Thirty-one years ago, at the tender age of 10, I fell in love with a 33 year old! Yep, I did. I first saw him in his video, 'Don't Talk to Strangers' and I was obsessed from then on. I looked for every poster available of him & had them pinned to my walls. I created a photo album of every story and photo I could find on him. I bought every album I could find that he had ever made. I'd look for stories about him and memorize all the facts I could get on him. His birthday is on August 23, 1949. He loves dogs. He loves his guitar collection. He married Barbie and has two sons. He loved his dad. He acted a few times but his most memorable role was as Dr Noah Drake on General Hospital. He made a movie, Hard to Hold, which did not do well at the box office. He started a series called Nick Knight, where he was a police officer who could only work at night because of his dark secret: he was a vampire. I don't think that lasted very long either. His main gift is music and playing his guitar. When I was 12 my mom actually bought us tickets to go see him in concert! November 14, 1984 was the first time I saw him perform live and it was amazing! I was pretty enamored by this musician. And this love affair lasted, oh, from about 10 years old throughout my junior high years.
But one day, Someone else started tugging at my heart, wanting desperately to come in.
My first memory as a child is that of getting picked up by a bus on Sunday mornings in order to attend Sunday school and church. I was three years old. I can still see my baby brother, face covered in tears, wearing nothing but a pamper, standing at the door as he watched me leave. I know I was three because I can remember telling the teacher when I turned four years old and expecting to move up to the four year old class. But she didn't move me. I probably attended this church until I was old enough to start catechism classes in order to prepare to receive my first communion. My Grandma was a very devout catholic. My mom, not so much. And my dad's religious background was Church of Christ. Neither of them attended their respective religions. So my Grandma took charge of my religious upbringing. I would stay Saturday evenings with her and attend mass with her and my Grandpa on Sunday mornings. All I remember about catechism is learning the prayers which go along with the rosary. I remember I had to learn them in English and in Spanish. Oh, and I remember having to say my first confession: 'I lied, stole something, blamed things I did on my brother (for which he got the spanking)', and I think that was the brunt of the confession of an 8 year old.
But the best thing my Grandma gave me wasn't the religious upbringing. She gave me my first Holy Bible, New International Version. I remember she gave it to me when I turned 6 years old, after she knew I would be able to read it. I was so excited! I couldn't wait to dig into God's Word. So I started from the beginning. But then somewhere along the details of the building of the altar and all those numbers, I kinda got lost & stopped. I didn't have any other guide.
So, I think I must have gone through a spiritual drought after I made my first Holy Communion until about 8th grade. One day my aunt and uncle took me to their church ( a non-denominational church) and I LOVED it! I went into a youth bible study & I was getting fed! I didn't realized how starved I was! I wanted to keep going, but my precious mom made a deal with me...if I started attending Holy Redeemer, a catholic church, then she would go with me. Wow! Score! I dreamed of my mom attending church & us going as a family. Even though it would just be her, I agreed. A few Sundays in, they announced a youth meeting and I went. I became committed to my youth group, my mom saw that, and since she knew I would go on my own, she stopped. I loved my youth leaders! They were loving and seemed to have all sorts of godly wisdom. I joined the youth choir as well. Opportunities for retreats and searches came up and I took full advantage of them.
However, it was at these retreats and searches that I began feeling an enormous tug on my heart. At each of these events an invitation to accept Christ was presented. But, remember, my obsession with my beautiful rock star? How could I come to Christ & still have the rock star pinned to my walls and to my heart? So, each time the invitation was presented, I declined. But, Jesus kept calling my name. Finally, at the last search, I went up and received Christ into my heart as my personal Savior. I could no longer ignore Him.
And He showed me a love of mercy and grace that no one else could give me. Not even the rock star. I didn't have to change to come to Christ, but He changed me after the mystery of salvation was revealed to me through the Holy Spirit.
That brings me to my present age, which is kinda old. Especially in my own children's minds. And once again I have reacquainted myself with Rick Springfield, the enamored love of my childhood. I am no longer obsessed with him, but as I read his autobiography, I feel sorry for him. I don't think he knows our beloved Savior. But, my husband knowing how much Rick Springfield meant to me growing up, surprised me with concert tickets! So, we had to go! And this would be my second opportunity to see him perform live. Oh, and it was a GREAT concert! He sang the songs I knew from the 80's and a few newer ones that I didn't know. But the best part was when he jumped off the stage onto the floor! Oh, I was there! I was right next to him and I touched his sweat soacked shoulder! I'm pretty sure I could not have been able to handle that at 12 years old.
But in all of the excitement, in the middle of that crowd of middle aged women, Jesus popped into my mind. I hope it is because now, instead of obsessing over a rock star, I obsess over my Jesus. I read all I can to get to know Him better, to strengthen my relationship with Him. As I observed everyone trying to get pictures and a touch of Rick Springfield, I remember reading about all the crowds that followed Jesus and how they all wanted to see Him and touch Him. And with Jesus, we are not just another face in the crowd. He knows us. He knows us each by name. He knows our hearts. He knows our pain and our joys. And He's always there for us. When we come to Him, He touches us and He heals us and He forgives us and He gives us peace.
No rock star, or any earthly thing for that matter, can do that.
"O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place Your Hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!" Psalm 139:1-6
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