Wouldn’t you expect me to say this after every event, every concert? “It went great!”
When I ask my peers, “So how did it go last night?” it would be nice to hear, sometimes, “Ya know what? It just stunk! I stunk! I sounded bad. Nobody showed up. The sound was terrible. The air conditioning was out. Wild monkeys were running around the stage. Just not a very good night.”
But most times in answer to the question, we reply, “It went great!”
Monday night, at Louisiana Tech was . . . Uh . . . GREAT! And I mean it! No monkeys, great sound and lighting for the venue, a room that was full of college friends from years past, lots of family and friends from my hometown, an hour of pre-show reception with great food and refreshments. The only down side . . . just too little time to visit and catch up with everybody there.
The event was the grand opening of the new BCM building on the Tech campus. When I was there, it was called the BSU but I guess somebody finally got enough of all the acronym cracks and decided to re-name it the BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries). I don’t know why. Heck, you can still get a BS degree from most any university in America. I know a lot of people that have them! And some that don’t but should be granted and honorary!
Anyway, even though the weather outside was frightful – cold and rainy – the spirit inside was tremendous. When the MC got up to introduce me, he changed course and asked a few people to stand up and tell a quick WW story. Thankfully, all that chose to stand and deliver, came up with good stories.
Man, talk about evidence of time flying! The people facing me were testimonies of God’s grace and mercy, testimonies of His blessing. I think we all relived a little bit of our college days on Monday night.
I started out telling the audience there would be some “Acknowledgements and Apologies” throughout the night.
A few acknowledgements . . .
To my friend and, during my college days, as close to a mentor as I’d ever have, Dr. Ferrington. “Doc” we called him then and still do. Interesting, I’ve met lots of “Drs” over the years. Some earned their degrees and others were given honorary degrees. Funny, lots of the earned “Drs” couldn’t care less what you call them and lots of the honoraries really prefer, and sometimes firmly suggest that you address them as . . . Dr. Hmm. Well, with all due respect, I guess. What do I know? I’m not a doctor . . . but I’ve been to the doctor!!
Anyway, Doc and wife, Dottie (also a Dr! Geez, talk about a hard envelope to address) were in the audience Monday night. When a band in California offered me a position to play with them in my second year at Tech, it was Doc that talked me into staying in school. I’m so glad I did. Not just for the book stuff but the life stuff that college offered.
There were other acknowledgements and some that were, regrettably, left out. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Young from Wisner (and their children and grandchildren) were there. Dorothy Young takes care of my mom’s business affairs and lots of other stuff. I don’t know what we’d do without her. Mr. Ray was my first guitar hero. He had this beautiful Yamaha FG 300 acoustic that I loved! I eventually saved up and bought one and I wish I still had it. It was my first really good guitar.
And the list could go on and on.
Some apologies (some in fun and others . . . well). The most sincere apology was to no one in particular and to lots of people in general. “I was tight in college” I began. “Not tight as in cheap . . . heck, I’d spring for a pizza now and then, but tight as in tightly wound.” It embarrasses me to think of the people I probably turned off to a faith in Christ with my hyper spirituality and self-righteous, legalistic attitude. I wish I’d known a better definition of grace and mercy in those days. I received it well enough but just wasn’t real good at extending it. And it would be a long time, through some tough times ‘till I would learn that lesson. Oh well, we’re all being created in His image. Some of us are just on day 2 or 3 out of the 7 it’s gonna take to make us.
Many thanks to Lisa Trussel and everyone that made this event happen. I hope it was just the first of many good things that take place under the new roof.
Hope to see you on the road somewhere. 2011 is looking busy and I’m thankful to have so many doors opening. Thank you for your prayers!
Blessings
Wayne
1 comment:
Wayne, I was just checking how to contact you and let you know what a blessing the song "Every Now and Again" has been to me over the past 18 years or so. How it came to me at a time when life was lonely, and I was feeling a bit defeated, and has come with me through seasons of both loss and abundance. It has ministered grace to me over and over again, and to others I've shared it with. How fitting that here where I find you, you are sharing a little about your grace journey. It's what I love about middle age. Most of us have been broken by now. Indeed, it is good to go down to defeat now and then...and it is good to know sorrow. Blessings to you!
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