Zero Ten Eleven Double Naught One Oh, One

01/01/10 01:01

Binary for 666

Just like G-d

Would it not be just like G-d (tongue-in-check) to Create Eve so that there would be two ways to worship Him?

To Discipline I go

Job and his friends sat around and discussed God. Not unlike things should be now.

Each one having their own revelation. Not unlike things are now.

I as a writer I tried, like Job, to reason truth and yet truth belongs to God, and God alone reveals it.

My decision now is not to know, but to find out.

I am looking at the God-who-sees-me which is the God of Hagar and is revealed in the Quran.

I am looking at the God that is, I AM THAT I AM, that is revealed in the Torah.

I am looking a the God who is to bring peace on earth and good will to man, of which the two, Ishmael and Isaac, are the picture of that struggle.

The one said to bring peace on earth and good will to man is Jesus.

However I write this knowing that this is the last I will write for a time, (maybe in song I will write), but in study from here I go;

"Placing my hand upon my mouth and listen to learn, and not to know."

I see to much uncertainty even in what people say is certain. I never liked that all my life. It causes nothing but strife, and subtly at that.

For no matter whatever you may think of John Lennon, and him as a man, I heard him as a writer, (put on this earth as such), and I read his meaning behind the song Imagine, and I too wonder, if all the religions would not talk too much, as Job and his friends, but listen. Then maybe there would be less dying for a belief, and less people who can not love God, because of all the dying of beliefs!

Also as a writer place on this earth, (John Lennon) I hear the song All You Need is Love, and wonder is that not the fulfilment of peace on earth and good will to man?

So as I study in the Quran, the Torah, and the New Testement and testimony I plan to discipline myself, placing my hand more on my mouth so to listen and not to know.

Totally Lacking

I know I need to post on this blog, yet the thing is I am in that place where I need very desperately a new distraction. Everything, and I do mean everything, is feeling so old.

I am trying hard to work my Cubase software so I can record again, but it is still escaping me. I turned to writing in general, and my associate pastor had made a suggestion that I write a commentary on the Book of Romans. I am working on that in my Knols. Yet the distraction that I need is not happening. It is like spinning wheels. I do a lot of things but it seems to go no where.

I am on Jango radio and that is interesting. I have to date 37 fans and many likes and I have only been there for 4 months. I do not know what I am going to do about Extreme Tours. I have not put an application in and time is running short. I just do not feel the Holy Spirit saying, "Jump" on that yet.

So I feel stale. Everything has been done before and there is nothing new. The distraction I pray for is not coming!

It is at times like this that you really cry out to God and plead, "Move, or move me" as the popular song goes. Yet still I am waiting.

So this blog post is to share that with all that may look at this. Maybe they can relate and understand that it is not just them, but others get in these places too.

Well, indeed I am totally lacking the next thing!

Copyrights

I am seeing I need to deal with copyrights and I suppose that is only right. If I as a writer would want to protect the fact that I wrote something I should honor other writers the same way. So when I signed to the Dylan site I had okey dokied that fact and agree not to use his music. I do not know how to get some help for myself though. I have a ASCAP membership but it seems that is goofed somehow because the number I was given does not get me into my membership. I procrastinated and still am. (I just like to write! Really do not get a kick out of the business end. I know I would benefit from someone coming along side.) I know that Ted Bruun and Austin Cook have done me nice. Yet at 53 I do not feel that much time ahead. On top of that it is beginning to get a little "dark" outside and I think I am growing paranoid. Well is that not what the Lord said it would be like. If they hated Him they would not get along to well with those seeking Him and wanting to walk with him. Thought I'd give this link to a song I really get into of late. http://soundclick.com/share?songid=5329199

Had an email about a comment on this song

Had a gmail referring to a comment I had on this song version being the best to date. Thought being I am "working" again I would share it here!

Romans 8:28

I find it necessary to preface this blog entry with a favorite quote I heard on the former WRBS, or I should say on FaceBook, by one I believe is a former WRBS listener (RBS is 95.1 SHINE now, same differance)

Anyway the thought was (or quote)

"I do not like to mess around with Romans 8: 28."

I just spent some time in BCDC Baltimore County Detention Center (30 days or so) So I have been away from the computer. I am back now, freed!

