46:16

Americans are working more and playing less. Read more here.

No wonder I am sensing a strong call to outdoor education. By playing we are learning, growing and dare I say it... working a little as well.

Trouble

I have always had a fascination with John the Baptist. There are some parallels in my own life and faith journey that allows me to have a spiritual kinship with John. Maybe this also explains why I am where I am in the church today... (sigh)

In my devotional time today, the author makes these statements regarding the person of John.

Always pointing beyond himself, ready to get out of the way, finally beheaded by the powers that be, John represents the kind of liberation and the kind of prophecy that we need in our affluent culture. He is not just free from the system, he is amazingly free from himself. These are the only prophets God can use, the only prophets we can trust... Trouble us, John!

The wilderness/desert has taught me more (in the 18 months) than the 28 years I've been in the church. I am not one to make the statement that I am a prophet. I do believe a lot of what I've been thinking/feeling and saying has had prophetic meaning. And I know it is troubling people in this affluent culture. People in the church aren't ready for that kind of message... they have their Joel Olsteens and Prayer of Jabezes... We aren't free from the system. Hell, we still aren't free from ourselves.

I guess writer Flannery O'Connor said it best of our present circumstances:

Truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.

Grand Canyon Adventure

I meant to post this when I got back from our trip in Indiana. I saw an ad in my Outside magazine for the movie Grand Canyon Adventure:River at Risk and wanted to see it. So when we were walking the canal in Indy, we passed the IMAX Theater and I saw that this movie was playing! I went the very next day and it was one of the coolest movie experiences I've ever had. It was in a 3D IMAX format. A full-on sensory overload with an important conservation message as well! Check out the trailer.

Direction and Inspiration

It has been really neat to see how things are coming into focus for me in the past few days.

I mailed out an application and resume today to an emerging outdoor education program. This just might be my opportunity to do what I'm passionate about. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

In the past week, I have been writing new songs and rerecording older ones. I have uploaded (much better) versions of my original songs "Fly", "Harvest", "Campfire" and a brand new one called "Elders." You can check out the songs on my music websites:

http://www.myspace.com/randallwestfall
or
http://www.purevolume.com/westwardwolf

I plan to have one more song finished, recorded and uploaded by the end of the week (I think it might be the best one yet).