...as the clouds rolled in.

I watched as the dark clouds framed the horizon like thick drapes on a tinted window.

We had been expecting the rain to arrive a bit earlier, hoping that it would move out and dry up a little before the outdoor concert tomorrow. I wonder now if the rain will indeed move on before we set up.

How often have we planned and planned and then things just don't happen the way we expect? Too many times I suppose but that's human nature isn't it? And why do we always seem to look at things differently than the way God does? I know, "His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts", but that is to be expected since we somehow always seem put more on our plates than we can accomplish and then wonder why things didn't work out the way we thought they would when we were planning them. Go figure.

I'm more and more of the opinion that our egos get tangled up with 'personalities', contrived or not and we think we're more powerful than we really are. God help me. I am beginning to recognize the simple fact that there are just too many things to keep up with in this life nowadays. The simpler the better for me. Now I have to learn how to 'cut back'. Not just on cost factors but on 'work factors' too.

Where is my God time? I'm doing a lot of work but am I doing what He has in mind?

...are we there yet?

I used to ask that very question when I was a youngster.

I was short for my age so I didn't have a very good vantage point to begin with, but even so I often wondered just how far we had gone on our long distance travels. We weren't allowed to sit on our knees so we could see out of the window. We had to sit like "little gentlemen and little ladies" everywhere we went. That meant that all we could really observe were the tops of the trees gliding past our backseat window or the long lines of telephone poles and the wispy West Texas clouds that seemed miles and miles away, high up in the powder blue sky.

"If you ask me that question one more time I'm going to stop this car and paddle your butt!"

How many times have you heard that said on a long trip? We used to see how any times we could get away with it before it was about to happen. I think we had it down to a science and used it as a tool to get back at the stingy people in the front seat that got to see everything first hand and rarely shared the good parts until it was too late.

"Did you see that, Honey?"

"Why gracious me, I don't believe I've ever seen anything like that; have you, Dear?"

Why no Love, I don't believe I have."

"Kids, did you see that?"

"Are we there yet?"

...in the cool, cool, cool of the evening.

I unlocked the Suburban and got in.

My friend got in and we started on our way to his place. I was taking him home after a few hours at my office, working on a plan to get video in the sanctuary for an upcoming meeting.

Just a s we pulled to the end of the parking lot we saw my neighbors standing at the curb. They don't normally do that, especially at 9:30m at a night, so I rolled down the window and was informed of an altercation going on in front of the church.

Sure enough, as i pulled up in the parking lot of the front side of the church, there was two of our residents of the Program Housing engrossed in a heated argument.

For whatever reason this seems to be a weekly event between these two and there is basically no getting through to either of them when they are entwined in a battle of the wills.

How is it that every one around them can see that they are being so immature and they can't see it? How is it that they continue to get into these tests of the two wills on a regular basis and can't learn anymore about each other that would help to stave off these engagements?

I know they both have to be hurting, but there is seemingly nothing I can do or anyone else for that matter.

Oh how we cheat ourselves out of peace and harmony by being selfish....

Sometimes I just want to take them by the arms and shake them until they listen and then I'm reminded of how I was so like them almost to a fault. I too was hard of hearing and course and much more.

Help them Lord, please.

...long time no see

I have been a bit under the weather for awhile now.

It seems to hit me at the most inopportune times too. I got a sore throat and then my whole world went nuts. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't stop coughing and blowing my nose and I couldn't sleep. It has been horrible. I would sleep awhile and then couldn't, I would want to get up and was too weak to stay up more than a few minutes. What a Wimp!

The good news is that I am recovering at last. My nose is still stopping up but I can rest a lot more than I was able to a day ago and that's progress in any man's book.

Speaking of books; I haven't written anything of note in months now and that's disturbing. For a writer, the pages need to fill up or something is definitely missing. Ideas are slow to come as well and when they do they don't seem to have the importance or 'spark' that I would like for them to have to make them worthy objects of my time. I suppose I need an inspiration to bring me around again.

I do have things to write about but most of them seem to be negative at this juncture and I'd rather have good thoughts in my head just now than bad.

