As a random yesterday

Yesterday was kind of a weird sort of day. This will likely be a meandering rollick.

• It started out I loaded up the truck (and moved to Beverly... oh no, that was someone else) with the sound equipment I borrowed from Tom's church and headed to his place. On the way, first the "check oil" light came on; then the "brake" light came on; then the "anti-lock brake" light came on. I decided to live on the edge and just kept going. I made it.
• I meet with Tom and Steve - two fine guys who pastor neighboring churches - each week. We used to meet at the local coffee house for breakfast. Actually, a long time ago Tom and I met with the other pastors who were here at the time at each of our churches on rotating weeks, and we would read Scripture and pray for one another, our churches, and the area we lived in. All the other pastors either left or quit liking us, and so we just did breakfast. But since we've got a new guy who hasn't tired of us yet, we decided to start meeting at one another's churches again and praying together. So yesterday was the first time to do that. It was good. It helps that I really like these two guys (don't let it go to your head Tom).
• On the way home from there I sensed that the brake pedal on the truck was going further to the floor every time I touched it. Sure enough, when I pulled into the driveway I had no brakes. That's why I keep a can of brake fluid in the cup holder, I guess. I should probably get that fixed. Dang, probably not going to be free.
• So... when I walk in the house after being at Tom's church for a little over 2 hours, I see the dog perched precariously on the chair in front of the window. Poor Bogey. When I left he managed to jump up on the footstool and chair and bark at me, but apparently he didn't make it all the way. So when I got home his head and body were in the chair, but his back legs had never made it up there and had slid down between the chair and footstool. He had been pinned like that for over 2 hours! He had the most embarrassed look on his face. I lifted him off, and I'm hoping the chair was wet with drool. He just laid down for a long time. Until I went over to the office and made him get up and walk. He appears to be ok.
• Have you ever noticed at the end of some books it has a place where you can email them and tell them what you think of their book? I've never done that before, but yesterday I did. I about wet my own pants when, like, a half hour later I got this nice, long, really nice email back from the author. It wasn't even from a secretary or anything. It was the real person. I couldn't believe it. I went to Barnes and Noble last night and read something that she told me to read. I'm still pretty floored.
• Also yesterday I got an email out of the blue from the former pope of our denomination. I was very nicely surprised by that too. I know people bad-mouth denominations and denominational people, but this guy is one of the truly nicest people you will ever meet. Someone I greatly admire and respect, and someone who always treated me like his best friend in the world. There's not a lot of people that every time you encounter them you feel better about yourself, but he is one of them. So it was really nice.
• Then I somehow stumbled across a song that I had first heard at the Cornerstone Festival probably 15 or so years ago. Glenn Kaiser and Darrel Mansfield's "Long Way From My Home." If I actually have a set list this song is in it - and even though it's a blues song, my version is probably the most sorrowful of any. I can't sing it without crying. I guess I can't listen to it without it either. I was depressed. The rest of the afternoon was spent thinking about our times at C-stone, and the Jesus People, and the blues, and lots of other stuff. It wasn't all sad - actually quite good memories. I may have to try to locate a used copy of their "Slow Burn" cd. We probably still have the cassette - if it works anymore.
• The night was long; and the day... it was. And is. And is to come.