the guy at 7:12

Campbell Isaiah, or as the hip hop community in our house calls him, "Pocket Change" (word), turned 16 months today. He's a little behind on stuff... he's finally walking at a quicker pace, he's still not talking, and he still worships his bottle full of (homemade) formula. 
 

One of our nighttime rituals is to give Campbell his final bottle before going to bed. We can lay him on one side of the bed, hold the bottle with the other, and he will turn over, get on his hands and knees, and heaven help you if you stop him from getting to that bottle. His face contorts, his crawling becomes rapid, he gives a squeak of excitement mixed with anxiety... he's chasing that bottle. Before he can get to it, he's already got both arms out, stretching as far as he can, to put his hands on that nectar of goat milk.

 

If you've ever seen The Blind Side, its like when Phil Fulmer sees the video of Michael Oher's manhandling of an opposing player... "I want him. I want him bad." If Campbell could talk, he would deadpan that about his bottle. "I want it. I want it bad."

 Let me bring this around a bit.

 I had the honor and pleasure of going to Passion's conference, "One Day" in May of 2000. This was about six months before I changed Stephanie's life forever by, you know, entering into her life. Ironically, The Passion Movement has had several "One Day" conferences since then, but this was the first. 50,000 college students and young adults on a hillside on a farm in Tennessee, all worshipping God, fellowshipping and trying to circumnavigate the overflowing porta-potties. Pee for JC, I always say.

 

It was incredible and wonderful... I've got the DVD, and watch it from time to time. Beth Moore, John Piper, Voddie Bocham, Louie Giglio all speaking, while Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Christy Nockel leading worship. Doesn't get much better than that...

 Anyway, one of my favorite modern worship songs is the re:imaginging of "The Wonderful Cross"... and after this past weekend's rememberance, its fitting. If you go on the YouTube, you can see a 13 minute clip of the worship during this song. 

 

This is a big deal because during this song, a couple of students helped to bring a large wooden cross down from the hill, walk it through the crowd and place it close to the stage. Whether moved by the Spirit or felt obligation, people began to approach it, and kneel to pray at the foot of The Wonderful Cross.

 

At the 6:27 mark, something happens. A dude in green shorts and a white shirt enters from the right side of the screen, walks slowly, almost an amble, and kneels down at the foot of The Wonderful Cross. I like this guy. I can relate to this guy. A slow walk and a "yeah, this is good...", followed by a slow kneel and prayer. Please understand I'm not judging this guy at all--I'm pretty sure he just came to worship, I'm merely saying that I am like him... I get to The Wonderful Cross when I get to it, and I'll pray while I'm there. That's me.

 

Then... at the 645 mark, a dude comes up on the left side, plants his whole body on the ground, glances up, then face down prays. Which is cool, I guess.

But then... the one I love... from out of nowhere, at 7:12 in, from the left side, this guy in orange shorts and a white shirt comes flying from out of nowhere, hurling himself to the foot of The Wonderful Cross. I mean, this guy probably started slowly from way up the field, but gained speed and momentum, and was probably going full speed when he just threw himself to the ground. He just fliesthrough the air and lands a few feet from The Wonderful Cross.

Take this image, and imagine it to the left and to the right, and triple it,
then you'll have how big this was.

I love this guy.  I want to be this guy. Its great to be the guy to walk in at my own pace, kneel and pray like normal. But to be the guy who cannot stand still, the guy who is running full speed towards the Cross--towards Jesus... running full speed because you want to get there as fast as possible, because every second you aren't there is a second not spent in His presence. I want to be the guy who loves Jesus so freakin' much that no matter what I do, it results in racing to Christ, in running to His side, to His arms, to the foot of The Wonderful Cross as fast as my legs will carry me. I want to be the guy who cannot stand to be away from Him.

 

I like being the guy who walks up and kneels. I want to be the guy at 7:12.

 

And when I cant run? When I can't even walk (without someone holding my hand), I hope to be like Campbell chasing his bottle... this look of determination, nay, desperation to get to what he so craves. Crawling, reaching before he can even get there just to get it a second faster.

 

Psalm 42:1 says "as the deer pants for steams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God?"

Usually I will just try and find God when I can. The guy at 7:12 says "Where is He? I want to meet with Him... watch me get there as fast as possible..." And he does.

 Lets be the guy at 7:12.

