the long road home...

Oh but what I week I had...

Flew to L.A Monday--15 hours--recovered Tuesday and studied bios for 23 guests.  Wednesday, shot 11 interviews.  Thursday shot 12 interviews.  Hung with my team 'till way too late.  Friday got up (four hours later) and worked my way home.  11:00pm ET, or 2:00am for me, arrived home.  Saturday got up at 8:00am ET or 5:00am for me and went to get some 'family photos' done for Mother's Day.

Needless to say I'm feeling somewhat fried today.

Then at Church this morning I broke down.

Wasn't anything obviously special or spectacular that did it.  My two littlest kids had gone to dance in the isle with Mommy and my oldest son and daughter snuggled up next to me in the pew as the Pastor prayed for the kids.

And I started weeping.

I felt such deep thankfulness for my babies--and their Mother--and for the Lord using all five of them to sanctify me over these past nine years (13 years married, nine since the birth of my eldest).  I felt overwhelmed by grace.

So I cried.

And cried.

And cried.

Couldn't even sing in worship lest I break down in uncontrolled sobbing.  It was really serious.

Then the scripture readings came and one of them was straight-up telegraphed for my younger brother and his wife as they prepare to head back overseas to Israel with their three little boys tomorrow. He knew it--started sobbing--his wife knew it, cried and cried, and I knew it. "That's why you were here this morning..." I told him after the reading as the worship continued.  "To hear that."

Heavy duty stuff.

Then the sermon, simple and from the heart, and prophetic as all-get-out, dealt with trust and faith and hope in the midst of insecurity--a 'word' applicable to my family and my brother's.

And through it all I was thinking of L.A.  Such a jaded, materialistic, pressure-packed town. Also a town full of lovely people and talented.  Thing was, on the first day there they were casting a movie in the room next to one of ours as we were setting up and I was so very deeply troubled by all the look-a-like girls (like tall skinny colts) sitting there on the floor waiting for the chance to have their dreams come true.

And I know their dream is a sham.

I know what it's like to be an actor.  I know what it's like to hire them and to work with them and to fire them.  I know they're--except at the very top of the food chain--basically there to be used and then cast aside.  I know they'll have no power and no influence and all but no chance at their dream fulfilled and I also know that, even if they 'make it' and become 'top echelon', they will find that their dream does not yield satisfaction.

So watching them there at the very start of their journey, I found myself grieving for them.

Then one of our last guests of the day, on Thursday, came through.  The guest was a pretty big star and acted like a superstar and then some.  I can't even describe how tense the atmosphere was on their arrival.  I know there are reasons for feeling stressed and tense and angry but, boy, did this guest ever let loose.  It's amazing to me we got the interview done.  Afterward I think they seemed satisfied.

But they were proof-positive of what I was thinking on our first day.

No amount of success or notoriety is going to make you happy.

So when I got home this weekend and spent it with my family and my wife and my babies and our community at our simple little Church in our simple little town and God broke through to comfort and confirm...

Well, lemme' tell you, I'd take this weekend in all it's simple home town glory over weeks and weeks (or a lifetime) in extravagant tinseltown.

Oh yes I would.

My hope for you--as you face a new week--is that you find beauty and glory and grace in your simple little life.

'Cause from where I sit, the bright lights be illuminating a bunch of empty souls.

T