Hawk's Nest

Boarding a plane tonight at 11.

Can't believe it's been two years.

Lot's to say.

Later.

For now, the important thing is that there is a big bash that Logan is throwing to welcome me back.  Going to be lots of fun.  If you're anyone...you'll be there!!  Here are the details:

Rick will be home for good from Australia at the end of May and we want to celebrate!

Please join us for a Welcome Home Party Friday, May 29 at 6:30 at the home of Jeremy and Logan Wolfram (8 Clairborne Way Simpsonville, SC 29681).

Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share.

Children are welcome.

We would love for you to help us spread the word, so please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone you think would want to come.

Hope to see you on the 29th!

Thanks,
Logan

I hope a bunch of you who are reading this are getting ready to abduct yourself and wait to be rescued.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you REALLY need to take a look at  http://therescue.invisiblechildren.com

I'm passionate about these children because, well Jesus was - and he said, over and over for his followers to take up for those who can't take up for themselves.  well - I don't know of a better opportunity.

And even putting the 'Jesus' stuff aside - what's happening in Uganda is just wrong...by any standard.  During this civil war, Joseph Kony has abducted over 30,000 children to serve in his army.  THIRTY THOUSAND!!!  He forces them to serve by fear.  Those who are weak, slow, crying, he kills in front of the others.  Those that try to escape, he kills as an example.  Thousands more people have been senselessly murdered or maimed by his army - the LRA.

If this was happening anywhere in the Western world, it would be frong page news - and somebody would be doing something to combat the situation.  But for some reason, since it's Africa, the media/rest of the world doesn't seem to care?  Are these people not as valuable?  Do these children not deserve...to be children?

Check out the video - and then watch all the other videos you can on the "More From" section on youtube.

And then go to www.invisiblechildren.com and watch some more.

And then TALK about this issue.  To friends at work, to guys on the basketball court, to people at our LOST parties.  Maybe even write a letter to a senator...about something other than how stupid Bush is, or how bad a job Obama is doing.

Find someone who has a copy of the Invisible Children documentary - or buy one off the website and watch it. 

Seriously.

So, I'm looking at the date of my last post and wondering what time warp I fell into and lost a whole month.  I apologize for the absence, and thank those of you who sent me emails 'lovingly' requesting that I get off my rear and post.

Eight weeks as of last Thursday and I'll be on my way back to the States.  And as you can imagine, the question I am asked - pretty much daily - is, "How are you feeling about leaving Australia?"

How am I feeling?  Well, there's not really a simple answer.

It continues to blow my mind how God is working through the group of people that is churchfreo.  It's awesome to watch these guys embrace that being a follower of Jesus is a lifestyle, not just a Sunday thing.  Loving God - loving others. And also to see people honestly wrestle with religion - and the detrimental effects it can have to our walk, and our ministry.  I've also build some cool friendships here, which after a couple of years have really started to deepen.
So for these reasons, and others - it will be a bit hard to leave.  But I also have an incredible peace and prompting leading that it's time for me to head back to Greenville.  Moving back comes with a bunch of unknowns as well - especially in our 'thriving' economy.  And while my normal MO would be to be stressing, I have this amazing peace.

So I guess the answer would be that it's definitely bittersweet to be leaving - but it's amazing to be in His grip.

List Update:  A couple of posts ago, I revealed 'The List' of things I wanted to do before I left Australia.  Several of you have asked how that was going so:

1.  Write 5 songs (hopefully I'll post as I complete them).
 *Three down (already posted) two to go.

2.  'Borrow' Jimmie Lynn's telephoto lens and take lots of close up portrait pix of the people of Freo - and put them together in some cool way.
 *Have spent one afternoon doing this and got a bunch of good shots.  It's kind of sobering scrolling though these pictures of strangers - and viewing them not as strangers, but as people who desperately need Jesus - like me.

3.  Take a week and travel north up the coast to see and dive the Ningaloo reef.
 *Something I've realized about myself while I've been here is that I really don't like to travel by myself.  The best thing about traveling - for me - is sharing it with someone.  And since my friends here actually have jobs, and can't just take a week off to go diving with me - I'll probably put this one on hold.

4.  Play in at least two 'open mic' nights in Freo.
 *1 down, 1 to go.  Last night I played at a club called MOJO's and it actually went really well. Crowd was good - probably between 75 and 100, and at nobody threw any tomatoes.  I played 4 songs:
 One More Time - Kristy Lee
 Georgia on a Fast Train - Billy Joe Shaver (had to share some of our great southern stereotypes with the Aussies)
 DreamGirl - David Harris, (and me) - my roommate Del played djembe and sang back-up on this one - it rocked. (picture above)
 I'll Be - of course I had to introduce a little Edwin McCain to this country. 

