Arizona Adventure - October 16 - 24, 2010

It was Nathan's first plane ride, and the first time I've flown with my family. We departed Charlotte in the early afternoon, and Nathan's face was a mixture of excitement, and maybe a touch of anxiety, as the front landing gear gently pulled upward and the objects through the window became a passing blur. I knew the feeling because it all brought back my first flight from Atlanta to Utah at age 16. I know we've had a hundred years of flight, but there still seems to be something slightly unnatural about the whole thing. Nathan's nervousness quickly shifted to awe as he watched the Appalachian hillsides grow distant to resemble familiar scenes from Google Earth. Our first layover was in Dallas, and it surprised me at how quickly we arrived. We had dinner at TGIF in the terminal, and browsed the shops until time for our connection to Phoenix.

When we arrived, I looked down to note that my watch was now three hours off. We had just made a mad dash to catch the racing sunset, and had apparently just missed it. We were met at the airport by Bobbi's Dad, Bill, whom we all call Papa, and his wife, Nita. Then it was off to their home in Sun City just North of town. The ruggedly beautiful scenery of Phoenix and surrounding area would have to wait for the light of day the next morning.

We awoke early the next morning, or at least early for those living in Phoenix. The first thing I noticed was the back patio and yard. There was no grass to be seen, and the trees were well manicured orange trees. I sat out on the patio and had morning coffee, while we marveled at the hummingbirds, jack rabbits, cacti and rocks that defined the landscape. Bobbi, Nathan, Kristin and Papa joined me, map in hand, and proceeded to plan out our excursions for the next few days. Nathan entertained one and all with his ventriloquist dummy, Danny O'Day, and the rest of the day was pretty restful with only a brief trip to the local mall on the schedule.

Grand Canyon Day: The next morning we awoke and got our bags ready for an overnighter. When we left town the first thing I noticed were the mountains and giant suguaro cacti. Not yet out of town, and a coyote crossed the highway in front of us. I must confess that at 44 years old, not a whole lot of things make me feel the excitement I felt over adventures when I was a young, but this sensory bombardment was bringing back the magic. I was a kid again, and I will treasure that. Surprise was the order of the day; I had no idea what to expect. I'd always thought of Arizona as the place where Wile E. Coyote chased the roadrunner against a repeating backdrop of orange and red mesas, but that naive misconception was about to change. We started our ascent just a few miles out of town, and before we knew it, we were at 3000 feet and climbing. Our ears were popping, and the suguaro were no longer to be seen. In less than an hour we'd gone from rocks and cactus to trees and grassland. The mountains were impressive, rocky and imposing, and not just for a few miles, but for the entire trip. We continued to climb until suddenly there was a break in the mountains revealing an overlook into a valley. I could see for miles and the view was breathtaking. We drove further until I saw a brown National Monument sign for the Montezuma Castle. This site features the remains and ruins of the cliff dwelling Sinagua (Si-nah-wah) indians. They carved these homes into the high cliffs above, and came down to farm the lower lands each day. No one knows where they came from or where they went, but they disappeared about 700 years ago. These ruins were at least that old, and they were amazing. I stood there just gazing at this would be cover of a National Geographic in awe and great admiration for this lost people. I bought Papa the senior discount card for $10, and it turned out to be the best investment I could've possibly made. It got us into every National Park and monument at no extra charge! We saved $10 bucks right away and another $25 later that day. We were all impressed with the unplanned stop, and the historic and scenic treasure we'd just witnessed. From there we took a road west off of Hwy 17N towards Sedona. Everyone had told us to visit, but we really didn't know why. Honestly, I wanted to go because my favorite guitarist, Doyle Dykes, thought so much of the place that he named his signature amp, Sedona. Hey, if Doyle thought that much of it, well, let's just say I was sold sight unseen. We drove for a piece and then we rounded the curve. Wow. The first landmark we saw was of the Bell Rock framed on each side by these incredible red rock monuments. To say they're amazing is an understatement. I'd seen them in westerns, but now I was there looking up at them. The mountains just came one after another. We could see the layers of strata, the red clay looking almost like chocolate at times, towering above us in all directions. We found a great place to have lunch and just take in the scenery through the large picture window. From Sedona, we drove into Oak Creek Canyon and high up into the mountains. We stopped at an overlook near the top, and saw a tarantula as soon as we got out of the car. Papa, in an effort to get it to move tossed a stick at it. I felt the need to protect it, which might seem a bit odd beings I'm an exterminator and all. Some local Indians had craft tables set up at the overlook. There was some controlled burning going on in the canyon below, so it made for an interesting view. Once out of Oak Creek Canyon, we made the remaining trip to the Grand Canyon without delay in order to see it before sunset. We saw signs for elk and mountain lions, and I was surprised at the drive through a forest not unlike the mountains of Tennessee. We arrived at the visitor center, but still couldn't see the canyon. The temperature was probably 20 degrees cooler, and none of us were really dressed for it. We walked down to the nearest overlook, and words really don't do it justice. I was a bit overwhelmed. I couldn't really wrap my head around what I was seeing. It was like looking at a giant painting, or at least that's the best way I can describe. We took the bus and rode over to another point to watch the sunset, and it was beautiful. We drove back to Flagstaff for the night, and tried to process all we'd seen and done.
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I could live in Flagstaff. The next morning we left the Super 8 and headed for a site called the Sunset Crater Volcano. But even before we got out of town, I was amazed to see the San Francisco Peaks in the hovering distance. They were rugged near the bottom, yellow with Fall aspen up the sides and capped with snow and clouds. They rise over 12,000 feet. Could we really still be in Arizona? We found our loop to Sunset Crater and had to stop just to take more pictures of the peaks. 

