So I went down to Indianapolis on Wednesday to speak before a House committee regarding some underaged drinking topics regarding a bill they were voting on.  I woke up at 4 am and got in my truck to head south.  A few hours later, I pulled into a parking garage across from the Indiana Statehouse and got my stuff ready to go.  One cup of coffee and fruit & yogurt cup later, it was time to sit in the House Chambers.

I sat down thinking I'd be speaking in 10 minutes and I'd be out the door in 20.  I was sadly mistaken on this assumption.  We were 10 minutes into the session when the chairman of the committee first spoke a word.  And let's put it this way, he spoke many more before I was ever to be called.

More than an hour into the meeting, it was time to start the discussion of Senate Bill 339, what I was there to speak for.  But there was a problem...I had received information about the bill that was slightly incorrect.  I had written down on my sheet that I was there to speak on Bill 529, a totally separate bill, not even put before the committee!!  My friend and I kinda panicked for a bit before we found that they'd sorted it out up front, and I just had to wait through several testimonies before it was my turn to speak.

My nerves were building up.  I was in a room of people I did not know, nor did I have much in common with.  Half the room was full of people whose stance I completely disagreed with.  I was about to speak on a platform on which I had never stepped foot.  But I was told to sit and wait, so I waited..........................

A couple more hours passed, and my stomach had turned inward on itself when the chairman turned to another pile.  With a smile, he called my name.  There was a sort of God moment in this, because the straight-laced chairman chuckled as he told the entire room that I had written the wrong bill down on the sheet.  For that moment, all of these bored, tired, straight-faced politicians broke stride and laughed.  That moment was all I needed.

I'm used to being an idiot.  It's relatively common for me to make a fool out of myself.  I don't mind people laughing at me, so in that instant, I felt comfortable with these people, because if nothing else, they were just like the people I work with at church in the fact that they were laughing at something I goofed up.  With newfound confidence I approached the platform and began my greeting the way I was strictly told to do so:

"Thank you Mr. Chairman, members of the committee.  My name is Bob Morton and I am from Mishawaka, Indiana and I am here to speak in favor of Senate Bill 339."

I was still too stiff.  I had to break it down one more time, then I would be open to however God was to use me.  I needed to get out of the way!!  So I did:

"May I start by saying good morning...(Throw a glance at the watch that wasn't on my wrist)...Wait, it is still morning isn't it?"

I got a laugh from everyone, and the game was on.

I spoke from my heart and I spoke from my life.  I offered the perspectives I've attained through the course of my young adult life.  I spoke with a passion that hadn't hit that podium on that day.  I failed to give a handout, I neglected any kinds of statistics, but I did what I was called to do, and that was to speak on the behalf of unrepresented minors in possible consumption of alcohol.

The three perspectives I offered were ones of:
1)   a trainer, my current position, where my heart grieves for students as they leave the church, for I know what's out there,
2)   a doctor, my college position, where I operated a MASH unit of designated driving, seeing what kind of effects it had on peers, and finally
3)   a wounded soldier, my high school position, where I made a mistake on my visit to Notre Dame that almost cost me more than a scholarship.

I thought of that last perspective and of the young man I was, ready to throw everything away at 17 for another drop of alcohol as I closed my speech.  Before a room of men and women who hadn't thought of that boy in this entire debate I simply said:

"I encourage you to vote in favor of Senate Bill 339, and give the youth of Indiana a chance to get into their future, before they have a chance to throw it away.  Thank you Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. (Deep Breath)"

I did it.  I got out of the way.  And I only hope that when that bill is voted on, that 17 year old boy from 2002 will stick in the minds of those men and women and they will do what is right.