"Next Week in Jerusalem"
Last weekend I had a great time doing the women's retreat for Centerpoint Church, which is about five minutes from our house. We went south of Dallas to a ranch owned by the brother of one of their members. Despite pouring rain, we enjoyed great fellowship in a gorgeous setting. Rest and refreshment...ahhh.
Friday night I met with the board of the Evangelical Press Association. I'm sort of in charge of their national meeting in May, so they needed an update. We dined at Boi Na Braza, which means "steer over embers" in Portuguese. It was an authentic Brazilian place with fifteen cuts of open-fire roasted beef, lamb, pork, and poultry served continuously at our table by Gauchos. Great food, but way more than we needed and very meat-y.
Yesterday my family and I went to a ranch in East Texas for the reunion of the church college group that Gary and I led about twenty-five years ago. I think we all looked pretty good considering our mileage. On the way home our daughter wanted to know why we don't buy a ranch and get some horses...
The Cowboys won today, in overtime no less. That rocks.
Tomorrow night is the U2 concert. (We scored tickets via a former student who had extras. Yes!) I have seen Bono live only two other times. Once in the early 1980s he was in the lobby of the building where I worked because the band was staying in the hotel in my office complex. A friend introduced himself to Bono and they got to talking. This friend eventually motioned for me to come over, but I declined wondering, "Who's Bono?"
The second time was in 1995 at Radio City Music hall when my client, Bob S., was up for a Grammy award for producing Barney's Favorites, Volume 1. Bono was with his buddy Frank Sinatra that night, and Bono had a serious f-bomb-dropping potty-mouth problem. Bob had to call home and tell the wifey to turn off the TV and tell his kids they'd have to watch the ceremony later on video.
Today I am happy to report that I know who Bono is, and I have a lot more respect for him than I had in 1995. I wish he would run for president. Other than that rule about being a U.S. citizen... (I know, some of you are thinking we're not sure the current prez is, either. Tsk! Stop that.)
Wednesday I am set to depart for Israel at the invitation of the Israel Ministry of Tourism. It'll be my first time in The Land. We're scheduled to meet with the mayors of Nazareth and Jerusalem. What should I ask? Stay tuned here for updates.
I know this is lots of cool stuff. But I confess that I left a big part of my heart in Vancouver, Washington, last week. Keep praying for my extended family. We and they are all doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. The things is, life moves on, but we're not feeling quite ready for that...