The World According To Chris Brewer

I’ve been royally dissed over the past few weeks. Is it God’s way to humble me?

The top 5 statements used against me (and I have to say I still think three of them are quite hilarious):

1. I was playing basketball with a bunch of guys at a local park recently. After missing a few close jumpers in the lane in which I stopped and failed to drive to the basket, someone told me “You play basketball like Christian Laettner.” I don’t think it gets much worse than that, unless you’re talking about Nancy Boy’s days at Duke.

2. I talked to Stephanie on the phone on Sunday. I had told her that I’m not even interested in any other girl right now, even though the opposite is slowly starting to come true. She tells me, “I seriously think you are mentally unstable.” Nice thing to hear from a girl I could have easily considered my best friend not three weeks ago.

3. After I told a buddy of mine about a fit I threw yesterday on Newport News Park’s disc golf course (in which I uprooted a heavy sign and threw it ten feet, close to an older woman who was playing the course), he told me “You remind me of Vince Coleman…or Bob Knight.” (Click the underlined links for references to what he was talking about….on the second link, it’s the third picture from the top.)

The other two are not worth mentioning, even though I said I would mention them.

But these three are pretty good.

NOTE: This is my journal from Day 1 of my roadtrip across America. I had just been relocated from Lajes Field in Portugal’s Azores Islands to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. I took nine days of leave to visit friends and family back home in Rainier, Oregon, on September 4. My dad bought my car for me (I gave him the money later), a 1995 Chrysler Cirrus LX which blessed me with a highway gas mileage of 32–and on September 13, my journey began. I looked forward to the task of transporting all my personal belongings from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. Here is entry #1 of the journal.

It was fun visiting Rainier, going to the first high school football game of the season, seeing Coaches Pinkstaff and Cameron (cross country and baseball)…also seeing my family and spending some good time with them. I don’t think Mom ever wants to play Scrabble with me again, by the way.

Yesterday was cool and I almost left after attending church at New Horizons in Vancouver. I love Pastor Smith…he saw me sitting in the back of the church and called my name out from the pulpit. I had brought Katie Hargett and one of her college friends from U of Portland to church with me, so we hung out afterwards along with my “sister” Danielle Parker. We ended up hanging out until nighttime and I ended up driving home from Portland in the dark. After watching a movie with Mom, Dad and Jason, I headed off to bed.

This morning I woke up at 8:30 and showered quickly. During the shower I realized that after nearly two years in the Air Force, I still really miss this place. I know it’s only a double wide modular home and my parents have converted my old bedroom into Mom’s office, but I slept better this week than I have the past two years. Rainier–and this house–is home, and nothing else ever will be.

After my shower and a quick breakfast, I said goodbye to Mom, Dad and Jason. I know I’ll see them again but still every time I say goodbye, my eyes well up with tears. As I pulled out of the driveway and drove down Fern Hill Road, I realized this was it. I’m not just going to Longview, Vancouver or Portland. I’m driving clear across the country on four wheels, $650 to my name, and Jesus Christ in my passenger seat.

I’m scared to death. I wanted to do this, but I’m scared to death.

I’ve never been farther east than Billings, Montana in a car. It’s going to be a different sort of adventure, driving all the way across the U.S. and seeing different states, people, walks of life, etc.

So anyway, here’s how today’s trip went.

After taking I-5 down to Vancouver, a road I have traveled for many years, I said goodbye to Danielle once again and headed east on Interstate 84 from Portland toward Idaho. I love the Columbia River Gorge–it’s overcast today but the scenery is still beautiful no matter what. Once I reached The Dalles, the sun started peeking out. I think it’s amazing how it’s all trees and rock cliffs from Portland to The Dalles…but once you pass the Celilo Indian Reservation it becomes barren lands of wheat, grass and tumbleweeds. It doesn’t feel like Oregon.

Around 1 PM, I reached Kennewick, Washington after taking Interstate 82 back across the Columbia River. I passed by the Tri-Cities COGOP (I think they call it High Point now), and said a quick prayer for Pastor Paul and Debbie Arnold and family. I love those guys. God bless their church and the Tri-Cities ministry.

Before I knew it, I was on US-395 north toward Ritzville. I pulled into Ritzville for a snack and read something at a local gas station about how black the sky was when Mt. St. Helens erupted. The photo on the tourist brochure was surreal. Other than that, I would have only known Ritzville to be the crucial joining of US-395 and I-90. I merged onto I-90 after grabbing a candy bar, and headed east. I-90 is going to be my main link to the East Coast.