Everybody's Free to Have a Quiet Time

So, sometimes when I am looking for something blog and I know I have to not only be up in about 7 hours for work, meaning I'll need to be in bed in an hour or so... and so tonight, I found this little gem.  Well, to me its a gem, to you it might just be something to skim on your daily check of Clouds in My Coffee

...which I've noticed I'm getting alot of traffic daily, probably due to The Summer of Blogging--so... thank you so much...

...anyway, its the lyrics to a version of "Everyone's Free to Wear Sunscreen", done by Baz Luhrmann from 1999. 

It originated in 1997, when Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune wrote a column entitled "Advice, Like Youth, Probably Just Wasted on the Young".  She described it as "a commencement speech, were I asked to give one".   Over the years, it has been erroneously attributed to Kurt Vonnegat, though it became truly famous when, in 1999, Australian film director Baz Luhrmann used the entire essay in a spoken word song entitled "Wear Sunscreen". 

And by 2000, this song was everywhere.  So, on January 9th, 2001, I did my own version.  And I thought I'd give it to you...

"HAVE A QUIET TIME (EVERYBODY'S FREE)"

Ladies and gentlemen of The Deuce... read scripture.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, a daily quiet time would be it.  The long term benefits of The Word has been proven time after time by God and joy in your life that comes with Him, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice...

...now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of The Deuce.  Oh, never mind, you will never understand the power and beauty of The Deuce until it has disbanded.   But trust me, in twenty years, you will look back at photos of Deuce Christmas and an old DeuceFest shirt and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much fun you had and how fabulous the Deuce guys really looked.

They are not as lazy as you might think.

Don't worry about the future or worry, but know that worrying is as ineffective as McLeod trying to be entertained by watching Jason Takes Manhatten.  The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that has a Mercedes blindsiding your insuranceless car at 10:30pm on a random Tuesday.

Bring one new person to Common Ground, even if it scares you.

If you are Stephanie Campbell, sing.  Unless you are Rebecca Glassco.  Then act.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with Delta Zetas who are reckless with yours.

Use coasters.

Don't waste your time on jealousy... if she likes you, great, if she doesn't, being jealous will only turn her off of you even further.  The race is long and though you may never reach the end, enjoy the run.

Remember compliments Michael gives you, forget his insults.  If you succeed in doing this, you aren't Sarah Hasha.

Keep your old movie tickets.  Throw away any bills.

Slam.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 20 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 25 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of Hamburger Helper.

Be kind to the Nipp family... you'll miss Sunday lunch when its gone.

Maybe you'll get a date, maybe you won't.  Maybe you'll go out twice, maybe you won't.  Maybe you'll go stag at Deuce Date Party, maybe you'll eat cheese fries on your 2nd anniversary.

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, dont berate yourself to much either.

God's will is going to happen, whether you like it or not.

Enjoy the Deuce.  Visit every chance you can, don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it.  It has some of the greatest fellowship you'll ever know.

Watch the History Channel at least once a week, even if there are others things on.

Don't worry about the directions, just shove them behind the DVDS.

Do not read Shawn's Better Homes and Gardens, it will only make you feel gay.

Get to know Factor 7's music.  You'll never know when they'll break up for good.

Be nice to your roommates.  They are the best link to paying rent on time, and the people most likely to stick with you when everyone else won't.

Understand that friends come and go, but a precious few you should hold on to. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and gender, for as the older you get, the more you'll need somewhere to go and just relax.

Visit Hunter Street once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Visit Brookhills once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Accept certain inaliable truths... Daniel will have his palm pilot,  and Ty Coffey will own Samford and Mike Williams will try to date Rebecca.  When you get older, you'll fantacize that when you young, Daniel used an ink pen, Mike was meeting girls at Ropers and Ty was merely a Senator.

Respect Wookiee, Sybil and Jimmy, for they are your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to pay your bills.

Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a loaded roommate, but you'll never know when either one will run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you are 40 you will look like you are a minister at Valleydale.

Be careful where you buy your used cds and movies, but be patient with those who supply them. 

Know that advice is a form of nostalgia.  Dispensing it is a way of sharing your opinions without seeming like you are telling the other person what to do.  Usually its recycled advice spoken for more than its worth.

But trust me on the quiet time.

The Summer of Blogging Day Forty One