The why's and how comes are not important about my stay at BCDC. Had a nice time singing songs and hymns at 3 in the morning and keeping people up! When they complained I just told them they should have booked a better hotel.

All joking a-side it was indeed a time of witness (talk about captive audience).

So whatever the why's or how comes "I am not going to mess with Romans 8:28"

Girllove

Been awhile since I have posted. Been a little bit busy. Just wanted to post and mention my girlfriend who is more then a girlfriend. Have been together on and off for 14 years this coming December. (Mostly together) Anyway my meaning of her as more then a girlfriend is that she is my "girllove". When we meet 13 and 1/4 years ago she was married. Both being Christians, we had a hard time getting over that divorce/marriage hump in Christian doctrine. I will say no more then this. If this is not right for us to be together, then how would you suggest we part? I have suggested stepping out the door and her walking west and me east, yet I get this funny feeling we'll end up bumping into each other. Her name is Kim. My song "Not the Same Here Anymore" was written about her. "He'll take care of the rest" by Keith Green is playing on my jango at this moment. One of her early favorite artists.

A self perceived lesson learned on, The Object of Faith

A tribute to Mr. Cool.

There is a man at Grace Bible Baptist church by the name of John Cool. I, in my way, have come to know him.

There is talk around the church, (at least there was) that John has yet to follow the Lord in "believers baptism", my thought was, 'I know his testimony and I believe him to be trusting the Lord why would he not be baptized?' I voiced none of my thoughts, and then later upon pondering, I thought that maybe he decided not to be baptized so that, the impression of his baptism, would not be in anyway seen as instrumental in his salvation!

I have never spoken to John to find out if this indeed was the reason, I'd like to go with that thought.

When I see John Cool at Grace now my comment is, "I see Grace has not lost it's cool yet!"

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Computer Trouble

Trying to do recordings. Upset because I can not even get an input. I have had inputs before. I have used the Cubase to record my analog pieces, but something is escaping me!

I am wanting to make a complete overhaul of all my songs now, and also recordings of a few tunes that I have yet to put down.

I am "green" to the computer and the internet in general (thought this 53 year old would be the last generation to go through life not worrying about the computer), but I do believe I pick up things quick. Google is a nice thing. They gave me a featured profile. I suppose that may not be a big deal, but I am enjoying all the "products" that are available with them.

I guess the bottom line is I can think up a lot of ideas. It is just that sometimes I do not have the expertise to pull it off. God is blessing though, at this time it is more of a hold out and regroup, and I am in this till eternity.

I believe with all my strength that God is in the process of completeing the good work in me, that He has prepared.

Murmurs of Prayer

I mention from time to time that it would be nice to hear a "murmur of prayer". It is the Spirit that groans within, while one prays, and if we are a body my "bowels" I think would feel that murmur. 

Funny thing is you would think this all a fantastic creative mind hope, but for real to me, and I mean, to me still trotting this road of the Lord where in the past the enemy would have easily had me give up, it is a miracle I go on. It is the "murmurs of prayer" that hold me here on this road. Though I know not who or where they come from, in my bowels of emotion I KNOW them to be. So gratefully again I am thankful that God makes me aware to GO and keep GOING! The body praying we are to keep going right on a right road too! 

Murmur of Prayer thought comes from this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr6of0HzcSY

Jesus at Work

I wanted to do this blog earlier but waited. It came to me on my way home on the bus after seeing Mary Sholz at the coffee house. Has nothing to do with Mary Sholz (maybe) but on the way home the bus driver stopped to pick someone up, and I heard, "Can I get a man to help this lady with her packages?" Did not think, just found myself getting up. Yet before I moved another man was up and out to help this lady. 

I thought of how earlier, on my way to the coffee house, waiting at the bus stop, some nice men had been busy helping an older couple change a flat tire. 

Also and not to pat my own back, a few mornings ago there was a car stalled in the middle of a busy road during morning rush, so I just went over and help her get it out of the road and to a safer spot, another gentleman remained, and helped I supposed, with her need. (I at the time was catching a bus and figured my thing was done) 

So all that said, as I rode home tonight I thought, "What a nice slogan for Dundalk." It happens everywhere for sure, but this is where I am at, and this is where I can do my thing. 