Down the road the landscape took on a radical change as I recognized and old lava field from an eruption hundreds of years ago. The ground turned black with ash as we came to the base of this young volcano. I hadn't seen anything like this since climbing the slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily about 9 years ago, and those lava flows were only a year old at the time. From there we followed the loop to the Wupatki National Monument. This was another Sinaguan site, and it's amazing how it's resisted the passage of time so well. There are no houses closing in, and the only scenery from the site is the surrounding red hills and distant Painted Desert. We spent nearly two hours wandering the site and exploring the details before completing the loop at the Walnut Canyon National Monument. Walnut Canyon also featured some spetacular Sinaguan indian cliff dwelling sites, but you really have to want to see them to get to them. Nathan and I was up for the adventure, so we hiked about a half mile down into the canyon. Along the way, there were more than a few sheer cliff drops and some fantastic ruins. Nathan and I was huffing and puffing on our way back up, but it was truly worth the trek into the canyon. From there, we were off to our final adventure of the day.

Apparently billions, and billions of years ago... but seriously, more like thousands of years ago, a giant meteorite slammed into the desert near Winslow, and rocked the western world. It left a crater nearly 1 mile in diameter, and it is the best preserved meteorite crater on planet Earth. Impressed yet? Bobbi, Nathan and I took a hike out on the rim and received a detailed presentation by Eduardo on the geology, vegetation and recent history of the crater. Eduardo is latino if you didn't gather by the name, so now everyone can just rest easy knowing that if one is latino AND legal, then he is welcome to have one of the coolest jobs in all of Arizona. Providing, of course, he's as good a guide as Eduardo. Anyway, I had always wanted to go see this lesser known giant hole in the ground in Arizona ever since I saw Star Man starring Jeff Bridges back in the '80s. It was well worth the extra 80 miles to see it. The rest of the evening was spent driving back through Flagstaff, down the mountains and back to Phoenix. The sunset on our way back down was unforgettable.

