As I type this, it’s Thursday night. Keith’s packing to catch his flight in the morning. He doesn’t have to be there until around 9:15 or so, but to negotiate morning traffic, we’ll leave here about 7 to make that 25 mile drive in time. Such is life in Los Angeles.
Had a wonderful dinner with a group of about 14. Many of us are in this blog community and it was really meaningful to me to spend time with Donna and Terri. Meeting Keith.2 was a joy as well. I’ll be linking Terri and Keith’s blogs to mine when I get a chance. I’ve come to appreciate and love the people in this community as a part of my family and to now know these two sweet ladies and to meet K.2 was a highlight of my week. Not to say the lectures were not challenging. They were. But the reason I come out here these past few years is to be with people.
Friday is filled with deadlines for me. The doctor’s office has called several times … that sounds a bit ominous to me. I have worship "stuff" to take care of. We have a reception for Jessica to attend. Graduation Saturday afternoon. Sunday is full and Monday I’ll spend the entire day at the mortuary and then attend a meeting with the investors that evening. After that, life may return to somewhat normal.
Actually, that’s not so. Janice leaves Wednesday for a 3 day / 2 night field trip to Catalina Island with her 5th graders, so it’ll be the psycho-pup and me for the second half of the week. We’re planning on spending Saturday of next week looking for a house to rent in Temecula. So I have no idea when life will return to normal, but I live in hope that some day it will.
I probably will never spend the week at Pepperdine again, but for 17 years it’s been one of the better weeks of my life. I’ve made friends that have enriched my life. I’ve heard lectures that stretched my thinking and, hopefully, made me a better person. I’ve spoken here five or six times during those years. I’ve experienced worship that lifted my soul to the very throne of God (but I have that very often at Long Beach). And we’ve spent one evening a week out on "the rock" sharing struggles, praying for one another, and agreeing to hold one another accountable. Hopefully, I’ve made someone else’s life a bit better in the process.
Sounds like the week has been great for you. And you’ll have to take time off, or vacation, for the next Lectureship. Or just make it that nobody dies that first week in May…
[I'm being cut from six weeks of vacation down to two weeks at best. I don't think I'll take vacation time to go to Pepperdine, but we'll see. --Greg]
Thanks for the latest post from Pepperdine, Greg. I so wish I could have been there at dinner with you all last night!
You be sure and get in touch with the doctor today, friend! I insist!! (I know you will – just in my best MOM mode there from years of force of habit!)
Sounds like you’re going to be really, really busy for a while to come. If we can ever get far enough along on our house, I think our lives will pick up a whole lot, too. I can’t wait!
Cheers & Blessings to you all today! And, Greg – I’m praying that everything will be okay with the doctor’s call and all.
Dee
[It was all about the change of a scheduled appointment! Had me praying, though. --Greg]
I’m jealous that you get to meet the bloggers. Donna and Teri are wonderful, aren’t they?
Make sure you get in touch with the doctor so you don’t have to spend more time at the mortuary than you planned! I don’t want you..uh…looking at the lid until it is absolutely necessary.
I’m unclear why this might be your last Pepperdine. You’ll still be in CA so… Of course, here I am saying that and I’ve never been and probably won’t go next year, either.
If you see Kara and Josh Graves, my daughter and son-in-law, out there, say “hey” for me.
[I wish I had known your daughter was here, I would have made a point to find them. The doctor scare was all about a changed appointment for a routine annual physical! Next year I'll be working instead of preaching, so I'm not sure if I can take the time off, but Josh said he would work with me on that as best we can. Just depends on our case load this time of year next year. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Donna and Terri. Sweet ladies and beautiful to boot! --Greg]
Thanks so much to you and Janice for your hospitality. I hope that this is not your last week at Pepperdine. I hope that we can continue to get together each year for this truly uplifting week.
I appreciate the way you have challenged me over these past few years. Through you and Ms. Muriel and all of those who meet us at Pepperdine, I have been challenged in my walk with God to be closer to Him. I am so thankful to call you my friend.
[I'm glad you've made this journey the past two years. Having you along has been great all around. And don't think you've not challenged me as well. I've already ordered the books you suggested. Hope your flight home is / was uneventful. --Greg]
Its hard to believe we started down this road (renewing our friendship at Pepperdine) some 16 years ago. As we left the campus early (4 hours before my brother’s Keith’s flight! I still love you my Alabama brother) this morning I couldn’t help but feel the winds of change.
I pray that this isn’t your last Pepperdine but I know it at best it will be hit and miss for the coming years. For me the highlight of each trip hasn’t been so much the lectures(although they have been good) but rather the infusion into yours and your family’s daily lives each year. I am thankful to God that He has made it possible each year.
[Ditto! The first few years, we were spiritually fed in Malibu and hoped it would last until the following year. Now we've both reached different places in our lives and it's not so much the lectures, but the people that make it special. That doesn't change simply because I may or may not be at Pepperdine again.]
Get off that “may not come to Pepperdine” kick. You’re coming or we’re coming to get you!
Friday night’s session rocked the casbah! After Fleer kicked butt through Jeremiah 31, Jerry Rushford had everyone in tears as he described his early years directing the lectures (a video was shown summarizing Jerry’s 25 years of service) and the reconciliation that occurred in his house between Rubel Shelly and Lynn Anderson in 1982.
I will write on it, hopefully when I recover from California time and food!
Great to see all of you again.
Peace.
It was great to visit with you Greg. I wish we could have for longer. The Pepperdine lectures have truly blessed not only the Churches of Christ but my own family.
I hope you will come out next year too.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
I haven’t been to Pepperdine or the Rock and probably never will, but you have certainly enriched MY life, my friend.
BTW, I have finished reading all of the Terry Rush books that you sent me and am impressed with them all, especially the Holy Spirit book. They have charged up my thinking process juices, to say the least. But let me tell you, Doris has also read the Holy Spirit book cover-to-cover and is working on God Will Make a Way and absolutely LOVES this writer. When this lady turns off the TV to READ, a writer is practically walking on water, since she is not an avid reader. Just wanted you to know.
Greg, it was great to finally meet you in person. I feel like we have been friends forever. Thank you so much for inviting us to dinner on Thursday, it was a highlight of the trip for me….and tell Bruce hello for me!
As a friend I would love to be able to comment on your blog from any computer, but alas, I can only do it from my office…..I don’t know why????