So I prayed. "Lord, work in me first where I am at." 

The slogan I came up with was this, "Dundalk, the town where you can find Jesus working!" 

To be truthful there was a lady in my church some moons ago that lived in Dundalk and had an injury so she could not drive. Pastor ask me (being I do not do anything) if I could drive her to work and back. She at the time lived in Dundalk and I in Westview park. I joked with her from time to time saying, "Dundalk, can any good thing come out of Dundalk" referring to Bible quote. Well now she lives in Westview park and I in Dundalk. God indeed keeps us account for every idle word we say!

No longer got a penny

Not that I am anything. However I am not an idiot, and I see some attention given my ministry. That said I say this more. 

Though I was not a member of the bands that were to do the Extreme Tour 2009 I was to be promoted by Ted Bruun and the team. 

I want to say this here first. Mr. Bruun has yet to do me wrong, and I am thankful for that. However I went down to a Nashville for GMA week having already gone down for the BandWithaMission (and by the way Austin Cook did me no wrong) and because I have little funds I slept in a field, and on a rainy Saturday I had only a tarp to pull over me. That, the enemy used to almost take my live, because if you are not careful the tarp will close around you as you sleep and like a plastic bag, to a baby, kill you dead.! Close, but God is merciful. (It was then I got that "Tell me about it, brother" when I voiced my anger.

So any way if "God given music ministries" are interested in my ministry I offer that. I have no more money to give. I will travel by donkey drawn carts at $10 to get to Nashville. I will not sleep in a field, if you want to talk tent, I will think about it, but a I have no money, just my ministry!

Stepping Stone

This may be a short blog. Just a pondering this evening. 

I came home and the house was awake, right down to the cat, Mandy (She always wants her name mentioned when I write of her, "Mandy"-not just the cat) As I settled in myself the house simply fell off to sleep, nap or what have ya, right down to Mandy herself. I was at the time writing in my journal and I looked up to see all asleep. I thought, 'All the ducks are in a row it seems' 

So having been out today doing what I do, wanting this and that, but wanting mostly for the Lord to move as the song says, "Lord move, or move me" I came home to find this.

All being settled, I made my way to the bathroom, making sure the house was not disturbed, and changed into something more comfortable. As I was doing so I remembered someone once saying something to the effect, 'Sometimes when the Lord moves in the afairs of men, His foot steps are centuries apart.' I then fell before the Lord and prayed, "If that be so Lord, then may I be a stepping stone" After that I came here and posted this pondering.

Two Masters

It's not hard to see that the economic situation is difficult around the world at this time. I might not have thought that if I were to judge by the number of cars I saw at fastfood restaurants, stores, and bars, on my way home on the bus. 

I do recognize the difficulty when I observe the struggle to gather money. From prince to papuer, bank to grocery store, many devices I notice are in effect to get the most money out of my wallet. Interest rates go up on cedit and the store offer of saving is an offer to have you buy more, most of the time with credit. 

I confess I have absolutly no understanding of economics, however I know my personal budget. What I feel the Lord is saying to me, and He did this to me first with the thought that I can not serve two masters, and then through a christian radio program speaking on debit free living. I came away from the program with the commitment to begin a 10/10/80 budget, and to either peruse the website or pick a book or two from the the programs speaker. 

What I do know. On the one hand I hear from the media that there is a recession, and on the other hand I seem to see many more "passing buyers" then usual these days. One thing I do know the Lord instructs me that I can not serve two master effectively!

There is only one Lord for me, Jesus the Christ!

Frustration

Feel a need to post a blog. For the life of me I do not know what to say. I've traveled the World Wide Web and there seems little move of God. Oh, yes there are mentions, and very good intentions, but for the most part when I find God on the www it is to promote this and that. 

I chuckle now at myself because I need to ask, "Is that not what I appear to be like?" I suppose so. So in reality those people mentioning God in sincerity, are walking the road I am.

I know my heart and the only other one that knows it is my Lord. I am sure He can see frustation that has caused me in the past to throw up my hands and say, "It can not be done!" 

I remember in Nashville, when I was faceing these same thoughts, the Lord 'said', "Tell me about it brother!" 

