back on some of the experiences and marvel that we got to be a part of it. I am interested to see what will transpire in this next phase. I'm not going into it as such a novice this time and that's a good thing. I can avoid some of the inevitable pitfalls that beset the unwary.

It will also be interesting to see how things have changed on the street in ten years. Even though we haven't been 'full time' so to speak, we have kept track of certain aspects of the business of helping people. there are so many ministries today that it's hard not to know someone involved in this great work. I only hope I can be as effective as some of the ones we see in operation at present.

Let me know what you think about the homeless culture of today. It's always good to get a different point of view. that's how we learn to make the right changes and thus make a difference instead of creating more problems as some do .

...merrily we roll along

The heat really got to me today. I was in and out of the different places I had to visit in short spurts and of course the 'Burb' was like an oven each time I opened the door to get in from being locked. It took at least ten minutes to cool down each time and by then I had arrived at the next destination and locked it up again. Thank goodness I heard the weatherman announce a change on the horizon by the weekend.

The Man Up Program is getting some rapid changes as I pass it by certain individuals on the way to finalizing it, but I am concerned that I'm not getting in enough of the 'meat' here in the beginning for people to catch the spirit of how important the program is for all involved. There again, I know that not everyone is going to have the kind of passion I do for the idea, but I do expect a lot of support from a large contingent.

I finished a new song today before I left on errands.

"Baptize Me John" was born from an idea that my pastor gave me when he described what it must have been like for John to actually hold Jesus in his arms as he baptized him. Can you imagine the scene?I do, over and over in my mind, especially after writing the lyrics. I really hope for a good response to this one. It came quickly and that in and of itself is telling. The good ones for me don't take much time at all. I've written some songs in a matter of a few minutes and ended up changing only a few lines; if any. That's when I know it has a chance to be really good because it doesn't take any time to put together. "Somebody Find Me" was the same way. Matthew and I wrote it in about twenty minutes at Panera Bread in Tulsa and went back to his condo and recorded it in about an hour. I have changed a few things but for the most part it's just like it was the first hour we sat there in that Panera Bread and talked about the plight of young people on the streets all over the world.

I'm excited about the new program. I only hope I can convey the importance to the ones that will support it so that it gets a good start. I think it will carry on once people see the value of helping these men.

Operation Man Up

... drum roll please....

I have officially begun the new Mentor program for homeless men!

We have named it Operation Man Up. We even have a Logo designed and the beginning of the website. I am very excited to see what kind of reaction we'll get from what is down on paper thus far. The stages are simple and direct but getting to the 'front door' of the program is a horse of a different color in that I don't know what lies out in front of us in the way of opposition and or obstacle. I know that several of the people around us have been anxious to start a program like this for a number of years, but will they be willing to accept what we are proposing to do in the fashion we would like to do it? That's the concern. I want to reach the men with a simple 'in your face' approach and yet make evey attempt to do things in love. Does that compute? I certainly hope so. The name itself is a key to the concept. Challenging them is an attention getter, but will it fly7 in the face of reality? These men get so much confrontation on a daily basis it isn't funny. I recall seeing the tremendous stress on their faces when seemingly simple issues were presented. It will take some getting used to again, but I'm up for the challenge as well.

If you have any feedback, please send it along. I'm open to any positive input on what and how, but a real help would be someone's previous attempt at doing just such a program. I have not as yet found any historical references online even though I know there has to be something like this in operation somewhere else in the country. This isn't rocket science. Someone else has had to incorporated something before now; surely.

At any rate, I am pumped about what might be possible on this front. There are way too many 'victims' out there that could certainly use the help.

I've been on the shelf for awhile and the thought of being in the field is both invigorating and intimidating at the same time. What used to be a day to day norm will be an effort on my part to 'settle in' on some kind of routine. Once the funding is in place I'll be able to relax a bit, but there are some real hurdles to jump in the immediate future that will take some doing. The Lord will have to be in this or we will be laboring in vain as the Word so aptly says.

If you get a minute, lift us up in prayer, would ya?

...sad but sure.

I just read an email from a close friend that got news today of a heart valve that needs replacing. It seems that the valve is allowing blood to flow back into the chamber it has just left causing a real issue.

One never really knows what will happen in this life. Our lives are just a vapor that so quickly passes. I marvel at the ones that think they will live forever and snub the advice they're given about slowing down and appreciating what they have in the way of blessings.

This particular friend is very gifted and has worked extremely hard to better himself in order to serve the Lord better. I just don't know what to think about it yet; it is still so new to my ears. How do you talk to a friend when it comes to things like this? I know the 'standard issue', but this is quite different; for me at least. I had talked to him yesterday about a business matter and all was well. He expressed a concern that the VA had called and asked him to come in for a check up. I told him not to worry and to let me know what it was all about. When I read the email it struck me that I hadn't prayed about it after I got off of the phone with him last night as I should have. Hindsight....we always see so clearly in hindsight.

...in the ravaging heat

I refuse to go outside. The frying heat is shrinking the pavement on the street below as I look out the window from behind the curtain in the studio. Each day is registered by the size of the ever expanding cracks left behind by the searing temperatures and it's only the third day in August. What promises to be a record summer has arrived in full force.

How do you stay cool? Do you have some secret that you might share with the rest of us that would make our suffering easier, pray tell? Come on now, you can be honest; we'll put any and all tips to good use and be ever grateful for your timely offerings, believe me.

Di ventured out to get a few items from the store. I thought to tell her to stay put and wait for a fairer day, but after seeing the weather report, it might be September before she could go. It seems that we're in for a least a week of triple digits before there is even a possibility of a break. Drat!

Wouldn't you know it, I got an email from a friend in Colorado where the temp is in the mid seventies with a cool rain falling. He said he might have to wait a day or two to go back into the fields to cut hay, but didn't mind waiting. I wouldn't mind 'waiting' for the rain to end nestled down in a cool valley just below the Spanish Peaks, would you?

I know that there are some people that relish the heat. I see them trotting along the road with their headbands and Walkmans and I marvel and their tenacity. I prefer the studio surroundings.

How do you spend your time in the heat?