I’m pondering a very belated thank you

About a month ago, January 2-7, I was invited to come speak at a resort near Winter Park colorado for a multi-college ski conference. There were college students from Texas, Misourri and Michigan.

Often for conferences as these I’m asked to do an abbreviated Faith Lift Conference. The conference is about 7 hours and I often am asked to do the main points in 3 to 4 hours. I am very happy to do this, but in an unusual move, Pastor Rock asked me if I could fill 8 full hours! So I was not only able to do the entire conference, but to dwell a bit on something I often don’t get to expand on.

Pastor Rock is an old friend of mine. In fact, he has invited me out to do the conference in various capacities for various Leadership Training groups, ski conferences and churches over the last several years. He and his family are some of those friends whom we don’t see often, but when we do we always enjoy their company. Rock did a fanstastic job of kicking off the conference with a great evening of prayer and seeking God. Before he was done everyone in that room was asking God and expecting God to do something great in their life. No better atmostphere to step into than that! So thank you Rock and thanks to your family as well for a good time! I don’t use names on my blog or I would thank you all personally. I can give you secret identities as I did pastor Rock though! So, thank you Mrs “grand Lake, not Granby!”, the two giant killers, Ms. James and Mr. Hawthorne! Rock, Anytime you are interested in another conference, or teachings unrelated to the conference, just let me know!

I got to take my two oldest daughters, SweetanLo and Sweet Lee with me on this trip and that was great fun as well. Because of the snow and ice they would frequently hold on to my arm as if I were an esteemed gentlemen escorting two lovely young ladies all week. Thanks to you two for going with me and making it such a joy.

A few other familiar faces greeted me. Mr. Ed (so called because his name is Ed and he works like a horse! No other horsey features or similarities are implied!) worked his usual organizational magic at these things to keep everything together, making me and everyone else look good. Thanks again to you Mr. Ed.

Thanks also to the worship team which so carefully and well prepared the times, directing people back to God.

Thanks to all the leaders who motivated and talked up the conference to build such an air of excitement before I even got there.

Thanks to all the students, who so clearly wanted to learn, to be taught, to grow, to find something new about God to admire. It was my distinct pleasure to spend the time with you and hope to see you all again soon.

A couple brief notes.

One young man mentioned he was going to email me for a very interesting discussion about whether God speaks directly to us in the midst of our life or not. I still eagerly await your email. Check out my newest pondercast which deals specifically with that topic as well.

Also to those who have been visiting my blog since then, I see various visits from texas and MIssouri and Michigan. Thanks for stopping by and say hello now and then so I know you’ve been here and who you are!

Finally, to those who have purchased or are likely to purchase C2it studies from the store, please email me your address so I can send you the free videos which are an indispensable part of the study. Thanks! Mr. Ed. Yours is on it’s way. Sorry for the delay.

It’s always a joy to know there are so many earnest, honest, seeking College generation out there. You will be the ones to lead us into the New Christian Era!

Incidentally while we were there Winter Park had one of the largest avalanches in Colorado history, completely blocking the road with 18 feet deep of snow and 250 feet wide. My family and I had driven that road only a few days earlier and it happened to be a non ski day (because I was teaching) for the conference attendees, so we were all safe. Even more miraculously, the timing was such that an otherwise busy road was virtually empty with only a couple of cars effected at all and only one person seriously injured and no fatalities. It also made me laugh being from New Mexico where we have no equipment for moving snow. When I left for Colorado we had just had the biggest snow in our history and all the roads were very icey and snowy. The day after the avalanche in Colorado I asked the front desk if I could return via that road or if I would need to seek an alternate route. They looked at me like I was crazy and said, “No that roads been cleared of course.” Less than 12 hours and 18 feet of snow, 250 feet wide was already cleared.

Guess what I saw when I got back to New Mexico after a week away? Yep my neighborhood was still snowy on the roads!

Made me chuckle.

Anyway, thanks to all for a good conference.

Some of you Missouri, MIchigan and Texas folk, say hi now and then!

Friday, February 9, 2007

I’m pondering a very belated thank you