O self, myself
In unimpressive wonder
Consider all
Alone, thy hand hath made
You’ll feel the scars
You’ll see the waste and plunder
No pow’r throughout
Your universe displayed
Then cries my soul
Without your Saviour, see
How small thou art
How small thou art
Then cries my soul
Without your Saviour, see
How small thou art
How small thou art
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
An Army of Paper Saints
At lunchtime on Thursday, I was skimming on facebook when I IM’d Eva, a cowriter of mine in Houston. We recently started working on a song, and I’ve been pretty remiss in working on it. I wanted to tell her I’ve been thinking about it, which I have, but to be honest, not that much.
In the process of the conversation, I told her I had another idea for a worship song. No title, not even a hook; Only an idea.
The idea is coming together in authenticity. Real with one another in the Church. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a new idea, but I’ve been feeling led to write it.
I love working with Eva. She’s a walking, talking, emailing vessel of the Holy Spirit. We bounced a few ideas back and forth and she said she’d pray about it and write down some ideas.
At that moment I had a thought and typed two words in the box and hit send “Paper Saints”.
She replied, “tell me about that. I replied something like, ”not real saints, just 2 dimensional cut-outs of what a saint is supposed to look like“.
She started a file and just before I went back to work, I typed this into the file:
We come with needs unspoken
for fear of being exposed
And though the circle be unbroken
we unfold into an army of paper saints.
That evening, I sat at he piano and started playing around.. 5 minutes later I had a chorus. I went online and opened the file. She had copied my im onto the page and had started a verse.
I started typing.. she came online and she started praying.. then the words flowed, and by Friday morning, most of the lyric was done. I went in the studio on Saturday morning.. and by the next day we had a work tape done.
I gotta tell you, when the Holy Spirit is on board, writing the song’s just a matter of holding the pen, laying your hand on the keyboard, and most importantly, getting out of the way.
If you’d like to give it a listen, you can check it out here.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Challenge of "WHY?"
I was driving to an early call-time last Sunday morning.. Before sunrise. Dark-thirty. I flipped on the radio.. NPR.. talk-interview show. Some guy was explaining his take on the meaning of life. Between my thoughts of “I need coffee” and “where am I?”, I started listening to the conversation. The guy was saying, “...the important question to ask and answer about anything you do is, ‘Why?’ ”
Now, unless you’ve never contemplated the meaning of life before, you know this is the pertinent question. I’ve asked it many times as I sat down to plan. The 5 year plan. The career plan. The family plan.. The house plan...
It’s important, I get it.
But in the middle of my pompous, eye-rolling-head-nod, it suddenly dawned on me that in many areas of my life I had gone a long time without revisiting that question.
Why do I work where I work? Why do I do what I do? Why do I live where I live? Why? Why? Why?
Sure, I asked these questions at critical times when I started my job, nurtured my job skills, was house-hunting, etc.
It rarely occurs to me that I need to revisit those areas (and other areas) and ask the question again.
In Michigan, there are many people who are having to ask these questions again, out of necessity. In other words, the are looking for new jobs, careers, and houses.. because they lost the ones they had.
For myself, I still have a job, a career, a house.. but are the reasons I chose them still the same as today’s reasons?
Answer: NO!
Time to re-evaluate.. in fact, its always time to re-evaluate... actually, maybe its the wrong word... The word evaluate indicates something that can be accomplished, and I’m beginning to wonder if the process is much more dynamic than I ever assumed..
Use me while you can.
Now, unless you’ve never contemplated the meaning of life before, you know this is the pertinent question. I’ve asked it many times as I sat down to plan. The 5 year plan. The career plan. The family plan.. The house plan...
It’s important, I get it.
But in the middle of my pompous, eye-rolling-head-nod, it suddenly dawned on me that in many areas of my life I had gone a long time without revisiting that question.
Why do I work where I work? Why do I do what I do? Why do I live where I live? Why? Why? Why?
