We're Not Lost???

We just visited 5 states in under 24 hours! We started from Missouri, then drove north to Iowa. We spent last night with my cousin, so that means we crossed over to his house in Nebraska. We had a great visit and wonderful food (Way to go Chris!!) This morning we headed out toward Minnesota, so it was back into Iowa again. Somewhere we took a wrong turn and saw the "Welcome to South Dakota" sign. Not to fear, we kept on going, eventually entered Minnesota and made it to our concert on time!

Oh, the adventure of life on the road...

Good Morning!

This morning when I took a drink from my bottle of water, the condensation left a neat little surprise on the coaster.

I think it's going to be a good day!

Shoes, Restrooms and Uncomfortable Moments

We had a great weekend with concerts at three new churches where we hadn't been before. We always love to meet new friends and met a bunch. Best of all, we were invited back to all three churches!!

On the way home Sunday night, we stopped at a gas station for some iced tea and a bathroom break. (I'll try not to give too much info here, but you need to picture the scene.) I buzzed into the room of rest where there were two sit downs and two stand ups. I was standing there doing my business when suddenly I heard this voice from the stall next to me say, "What kind of shoes are those?" Apparently my next door potty neighbor could see my feet from under the dividing wall.

OK folks, I think we all know that talking in the restroom is uncomfortable at best, and conversation with an unseen stranger doing "serious" business is just unheard of. What was I to do?

To be polite, I answered, "I don't know, I got them on the internet."

"They just slip on, that's pretty cool."

Oh no, now we are actually having a conversation - and I can hear the sounds of him doing his business in there. Gross.

"Yeah, I think life should be as easy as possible."

"That's good, especially since tomorrow's Monday."

Oh man, he's changed to a whole new subject. By now I'm rushing to wash my hands and make my escape, But it's my turn to talk and I can't just leave without saying something, that would be rude.

"Have a good evening."

I think he answered, but I was out the door as quick as possible. I passed another fellow going in as I was coming out and thought, "Good luck, buddy. Hope you like to chat."

I love people and love to visit with them, but if you are a guy and ever see a pair of white slip-on tennis shoes from under a bathroom divider wall, just store up those thoughts and send me an e-mail.

We're on FIRE!

Happy Monday all!

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Just Do It!

I took the family to see the new movie by the FACING THE GIANTS folks this afternoon. Another fine Christian film, go see it. Excellent, except for the upcoming movie previews shown at our local theatre. There were several times I wanted to cover my kids eyes and ears. I guess that just shows how much a wholesome movie like FIREPROOF is needed today. It is time we Christians let our dollars show Hollywood that there is a market for quality, clean and moral entertainment.

This is opening weekend, which really counts in the movie business, so if possible go see this movie and let your voice be heard. Oh yeah, don't forget to take your hankie!

Part 3

Last Saturday I mentioned three bloggable moments and have only done two. Here's part three!

Last Friday we had the privilege of opening a concert for our dear friend Chris Filer. What a wonderful night as Chris introduced his two new CDs. One is a more of a straight forward positive country album and the other is more gospel focused. Great songs, great music, and what a voice!!! If you are like me and tired of the same old stuff that Christian radio keeps dishing out, you'll love these projects. But don't take my word for it (does this sound like an informercial?), check it out for yourself! You can download the projects at www.nimbitmusic.com/chrisfiler. You can also purchase the physical CDs by e-mailing "kfiler@embarqmail.com"

Get both, you'll love them. And tell 'em Phil sent ya!

Revelation

Last night at men's bible study I had one of those a-ha moments, a revelation. We are studying about "respectable sins," and how in God's eyes sin is sin, no matter the size. We discussed the way that sin is rarely mentioned in the world today. I brought up that the same thing has happened in the church. We used to sing hymns that were filled with references to sin and human depravity. We sang our praise of how great God is in response to admitting our base humanity and need for a savior. Now we sing a lot of songs about how great God is with no mention of us. Look at the middle verse of the classic hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul" -

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Now that's something to get excited about! Remember, grace isn't all that amazing unless you understand that a "wretch like me" is unworthy to receive it. I can't just point a finger at the church, I used to write a bunch of songs on this topic, but I haven't been lately. I think the general trend of society has rubbed off on me and I didn't even realize it.

But no more! I know what I must do. It's time to write more songs about sinning! (OK, that doesn't sound quite right, but you know what I mean.)

Ouch!!

Saturday I installed a new screen/storm door on my mom's house. My youngest daughter was my assistant for this undertaking, and she was a huge help. She read all the instructions, (at least the ones in English), dug through bags of parts, and retrieved the multitude of screws I kept dropping. Dexterity on musical instruments does not necessarily translate to power tools, bummer.

We had a great time working together with only one slight mishap. Once Alisha bent down to pick up something at the same time I turned around and I whacked her in the head with my cordless screwdriver. Fortunately she is tough and it wasn't the pointy part, but she does have a nice bruise on her cheek. Oops!

I know it's not good to teach your kids to lie, but I told her if anybody asked about her bruise, it probably wasn't a good idea to say her dad hit her in the head with an electric drill.

Name That Tune

OK, yesterday's blog title was a line from a popular song. When my wife read it, she didn't get the reference. Are my references too obscure? Let's find out!

Send me an e-mail with the song title and composer (to Phil@PhilandPamMorgan.com) and I'll send you a Free mp3 song from our latest CD, "You Move Me." I know some people get behind in their blog reading, so I'll run this contest through the end of September 2008.

I can't wait to hear from you!!!

... as High as an Elephant's Eye

I had three blogable moments today, but I'll post them one per day so you don't get blog fatigue.

Tonight I took my girls and one friend each to the huge corn maze in Liberty, MO. This is an annual tradition for us, but I think this was the best year ever. The maze was a tribute to the Kansas City Zoo and featured several animals. (For an aerial view of the maze, check out www.libertycornmaze.com) The abundance of rain this year must have been very good for the corn crop, because the corn was about ten feet tall - literally. Here is a photo of Kayla and her friend Rachael who are both about 5' 7". (Why is Rachael wearing a pink tutu? I find it better not to ask these things.)

In three hours we successfully navigated the 150 miles of maze, (it's probably closer to ten miles, but it seemed like a bunch more.) We found all 24 check points and only got hopelessly lost once! Fun times.

Chinese Roman Numerals

Pam and I bought a huge wall clock on eBay for the wall above the stairs to our basement. After I finally got it hung on the wall and we were staring in admiration, I noticed something strange. The numbers on the clock are in large Roman numerals, but instead IV for 4, it reads IIII.

I grabbed the instructions and checked. Sure enough - made in China. I guess Chinese Romans count a little different.

Chris Filer CD Release Celebration

I mentioned this on our ministry news blog (pnpupdate.blogspot.com), but here it is again in case you haven't been to the other site in a while.

Our dear friend, Chris Filer, has recorded two new CDs and is launching a solo ministry. Join us September, 19 2008 at The Farm - 28710 S. Hwy 7, Garden City, Missouri. There will be free hot dogs, chips, & drinks from 6:30 to 7:30, then we will do a few songs to open the evening. After that we'll sit back and enjoy a great evening of music. Mark your calendars and be there!!

Our friendship goes back before our ministry began when Phil played piano for a country music show run by Chris and his family. Chris, his wife Kelly, and brother Bill formed "The Filers" and recorded Phil's song "Laughing All The Way To The Bank" on their debut CD. Chris and Kelly were our additional vocalists on our "Gospel Favorites Live" CD. They are all wonderful people and we are so excited to see Chris back on the stage again. By the way, we've heard some tunes from the new CDs and they are EXCELLENT!!!

