Creation Fest '07

Hey Everybody,
As you can see things have either been too busy or too uneventful the past month to warrant posting here. (It was the former not the later.) I'll just pick up where we are at and (if later find the time) I'll go back and post on what has happened. Hope all things are going well out their, but chances are good they aren't.

Last Saturday two friends of mine and I went out to Mount Union PA to join in on the last day of Creation Fest '07. It was a first time thing for all of us and I was not sure what I was expecting. It took a while to find because the directions weren’t the best and when we got their the place was naturally packed. Still, it had a welcoming feeling and it was a beautiful day. Once we got in the parking lot and started walking towards the music we realized just how many tents, trailers, and campers were packed into the area. It was staggering once I noticed that around every bend was another dense grouping of them, one after another on the way to the stages. When we got there (to the stage) it was empty so we kept walking to find the other, on which was Cool Hand Luke. We found a nice spot on the hill and sat to listen. We must have been there for 6 hours, listening to CHL finish his set and then came Edison Glass, John Reuben, Sanctus Real, DUB, and Flyleaf. Suddenly I was all sunburned and it was nearly 7:30pm. I don't generally like live music, but it was such a nice day, the bands did a great job, and the atmosphere there was comforting. After that we went back to the main stage for the evening service speaker and then Kutless and Newsboys, all of which rocked. We left before the Newsboys were finished and so we beat the traffic, getting home by 1:00am.

Highlights, besides the music, I would have to say consisted of seeing all the types of Christians that came. And man if you ever want to get a feel for what a Christian looks like you should check this place out next year. Their were older couples, goths, punks, geeks, jocks, rocker-types, nature people, and "normal people" all over. Really it is a testament against the stereo-typing that people do. Another highlight that lasted a while in the noon-day sun was a rainbow-sun-halo. The picture below will give you an idea of what I mean, but it was a rainbow that did not touch the horizon. Instead it encircled the sun itself. It occurs naturally (not to say God didn't influence it that day) but in any case it was beautiful and rare. It hovered over us on the hill as the music played. I have never seen the sun do this but I have seen the moon do it several times in the night sky. So, their are many other things to talk about concerning this, but I want to change the topic now slightly.

Their were two events (maybe three) that I took a bit hard. It wasn't the speakers that spoke between the songs or the songs themselves. It was my reaction to events as they would unfold. Moments were my heart says "Go!" and my body stands still, it's regret over inaction. The first one was early in the day we saw that they were doing baptisms in the lake next to the main stage. I wanted to go but did not. This is the least of my regrets as I will do it next year, having remembered a towel and extra clothes. The other two regrets came simultaneously. Late in the service the speaker spoke of being prayed for, not just by people or Christians, but by the righteous (it's in scripture). All prayers are useful but the prayers of the righteous can be used to heal essentially. The speaker then opened a "prayer tent" and asked for youth workers to come and help out as people came to be prayed for. He made a good point to say "if you aren't right with the Lord don't come to pray right now" and so I stood there. I don't think I am in the best place still, not wholly useless or damaged, on the mend in fact, but I can say that while I wanted to go help with the tent it would have been wrong of me and that upset me. That I was unable to do so meant that I should go get prayer instead, but again, as loud as the heart screamed the heavier my feet became. And so I stood, missing it all...later that night, while watching the crowd pulsate and scream and the Newsboys perform I had a thought come. While God has granted me much in the way of talent and training, I have such limited ability to live out loud. I can honestly say I am depressed by the thought and I don't get depressed easy.

So I'm looking to go back next year and (as in previous years) stronger for the struggle. I intend to get baptized and I intend to seek Gods healing hand through the prayers of His people, even to take part in the tent next year. I've already started this process, but please if you are reading this put my name out among your friends. I ask for your prayers to be bold and courageous with this grace given life I have. Such attributes are not common to me, an introvert at heart. In this (and some other areas) progress has been made, but I would ask for true healing if He will allow it.