I just got back from one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on in my life and I wanted to share each day with you while we were there. Unfortunately, I never had internet access after the second day. Fortunately, I was able to write about each day and save it on my computer until I got back. So, that's what you are about to read (should you accept the mission). Hope you can get something good out of the different posts. I tried to be as descriptive as I could without giving away too much. There is an underlying theme to all of the blogs. Let's see if you can find it!
And away we go!
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I'm going to try to do something I've never done with my blogging. I'm going to attempt to write a new blog entry for every day of this 10-day mini-tour. I hope it's as entertaining for you to read as it is for us to experience.
It's been a wild ride so far, and getting here has been the bulk of the excitement. We met at the Nashville airport at 11:00 Saturday morning for a 1:25 PM American Airlines flight to Chicago (to be followed by a 3.5 hour layover and then a 9 hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany). I always say "It's not a trip unless something bizarre happens." Well, it was a trip from the time we got to the airport because our flight to Chicago was cancelled because of bad weather. We were re-routed to New York City, however, on a flight that would leave Nashville at 3:55 PM, putting us into LaGuardia at 7:05 Eastern. We would then need to get transportation from LaGuardia to JFK, check into Singapore Airlines and fly to Frankfurt. The fun part was that we would leave JFK at 9:05, a two-hour window to land, get our bags and equipment, get to JFK, check in (to an international flight, mind you) and be ready to go... Yeah... No sweat.
Before we left Nashville, a couple of us started calling around and trying to find transportation so we could just meet them at baggage claim and go. We had big plans. It was gonna work. So we get on the plane and we sit and wait for the pilot to push back so we can get there. Things start looking ugly (wouldn't ya know it). One of the gauges on the plane is not working properly, but come to find out, there's no problem. No problem at all, except that it has to be signed off by a licensed mechanic. He's not on the premesis yet. And so we wait.
Fast forward to 4:45. We're finally taking off. Yay! Now all we have to do is get to our connecting airport, checked in, through security, and on the plane in an hour and twenty minutes. Oh goodie! (What do you think we were doing in the meantime?) Hello, Doubt. Our lovely flight attendants had very little faith that we would make that flight (and we were starting to believe them), but they hooked us up a little bit. As we were exiting the plane, one of the flight attendants gave us 3 vouchers (and made some well-timed phone calls) to get us 3 Lincoln Town Cars to take us to JFK. We got packed into the cars (barely) and sped off. (I love New York. You can drive like you are in the middle of the Indy 500 and, if you look important enough, not even get pulled over.) So we get to JFK at 8:20. Forty-five minutes before take-off on a six-hour international flight. We hustle up to the counter and, wouldn't ya know it, the line is empty! By the way, I forgot to mention earlier that I had been praying for a mighty work to happen so we could make this flight. He'd done it before, He could do it again, if He wanted to. So we check in (and for the second time that day, didn't get charged for our equipment being over weight) and literally run through JFK to get to a long security line. We can see our gate from the security line, it's not far away, still we can't get to it. This can't be happening! From the moment we stepped foot into the airport, they were calling for people to board the plane to Frankfurt. By the time we hit security, it was last call. Nerves were overreacting, tensions were rising, complaints were flying. It was so scary. We finally get through security and high-tail it toward the gate.
Remember how I prayed for a mighty work? And remember how God answers prayers (even those from we who doubt)? Well, He did it again! I was the last person on the plane and we arrived in Frankfurt just before 10:00 AM local time.
It reminds me of Romans 8:28 where it says "God works for the good of those who love him." It's so good to be loved and cared for by a God who is madly in love with us, regardless of how we feel about Him. So I'll end this by saying that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Pray for us!
Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
EUROPE: Day 2 (Frankfurt, Germany)
So we got to Frankfurt and found our way to our hotel which isn't very far from the airport. We took a train to the proper exit and got to the hotel (across the street from the train station) to check in. We slept for a few hours and then went out to explore Frankfurt...on foot. We ate and fellowshiped and enjoyed the scenery. It was great. That's all for now. I'm being rushed off of the hotel internet. More tomorrow! Pray today!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 3 (Florence, Italy)
So we got to the airport when we needed to, but once again, complications slowed us down. Thanks to the weight charge difference, we ended up having to deal with a difficult situation that I can't really talk about right now. Long story short, we ended up getting on our plane...barely...but we weren't the last people on. After running through a fairly crowded Frankfurt airport and cutting in front of some nice German people, we got through a slow security station and ran to the bus that was waiting for us. Problem was that there was no driver. I guess that's a good thing because another group or two of people got on the bus after we did. The bus took us to a pretty small plane, along with several other people, including a basketball team.
We got to Florence where we met our first promoter, Robbie Shakelford (head of the HUF program) and went to the Harding University, Florence (HUF) villa. We spent some time meeting people associated with HUF and then we went to our housing site which was the Florence Bible School located a few minutes from the HUF villa. After we got our stuff put away, Robbie took us to the Piazzale Michelangelo which overlooks Florence. What a breath-taking view! We could see the majority of the city from there. We got to visit a nearby church and listen to the monks do vespers (Gregorian Chant - very soothing, especially when you haven't slept much in the previous couple of days). We capped that portion of the day with some wonderfully tasty gellato (YUM!).
Next, we returned to the school so we could clean up and change for our first European performance. We went back to the HUF villa and sang for the 40 college students and probably 25-30 other local folk (and a couple of American parents). We sang off mics and it was a super-fun 45 minute concert. We had a great time hanging out with the Harding students and eating and fellowshipping with them.
We finally got to go to bed and sleep for a full 6 hours or so (wish it could've been longer, but that's the life of musicianaries).
Keep the prayers going up!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
We got to Florence where we met our first promoter, Robbie Shakelford (head of the HUF program) and went to the Harding University, Florence (HUF) villa. We spent some time meeting people associated with HUF and then we went to our housing site which was the Florence Bible School located a few minutes from the HUF villa. After we got our stuff put away, Robbie took us to the Piazzale Michelangelo which overlooks Florence. What a breath-taking view! We could see the majority of the city from there. We got to visit a nearby church and listen to the monks do vespers (Gregorian Chant - very soothing, especially when you haven't slept much in the previous couple of days). We capped that portion of the day with some wonderfully tasty gellato (YUM!).
Next, we returned to the school so we could clean up and change for our first European performance. We went back to the HUF villa and sang for the 40 college students and probably 25-30 other local folk (and a couple of American parents). We sang off mics and it was a super-fun 45 minute concert. We had a great time hanging out with the Harding students and eating and fellowshipping with them.
We finally got to go to bed and sleep for a full 6 hours or so (wish it could've been longer, but that's the life of musicianaries).
Keep the prayers going up!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 4 (more Florence)
Today I felt more surreal than I have felt in a very long time. It started as a normal day. We woke up early and went to an elementary school to sing for some of the students there. After that, we met up with Tracey Patterson, our outstanding tour guide who is an assistant to Robbie (HUF director) and a great southern girl. Some of you may even know her. A few years ago, she attended regularly the Crossbridge Church where Gary Brantley (Allen's dad) is the preacher. Anyway, she took us to the Accademia museum where we saw several important pieces of art including one of the most famous sculptures ever created -- David. It was everything I imagined and so much more. I can't really describe what it felt like to be in the presence of such greatness in the field of art and history that is known world wide and has been known for centuries. It was truly amazing.
After that, we had lunch at a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant and it was some of the best food I've had in a long time. Then we went to the Uffizzi museum and saw lots of important and beautiful art. That was another great experience that can't be described. We had lots of fun there and took pictures where we could. I hope to share some of them soon.
We left the downtown area and went to the Florence Church of Christ to set up for the concert. It was a fun concert in an intimate setting. The inside of the church building was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome and it was a beautiful building. The acoustics were crazy! Several of the HUF students who were at last night's concert were present at tonight's concert too. They loved it and we love them for that.
After the concert, we ate and fellowshipped together. As we ate, I met a few Texans. Some were HUF students but there was a couple who had 3 small children and the wife grew up in (of all places) Gruver, TX. Gruver is a tiny town of about 1000 people (if that many) in the Panhandle of Texas about 100 miles north of Amarillo. She knows people I worshipped with in Canyon before I joined Acappella and moved away. I'm pretty sure her maiden name is Lanita Burnham but don't ask me what her married name is because I can't remember whatsoever.
