crying and stuff

First of all, I want to respond to many who have not been able to get my sermon on-line today. Sorry, but it will not be able to be posted until next Sunday, when the one person who controls that download will be back from vacation! Sorry, we just don't have any other options this week, but we will.

Second, many of you have asked about my upcoming celebrity sing for wishes? Here's the scoop: I offered to be a local celebrity for Make a Wish foundation and an event they do each year to raise money for this really cool cause. Here's how it works. If you go to singforwishes.com you can make a donation in my name for this charity. The three "celebrities" who get the most money donated in their name have to sing with a cover band (Jerry and g-men I think) this Saturday night (11th) at Gill Street Bar from 7:00-11:00. So now you know. I haven't pushed this because as a rule I push one thing - Jesus. So I offered to play along, but won't work extra hard to drum up support. Am I nervous? Nope - don't think I'll be singing, but if I do, "r.o.c.k. in the usa" will be a good tune don't you think?

Finally, as you know I was in Louisville last week for the North American Christian Convention and then Sara and I headed to Cincinnati for a reds game before riding home (on our bike) in a complete monsoon all day Saturday. Anyway, we had a great day in Cincy and I cried three times at the ball game. No, it wasn't because my team choked and lost to the cards in the 8th inning! Here's where I cried. At the star spangled banner in the beginning of the game I cried. I always get a lump in my throat because the song is a reminder of my freedom, but at the game they released an eagle at "the land of the free and the home of the brave" who swooped down so majestic across the field and to his trainer...I couldn't contain a tear. Then, there was a family sitting in front of us (mom, dad, son and daughter). The mom had a tattoo on her shoulder (which I always notice since my son is in the business) that had five names on it...obviously her family,but one name had a halo (Scotty) so I deduced that they had lost a son. Later, the dad stood up to cheer and he was wearing a memorial baseball game shirt in honor of his son Scotty. Wow! During the game, she bought her other son some cotton candy and he smiled and she patted his head with a look only a mother can give and I cried because I thought how much pain she must have to not be able to buy cotton candy for her other son. Then after the game, they had this really cool fireworks display set to music. Again the finale was the star spangled banner...same line (land of the free home of the brave) and fireworks and explosions filled the sky with the music loud and then 42,000 people cheered and I cried. What a baseball game.

Then Sunday a man came forward at the invitation and simply said, "I need Jesus" and i put my arm around him and cried (and I'm teary eyed typing this).