The Sunrise

Here I was racing up the Butte as the sky gets brighter and brighter. Will I beat the Sun this time? I try to refrain from cursing as I tail someone heading to the CBC parking lot on the way. Move, I'm trying to beat the sunrise and then have an awesome spiritual experience! The guy pulls in out the way thank goodness. Then some truck is in front, so I look carefully then pass him on the other lane on the hill. So it's less cautious, but I want my sunrise photo!

Finally I make it. I hurriedly put on another sweater under my coat and grab my gloves and camera, then I open the trunk with my tripod. I hurry up the steps carrying my tripod, then say hi to the familiar dog and then to his master, the old guy who sometimes hangs around there in the morning, then I make it...just in time. I go over to where another guy is already shooting and I drop my tripod and take a few handheld shots. It's a beauty. I agreed with the other guy that it could use more clouds, but hey I'll take it. It was a good sunrise and a decent, yet very cold photography session.

When I do this kind of thing I often think about God, my life and where it's going, etc. I thought about my coming trip to Kansas City, and just what God might ask of me. In fact even now He's asking me to lay things aside. For example, fasting, most think it's a good idea, but we make excuses for why not too. I work this day, I hang out with friends this day, I work out this day, I don't want to lose weight, etc. etc. etc. There's always a reason. I'm wanting to not wait for a trip to experience God, and yet life has seems to have it's obstacles.

Things are so different now. God has so many plans that we don't always expect. How did I get to this point? Five or ten years ago I was more into music and reading and being involved in church, but wasn't as active, though I did visit some of the latest outpourings such as Toronto, Brownsville, Mexico missions. Now I could be working two jobs, flying to Kansas City to hang out at a prayer room, or driving to who knows where to get a good photo, or hanging around Hawthorne getting inked and of course taking up martial arts. There's personal reasons for all these things that have long stories. Taekwondo is my latest hobby and seemed to come as a surprise to some, though it made total sense to me. So the word around the grapevine with friends I grew up with and our parents is that a Taylor actually did something active. Breaking news I tell you. I'm surprised it's not in the Oregonian.

Okay so people that haven't seen me in a while are assuming some things, so let me set some records straight. When I left Portland Victory I came to attend what was at the time called Parkrose Christian Center. I still attend the same church though it's gone through several changes and names. It is now called Truelife. So no I don't attend Family Worship Center and I don't attend City Bible Church, though I did attend their Bible college for a couple years. I've stuck with the same church through the ups and downs. Some are amazed that it's survived through everything. We're well past that. We weren't called to survive, but to do God's work in the city. And in fact we are alive and well. When people ask how many attend our church, I say, I don't know. I didn't count. And who cares anyway. I heard a joke in Spain once. One pastor says to the other, "Hey guess what, my church gained 20 people." And the other pastor says, "Hey that's great, and guess what. We just got rid of 20 problems." We have two campuses now from our merging with another church in Camas and it's keeping us plenty busy though of course we do want to grow further.

Same with myself. Like everyone else I go through stuff, but if people act sorry for me, I'm like what the heck? Though I certainly wouldn't mind prayer, life's too full of wonder to sit around just hanging in there. Now is different than last year and whatever rough times I've had has shaped me into who I am today. And yes I've at times wanted to turn away from God, but He just wouldn't let go. And something deep within me wouldn't give up either.

And so the sun has risen and I'm cold. Photography session is done. Time to pack up and head down. I'm definitely looking forward to my trip to Kansas City. Desert seasons have been long. I'm still young and dreams are still big. Hope remains strong in the song of the night. But now it's time for refreshing. Three more weeks to go.