We had a great day. Tomorrow, Rome! You've got to pray just to make it today!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
After that, we had lunch at a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant and it was some of the best food I've had in a long time. Then we went to the Uffizzi museum and saw lots of important and beautiful art. That was another great experience that can't be described. We had lots of fun there and took pictures where we could. I hope to share some of them soon.
We left the downtown area and went to the Florence Church of Christ to set up for the concert. It was a fun concert in an intimate setting. The inside of the church building was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome and it was a beautiful building. The acoustics were crazy! Several of the HUF students who were at last night's concert were present at tonight's concert too. They loved it and we love them for that.
After the concert, we ate and fellowshipped together. As we ate, I met a few Texans. Some were HUF students but there was a couple who had 3 small children and the wife grew up in (of all places) Gruver, TX. Gruver is a tiny town of about 1000 people (if that many) in the Panhandle of Texas about 100 miles north of Amarillo. She knows people I worshipped with in Canyon before I joined Acappella and moved away. I'm pretty sure her maiden name is Lanita Burnham but don't ask me what her married name is because I can't remember whatsoever.
We had a great day. Tomorrow, Rome! You've got to pray just to make it today!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 5 (Rome, Italy)
We woke up early this morning because we had to be at our bus stop before 7:00 this morning. For those of you who don't know me, I have a confession to make. I am one of the grumpiest people on the face of the planet in the mornings, especially when I haven't had much sleep, and even moreso when I am woken up before I want to get up. Needless to say, it was a very long morning. We had to catch the bus, though, so we could get on our train to Rome. It was a very nice train filled with working stiffs as well as high-class business folk. Tracey, Jordan and I went to the bar car and got cappuccinos. I woke up a little bit and became less of a grouch. Now we could start our day.
We got to Rome and caught taxis to our hotel, the Hotel Tiziano. It was super-nice. After we got checked in, we went to the Vatican City. That's an amazing place. We got to walk through the "city" and see all the sights that led us to the Sistine Chapel. It's true. Michelangelo was an unbelievable artist. Words can't really express what it was like to be there and see the painted ceiling first-hand. It was unreal. We kept walking and finally got to St. Peter's Basicilica. What a work of art. The largest church building in the world and we were standing right in the middle of it. It's amazing to see the result of what man can imagine and create, but it's even more amazing to see what God can create, which is so much more than we could ever imagine.
After spending some time there, we went to this cool little "Disney-esque" tourist attraction called "The Time Elevator" which gives a brief history of the foundation of Rome. If you've ever been on a Universal Studios ride or anything similar, you know what I'm talking about. Big movie theater screen with moving chairs that gives you that nice queasy feeling when you get up. Cheesy, yet surprisingly satisfying.
Then we went back to the hotel, grabbed our stuff and took taxis to our concert site which was a school with a small auditorium. Once we got situated and set up, I had the biggest surprise of my trip. My dear friend, Silvia Manfredi, came to see me! She's a clarinet player who lives in Genoa, Italy and was in Rome for an audition to play in the army band. Unfortunately, it didn't work out this time, but pray for her so her next audition will be much more fruitful. Anyway, I was so excited to see her and spend the rest of the evening with her after the concert. We had a great concert and the small room was packed with Roman people and their neighbors. After eating with the local church members (from the Church of Christ in Rome...how cool is that?), Silvia and I caught a bus back to the stop nearest to the hotel so we could spend time catching up after nearly two years of not as much as hearing from each other. We got there just in time for her to catch a taxi to the train station for a 6 hour ride home (which left at midnight) so she could get to work the next morning.
After Silvia and I parted ways, Tracey took the guys and me to see another historic Roman sight. The Pantheon. It's absolutely gorgeous at night. So majestic. So regal. So we left there and went to the Fountain Trevy which was even more beautiful. Tracey says it's her favorite place in Rome, especially at night. Quite the spot for romance. If you're ever in Rome with the one you love, go to the Fountain Trevy at night. You'll never lose that special someone that way (unless you do something to mess it all up, which is a whole 'nother story for a whole 'nother time).
We left the fountain and walked back to the hotel. It wasn't a long walk and it was a beautiful night so we took our time. Now it's off to bed late for an early morning.
We are seeing more sights in the morning before going to the airport to head back to Frankfurt. Pray, pray, pray!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
We got to Rome and caught taxis to our hotel, the Hotel Tiziano. It was super-nice. After we got checked in, we went to the Vatican City. That's an amazing place. We got to walk through the "city" and see all the sights that led us to the Sistine Chapel. It's true. Michelangelo was an unbelievable artist. Words can't really express what it was like to be there and see the painted ceiling first-hand. It was unreal. We kept walking and finally got to St. Peter's Basicilica. What a work of art. The largest church building in the world and we were standing right in the middle of it. It's amazing to see the result of what man can imagine and create, but it's even more amazing to see what God can create, which is so much more than we could ever imagine.
After spending some time there, we went to this cool little "Disney-esque" tourist attraction called "The Time Elevator" which gives a brief history of the foundation of Rome. If you've ever been on a Universal Studios ride or anything similar, you know what I'm talking about. Big movie theater screen with moving chairs that gives you that nice queasy feeling when you get up. Cheesy, yet surprisingly satisfying.
Then we went back to the hotel, grabbed our stuff and took taxis to our concert site which was a school with a small auditorium. Once we got situated and set up, I had the biggest surprise of my trip. My dear friend, Silvia Manfredi, came to see me! She's a clarinet player who lives in Genoa, Italy and was in Rome for an audition to play in the army band. Unfortunately, it didn't work out this time, but pray for her so her next audition will be much more fruitful. Anyway, I was so excited to see her and spend the rest of the evening with her after the concert. We had a great concert and the small room was packed with Roman people and their neighbors. After eating with the local church members (from the Church of Christ in Rome...how cool is that?), Silvia and I caught a bus back to the stop nearest to the hotel so we could spend time catching up after nearly two years of not as much as hearing from each other. We got there just in time for her to catch a taxi to the train station for a 6 hour ride home (which left at midnight) so she could get to work the next morning.
After Silvia and I parted ways, Tracey took the guys and me to see another historic Roman sight. The Pantheon. It's absolutely gorgeous at night. So majestic. So regal. So we left there and went to the Fountain Trevy which was even more beautiful. Tracey says it's her favorite place in Rome, especially at night. Quite the spot for romance. If you're ever in Rome with the one you love, go to the Fountain Trevy at night. You'll never lose that special someone that way (unless you do something to mess it all up, which is a whole 'nother story for a whole 'nother time).
We left the fountain and walked back to the hotel. It wasn't a long walk and it was a beautiful night so we took our time. Now it's off to bed late for an early morning.
We are seeing more sights in the morning before going to the airport to head back to Frankfurt. Pray, pray, pray!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 6 (more Rome, more traveling)
I have hereby decided that Rome is the most amazing city on the face of the planet (at least that I have seen, anyway). This morning we woke up and had a nice breakfast in our hotel. After breakfast, Tracey took us walking to a nearby park where it is believed that Brutus and his friends betrayed and killed Ceasar. The ruins were covered up ages ago and were rediscovered some time around the 1920's. We left there and went in search of true Roman history. On the way, Tracey took us to some great places including the museum dedicated to Marcus Arellius. We didn't go into the museum because just behind it was The Forum. We went down some stairs and were standing in The Forum where the Roman Senate did all their business and where Ceasar ruled the world. Next to The Forum was a small prison where it is believed that Paul and Peter were incarcerated. We got to go inside and look around for a moment. It was really interesting to think that some of the original Christians, some of the men we pattern our love for Christ after, some of the men who physically walked with God stood in the same place I stood today.
We walked through The Forum, taking lots of pictures as we went, and there it was. The thing we'd been waiting to see for this entire trip. The structure of structures. One of the most amazing man-made wonders of all time.
WE WERE AT THE COLOSSEUM!!!!!
It was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen with my own eyes. I touched it with my hands. It's very real. Yes, we took plenty of pics there too. It was extremely surreal. Imagine it being built by men way before things like cranes and trucks and electricity were ever even thought of. It was truly the greatest work of man-made art I have ever seen.
Once we were able to peel ourselves away from there (and after I almost got hustled by some guys dressed in Roman soldier costumes), we headed back to the hotel so we could get to the airport and catch a plane back to Frankfurt. We said our goodbyes to Tracey and got in our taxis. Let me take a moment to say that Tracey Patterson is a blast and a half and her fiance is one fortunate man. She did a great job of showing us around Rome and Florence, as well as interpreting for us and really doing whatever she could to make us feel comfortable and well-taken care of.