Feedback

We had a couple of great concerts yesterday. First stop was Bethel Church in Boone, Iowa where we helped celebrate the church's 100th anniversary. We've been with these folks enough times that we feel like family. What an honor to be invited to share their special day.

The evening found us in Des Moines at Highland Park Church of the Nazarene. This was our first time at this church and we loved them! The spirit was strong throughout the evening we could tell that the song really ministered. Probably the most memorable part for me was at the end of the concert. Before everyone was dismissed, the pastor asked if anyone would like to share how they had been blessed by the evening. Several folks stood to their feet and shared current trials in their lives and how our testimony had been an encouragement to them. We had just finished singing "Give Out The Blessing" and the blessing came right back to us. What a humbling reminder of how awesome it is to be used by God!!

Now That's Service

Last night I stopped by my favorite Chinese place for some take home takeout. I placed my order at the speaker box and pulled around to the pickup window where I was cheerfully greeted by one of the sisters (this restaurant appears to be run by a family and the daughters/sisters always work the counter.) As an after thought, I asked if they had any iced tea made and ordered a glass. She handed me out a big styrofoam cup and I popped of the top, grabbed some sweetener from my car stash and dumped in a couple packets. She rushed back to the window and said, "Oh no, I already sweetened! Two Sweet-n-Low, way you like?"

I was impressed! She remembered the way I drink my iced tea and fixed it for me. What service!! We don't come here that often and the last time had to be at least a couple of weeks ago. There have been a ton of people come and go since then. I felt so special!!

Of course, it could be I look so memorably weird that people say, "Oh, there's that iced tea guy again."

On The Campaign Trail

I am probably the most non-political person I know. And yet tonight I could be found volunteering at campaign headquarters. Who would've thunk it?

You see, my daughter is running for fourth grade student council at her school. Yesterday I helped her make posters and listened to her speech. Today we taped Tootsie Rolls on cards that say "Vote for Alisha - The SWEET Choice." (On a side note, I keep getting survey calls about McCain & Obama, but no candy from either side. Give it some thought, boys.)

No matter who wins, Alisha has run a clean campaign. And this is the first time I can remember being excited about an election!

Oh Deer

This morning we saw a couple of deer grazing at the edge of the woods behind our house. That's the life for me - strolling along through a meadow, nibbling on grass, stretching out as the warm rays of the morning sun fall gently on your back. Not a care in the world...

UNTIL...

Strange men in orange vests come stomping through the woods, shoot you, stuff you and hang your head on their wall. Or maybe a pair of bright headlights blind you right before your guts are splattered across the roadside.

On second thought, I'm pretty content as a human.

Happie Birdie Baby

Today someone very special in our house turned 10! To honor this special occasion, I thought I'd follow the birthday girl's lead. Whenever it is one of our birthdays or mother's/father's day, she celebrates by wearing the honored person's favorite color. No one ever suggested she do this, it was her idea and a very cool one I think!

So today I wore a shirt and aftershave that I know are her favorites. While she was at school, I printed out a big "Happy Birthday" (one letter per page) on colored paper and taped them on the driveway. When she got off the bus, she looked down and grinned from ear to ear. Then she ran in the house, gave me a big hug and and took a deep breath with her nose buried in my shirt.

This, my friends, is the good stuff.

I Smell Purdy

Pam and I have a pair of matching T-Shirts with some undocumented and almost magical powers. The first time I wore mine, I discovered that my manly man gel deodorant will chemically react with the shirt dye, turning the beautiful blue into a pukey yellow green. Amazing, and yet somewhat embarrassing in public. Nothing permanent, it washed out just fine.

I noticed that Pam didn't seem to have a problem with color changing, so today I decided to try wearing Pam's deodorant. Viola! No sweat, no stains, problem solved!

Well, there is one slight issue. Several times today I've noticed a wonderful floral aroma and stopped to wonder which lady around me was wearing such nice perfume. Then I realized, it's me.

Turtle Pickup Lines

"What's a nice turtle like you doing in a swamp like this?"

"You polish my shell, I'll polish yours."

"I know this place where we can get the best seaweed..."

As enticing as these conversation starters might be, the traditional turtle pre-mating ritual is much different. Here we find our suave young male (we'll call him John Turtlevolta) swimming up to our rather unimpressed female (Olivia Newturtle John). In his best "You're the one that I want, ooh, ooh, ooh, honey" move, he raises his front flippers and, with blurring speed, proceeds to slap Olivia repeatedly upside the head. We asked the info dude at the Missouri River Museum what the turtles were doing and he said, "Oh, he's trying to get her attention."

Ya think? I guess lack of subtlety isn't confined to the males of the human species.

The Bible Told Me So...

Yesterday I mentioned our family bible reading time. Even this can be funny with our crew. Read on...

We are working thru Genesis and got to the part where Lot's daughters decided to get their dad drunk and sleep with him. We tend to kind of read right on thru the sex parts without much comment, so our youngest daughter didn't get the full implication when it said they would "lie" with their father. Then came verse 36 - "So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father." Alisha's eyes grew big and her mouth dropped open as the pieces all fell into place. She shook her head and said, "Oh, that's just wrong."

Right answer sweetie, right answer.

Walking The Talk

Long time followers of our ministry will know we have stopped producing our full newsletter in favor of shorter and more frequent updates. Ministry news is covered at pnpupdate.blogspot.com and personal news, family stuff and misc goodies will be covered here. I'll still have goofy stuff from my slightly warped view of reality, but there will also be some entries that are a bit more serious, like yesterday's. One former newsletter column was called "Walking The Talk" and featured simple witnessing tips. Today's post fits that category perfectly.

We have decided to read the entire Bible out loud as a family. Each day after a meal we set our plates aside and pick up our bibles. We go around table, each reading a verse and sharing a comment or explanation from time to time. Everybody loves this time together, especially our kids. Sometimes we even take our bibles along when we go out to eat. We've had many people stop by our table over the years and comment on how good it was to see our family pray before we eat, so I know folks are watching. I wonder what they think to see us doing a family bible study. Our motive is not to impress others with how "spiritual" we are, but if our actions encourage someone else to pick up their bible, that's pretty cool!

Here's Your Sign

While we were singing in Cedar Falls, IA at the Cedar Valley Sing we mentioned that our youngest daughter is interested in art, foreign languages, and sign language. A wonderful lady came up to our table afterward and told us she was was a retired teacher of ASL (American Sign Language). She spent a little time with Alisha and taught her some basics including "I Love You" seen in this picture. This considerate lady even came out to our Sunday night concert with a bag of ASL instruction books for Alisha to take home and study! God puts the neatest people in our path.

We ended our concert that night as always with a very powerful and moving song. You could feel the spirit of God so present in the room as the pastor came to the front of the sanctuary. As we took a seat in the pew next to Alisha, she turned to her mama and signed "Jesus died for me." With a tear in her eye, Pam whispered, "Yes He did." Then Alisha signed, "and for you, too." Alisha wrapped her arms around Pam and they shared big hug.

Folks, it doesn't get much better than that.

