Time With Woo.

Although it was far too brief, I got to spend some wonderful time with Morgan the last couple days. Scurrying through HEAVY L.A. traffic and barely creeping in halfway through their first song, I drove to Loma Linda on Saturday night to watch UCO perform their new set at Campus Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

The place was PACKED, and I spent the entire 90 minute concert standing to the side of the pews so I could be close enough to actually see what was going on. Some new songs, including "Untitled Hymm" and "Give It All Away" are some of my very favorites the group has ever done. The crowd was probably in the 800-900 area (in a church that probably seats about 800 normally!), and the reaction to Dr. Bonner and UCO was nothing short of amazing.

That night, I got the treat of going out to dinner with some of Morgan's best friends form school to a little place called Mimi's Cafe in San Bernardino. Morgan, Tiffany, Glenn, Aubree, and Aubree's boyfriend Jed laughed, ate muffins, and talked about the service and school for awhile before everybody headed back to campus.

Sunday morning, I drove 100 miles to Hemet to see Morgan's small group "Hope" perform at a tiny, poor church that I would've never noticed were it not the destination of my GPS. About 45-50 folks watched in awe, as this group of 7 singers and a pianist took over the service and shared testimony (some of which made me tear up) that brought each and every one of their songs to life. The highlights were Morgan's feature number "Not Guilty" and a beautiful piece called "The Promise", led by one of the group's other ladies. Papa Brown got choked up a number of times, and basked in every precious second of seeing his daughter serving Christ and bringing others closer to Him.

Lunch at La Fogata was surprisingly good (except for the need of queso dip on the menu!), and then it was time to find something interesting and unusual to,.....do,......in,.....Hemet,.......zzzzzzzz. Watch the local pool be drained?,.....nah. Walk around Wal-Mart trying to spot shoplifters?,......huh-uh. Go to the local beach?,.....isn't one. Get a tattoo?,......Doc doesn't allow them. Watch paint dry?,......couldn't find any. Well, at least we could always,......ummmm,.......the museu-,.....Indian artifa-,.......roadside produce sta-,.....ahem.

We did the greatest, most enticing activity available in Hemet since the advent of yelling "Run Forrest Run" at passing joggers. WE WENT BOWLING!!!! Actually, we had a blast playing as our new alter-egos "Skeeter and Flo". I bowled a 149 and a 144, while Woo kept it on the down-low with a 99 and a 76. We then stocked up on "college girl stuff" at Target, got Iced Caramel Macchiatos at Starbucks and drove off to Morgan's night concert in Hemet.

Another brilliant concert celebrating God's glory, a big hug and kiss good-bye, a 100-mile drive back to the Hilton Glendale, and my visit was over. Sad, but fulfilled. Proud, but missing her already. Already excited about the next chance to see her, hug her, laugh with her, and hold onto as many precious moments as I can with my princess.