So we got to the airport and got checked in with no problems whatsoever (for the first time this entire trip) and had about half an hour to sit and eat before boarding the plane. We flew Lufthansa Airlines back to Frankfurt where our new promoter, Phillipe and his son Jonathan met us with a large van. We drove for about an hour into Heidlberg where we stopped and found an authentic restaurant to enjoy a hearty meal. We were about an hour-long drive away from Seebach, France so we headed that way so we could get to our hotel and sleep.
At this point we have gone almost the entire day with no problems traveling whatsoever. That changed quickly. We got to the German - French border which is about 300 meters (approx. 5 miles) from Seebach. The border was closed. That's right. They closed France! Figure that one out. We had arrived just a few minutes too late to cross the border there, so we ended up driving 30 miles down the river which took us nearly another hour to find another border crossing and then we had to find our way to the hotel. We finally found it and now I'm going to go to bed.
It's been an amazing journey so far. I can't wait to see what happens the rest of the trip! Keep praying!!!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
We walked through The Forum, taking lots of pictures as we went, and there it was. The thing we'd been waiting to see for this entire trip. The structure of structures. One of the most amazing man-made wonders of all time.
WE WERE AT THE COLOSSEUM!!!!!
It was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen with my own eyes. I touched it with my hands. It's very real. Yes, we took plenty of pics there too. It was extremely surreal. Imagine it being built by men way before things like cranes and trucks and electricity were ever even thought of. It was truly the greatest work of man-made art I have ever seen.
Once we were able to peel ourselves away from there (and after I almost got hustled by some guys dressed in Roman soldier costumes), we headed back to the hotel so we could get to the airport and catch a plane back to Frankfurt. We said our goodbyes to Tracey and got in our taxis. Let me take a moment to say that Tracey Patterson is a blast and a half and her fiance is one fortunate man. She did a great job of showing us around Rome and Florence, as well as interpreting for us and really doing whatever she could to make us feel comfortable and well-taken care of.
So we got to the airport and got checked in with no problems whatsoever (for the first time this entire trip) and had about half an hour to sit and eat before boarding the plane. We flew Lufthansa Airlines back to Frankfurt where our new promoter, Phillipe and his son Jonathan met us with a large van. We drove for about an hour into Heidlberg where we stopped and found an authentic restaurant to enjoy a hearty meal. We were about an hour-long drive away from Seebach, France so we headed that way so we could get to our hotel and sleep.
At this point we have gone almost the entire day with no problems traveling whatsoever. That changed quickly. We got to the German - French border which is about 300 meters (approx. 5 miles) from Seebach. The border was closed. That's right. They closed France! Figure that one out. We had arrived just a few minutes too late to cross the border there, so we ended up driving 30 miles down the river which took us nearly another hour to find another border crossing and then we had to find our way to the hotel. We finally found it and now I'm going to go to bed.
It's been an amazing journey so far. I can't wait to see what happens the rest of the trip! Keep praying!!!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 7 (Seebach, France)
We've spent so much time in big cities that I almost forgot what it was like to be in a small town. Seebach is a very small village just west of the German border. Actually, the town is surrounded by Germany on 3 sides. It's a quaint little French village, though. Phillipe was nice enough to let us sleep in for the first time in a few days and it felt glorious! When it was time for us to leave, we found out that European eating schedules are precisely what they sound like, schedules. In Italy, food was programmed into the schedule and we ate when we were supposed to. We quickly found out that there are only small windows in which you can eat. There's breakfast, of course, and lunch. After about 1:30 or so, you can't eat at a restaurant or get food at a supermarket until around 6:30 PM. They stop serving food after 9:00 or so. After that, you're out of luck, and especially in a small village like Seebach. I said all that to say nothing was open except McDonald's at the time we went to eat. Guess where we ate. Yes, I got pics there, too. ("Ya know what they call a quarter-pounder with cheese in Paris? A royale with cheese." Name that movie.)
After Mickey D's, we went to the concert hall to set up our sound equipment. Come to find out, we didn't have the right power conversion system for that venue, so we used what they had. It's interesting to see us doing a concert with wired mics instead of our normal wirless ones. Such is life. We ended up doing a great concert with a pretty full house (I was told around 580 French and German people). They even asked us to do two separate encores!
Between set-up time and sound check, we met up with a professional tour guide named Don. Don is originally from Canada, just north of Toronto, but now resides in France and doesn't speak English very often. He and Phillipe took us to an old World War II bunker that the French people in that area defended their border from. It's amazing to think of that area 60-70 years ago as a war zone, but that's the way it was. Beautiful country. Lots of farm land for cattle raising. We spent the rest of the day with Don, even after the concert for a short while. He was a complet joy to work with and we are so priveledged to have met him. He is a choral conductor and a professor of music. His 280 member choir sings all kinds of music but he places his emphasis on gospel and liturgical type music. It's his ministry and we pray that God will bless it to its full capacity and then some.
Okay. Bed time. We have a 6 hour drive ahead of us in the morning and have to get up early. I need my beauty rest. Did you think to pray today?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
After Mickey D's, we went to the concert hall to set up our sound equipment. Come to find out, we didn't have the right power conversion system for that venue, so we used what they had. It's interesting to see us doing a concert with wired mics instead of our normal wirless ones. Such is life. We ended up doing a great concert with a pretty full house (I was told around 580 French and German people). They even asked us to do two separate encores!
Between set-up time and sound check, we met up with a professional tour guide named Don. Don is originally from Canada, just north of Toronto, but now resides in France and doesn't speak English very often. He and Phillipe took us to an old World War II bunker that the French people in that area defended their border from. It's amazing to think of that area 60-70 years ago as a war zone, but that's the way it was. Beautiful country. Lots of farm land for cattle raising. We spent the rest of the day with Don, even after the concert for a short while. He was a complet joy to work with and we are so priveledged to have met him. He is a choral conductor and a professor of music. His 280 member choir sings all kinds of music but he places his emphasis on gospel and liturgical type music. It's his ministry and we pray that God will bless it to its full capacity and then some.
Okay. Bed time. We have a 6 hour drive ahead of us in the morning and have to get up early. I need my beauty rest. Did you think to pray today?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 8 (Montreux, Switzerland)
My trip has been officially completed today. I mean, we've been to Florence, sang for people of all ages there, seen priceless art there and in Rome, Saw the foundation of what was once the most powerful city in the world. I even got to see my dear friend whom I haven't seen in ages.Well, today was the capper for me. We drove into Montreux today and I learned that things in Europe are much different than in the States. For example, I went to get a refill on my drink and learned that it cost about three bucks American for about 8 ounces of Coke. That's insane!
That's not what made my trip complete, though. You see, Montreux is known for this little event called the Montreux Jazz Festival. The festival is held in a few different venues, one of which is Stravinski Hall . Some of the world's most innovative and timeless music legends have played that stage. Names like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, and now Acappella. That's right. We played Stravinski Hall, home of the Montreux Jazz Festival!!! We performed on the same stage as Herbie Hancock and Tower of Power (one of my favorite bands of all time) and I know this because we signed a giant book afterward that was started last year and we found Herbie and T.O.P. back-to-back in the same book. My hand has written in the same book as Herbie Hancock?! Are you kidding me?!
I don't remember much about the concert except that it was packed on the ground floor with close to 1000 people who called us back for two encores and wanted more. Too bad we ran out of songs. There were people from all over at the concert. We even had guests all the way from Spain who flew in just to see our concert! What an amazing experience. God is way too good to me. I'll never fully understand why.
Tomorrow, the final concert of our tour, Zurich. Oh yeah, Phillipe told us that the Winterthur concert got moved to Zurich, so that's that. Pray today, tomorrow, and always.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
That's not what made my trip complete, though. You see, Montreux is known for this little event called the Montreux Jazz Festival. The festival is held in a few different venues, one of which is Stravinski Hall . Some of the world's most innovative and timeless music legends have played that stage. Names like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, and now Acappella. That's right. We played Stravinski Hall, home of the Montreux Jazz Festival!!! We performed on the same stage as Herbie Hancock and Tower of Power (one of my favorite bands of all time) and I know this because we signed a giant book afterward that was started last year and we found Herbie and T.O.P. back-to-back in the same book. My hand has written in the same book as Herbie Hancock?! Are you kidding me?!
I don't remember much about the concert except that it was packed on the ground floor with close to 1000 people who called us back for two encores and wanted more. Too bad we ran out of songs. There were people from all over at the concert. We even had guests all the way from Spain who flew in just to see our concert! What an amazing experience. God is way too good to me. I'll never fully understand why.