Breaking Up Is (Apparently Not So) Hard To Do

I was reading an article in a Southern Gospel magazine today about the mother of a popular family group that is no longer singing together. It was one of those "Where are they now?" pieces and I read it aloud to my family. The article said that since the group had retired, she had remarried and was doing fine. Upon hearing this, my daughter asked, "Dad, does that mean if you and mom retire from singing you have to get divorced?"

"Apparently so, sweetheart." I replied.

"Well, your new album is more contemporary, so maybe you could squeak by and stay married."

-----

You know, I intended this to be funny, but it is just sad. Christian singers aren't perfect by any means, but it strikes me that the divorce rate among people in the ministry is much too high. I know Satan comes down hard on anyone trying to make a difference for God, but I just can't believe that God is honored if our time representing Him causes our families to fall apart.

This is my personal plea to fellow Christians in all walks of life. Take time to nurture your relationships - first with God and then with your spouse and kids.

With that said, I'm wrapping this up so I can practice what I preach. "Get ready family, hugs coming your way!"

Giddyup

While we were in Illinois a few weeks ago, we spent some time with Rich Criss and his family. Rich is the music minister at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Morrison, Il where we have sung a couple of times. The Crisses have two daughters almost the same age as ours and everyone had a blast hanging out together. In fact, Rich's and my sense of humor are so much alike it is scary (and embarrassing for our wives).

Here's a photo of Rich and me and our death defying wild bull ride in Dubuque, IA. (Ok, so it was actually a wild duck and pelican ride, but hey, we're both piano players and have to protect our fingers). That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

You've been where??

Hey all,

Sorry I kind of dropped out of the blogosphere. It's not that there has been nothing to blog about, more like so much that I decided to just live it without comment.

Life has been very good. Lots of ministry, lots of concerts, lots of miles down the road. We took a bunch of pictures and as I get those back, I'll drop a line to illuminate as I ruminate. Stay tuned, the journey goes on..........

Happy Campers

Here I sit enjoying a nice breeze and listening to the birds sing. Where you ask? Right here at Midland Ministries Camp! To my right is the lake (see picture) and up the hill the kids are playing games and having a snack break. The kids are starting to trickle down to prepare for our next session on evangelism starting in about 10 minutes.

We are spending the week with seventy 4th thru 6th graders, fifty girls and twenty boys! As a special treat, our youngest daughter is a camper here with us. First thing this morning, she burst into our rooms and recited all the books in the New Testament. Too cool! Having fun and learning about Jesus - what a great combination!

Where Did The Week Go???

I can't believe it is Friday already! This has been a BUSY week. Lots of stuff accomplished, so I'd say a good one too! Here's the WEEK IN REVIEW (doesn't that sound official?) This week I...

• wrote two songs with Helga. Good stuff!
• wrote two songs with Leslie. Good Stuff!
• Set us up to post videos on YouTube.
• Took the first steps toward our myspace page.
• Set up a new NEWS site for our ministry (pnpupdate.blogspot.com - check it out!)
• Set up mp3 downloads from our online store. Two albums so far, and accompaniment tracks for our latest. (www.PhilandPamMorgan.com/Store)
• scheduled a couple of concerts for this fall.
• picked a music minister's brain while eating burritos.
• fixed a broken kicthen drawer.
and the list goes on...

In a couple of hours we hit the road for a very full concert weekend in Iowa. I just remembered - I haven't packed yet!! Gotta go!

Digital Doo-Doo?

My oldest daughter is away at summer camp so my youngest filled in her job of mowing Grandma's lawn. The mower was a bit heavy for her, so I walked along beside and helped with the pushing and steering. All in all, a fine job. Of course the best part was receiving big sister's mowing money for this week. I could actually see the smoke rising from her pocket, so there was no complaint when we headed to Walmart to pick up some household items.

While there, she just happened to find a very cool pen with a built in electronic pet game to buy wih part of her newly earned money. When we got home she ripped open the package and read the instructions aloud to the whole family. By pushing the tiny buttons you can feed and play with the little electronic doggy on the screen.

I pointed to a different button and asked, "What's this one for?"

"Oh, that's the pooper scooper."

"What?"

"For when he goes to the bathroom."

"Really?"

"Yup!"

Apparently, after eating, the little liquid-crystal canine will leave a trail of poop pixels on the screen.

That gives a whole new meaning to the term "digital download."

Providence is not just in Rhode Island

A lady came up to me at our concert last Saturday night with an amazing story. She told me she was recently cleaning up around her house and came across the newspaper article about our accident back in 2000. She had never met or seen us in concert at that time, but she was so touched by the article, she cut it out and saved it. When she went though a particularly difficult time in her life, that article and our testimony gave her hope and encouragement. Later she saw us in concert and has become a follower of our ministry.

She commented to her pastor what a coincidence it was that she had saved an article that was such a blessing later in her life. He said that was no coincidence, that was God taking care of her need before she even knew she had it. That is providence.

If you are reading this, thank you so much for sharing your story with me. Now the blessing has come full circle!

Practice, Practice

Our oldest daughter did a wonderful job at our release concert last night!! We knew she would do the one song she sang on the album, but when we asked if she was interested in singing harmony with us, she rose to the challenge. She worked so hard all week, both practicing with us and by herself with the tracks on her laptop. Her hard work paid off as several of her friends from school showed up and heard her first big concert.

This is a dream come true for Pam and I. I have always envisioned us being able to do more parts live, and that is starting to happen. Watch this summer, as often as busy schedules allow, we will be a trio!

Woody, The World's Dumbest Woodpecker

I was working in my office the other day when I heard this load hammering sound. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from, so I walked outside and there on my roof was a woodpecker, pounding away. I shooed him away.

This morning in the shower, I heard it again. Yes, my little pest was back. The sad part is, a few hundred feet behind our house is a wooded area filled with... trees. Lots and lots of trees.

I wonder if this little guy fell out of the nest and hit his head as a baby. Not the brightest bulb in the pack. Survival of the fittest? Yeah, right.

Proud Dad Moment

Yesterday I had one of life's rare and precious father-daughter moments. Not birth, baptism, bride or baby; no, this was a really big one. Together, we bought her first wireless microphone.

As I think I already mentioned, my oldest has her first featured solo on our new CD. Yesterday, we were rehearsing for our big release celebration concert (coming up this Saturday, by the way, be there!!) and we decided to see how she would do singing the third part on some of our other songs. Well, slap me with a wet fish, she ROCKS!!! She does a great job finding her part and blending with us old people. She did so good, we decided it's time for her to join us in a big way.

Of course, that means only one thing - we need more musical equipment. Off we headed to the local music superstore and checked out the wireless microphone selection. In no time at all, we found the perfect one. I had a lump in my throat and mist in my eyes as I handed over my credit card to the clerk. It was a moment I'll cherish, forever.

All I can say is, just wait until Saturday... it's gonna be AWESOME!!

Click here for concert info.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Today is my Grandma's 95th birthday. Last Saturday she got to spend the day with all her children and many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. What a legacy of love.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Erma!

Letter and Verse

I mentioned last week about our new tour T-Shirt. We used to have a bunch of shirts, but I got tired of lugging around crates of shirts everywhere we went. Just one design this time, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Unlike in the past, I actually designed this shirt. We wanted something that captured the message and feel of our new tour and CD, so I came up with the idea of God's Street Team. If you aren't familiar with the term, a street team is a group of volunteers who spread the word about a musical artist who is coming to town. That is exactly what we should do for God, spread the word!