 I've gotta say thanks to all my peeps who came and supported.  You guys are the best.

5.  Finish reading through the Bible (got about 1/3 to go).
 *Finished - now hitting the gospels again.  Just can't get enough of that Jesus guy.

6.  Help Nick (guy from churchfreo) start an exercise program.
 *Slowly but surely this is happening.  He's started walking, and we're moving from there.

7.  Get a churchfreo web page up and running.
 *In the process.  Scott Stevens - from YourMark.com - has graciously volunteered his company's services (like he did to set up and host this blog) - and we're in the design stage.
 
8.  Busk (if you don't know the word - look it up) at least 5 times in Freo.
 *Have done this twice.  Busking is and interesting experience, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in playing live.  I played for about an hour each time, and made about $50.  Not to shabby.

9.  Hang out with the Linkston kids a bunch.
 *Happening

10.  Play golf with Chuck hopefully 6 or 7 more times.
 *I think we're on like #5.  And planning on playing Thursday.

11.  Spend several full days in Freo - praying for the city (may combine with #2).
 *Have done this a couple times.  "Full days" being like 4-6 hours.  I can't  begin to explain the impact this has had on me.  As a lot of you know, I love to people watch, and I've started calling my prayer time in Freo as "people watching with a purpose."  God had used this time to really put things in perspective for me.  As I begin to pray for these total strangers, it's like He uses this time as a 'squeegy' to wipe the dirt and grime and bug splatters of pride and selfishness off my 'windshield' - which has given me some really cool clarity.

12.  Go to an Aussie Rules Football (Footy) game.
 *The season has just started, but my good friend Caitlyn is working to set this one up.

I've also been reading a lot.  Mostly fiction, but I have just started 'Hearing God' by Dallas Willard.  I've had it for a while, by have just opened it in last couple of days.  I'm only on chapter 3, but it looks like this is gonna be a good one. (Thanks Stuart Hayes)  I'm thinking my next post will probably have some Willard quotes.

Until then...

I promised I'd post a few of the songs I've been working on, so here they are: 

This first one basically was written out of frustration to 'The One' asking her why she hasn't come around yet.  Cheesy...yes, but it's been a fun one to work on.  Some of my friends over here have donated their skills and we've pretty much got this one recorded.  Just got to get the keyboards down, and then do the final vocals.  Have to give a lot of props to my friend David (the poet) who took a lot of my useless ranting I had written down and turned it onto the foundation of what you see below.  I added the tune, and changed it up a bit

Dream Girl 

Teardrops, broken hearts 
Real world, we fall so hard
Sleep now.  Let me meet the one please 
Daylight. she’s taken from me

Girl, I can't wait to meet you cuz
You know I miss you so much
I’m sorry to all those others who
I’ve tried to substitute for your touch
(The one’s I’ve tried to make my)
(chorus)

chorus
(Dream Girl) I’m stuck in the real world
(Dream Girl) But I will not settle
((Dream Girl) For anyone but you - Baby you’re my
(Dream Girl) I’m so ready
(Dream Girl) I’m prayin’ God’ll bless me
(Dream Girl) And bring you round real soon
So come and by my - dream girl

Moonlight.  It’s your world. 
But by sunlight you’re no girl
I snap out, and you’re not with me  
You’re makin’ my life so lonely

You may only ride the air but
Sometimes I can smell your hair
So vividly on my mind 
But reality seems two steps behind    
(Behind of my)
(chorus)

bridge
Will you still love me by the light of day?
Will you still love me baby, come what may?
And if the sunshine don’t flatter me
How long will you stay?   
How long will you stay...and be my
(chorus)

The words for this next one were pretty much entirely written by David.  When I read them I knew we had to put them to music.  At churchfreo, we've really been learning about love.  God's love for us, and his command for us to love others.  This kind of love is not easy.  It can get messy, uncomfortable, and time consuming...and beautiful.  Unimaginably beautiful.

Stone's Throw

There's a man stays under the bridge
Over the road from where I live
And he knows that money makes the world go
I've never said hello
He didn't have no place to go
And he came from over the rainbow

Two worlds set apart
Is there a solution
This world could us a change
Could use a revolution

Well it changed one summer day
He crossed the road and came my way
Told his story of how he was laid low
He'd had the perfect life he claimed
But those were days before the rain
Before his demons came and joined the show

Two worlds set apart
Is there a solution
This world could us a change
Could use a revolution

The green rules my world
Made of diamonds and of pearl
And to his kind I've always ever said no
Not sure quite where to start
I know it's gotta come from my heart
Gotta help him back on the rainbow

Two worlds set apart
Is there a solution
This world could us a change
Could use a revolution

Well his story shames me
Now I know he's like me
And we've got the same blood flow
So jump off your rainbow
It's just a stone's throw
Between you and that poor old soul
Between you and that poor old soul

Two worlds set apart
There is a solution
This world could us a change
Could use a revolution

As I've said in several earlier posts, we at churchfreo are really trying to figure out what it looks like to walk in the kingdom of heaven - here, now.   As we've been studying the word - and listening to each others stories, several key concepts seem to be surfacing over and over.  Love, grace, surrender, selflessness, community - among others - and I've really been wanting to put these to music.  I've only got the chorus so far - I'll post the rest when I finish.