I tell you there are times that the Lord 'blows me away' with that kind of love! I am in no way deserving of it, but when He 'said', "brother" I was blown away. 

So I keep going. No way can I make an excuse to throw up the hands now and say, "Enough!" I am thinking more and more this walk is into eternity. 

Feeling I have in the past brought some along this life into eternity. With all my desire I want to bring multitudes!!! In Christ it can be done and only in Christ. God says it, I believe it, done deal!

Pray the Lord it so!

Growing Patient

Second half of my Nashville experience coming up. Heading down for GMA Music week. Extreme Tours will be promoting me. Workshops to attend and all this very new kind of stuff to me.
Feel very strongly that the Lord has me here. Growing to learn what patients is. Seeking nothing but what the Lord will get out of what I do for Him. Maybe that is a "big head" sounding thing, I know what I mean.
Easy to say, "I will die for the Lord", harder to do. Easy to say, "I am going to live for the Lord", maybe even harder to do! That though is the road I would like to walk.
I know it is only done in the will of God and in His strength. That is my prayer, I would hope that I may hear "murmirs of prayer" asking God for the same for me.
My ultimate desire is for this to be all over with and so my ministry verse is Romans 11:15! Let now the Lord's dealing with the Gentiles end, and the clock begin to tick for your people Israel again!
Look up for "your redemption comes on clouds of glory"
Amen

A Rooster Crows

It was a few years ago I made and effort to get back into fellowship with the Lord. I went to church (a different one then mine) but a Pastor I knew. While there I tried to serve the Lord again too. However be it I did not want to do what the Lord would have me do, or because of a difficult passage I knew in the Bible, I fell away again.
Recently, I sought the Lord again knowing that this section of scripture would haunt me. I knew though that I could not let that stand in my way and had to begin to come to the Bible with it is inspired and our only revelation of the one true God it did not need to be inerrent. In fact if thought to be inerrent, our faith would not be "faith" but based on the absolute of the Bible, and our object of faith would be the Bible, and not Jesus the Lord. I hope you follow me.
Anyway the scripture that gave me trouble were the passages of Peter's denial in all four gospel accounts. In three it is stated that the roster would not crow till he denied three times. In Mark it says that it would crow twice before he denied three times.
However after the first denial a rooster crowed in Mark's account. That makes the perdiction of the other three accounts incorrect!
What I came up with (I am not a Greek languge professor or such) hoping that it works out in the indefinate and definate articules, that it was not two crows of a single rooster, but one crow each of two roosters.
For now that works for me, however I still see a danger in teaching the Bible to be inerrent. I would not want though to throw someones seeking faith away on that doubt of mine.

While I was sleeping

There is a famous quote. I am not sure who by, or it's exact wording but it says to the effect, "The only way for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing. Which had me think of this parable.
Mathew 13: 24-30. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

This lead me to think of all the times I was out of fellowship with the Lord. Whether I had been far away from doing what He wanted from this His servant, or just on a prolonged "coffee break" I was not doing what He desired of me. During that time I think you could say I was sleeping.
It just hit me recently, having gotten back in fellowship, all the oppurtunities I gave the enemy to sow his seed while this good person did nothing, or while this Christian slept!

Like a new born babe stepping out of the womb

Eve of my trip to Nashville. 53 Years old. Became a Christian at the age of 26. 11 years later God the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the word at an evening service at my church, called me to a music ministry. Told me to go ahead and write for Him, basicly.
3 Chord music man, timid performer in the vein of a Timothy, and yet with out doing anything, but post my songs on MySpace and Soundclick, Zach Vierra and Austin Cook contact me for Extreme Tour and BandWithaMission respectively. (A&R guys)
Well I had been honeing my skill on a site called ChristianSongWriter.org (seemed a lot of adds for .org) and the critiques were, "Sounds like Dylan" So my response, "You are what you eat" and "I'm not sure if that is a blessing or a curse"
Bottom line is I really do not know what that critique says anyway. I mean what does Dylan sound like, and does he sound like that to everyone.
All other critiques were about production. I argueed production is not my cup of tea but this is a "Song" writer forum.
No one really got it.
Not to toot my own horn, but one kind lady pointed out to me the real problem which even now I have a hard time digesting, but I can see how maybe she is right.
She said, "They can't say anything good about your work because they are jealous, and see how short they fall"
So here I am going to Nashville. Was turned down for Extreme Tour 2009 and rightly so I think now, though I did come close to making the cut.
I guess what I am babbling about is this is the Lord's work. This is His message. This is the way He wants to tell it. I am pretty confident that if you were to ask the NewsBoys or Steven Curtis Chapman why they are doing what they do? it is because God told them to do it, and they have that calling behind the work. Like I said, it is the Lord's work and it is His message. Like a preacher preaches because God told him to. You do not set out and say I'm going to do this, you set out in the Christian faith doing what God tells you to do. It is not a little thing if God tells you to stay at home and raise children or rise at 3 am to pick up the trash the neighbor put out to the curb. It is a big thing whatever God ask you to do!