Sure, I asked these questions at critical times when I started my job, nurtured my job skills, was house-hunting, etc.
It rarely occurs to me that I need to revisit those areas (and other areas) and ask the question again.
In Michigan, there are many people who are having to ask these questions again, out of necessity. In other words, the are looking for new jobs, careers, and houses.. because they lost the ones they had.
For myself, I still have a job, a career, a house.. but are the reasons I chose them still the same as today’s reasons?
Answer: NO!
Time to re-evaluate.. in fact, its always time to re-evaluate... actually, maybe its the wrong word... The word evaluate indicates something that can be accomplished, and I’m beginning to wonder if the process is much more dynamic than I ever assumed..
Use me while you can.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Normal vs. Paranormal? Natural vs. Miraculous?
I was reading today a quote that said there is nothing paranormal except our limited knowledge of nature. That’s what the quote said..
I can relate to that statement because of an experience I had a few years ago.
You may remember an asteroid belt that ended up flying through our atmosphere a few years back. Many got up and laid outside in the early morning to watch it go through the atmosphere.
I was driving about 5 miles south of my house, in broad daylight, when something caught my eye to the left. I turned my head in time to see a fireball in the sky. Thing is, it appeared to be the size of the Sun (my perspective).
But this was not normal.. it was paranormal. Here’s why. It was high in the atmosphere, so it was quite large, but it was moving across the sky as if it were a jet 200 feet above the ground.
It lasted 2 seconds at most.. took 2 seconds to fly from the horizon on my left to the horizon on my right. So fast, in fact, that by the time everyone in the car looked it was gone.
My idea of normal was shattered. It laid in pieces on the floor of that minivan.
Seriously, Up to this time, the nearest I’d come to Paranormal was Teflon®. (I mean, how is that surface dry yet feel wet? It has to dry out eventually, right? Just sayin’...)
As a Christian I’ve heard (and talked) about miraculous things all my life. Friends who are healed from a non-operable cancer. People who testify of an Angel’s presence who led them through a mind-field. Miraculous circumstances that freed people from prison.
All those things. You know, when we feel God’s presence. We ‘see’ Him working in people’s lives.
But Paranormal? Physical aberrations that seem impossible? Something you can touch? Aren’t these things paranormal? Why don’t these miraculous things of the faith amaze me.. humble me.. bring me to my knees?
Have I become numb to the supernatural, because its not paranormal? I’ve realized that I’m pretty much still a skeptic to these things. I’m a Thomas. A doubter. Do people really see these things? Are they using them as a way to make their story more significant or impacting? Were those people really healed or just misdiagnosed to begin with.
Even as I write this I have a fear coursing through my arm that people are going to be disappointed in me for expressing these feelings... that I’m somehow not holding up my end of the story. I’m not trusting in what people tell me, or that I’m denying the working, maybe even the existence of God.
I don’t. I know what I know. I feel what I feel. I’m a witness to his miraculous hand in my life and others... but unless I remind myself that those things I know, feel, and witness are not natural, ordinary things, I begin to classify them as normal, and they become something I take for granted, or worse something I don’t even recognize as the hand of God working in my life and the life of others.
Then I see a fireball the size of a football field rocket 1,000 miles in 2 seconds and realize how small I am in this unbelievable, ordered creation and I realize that there is nothing miraculous except my limited knowledge of God’s omnipotent hand at the wheel of His creation. My limited recognition of His incomprehensible love for us and His desire to have us be an integral part of its fruition.
I can relate to that statement because of an experience I had a few years ago.
You may remember an asteroid belt that ended up flying through our atmosphere a few years back. Many got up and laid outside in the early morning to watch it go through the atmosphere.
I was driving about 5 miles south of my house, in broad daylight, when something caught my eye to the left. I turned my head in time to see a fireball in the sky. Thing is, it appeared to be the size of the Sun (my perspective).
