In need of your prayers

Hey guys, there have been some crazy things going on lately and I need to share them with you. First of all, my sister, Rahnee (the one in my pics) hasn't made herself available in quite some time and I haven't heard from her since April 6th. I've tried calling but can't get an answer and now her phone isn't working. She has 4 kids that she's raising by herself. She may be perfectly fine but she may be in trouble. If you're a praying person, and even if you're not, keep her and my family in your thoughts and/or prayers. I just want to know she's okay.

Also, I found out that one of my former students took her own life today. Her name is Kaylana Freeman and she was a student at Canyon High School. I'm not giving details, partially because I don't know them, moreso out of respect for her and her family. Please pray for her family and friends to find comfort in this tragedy. Kaylana was such a beautiful, talented, sweet, pleasant person and I will miss her terribly. Pray as though your life depended upon it.

What do you like about music?

So I heard an interesting question the other day and I finally came up with an answer to it. The person was asking what kind or kinds of music another person liked and the second person told the first. Then it got interesting. The first person asked a very simple question, a question with only one word but a miriad of answers. "Why?" Person number two was dumbfounded, much like I would have been, and couldn't come up with a good answer. I got to thinking about it and came up with my own answer. Now, if anybody asks me that question, I can answer them truthfully and quickly. See, I love most every kind of music, but I love it for different reasons, each reason unique to the genre, but some overlapping styles.

I like jazz for the creativity.

I like classical for the musicality.

I like rock for the energy.

I like r&b for the emotion.

I like gospel for the message.

I like country for the stories.

I like bluegrass for the reality.

I like world music (reggae, afro-cuban, indian, etc.) for the rhythmic qualities.

I like drum & bugle corps, marching band, etc. for the intricacies.

I like a cappella music for the purity of unaccompanied voices.

I like hip hop for the beats.

I like soul/funk for the groove...and you know I like to groove!

I like different types of music for different reasons, but one thing is common. I like music because God gave me a talent and a passion for it and I want to use it to glorify Him in all I do. So, what do you like about music?

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Rest

The following statement is not meant to be boastful whatsoever. I have been blessed to be quite the world traveler lately. For those of you who are new to my world, I have the honor of traveling around the country and the world singing praises about the God I adore. I am part of a music ministry called Acappella. It's so much fun to get to travel to (some) new places and meet (some) new people and share the good news that Jesus loves you and me and he died to save us from ourselves, wipe away our sins, and take us to Heaven for all eternity! (Wow, that felt really good to say!) On a regular basis, we get the priviledge of feeding the Bread of Life to those who are starving for the Truth.

There comes a time, however, when those of us who feed need to be fed. It just so happens that now is one of those times. It also just so happens that one of the members of our ministry, Allen Brantley, is starting a new role in his life as husband to Kim Lancaster (yes, Keith Lancaster's daughter) and we won't be performing for a couple weeks. Keep them in your prayers, by the way. Since they decided to have a small family wedding that doesn't involve me, I decided to come home to Texas for a couple weeks and recharge my battery. I've already seen several friends and plan on seeing more soon. I also hope to see my dad this weekend. Pray for him too. He turns 88 at the end of this month. I get to see my "other family" next week and I'm way excited about that. To top it all off, I get more quiet time so I can read my Bible more, pray more specifically and purposefully, and let my body recuperate from the beating it's taken the last few months. Acappella is not a high-paying job (contrary to popular belief) which means I have to have a secondary form of income to make ends meet. Until recently, I waited tables at a restaurant. I have just begun working for a nursery as a vendor to a specific home improvement store. The hours are a little more flexible and I control when I work. The pay averages out to be quite a bit better than where I was because my schedule only allowed for me to work mainly lunch (and servers don't make great money at lunch...so tip them nicely when you get the chance) and I was still worn out by the end of my shift. There were plenty times I went home with less than $20 after a 4 or 5 hour shift. That ain't no good. But I digress.

All I'm trying to say is that rest is good and we should all try to rest when we get a chance. It's basically good stewardship of the bodies God loaned us. If you loan someone a cd, you want them to take care of it and give it back to you without damage. Although our bodies will get damaged and eventually give out, God wants us to take care of them and offer them as living sacrifices (I mean, our body is a temple, right?). That includes eating right, exercising, cutting back on the smoking and drinking, and anything else that promotes good health and is considered being kind to your body. So take care of yourself and get some rest when you can. You'll thank yourself later.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate