Today was a dream come true! I woke up at 6:00am, because Matt was going to take me to West Monroe for Phil Robertsons Bible Study! I wanted to get there an hour early because last week he had about 250 people attend. The secretary of the church told me over the phone that if I get there early I could get a front row seat and Phil could shake my hand. I knew he wouldnt spend much time talking with each person so I wrote Phil a note. I arrived and sat in the front row seat right in front of the podium. I was so excited I was shaking! As the auditorium was getting full, I looked back and saw Si walk in and sit down. I got up and asked if I could get a picture with him. Well about 9:00 Phil came in and I saw him hand his keys to a guy. I figured that was his get-away man! Phil came in from the right and shook the peoples hands on the other side and then walked to the podium. I didnt get to shake his hand but he was standing right in front of me. A sudden terror came over me that I was this close to Phil, but I didnt get the chance to even tell him what I was doing. I tried to get his attention by saying, Phil? Sir? Several times. I was getting antsy in my chair, not wanting to walk up to the podium in front of 200 people! The guy sitting across from me told me to just go up there. All shaking I walked up to the podium and softly said, Sir can I hand you this? He must not of heard me because he responded by saying, Glad your here son. Then he shook my hand. Then he looked down and saw the note and took it from me. I then went back to my seat, took a deep breath, opened my Bible, and began to silently pray! I looked up and saw Phil take out his reading glasses and read the note. He then looked up and said to the whole class, Now here is a brother who wants to be here! Then he began to read my note to the class. Dear Phil, I am canoeing the entire Mississippi River. I started May 25, 2014, at Lake Itasca, Minnesota. I graduated high school nine days before that. Along the way I have been trying to get in touch with you. I know you are extremely busy, but if you are willing, I was wondering if I could take you out to lunch after church. I have traveled 1,913 miles and figured I would stop in here. He then asked me to stand up. I slowly did and he said, Anyone canoeing 1,913 miles deserves a round of applause! Everyone clapped for me, and he said, To answer your question, no I will not go out to eat with you, but I will take you back to the ol house and feed ya. After all you are looking a little wiry I didnt quite understand what just happened, but Phil jumped into his sermon. It was on faith and how you are saved by faith. It was an excellent sermon! I was listening closely. Phil then said, The only way we can inherit eternal life is through Jesus! If you can think of any other way, feel free to tell me! Nobody answered. All of a sudden I hear Sis voice from the back of the room yell, Hey I got news for you, there aint no other way you can be saved! We all laughed and Phil said, looks like I got Silas all rowelled up. I listened to the rest of the sermon then he closed with a prayer. Phil stayed for some pictures and the secretary walked up to me and was like, Well you did it, it looks like you landed a visit with Phil. I got up to Phil and he was like Hey canoe man! God made some people crazy, but Im sure glad he made me normal! Then he slapped me on the back! I laughed and said Thank you sir! I then asked if I could get my picture with him. Then the secretary introduced me to Phils assistant named, Dan. Dan told me to follow him and double checked I was invited for lunch. I saw Jase in the hallway, but didnt get to say hi to him. He is more reserved and seemed a little rushed. In service I sat with Dan and across from us sitting in Church was Si and Phil. Missy, Jases wife, was singing on stage with the rest of the singers. At about the last song, Dan gets up and tells me to follow him. I do and we go outside and there was Phil and Si already heading to their truck. I follow them and as Im getting into the truck Phil says, Heres my schedule. Well go through Popeyes and get you a shrimp basket, or two if you want. Then we will go to my house, talk for 15-20 minutes, then Im taking a nap. Dan will give you the rest of the tour. I said ok thanked him and hopped in! It was awesome, I could not even believe I was riding in the back of Phils truck. We pulled into Popeyes and Phil ordered. We then pulled up to the window and all the workers wanted to get a picture with him. They all crowded around the drive through window and leaned in for a picture! Phil then told the lady at the drive through what I was doing, but she was only concerned that Phil was there! Phil then turned around and said to me, Sorry James, I tried to spread some of the fame to you. We get our food and Phil asked Dan to bless the meal. We prayed and then ate in the car. Along the way I asked Phil for advice on how to be effective in spreading the gospel. He told me to grab his Bible and open it. He then told me to turn to different scriptures and then we rolled into a sermon. His Bible is marked up and falling a part! It is actually held together by some duck tape, so you know he really uses it! I told Phil a few of my close-call stories where God was watching over me, and he seemed excited about those. He then told me of a spot to look for along the river where they cleared for duck hunting. We arrived to his house and he had a gate across his driveway. Phil turned to me and said, I have to have someplace I can hunker down at. We drove down the driveway and Phil explained to me where the river along his house empties into. We pulled up to his house and got out. Its exactly like on tv. We then went inside and Miss Kays dog Bo Bo was there to greet me. I went around the corner and saw Miss Kay sitting on the coach. I said, Hi Miss Kay. She got up and said hi and said she was sick. According to Dan if she had some notice and wasnt sick she would of had some food made for me. Miss Kay then shook my hand and said I should wash my hands so I dont catch anything. I washed my hands in the kitchen sink and asked Miss Kay where she learned to cook. She said it was actually from her grandmother who was the worlds best cook. I talked with Phil and Miss Kay for about 25 minutes there, then Phil sat down in his recliner. He asked me if I have seen a lot of ducks. I told him I saw a whole lot up north! He then went on to explain how the Almighty created ducks for everything to eat. A lot of animals eat them and we eat them. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of meat flying down this way. Dan was ready to give me the tour and Phil was ready for his nap, so I thanked Phil on my way out the door. The response was the best. He just gave me the thumbs up in the air, and told me to watch out for the gators. Dan then took me by Jeps house. Jep wasnt home, but Dan had to let the dogs out. I went in and met the dogs. After that we went on Phils land and he showed me some of his duck blinds. Phil actually created a huge pond that he can regulate the water from the Ouachita River. Dan showed me around and then we went to the Hunters lodge. They are just building it and he said they never really show people it. It hasnt even been on a show yet. After that we went by Duck Commander and Sis house. We didnt stop at Sis place because he was napping, but we drove by. At the end of the tour Dan drove me back to Monroe. Matt had to head back to Vicksburg earlier because he had a thing for work, so Dan drove me to the bus station. I bought a Greyhound bus ticked and rode back to Vicksburg! That was an adventure in itself. I got back to Vicksburg and then went back to Laynes house, Matts neighbor. Laynes son Forrest, actually picked me up because Layne went and kayaked out with Ellen this morning to Natchez. The rest of the evening I relaxed. Today was a dream come true! By an act of God my dream had happened! Tomorrow I will be back on the river!
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 04:01:27 +0000
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