But this was not normal.. it was paranormal. Here’s why. It was high in the atmosphere, so it was quite large, but it was moving across the sky as if it were a jet 200 feet above the ground.
It lasted 2 seconds at most.. took 2 seconds to fly from the horizon on my left to the horizon on my right. So fast, in fact, that by the time everyone in the car looked it was gone.
My idea of normal was shattered. It laid in pieces on the floor of that minivan.
Seriously, Up to this time, the nearest I’d come to Paranormal was Teflon®. (I mean, how is that surface dry yet feel wet? It has to dry out eventually, right? Just sayin’...)
As a Christian I’ve heard (and talked) about miraculous things all my life. Friends who are healed from a non-operable cancer. People who testify of an Angel’s presence who led them through a mind-field. Miraculous circumstances that freed people from prison.
All those things. You know, when we feel God’s presence. We ‘see’ Him working in people’s lives.
But Paranormal? Physical aberrations that seem impossible? Something you can touch? Aren’t these things paranormal? Why don’t these miraculous things of the faith amaze me.. humble me.. bring me to my knees?
Have I become numb to the supernatural, because its not paranormal? I’ve realized that I’m pretty much still a skeptic to these things. I’m a Thomas. A doubter. Do people really see these things? Are they using them as a way to make their story more significant or impacting? Were those people really healed or just misdiagnosed to begin with.
Even as I write this I have a fear coursing through my arm that people are going to be disappointed in me for expressing these feelings... that I’m somehow not holding up my end of the story. I’m not trusting in what people tell me, or that I’m denying the working, maybe even the existence of God.
I don’t. I know what I know. I feel what I feel. I’m a witness to his miraculous hand in my life and others... but unless I remind myself that those things I know, feel, and witness are not natural, ordinary things, I begin to classify them as normal, and they become something I take for granted, or worse something I don’t even recognize as the hand of God working in my life and the life of others.
Then I see a fireball the size of a football field rocket 1,000 miles in 2 seconds and realize how small I am in this unbelievable, ordered creation and I realize that there is nothing miraculous except my limited knowledge of God’s omnipotent hand at the wheel of His creation. My limited recognition of His incomprehensible love for us and His desire to have us be an integral part of its fruition.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Performance Royalties for Performers on Radio
The proposed measure in the Senate calls for a performance royalty to be paid to the artists for airplay.
Whether you know it or not, artists are currently not compensated for terrestrial radio airplay of their music. Writers and publishers are compensated, but the owners of the recordings are not.
To my knowledge, the royalty is 1/2 cent per play, to be added to the current royalty to then be distributed to the artists.
The NAB response is that local radio stations can not afford such an increase, and would have to suspend local news coverage, weather and all kinds of other services just to pay these (inferred greedy) artists for the use of their music. They even created the phrase PERFORMANCE TAX to gather public opinion against it.
Well, lets do some math.
If a radio station plays 15 songs an hour (I challenge you to find one that plays that many), 168 hours a week, 4.3 weeks a month.. or 10,836 songs a month.
10,836 songs a month! That’s a lot of songs.. That sounds like a lot of money, right?
At 1/2 cent each... the bill comes to $54.18 a month.
If an artist’s music helps to generate an audience... which sells advertising... which pays the bills, don’t you think that artist should get a penny every couple times his song gets played?
If there’s a better and cheaper way for a station to generate listeners, I say they should go for it. Music sounds like a bargain, to me.
Seriously. How much bad news do we have to give up for 55 bucks a month?
Whether you know it or not, artists are currently not compensated for terrestrial radio airplay of their music. Writers and publishers are compensated, but the owners of the recordings are not.
To my knowledge, the royalty is 1/2 cent per play, to be added to the current royalty to then be distributed to the artists.
The NAB response is that local radio stations can not afford such an increase, and would have to suspend local news coverage, weather and all kinds of other services just to pay these (inferred greedy) artists for the use of their music. They even created the phrase PERFORMANCE TAX to gather public opinion against it.