"Not Now"

Sad news, but really not unexpected. In fact it seems the very right response.
I have been sitting back in awe of God for what He has done in His ministry through me in Music. I have known how "green" I am. To recieve this response to my submittion tells me I am indeed on the road God wants me on, and eager to see what is around the next bend!
I am going to be in Nashville for BandWithaMission showcase on the 6th, and for the "Objective" my seat is already reserved.
I plan after posting this to contact Ted Bruun about my desire for the second oppurtunity offered here. Indeed too, I do not see me not submitting next year for the Tour. Lord willing. To God be the glory!

First Reviewed: February 03, 2009 Status: Not Selected
Updated On: April 02, 2009

Response: Thanks for your submission. Here is the bottom line after our panel had listened to your music: We liked your music, and believe you have potential. You actually were in a pool of artists that we almost selected for this Summer's tour, and we believe are only going to get better and that we would like to have with us in the future. This year was not possible though due to the number of artists that applied. There simply were other bands from your genre that we felt were a better fit at this time, at the level they are currently at. However, Extreme Tour Events has some other projects coming up that we may be able to use you for. We have added your EPK to the list of artists we will consider for those opportunities. We will contact you in the near future should we decide to use you for those events. Thank you again for your application. We also have decided that we would like to assist you in your development if you will allow us to. We would like to make an investment in you as we believe that we may in fact reap the benefits of that investment when we potentially have you with us in the future. If you feel led, we would like to develop long term relationship with you, and we would like to serve you by assisting you through the contacts and relationships we have developed within the Industry over the years. With this in mind, We have secured a couple of opportunities for you. We have secured invitations for you to participate in two different workshops and development sessions with our Industry Associates and friends. Both of these opportunities are highly valuable. The first is during the GMA Music Week Workshop we are doing for bands that we did select. This event is called The Objective. The Objective event will feature consultation and teaching from some of the biggest and most influential people in the Christian Music Industry. We would like to offer you seats at that closed door session as well as having offered them to the artists that we did select. This event will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, and will be on April 21st, at Michael W. Smith's Rocketown Facility. There is no charge to participate, and you may have already been contacted and may have secured seats. If you have not yet secured seats, and would like to, please e-mail us at _________ with your RSVP, along with the number of seats you will need. The second opportunity we would like to include you in if you desire is a longer session that our selected artists have been invited to, also in Nashville, being held at the end of the Summer when the tour ends. This workshop and by invitation seminar will also be attended by the A&R staff of most of the major labels. You will have the opportunity to showcase for these folks, guaranteed, and you will receive consultation feedback from them after your performance as well as the opportunity to build your own relationship with these folks, which may develop into even more opportunities for you down the road. There is a cost for this second opportunity so that the venue can be paid for that you will showcase in. Please let me know if you want to RSVP for that event. You need to RSVP for this by no later than the end of July. What I would recommend is that you participate in both opportunities. Attend the Objective and receive the advice from our Industry friends that will help you develop over the Summer. Then, at the end of the Summer, having applied that advice, attend this other invitation only workshop and showcase and perform for these folks again. Let's see where that takes you. Just please keep us in mind and set time aside for us in the future as you develop. We look forward to working with you as you develop, and we hope you remember us when you indeed have graduated to the next step in your Calling and career, We would ask you to keep us appraised of the development of your music and career. We would like to consider you for next year's tour possibly as we believe you will probably only develop and improve. So, this is not a no, it's a "not now". Please do stay in touch. I will watch for your response regarding these other opportunities. Ted Bruun, and the Extreme Tour Team

