part two

So, we have seen a little glimpse... the choir, Steve Hindalong, Derri Daugherty, Dan Michaels and a few others from time to time. They were just the beginning for me though.
I guess another influence over the past several years would have to have been Kawartha Lakes Bible School, (now College). This little institution introduced me to the idea that the Bible was really deep and really complicated and could be taken very seriously and even challenged without worrying if you were going to be disappointed at the end of the challenge. I remember reading AW Tozer and for the first time glimpsing something "mystical", something challenging my thinking and then finding out that he wasn't a "Brethren" guy. And he was good too! Unbelievable!! Of course, up to this point I'd been not too tolerant of anyone else, ignorance is not necessarily a good thing when you're going to try to shine the grace of God, but then again, up to about the age of 20 how many times do youstop and think about the idea of grace?? Which leads me to the next thought, post high school age is often a very intolerant age. I know I sure was intolerant, even as I was discovering the fact.
It was also at this point that I began to discover that I was really quite a sinner. My motives were bad and I began to discover it. But more about that later.

Why am I who I am?

I thought I'd add a few thoughts from time to time about things that have influenced me and my thinking over the years.
The first thing that comes to mind as I type is that one day, a long time ago, I heard this song on the radio, "Kingston Road". I was about 17 or so, it was Peterborough's Christian music show. I'd listened to lots of music on that show that I liked, some of it really was good. Phil Keaggy, Mark Heard, Russ Taff, Whiteheart, I liked all those guys back then... but this was different, this was new, this wasn't easy to listen to, this wasn't the same old same old and I knew that there was more than just the same old way to say the same old thing, that you could find Jesus in strange and wonderful ways and places.
Here are the lyrics, sung by the choir (capitals left out on purpose!), words by charlie peacock (who's real name is Charlie Ashworth)

Walking down kingston road
In the little town of LeatherheadG
uess I'm on my own
Though I will never be alone
Not With YOU right by my side
In my heart and on my mind
Keeping me in line down Kingston Road

Walkin' down Kingston road
Father, lead me down
This winding lane
Lift me up if I should fall
And start me out again

Ponder with me if You will
A tender thought or two
How I came from where I was
To walk this road with You

Walking down kingston road
In the little town of Leatherhead
Guess I'm on my own
Though I will never be alone

Now its not my favourite lyric but it was a pretty little tune that introduced me to a whole "alternative" to what we'd always heard. And it wasn't just about the music. It was so much more.
More which shall be pried into a little more here eventually.

Is this thing on?

testing, testing....
hot mic, hot mic