 How To Live

Teach me how to live
Teach me how to love
Teach me how to walk in your kingdom

Cause I don't wanna be
Living just for me
I surrender all I am to You

As I seek Your face
Fill me with Your grace
Give me strength to walk in your kingdom

So others too may see
This joy I have in me
Teach me how to live

So for those of you who I haven't told, it looks like I'll be back stateside in early June.  The plan from the beginning was to be here two years and then see how/where God would lead.  Well, it looks like He's leading me back to Greenville (it's either Him or my desperate need for some good Mexican food!). 

I'm really excited about my remaining 4 months in Fremantle.  I quit my job last week (figured the last thing I'd be wishing I'd done more of in Australia was working 10 hour days at the dive shop) and have begun to make a list of the things I still want to do while I'm here.  Now, I'm not a big fan of making lists like this, cause then I put pressure on myself to complete all the items on the list...and I miss the pleasure in the process - but here goes:

1.  Write 5 songs (hopefully I'll post as I complete them).
2.  'Borrow' Jimmie Lynn's telephoto lens and take lots of close up portrait pix of the people of Freo - and put them together in some cool way.
3.  Take a week and travel north up the coast to see and dive the Ningaloo reef.
4.  Play in at least two 'open mic' nights in Freo.
5.  Finish reading through the Bible (got about 1/3 to go).
6.  Help Nick (guy from churchfreo) start an exercises program.
7.  Get a churchfreo web page up and running. 
8.  Busk (if you don't know the word - look it up) at least 5 times in Freo.
9.  Hang out with the Linkston kids a bunch.
10.  Play golf with Chuck hopefully 6 or 7 more times.
11.  Spend several full days in Freo - praying for the city (may combine with #2).
12.  Go to an Aussie Rules Football (Footy) game.

And I guess the biggest things are to continue to push myself in the areas of loving God and loving others.  Pushing myself while constantly remembering that there is nothing I can do that will make Him love me any more, or any less.  Grace is CRAZY isn't it?!? 

My time here has taught me so much about myself.  It's kinda funny, because I never really had the idea that I would come to Australia and fix a bunch of stuff that was wrong over here.  God pretty much told me from the beginning that my time over here would be used to help with churchfreo...yes, but mainly for He and I to do some real business.  What I kept hearing from Him was, "Rick, I've got some stuff for you to do...but you and I need to have some time - some time away from all the noise." 

Mmmm...noise.  I pretty much love the noise.  The noise drowns stuff out doesn't it?  To be able to sleep at night, I have to have a noise maker...something constant to drown out all the little creaks, groans, cars going past, etc.  Well, my life was pretty much the same.  The busier I am, the more 'noisy' it is, the less I have time to dwell on things.  Things that I need to dwell on.  Noise is awesome at masking sin.  Noise is also very efficient at drowning out God's voice.

I'm pretty sure that's why He created the sabbath - so that periodically we'd take some time to put in our Bose noise ca celling headphones and listen to/for Him.  And I'm not talking about a 'no working on Sunday' sabbath - I'm talking more like a 'get yourself out of the noise' time.  A time/place where you can turn off the cell phone, the IPOD, and Facebook.  A time/place where you can do some serious 1 on 1 with God. 

I have a friend who every month or so takes a full day.  He has this great mountain trail that he loves, and he starts at the bottom with "Alright God, I'm not coming down from this mountain until you talk to me."  And he says that he's crying his eyes out after a couple hundred yards or so because God is speaking - pointing out sin - giving direction - loving.

Well, He took me to Australia.  I think He knew that I liked the noise way too much.  That He had to do something drastic like take me all the way across the world - to the most remote city on earth...to help reduce the noise.  And let me tell you...the silence has been deafening.

I'll get more into specifics in later posts, but I wanted to use this one to maybe get you thinking about the 'noise' in your life.  Is there something keeping you from talking to God?  Is there something keeping you from hearing him?  My advice would be to try shutting out the noise for a bit.  Revel in the stillness and silence...because He will speak.

In the secret, it the quiet place
In the stillness You are there
In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait. Only for You.
Cause I want to know You more.