Wednesday was uneventful apart from a couple of rounds of putt-putt courtesy of Papa. Nathan had never played putt-putt before, so it was a real treat letting him learn from his Papa. It was very relaxing, but then we did need the rest after that exciting two-day adventure. Thursday, we drove down to Tucson to visit Papa's sister, Pat, and catch in some local Tucson sites. Pat is an absolute joy. Because she lives so far away and is about 78 years old, I had never met her in all of my 25 years of marriage to Bobbi. That is a shame. Her grandkids call her "Grandma Giggles," and it's obvious to anyone who meets her just why she deserves such a lovely nickname. We were all just taken with her pleasant sense of humor and amused at how she made a 12 mile drive feel like 40. The desert landscape and mountains were so lovely, that we didn't mind the slow drive at all. She drove us out to Colossal Cave where we took the cavern tour. I think it's fair to say that calling this cave "colossal" might be overselling it just a tad. Spelunking was another first for Nathan, but the cave smelled like an old tennis shoe, and almost all of the formations were broken off. Still, the Sonoran Desert just right outside made the trip worthwhile. We drove past the Rincon and Catalina mountain ranges, and saw one of the most remarkable sunsets of my life! You'll have to read to the end to see a photo of it, but just know that pictures really don't even come close to capturing the fire in the sky we experienced that evening.

We rested up again on Friday before venturing back up the mountains towards Sedona again on Saturday morning. On the way we toured another Sinaguan site called Tuzigoot National Monument. It was incredible, but by now we were expecting incredible. It was nice that it didn't disappoint. We posed for pictures and walked the ruins before heading back to Sedona. We did a little shopping in town and ate at a Cowboy themed restaurant for lunch. The town was dotted with painters taking part in a Plein Aire event. Once I'd found a gift for my Mom and the Navaho pottery that I had pictured in my head, we headed back toward 17N again. Our last stop of the day was the Montezuma Well. You guessed it; a Sinaguan cliff dwelling (or as Kristin calls it, "cwiff dwelling") site that sits high above a collapsed cavern filled in with mineral water from below. Nathan and I ran ahead to scout out the site out, while Kristin and Bobbi, probably all Sinaguan-ed out by now, took a more leisurely approach.

The next morning came early. We had to be at the airport by 4:30am for our Phoenix to Detroit flight. We finally got back to Charlotte later in the afternoon after losing those 3 hours from Phoenix.

I've commented before on the passage in the Bible, Romans 1:20, on how God, and I paraphrase, reveals Himself to His creation through His creation. I can't help but feeling a little closer to Him after seeing so much more of His artwork on this trip. The whole world does indeed proclaim His glory, and so do I.

Silver Anniversary

October 11th, 1985 - It had only been 13 days since I'd turned 19 years old, but there I was, putting on a black sports coat I'd borrowed from my brother, Donnie. I'd rented a white shirt and cumberbund from the formal shop, and I was trying to make my pieced together outfit look like a tux. It didn't, but I'm not sure I was aware of it at the time. There were so many things missing from a day such as this. There were no candles or music...no glowing church aisle lined with flowers, no cake, and almost completely absent was the shared joy that such an event typically inspires from family and friends. Despite all of the missing elements, we had one precious thing that has proven so rare in our time. It is written that when two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus, He is in their midst. We started our lives together with the most honored of Guest...the Lord, Himself.

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Today marks 25 years since that humble beginning. When I look back at this piece of life, I'm overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Bobbi and I have spent an Air Force career together that moved us to Nebraska, Texas, Georgia, and Charleston, SC. We've known the joys of bringing three children into the world in three of those four states. We've watched with pride as our daughter, Kristin, has grown into a beautiful lady with the sweetest of hearts. We've shared the anguish upon learning that our son, Marcus, would never speak due to his severe autism. Dealing with the challenges of his autism has had a profound, life-changing effect on us individually, and as a couple. Still, I'm grateful for the perspective the experience has taught us. We learned how to love without having that love returned, we learned patience and humility, and we learned how to lean on each other, and most importantly, how to lean on Jesus. Out of hardship, we reaped precious benefit, and a shared life with one of the sweetest of God's children. When we learned of Nathan's autism, we were encouraged not to fear, because we personally knew by experience the One who has numbered our days and carefully ordered our steps. And, what a joy and blessing he has been to our lives. God has given me so much through him. I've written so many blogs about the times spent with him in father-son outings and the like. The three of them have bound us wonderfully together, filling our lives with joy and shaping our hearts.