Spokane, Coeur d’Alene….RAIN. It pounded once I reached Idaho’s interior. After climbing a few hills and passing a lot of trucks, the rain let up. Brrr, it got cold though….and my cell phone has no reception. Montana’s coming up so I wonder if Verizon even gets service out in the sticks.

68 miles? That’s all of I-90 through Idaho. Before I knew it I was in western Montana. I stopped for my first fuel stop of the trip at St. Regis, and it was 7:24 PM. I could still go another couple hours before calling it an evening.

Which I did. I stopped at a Comfort Inn in Missoula and called it a night. Called Mom and Dad from the hotel phone since my cell phone doesn’t get reception and I don’t want roaming charges. I’ll have to keep them both updated about my progress daily. Dad’s out driving the truck again so I wonder how Mom is doing at home with Jason. I’ll bet Mom’s reading a book or watching some TV, and Jason’s probably getting ready for bed and school tomorrow. I already miss those guys.

Jason’s really heavy on my mind. I didn’t treat him the best as a brother all these years, and now I have to make up for lost time with the short visits I have back home. Hopefully I can call him tomorrow and ask him how everything is going now, talk about the school football team again, etc.

One thing I forgot to mention was that I am going to keep my Bible on the passenger side of my dashboard for the remainder of my trip, as a constant reminder of Who I have with me at all times. He is guiding my path and has sent angels down to protect my car, my goods, and me. If only He could calm my nerves and brain, everything will be fine.

Time to stop writing. Monday Night Football is actually good tonight, and it’s the fourth quarter. Come 7:30 tomorrow morning, I’m on the road again. Maybe I can make it to Minnesota…hopefully. Pray for better weather.

Currently Listening To:

Artist: Pet Shop Boys / Track: I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Anymore
Album: Nightlife / Label: Parlophone UK / Year: 1999

Sitting here listening to the Pet Shop Boys’ song “I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Any More.” It’s basically sung from the point of view of a guy who was in love with a girl who left him for another guy.

Could that guy be me? I don’t know yet, but I’m aching to find out.

Here are the lyrics.

Did you get what you want? Do you know what it is? Do you care?
Is he better than me? Was it your place or his? Who was there?
Did you think it was wrong? Do you find that it’s worse than it was?
Has it gone on too long? Do you mind that it hurts me? Because
You’re breaking my heart

I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
You’re breaking my heart

Was it cracking the code or just filling in time? Was that all?
So then why’d you go back to the scene of the crime? Did he call?
Shall I take further blame or another assaullt on how it was?
Then we’ll get to the fact that it’s always my fault just because
You’re breaking my heart

I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
You’re breaking my heart
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
You’re breaking my heart

Don’t know what you want….
Don’t know what you want….

Vicious stuff. Listen to a sample from the song here.

Wow. Who ever thought that a member of one of rock music’s most influential bands could turn a 180, dedicate his life to Christ, and preach to fellow entertainers?

That’s exactly what Brian “Head” Welch, formerly from the band Korn, is doing. Welch recently accepted Jesus as his savior at a church service in California. Personally, I became interested in his story recently, so today before I went to work, I did a search for him on the Internet and ended up finding his website. He calls it “Head to Christ,” as “Head” was his nickname when he was a member of Korn. On his site he shares his journal which he updates semi-frequently, and he tells stories of how his life was spiraling down the toilet….he was hooked on drugs, playing in a band whose lyrics don’t exactly contain a hopeful message, and reached the breaking point recently. To make a long story short, a friend lent Welch his Bible, Brian found hope in the message and went to church one Sunday and got saved. Amazing!!!

The thing that impresses me about him is that he is 100% bold and vocal about his faith. It puts me to shame because this guy is a new Christian and he is already a bolder witness than myself and a lot of others I know. The Lord is using him to reach out to rapper 50 Cent, as evidenced by this MTV News article. Welch wrote a song about and for the gangsta rapper, basically imploring him to turn from his lifestyle and “head to Christ” (nice little pun there, yes).

I have been impressed to pray for Brian Welch. As much as God is working in his life, we need to hold our brother up in prayer because Satan is going to attack him. One who has once been used by the enemy for evil is now being used by God for good, and Satan is mad as the place he inhabits. Help me pray for God’s peace, protection and an even stronger boldness upon Brian Welch.

This man has a powerful new ministry and God bless him for it!

This is great. Someone finally has the guts to stand up for the Word of God in the face of adversity. Check this out (from The Digital Courier).

Church Sign Sparks Debate

This sign posted in front of Danieltown Baptist Church has
sparked debate in Rutherford County about religious tolerance.
(Josh Humphries/Daily Courier)

By JOSH HUMPHRIES Daily Courier Staff Writer
FOREST CITY — A sign in front of a Baptist church on one of the most traveled highways in the county stirred controversy over religious tolerance and first-amendment rights this weekend. A sign in front of Danieltown Baptist Church, located at 2361 U.S. 221 south reads “The Koran needs to be flushed,” and the Rev. Creighton Lovelace, pastor of the church, is not apologizing for the display.

