Friday, June 27, 2008

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!

Monday, June 23, 2008

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!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

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!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

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.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

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.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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!

Monday, June 16, 2008

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.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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.

Friday, June 13, 2008

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

Sunday, June 8, 2008

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...

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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.