I wanted to add a scripture reference, and knew the perfect one - where the followers are told to go to Jerusalem, then Judea, and then the ends of the earth. In other words, start where you are and keep working outward in bigger circles to reach the wrld. When I looked up Acts 1:8 to get the exact wording, I was amazed at the first part of the verse that I had glossed over in my mind.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8

That first part is the other theme that is woven throughout the CD. We can do nothing without God working through us. I love it when a familiar verse takes on a whole new life. God is awesome.

Where's my Sharpie?

Today will be the first official presentation of our new CD to the public. We'll be hosting a CD signing at the Christian Bookshelf here in Lee's Summit, MO. If you read this and are in the area, stop by between 11 and 2!

We have a new life-size banner display so folks can look at us, then look at it, then look at us, and say, "Are you the Morgans?" Don't laugh, it really happens. I heard a Christian comedian say recently that any piece of paper that is laminated becomes an official sign. Well, I guess anyone who stands in front of a huge picture of themselves becomes an official gospel singer.

I have a full box of Sharpies. Optimistic? Prepared? Delusional? Only time will tell.

Man, I hope we sell at least one CD. Maybe we can bribe the people at the Subway next door to come over and pretend they know who we are.

Drum Roll Please...

So much to celebrate here!! Yesterday the big brown UPS truck backed up our driveway and dropped off the first shipment of our new CD, YOU MOVE ME!!! We started filling orders today! There are now song samples on the website, so go listen and then buy one (or many!! I've got to pay for these!) www.PhilandPamMorgan.com

Also yesterday I finalized the order for our new tour T-Shirts. Very cool and they should be here next Friday. I also ordered our new tour booklets to hand out at concerts.

To top it all off, I just noticed that my last blog entry was the 100th I have written. Maybe not a huge deal, but seems worth mentioning.

In closing, here is my quote for the day - "Everybody looks out for #1, unless they are walking thru a cow pasture. Then everybody looks out for #2." - author unknown

Jesus & Dan

I'm back in town from a weekend on the road. Glad to be sleeping in my own bed!!!

Friday and Saturday we sang at a gospel music festival in Henderson, Nebraska. It was good to see so many friends in other groups and catch up on their lives. We previewed a couple of songs from the new project and they went over very well. My only thought was, "What was I thinking when I picked these keys?" Lawd ahmighty, I'm gonna have to get some tighter pants to sing that high. Some time off the road and I've let myself go, (I don't think age could have anything to do with it, yeah right.) Anyhow, I am vowing to rehearse every day until the release concert. I'll be like Rocky in vocal training, but that stirs up an image of Sylvester Stallone singing - now I'm scaring myself.

Speaking of scaring myself, it's storming and our electricity just went off. Plenty of battery in the laptop, but my internet connection is gone. I guess I'll send this in the morning.

Back to the weekend. We finished up this morning at a church in Clarinda, IA- the home of Glenn Miller, BBD (Big Band Dude). Great services, thanks Darcy for taking care of us while Andy was at General Conference. And yes, we beat the storm home, but it followed us all the way.

After the concert I was changing my clothes in the parlor and noticed a really cool picture of Jesus on the wall. The only thing was, He looked a lot like Dan Fogelberg. Interesting...

The Return

Hello again,

It's been a nutty few weeks. I've been trapped in the real world and couldn't find the portal back to blogville. Lots of stuff, lots of stress, but lots checked off my list. There must be times like this...

Big news - yesterday I mailed the masters for the new CD to the duplicator!!! What a load off my mind. I don't know if this project was more stressful than in the past, or my memory tends to gloss over past difficulties. I have a feeling it is the later. Either way, the CD should be at the plant in about 45 minutes and boxes should arrive next week, hopefully in time for our CD signing on the 14th. A CD signing without CDs seems rather pointless, so we are praying.

I spent some time this morning revising my checklist, removing completed items and adding new goodies. I added more than I removed, so I better get cranking. There's a line in one of the new songs that is probably the most honest things I've ever written...

"My life's a never-ending list of things I must get done."

That's kind of a depressing way to end for the day. Maybe I should quote another song from the album...

"You move me to dream big dreams,
You hold out hope I've never held before,
You move me beyond myself,
and give me strength to walk thru any door.
I love the way You move,
and I love the way You move me."

That's better.

Hair Care

My youngest daughter has developed the routine of coming up behind me when I am sitting in a chair and combing my hair. At first I thought she was just pampering me, but now I see she has a motive. She combs through my thick, dark locks in search of... it pains me to say - gray hairs. Our routine goes something like this:

Comb, comb, comb.
HER - "Oh, this one is definitely gray!" YANK!
ME - "Ouch!!!"
HER - "See dad, it's white as can be! Wait, I think I see another one..."

I'm not worried about getting gray. I'm concerned with losing too much blood from my scalp as the gray hairs get easier to find.

Wish I'd Written That

Every once in a while I come across a song that reminds me that songwriting is an art. Recently I've been hooked on a tune by Beth Nielsen Chapman and Matt Rollings called "Touch My Heart." It starts out...

There are songs I love that catch my breath
When the first chord starts to play
Effortless and true, it's funny but I knew
You would always touch my heart that way.

Couple that with a great melody and haunting track and you've got me. Check out the whole album "Beth Neilsen Chapman - Look". Great stuff! You go girl.

Under the Cover

It took all last week, but the graphics for our new CD are FINISHED and at the printer!!! I thought you might enjoy being first to see the new cover--->

Today we will be listening to the "hopefully" final mix of the songs before mastering. Everything is coming together for our June 21st release concert.

On The Radio

There is a radio station here in Kansas City that plays a lot of our music. I'm always hearing from folks (mainly my mom) that they heard us singing that morning. We are thrilled by the station's support (thanks guys!). Still, every time someone mentions hearing us I always feel a little guilty of false advertising. You see, the album they most often play songs from is a live recording of classic gospel music we did eleven years ago. My concern is, if people hear that album and come out to see us in concert, they will find...

1. We won't be doing any of those songs,
2. Our current sound is quite a bit different from back then, and
3. that CD is not even in print anymore.

I'm not complaining, I'm honored that people can still be ministered to by something we did so early in our career. I hope that folks will come out to see us live. I think we've improved a ton in the last ten years!

They're Singing Our Song

This weekend we had a really awesome experience. On Friday night we sang at a Mother/Daughter banquet for a downtown Kansas City church. We have been with these folks several times and just love them. They are like family to us! There were some people in attendance who had never heard our testimony so we decided to end the evening with Pam sharing about our wreck and God's miraculous healing, and close with singing her testimony song, "I Stand." There was such a warm spirit in the room, Pam got pretty emotional while sharing her testimony. When it was time for her to sing, all she could do was cry. She tried a couple of times, but nothing came out.

Then without prompting, everyone who had heard us before (most of the group) started singing Pam's part. It was such a God moment. We were there to minister to them, and they ended up ministering to us. What a blessing!

Gospel Hair

After our morning concert, we were to meet some friends for lunch. When we entered the restaurant, a waitress walked right up to me. She said there were some folks in the other room waiting for someone with "Gospel Music Hair" and that had to be me.

I'm still trying to figure out, should I be pleased or insulted?

Writing on Writing

While in the studio recently I stumbled on a great songwriting book called "Writing Better Lyrics." When I got back home, I surfed the internet to find a copy. While searching, I found many recommendations for another book called "Tunesmith" by Jimmy Webb. I found both books reasonably priced at Overstock.com so I slapped down my credit card and made the purchase. (Speaking of which, I miss those old credit card imprint machines. Remember when the cashier would put your card in the slot with a 3-part receipt and CHA-CHING with the big heavy roller. That really felt like you were purchasing something. Now it's just type in your numbers and hit the button. Of course, I've even heard some folks talk about using dollar bills and coins, but that was before my time.)

