An Advertisement: Looking for a Prince Not on Drugs

As you may have heard, I have been on the most particular look-out for a prince as of late. I say most particular because we have a short but precise list of qualifications that simply cannot be ignored. They are as follows: He must be taller than five foot nine. (Can’t be shorter than the princess, you know.) Able and willing to wear a purple robe, get down on one knee, appear to be quite smitten, and pick up a Golux. Harmonica skills are helpful. And he can’t be on drugs.

If you’ve read a certain previous blog, you will know that we are looking for this prince to fill a roll in a play. (Princes who would like to fill non-stage rolls, please apply elsewhere.) Actually, we had found one already, and he was doing just swimmingly.

Until he got on drugs.

They weren’t kidding when they told you they ruin people’s lives. On stage and off.

We now find ourselves, having captured one once, utterly princeless again. Our back-up (we like to keep one on the shelf, you might say) absconded for the military. For the two others we petitioned, one fled the state, and the other is plagued by nightmares. I’m not joking either.

So, here I am, sitting at my computer, typing up an advertisement that isn’t really an advertisement at all. For the lost young man in question is still a man, if not a prince, and drugs are involved (as well as other things as bad, if not worse), and that is not a thing to be laughed at.

So, even though we are rather in need of a thing with a couple legs and arms and vocal capacity (preferably in English) for what we do on stage, there is a life that is not the stage at all, although it sometimes feels like it, and the choices we make there resonate throughout all eternity. (And that wasn’t just melodrama.) And this young man who used to be a prince isn’t doing so well. And I know a God who rescues the broken and responds to the prayers of His children. And my question for you is, “Will His children pray?”

Both Sides of the Ocean

In March I was in New Jersey at the Atlantic Ocean. This month, I was in Oregon at the Pacific. Two oceans in the same year. Not bad. I’ve decided I’m incredibly blessed. Last week I was on stage performing our rather revised rendition of The Thirteen Clocks. This week, I was compelling my flat-lander legs up not one, but two Oregonian mountains. I’ve flown around the globe (and it only took me a year). I’ve visited four continents, ten countries (I think; am I forgetting any?), and stayed in I don’t remember how many different rooms. I’ve biked downtown Portland and ridden up a ski lift. I’ve been on a boat in the ocean and hiked through a rainforest. I’ve eaten wild snake, watched (not eaten) wild zebras, and taken pictures of monkeys in a zoo stuffing themselves on birthday cake. (This is all true, by the way.) I’ve run a horse down a cornfield in Nebraska and ridden a truck past rice fields in the Philippines. I’ve survived tornadoes, hurricanes, and strange guys stopping on the side of the road to ask me out. I’ve worked in an orphanage, a school, a youth ranch, a day care, a Sunday school class, and my sister’s house, and came out still liking kids. (Melody, that one was for you.) I’ve watched the sun set from an airplane, the wind blow through the flat lands, the moon rise over the ocean, and the stars sparkle above the mountains.

Any one of these would be a grand adventure, but I’ve got such a list, I can’t even name them all. Truly, God has granted me an incredibly blessed life. Not only do I get to see the ocean, but I get to see it from both sides. And not just once, but over and over again. Like coming into Heaven's throne room and looking into the face of God, not just once, but daily, morning, noon, and night, over and over again.

Here are a few of the photos from my latest journey - a week-long trip out to Washington and Oregon:

A Week Out of This World

I was out at camp this past week. It felt kind of like checking out of this world. I forgot all about making money to pay for gas to drive to work to make more money. I forgot that someone had invented the Internet so you could keep in touch with all the people you didn’t have time to see. I forgot about the oil spill in the Gulf. I forgot about inflation and depression and starvation and deprivation. All I knew was that there were these creepy eel-like fish in the pond that could sometimes be convinced to snap at a worm on a hook. And a paper airplane was much cooler when thrown from the top of the zip line tower. And pink was definitely the best color for finger nail polish. Especially if it sparkled.

And there were a bunch of kids just waiting to hear that Jesus loved them. Like the boy who couldn’t get to sleep one night and was heard singing, “I am a child of God,” over and over again. And the little girl who begged me to go on the four wheeler with her - and then the rock climbing wall - and then the fishing pond - and then the crafts building . . . And all the kids, when they packed into the bus to go home, and some were crying, and we broke out with our “Oh ma chay chay” chant, and suddenly everyone was smiling again.

These weren’t just your normal camp kids. These were Royal Family Camp kids, kids who had been through the system. Abandoned, abused, neglected, forgotten. But for five days, we got to tell them they were loved. For five days, I watched every single one of the counselors and staff show these hurting kids purposeful, truthful love. It truly was like living in a different world. I wish you could have seen it. I wish you could have seen what it looks like when God’s people intentionally love the way God loves.

The following are the words to a song I wrote specially for this year’s group of kids. So they would begin to realize how very, very much they are loved.

Beautiful You
Hush, my darling, it’ll be alright
Wipe your tears, all the nightmares
I’ll fight away, don’t be afraid
You are Mine
You are Mine
Hush, my darling, and hold on tight
You’re not alone in the dark of night
You are safe if you remain
By My side
By My side

Cause I found you
And I love you
And I call you beautiful
And I made you
And I know you
You are beautiful
Beautiful, beautiful you

You are My darling, and I
Am the one who loves you
More than anyone you’ve ever
Known to love you before
I love you more

I once dreamed a most beautiful, beautiful dream
And that dream was
That dream was you