Tomorrow, the final concert of our tour, Zurich. Oh yeah, Phillipe told us that the Winterthur concert got moved to Zurich, so that's that. Pray today, tomorrow, and always.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 9 (Zurich, Switzerland)
Last night was not nearly as short of a night as we've been dealing with as of late, and that made us all very happy. We didn't leave the Hotel Villa Tuscane until 10:00 this morning. Phillipe took us to the church where he and his family worship (I never really found out the name of it. I mean I saw it once, but I didn't write it down or anything and I don't remember the real name of it, so I'm not gonna try to share the name because it's French and I forgot...that was a really long run-on sentence) and we sang a few worship songs during their communion time. It was very special singing in a church building that was built about 250 years ago. We were privileged to share the Lord's Supper with the people of Vevey (just outside of Montreux) and then we shared lunch with the Meyer family at their home. I can't describe the beauty that surrounded us while we were at their home. They live in the mountains and to step onto the front porch means that you will witness the power, majesty, beauty, creativity of the God who gave us life and, in spite of ourselves, gives us mercy and grace. It was truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
After lunch, we drove to Zurich which took just over 2 hours. Though Bern is the capitol of Switzerland (and we drove through Bern), Zurich is the financial hub. As a matter of fact, we drove down one of the wealthiest streets in all of Europe while in Zurich. Our concert was held in one of Zurich's most famous landmarks, the Grossemunster Cathedral. I really had no idea about the Grossemunster but it's in most of the pictures and postcards of Zurich (it's the church with the two steeples). Many a tourist visited the church building as we were setting up and checking sound and I think that drew more of a crowd for us in the long run.
After sound check, we walked to our hotel, The Hotel Alder, which was a five minute walk...through the red-light district! It was a little scary, and a lot exciting to know that the gospel would be shared in (or at least very near) the red-light district of a financial powerhouse of a European city. So we took a few minutes to clean up and change, then we walked back and prepared for our concert. The place was packed! All of the seats on the main floor were occupied and there were several people in the balcony. All in all, there were around 750 in attendance and it was just a special night. During intermission, Phillipe asked us to add some of the worship songs we had sung this morning for the second half of the concert, so we went to the middle of the room in the midst of the people and sang two of our favorite worship songs, "Covenant of Love" and "Worthy is the Lamb." That was my favorite part of the concert. Although most of the people didn't sing along, I felt like we were fortunate enough to lead God's people in true worship. The feeling was amazing.
As before, we were invited to sing two different encores and I think the crowd was just as encouraged as we were when all was said and done. This was a great way to end this tour. It was also the end of Ryan Smith's time on the road with us as sound man. He's been on the road with us for several months now, but is going to work full-time in the Acappella studio and continue to be a part of this ministry. Though we will miss him on the road, we look forward to adding Byron Sommerdahl and Corey Callis to our "road family."
We fly home in the morning. I'm excited to be back, but I will miss all the friends I've made here (or the ones I've caught up with) and the beautiful places that define Europe. What an amazing experience this trip has been! Pray for our safe travel back to the states and that God will do a mighty work in Europe and bring more souls to him.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
After lunch, we drove to Zurich which took just over 2 hours. Though Bern is the capitol of Switzerland (and we drove through Bern), Zurich is the financial hub. As a matter of fact, we drove down one of the wealthiest streets in all of Europe while in Zurich. Our concert was held in one of Zurich's most famous landmarks, the Grossemunster Cathedral. I really had no idea about the Grossemunster but it's in most of the pictures and postcards of Zurich (it's the church with the two steeples). Many a tourist visited the church building as we were setting up and checking sound and I think that drew more of a crowd for us in the long run.
After sound check, we walked to our hotel, The Hotel Alder, which was a five minute walk...through the red-light district! It was a little scary, and a lot exciting to know that the gospel would be shared in (or at least very near) the red-light district of a financial powerhouse of a European city. So we took a few minutes to clean up and change, then we walked back and prepared for our concert. The place was packed! All of the seats on the main floor were occupied and there were several people in the balcony. All in all, there were around 750 in attendance and it was just a special night. During intermission, Phillipe asked us to add some of the worship songs we had sung this morning for the second half of the concert, so we went to the middle of the room in the midst of the people and sang two of our favorite worship songs, "Covenant of Love" and "Worthy is the Lamb." That was my favorite part of the concert. Although most of the people didn't sing along, I felt like we were fortunate enough to lead God's people in true worship. The feeling was amazing.
As before, we were invited to sing two different encores and I think the crowd was just as encouraged as we were when all was said and done. This was a great way to end this tour. It was also the end of Ryan Smith's time on the road with us as sound man. He's been on the road with us for several months now, but is going to work full-time in the Acappella studio and continue to be a part of this ministry. Though we will miss him on the road, we look forward to adding Byron Sommerdahl and Corey Callis to our "road family."
We fly home in the morning. I'm excited to be back, but I will miss all the friends I've made here (or the ones I've caught up with) and the beautiful places that define Europe. What an amazing experience this trip has been! Pray for our safe travel back to the states and that God will do a mighty work in Europe and bring more souls to him.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
EUROPE: Day 10 (On my way, on my way, on my way home...)
The last early morning for us for a few days and it feels nice! It's been an incredibly long day, though. We had to be ready to go at 7:00 this morning, Swiss time (1:00 AM in Texas) so we could get to the airport and get checked in on time. We made it with no problems and plenty of time to do some last minute shopping. Phillipe got us there and took good care of us, making sure we were all situated before he left. We will miss him terribly, but we look forward to the time when we get to see him again. Keep him and his family in your prayers. He's a great man of God.
The flight from Zurich to Dallas is way long! After spending about eleven hours on the plane, we landed in Dallas at about 4:15 this afternoon. We went through customs, claimed our bags, rechecked our bags, and had over 2 hours to wait before getting on our plane to Nashville. We landed in Nashville at about 9:40 tonight which, after doing the math (and if you know me, you know how I feel about math), meant that we spent over 18 hours getting from our hotel to our own beds...Jordan calls it a "thirty-hour day."
What a day! What a trip! What an experience! I doubt I will ever forget the way this trip has changed my life. I will try to share that later (after I've had a chance to rest and reflect) but it's bed time now. I hope you've enjoyed this trip as much as I have. Just because we're back doesn't mean you can stop praying, though. Pray without ceasing!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
The flight from Zurich to Dallas is way long! After spending about eleven hours on the plane, we landed in Dallas at about 4:15 this afternoon. We went through customs, claimed our bags, rechecked our bags, and had over 2 hours to wait before getting on our plane to Nashville. We landed in Nashville at about 9:40 tonight which, after doing the math (and if you know me, you know how I feel about math), meant that we spent over 18 hours getting from our hotel to our own beds...Jordan calls it a "thirty-hour day."
What a day! What a trip! What an experience! I doubt I will ever forget the way this trip has changed my life. I will try to share that later (after I've had a chance to rest and reflect) but it's bed time now. I hope you've enjoyed this trip as much as I have. Just because we're back doesn't mean you can stop praying, though. Pray without ceasing!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Valentine's Day 2007
Alright kids. In the spirit of this wonderful occasion we call Valentine's Day, this one's gonna be short and sweet.
Brace yourself.
You ready?
Okay, here goes.
Erase the hate and share the love. Though it's easier said than done (at times), it needs to happen.
Your assignment, show someone you love them. It's what Jesus would do, and he seems to know a thing or two about love.
Well, what are you waiting for? Get after it!
Peace, LOVE, and Chocolate
Holla
Brace yourself.
You ready?
Okay, here goes.
Erase the hate and share the love. Though it's easier said than done (at times), it needs to happen.
Your assignment, show someone you love them. It's what Jesus would do, and he seems to know a thing or two about love.
Well, what are you waiting for? Get after it!
Peace, LOVE, and Chocolate
Holla
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Me: New and Improved
"I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the emeny, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear." - Dr. Bob Moorehead
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. (Rom. 1:16a)
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the emeny, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear." - Dr. Bob Moorehead
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. (Rom. 1:16a)
Friday, November 24, 2006
A Time to Give Thanks
We've come to that time of year, again, where we take some time to list things for which we are thankful. Well, I'm thankful for my family and my friends. I'm especially thankful for my "second family," the Fowlers. I've known them for 6 years now. From the first time I met them they made me feel like I belonged with them and I now try to set aside one holiday each year to spend with them.