Sometimes somethings feel like a box

Was not sure where I wanted to post this. If even I wanted to post it at all!
I have a blog on MySpace/scareycats, and I use that as a Phil thing, my real name. I use this Thomas Dayton blog (a pen name) as something for the creative side of this Bi-polar soul :-)
I wrote before on the www about questions I have concerning some well "established" beliefs of the Christian faith that many hold as "gospel" that have a hard time sitting well with me. I have talked about how I do not want God in a box that others hand to me, but I love to ask questions, and ponder, even if it is only between God and me.
That said, I have written about a concern I have that says the Bible is inerrant. I, as a young Christian have took that box and ran with it, had no real problem. Yet as I began to think and ponder on this, I had a hard time when I ran into the two rooster crows in Mark, where as the other three gospel writers said, the rooster would not crow even once before Peter denied three times!
Then I thought if the Bible (the cannon of scripture) is without error does that not make it equal to God, who alone is perfect. Making some to almost worship the book, instead of the inspirer?
That all laid out, I can see how the traditions of the church can begin to become almost "cannon" over time. It is said that Peter refused to be crucified as his Lord, but requested to be hung upside down. A noble sentement, but I wonder what exactly was the cause of death? Starvation? Would Rome have waited that long, or even consented to that request from one, showing unworthness to the one, he was being executed for following. I suppose all this does not mean anything, maybe. To me it means I am learning more and more to live my faith as I recieved it, and not as one tells me to live it.

It is a small world...

Not all that long ago Walt Disney told us it was "a small world after all"
Sitting in front of my computer screen with internet access, it does not take one living in the imagine-nation to see that true. It is a small world. I can be half way acroos this world and back again almost before the "and/or" gates open and close. (Ink dries on the paper for us older ones)
What is it that means?
Well my thoughts can "meander like a restless wind inside a letter box" but, if I post them they indeed go "Across the universe", or at least threw the air! Which makes me think, though they may start just a thought in one way, yet as the pass through the air, who is to say what "the power of the air" may do with them.
Maybe this sounds paranoid (I do not know why "everyone" thinks I'm paranoid?) but it is a thought, for what ever it is worth.
So I'm thinking something might be posted, with all God's goodness behind it, yet it may come out the other end, passing threw the air, as something that it was never meant to be. Grain of salt type thing I guess as my mother would tell me.
Museing I am nothing more.

First thoughts on Mr. Bobby

What is it you do when the world turns downside up
Where the Southern Cross becomes the North Star
When the pocket is empty, and the cupboard is bare
Yet the nothing you have seems to take you so far
Because you travel with hope and find yourself singing for joy
And whistle in fear
And the tune you are humming somehow has words which know you so well
If you follow a star
You look for a beginning
A birth to awaken you to a new day
A morning star that gives you hope
That this is indeed the one day the Lord has made
The one day you were waiting for
If you follow a cross
You look to the end
A death that surrounds you
That empties you of self
Shinning even in the darkness of night
Possesing a hope of a dawning day
That is indeed the one day that only the Lord can make
So I find when my world is downside up
I can sing
I can sing out loud
I can sing out strong
Be I follow a star or follow a cross
Be I on a mountain
Or down the valley
The echo will show that the Lord is true and all men liars
So let it be

Musical "Life Jacket"

Lately now, finding myself correctly in relationship with the Lord, (having been ignoring Him prior) I wake and the first one to greet me. is He.
We have a give and take, sometimes about serious things, sometimes there are laughs, depending on His agenda of course, but fellowship would be the word. After all that was one of the reasons He became man.
Then I like to read the Bible, but some mornings the first thing I do is put the radio on. Some might say, "Oh no! reading the Bible is the only way to start the day" It is the best I agree, but there are times that it is harder then the radio.
Like if you are homeless sleeping in a tent in the woods, in Feburary, and the tempeture outside is 10 degrees at 4am. You don't want to be moving around much, and there is no light to read by. So the radio is a comfort. Music in general is a comfort. "Medicine to the soul"
I write this to say that, and that during those hard times of my homelessness, the song playing often was "Traveling Light" by Hanson and Groves. It was a "life jacket" during that storm of life.

