On a Mission From God

No, this isn't simply a quote from Blues Brothers, although while a Sophomore in High School my offensive line coach dubbed me, "Belushi" for my messing around during practice and an alleged spitting image of the famed heroin overdosed comic.

No, this was told to me tonight while on a middle school youth event.

We took our middle school students down to Oklahoma City for an NBA game. The New Orleans Hornets (formerly from Charlotte) have been displaced the last two seasons from thier home because of hurricane Katrina. So last year they played all thier "home" games in OKC and this year they are playing half thier home games here. Next year, they'll be back in the Big Easy.

So this is pretty much a last shot at seeing a real NBA game, of which I've never had the opportunity along with most Kansans. Long story short, we took a couple vans full.

Before the game we stopped at the world's worst McDonald's. I don't know if it could even qualify as a full McDonald's experience. In fact, one of my students', Jonathan Buster, called it "McConoco" because it was half Conoco gas station and half McDonald's.

I finished eating and went to the gas station part and picked up a Reese's Big Cup. Put it on the counter and the clerk asked, "Are you in charge of the church group?"

Reluctantly I looked down and said, "Yeah...." And then it happenned.

I thought, I should say what I want to say, "FORTUNATLEY!" But, I thought that would be too awkward and wierd and I thought the typical thing to say is "Unfortunately" because, after all, who likes working with middle schoolers?

Except that...I do. In fact, my buddy Kirk affirmed just that afterwards when we were gassing up the vans."Man, I'm so glad that you love being with Middle Schoolers," said Kirk. "Because I was ready to leave half of them at a rest stop in Oklahoma" he said with a grin.

Not me. I love working with middle school students. But, that is the wierd answer. Plus, I was pretty stressed out because the McDonald's had gotten numerous orders wrong, was super slow, and I thought we were going to miss the start of the game.

Of course, the Holy Spirit was whispering in my ear, "Don't worry. Don't hurry. Don't be anxious about anything but in prayer....that's when I shut him off. Cause I was STRESSED. And angry. And worried. And who needs to hear from God when you have all of that going on!

So I answered the polite clerk with what I thought was expected, "Unfortunately."

Nanoseconds before I muttered the 5 sylable word, I thought, "Watch, you are going to say this and this guy is going to call me on the carpet." But of course, what are the chances of that? Yeah right.

The word dripped out of my mouth, "Unfortunately."

Right away, I was doomed.

Delightfully.

"Nah man, don't say that." The tall and athletic looking clerk said to me behind the counter. "You are on a mission from God. When I was kid I had a guy just like you who took me to games and hung out with me and..."

The guy said a couple other things that I'm sure were very encouraging, but I was so busy trying to get my jaw untangeled from my shoe laces that I missed the rest of whatever he said. I think I said, "Thanks," smiled, and made my way out the door.

And once again, God spoke to me. He affirmed my calling. And from the lips of a 20-something, African-American Brother, He said, "I love you, Ken. Keep doing what you're doing. I'm with you and love you."

Like Chariots of Fire, really, gosh this is so tacky and lame, but when I am with Middle School students, it is one of a few things that when I do it, I feel God's pleasure.

Who knew that today, on my way to take a group of students to an NBA game, that I would come face to face with Jesus.

Freaky.

Cool.