I'm pastoring a Church ... in a Bar ... on an Island ... as part of a band ... without shoes ... pants ... pretense.
It's pretty much me.
"I yam what I yam," Popeye says.
"I am who I am," God explains to Moses (Exodus 3:14).
I should be more dignified at 62 years of age but God Damn I'm having a good time.
And there's nothing wrong with saying "God Damn."
"Thou Shalt Not Take the Lord's Name in vain" ... means don't call yourself a "Believer" ... a "Christian" if that's not who you really are.
God doesn't give a shit about cussing.
God does care who you are ... what you are ... how you are ... if you're happy ... and if you're taking full advantage of the gift of life you're given.
Mine's been a crazy gift but there's little question I'm still taking advantage of it ... with lots more plans for what's left.
Most pictures, we don't like ... 'cause we don't think we look good ... they're bad photos ... or we're a little shocked at ourselves.
But I like this one.
Tommy Hall's singing a song about shaking the dust off the Bible ... I'm playing with David and John on Dave Cahill's Cajon ... cause he's getting coffee in the middle of the service ... which is perfectly acceptable behavior in Bar Church ... and I'm trying to get out of the way so Tommy can sing ... Chip falls in with a lead guitar ... Gordo adds some Harp ... David slaps the bass strings ... John makes love to the skins on the Congas ... so I start to play drum.
Dave spies me as he sips coffee .. whips out his phone ... takes this picture ... sends me a text.
Church goes on and I'm caught up in it, as are several others, as Davy resumes playing drums and the music's elevated into a jam induced by the Holy Spirit so that even the tourists pause passing the open doors to Benny's to see what's happening.
Monty and I end up dancing as we play at the end ... Eric smiles and sings new verses to an old song ... people clap ... smile ... eat ... enjoy and celebrate.
I wish Sarah were here.
She enjoys me being me every bit as much as God does.
And at the Church in the Bar on Sunday, I'm certainly enjoying myself ... caught up in the Holy Spirt ... and Tommy Hall's song ... David bass ... Chip's lead guitar ... Gordo's Harmonicas ... John's skins.
Sometimes ... nowhere near enough ... but every now and then ... the Kingdom comes on Earth as it is in Heaven ... and you just can't get enough of that shit.
That's really what this picture is about.
It's worth way more than a thousand words.