Now where was I? Oh yeah, the books. I had heard so much about the Jimmy Webb book, when they arrived I started with that one. I'm two chapters/35 pages into it, and so far all he has done is gripe about a variety of subjects. It looks like the good stuff is about to begin. I'll let you know my opinion when I finish.

I'm thinking about writing my own book on the subject. I think I'll call it, "How To Write Songs They'll Never Play On The Radio." Now there's a topic where I could use my vast experience.

It's Who You Know

I was listening to the mix of one of our new songs and thought, "Something is missing." Then it hit me, it needs mandolin. So I called Glenn, but Jeremiah answered so I talked to Susan and she said she'd call David. I told her to hold off for a minute and I called Mark to ask Wanda, but they are swamped so I told Susan to go ahead and call David. Then I called Kevin and he said, "You should call Wanda," which I told him I already had so he said he would call Dennis. A little bit later I got a text from Kevin saying Tammy would play the mandolin part. So I called Susan to tell her not to call David, but Kevin had already called and everything is set.

Who says I'm not in the loop?

Writing With Sue

I've been writing songs for 35 years, but co-writing for around six months. It is a new experience for me, and I'm loving it!! Last Friday and Saturday I had the opportunity to write with Sue Smith, a very established and successful song writer. Friday we worked on a song that I had completely written, but felt needed a new chorus and some touch-ups. We struggled and came up with some new stuff, but I'm not sure either of us think it is where it needs to be yet. Work in progress.

We were scheduled to write again on Saturday morning before Sue taught a conference here in town. The pressure was on. All during my morning bible study I kept praying, "God, give me an idea we can work on today." I felt I needed to bring something especially good to the table (we songwriters are an insecure lot.) The fact that Sue had won a Dove award a few days before, didn't add to the pressure. Oh, no. I did come up with a couple of concepts, probably too big for a 3 minute song, but worth a try someday. Then, while driving I had a catchy title pop in my head. When we got back to my writing/piano room, I shared all my ideas, saving that one for last. When I mentioned the title, she nodded her head and said, "we can write that!" About 90 minutes later we had a complete lyric. Now I need to go back and work on the music.

Did we write a hit? Who knows, but I think it will be cuttable. Whatever the final destination, I enjoyed the journey.

Grazing

A buddy of mine came over to help me spray my yard for weeds. He brought his tractor with 100 gallon sprayer attachment, maybe a bit much for my acre and a half, but the manly factor is thru the roof!!

He used a product called Pasture something. I read the label and was amazed to discover all the weeds this one treatment would eliminate.

I also discovered that it is safe for me to graze in my backyard the same day we sprayed.

Even if I'm lactating.

On Again, Off Again, On...

Hey everybody,

After a two week hiatus, I'm back. Believe me, those two weeks have been jam packed finishing up our new CD!! I'll back track and give you more details in coming days but in summary, I (most of these include Pam)...

- rushed home to sing a concert
- recorded my twelve year old daughter's lead vocal at a friend's studio.
- had a "creative meeting" with our photographer.
- went back to the studio to finish up "comping" the local vocal.
- Spent several hours standing in the middle of a downtown Kansas City street having my picture taken.
- reviewed mixes of 7 songs for the new CD
- reviewed hundreds of pictures of Pam and me standing in the middle of the street.
- wrote two songs with Sue Smith, founder of Write About Jesus.
- worked the "Snack Stroll" at my youngest daughter's school carnival.

There's bunch more, but I'm tired. Good night.

Wrapping up

We are coming to the end of a very long and very fun week in the studio. As I type, Kevin is in the vocal booth adding about the fiftieth part of background vocals to a song. Very talented young man! Actually, I discovered he is about eight months older than me, even though he still looks twelve.

The whole recording process very humbling. Anyone who can listen to themselves sing multiple versions of imperfect lines, and have an ego must be deaf. Yesterday morning my Bible reading included the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. I could see myself in the bread and fish. What talents I have to offer seem pretty meager (and I think one of those fish is starting to smell a bit). So now I have to trust the hands of engineers, mixers and masterers to make it the best humanly possible. Ultimately, that will still fall short unless Jesus blesses it and uses it to feed the multitude.

Everyday I'm reminded that it's not about me. It's all about Him. AMEN!

Studio-speak

Another fun day in the studio yesterday. We are cruising through the vocals and having a blast. Thomas, our engineer, is keeping a file of all our bloopers and funny remarks. We'll have to do something with those on the website sometime, they are hilarious.

When you get a bunch of creative people in one room, strange things are bound to happen. At times we even speak our own language. Here are a couple of examples for your reading pleasure.

INCOMPLETUS GROOVUS INTERRUPTUS - Latin for what happens when a musician stops playing before the section is finished, thus interrupting the groove or feel of the song.

PREMATURE VOCALATION - When a singer starts singing ahead of the actual starting point.

Sure Feels Like Tuesday

Everyone is excited to start another day of recording, as you can tell from this energetic picture of our producer, Kevin Stokes. Yesterday was awesome! We recorded a live horn section in the morning and early afternoon, plus some way cool sax solos on a couple of songs.

In the afternoon/evening we started on lead vocals with me cutting three songs. We'll knock out a bunch more today. Sounding good!

Sing, Sing, Sing!

Monday morning and we are about to head back to the studio. Saturday was a loooooong day. The players decided to cut everything in one day instead of coming back for a second, so eleven songs (twelve if you count the two versions we did of one) made for a fourteen hour day. Great stuff!!! We can't wait for the finished product. Yesterday we had a free day to do nothing but rest.

Today we will be cutting overdubs with a horn section and starting vocals. Time to sing pretty.

We're Off To See The Wizard...

Here we are at the airport, heading out to North Carolina to record our new CD!! The last couple of weeks have been an emotional roller coaster, which explains why I've been absent from Blogville. There were songs to finish, songs to start (ouch), rough demos to make, and so much more. Besides the huge quantity of work, my mind likes to play tricks on me at times like this. I'll go from "This song is awesome!" to "This song stinks" several times a day and usually on the same song. Maybe my old adversary, the devil, is whispering discouragement one more time.

Right now I can honestly look at the songs we are going to record and say I'm pleased. There are some new, fun sounds for us, and the message is as strong as anything we've ever done. A lot of thought went into planning the message of this CD and I feel this is going to be a tool God can use.

Tomorrow is tracking with some of the best players in the world! Good times.

Ghost In The Machine

I think my car stereo is possessed. I grabbed "Deuteronomy" from my Bible on Tape for a listen while driving today. I popped in the cassette (remember, those small plastic thingies with the tape spooled inside?) and the player refused to obey. Not only would it not play, it wouldn't eject, either. I can see my tape, but I can't get it to come out. I would stick my finger in there, but I'm afraid there might be an evil spirit waiting to suck me in. Paranoid or spiritually discerning? Only time will tell.

Relatives

"Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years." - Exodus 6:20

That would make Moses's mom also his great aunt.

His brother Aaron is his second cousin.

And Moses's mother's brother is her father-in-law.

You thought your family was messed up.

Deep Thought Thursday

Here are some new lyrics I wrote to an old 70's song.