This year, we went to Papa Mike's (Fowler) parents' home with the rest of that side of the family. Pop Pop asked us all to share (if we wanted to) the person who has influenced us the most in our lives. I had just gotten off the phone with my biggest influence when it came to be my turn. I kinda had a hard time naming my influence and expounding upon the subject because I don't know that I'll have that person around too terribly much longer. You see, my dad is my greatest influence and I believe he's nearing the last seasons of his life. He's been an inspiration for me for a very long time, but not only for me. He has reached countless numbers of people for the sake of Christ and still has a strong impact on so many. His quiet confidence and pleasant demeanor, along with his soft-spokenness, are all traits that I have tried to mimic in my life. I also picked up his love for good story-telling, and his stubbornness along the way. He's one of the most patient and resilient men I've ever met and I hope I can be like him when I grow up. He's a great man and it will be sad when it's his time to go home, but I'm ready to celebrate his life now and later on. Therefore, I hereby proclaim that B.C. Brannon is the most influential person in my life. I hope you take some time to figure out who's been influential to you and, if you have the means, tell them about it.
Peace, love, and Chocolate
This year, we went to Papa Mike's (Fowler) parents' home with the rest of that side of the family. Pop Pop asked us all to share (if we wanted to) the person who has influenced us the most in our lives. I had just gotten off the phone with my biggest influence when it came to be my turn. I kinda had a hard time naming my influence and expounding upon the subject because I don't know that I'll have that person around too terribly much longer. You see, my dad is my greatest influence and I believe he's nearing the last seasons of his life. He's been an inspiration for me for a very long time, but not only for me. He has reached countless numbers of people for the sake of Christ and still has a strong impact on so many. His quiet confidence and pleasant demeanor, along with his soft-spokenness, are all traits that I have tried to mimic in my life. I also picked up his love for good story-telling, and his stubbornness along the way. He's one of the most patient and resilient men I've ever met and I hope I can be like him when I grow up. He's a great man and it will be sad when it's his time to go home, but I'm ready to celebrate his life now and later on. Therefore, I hereby proclaim that B.C. Brannon is the most influential person in my life. I hope you take some time to figure out who's been influential to you and, if you have the means, tell them about it.
Peace, love, and Chocolate
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The Joys of Traveling
So I'm sitting in the Amarillo airport waiting for my flight to take off and I'm tired. It's a good tired, though. I mean, it stinks that my flight was delayed 3 hours and I'll make it to Phoenix at 3:15 PM instead of 11:25 as per the original plan, but that's not my fault and I can't do anything about it. Apparently, there has been lots of bad weather in Houston and our flight crew got into Amarillo way late last night which has pushed our departure time back to 11:00 instead of 8:00 (which is part of why I'm so tired). I got here in time to catch an 8:00 flight but, since I have no transportation and it's really way too early in the morning to call a friend for breakfast...and they wouldn't want to drive all the way out to the airport, I'm just sitting here, a little bored and a lot frustrated. I don't guess I'm so much frustrated about arriving so early, or even about my flight being late. I'm frustrated because the Enemy has it out for me...especially when I travel. I have been on more trips that have gone wrong than I care to remember and the majority have been within the last year.
It all started with Japan. We had just returned to Nashville (on a Monday night) from my second trip with Acappella. We left our equipment trailer in a church parking lot since we didn't have an adequate place to store it at the time. That Wednesday was our next scheduled rehearsal day. When we showed up at the alotted time, the trailer was gone. All of our sound and lighting equipment, some clothing, some personal items (Zac's backpack) and our "livelyhood" had been taken away from us by a "theif in the night." Needless to say, we were all pretty bummed. We had to scramble to purchase enough equipment to take to Japan by Thursday of the next week (thanks for all your hard work, dedication, know-how, and faith, Gary!). That was just the beginning of my problems.
I came home to Texas that weekend to pick up a lot of my stuff and take it back to Nashville. What a surprise it was when I arrived in Canyon that Saturday night expecting to find my passport and, instead, finding a letter from the passport agency stating that I had overpaid and that I would need to send two more forms of identification as well as another check for the correct amount. (One would think that they would send the passport with a refund check, wouldn't one? As I found out, one would be wrong.) Oh boy, scramble time! That Monday, I spent virtually all day getting the right information together, putting an overnight mail package together (including an overnight envelope addressed to my Nashville address), making phone calls, begging and pleading for my passport to be processed and sent to me so I could leave for Japan that Thursday. I drove back to Nashville on Tuesday, on the phone the majority of the 14 hour trip...with people and with God! We had at least half a dozen federal officials involved, including Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas and Bill Frist from Tennessee, yet the results were consistent. "There is no way we can get your passport to you in time. You're going to have to miss your trip. I'm sorry." All day Wednesday was the same thing. Same conversations, same results, same frustration, same faith. We kept praying and praying and praying.
Thursday morning we left for the airport. I was going with the guys so I could take the van back to the studio and look for a job over the next two weeks. Just for fun, I called the passport agency and asked about the status of my passport, thinking I might be able to catch a later flight and still do most of the concerts. (This is the cool part.)
"Hi. I'd like to find out about the status of my passport application..."
"What's your name?"
"Robin Brannon."
"...It looks like it was processed at 3:09 yesterday afternoon and put in the mail at
8:00 PM."
"...Uh...what?"
"It should arrive at the Goodlettsville post office at 8:30 this morning."
"...Uh...what?"
"It should arrive at the Goodlettsville post office at 8:30 this morning."
"Wow...um...wow...what time is it now?"
"8:15."
"DUDE! PULL OVER! I HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET MY PASSPORT! I'M GOING TO
JAPAN RIGHT NOW!!!!"
God is pretty cool, huh?
There are many other stories I want to share, and I will later. I don't want to give it all away right now. I won't have anything left if I do...okay, maybe I will. Anyway, I said all that to say "I've had worse."
It's almost time for me to head toward the gate. Peace, love, and big Chocolate blessings to you and yours today and always!
Oh, did I mention that our international flight left at 10:30?
It all started with Japan. We had just returned to Nashville (on a Monday night) from my second trip with Acappella. We left our equipment trailer in a church parking lot since we didn't have an adequate place to store it at the time. That Wednesday was our next scheduled rehearsal day. When we showed up at the alotted time, the trailer was gone. All of our sound and lighting equipment, some clothing, some personal items (Zac's backpack) and our "livelyhood" had been taken away from us by a "theif in the night." Needless to say, we were all pretty bummed. We had to scramble to purchase enough equipment to take to Japan by Thursday of the next week (thanks for all your hard work, dedication, know-how, and faith, Gary!). That was just the beginning of my problems.
I came home to Texas that weekend to pick up a lot of my stuff and take it back to Nashville. What a surprise it was when I arrived in Canyon that Saturday night expecting to find my passport and, instead, finding a letter from the passport agency stating that I had overpaid and that I would need to send two more forms of identification as well as another check for the correct amount. (One would think that they would send the passport with a refund check, wouldn't one? As I found out, one would be wrong.) Oh boy, scramble time! That Monday, I spent virtually all day getting the right information together, putting an overnight mail package together (including an overnight envelope addressed to my Nashville address), making phone calls, begging and pleading for my passport to be processed and sent to me so I could leave for Japan that Thursday. I drove back to Nashville on Tuesday, on the phone the majority of the 14 hour trip...with people and with God! We had at least half a dozen federal officials involved, including Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas and Bill Frist from Tennessee, yet the results were consistent. "There is no way we can get your passport to you in time. You're going to have to miss your trip. I'm sorry." All day Wednesday was the same thing. Same conversations, same results, same frustration, same faith. We kept praying and praying and praying.
Thursday morning we left for the airport. I was going with the guys so I could take the van back to the studio and look for a job over the next two weeks. Just for fun, I called the passport agency and asked about the status of my passport, thinking I might be able to catch a later flight and still do most of the concerts. (This is the cool part.)
"Hi. I'd like to find out about the status of my passport application..."
"What's your name?"
"Robin Brannon."
"...It looks like it was processed at 3:09 yesterday afternoon and put in the mail at
8:00 PM."
"...Uh...what?"
"It should arrive at the Goodlettsville post office at 8:30 this morning."
"...Uh...what?"
"It should arrive at the Goodlettsville post office at 8:30 this morning."
"Wow...um...wow...what time is it now?"
"8:15."
"DUDE! PULL OVER! I HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET MY PASSPORT! I'M GOING TO
JAPAN RIGHT NOW!!!!"
God is pretty cool, huh?
