I’m listening to Timshel as I begin to write this. Still basking a little in the memory of listening to Mumford & Sons sing this song, and all of my other favorites, live on Saturday night. Standing again by friends I love to stand by, and I love to have stand by me. We weren’t the only ones there, or the only ones who knew every word. I’ve never been a big concert goer; crowded, hot, loud, expensive and maybe I didn’t care about the music as much (Sorry George Strait) …but Saturday night was a little mini-revolution for me. I gave into the heat, the sweat, the crowd, the noise. I shucked unnecessary inhibitions I’ve probably always put on myself, and I kind of sang and danced my guts out. I love that music. And it was awesome. I don’t know if it was the red dirt, or my singing, but it’s been 3 days now and I’m still hoarse. It’s so fun to think through the M&S lyrics and pick out what they might mean. I like to listen to Timshel, well anytime, but especially before I leave for a trip. I listened to it a lot before India. Saturday night I heard them sing it live, before I left for Sri Lanka this morning. It’s a great reminder, and especially meaningful considering the meaning of the word Timshel.

Me and my niece Jordan.  She was there with some friends, too.

When they went acoustic I almost lost my mind.  They were great.

Aisle seat 23 C is where I sit to ride across the sky to Dubai. I know I don’t have to be sitting in a window seat for God to be able to see me and remember we’re flying today. And, I don’t have to be sitting there to see Him. I like to though. I love looking at the land, clouds, and ocean we fly over. That’s an awesome show, too. The first movie I watched was To Kill A Mockingbird. It had been years since I had seen it. I didn’t really remember how it all wound up. The scene where the jury finds Tom Robinson guilty, and after the lower section of the courtroom clears the old preacher says “Stand up Scout, you’re Daddy’s passing by.” I cried. Man it’s really a good movie, from beginning to end good. Then I watched The Great Gatsby. Eh. Then I watched Monsters U. Not as good as the first. Then I watched The Quartet. Ok. And that concludes my inflight movie reviews. I’ve got 26 more hours’ worth of flying before this trip is over, so I may mention a few others.

I’m in my hotel room in Dubai now. I took a 3 hour nap, then went down to buy another $6 USD coffee. I hate that so much, but I really wanted coffee. I slept probably 3 hours total on the flight, during a couple of different naps. It’s 6:00pm Dubai time, but my body and mind are saying "it’s 9:00 am and you have not had the amount of sleep you were supposed to have." Somehow it all works out though. This coffee helps. I’m getting ready to shower up, and meet my co-workers Phil and Jack for dinner at 10:00pm before our midnight flight to Colombo. When we get to Sri Lanka we’ll jump in a van and head north for a most of the day road trip. One fun new development in my life is car sickness. I’ve got Dramamine and those little acupuncture wrist thingys my friend told me about, and a couple of Wal-Mart sacks stuffed in my carryon. I hope I’m not more trouble than I’m worth…they may have to let me drive. ;)

There are many aspects of these trips; everything that goes into them, and everything God is doing through them. Thanks for following this very personal aspect of all that God is doing for me in them. He is setting me free of fear and unnecessary inhibitions, one song, one concert, one trip at a time. And all I know to do is share it, share Him, share the story. He is faithful. Paul prayed this for the Thessalonians, and I’ve had it on a little notecard stuck in my keyboard for well over a year.  It's my prayer as I begin this new work: “…that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen, and yes, Paul. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12.  I pray God make me worthy, and fulfills through His power every work prompted by the faith he keeps increasing in me.  I love how that works.  

I’ve got a postcard to write now. I had a request for them. Turns out the same place that charges $6 USD for a cup of coffee, only charges $2 for the postcard and stamp to mail all the way back to America. I never even thought to consider postcards from other countries before. The world seemed so huge that how could one ever anticipate a little postcard making it all the way from here, to all the way there? But, apparently just because something seems far away, doesn’t mean it is. We’ll see. 

So, just as I finished typing the last word...Timshel came on again.  Timing is fun to take note of.  I was just going to end it with "we'll see."  But, it's come on again, so let's look at Timshel for a second. And, let me go ahead and name this post...

Here is a great version of this song.  Click here and you get to hear it live too. Munford & Sons -Timshel

I had never heard the word Timshel before this song.  So if you hadn't either, let me share a little bit about it. Post Google Definition of Timshel (There are probably more scholarly sources, but I just copied and pasted one that was pretty direct):  "Timshel is an interpretation of the Hebrew word that means 'thou mayest.' It is a brief explanation of the philosophical notion of Free Will." Free Will. "Thou mayest" choose..."  We may choose God, or choose not God.  We may choose to believe, or choose not to believe.  We may choose faith, or choose only what we see with our eyes.  We may choose fear, or choose to stand firm (or say yes, or fly, or...).  Our choice does not change truth, it only changes our consequences.   Timshel.  I love this music.  I love this freedom.  I love this Choice.