I Deserve to Wander the Desert - THE PLAN

The Plan - Part IX - FAITH

Stephanie and I, along with 11 other of our CMA family, just finished serving at the ABATE BOOGIE. For those that don't know what the Boogie is, this event is a four day party sponsored by ABATE of Indiana. ABATE is a motorcycle advocacy group that fights for the rights of motorcyclists in our state. This event is a HUGE fundraiser for them. In its hay-day there were somewhere around 10,000 attendees. In recent years, the attendance has greatly dwindled. Last year they had around 2,500 attendees. This year it looked a lot bigger. Estimates are around 4,000. 

CMA has had a LARGE presence at the Boogie over its history. In recent years, Stephanie and I have led the work at the Boogie. We have been called by the Lord to serve bikers at Secular Rallies. We love the interaction and service to others, many of which are NOT followers of Christ. CMA, serves FREE Coffee, water, and Gatorade. We also use our Rag Tracts as Cool rags to help cool down workers and attendees. Every hour through out each day, we take bottled water and cool rags around to ABATE Gate workers, EMT's, and Security. Our TENT is open 24 hours a day from Thursday through Sunday morning. CMA's mission is "Here when you need us".  Stephanie and I take this very seriously. Even though attendance is down, we are STILL needed. While many vendors and attendees have abandon this event. We strongly believe CMA should be the LAST to abandon ABATE. As an example, we had a problem getting a golf cart this year. So, we were unable to take water and cool rags around to workers on Thursday. You would not believe the number of workers who THOUGHT we had abandon them. They were so excited to see us on Friday and Saturday. 

LAST YEAR, THE BOOGIE for CMA almost didn't happen!

Stephanie and I dropped off our granddaughter and her friend at the Airport in Phoenix on July 6th. We then took a couple of days to get back to Golden, Colorado to pick up our truck. The guys at Bodacious Diesel were working furiously to get our truck back together. So many things needed to happen in a short period of time. Originally, Bodacious told us this process would take two months to complete. They knew our deadline and were working to get it done. 

We arrived in Golden on July 7th and camped at Chief Hosa Campground, run by Denver Parks and Recreation. While we were waiting, we did some TOURIST type things. We made a trip to Pikes Peak and we went to Buffalo Bill's gravesite and museum. All the time this was happening, our deadline date was fast approaching. 

We had to be back to Indiana, pick up our BOOGIE Supplies (tents, coolers, tables, rags, cups, etc.), get to the Boogie, and set up by Wednesday, July 16th. We were in constant prayer about the pending deadline.  We had a lot of down time. We rested and spent a lot of time in the word. IT was really a great time of spiritual renewal. As the week progressed and the deadline approached we really began to worry. We had ALL the supplies for the Boogie. If we couldn't make it, the event for CMA would not happen. The team at Bodacious had agreed to try to meet the deadline of Friday, July 12th as our "MUST HAVE DATE" . We made all our plans around this date. 

On Friday, the truck was not quite done, but it was close. They had to get everything back together and do a test run before they would turn the truck over to us. We checked out of our campground and headed to Golden. Most of the day, we sat around and worried. As the day got after lunch, we were really beginning to fret. We had to pick up our truck and drop off the rental truck by 5pm.  Around four o'clock we got a call that the truck was NOT done and they closed at 5pm. They also did NOT work on Saturday. If the truck wasn't done TODAY, it would not be done until Monday and there would be NO WAY for us to get to the Boogie and set up on time. WE REALLY were starting to stress. We were AT LEAST three days from home. 

I have to be honest. We were siting in the parking lot at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden, waiting. We just couldn't believe the Lord would keep us from attending the Boogie. We knew he had the power to get this truck done, but we were not seeing that was going to happen. At around 5, we got a call. The truck was done, but a leak had developed. They didn't have time to do a test run. We were devastated. I got off the phone and we continued in prayer, literally CRYING OUT TO THE LORD. Stephanie and I joined in prayer together. We were both imploring the Lord to intervene, to act NOW. Then the truck we were sitting in was complete quiet. We had no more words. We had no more plans. Our options were ZERO. 

THE LORD INTERVENED. We got a call. The TRUCK WAS DONE. The oil leak mysteriously stopped, they put about 20 miles on the truck (not the required 500 mile break in).  We still had a chance to make the Boogie. We picked up the truck. We used our credit card to pay off the remaining amount of the nearly $20,000 (The most I have ever charged on a credit card), returned the truck, and headed to pick up the camper.

Just like The Israelites, I was so excited to be delivered by the power of the Lord. We knew it was ONLY BY HIS POWER the truck was done. We praised the LORD with all our hearts.  BUT, other worries and doubts began to invade our mind. As we headed to the camper, I was worried about getting OUT of the mountains, the brakes, the leak, and driving a NEW motor several thousand miles with NO issues. 

How could I doubt the Lord?  

My life is filled with the Lord delivering me from one calamity after another. JUST like Israel, I get past one trial, praise the Lord, and forget what he has done for me.  In the past, I have harassed Israel for its lack of faith. They deserved to wander around the desert. I have come to find out, I am really no different. I DESERVE TO WANDER THE DESERT. The perfect Grace of our Lord is the reason I am here today. I can never repay the Lord for his sacrifice for me, his giving up the life of his SON, for me, How can I ever repay? IT's just not possible. I praise the Lord for his LOVE. 

The trip is not over!