Heaven, Once in a Lifetime

This past weekend I was sponsored by my future wife to attend The Great Banquet. Neat-O. I agreed before hand because I thought it would be a good time to ask tris's father Stan Rowan to have her hand in marriage. But I am impatient as we all know.
Anyways. After spending some time asking Tris about the Great Banquet and her only response being "You eat alot and listen to people talk" I just gave up and waited for the weekend to arrive. I thought for awhile about how in High School my youth would attend retreats or do fun activities and that would help my relationship with God progress forward. In between then and now Ive only attend Sunday's church services, Wednesday nights, and Cramers (pic on right) and all not consistently.

So lets start with arriving. I checked in got my rainbow name pin and stepped into my mattress-on-a-floor sleeping area. Name, yes Casey Spitnale.... Bed, yes there it is 7B. So I look for my bed. and there they are 5B, 6B,...... wait a second someone is 7B.... well... Yes there is 8B so this has to be 7B that some gentleman stole. Way to start a great weekend right? So I guess I set my bed up in 8B and hope I too do not spoil someones day by stealing their 3inch thick mattress.

We begin the Great Banquet with meeting in the sanctuary and as soon as we sit we are called by name out and applauded for attending the weekend and asked to leave the sanctuary then be directed through twists and turns and into a room with round tables. Not knowing anyone besides a spiritual leader (Stan) I was nervous but not too much. But Stan was the first to tell me "Don't anticipate, participate." I kept that in mind but also was told that over and over by our Table leader and others when I or another asked whats next.

We began by.... well first just know these things might not be in exact order and I may skip some events out but let say we began by designating Tables. I was instructed to sit at the James Table. With these men Gary, Keven, Kurt, Ron, and Andy. Eventually finding out that some of these men were not supposed to be in my Table and I was originally was not supposed to sit at the James Table at all but Ill get into that later.

Let get on with the weekend shall we?

THE ROUGH START

Pray. Yes in silence. In a new place. With new people. Not hard at all. Wait.....your asking us to pray in silence from this Thursday night until Friday morning? Wait.... I remember the instance where I thought in my mind arriving into our dorms..... "7B that's my MATTRESS I am taking back whats mine!!!" And I Grabbed this guys blankets and luggage and whipped them across the room yelling "READ DIRECTIONS ITS MY BED!!!!" - but that was in my mind. Now that tables have turned 8B. That not my bed.... but that's where my blankets are... and I am not going to be able to explain myself when the mans mattress I stole was really for a reason. Pray. Yeah I prayed. I prayed not to have a mess of my stuff when I get to my dorm and upon arriving into the room, yes there it is, intact safe. With the relief off my chest I begin to get into bed but what that... 7B are you snoring? You just laid down man! How in the world can you be snoring already. I began this Great Banquet with a rough start. A night of sleeplessness, silence, and prayer.

Morning. In silence. Showering. In silence. Dressing. In silence. Its not hard, unless your doing it. I spent some time in the morning listening to people get ready and sit and read outside not being able to even say "Good Morning." So I prayed. I prayed just for speaking to be privileged back to me and for my weekend not to go totally down hill from the mattress situation. Eventually I could speak. And the weekend continued.
Grace, Priorities, and Most of ALL Love

My old pastor Jim Fry used to say, "ALL means ALL and that's ALL ALL means." Words I have taken and used whenever I come across the word ALL. We were sat in our Tables and prepared for 15 talks by 15 different men. After each talk we were to do a song, skit, or poster after our table discussion about the talk to show our meaning of the talk. Something I excelled at being a artist/designer. Which in turn help Table James to finish sooner with arts & crafts time than any other Table.

Discussing the talks after a few began to get easier, more personal, and sometimes just sometimes worthwhile. Eventually I even learned the names of all our Table members without looking at their pins. We began to bond during discussions and during breaks. Friendship and Brotherly love began to evolve in a matter of hours with God working through and on each of us.
Kevin. I tell you what. Friday he was ready to leave. I was not expecting a good time either. We both stood outside alone. Sorta like prisoners we thought. Being let out for a period of time we did not know of. Didn't I mention that? No phones, watches, clocks or anything to tell the time. All were gone. So during the break we had we didn't know how long it would be but I learned about his family and his life a little. I could tell right away he was not interested in the Great Banquet.

Friday's talks started with explaining love and grace and how great it is really to accept our invitations to trust god and go through this Great Banquet not knowing anything of what its about and what goes on. This day was filled.

Love

Saturday began soon enough. Throughout the day and including Friday we were told about the communities and people who were praying for us this weekend. It was overwhelming the 72 hour sign up sheet, the banners, the emails, and the letters from people we do not know praying for us. You think over and over about it and it touches your heart with love, agape love.

Saturday there were a lot of surprises that just got us all excited. Praising the Lord with our worship and music we all felt God presents through music, through the people around us, and through people on the outside. At the end of the day and after a discussion we were asked to walk as a Table and then file together to go to the sanctuary. Like prisoners again right? But were were lead down the hall our group being last. We heard signing from men and women in the sanctuary and that was different because the past two days first off there was no women here. The song I don't remember but it was the candlelight, the love, the people. It got to me, it got to all of us. This experience is a once in a lifetime service. As we went through it and finished I and others attending stood at the front of the church singing. Looking out to the candlelight as it disappeared. I felt the closest to heaven Ive ever felt at that moment. God Loves You. I don't know how much and I cant even describe it. I seemed to forgotten that over the years. I was reminded as I stood on stage singing to empty pews, singing to God. "Jesus, Jesus." Those are the only words I remember to that song.

That night ended in amazement. In excitement. Overwhelming.

Even if you know what is coming. You don't know until you have went through it. Maybe you will attend the Great Banquet someday. If you do. Yeah there is candlelight. I could describe to you word for word what I have done that night and you wouldn't still understand.

Sunday

Sunday. It came. The day to leave. Right up to the point and after the talks you receive letters. Again, overwhelming. You don't understand what all leads up to this. You must know about the talks. You must understand the honesty, the dedication, the love men have put into their speeches and work into the Great Banquet. Everything ties together. One event singled out may be meaningless without the others. I attended the Great Banquet and received Love, not letters. I received Agape. Kevin received Christ, the man that wanted to leave. I walked hand in hand with others as we walked though Gods grace. Gods Love. I sweated. I didn't cry. My eyes just sweated alot. If you ever are invited to the Great Banquet I encourage you to go. There are excuses. There are things you'll have to postpone or cancel. But if you go. You'll be change.

I spoke at the end in front of the community. I don't remember what I said but the service I do after my 4th day is important to me now. I am not the same and not because Tris told me I wasn't the same talking. But I feel different. I talk different. I pray different. I never experienced something like this that could change you so much in 72 hours. I walk different knowing more of the Love from God than I have ever had. I look forward to talking with my friends more about this. If you want to work together or anything I am a busy guy but I will not make an excuse not to talk. Because after all what if I am the 15th. What if we both got this excitement together. God is love and I cant understand that. Ill never comprehend heaven. But on this earth I was the closest to heaven Ive felt and to think heaven is more than candlelight, that brings a overwhelming joy to my heart. I know Gods love more today, I don't understand, but its beautiful candlelight, its letters, its water, its music.

I am excited.