waiting for my ride

So we just finished a good six shows in a row this week, something I don't think we've ever done before. Actually I think it was 10 shows in 12 days to be exact. What a whirlwind, but what an awesome way to spend the last two weeks! I still can't believe how well the tour is going. Every night we've been shocked at how many people are actually showing up and singing along. We have an ongoing joke I'll let you in on as to why things have bode so well, then I'll try explain what I really think it is...

A few weeks ago we played a show in Kansas City and I decided to bring a rug to put on stage. I have to admit it's rather funny showing up with  A rug.  Not enough rugs to cover the stage mind you, but just one lonely rug to place on my 5 x 8 space on the stage. You see, all the big guys have been doing this for years and I don't think it's just because of the 'vibe' effect. It feels good on the feet and I believe it has great acoustical purposes in the way it counteracts the harshness from a blaring guitar amp.  Most drummers will use a rug to prevent their hardware and drums from slipping all over the place. It also helps to move a kit a few inches with one gentle pull on the rug.  Mark has actually been setting up his kit the past 12 years on a rug we stole from my mom. No joke - it's out on tour with us right now. So I decided it was high time I got a rug of my own. Kansas City was the first city to catch a glimpse and I honestly think the show went amazing! It just felt like everything on the rug was under control. When we started the tour we felt like it was time to kick it all up a notch and so we decided to grab an additional rug. I know - it's kind of a big deal, but we thought it was the right time. So here we are out on tour with 2 rugs and things are just smokin'. Every night after a great set we joke that it's 'gotta be the rugs.' I mean every night we're walking off stage and for the first time in sanctus real history we feel like we're just part of something bigger that is happening and none of us are really in control of it.  Well the jokes are funny for many reasons. Pete and Dan are funny guys, so of course the rug comments are new and more hilarious every night. But when all the joking subsides and we're still scratching our heads as to why this tour is going better than expected it becomes more and more obvious that it's God's blessing on it and nothing at all to do with cheap oriental rugs. We really believe that what this tour is doing is far greater than playing some songs and selling t-shirts. Of course we've always been concerned with writing songs to encourage people and relate what God has done in our lives, but everything has such deeper meaning this time around because we're helping to build wells for refugees in Darfur. It really is life changing. Thousands of people will get to drink clean water now because of people joining together at the shows and committing to send just 7 bucks a month to the mocha club. I can't even begin to describe how crazy it is that over $100,000 has been raised already!! We're not even a quarter of the way through the tour! To sit here and think that this dream we had earlier this year of taking the 'we need each other' theme on the road is now a God-breathed reality is absolutely mind blowing. So yeah - rugs are cool, but people coming together for the broken and thirsty is where I really want to be.

SO - thanks for reading. I'm waiting for my ride to Virginia. I'm excited to see what lies ahead. I'm also about 3 chapters from the end of a great book.  Check it out... The Shack