(Most effective if sung with a bad British accent)

If a picture's worth a thousand words, then why can't I paint you?
If blood is red, when I hit me head, why does it turn blue????

The Trust Factor

I had a great co-write today with Leslie Asher. We started and basically finished a new tune that is very cool. She had shared the idea last week, but nothing really took off. Then today - ka zing! What a wonderful feeling.

Leslie was honest enough to share something with me after we finished working. Last week she was worried that I would take her idea in a musical direction different from what she had envisioned. I understood exactly how she felt. Songs are like our babies. Even at the idea stage, they can be very personal. It is scary to share them with another writer who could take them 180° from where you think they should go. There is a level of trust involved in co-writing. The writer with the original idea has to trust that even though it is different, the other person could help take the song to a better place than ever imagined. For the second writer, you have to trust that even if you can't hear it in your head, the original idea could be exactly where this song needs to go. Your job is to catch the vision and help bring it to life.

I see now why the same names keep appearing side by side on so many songs. Co-writing is a relationship. It takes honesty, kindness, forgiveness (what do you mean my idea is stupid?), and of course, trust. The end result is well worth the risk!

Say Again?

Pam and I like to listen to Garrison Keillor's daily podcast, "The Writer's Almanac." Each edition features interesting info on famous people born on this day plus a short poem at the end.

My favorite part is not in the show, it's in the introductory credits. Each day Garrison says "... brought to you by Poetry Magazine, for over ninety years, a premier publisher of contemporary verse." Garrison sounds very proper, and pronounces premier as "prim-ear." Each day when we hear that word, Pam and I both repeat back "prim-ear" and give a little chuckle.

Isn't it amazing how little it takes to amuse us?

Deja View

This week I took my oldest daughter to buy a new watch. She took her old one off in a restroom to wash her hands and when she checked back a few minutes later, it was gone. (We don't spend a lot on jewelry, so it was really no big deal.) We headed to that great fashion accessory store, Walmart, to pick out a new one. She was overjoyed, for there in the $7 rack was the exact same watch. Pick, pay and we were on our way!

The funny part is, this was not the first time I had purchased the same watch twice. Years ago she had a butterfly watch that broke, and Walmart had another of that model as well. I teased her about being stuck in a rut. Today, I can't tease her anymore.

My favorite pair of sunglasses broke while I was in Nashville last month. Imagine my joy, when I found another pair exactly like them in our local dollar store!! I'm so happy, I'm wearing them right now. Of course, that makes it a little hard to see the computer screen, but this is the best thing that happened to me all day! Wait a minute, I'm excited over a $1 pair of sunglasses. Does that make me pathetic?

Deep Thought Thursday - You Are Needed!

This is kind of a break from our regular Thursday routine, but I found something too good to pass up.

If you've been on the internet for anytime at all, you've seen plenty of advertisements. Many of these are generated by a computer to relate to a subject on the page you are viewing. The following ad appeared next to an article about a former TV star who was arrested with marijuana (pot).


Now, before you rush out to load up on discount drugs, read on. When you click on the link, you are taken to an e-bay listing for "seed pots." Close, but not close enough!

So, if you know the difference between "seed pots" and "pot seeds", you are smarter that the smartest computers in the world. See, you are still needed after all!

My Personal Poet

My oldest daughter had to write a free form poem for school. When she read it to me, I loved it and want to share it with you. Here goes...


PIANO ROOM

Guests walk in amazed,
with their mouths open wide,
speechless at the beautiful sight.
Large, tall windows,
shining light on the smooth black top.
All kinds of instruments,
red cushiony chairs around
for people to sit and listen.
Everyone gathers, waiting to hear a beautiful noise,
while my dad is seated at his baby grand,
hands resting gently on the keys.
This is one of my family's favorite rooms,
so beautiful and open,
useful for so many things.
We call it our sanctuary - the Piano Room.

Good News

I feeling a bit down earlier this week and told Pam I need to be around someone doing good. It seems all the folks I talked to were struggling thru one life challenge or another. Not complaining, just struggling. No one with a smooth and carefree life bothered to call, so I guess I'll be the one with good news.

Yesterday I watched my oldest daughter sing a song I co-wrote in the school talent show. There were only sixteen acts out of several hundred (possibly a thousand) students, so it was quite an honor. She did excellent!

Yesterday afternoon I noticed one of our CDs has been added to iTunes!! Pretty cool stuff.

Last night I shared good pizza with several of my closest friends.

The week might have started out sort of rough, but it ended just fine!

Deep Thought Thursday

This one may date us a bit...

If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME junk, why didn't he just buy dinner?

Bargain Bin?

I always told Pam we would know we made it big when our CDs made the bargain bin. In a way, that day is here - at least electronically. There are at least a few copies of most of our projects floating around on eBay and Amazon.com. Periodically I google us just to see what is out there.

The other day I came across a first. There is a copy of my new piano CD, "This Gift I Bring", on Amazon.com selling for a whopping $29.50 plus shipping. This is a current product available from our website for $15. What gives??

I'm not upset with the seller. If he can get $30+, more power to him. However, if you're in the buying mood, swing by my website and I'll give you that CD plus 2 more for only $35. Ain't I a nice guy???

Do The Math

While in Nashville I kept driving by the "Fifth Third Bank". This has me really confused. Is it the fifth branch of the Third Bank, or the third branch of the Fifth Bank?

Why not split the difference and call it the "Fourth Bank". Problem solved, shorter name - less confusing. Did I miss my calling as a bank name consultant? Who knows...

Deep Thought Friday?

Hey everybody! I'm back in town and piled up with work so this will be short. I spent most of yesterday in the airport and couldn't (make that wouldn't) get on the internet. Here's a double dose to make up for the delayed day.

1. Why does the "complementary wi-fi" service in the Nashville airport cost $9.99?

2. Do guilty people feel as guilty as innocent people do when going thru the airport security x-ray and body search?

(Does anybody notice an airport theme here?)

The Two Hundred Twenty Third Psalm

What a great day today. Kevin Stokes and I spent the morning going over the tunes for our new CD. In the afternoon we wrote a GREAT SONG!!! It was probably the best co-writing session I've ever had - total collaboration with each of us pulling the best out of each other. It is going to be exciting to see how God uses this song to minister.

Tonight I had dinner with another co-writer, Helga Kaefer. It was funny, I live in KC and she lives in New Jersey. (We have written two songs together.) We were both in Nashville to co-write but not with each other. I wish my world was always this small, so I could be around my writing buddies anytime.

Maybe there'll be song writing in heaven! If there is, I bet everyone will want to co-write with David. Wouldn't that be cool? A psalm of David and Phil.

Write Right Rite

This is my second day in Nashville, writing songs for our next CD. So far I've had two sessions with Marty Funderburk. Yesterday we worked with some ideas but didn't have anything really click. This morning I had a new idea and jotted down a verse and chorus which I emailed to Marty. When we got together in the afternoon, he had done some work on it and in a couple of hours we had a great song!! Marty is a true pro and a pleasure to work with.

Tomorrow I'll spend the day with Kevin Stokes, our producer. We'll work through some pre-production stuff and probably write a bit as well. Should be a great day!!

If That Don't Taint The Cake

Yesterday was my family birthday party, complete with my favorite - ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. This year I decided to try something different to blow out the candles. It went sort of like this...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

For some reason, no one else wanted a piece. Oh well, more for me!!

