Dave, I like your posts.
I have thought more than once it would be great to have you living in Roanoke so you could meet with biblestudy buddy and me on Friday afternoons.
Just one state away.
Askseeknock
Charles O
I want to post one more time here just to embarrass Charles, because it's fun.
The Nashville conference in '08 occurred just a scant few months after I'd had my whole life turned upside-down by the Gospel of the Kingdom and finally having a God again who loved me and could actually do something about it. I spent about half the time there basking in the fellowship, and the other half feeling like some sort of grubby old reprobate...like a stink bug on the butterfly trees in Mexico...like Aqualung at a prayer meeting...wondering 'what the (blank) am I doing here?'.
Then Charles, during one of the breaks, came by and introduced himself. And I looked at him, and thought he had the kindest and wisest face I had ever seen on a human being. Nobody has topped it since, either.
At the time, I was beyond happy enough just to believe I was finally gonna get things set to right at the LOF judgement instead of squeaking into heaven on a technicality and living forever with people I didn't like. I'd already decided it would be OK if Ray judged me. But when I met Charles, as brief as the encounter was, I remember thinking. "Alright, you look like somebody I wouldn't mind making everything OK with me."
Charles, I've learned just a little since then, but that would still be OK with me if our Lord says so. And I hope that one day my natural life will be in such a state that I can make that drive over the mountains to Roanoke. I've been there and near there a bunch of times for my old job. I'd much rather meet with you and Bible Study Buddy on a Friday afternoon. Thanks for thinking of me.