if you can dream it

This morning we had a leisurely continental breakfast at the hotel. Someone called my cell phone at 6:02a and I couldn't go back to sleep because it was really 9:02 on my body clock. So I showered grabbed an everlasting cup o' joe and sat around for 2 hours thinking.
More thought was provoked by a trip down to Anaheim to visit the Crystal Cathedral. We actually took our time and walked around. We visited the museum and gift shop and cemetery as well as the main glass "cathedral". A monstrous wad of capital spent in creating an incredible space in which to view the history of the crystal cathedral. Pretty cool beginnings though, standing on a roof and preaching to people in their cars at a drive-in theatre. That was truly innovative.
In the gift shop, they had "Crystal Cathedral Mints" in little round tins. I quipped that they should say, "Curiously Powerful Mints".
Back at saddleback, I tried to anticiptate what the focus of the first general session might be. I thought about all the blogs where I've complained about musical worship as a means of fellowship while I wondered what I was about to experience. While I was waiting on the conference to begin, I decided that there is a big difference between worship through fellowship and fellowship through worship. The latter grows our love for our brothers and sisters by our growing love for God. The former uses what is intended to be an expression of love for God as a means to feel fellowship with humans. It's all a matter of focus and intent. We can grow closer to one another by growing closer to God, but it is very difficult to grow closer to God when our focus is on us.
Once the conference began, I heard Rick Warren deliver what I think was one of the best LONG sermons on Christian Community that I've ever heard. I believe God was preparing me for that with what he'd put on mind all morning. That was very heart-warming. Will definitely affect the way I filter this entire week. Thanks Rick Warren.
Even though these two words are often used interchangeably (even today), I decided that there is a big difference between unity and community. One does not completely require the other. Maybe you should comment along these lines. Expect a nuance series blog soon.
Tonight we had a fantastic concert that was supposed to have included Abe Laboriel who stayed home to care for his extremely ill wife. It did include Lincoln Brewster, Abe's band, John Tesh(!), Morris Chapman, and tons of others. Oh yeah, a fire alarm brought all 3,500 out of the building in the middle of the concert.
Pretty cool day.