I forgot how sanctifying public transportation can be. When I was a ministry associate at BYX I traveled most every other weekend (usually by plane, sometimes by car) to a different university. Those times sitting in airports waiting, riding in planes, driving for hours... those were some of the greatest, most focused times of spiritual growth I've experienced in the past three years.Granted, I didn't spend ALL the time alone. I talked to some folks too. I mean, there was that flight to Jackson when I chatted it up with R&B singer Brandy, not realizing it was her until a little girl asked for an autograph at the baggage claim. But when it comes down to it, I'm more of a Neal Page (Steve Martin) than a Dell Griffin (John Candy) when it comes to planes, trains, and automobiles. Chalk it up to temperament.
I don't travel nearly as regularly anymore. Just my short commute to NBC. But the other night I decided to take the train from Fort Worth to Plano to see one of my best friends. We've been meeting up semi-regularly for dinner since we both graduated from OU and moved to the DFW metroplex...it's just that we live on opposing sides of the 'plex, so getting together takes some commitment. This time it took the form of a two-hour train ride to and from. But it was a refreshing time of sitting with Jesus, Martin Lloyd-Jones' Spiritual Depression, and my iPod. Melancholy's thrive on introspection and there's fewer better places to do so than solitary plane, train, and automobile rides.
I'm glad I don't have to ride the TRE or DART every day. But my little journey the other evening yielded amazing results: I got to spend some great time with God, I met a delightful older Christian couple (who'd spent the day touring the art museums in Fort Worth) and got to share with them about the ministry of BYX and my thoughts of discipleship. And, of course, there was Steve-O, who is that side-by-side friend from whom I receive such great encrouagement and love whenever we meet or talk.
Sufficeit to say, I'm very much looking forward to my next train ride. And who says I have to have a set destination? What if I just went for the round trip? Five bucks ain't bad for some focused time with the Lord. And intense people watching.
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Recently I found the words of not only our Pastor Mike Tullos, but Gary Earle, Brent Lightsey and Jared Musgrove himself the owner of this blog helping me to be closer to my Lord and Savoir.
What they taught me was that I must work to walk the walk of Jesus and to do that I have to make changes everyday. Over the last three months while in my wifes van I listen to KCBI a christian radio station. While in my truck I listen to XMRadio's "The Message".
Both radio stations pray throughout the day and I now do the same catching myself praying just because 1) I feel like it, 2) I see a purpose or a person that needs my prayer to hopefully better their situation and 3) praying to honor my Lord and Savoir and entrusting him with the situation of my health.
No longer do I ask my Lord "Why Me" while traveling on "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" because my twenty-seven years of being the absolute best at what I did without thanking my Lord and Savoir sincerely I feel has put me here with poor health, losing my second home since being in chemical accident, 1650 pounds of boxes falling on my back and finally collapsing on January 5, 2007 from working with pneumonia for nearly three months, just to show all the big bosses my level of dedication.
But that is what it took for me to really see that in my perfection even when I had time for thought. I was not thanking and repenting to my Lord and Savoir.
God Bless All and Praise Jesus
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