There are many other stories I want to share, and I will later. I don't want to give it all away right now. I won't have anything left if I do...okay, maybe I will. Anyway, I said all that to say "I've had worse."
It's almost time for me to head toward the gate. Peace, love, and big Chocolate blessings to you and yours today and always!
Oh, did I mention that our international flight left at 10:30?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Your Opinion Matters
I received a comment on my previous blog that kinda disturbed me. The comment basically went contrary to everything the blog said. If you haven't read it, I recommend that you do, so you can fully understand the comment. This person said, in a nutshell, that people in higher governmental positions should not profess their faith. I beg to differ. I feel that political figures who proclaim the name of Jesus in their daily lives have just as much right as anyone else to share their faith in the workplace. It just so happens that their workplace is one of publicity and many will hear the message. Whether they will listen, or not, is a different story. Their decision to get angry because of the truth someone else was bold enough to tell could be a reaction to the Word pricking them in the heart. Just know that we must be ready. God's wish for us is that "every knee will bow and every tounge will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Don't hate the messengers. We're just doing our job. If you're going to hate, hate the Deceiver who fills our world full of lies and wickedness. The same lies and wickedness that the brave politician from Kansas denounced will be the demise of this old world. I can't wait until we leave this world behind and move on to the Great Beyond! I'll see you there!!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Bold Words: Follow the Leader
I got this incredible profession of faith from a friend of mine from Texas. This is the type of person I aspire to be, but often find myself lacking the courage to do so. It is my prayer that we all will learn from this and make the proper adjustments in our lives to become more bold so that the truth, grace, love, and power of God will shine brighter than ever through us. He is the only one who can fix our broken lives and our world that is steeped in peril. Check this out and see if you can learn something valuable from it.
Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister *Joe Wright* was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard: "Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, *'Woe to those who call evil good,'* but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have *exploited the poor* and called it the *lottery.* We have rewarded laziness and called it *welfare*. We have *killed our unborn* and called it *choice*. We have *shot abortionists* and called it *justifiable*. We have *neglected to discipline our children* and called it *building self esteem*. We have *abused power* and called it *politics.* We have *coveted our neighbor's possessions* and called it *ambition*. We have *polluted the air* with *profanity* and *pornography* and called it *freedom of expression*. We have *ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers* and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest! In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help , may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God."
Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister *Joe Wright* was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard: "Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, *'Woe to those who call evil good,'* but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have *exploited the poor* and called it the *lottery.* We have rewarded laziness and called it *welfare*. We have *killed our unborn* and called it *choice*. We have *shot abortionists* and called it *justifiable*. We have *neglected to discipline our children* and called it *building self esteem*. We have *abused power* and called it *politics.* We have *coveted our neighbor's possessions* and called it *ambition*. We have *polluted the air* with *profanity* and *pornography* and called it *freedom of expression*. We have *ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers* and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest! In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help , may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God."
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
I'm Not Dead Yet!
So, for those of you who have been wondering why I haven't posted in a while, I'm really not sure. I've had a lot going on in my life lately. I guess I could write about everything that's been happening. That's a start.
Let's see, the road has been interesting. We're just getting to the point where our schedule is starting to regulate itself. This is possibly the first time since I moved to Tennessee that I feel fairly confident in my schedule. I know that I'm out of town most weekends and in town during the week, which is what we were supposed to have been doing since some time last year. It's nice to feel somewhat normal for once! This summer has been travel-crazy, though. Since our northwest tour, we've performed in Tennessee (four times), Kentucky, Arkansas (three times), Texas (and headed back soon...giddyup!!!), New York state (not the city, unfortunately), and West Virginia, as well as a much-needed break during 4th of July week. Lots of traveling in a short amount of time. That's what we do!
I've made a lot of new friendships and relationships recently. I've also been able to catch up with some old, dear friends. Praise God for that! In the midst of all the joy I've found in my friends and great relationships, I've had a lot of bad junk going on as well. Last week is a prime example. I have been dealing with all kinds of problems over the last month or so, and last week, they all started to cave in on me. First, my truck broke down. I haven't gotten it fixed yet but I hope to do so very soon. Then, I had to deal with more financial woes, partially because of the truck, partially because of other junk I can't even talk about. I had to go to a doctor on Thursday (with no insurance) because of a very infected rash on my arm that had begun to spread all over my body. He thinks it's either viral or bacterial but I haven't heard back from him yet. That's scary. It's getting better now, thanks to the stuff he gave me to put on it, but it's not over yet. Pray for me!
To top it all off, I spoke with my dad for the first time in a while and he gave me all kinds of bad news. He told me about having to drive to San Antonio, which is about 9 or 10 hours away from his home, to visit his brother who just had another heart attack. On his way there, he was pulled over for running two stop signs he didn't see. After his visit, he stopped to see a friend and got lost heading home. He ended up way out of his way (Hamilton, TX) and had to figure out how to get home. It was getting late and he was getting very tired. Sometime late that night, he got pulled over again! This time, the officer asked him how much he'd been drinking! He was so exhausted but he still had to keep driving. He finally stopped around dawn some time at my uncle's house. After sleeping for a few hours, he got up and started driving again. He had to make it home for a funeral. He was still an hour late.
The funeral was for my step-neice, Leandra, who was murdered by an unknown shooter. She lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area but her body was found in New Orleans stripped of all identification and, I'm sure, money or anything of value. She was only 25 years old. Our family was rocked by this information, especially my step-sister, Kay, Leandra's mother. Please pray for my family as we grieve.
So, there's a look at my life as of late. Kinda crazy but that's the way it goes. I've been trying to make some big changes in my walk with Christ. Just when I get to my most vulnerable state is when the enemy attacks. I bet it's like that for everybody. When we're trying to do God's will things start going wrong by our standards. By God's standards, when we do his will, things work out for us on an eternal level. May your walk be blameless and pure as you strive to stay in His grip. Blessings until next time!!!
Let's see, the road has been interesting. We're just getting to the point where our schedule is starting to regulate itself. This is possibly the first time since I moved to Tennessee that I feel fairly confident in my schedule. I know that I'm out of town most weekends and in town during the week, which is what we were supposed to have been doing since some time last year. It's nice to feel somewhat normal for once! This summer has been travel-crazy, though. Since our northwest tour, we've performed in Tennessee (four times), Kentucky, Arkansas (three times), Texas (and headed back soon...giddyup!!!), New York state (not the city, unfortunately), and West Virginia, as well as a much-needed break during 4th of July week. Lots of traveling in a short amount of time. That's what we do!
I've made a lot of new friendships and relationships recently. I've also been able to catch up with some old, dear friends. Praise God for that! In the midst of all the joy I've found in my friends and great relationships, I've had a lot of bad junk going on as well. Last week is a prime example. I have been dealing with all kinds of problems over the last month or so, and last week, they all started to cave in on me. First, my truck broke down. I haven't gotten it fixed yet but I hope to do so very soon. Then, I had to deal with more financial woes, partially because of the truck, partially because of other junk I can't even talk about. I had to go to a doctor on Thursday (with no insurance) because of a very infected rash on my arm that had begun to spread all over my body. He thinks it's either viral or bacterial but I haven't heard back from him yet. That's scary. It's getting better now, thanks to the stuff he gave me to put on it, but it's not over yet. Pray for me!
To top it all off, I spoke with my dad for the first time in a while and he gave me all kinds of bad news. He told me about having to drive to San Antonio, which is about 9 or 10 hours away from his home, to visit his brother who just had another heart attack. On his way there, he was pulled over for running two stop signs he didn't see. After his visit, he stopped to see a friend and got lost heading home. He ended up way out of his way (Hamilton, TX) and had to figure out how to get home. It was getting late and he was getting very tired. Sometime late that night, he got pulled over again! This time, the officer asked him how much he'd been drinking! He was so exhausted but he still had to keep driving. He finally stopped around dawn some time at my uncle's house. After sleeping for a few hours, he got up and started driving again. He had to make it home for a funeral. He was still an hour late.
The funeral was for my step-neice, Leandra, who was murdered by an unknown shooter. She lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area but her body was found in New Orleans stripped of all identification and, I'm sure, money or anything of value. She was only 25 years old. Our family was rocked by this information, especially my step-sister, Kay, Leandra's mother. Please pray for my family as we grieve.
So, there's a look at my life as of late. Kinda crazy but that's the way it goes. I've been trying to make some big changes in my walk with Christ. Just when I get to my most vulnerable state is when the enemy attacks. I bet it's like that for everybody. When we're trying to do God's will things start going wrong by our standards. By God's standards, when we do his will, things work out for us on an eternal level. May your walk be blameless and pure as you strive to stay in His grip. Blessings until next time!!!
