LOUD

A few years ago I went to Seattle Harley Davidson to look at bikes--three hours later I went home with a V-rod! What am I saying? I am saying that there are moments of weakness in a man's life. For me, it has never been drinking, smoking, gambling, but I have this absolute weakness for motorized vehicles! You name it, if it has a motor chances are I have tried it, raced it or attempted to make it cool. I just can't help it--I like speed, thrills, chills, and that "dear-Lord-save-me" sensation from going wide open! Can you feel it? Good!

So I put a new exhaust pipe on my V-rod because I wanted it louder and looking tough, which by the way would never take up space in my garage if my mother and father were still on the planet--they were "NO STREET BIKE" kind of parent's and even today I sometimes can feel a little mischievous while gallivanting around Snohomish County with Pastor Bill, Uncle Jim, Pastor Rory and so on--they are such bad influences on me, "Honest dad, it was Rory's idea." Anyway, I put a new pipe on my bike and tonight on my way home Aaron Anderson, drummer at the church, who lives about 4 blocks off my street, sends me a text message, "Come put Callan back to sleep, your pipes woke him up!" Callan is Aaron and Nikki's 6-month old baby...YIKES!

OK, I admit it. The new pipes are way too loud! I am finally admitting that there is something too loud and it is not race cars, the worship music, or the sound of a beautifully tuned nitrous injected snowmobile, it is my NEW EXHAUST! Even with ear plugs my ears ring for hours after just fifteen minutes of throttle therapy.

Why am I posting this? Because sometimes "it gets too loud" and it got me thinking...

* Heaven will be loud! Imagine the volume of every waterfall combined, this is what worship will sound like in heaven.
* I like loud! BUT, Louder is not always better. Like in relationships, the louder someones talks at me, the less willing I am to listen.
* Is it possible to talk about something so much, people become deaf to the sound? Sure it is.
* I have seen a man with a mega phone preaching his hell-fire gospel on a street corner and no one hears a word he is saying.
* I have seen a child sleep through a Rock Church worship service without so much as twitching a muscle.
* I am convinced, it is not the volume of our life that wears at us; instead, it is those whom we are listening to.

I ordered a silencer tonight and if that doesn't fix it you can bet the V-rod will be back to what it was before we turned the volume up. LOUDER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER, but it's definitely cool in small doses...on a motorcycle.

I feel better now that I have admitted my weakness--please send "get well" cards, modifications, upgrades, race tire coupons, nitrous fills and etc. to 16891 146th ave... attention: Knightrous.

Just teasing. Tune your life to the right station (hint: JC) and turn up the volume, you'll not be disappointed.