“I believe that it is a statement supporting the word of God and that it (the Bible) is above all and that any other religious book that does not teach Christ as savior and lord as the 66 books of the Bible teaches it, is wrong,” said Lovelace. “I knew that whenever we decided to put that sign up that there would be people who wouldn’t agree with it, and there would be some that would, and so we just have to stand up for what’s right.”

Seema Riley, a Muslim, who was born in Pakistan and reared in New York, was one of those upset by the sign. She moved to Rutherford County for the “small town friendly” atmosphere, she said. When she saw the sign on the side of the highway Saturday she felt angered and threatened.

“We need a certain degree of tolerance,” said Riley. “That sign doesn’t really reflect what I think this county is about.”

She said that according to Islamic faith, a follower does not even touch the Koran without going through a ritual cleansing. Muslims believe the physical book to be a sacred item that is treated with respect and reverence, much like the image of Jesus in Christianity, according to a report on National Public Radio.

“For someone to put that sign up — the person just didn’t understand — didn’t take into consideration what putting up that sign means,” said Riley. “I don’t think it should be posted on a sign in public viewing on the highway to create a hostile environment for me.”

The appearance of the sign follows a national news story from last week. Newsweek magazine retracted a story reporting that military guards at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay flushed a copy of the Koran down the toilet during interrogation of a detainee. The Newsweek story sent Washington in a frenzy and was blamed for igniting Muslim riots and deaths abroad, including a particularly violent outburst in Afghanistan.

“Our creed as a Christian, or a Protestant, or a Baptist church — of course we don’t have a creed but the bible — but we do have the Baptist faith and message that says that we should cling to the 66 books of the Holy Bible and any other book outside of that claiming to know the way of God or claiming to be God’s word is automatically written off and is trying to defeat people from the
way of true righteousness inside of our viewpoint in how we view the word of God,” Lovelace said.

“Putting such a sign in a public place is an un-American example of intolerance, of aggressive disrespect for other citizens’ deeply held views,” said Donald Searing, Burton Craige Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “This is the sort of attitude and action that seriously endangers the liberty which lies at the heart of our democracy. It is also a good reminder that just because one may have the legal right to say something, doing so may not be morally, socially or politically desirable.”

When Lovelace was asked whether he considered before he put the sign up that there may be some consequences or that some people may be angered, he said he was aware of the likelihood of angering some people.

“Well, I thought about it and I said there may be people who are offended by it but the way I look at it, Jesus told his followers that if the world hates you, don’t feel bad because they hated me first,” said Lovelace. “If we stand for what is right and for God’s word and for Christianity then the
world is going to condemn us and so right away when I got a complaint I said ‘well somebody’s mad, somebody’s offended, so we must be doing something right.’”

Danieltown Baptist Church belongs to the Sandy Run Baptist Association and the association’s Director of Missions the Rev. Jim Diehl said that Lovelace’s opinion does not necessarily reflect that of that organization.

“Each of the churches of the Sandy Run Baptist Association are autonomous bodies,” said Diehl. “Each church can develop a stance on doctrinal issues and can develop its own stance on moral issues.”

The Rev. Billy Honeycutt, of the Green River Baptist Association said that he hopes that those who see the sign keep tolerance in mind.

“Respecting religion is important and respecting other people is important,” said Honeycutt. “Hopefully, a lot of people will have that thought when they see the sign.”

Following the religious controversy at a church in Waynesville where several members were asked to leave in what was termed a dispute over politics, several groups threatened to boycott the entire town due to the actions of one preacher.

Director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Bill Hall said he does not think that the Danieltown sign will have a negative impact on the county’s tourism or economic vitality.

“It is unfortunate that things like that happen and it certainly doesn’t represent Rutherford County,” said Hall. “I think that most people will understand that that is not a common attitude in this community.”

Lovelace said he felt it was the work of God to display the sign and that no one in the church has spoken up against it to him.

He said the church has 55 members on the roster and he has only received one angry phone call since the sign was posted.

“We have a good group of people,” said Lovelace.

Lovelace said the sign changes every week.

“About Friday or Saturday we will have a new sign,” he said. “It should state to some effect ‘Where are your treasures? Are they at the flea market or are they in heaven?’”

Lovelace said that he does not have anything against the flea market that recently opened up down the street from the church.

“I enjoy a good flea market, but if people can be down there at eight o’clock why can’t they be at church at 11,” he said.