Well, lets do some math.
If a radio station plays 15 songs an hour (I challenge you to find one that plays that many), 168 hours a week, 4.3 weeks a month.. or 10,836 songs a month.
10,836 songs a month! That’s a lot of songs.. That sounds like a lot of money, right?
At 1/2 cent each... the bill comes to $54.18 a month.
If an artist’s music helps to generate an audience... which sells advertising... which pays the bills, don’t you think that artist should get a penny every couple times his song gets played?
If there’s a better and cheaper way for a station to generate listeners, I say they should go for it. Music sounds like a bargain, to me.
Seriously. How much bad news do we have to give up for 55 bucks a month?
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Took It For Granted
I’ve been waking up multiple times during the night. (and its not because I drank too much water before bed)
I’ve been waking up with lines and couplets. Ideas and rhymes. A few nights ago I woke up and thought, that’s a great idea. I’ll remember that. I didn’t even need to get up and write it down, it was that good. Good thing, because I was at a hotel and I didn’t have my notepad next to me..
I forgot the idea by the time I woke up again.
Try as I might, I’m still lamenting the loss of that idea. Moleskin is back in place. Recorder is at the ready. Its been awhile since the thoughts bubbled. Now they boil at times.
I’m thankful they’re back and I will try to be prepared. Hit me, Lord. Hit me!
I’ve been waking up with lines and couplets. Ideas and rhymes. A few nights ago I woke up and thought, that’s a great idea. I’ll remember that. I didn’t even need to get up and write it down, it was that good. Good thing, because I was at a hotel and I didn’t have my notepad next to me..
I forgot the idea by the time I woke up again.
Try as I might, I’m still lamenting the loss of that idea. Moleskin is back in place. Recorder is at the ready. Its been awhile since the thoughts bubbled. Now they boil at times.
I’m thankful they’re back and I will try to be prepared. Hit me, Lord. Hit me!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Detroit to St. Charles to Nashville to Detroit
I’m sitting in the passenger seat on our drive back from Nashville. I’ve got so much to write down, so this will be a long entry.
The last week and a half have been great. I left early on Thursday morning and drove to St. Charles, MO for the Write About Jesus conference. Like going back to a small country church. (only with great music) Ran in to many old friends and some new ones from last year. Had some great classes, a cowrite attempt, and a great one on one with Dave Clark.
This summer has been pretty dry for my writing. When my nephew was murdered in the the spring, my writing took a pretty dark turn. When I got out to Vegas for the memorial service, they had just captured a suspect that is almost certain to be the murderer. The grief and the anger that surrounds the next 3 days put me in a strange place. I had a lot of things show up on the page, but nothing seemed to make sense.
Out of this, however, I wrote a song called “That’s Why They Call It Amazing”. I decided to submit it for the Conference competition. I was fortunate to place as the runner-up for the weekend.
On Sunday I drove in to Nashville and checked into the Hit Song Casa near the airport (Great deal, by the way, Songwriters) only to realize my cowrite that evening was in Clarksville (which I went through 40 miles earlier.. ughh) Drove out, though, and met David Walker, and over take out Chinese, we wrote for the evening. Good to see David again.
Monday morning I met up with Gene Reynolds. We’d talked online, but had never met. Turns out he’s a church planter and a Moody Graduate. We met for coffee and drove to his place and started a song. Had lunch and I drove in for a meeting at ASCAP. That evening, I had gotten tickets for he Amy Grant / Take 6 taping for the Armed Services Christmas show at the Grand Ol’ Opry. Great show featuring the Army Reserve Orchestra, the Air Force Strings. It will air on the Armed Forces Network, starting on Christmas Eve.
After the taping I drove over to the Mercy Lounge on Cannery Row just in time to see Tyler James kick off a multi-date tour through the south. He’s previewing his new CD online here if you’d like to give it a listen. Great stuff. It was good to talk with Tyler about the CD and catch up.
