5.28.2003

This morning, I had a flashback.

In the fall of 2000, I stood on the mall in Washington, DC with 400,000 close friends. As the sunrise hinted purple behind the Capitol dome at 5:30 AM, the Passion Band took to the stage singing "...fling wide these heavenly gates, prepare the way for the risen Lord...". I'm not sure what to pin it on - something about the lyrics, about how the purple stage lights perfectly matched the sunrise, or the fact that I'd driven just under 3,000 miles in three days (and slept in a bed both nights inbetween)...but I was overwhelmed with emotion and found myself off to the edge of the mall with tears pouring down my cheeks.

My other intense memory of that day took place later. Again, 400,000 milling around, various musicians and speakers taking to the stage...the crowd was growing restless in the intense heat and humidity. The sound of a violin floated across the mall, followed by a strong male voice singing "FREEDOM!". We stopped and stared as Jason Upton tore through a prophetic declaration like I had never heard. He sang -

We live in a country supposedly pharoahless but all over town and in churches abide
Powerful weaklings who practice their politics, stealing from Jesus his beautiful bride
Whether you’re Pharisees, Sadducees, heresies, you best get out of God’s way
Freedom to dance
Freedom to sing
Freedom to grow
I’m telling you Pharaoh let my people go

As we drove to carpool this morning, the song came on the cd player in the truck. Ever since that day in Washington, Grayson cannot hear the song without shrieking "FREEDOM!" at the top of his voice. I have a mental picture of him dancing on the mall with reckless abandon. Freedom is what this kid is made for.

Jason is a writer who fears none but his Maker. Exciting news - He's coming to Cincy. He'll be at the Vineyard chapel on June 13 at 7 PM. Cost - bring a canned good for area food banks. Follow the link to www.jasonupton.com to see what you're in for.

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