Valley's Mountain- Mountain Valley

For most of my life, if not all of it, I believe I have walked a valley. Looking up to heaven there is still so much of the ravine that catches my eye before I can notice the sky.
Yet lately God has mounted me on His wing like an eagle, and I have been soring to mountain tops! He walks me from one to another, and "whispers" of the grandor. I feel as if I can not bare such love at times, but I know I would not want to be any place else. Then the word comes, "Time to visit the valley again"
Remembering the hardship, and the view of the ravine that must be climbed before a clear view is insight, I think, "Could there be another way"
I love to listen to music. Good music and message that "knows" the things that are true, and does not simply make them up. I am thinking of a song now (Do not know who by, or title). The hook is that we need to go through the valley to reach the mountain of God.
Maybe this is not really the only time in my life that I have been to the mountain, I do think it is the first time I have been to one so high! I suppose too, if I need to go in the valley again, there is a mountain God will bring me to, maybe this time it will be Zion.

"Pops"

In my quiet time this morning I thought on age (up there myself) and the past (the things I thought I missed on) From and early age I thought, that being a husband of one wife, having 2.3 children, and living in a cottage with a white picket fence, was the way to do this life thing.
The Lord had other ideas it seems and never was I in complete agreement. In fact I thought He may have misread my hearts desire.
Well this morning I was reading Psalm 78.
I have no idea how all of a sudden my songs began to get attention, but they did. The Lord did not even give the go ahead to write them until 1993, 11 years after becoming a Christian, and really I do not see myself as a musician or performer.
So Psalm 78:4 jumped out!
Having checked out The Extreme Tour website when I was asked to put in an application, it struck me that, "This is a group of young-uns" I know they are going to call me "Pops" but I thought, "Lord whatever you have me to do, I just need do it!"
So I hope they break out the orthepedic beds, and I hope I get the final "green light" for this. Then I will "Just number my days"!

Putting together two and two

I saw a cartoon once that showed a man in front of a computer monitor, baggy eyed, and obviouly tired, and the screen of the monitor read, "You have reached the end of the internet" If you follow all that I have put down on this www you would know that I am asked to do a showcase of my music at BandWithaMission in Nashville on April 6th and that Extreme Tours (Mr. Ted Bruun and team) will be promoting my material at the GMA Music week starting April 18th. I got most of this news in October of 2008 and then in November of 2008 my finger was caught in a door and the tip was severed and the bone broken. After the shock of the accident the thought, that I would not be able to play the guitar set in, the pain was replaced with sorrow of how I hoped to do what the Lord would have me do, but somehow maybe it was not.
Anyway, I have two songs, one; "My Miserere", about King David's sin and "Little Lamb" about how God corrects those he loves for their better. Both talk of the breaking of the bone because of sin (FYI the reason it was stated that not a bone of Jesus was broken was He was without sin)
Long story longer- As I tried to piece together the reason why I had my accident, when I thought the Lord was taking me down a road that He wanted me to go was, because I gathered wisdom from the songs about how the Lord breaks the bone for sin (Him giving me a good critique on that) but He took it a step farther, and gave understanding by breaking the bone of my finger, being one who had never had a bone broken in his life. (Proverbs 4:7)
So putting 2 and 2 together it may seem a wise song or saying, but understanding comes when what is said, finds a place in the practical living of life.

Alaska: Hop Skip and Jump

Trust and believe that if He slay me, yet I will still trust in Him.
Have had thoughts for a long time in my Christian life that, "Lord, let's get this all over with!"
Wanted to head to Alaska so that, if even the electrons begin to spin in the other direction, I could at least walk to Jerusalem. "Something" kept making me feel that is where I needed to be, sometime.
Well here I am 52 going on 53, and Alaska seems far and cold at this age.
Have a song I wrote called "To The Future", it grew out of a TV program I was watching before the turn of the 21st century. A bunch of prominate people and "big boys and girls" were asked what would you say to the next century of people. Did not listen much to the answers given, I was lost in my own response. Hence forth the song "To The Future"
That said I suppose this blog is another word. (hopefully the electrons will not spin the other way, or the "power of the air" mess with this. Lord into Your hands I commit...