Tuesday morning I drove out and met Chuck Butler at his studio in Franklin. I had an idea for a song and Chuck and I spent the morning nailing down the melody and form. Chuck suggested I accompany him to a vocal recording session that afternoon, but I had had a lunch meeting scheduled with a writer who was a mutual friend of some of my co-writers. Within a few minutes, though, I received a call to let me know that the writer had called in sick with the flu. So we Chuck and I grabbed lunch and headed over to the Brentwood Benson studios to meet Michael Fordinal and cut a vocal for a song that he and Chuck had written. Good tune guys... and yes, Chuck has a mohawk.
Tuesday night, on the way to meet Dennis Dearing at his studio in Franklin, I ran through a inordinately short yellow light and got pulled over by on of Franklin’s finest. The most repentant spirt and largest puppy-dog eyes proved fruitless and I will be helping to reduce the Franklin City budget deficit in the near future.
Anyhow, I made it to Dennis Dearing’s place to see what all the hubbub was about. What a great guy, and a nice studio. Really good stuff, from a guy who’s spirit is one of the most giving I have experienced. I hope we get a chance to work together soon. You can check out his studio here.
Wednesday morning, I met again with Gene Reynolds and we resumed our work on a great song.. discovering a great aha moment that neither of us saw coming. Skip Adams from Global Graffiti, who introduced us, listened the worktape and it looks like this one will get signed.
Wednesday night I drove up North of Nashville to Craig Winquist’s home. Adam Olson, who used to work with Giant Slayers Publishing had introduced us a few year ago, but we’d never gotten together. Kari, his wife took time from caring for her newborn son and 3 year old son, Caden and cooked us up a great homemade Chicken noodle Soup (yum) and a Walnut-Topped Apple Crisp. Kudos to the Winquist family for giving me my first home-cooked meal in Nashville. I’m going to write with Craig again!) After dinner, we went out to Craig’s writing room and we started a deep one. I love Craig’s spirit and his heart for God and great country music. I need to get back soon and finish that one. By the way, he showed me his cherry 1964 Galaxie that he trailered down from South Dakota. Sweet.
Thursday morning never got booked so I got up and planned to write on my own. The writer who had cancelled on Tuesday, however, called and asked if I wanted to get lunch. I drove into meet him where he’s currently working on Music Row and picked him up. We went to have lunch and in our conversation I said something that sparked an idea between us. We went back to his publisher’s writing room and wrote a great song. When we were done, he called upstairs and said, “ I think we wrote one that doesn’t suck”. His publisher came down and we played it for him. He had us make a change and then called and had his plugger come down and listen. He asked us to do a guitar demo and he’s going to start playing it around town! At some later I’ll tell you who the writer is and where he’s writing. That is a whole story in itself.
Thursday night I drove out to Whit and Al Hill’s place and had my second home-cooked meal of the trip. Whit and I started a song based on an idea I stole from something Gene said to a friend when he was on the phone. (Thanks Gene.. ha ha!)
When we were done (around 10) and I drove in to the airport and picked up Cyndi. It was so good to see her again.
On Friday morning we slept in and drove into downtown Nashville for lunch. Jack’s Barbeque is a tradition for us (AWESOME and cheap!) We checked into our hotel (thanks TOUR CONNECTION) and then drove out to the salon where Cyndi had a hair appointment. She looked great. Now I have an excuse for us to come once a month!
The 2nd Round of songwriters in the round at the Commodore. Left is Patty and Rick Stewart, Joel Shoemake, and Craig Winquist (It’s Halloween, in case you’re wondering.)
Friday night I drove out to see Craig Winquist play a round at the Commodore on West End. Craig’s a great performer. Craig also let me in on the history of the publisher who owns the office where I’d written on Thursday. He looked at me and said, “You’ve Had a Good Week!” I concurred. It’d been a great week. One of providence. I could feel God at work.
