From San Antonio

I am writing from San Antonio. I was today's keynote speaker for the Texas Association of Health Care Volunteers. There were over a 1,000 people in the audience and boy did they respond. I pack these presentations with the best principles, stories and jokes that I have collected over the past 25 years and mix it all with music as I play my guitar and sing. I also us media clips from movies and and such. Today I used Team Hoyt. I like speaking to different audiences. Today I spoke to hospital volunteers, Sunday I will preach the gospel of Jesus at church, Monday I teach Stress Management to my students at Marshall, Tuesday I will provide training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for counselors at the Pike County Recovery Council in Waverly Ohio. I like the variety. I especially loved today because - well, I can't decribe how it felt - sort of electric, alive, connected - you know what I mean? I could feel it man. They smiled, cried, clapped several times during my talk and they laughed really loud. When people laugh or cry it opens them up and then, just at the right time, I stick a little truth in them. You know what I mean? Well, anyway - they bought my music CDs and hugged me - I thought they were going to kiss me! I wish it was like that all the time - it's not. Some times I'm on and sometimes I'm off. One of the reasons people responded today is that I told them about my fall (which was not to topic I was speaking on but it fit perfectly and it was at that point that God started moving in a way that I could feel and see - I think the Christians in the crowd could feel God moving too. So I gave a little three minute summary of my fall and how God was helping as am a recovering alcoholic. Afterward people waited in line to tell me their pain - stories dad or mom or husband or son or daughter - how they were struggling with alcohol and drugs or other vices. I just listened and express concern for them. Well, anyway, God did it up good today and I give God the glory for it all. I hope he does it again soon.

After I spoke I went to the riverwalk. O', by the way, the convention where I spoke was at the largest hotel in San Antonio and it was right on the river walk. So after I spoke I found a good deal on t-shirts for the girls. I always bring back tee-shirts for my girls and I also bought a nice shirt for Kim. Then I went to the Alamo which was near the Marriott. I walked back to the river walk and heard a good band - the music was really different - fusion/Latin/Native America - I don't know what to call it but it was good music and a lot of people on listening on both sides of the river. I was hungry so I ate a great big delicious New York Strip with a bake potatoe and a salad at a nice resturant right on the riverwalk.

I am ready to go home. I miss Kim and the girls. They are coming home from the beach tomorrow as I travel home from Texas. Kim and her parents to the girls and their cousins to Myrtle Beach. I'm going to take them again this summer. OK. I have got to stop blogging and get back to my sermon - been studing worship all week and hope to finish it tonight so I will have it for the flight. I decided too extend my "Grow" series with one more sermon - it would not be complete without it. I am calling it "Evangelism for Dummies - an easy and effective way to witness to friends." I am excited about it. But now I am going to finish this week's sermon on worship. Later.