Friday, June 30, 2006
James 5:16 - The Pain of Reality
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Before I write the rest of this blog, I want to thank each of you who read/have read what I have to say and are thoughtful enough to leave me encouraging messages and comments. It truly means much to me to know that people actually care about the dribble that comes out of my brain. Thank you so much.
Now, it's time to get down to business. This is probably the toughest blog I have written and may be the toughest I'll ever write. If you've ever had an experience that made you change the way you think, speak, or live your life, you'll understand where I'm coming from. We just came back from the North American Christian Convention in Louisville, KY. The convention gave me one of the biggest reminders/wake-up-calls/reality checks I've had in the longest time. You see, the constant, underlying theme of the convention was unity. It was mainly about church unity but the thing that got to me, much more than church unity, was something that Jeff Walling (preacher in Charlotte, NC) said. He was talking about "Sunday clothes." You know what I'm talking about. We put on our best faces when we're around "people who matter" but as soon as we're alone or around the people closest to us, that's when we get real. That's when all the ugly comes out. That's when we start talking badly about people, going places we have no business going, being who we really are...ugly, rude, mean, selfish, bitter, lonely, unhappy, pitiful people. Take me for example. I'm in a semi-high-profile position among Christian music listeners and supporters. I am blessed beyond measure to be able to travel across the country and around the world proclaiming the good news of Christ and his love for me. I get to see so many great places, meet unbelieveable people, eat incredible food and be treated like one of the most important people in town for different periods of time. It's great. All I have to do is act like a good Christian guy and it's all good. Here's the problem, folks. I mess up every day and I don't know how to stop. I want to share something with you that I wouldn't normally share but it needs to be said. I AM A SINNER AND A MESS!!! I wouldn't want anyone to live this mess that I call a life. I've screwed that up plenty well, thank you. The thing with which I am struggling the most at the moment is gossip. To some, that doesn't sound too terrible but it is devastating to me. When you hear rumors about yourself, especially rumors that are untrue, you get upset and take offense. When you hear rumors about yourself, especially when they are true, you feel betrayed and your reputation is ruined. Now, let's turn that around. When you're talking trash about people, you're ruining their reputation. You're betraying their trust. You're losing what could be a dear and valuable relationship. STOP IT!!! It's not worth the pain to talk mess about folk. If I were to talk trash about you, you wouldn't be reading what I'm writing. We probably wouldn't be considered friends, would we? We need each other more than ever so that we can stand up for what is right. There is strength in numbers. I know that I can't improve my attitude or my actions without help. But understand this. GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO SUFFER MORE THAN ANY OF US EVER COULD, AND GIVE UP HIS SON'S LIFE SO WE COULD HAVE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE. It's called grace. Without his grace, I am nothing, I have nothing, I can do nothing. I am a dead, useless, lifeless, waste of space. God doesn't have to have me living on this earth. He wants me living on this earth so I can make him proud. The same goes for you. We are here for God's pleasure, not for his pain. Therefore, let's learn how to live our lives the right way. Whatever junk you're dealing with in your life, there is no better time than the present to let God clean it up. We're at the prime of our lives. Not because of our ages nor the stage we are currently in, but because there is no time like the present to make a change in our lives in order to please God. I'm on my knees begging you (I wish you could see me right now) to open your heart to what the Lord has to offer you. His grace is true, his power is immeasurable, and his love is unconditional. Whatever you're going through or have been through can be taken away and you can have a fresh start if you simply ask God. Talk to him. He's waiting to hear from you. When you do, would you pray for me too? I need it desperately. In the same way, I'll pray for you. That's what our calling is, no matter our profession. Again, I end up talking to myself. I think there's a pattern here. Blessings!
Before I write the rest of this blog, I want to thank each of you who read/have read what I have to say and are thoughtful enough to leave me encouraging messages and comments. It truly means much to me to know that people actually care about the dribble that comes out of my brain. Thank you so much.
Now, it's time to get down to business. This is probably the toughest blog I have written and may be the toughest I'll ever write. If you've ever had an experience that made you change the way you think, speak, or live your life, you'll understand where I'm coming from. We just came back from the North American Christian Convention in Louisville, KY. The convention gave me one of the biggest reminders/wake-up-calls/reality checks I've had in the longest time. You see, the constant, underlying theme of the convention was unity. It was mainly about church unity but the thing that got to me, much more than church unity, was something that Jeff Walling (preacher in Charlotte, NC) said. He was talking about "Sunday clothes." You know what I'm talking about. We put on our best faces when we're around "people who matter" but as soon as we're alone or around the people closest to us, that's when we get real. That's when all the ugly comes out. That's when we start talking badly about people, going places we have no business going, being who we really are...ugly, rude, mean, selfish, bitter, lonely, unhappy, pitiful people. Take me for example. I'm in a semi-high-profile position among Christian music listeners and supporters. I am blessed beyond measure to be able to travel across the country and around the world proclaiming the good news of Christ and his love for me. I get to see so many great places, meet unbelieveable people, eat incredible food and be treated like one of the most important people in town for different periods of time. It's great. All I have to do is act like a good Christian guy and it's all good. Here's the problem, folks. I mess up every day and I don't know how to stop. I want to share something with you that I wouldn't normally share but it needs to be said. I AM A SINNER AND A MESS!!! I wouldn't want anyone to live this mess that I call a life. I've screwed that up plenty well, thank you. The thing with which I am struggling the most at the moment is gossip. To some, that doesn't sound too terrible but it is devastating to me. When you hear rumors about yourself, especially rumors that are untrue, you get upset and take offense. When you hear rumors about yourself, especially when they are true, you feel betrayed and your reputation is ruined. Now, let's turn that around. When you're talking trash about people, you're ruining their reputation. You're betraying their trust. You're losing what could be a dear and valuable relationship. STOP IT!!! It's not worth the pain to talk mess about folk. If I were to talk trash about you, you wouldn't be reading what I'm writing. We probably wouldn't be considered friends, would we? We need each other more than ever so that we can stand up for what is right. There is strength in numbers. I know that I can't improve my attitude or my actions without help. But understand this. GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO SUFFER MORE THAN ANY OF US EVER COULD, AND GIVE UP HIS SON'S LIFE SO WE COULD HAVE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE. It's called grace. Without his grace, I am nothing, I have nothing, I can do nothing. I am a dead, useless, lifeless, waste of space. God doesn't have to have me living on this earth. He wants me living on this earth so I can make him proud. The same goes for you. We are here for God's pleasure, not for his pain. Therefore, let's learn how to live our lives the right way. Whatever junk you're dealing with in your life, there is no better time than the present to let God clean it up. We're at the prime of our lives. Not because of our ages nor the stage we are currently in, but because there is no time like the present to make a change in our lives in order to please God. I'm on my knees begging you (I wish you could see me right now) to open your heart to what the Lord has to offer you. His grace is true, his power is immeasurable, and his love is unconditional. Whatever you're going through or have been through can be taken away and you can have a fresh start if you simply ask God. Talk to him. He's waiting to hear from you. When you do, would you pray for me too? I need it desperately. In the same way, I'll pray for you. That's what our calling is, no matter our profession. Again, I end up talking to myself. I think there's a pattern here. Blessings!
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Big Ron: The Man, The Myth, The Legend (as seen on myspace)
I remember growing up in Texas with my family. I was blessed to have a mom and dad who took care of me and showed me love in ways that some kids unfortunately never experience. I also had a brother around for the first 8 years or so. Ron Williams was born 10 years and 3 days before me and, when I was growing up, he was about 10 times bigger than me. He taught me about life in the real world. He had some interesting ways of doing that, though. Sometimes he'd share great music with me (Run DMC, Aerosmith, The Fat Boys, Prince, AC/DC, Sugar Hill Gang, Ready for the World, etc), sometimes he'd pick on me and make me defend myself (that's how I learned the phrase "They're just jealous."). Sometimes he'd have to babysit me while my folks were out of town, so he'd make me take responsibility for myself by doing extra chores (mine and his). He went off to college when I was 9 and we started seeing less and less of each other. It was while he was away that I began to realize how much of a hero he was to me. By his example, he showed me how cool it could be to be a Christian and to be unashamed of it. He would "encourage" his friends and teammates (he was a lineman on a football scholarship) to go to church with him. There weren't many people at that church (or at that school) but he always had at least one guest with him. I'd go and visit some weekends and I'd go with him to round up friends to go to worship assembly. He'd bang on their dorm room doors with his humongous hands or kick the door with his size 17 foots and make sure those guys got to the building on time. The epitome of boldness.
