The layers of God’s providence astound me, yet I still don’t trust, I still doubt His love and fear for those things which I cannot control.
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It’s rare that we get to do much spontaneous. On Tuesday afternoon Sonya asked if I had much work do – to which I could only say I had no deadlines. So I drove up to Detroit to visit Drew and Kat and see the One Time Blind DVD taping (which started around 6:30 on Tuesday). It was an easy drive, right up 75 north. My first time to Michigan.
I arrived around 6:15 at the church and called Kat as I got into the parking lot. She drug Drew out into the parking lot, where I was walking toward the front entrance and surprised him – speechless. It was great to see them – to be a support on this big day. We walked inside, a few moments of shock still, and Drew and Kat had to scurry back to get prepared. I stood in the lobby and looked around, called Sonya, talked to the kids. Zito came out and we introduced ourselves quickly, and the show soon began.
I sat 3rd row left center. I felt awkward being alone but happy, and enjoyed watching the people as they came in (family members, relatives, friends). The first show was recorded with stationary camera in 3 locations. OTB performed seamlessly for an hour, followed by a brief 2 minutes of waiting, then sang “New Day”. Then the audience got some refreshments and snacks outside before the second show started.
The second show was filmed with hand held and close up cameras. Again, OTB performed seamlessly, with camera’s in their faces and fluttering about them. I felt proud, even though I have no stake in OTB other than friend, knowing who they are, what they go through, their love and mission, I was proud to call them friends. And watching Drew and Kat is special in that I know them both, and love them.
I hung about the chairs for a few hours and blended in hiding, watched people hug and shake hands and talk, content in being there. In that moment. For that time. Later, afterall the take down of the stage, a few Mountain Dews and Twizzlers, I followed Kat back to their house – through what must have once been a military test ground for small explosives. It was about 1am. I crashed on the couch, and it felt like home. Drew got back and we (Zito, Kat, Drew, Lou – Drew’s mom, and I) went to Dimitri’s – a local dive in Belleville. I had an omlette – it was sublime. Drew and I crashed downstairs, feel asleep to NPR. To wake, spill some coffee on the floor, and drive back to church, so OTB could continue the clean up. I said my bittersweet goodbye, back on the road home.