With the family crisis looming and no jobs coming in, I just have to sit and wait on my Lord to settle the matters. I am determined not to get out ahead of him again. That certainly always leads to disaster.

The mountains were calling earlier today as I came out of our little apartment and saw the gray and purple clouds sitting about the landscape like so many lazy people all in a bunch. They weren't moving, just sitting there watching me cross the short expanse of lawn to the back of the church. I could all but see the Spanish Peaks looming before me in the distance, calling out for me to come closer, but I couldn't.

Later on in the day my friend from Walsenburg called to see how we are doing. How timely.

One thing of note to report; I got a call from a friend I hadn't heard from in months. He called just as I was turning over in bed, trying to get comfortable enough to go back to sleep.

"Hello, John... is that you?"

"Why yes, I'm here. Who is this?"

"It's Timothy Thomas. The Lord told me I needed to pray for you so I'm calling. Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not. Pray for me my friend, please."

The prayer lasted all of ten seconds and he hung up. He had been faithful to listen to God telling him what to do and I was the better for it.

Isn't that what we are supposed to do for one another? I do believe it is.

...tis so sweet...

I got to sleep in this morning.

I have never been an early riser like some. I used to tell people, ' I get up at the crack of noon', ... and start my day. Some might take that the wrong way but they don't know me, so I have to be considerate and explain a little further. At times I may not end my work day until 2 or 3 Am in the morning so I tell everyone that I am on the 'swing shift in life' and that seems to help a little.

But where does all the time go? Just when I think I have everything done with time to spare, suddenly there are two more things that have to be done before the project at hand is complete.

My wife and I were invited to dinner. The couple planned a quiet time together at their new home just outside of town on six acres of the most beautiful surroundings one could ask for including a scenic pond fully stocked with bass and catfish. We had steak and squash and potatoes and I stuffed myself. How great it is to have friends and time to enjoy the fellowship and the peace and quiet after such a long week.

All I have seen this past week is need and despair. People have come from every direction of the compass with any and every need you can imagine, from electric bill cut off notices to tennis shoes. The onslaught is never ending and there are not enough hours in the day to address all the needs that arise. I remembered the days in years past when Dianna and I were in the midst of this ministry in another location. It is even more intense than ever and growing worse if I have any gauging abilities at all. I have to go the the Bible at this point and recall the verses that tell us of the end times. Surely it is upon us.

...getting back into the swing of things

After a big project there always seems to be that let down; the 'jet lag' of the aftermath.

I got up with a lot more aches and pains than I went to bed with, knowing that it was going to happen. There just seems to be a pattern. If you stand on your feet for 12 hours in dress shoes on a concrete floor and answer questions all day that the average person already knows the answers to, you are going to be in pain the next day. Your brain relays the mental anguish to your feet and they throb out a message to the rest of your body in some sort of circulatory system Morse code.

I have a done a 20 year study on this so I have the facts to back up my theory. There's just no getting around it, the body has a mind of it's own.

all kidding aside, I think the truck that hit me is in Canada by now judging by the skid marks.

... I think I'll put my feet up and relax awhile.

The cool evening air felt good on my face as I left the apartment and got into my car.

I had just showered and put on some old clothes that felt good after having been in my dress slacks and dress shoes all day.

We spent the day at a local college helping out on a unique project called Queen for a Day.

A local nonprofit has done this for six years now, inviting single Moms for a special 'day out' with many treats and prizes and pampering.

I was hired to do all of the Audio Video production and work at the event as the Floor Director. In the end there were about 325 women as guests of the organization and they all seemed to have a great time of it. I was exhausted but quite satisfied with how it all turned out and I learned a great deal about such an event that I can carry into future projects and make them much better and easier for the soundman.

Isn't it funny how one thing turns into another and yet another and another and eventually, in the doing, teaches you how to do it better the next time? I have always been a 'hands on' person anyway. This just serves to be another one of those experiences that show me how 'not' to do something in the future. The old 'hindsight' adage is still very much a true statement, isn't it?