Saturday morning, Cyndi and I spent the morning at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wow! I wasn’t expecting to be so moved. I’d put if off for a couple of trips, but it was pretty overwhelming. Gary Harrison (Strawberry Wine, and I Hate Everything, and hundreds more) did a small concert and Q&A) Afterwards, we drove out to Lebanon to meet Skip Adams an his wife Teri a their horse ranch. They had literally moved in on Wednesday afternoon. I played some stuff for Skip and we talked business for awhile.
Finally we drove down to Cornersville to see some old friends. They have a hundred acres on a ‘holler’ on a running stream. I got lost in the country as my cel phone reception sketched in and out of service. Finally, I was able to find the place (without Cyndi killing me for being so stubborn about directions) and spent the rest of the night around a campfire with our friends from Huntsville. We drove back to Nashville and slept in before leaving around 10 for Detroit.
So here I am. I’m looking forward to getting back in the grind, and seeing what God will do with the fruits of the trip. They are His. I saw Him work so many times during the visit. He is good. He is so good! I am excited to see what He has in store.
The last week and a half have been great. I left early on Thursday morning and drove to St. Charles, MO for the Write About Jesus conference. Like going back to a small country church. (only with great music) Ran in to many old friends and some new ones from last year. Had some great classes, a cowrite attempt, and a great one on one with Dave Clark.
This summer has been pretty dry for my writing. When my nephew was murdered in the the spring, my writing took a pretty dark turn. When I got out to Vegas for the memorial service, they had just captured a suspect that is almost certain to be the murderer. The grief and the anger that surrounds the next 3 days put me in a strange place. I had a lot of things show up on the page, but nothing seemed to make sense.
Out of this, however, I wrote a song called “That’s Why They Call It Amazing”. I decided to submit it for the Conference competition. I was fortunate to place as the runner-up for the weekend.
On Sunday I drove in to Nashville and checked into the Hit Song Casa near the airport (Great deal, by the way, Songwriters) only to realize my cowrite that evening was in Clarksville (which I went through 40 miles earlier.. ughh) Drove out, though, and met David Walker, and over take out Chinese, we wrote for the evening. Good to see David again.
Monday morning I met up with Gene Reynolds. We’d talked online, but had never met. Turns out he’s a church planter and a Moody Graduate. We met for coffee and drove to his place and started a song. Had lunch and I drove in for a meeting at ASCAP. That evening, I had gotten tickets for he Amy Grant / Take 6 taping for the Armed Services Christmas show at the Grand Ol’ Opry. Great show featuring the Army Reserve Orchestra, the Air Force Strings. It will air on the Armed Forces Network, starting on Christmas Eve.
After the taping I drove over to the Mercy Lounge on Cannery Row just in time to see Tyler James kick off a multi-date tour through the south. He’s previewing his new CD online here if you’d like to give it a listen. Great stuff. It was good to talk with Tyler about the CD and catch up.
Tuesday morning I drove out and met Chuck Butler at his studio in Franklin. I had an idea for a song and Chuck and I spent the morning nailing down the melody and form. Chuck suggested I accompany him to a vocal recording session that afternoon, but I had had a lunch meeting scheduled with a writer who was a mutual friend of some of my co-writers. Within a few minutes, though, I received a call to let me know that the writer had called in sick with the flu. So we Chuck and I grabbed lunch and headed over to the Brentwood Benson studios to meet Michael Fordinal and cut a vocal for a song that he and Chuck had written. Good tune guys... and yes, Chuck has a mohawk.
Tuesday night, on the way to meet Dennis Dearing at his studio in Franklin, I ran through a inordinately short yellow light and got pulled over by on of Franklin’s finest. The most repentant spirt and largest puppy-dog eyes proved fruitless and I will be helping to reduce the Franklin City budget deficit in the near future.