Finally, I offer these words as a tribute to that beautiful soul that has become such a part of me as to be indistinguishable from my very own self. Bobbi is truly flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone. It is not because of my wisdom in choosing a mate, that I have such a beautiful, loving and God-honoring wife, but by God's grace alone. God knew me while I was yet in my mother's womb, and he knew me when I thought I could make a sports coat and bow tie look like a tux. :) He chose this woman for me before I was born into this world, and I thank God for her and for the life He has given me. To not make this anniversary a tribute to Him, would be most unfitting. For Bobbi, my wife of 25 years, I celebrate and give thanks.

From Proverbs 31:

10 Who can find a virtuous woman?

for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,

so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax,

and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchants' ships;

she bringeth her food from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night,

and giveth meat to her household,

and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it:

with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength,

and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:

her candle goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle,

and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor;

yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household:

for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22S he maketh herself coverings of tapestry;

her clothing is silk and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,

when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it;

and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Strength and honour are her clothing;

and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household,

and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously,

but thou excellest them all.
30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:

but a woman that feareth the LORD,

she shall be praised.

A Wistful Look Back at Summer 2010

It's Fall again! I do love this time of year. The coming of Fall brings to a close a wonderful Summer for the Miller household. We definately made the most of it, and I'm looking forward to sharing some of our adventures in the next few paragraphs. It's hard to know where to start, so I'll just start with our birthday celebrations and our first outing in June.

On June 1st, we celebrated Kristin's "20 something" birthday. I only say 20 something because she now complains that she's "getting old." I can only say, you know you're getting old, when your kids start worrying about being old. Anyways, we're very proud of her. She's working for TMobile as a customer service rep, so if you call in with a complaint, be nice! On June 4th, we celebrated Nathan's highly anticipated 13th birthday. I've never known a boy more excited about growing up and gaining "teen" status. And, don't even think of offering him a kid's menu at the restaurant...I mean it. We had a great day. We went to the beach at the Isle of Palms, and had dinner at Outback. He ordered off the adult menu, naturally.

Around the third week of June, I took a few days off, and took the family, and dog, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for a few days. We did all of our usual Gatlinburg stuff like driving out to Cades Cove, eating at the Pancake Pantry, and walking along the river. One treat for me was all of the fireflies, or lightning bugs, as we used to call them. I haven't seen hardly a one in several years, so it was nice to watch them out floating about at dusk over the fields and streams. I had the joy of teaching Nathan how to catch them gently without harming them while we watched them light up in our cupped hands. Nathan and I rode the chairlift at night. I tried not to act scared since Nathan wasn't so sure about it only seconds after take off. Still, it was lovely to see the town at night from way up high on the mountain, even though it was lovelier getting off the thing at the bottom. We had a great trip, and our Boston terrier, Neener Puppy, and the rest of us, cherished the family time in one of our favorite places.

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We started July off with a visit from one of my oldest and best friends, Danny and his folks on the 4th. We walked the streets of Charleston and then returned for a cookout, and fireworks. The home fireworks show was something I hadn't done in years, and another first for Nathan. Getting to fire them off with Danny in the front yard reminded me of a 4th we spent together years ago as kids in his front yard the day before we went to Boy Scout Summer Camp together at Camp Old Indian. Danny came back down a couple of weeks later and spent a few days with the family. I took him out on my route, and we made time for a couple of fun outings between work stops. The first was a hot, hot, sweltering hot day out at the Old Santee Canal State Park. I'd been threatening to take him there for years, and finally made good on it. It was fun, but did I mention it was hot? The second trip was a little more bearable down to Beaufort and the old lighthouse at Hunting Island. That is one more beautiful place. Oh, and I just had to share this photo of an old Texaco that still stands as reminder of days gone by off of Hwy 17 just North of Beaufort.

