Lazy musicians use parking cones...really?

The breakfast musicians who use cones for a parking spot will now be parking in the back West Mulvane lot - instead of parking in front of the church.

Here's why...

One of the things I was impressed about TBC's musicians right from the start was the fact that they have breakfast together every Sunday AM between the 1st and 2nd hours of worship. They usually pile in one or two cars together and head out for some grub before they came back for the 2nd and 3rd round.

This impressed me because it builds relationships and camaraderie far more than anything structured I could ever set up. They laugh together. Learn about each others' lives. Rehash the 1st hour of worship. Share joys and frustrations. This is MORE IMPORTANT than the music we play. I'm not gonna make it a challenge for them to do this - I'm looking for ways to make it easier. In fact, I take a $20 out of the offering each week to pay for their breakfast...and I ask them to keep the change (ok folks, kidding).

They use a parking cone to get a prime parking spot when they return from breakfast. At first glace, the cone looks like the band members are lazy or simply don't want to walk further to the church. In fact, an anonymous person wrote the word "LAZY" not once - but twice on the cone. I don't know who wrote it - and I hope I never find out. I'm not a big fan of poker playing Christians who like to do things anonymously whether it's a back-handed joke or just crank turning. The only place anonymity has in Christianity is when you are praying/worshipping, giving, or serving - all perfect places for a cloak.

They aren't LAZY - trust me. These folks come every Thursday for 2-3 hours. They practice music at home. They show up every Sunday at 7AM to setup gear and don't leave until after 12:30PM. Let me ask you - is that a lazy group to you? No. OK, so you might think they are lazy for parking in the front. I wonder if the person who wrote LAZY is giving as much unpaid volunteer time. Enough of my poison-pen-cone-scribing friend. I forgive you - publicly.

Allow me to explain the #1 reason they NEED to park close to the church. They simply don't want to be late to the 2nd hour of worship. I don't want them to be late either ... I need them to lead worship with me. So they park close to the church so they can pile out and be ready to roll.

Folks, I want this musician breakfast vehicle parking close to the church!

However, I can completely see how parking right in the front makes the rest of the TBC worshippers and our guests feel. In fact, if you were looking for a good parking spot, saw a bunch of people get out of a vehicle to move a cone and park there - then you yourself have to hike two blocks to the church in subzero weather ... and as you enter the auditorium, you see the same group of people lead you in worship ... well, I might be a little miffed to - if I didn't understand the "why" behind the cone.

So here's what we are going to do...all musicians who use the 1 or 2 cones for breakfast parking will park right next to the church in the back West Mulvane parking lot (right outside the backstage back door). This will get them to breakfast quicker and back quicker - and allow the MORE IMPORTANT thing to happen ... RELATIONSHIPS.

Listen, at the end of our life on your deathbed - where you park isn't going to make any difference, but the relationships with the people around your deathbed will.

By the way, I'm finished with my library parking lot commitment for 2008. I have to admit - it wasn't just bitter cold some mornings...my spirit was slightly bitter when I made the walk up to the church and back to the car in the cold. I'm not going to be lazy and park right up at the church so my car takes up 3 parking spots all morning.

Lord, help us focus on things that really matter to You. I'm talking about the big things. Not what we wear, eat, drink, or where we park - but where our heart is with You.