Define "Urgent"

For the last several weeks I've been fighting a slight cough left over from a minor cold last month. It doesn't really bother me except when I sing. When I draw those big breaths to belt out a high note, I feel like I'm going to cough up a lung. We are gearing up for recording so I thought I better run to the doctor's office to get some meds to clear this out for good.

My doctor's clinic has walk in Urgent Care from 7am to 4pm for people like me with busy schedules and minor problems. I bopped in at about 3:30 and the receptionist informed me that since the weather was bad today the Urgent Care closed at 3:00. She said I could come back tomorrow.

I looked up "urgent" in the dictionary and found "requiring immediate action or attention"

Maybe the new definition should add "or can wait until tomorrow."

3, 2, 1 . . .

Yesterday the countdown timer on my laptop hit Zero. Yes, it is official. I am now 40. What do exciting people do on this momentous day? I don't know, but here's what I did.

First I slept in!!! I could get used to this.

Next my mom took Pam and I out to lunch. (Actually there was showering, dressing, goofing around, etc. in there, but do you really need that much detail?) We ran a few errands and went back to her house to help her decide between two curtain patterns.

After this we hit the town for a bit of birthday shopping. My choice, the Dollar Store!!! (I call it frugal, Pam calls it cheap, but it's me.) I love to read and I LOVE reading hard cover books, but there is no way I'm paying $20 for one. The dollar store had received a new shipment and I went nuts. Nineteen books for nineteen bucks!!! I'm stocked for the rest of the year.

After the kids came home from school, I opened my presents!! Pam and the girls bought me six new DVDs (my other weakness - actually I purchased these several weeks ago from the bargain bin), a comfy new shirt and a non-stick skillet. (Now is that glamourous or what?) Everything was just what I wanted and I love it!!

At 7:15 we headed out for dinner. Pam had reservations and wouldn't tell me where. We arrived at a very nice Italian restaurant and were ushered to a back room where some of our best couple friends were waiting. I was totally surprised, and that is hard to do! (Kudos Pam, ya did good!) We had a wonderful dinner and even better time visiting and catching up.

I've been joking about this birthday for quite a while, but honestly, getting older doesn't bother me. Sure I'll miss my dark hair and sleeping all night without bathroom breaks, but I'm loving my life. I know that I'm loved and I'm blessed. Who could ask for any more than that?

Deep Thought Thursday

The debate whether the glass is half full or half empty has been going on so long, they should dump out whatever is in there and get some fresh. It couldn't possibly taste good after all this time.

The Final Meal

Tonight I had my final meal as a thirty-something person. It didn't hit me until we were finished eating, but then I took time to savor the moment.

The family and I were feasting at the KFC Buffet. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, biscuits with gravy, beans (both baked and green) with gravy, (OK, they didn't start out with gravy, but I put so much on my potatoes it spread to the other food groups.) For dessert, peach cobbler and some kind of light orange colored mousse. Yummy!!

I was having a great time, despite the chaos going on around me. My youngest was upset there weren't more pudding flavors, my oldest almost got stuck in the bathroom because of a heavy door/greasy floor combination, and my wife was worried about germs and passing around the hand sanitizer. Then there was an irate woman yelling at the counter guy because they ran out of sforks, the cleverly combined spoon/fork utensil.

There I was, oblivious to it all, munching on chicken and grooving along with the Caribbean tunes floating down from overhead speakers. The last song I heard before we left was a steel drum rendition of the 80s hit "Pass the Dutchie on the left hand side." That proves you are never too old for new experiences.

I guess that's as good a place as any to wrap up my first forty years. Tomorrow I'll work on the next forty.

Deep Thought Thursday

You've probably heard it said, "Go ahead and ask, the worst that can happen is they'll say 'no'".

That is not true. They could punch you in the face, knock you down, spit on you, tie you to a tree, beat you senseless, steal your wallet, and then say "no".

Now, a simple "no" doesn't sound so bad, does it?

Satan's Sidebar

Last night I was working on the devotion for our monthly newsletter. I needed to look up the lyrics to Sandi Patti's song "In The Name of the Lord." I typed it into Google and clicked on the first hit on the list.

Sure enough, in seconds I was reading through the lyrics. Then I glanced over to the sidebar of the webpage. There were little pictures of women in bikinis with links that I can only assume pointed to less than wholesome websites. I couldn't believe it. The contrast was so extreme, it seemed almost surreal. Kind of like having an usher at church ask, "Smoking or non?"

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Everywhere we find God, Satan's not far off, doing his best to draw us away. We've got to keep to the narrow path, for wide is the browser and many are the links that lead to destruction. Amen brother, preach it!!!

The Not So Soft and Gentle Side

I have a confession to make. We don't watch much TV around our house, but Pam and I have gotten hooked on one series, Alias with Jennifer Garner. I borrow the DVDs from our local library and we like to watch an episode each day for lunch. If you've never seen the show, it's an adventure with lots of spies, mysteries and government cover-ups. To summarize, somewhere in each episode, Jennifer Garner cries, runs, and kicks someone in the head. Throw in a bunch of shooting, and you have an action-packed 41 minutes.

The other day our heroine was face to face with a big bad guy, duking it out. Then my kind, gentle, loving and caring wife belts out, "Kick him in the head!" It was so out of character, we both burst out laughing.

Now I can picture it. Someday we'll be on stage sharing a tender moment about God's love and Pam will blurt out, "and when Satan tries to discourage you, just kick him in the head!"

You go girl!

Deep Thought Thursday plus...

If a bird breaks wind in the forest and the are no other animals around, does it still smell like worms?

----

On a completely different note, this morning was too cool. I scheduled a co-write with a friend in New Jersey. We both sat at our pianos with our macbooks and iChat running. There she was, live in a window on my screen. We texted lyrics to each other and in a couple of hours we had finished a new song!! This has got to be about the best invention since indoor plumbing! I'm hooked.

Refried Romance

Pam and I took my mom out to lunch for her 74th birthday yesterday (Yeah, mumsie!). We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant. While there I noticed a sign advertising a wonderful Italian dinner for Valentine's Day. Italian food at a Mexican place? Is Mexican less romantic than Italian? I think some of our amigos south of the border would disagree.

I gave this question a lot of thought and finally came up with a possible answer. Many Mexican dishes included refried beans and beans do have their own peculiar digestive traits. It is true that the expulsion of noxious gases can taint a romantic atmosphere, not to mention the fire hazard if there are lit candles present.

I suppose on the other hand, pasta is high in carbs and should give you a lot of energy. If that is the case, how come every time I eat Italian, I feel fat, bloated and want to take a nap? And is there any toothpaste that will kill the smell of garlic on your breath?

My best suggestion for a romantic meal would be some variety of fish (unless you are allergic, of course, in which case the response can range from dangerous to down-right funny depending on how you react). I prefer baked for quiet digestion with a light bowl of soup on the side and a wafer-thin mint as a finishing touch.

Even with this meal, there is no guarantee that you won't do or say something totally stupid, thus negating any positive effect from your culinary discernment. Maybe it's better to just grab a couple of bean burritos and a coke and hope for the best!

Somebody's Praying

I was just working on a new song based on a passage in Dueteronomy. What great moment! I was all alone at the piano, but I was having church big time. When the song is finished, I'm pretty sure it will make the cut for our new CD.

I came to good stopping point and was thanking God for the inspiration when it hit me. In our last newsletter and ministry partners letter I asked for prayer for the new songs I am writing. Somebody is praying! I can feel it!

