LIVE-BLOGGING JULY 3

7:04 AM --- I'm going to live-blog this day. I'm at the American Airlines terminal at LAX, waiting to board my flight to San Jose. Tonight I will speak at the Mennonite USA national youth convention before a crowd of 4,000 young people (see link in calendar sidebar to the right of this post). I go on at 7pm. I'll fly into San Jose at about 830am, then get a ride to the Hotel Montgomery, where I'll be stationed for most of the day. I'm looking forward to filling out my outline with verses from the book of Proverbs. I don't know if it will be hot or not, but I've got shorts on just in case (but not for the plenary; I've got long khakis for that.) I woke this morning at about 5am, then got a ride to the airport from some Harambee interns, leaving Pasadena at 6am. I kissed my wife goodbye, but didn't touch my son for fear of waking him. When you are a parent of small kids, you don't want to wake them too early in the morning, as they wake up early enough as it is. I got this gig, I think, through my friend, nonprofit coach, and multi-faceted consultant Jeff Wright of the Center for Anabaptist Leadership in Pasadena. I'm really looking forward to speaking to the young people. I've got about 25 minutes, then an altar call (though I'm not sure how Mennonites do alter calls; I know how conservative Baptists do them - a few more bars of "Just As I Am," and I know how pentecostals call people forward for prayer at the front of the church). Afterward I've got plans to meet up with the summer interns at Bayshore Christian Ministries of East Palo Alto. Here's to hoping that Berkeley Rican can find time in his day to visit me. 3:40 PM --- I just did the early prep for tonight's session. Sound check, watched the drama that will precede my talk, and then worked with the band on the music during the altar call. They are going to riff from, "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - imagine that. I got into the airport at around 9am. Got picked up by Jason, a volunteer who is carting speakers and suchlike to-and-fro. They've got me at this interesting downtown hotel that's got lots of personal touches. It's in the "Joy of Life" line of hotels. But it's not too swank or expensive, just decent. Every room has a speaker dock for an iPod - that's sweet. I'm listening to The Bible Experience, going through the Gospel. My text tonight is Ephesians 2:4-10. They didn't have my room ready when I arrived, so I first went to the Starbucks across the way, then had a burger at Johnny Rockets, then came to the hotel lobby to wait for my room. I got in about 1:30 pm. I'm due back at 6pm to get it all rolling. The stage is big, the sound is good, and man if they haven't filled that big room with chairs. 3,000 plus chairs is a lot. They have these two mega-screens on either side of the stage, so I'll make sure not to look up at my big head. NEAR MIDNIGHT --- It went well. During the altar call I prayed with a bunch of youth. Man, there is a lot of pain inside of young people. During my talk, a young man went to his hotel room and tried to commit suicide. I knew nothing about it until it was over. He's alive, the paramedics got to him quickly. Afterward I had good talks with different people, including one young guy who is 17 and said he had leukemia when he was 4 (Sam's age when Sam was diagnosed.) I asked this guy what he remembered from the whole situation. He said laughter, lots and lots of laughter. That encouraged me. At 10pm I went to a restaurant with the summer interns from Bayshore Ministries and had a good time. I can't wait to get home to my family.