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Our big trip of the Summer also came in July as we drove up for nearly a week's tour of Washington, DC, and surrounding areas. For me it was a trip back to familiar scenery where I was stationed for a while in the Air Force, but it was nice to finally get to share some of my favorite places and experiences with Bobbi. I took her and Nathan out to Fredricksburg, Mount Vernon, and the Smithsonian. We ate at some of my favorite places in Alexandria, and met up with a friend, Jacquie, for dinner. We drove up on Sunday to Philadelphia where we saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and had dinner at the Old City Tavern. It was nice to take our time visiting the museums, memorials and Ford's Theater. It was also a necessity. The temperatures were in the upper 90's and 100's, so outdoor movement had to be calculated. Plus, there were literally thousands of Boy Scouts on the Mall. The National Jamboree was actually the reason we drove up, and every museum was lined with hundreds of scouts competing with us to see our nation's treasures. In addition to the things listed above, some additional highlights include dinner at Hard Times Cafe in Alexandria...love their chili, the chimi del oro at Don Pablos. Yeah, I know they're a chain, but we don't have one in Charleston, so it was a treat, the crystal glass maestro street musician in Alexandria, photographing our family mascot, Gollum, in some crazy locales, and a moonlight drive along the Potomac down to Mount Vernon. On the way home, we drove out to Fort A.P. Hill and spent a few enjoyable hours at the National Jamboree. It was good for Nathan to see it, and this one was special since 2010 is scouting's 100th anniversary.

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With August came Bobbi's birthday, and another lovely night out with the family to celebrate. The next week, I took off a couple of days for a quick visit with my old friend, Howard, up at Surfside. We enjoyed a great buffet in Murrell's Inlet, and cruised Myrtle Beach's Ocean Blvd in his convertable while listening to the delightful sonic explosion that is Parliament...yep, two middle aged white guys jamming to a 70's funkadelic icon. Toward the last part of August, we got word that our favorite apple farm, GrandDad's Apples in Hendersonville, NC, had their first harvest of honeycrisp apples. In the mood for Fall, already, we drove up and fed our craving. We stopped at Chimney Rock on the way back down, and then had Dinner with Danny and Kristie at the Olive Garden in Spartanburg. We didn't get in until nearly 2:00 am and I had to play guitar for both services at church the next morning, but it was worth it. The last adventure of August was our scout troop's Siege of Charleston hike. It was 11.5 miles in all, but a great time, and Nathan earned his first trail medal.

Now it's finally Autumn, and today's my 44th birthday! We've already started our Fall list of events with a scout campout at Lake Warren over this past weekend, and the best is yet to come. Next month, my sweet Bobbi and I will celebrate a wonderful 25 years together. I could've never dreamed of such a beautiful marriage, and all I can do is thank the Lord for it. We plan to celebrate with a trip out to Phoenix and the Grand Canyon next month, but both the anniversary and the trip deserve a blog all of their own. With that, I end thanking the Lord for a beautiful Summer, a beautiful family and blessings overflowing. Thanks for reading!

A Precious Moment

It was a familiar feeling the day we got the notice in the mail concerning Marcus's cap and gown...apprehension. It was the first outside reminder to me that Marcus would soon graduate from Ashley Ridge High School. The little invoice for these customary tokens didn't cause me to reflect on the passing of time, or even impart to me an impression of Marcus's achievement. No, The first thought in my mind was of Marcus pulling at his gown, dropping his hat to the floor and rising up with anxiety written all over his face midway through the ceremony wishing nothing more than to be in his van and on the way home. Those of you who know me, also know of my son's, Marcus's, autism. He is on the severe end of the spectrum, and has never spoken a word in all of his 21 years. He now lives in a group home, and is a sweet and happy hand full for his caregivers.

When we arrived at the school just this evening, we saw someone quickly exiting the front of the school. He was in cap and gown and the wind was blowing his cap back as he quickly darted toward the parking lot. It was Marcus. Close behind him was a caregiver frantically trying to catch him before he darted into harms way. We couldn't help but chuckle at recognition of him. This was so like him. Ready to leave even before the families and guests had arrived. We tried to sneak into the buliding knowing that the sight of us would only add to his anxiety and confusion. We picked out the back corner of the auditorium, but some of the other special education graduates started to gather near where we were seated, so we moved in closer to the stage hoping to blend in with the crowd. Soon after, Marcus's teacher approached us a little anxiously, and we both knew there was a problem. Just as I had first thought, Marcus didn't understand why he was brought to the school during non-school hours. This disruption to his routine meant only stress to him. He was not happy with his outfit, and just wanted to go back home. His teacher asked us if it would be okay if they brought Marcus up before the the ceremony to walk the stage out of sequence. We said that would be fine. Soon after, we saw Marcus enter the auditorium wearing his cap and gown walking with his teacher. They made an announcement that Marcus would receive his certificate before the ceremony. They announced that the first graduate of the evening was Marcus Hamilton Miller. They walked him across the stage to much applause which pleased me, but probably confused him. I tried to get a photo, but everything happened so quickly that I didn't have a chance to steady and focus. He was off the stage and gone as quick as that. They then announced that the ceremony would commence in 2 minutes.

