the Glocal Trekker Blog

Blogging, for me, is like a farmer tilling the soil to prepare it for planting seeds. Those seeds are the thoughts you have to verbalize in your head, and think through. Others interact in real time to endorse, challenge, or disagree, but all ultimately sharpen and clarify what you think. For centuries, people were primarily narrative. But, with the Gutenberg Press, it became more reason and logic-based. The result led to having to read a book for a good thought or two or twelve. Now, you get the thought in a succinct writing and immediately people are responding. It’s like organic farming with tons of fertilizer put on the soil immediately!

Blogging has become, even at times for me, a new spiritual discipline. It is a way of discovering life and reflection. It hasn’t taken the place of my journal, but it has definitely added a dimension to it. Lots of people were pushing me to start blogging--not that I’m a great blogger, at all. It was more for them. It’s wound up becoming something more for me than I ever realized.

Sometimes, when I give an illustration in my sermons, people ask, "Did that really happen?" The answer is "yes" unless I told you I was joking or kidding. I think crazy things happen to most people every day; they just don’t recognize them. Some of us who have to speak a lot recognize them because we’re looking for metaphors and illustrations. So YES, this really happened--ask my wife.

I was in Orlando Monday for a meeting and got to visit with some of the people from Disney. I have trekked to the Everest Base Camp and so when I was offered a chance to ride the new Everest ride, I jumped on it. They took us through a special entrance for celebrities and we rode the ride twice. After that, I was walking through the gift shop getting a coffee mug (my wife adores my massive collection and knew I needed a new one). In a few minutes, this guy comes up to me and says, "Sir, I know you’re here to relax and I don’t want to bother you, but my wife is a real big fan of yours. Would you mind just saying hi to her?" I’ve never been told someone was a "fan!" My book isn’t on the New York Times list, but maybe she read it! I go over to shake her hand and she says, "I just want you to know I’ve watched all your movies and you’re just awesome!" What do I say? (Maybe she saw me on Egyptian, Vietnamese or DFW TV in the past 24 months doing humanitarian work--right). Do I bust her bubble? Nay—so, I shake her hand and say "Thanks ma’am, that really means a lot--keep watching!"