He moved to California right after he graduated from college (that's where he was born and lived his first 8 years on Earth, and where our Gram lived). He had to return to Texas only a couple of months after he left so he could attend our mother's funeral. She lost her battle with breast cancer on September 17th, 1989, which was one of the last times Ron was in Texas. After that, I had to go to California if I wanted to see him. Fortunately we'd go every summer to visit and we had some great times together. He showed me the meaning of pure, unadulterated, heart-felt worship. I don't remember ever hearing him sing softly, especially in a church setting. He was the first to start calling me "Rob" on a regular basis, which is why I still go by that name. He also taught me that it was okay to wait a little while to get married. He was 28 when he got married and he started having kids soon afterward. The rest of my brothers (and my dad) got married in their early 20's or late teens. He showed me that people are just people, no matter who or where they are. I remember this one time when I went to visit him and his family. We were driving to his house from the airport and stopped at McDonald's drive-thru to grab a quick bite of dinner. When we pulled up to the window, he spoke to the guy serving us like he spoke to me, his brother. They had never met before but Ron treated him like they were lifelong friends. Ministry in action.
Ron had been my counselor at church camp, my teacher of life skills, and my best friend. He was the one I always called when I needed a boost. He always seemed to know just the right thing to say to make my day go better, or to motivate me to be the man I've been called to be. On March 28th, 2003, God decided that Ron had served his time here on Earth and took him Home. His body left but his spirit remains strong in everyone he came across. You can see him in his daughters, Shinarri and Bethany, his wife, Melissa, his sister, Rahnee, and her daughters, Sumaya, Miriam, Corrine, and even baby Felicity (the ones in the picture with me...that I can't get to load...long story...maybe later). You can see him in his former students/youth groupers. You can see him in his friends and family. You can see him in me, especially when I'm on stage.
I write this on this day because this is the day he was supposed to turn 40. I always envisioned us growing older and our kids playing together while we sat on the front porch and talked about old times. I guess that won't happen in this life but I have the feeling that anything is possible in Heaven.
He moved to California right after he graduated from college (that's where he was born and lived his first 8 years on Earth, and where our Gram lived). He had to return to Texas only a couple of months after he left so he could attend our mother's funeral. She lost her battle with breast cancer on September 17th, 1989, which was one of the last times Ron was in Texas. After that, I had to go to California if I wanted to see him. Fortunately we'd go every summer to visit and we had some great times together. He showed me the meaning of pure, unadulterated, heart-felt worship. I don't remember ever hearing him sing softly, especially in a church setting. He was the first to start calling me "Rob" on a regular basis, which is why I still go by that name. He also taught me that it was okay to wait a little while to get married. He was 28 when he got married and he started having kids soon afterward. The rest of my brothers (and my dad) got married in their early 20's or late teens. He showed me that people are just people, no matter who or where they are. I remember this one time when I went to visit him and his family. We were driving to his house from the airport and stopped at McDonald's drive-thru to grab a quick bite of dinner. When we pulled up to the window, he spoke to the guy serving us like he spoke to me, his brother. They had never met before but Ron treated him like they were lifelong friends. Ministry in action.
Ron had been my counselor at church camp, my teacher of life skills, and my best friend. He was the one I always called when I needed a boost. He always seemed to know just the right thing to say to make my day go better, or to motivate me to be the man I've been called to be. On March 28th, 2003, God decided that Ron had served his time here on Earth and took him Home. His body left but his spirit remains strong in everyone he came across. You can see him in his daughters, Shinarri and Bethany, his wife, Melissa, his sister, Rahnee, and her daughters, Sumaya, Miriam, Corrine, and even baby Felicity (the ones in the picture with me...that I can't get to load...long story...maybe later). You can see him in his former students/youth groupers. You can see him in his friends and family. You can see him in me, especially when I'm on stage.
I write this on this day because this is the day he was supposed to turn 40. I always envisioned us growing older and our kids playing together while we sat on the front porch and talked about old times. I guess that won't happen in this life but I have the feeling that anything is possible in Heaven.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Brilliant, Bloody Brilliant: A Magic Moment from Colorado
If you love food like I do, you'll love this post. Growing up with a southern family, I learned at an early age the significance of gravy (if you don't like gravy, I'm not talking to you...and shame on you). It's a well-known fact (and should be a law) that gravy makes the world go round...figuratively speaking, of course. You can put gravy on most anything and improve the quality of the dish tenfold. That's the nature of gravy. Its function, if you will. Gravy is good. Then, if you add stuff to said gravy, like meat, the improvement is improved tenfold, making for some serious improvement. It's magical, really.
For the past several years, I've prided myself in making really good breakfast burritos. I have a certain recipe I created by experimentation (and I change it pretty much every time I make the burritos). Usually, when people eat my breakfast burritos, their taste buds are satisfied and they become closer friends with me...or at least they want to. I mean, what's better than eggs, bacon, chorizo, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla? Not much, I should guess (if you don't like breakfast burritos, I'm not talking to you either...and again, shame on you).
Now, imagine this scenario. Let's say we have 2 guys who are roommates and they are eating breakfast together one fine spring morning. We'll name one Fred and the other Earl. I don't know why Fred and Earl, but I also don't know why it has to be a fine spring morning, so it doesn't really matter, does it? Anyway, Fred has a tasty breakfast burrito and Earl is enjoying some biscuits and sausage gravy. They both want to eat each other's food but they want to eat their own as well. They both have a little left over (big breakfast) so Earl gets the bright idea, or maybe it was Fred, to pour some of the gravy on the burrito. BRILLIANT!!! You've got your breakfast burrito that tastes great alone. You've got your gravy that, as I stated earlier, makes the world go round. Putting these two elements together has just unleashed a new breakfast beast that cannot, and will not, be tamed. Thank you Fred and Earl!
How do I know so much about this magical concoction? Because I witnessed its power firsthand. We ate breakfast at Lois' Place in Grand Junction, CO. It was there that I partook in the goodness that is the Country Burrito. I was so awestruck I couldn't sit still. I went on and on about the plate of magic I was eating until I succeeded in annoying everyone within a 10 ft. radius. I didn't care, though. The world needed to know about the taste enlightenment I was experiencing. That's why I wrote this blog. I felt like I needed to continue sharing the joy I had. I will continue to share it with all who will give an ear. It's that important to me. Maybe you can experience it too. Or maybe you already have and you haven't told me about it yet. If you're that person, once again, shame on you!
For the past several years, I've prided myself in making really good breakfast burritos. I have a certain recipe I created by experimentation (and I change it pretty much every time I make the burritos). Usually, when people eat my breakfast burritos, their taste buds are satisfied and they become closer friends with me...or at least they want to. I mean, what's better than eggs, bacon, chorizo, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla? Not much, I should guess (if you don't like breakfast burritos, I'm not talking to you either...and again, shame on you).
Now, imagine this scenario. Let's say we have 2 guys who are roommates and they are eating breakfast together one fine spring morning. We'll name one Fred and the other Earl. I don't know why Fred and Earl, but I also don't know why it has to be a fine spring morning, so it doesn't really matter, does it? Anyway, Fred has a tasty breakfast burrito and Earl is enjoying some biscuits and sausage gravy. They both want to eat each other's food but they want to eat their own as well. They both have a little left over (big breakfast) so Earl gets the bright idea, or maybe it was Fred, to pour some of the gravy on the burrito. BRILLIANT!!! You've got your breakfast burrito that tastes great alone. You've got your gravy that, as I stated earlier, makes the world go round. Putting these two elements together has just unleashed a new breakfast beast that cannot, and will not, be tamed. Thank you Fred and Earl!
How do I know so much about this magical concoction? Because I witnessed its power firsthand. We ate breakfast at Lois' Place in Grand Junction, CO. It was there that I partook in the goodness that is the Country Burrito. I was so awestruck I couldn't sit still. I went on and on about the plate of magic I was eating until I succeeded in annoying everyone within a 10 ft. radius. I didn't care, though. The world needed to know about the taste enlightenment I was experiencing. That's why I wrote this blog. I felt like I needed to continue sharing the joy I had. I will continue to share it with all who will give an ear. It's that important to me. Maybe you can experience it too. Or maybe you already have and you haven't told me about it yet. If you're that person, once again, shame on you!
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