We stayed and watched the other students graduate. A couple of fellows came up and gave their very best effort in leading the pledge of allegiance. There was something sweet about it, and I felt a tear form in the corner of my eye. Isn't it funny how certain little moments so hard to predict or define can evoke such sudden emotion? One of the boys stood up and walked toward the stage making what I can only describe as happy sounds. Another fellow smiled and pumped his fist as he walked with help across the stage...again I felt that little tugging at my heart. It was a short but truly touching ceremony. Marcus didn't understand the meaning of the event, and was much happier to sit it out; still, my eyes couldn't help but wander to the empty seat on the stage where my big boy was supposed to sit.

After the ceremony, there was cake and punch in the hall. We walked out, and I looked around hoping to see where they had taken Marcus. It was now safe to see him after the ceremony and give him a congratulatory hug even if he didn't know why, but he was no where to be found. I returned to the auditorium and asked his teacher where I could find him. She apologized and said they had taken him back home. I walked back out to the foyer holding my punch but walking alone. I told Bobbi and my parents that 'Marcus had left the building.' Just my attempt to distract with funny little words that embarrassing little moisture forming in the corners of my eyes.

Marcus was a handsome boy tonight in his cap and gown. Congratulations, son.

Be Thou My Vision

On March 1st, 2010, I officially released my latest instrumental guitar project, Be Thou My Vision. It was such a treat to see the boxes arrive containing 1000 copies. I quickly opened the first box and looked over the finally finished product. Within 10 minutes, Kristin informs me that I have the word "skillful" in my thank yous mis-spelled. Come to think of it, to mis-spell a word that means full of skill is kind of ironic, isn't it? It's one of those things that can just toss a wet blanket on one's joy if permitted. I was tempted, but threw the wet blanket aside and just enjoyed the finished product.

I wanted to blog right away about the finished CD, but I wasn't really sure what to write about. I thought of recounting the joy of the process from picking out the songs to arranging and recording, but I couldn't really nail down a main point, so I waited. I'm glad I did. As an artist, a sub-creator of sorts, there is the natural tendency to question the impact of a work and maybe even harbor expectations. What will folks think of the work? Will people hear the imperfections I hear? I'm not above such thoughts, but I sort of knew they were coming, and I determined in advance that to dwell on such thoughts would undermine my heartfelt intention to glorify God alone. At first, it was a daily task to put aside those subtle little, self-centered thoughts... the nagging, persistent desire and almost need for the approval of others. As the first round of feedback returned, I fought the urge to be affected outside of due gratitude for words of encouragement. Some days I succeed better than others, but one thought has become a focal point...Be Thou My Vision. The title track, and the thought it expresses is proving a centering theme for me. If Jesus is to be my vision, then He must be my desire, my ambition, and my only hope for satisfaction. As the words of the hymn express, "naught be all else to me save that Thou art." In other words, nothing else can matter but Him. After all, it is He alone that can choose whether or not to bless and multiply.

I'm so thankful to have a product to share with folks. I'm so grateful to all the people who have encouraged me and worked with me to get something recorded, duplicated and shared. But mostly, I'm thankful that I have something akin to a few fish and a couple of loaves to give to Jesus. To be as that boy who offered his meager gift, seeing it blessed and multiplied to the glory of God, is what I desire most for this CD and for all the efforts of my life.

I'll end with the lyrics, because they say it far better than I could ever express:

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,

Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.

Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,

Thou mine inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

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High King of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

A Note From The Year of Our Lord, 2070

I recently read an essay that a friend wrote while she was back in high school entitled "My Life in 37 years." The point of the exercise was to imagine what her life would be like in 37 years, and write a letter in that fictional present tense describing how things had turned out. I loved the idea and the essay, and it got me to thinking what would my life be like in 37 years. Well, being 43 years old, I thought I'd stretch that date out to 60 years from now just to add a touch of certitude. The following is a note written in what shall have been the earth year 2070.

Hello friends, and past self. What a privilege and unique opportunity is for me to reach back 60 years from today and speak to you from what you might imagine to be the year of our Lord, 2070. I have one word for you: JESUS. I know you think you know the Name, but you simply cannot imagine. I'm a relative newcomer to this Kingdom. I would name some of the souls I shared company with just earlier this day, but I don't want to accidentally impress you or give you the impression that any other name even compares to the one name: JESUS.

It is hard for me to imagine the word regret from this place where I stand today, but for your benefit, I will try with HIS help. Stay with me, this is on point I assure you. One dear brother here loves me so much. In 2010, I really didn't know him, but soon after I entered this Kingdom, he came up to me and told me that it was that year when he heard me play a hymn at a restaurant one night. He was enjoying dinner with his wife, and he heard "What a Friend We Have in JESUS." He looked at me, and I didn't even know it, and he said he saw sincerity in my eyes, and somehow sensed I wasn't playing for the crowd, but to Someone else. He hadn't heard the song in years, but upon hearing it that night, something stirred within him. He didn't sleep well that night, and thought about his younger days in church while he tossed and turned. He explained to me how God's own sweet Holy Spirit called out to him over the next few weeks, and led him down a path to repentance and belief in that one name: JESUS. There are a few others here that have such a special love for me, but here is the rare moment of regret that I've asked for in order to share with you something I know to be very important. Knowing HIM like I do now, I wish for a moment I was with you in 2010 again. You see, I know HIM, and I know when and where HE's at work. There were so many chances that I did not choose to take up the cross beside HIM. Oh, if I would've only shared with them this gift, imploring with them with every breath I had to trust in the one name: JESUS. Believe me, the fear and anxiety, apathy and meaningless distractions, the potential social consequences I dreaded that kept me too often silent...I can't imagine why I ever let such vain insecurities, such foolishness come between me and what mattered most to HIM. I can't adequately express the depth of this error, but it is like choosing death over beauty, sickness over strength, cold, silent emptiness over the indescribable warmth of HIS smile. To me, the latter comes the closest to the real choice I faced.

I imagine you're curious about the place where I now live. I can't explain it in terms you'd understand, but I'll try to give you something to imagine. On earth you breathe air. Here, you are filled with the glory of HIS presence fresher than the purest air you can imagine. You're so completely filled you don't even need to breathe in to feel satisfied. He satisfies your every breath. On earth you are soothed by the sound of the ocean. Here, HIS voice is like many waters, the clearest, most beautiful music you've never heard before. On earth you think that a field of lavender or a mountainside at full autumn peak is a sight to behold. Here, the glorious light that is HIM is every moment the most beautiful sight you've never even imagined. You will not take your eyes off of HIS glory for even a moment but to serve HIS purposes, and you will return to HIM as soon as HE is pleased with your work. You probably cannot understand this, but HE is definitive beauty. You'll never again long for another sight. There is so much more, but I can no more explain them to you than you can explain colors to eyes that cannot see. Trust me, the Best is yet to come, even for me everytime I see HIM again.

I'll leave you with this. You have such a brief, yet precious, gift. You can please HIM with your faith...please, please, please do this, and do this now. Once you've seen, you can never please through faith again. The opportunity to exercise faith through the works that are pleasing to HIM is such a blessing...you cannot imagine how precious it is, and how many souls will love you deeply for it. With the time you have left on that side, seek after, love and serve what matters most to HIM with all that you are. Harvest while there is still light to work. And finally, prepare yourself...for in a moment you will all be changed. See you very soon. :)