Sunday morning before worship- 5 minutes before worship, I sneaked up to the the upper room where the intercessors band for war.
I stepped in behind a warrior that I have gone and will go into battle with. A brother who honors the call within each of our squad and I trust to cover my back as he can trust me to cover his. The intercessors were banded together about him and I did take his back, steeling him with anything that I had to offer.
The then caught sight of me and began to bless me in ways that I haven't yet caught the whole of. One began to answer a prayer prayed and confessed 8 years ago.
In the Voyage of the Dawntreader by CS Lewis There was a young rascal named Edmond who found himself enchanted and turned into a dragon.
He found his cousins but they didn't recognize him and thought him a threat until they saw a tear fall from his eye. It was not long before Aslan appeared and asked Edmund if he would repent from his contrary ways.
He repented and Aslan attacked him, tearing away the scales and dragon flesh that covered him.
I was without visible scale but they were torn away just the same.
Weapons removed and old wounds healed.
Next hands laid on me were accompanied by words of freedom to roar and to speak what God puts in my mouth. I was likened to a grizzly bear giving the enemy cause for worry and given permission to offend the enemy.
There was more, but my memory fails.
My friend Brian escorted me down the stairs and I joined worship that was in progress at that time.

I'm looking for a picture that sort of captures who I seem to be currently. This one catches my eye as I know that I am a bear and I do love the river.
For anyone who happens onto this blog, I should explain that the river is kind of a euphemism for the living and active kingdom of heaven.
There is a newness in creation that draws me to want to protect it. Not wildly, like some eco-freak, but because all creation waits for the sons of God to manifest. When this takes place much that has been wrong will be right.

And I am a bear that will protect it. Protect God's creation, His plan, His anointing. It's not that they need my protection, it's in my DNA.
And it's not just about nature. I have friends that I would do everything that I could to keep them safe. I have a friend that I am drawn to serve and it is to meet any needs that I can within the boundaries that the Father restrains me with.
And my own weaknesses.
Last night I experienced a failure in protecting what I love. I didn't recognize the disturbance in the kingdom as it pertains to me and my tribe.
I knew something was up but I thought it was my something and didn't recognize how big it was.
In fact, there was something very big going on and I was distracted by my own flea.
I have got to get a handle on this before I go much farther. There is some dark places for me to go yet and I can't afford to miss anything. It will only lead to the failure of my mission, whatever mission I may be dealing with at the time. On the other hand, there is that side of me that has freedom to do and to fight and to express myself knowing that The Father knows me and has set aside bit of me just for fun. Like the three fat sisters in "The Point" from Harry Nilsson whose point was fun and merriment. That is what I see in the next picture.
Sometimes it's a problem, but mostly not so much. And I leave the photographers credits on the shots. They are very nice shots.

It started with a trip to Costco on the way home before the last conference. I wandered around and thot, "Ooh, I can eat chili cold, I should grab a case so that I can keep some handy."
At the conference, the guy preaching (Jeremy Nelson) made an off-handed comment about chili being the price of the prophet's reward.
Guess who had chili in the trunk of his car...
And at the end of the service I chased him out the door, chili in hand, and said, "I came for my reward."
He looked at me like I was nuts. He had no context, so I reminded him of what he had said in the sermon and he looked at me, touched my chest and said, "Lord give him financial prosperity," and continued on to the car.
I thought, "I would have liked a little more" thinking about maybe some prophecy, but having been around ministry I have a great respect for protocol and didn't press. I just told the Lord, "It will be good because it's all you anyway."
The next night I played my djembe in worship like a man possessed, which I was. (The Holy Spirit likes my drum.)
After we finished and I left the platform, my friend came and told me that someone had given him an envelope and handed it to me. It felt like some folded bills and so I was curious, but I had no idea.
I went around the corner and tore the corner open and saw a $100 bill. I opened it and fanned ten $100 bills. I was speechless.
And there was no plan, no request, no idea what it was for. Just "here Todd, I love you."
I've made some decisions that may not have been the best, but I'm trying.
AND
a couple of days ago I was thinking about the cars that I have driven in the past few years. Cars that were given to me. I began to think about the names- Trail blazer... Forerunner... And now a Cavalier.

Trailblazer:

1.	a person who blazes a trail for others to follow through unsettled country or wilderness; pathfinder.

2.	a pioneer in any field of endeavor: a trailblazer in science.

Forerunner:

1. 1. One that precedes, as in time; a predecessor.
   2. An ancestor; a forebear.
   3. One that comes before and indicates the approach of another; a harbinger.
   4. A warning sign or symptom.

Cavalier:

5.	haughty, disdainful, or supercilious: an arrogant and cavalier attitude toward others.

6.	offhand or unceremonious: The very dignified officials were confused by his cavalier manner.

Yeah, thats what I feared, but...

1.	a horseman, esp. a mounted soldier; knight.

2.	one having the spirit or bearing of a knight; a courtly gentleman; gallant.

3.	a man escorting a woman or acting as her partner in dancing.

And Dave found something about "standing alone", as I remember. I felt pretty good about that. Ill take it. Jesus loves me. whew!