Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Hanoi Bound
I’m over the pacific and going crazy as you read this. I’m hyper, but I’m in this chair and sick of sitting here--with no where to go. By now, my battery for my lap-top is down. By now, everyone is sleeping. By now, I’m sick of the movies. By now, I’m asking God to somehow make me sleep. Can’t wait to see that city, but man to get there--ain’t no fun. Sometimes, the best places take a long time to get to. Once I’m there, I’ll eat Pho, I’ll drink coffee, I’ll walk around the lake, then I get in this sleeper car and head to the mountains. God, stay near me--long trip ahead. I never get grouchy, but Dave Small sure does--I’ll stay cheerful just for him (right)!
Free Kitten!
As I was runnin, I saw a sign--"free kitten!" Is there any other kind?!! Garage sales--I hate'em. It's all about pawning your junk off on someone else and getting them to pay you for it. Make it look exciting and wonderful--right!
About Love
Last Thursday, my little brother called me on his cell phone very concerned. He lives in central Houston and had been on the road since 8 am and it was now 6 pm. He had less than half a tank of gas in his truck that he was driving and less than half a tank in the car his wife was driving with their two girls. "Bobby, I don’t know what to do." He had come only about 60 miles north of Houston. I told him to stay calm, keep moving north, I’d figure something out.
I had an idea--I’d fill up a lot of gas containers, put them in my trunk and head to him. I went to Lowe’s and found they only had the one gallon variety left, so I bought 24 of them, used my 5 gallon jug, and two of my neighbors 5 gallon jugs. I filled all of them up. It was kind of embarrassing. I could just see the news, "Local pastor hoards gas!" A little while later, I opened the trunk and was nearly knocked over by the fumes. I was told to drive with my windows down and to keep the trunk cracked where it could ventilate.
Finally, I got Mark on his cell and told him to keep moving north and when he had a third of a tank to call and I’d get to him. At 10:44 pm, he called and said they had a third and he was concerned. I told him I’d get to him. "But you can’t drive south!" "Don’t worry Mark, I’ll intersect you at 59 and 287." It was an adventure too long to write--stuck in traffic, going down Farmer-Market blacktop roads, but at 3 am, I made it to him. I’d also found gas at a station in Crockett and was able to fill my car before I got to him. When I got to him I told him to keep following me 45 miles I knew where gas was. I was somewhat nervous about opening my trunk with everyone needing gas!
We made it. At 7am, he headed the 30 more miles to Tyler and I headed back to Fort Worth. I began to just pray and I thought, he could have found that gas and made it without me--so what was that really about? Why did God allow that? The answer wasn’t hard--love. God wanted me to do something not just to say to my brother that I loved him, but to show him--and it was worth it. I began to think, "how many things does God do for us just for one reason--love." God, help me love purely and sacrificially like you did.
I had an idea--I’d fill up a lot of gas containers, put them in my trunk and head to him. I went to Lowe’s and found they only had the one gallon variety left, so I bought 24 of them, used my 5 gallon jug, and two of my neighbors 5 gallon jugs. I filled all of them up. It was kind of embarrassing. I could just see the news, "Local pastor hoards gas!" A little while later, I opened the trunk and was nearly knocked over by the fumes. I was told to drive with my windows down and to keep the trunk cracked where it could ventilate.
Finally, I got Mark on his cell and told him to keep moving north and when he had a third of a tank to call and I’d get to him. At 10:44 pm, he called and said they had a third and he was concerned. I told him I’d get to him. "But you can’t drive south!" "Don’t worry Mark, I’ll intersect you at 59 and 287." It was an adventure too long to write--stuck in traffic, going down Farmer-Market blacktop roads, but at 3 am, I made it to him. I’d also found gas at a station in Crockett and was able to fill my car before I got to him. When I got to him I told him to keep following me 45 miles I knew where gas was. I was somewhat nervous about opening my trunk with everyone needing gas!
We made it. At 7am, he headed the 30 more miles to Tyler and I headed back to Fort Worth. I began to just pray and I thought, he could have found that gas and made it without me--so what was that really about? Why did God allow that? The answer wasn’t hard--love. God wanted me to do something not just to say to my brother that I loved him, but to show him--and it was worth it. I began to think, "how many things does God do for us just for one reason--love." God, help me love purely and sacrificially like you did.
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