I like what I'm hearing so keep those prayers coming!!

Deep Thought Thursday

This idea comes from an Andy Stanley sermon.


On decision making:

It is wise to get good council before making a decision, because once you make it, you own it.

No excuses, no blame, no matter the outcome. Live with it or fix it. Take responsibility.

You own your decisions.

Miracles in Marinara

DISCLAIMER: The following message is not intended for individuals with no sense of humor.

Will signs and wonders never cease?

The other night Pam was rummaging through the fridge and knocked out a small tub of pizza sauce. I started to clean up the mess, when what to my wandering eyes should appear, there was a face on the floor! Yes, a true holy apparition right before my eyes. There were two small eyes, a large blob that is either an open mouth with no nose or a really big nose with no mouth, a beard, and a tuft of hair on the left side, obviously the beginning of a comb-over.

We first thought it to be Mary, but the beard gave us pause. Of course, the next logical person would be Jesus himself, but this doesn't really look like any picture of the savior I've seen. Then it hit me. This was pizza sauce, which I think is really American but more like Italian, and Rome is in Italy, and the Catholic Church is headquartered in Rome, and Peter was the founder of the church, so TADA!! The face on our floor must be Simon Peter.

We left the area untouched and cordoned it off for protection. We are now working on traffic flow charts for when the buses of the faithful start arriving. I'm checking prices on pouring concrete RV pads in the backyard and I think we can run extension cords back there from the living room. We'll get a row of porta-potties over by the back fence. (Just a side note, but I once had an idea for my own porta-potty business. I was going to call it crap-in-the-box, but it never really took off. Strange...)

All this time we have been traveling around the country to minister, and now we have a ministry right in our own kitchen. I wonder if we can get on Oprah again???

Deep Thought Thursday

Could it be coincidence that each person's nostrils are the same size as the tips of their index fingers?

I don't think so.

Simple Truth

I was writing an e-mail to a friend today when I wrote something I think merits repeating.

Some of the best theology can be found it the simplest places...

Jesus Love Me - the great truth
This I know - you can have assurance of God's love because of:
For the Bible - The documented proof of God's character and track record
Tells me so - God still speaks to us through his word-The bible.
Little ones - that'd be us!
to him belong - If we are God's, Satan cannot pluck us from His hand
They are weak - We can't do anything on our own strength
But He is Strong - With God, all things are possible.

Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me ...

New Horizons

I heard you should learn something new each day.

Today I learned how to make a balloon dog.

Does that count?


"See, he is puffed up..." - Habakkuk 2:4

The Week In Review

This has been one of those weeks that seemed packed full of stuff with little to show for it. So to make me feel better about myself, here are the highlights.

1. recorded demo of new song I wrote with Leslie Asher
2. worked more on a different song with Nick LaPointe via iChat
3. took my daughter to her violin lesson
4. scheduled 3 concerts
5. wrote a life changing (I hope) devotion
6. ate lunch with my mom and great-grandma
7. Took my other daughter to skate night
8. published monthly newsletter (biggest job of the week)
9. redesigned business card for Pam
10. answered countless phone calls
11. played pool with my daughter
12. answered and wrote too many e-mails
13. spent one on one time with each member of my family

There was quite a bit more, but a baker's dozen seems a good place to stop. Looking back, I think this week was just fine.

Deep Thought Thursday

I can't believe it's Thursday already. I'll get caught up here soon. Deep thought for today:

The secret of happiness is lower expectations.

Deep Thought Thursdays

I've decided that since I am becoming an old person this year, I should pass along some of my accumulated wisdom to the younger generation. (I have a feeling this is going to be a short blog.) Here goes...

I have come to believe that the purpose of this life is not to learn all the answers. Our job here is to learn how to ask the questions.

ooooommmmmm.

Love, BBQ Style

GRANDMA UPDATE - Grandma is out of the hospital and staying with my mom. She is still weak but doing much better!!!

Now, to the blog...

Move over eHarmony. Step aside Perfect Match. The love doctor is in the house! Ladies, I have discovered the perfect place to meet your future husband. It's not a bar, it's not a singles club, it's not online. Are you ready? Think BBQ.

I took Pam out for lunch the other day to a great barbecue restaurant. The place was fairly busy, but believe it or not, Pam was the only woman there. That's when it hit me, what a great place for ladies to scout for a hubby. Let's face it, real men love meat. There is a primitive part of our brain that lights up when we grab a big beef rib and tear the meat right off the bone with our teeth. aaarrrrgghhh! Plus ladies, there is no pretense in barbecue. You can see us as we really are. We prefer casual clothes. No man dresses up to eat barbecue, we'd just get sauce on our suit. Men don't have to pretend we like multiple silverware options, barbecue is the ultimate finger food. And we only eat salad when we are afraid the rest of the meal won't be enough to fill us up. There is no salad with barbecue, just meat, beans, meat, french fries, and more meat. The only green thing you'll find on that plate is a pickle.

There you have it, my recipe for marital bliss. Just add sauce.

New Year, New Week, Old Brain

First off, Grandma update. Her heart cath was postponed on Friday and she spent the weekend in intensive care. This morning the doctors did the procedure and found the blockage they suspected. Good News!! They were able to put in some stints and she should be up and going before long. Praise God!

Last night I received the men's newsletter from our church. Each month they include one of my devotions from previous editions of our newsletter. I guess that means I'm in reruns! This time they used a devotion from January 2006. The sad part is, I don't remember writing it. If I hadn't read my name at the top, I wouldn't have known it was by me. My failing memory allows me a fresh perspective, so I think it is fair for me to say it is really good! I done went and blessed myself!

You can read it at http://summitwoodschurch.org/files/men.pdf. Enjoy!

46 days...

Yesterday was my wife's fortieth birthday. Today I'm sitting in the waiting room of our local hospital while my 94 year old grandmother has an angiogram. It seems like a good time to contemplate my mortality.

The countdown timer on my laptop says I have 46 days, 9 hours, 41 minutes and 45 seconds until I turn the big 40.

Now I'm staring at the screen and the only thing I can think of is I still enjoy jokes about bodily functions.

46 days, 9 hours, 35 minutes and 14 seconds.

Jose and the Flames of Death

Last night Pam noticed our house was chilly and sent me downstairs to check on the furnace. With a quick examination, I could see something was wrong. I called the furnace company, described the situation and the repairman told me how to fix it. In mere minutes, everything was fine and working again. Sometimes, things go smoothly. Other times...

On my mom's moving day last month we noticed there was no hot water. I went out to the garage and read the instructions on how to light the water heater's pilot light. First was the warning in big letters. DO NOT REMOVE INNER PANEL. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LIGHT BY HAND. Below I was told to hold the gas button and push the ignitor button. The trouble was, I could only find one button. I called the real estate agent and he said he'd send someone over to help us out.

Soon, a young man arrived at the door. When confronted with the defunct heater, the first thing he did was remove the inner panel and stick his hand (with cigarette lighter) inside the hole. Little alarms bells went off in my head. At this point I discovered he knew a little less english than I know spanish. There was no stopping him now. Pam and I watch in suspense from far across the room (as if we'd be less dead there if the whole thing blew up).

Apparently, it was not time to meet our maker. I did learn that even if you're not supposed to, you can light a modern water heater by hand. I'm not planning on ever trying that, but it makes an interesting conversation starter.

We're alive, the water is hot, and my mom is moved. God is Good!!