HIGHWAY 6 RUNS BOTH WAYS: SONGFEST, MATT CHANDLER & THE EDGE

I spent this week end in College Station and on the road to and from. I have driven this route so many times, I know where all the landmarks are. I drive I-35 South to Waco and get off at Exit 339, usually stopping at the Starbucks there. From there, I take Highway 6, a State Highway, all the way to College Station. It bypasses some of the towns now, but you still drive through the thriving metropolitan areas of Reisel, Caldwell and Hearne. Most of them have speed traps and supplement their municipal income of A&M students and there parents.

The purpose of this visit was to see The Baby perform at Songfest as part of Philadephia Sisters. She did some C&W and a Cha-Cha, very versatile. It was a good show and raised a lot of money for charity. It is the young adult's version of "Daddy, watch me!"

For a moment, I forgot that I was not at a high school football game watching her march in the band. I yelled "go Claire". She heard me. Life is good. I wonder if the Seminary Daughter will let me do this at her graduation.

On Sunday, we drove out in the country to the little village of Edge. The Baby had agreed to play the piano for them. When she said we were going to Edge Baptist Church, I thought I was in for candles, piercings and overuse of the word "like".

But, it was the opposite, a small rural congregation of about 20, meeting in a small two room building. They were thrilled to have her there. As it turns out, she had been there before to deliver a talk about her mission trip this summer to Moldova. (I didn't say "preach"; I don't want to ruin her possible future at a Southern Baptist seminary. She just related and exhorted.) She had obviously made a big impression on them. They also made it clear they would like for her to come often and play the piano.

The congregation was thrilled to have us there. Every one of them came to us and introduced themselves. This does not happen in my big church. In fact, a lot of people who know me do not make the effort to speak to me. (Oh, maybe that is BECAUSE they know me.)

The pastor did not preach an exegetical sermon, my preference, but did a heart-felt talk of all he was thankful for and all we have to be thankful for, reminding us that the Bible exhorts us to thank God in all things. It was very nice.

On the drive to and fro, the Little Woman and I listened to Matt Chandler sermons. Matt is the pastor of The Village, which is the cool term for Highland Village Baptist Church. He is young, in his early 30s, but passionate and Biblical. We listened to the Core Values series, finishing the ones we did not get to on our last trip. Then, we listed to his first 2 sermons on Luke. They were great. I felt we really "redeemed the time" and I recommend Chandler to you. You can download his sermons from the Village website or do like I do and subscribe to his podcast through iTunes. I burned them to a CD and we played them on the CD player in the LW's car. All of his stuff is free.

This all made the week end a whirl wind. But, it was good. All the things that matter were there. I got to spend time with the Little Woman, see one of my kids and support her in her activities, worship on Sunday with some new friends, and listen to great preaching during the drives.

This is what life is for me. Faith and family. Faith for me means living it all the time, reading, praying, fellowshipping, thinking, and helping others. Family means being the man for all my women, husband and father, supporting them, encouraging them and enjoying them.

I do the last part best, I think.