Anyhow, I made it to Dennis Dearing’s place to see what all the hubbub was about. What a great guy, and a nice studio. Really good stuff, from a guy who’s spirit is one of the most giving I have experienced. I hope we get a chance to work together soon. You can check out his studio here.
Wednesday morning, I met again with Gene Reynolds and we resumed our work on a great song.. discovering a great aha moment that neither of us saw coming. Skip Adams from Global Graffiti, who introduced us, listened the worktape and it looks like this one will get signed.
Wednesday night I drove up North of Nashville to Craig Winquist’s home. Adam Olson, who used to work with Giant Slayers Publishing had introduced us a few year ago, but we’d never gotten together. Kari, his wife took time from caring for her newborn son and 3 year old son, Caden and cooked us up a great homemade Chicken noodle Soup (yum) and a Walnut-Topped Apple Crisp. Kudos to the Winquist family for giving me my first home-cooked meal in Nashville. I’m going to write with Craig again!) After dinner, we went out to Craig’s writing room and we started a deep one. I love Craig’s spirit and his heart for God and great country music. I need to get back soon and finish that one. By the way, he showed me his cherry 1964 Galaxie that he trailered down from South Dakota. Sweet.
Thursday morning never got booked so I got up and planned to write on my own. The writer who had cancelled on Tuesday, however, called and asked if I wanted to get lunch. I drove into meet him where he’s currently working on Music Row and picked him up. We went to have lunch and in our conversation I said something that sparked an idea between us. We went back to his publisher’s writing room and wrote a great song. When we were done, he called upstairs and said, “ I think we wrote one that doesn’t suck”. His publisher came down and we played it for him. He had us make a change and then called and had his plugger come down and listen. He asked us to do a guitar demo and he’s going to start playing it around town! At some later I’ll tell you who the writer is and where he’s writing. That is a whole story in itself.
Thursday night I drove out to Whit and Al Hill’s place and had my second home-cooked meal of the trip. Whit and I started a song based on an idea I stole from something Gene said to a friend when he was on the phone. (Thanks Gene.. ha ha!)
When we were done (around 10) and I drove in to the airport and picked up Cyndi. It was so good to see her again.
On Friday morning we slept in and drove into downtown Nashville for lunch. Jack’s Barbeque is a tradition for us (AWESOME and cheap!) We checked into our hotel (thanks TOUR CONNECTION) and then drove out to the salon where Cyndi had a hair appointment. She looked great. Now I have an excuse for us to come once a month!
The 2nd Round of songwriters in the round at the Commodore. Left is Patty and Rick Stewart, Joel Shoemake, and Craig Winquist (It’s Halloween, in case you’re wondering.)
Friday night I drove out to see Craig Winquist play a round at the Commodore on West End. Craig’s a great performer. Craig also let me in on the history of the publisher who owns the office where I’d written on Thursday. He looked at me and said, “You’ve Had a Good Week!” I concurred. It’d been a great week. One of providence. I could feel God at work.
Saturday morning, Cyndi and I spent the morning at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wow! I wasn’t expecting to be so moved. I’d put if off for a couple of trips, but it was pretty overwhelming. Gary Harrison (Strawberry Wine, and I Hate Everything, and hundreds more) did a small concert and Q&A) Afterwards, we drove out to Lebanon to meet Skip Adams an his wife Teri a their horse ranch. They had literally moved in on Wednesday afternoon. I played some stuff for Skip and we talked business for awhile.
Finally we drove down to Cornersville to see some old friends. They have a hundred acres on a ‘holler’ on a running stream. I got lost in the country as my cel phone reception sketched in and out of service. Finally, I was able to find the place (without Cyndi killing me for being so stubborn about directions) and spent the rest of the night around a campfire with our friends from Huntsville. We drove back to Nashville and slept in before leaving around 10 for Detroit.
So here I am. I’m looking forward to getting back in the grind, and seeing what God will do with the fruits of the trip. They are His. I saw Him work so many times during the visit. He is good. He is so good! I am excited to see what He has in store.
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