Saturday, May 31, 2008

Do they really?

They have a new smoothie machine at your local Taco Bell and I decided I needed one. (Check out the surfcam)So I'm driving out to get a strawberry type smoothie and am hitting my favorite button on the radio - SCAN when i actually stopped on a country song.  Guy named Chris Cagle, "The chicks dig it"  

With my mom being in the hospital on top of everything else life has to offer the past week has really been loaded. So getting back to the song, what  really drew me in was the chorus.....



Scars heal ..... Glory Fades
And all we're left with are the memories made
Pain hurts, but only for a minute
Yea life is short so go on and live it
Cause the chicks dig it



As I thought about this chorus and all that's been going on I thought how true it is, life is definitely short and in the end we are truly left with only the memories.  A friend I was in the Air Force with came to mind also.  Anytime I was struggling with a decision he'd look at me and say "you know Ralphie, sometimes you gotta say what the * and go for it"  And I guess in the end it really does not matter if the chicks dig it.


Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Praise the Lord!

Song or no song....
Yesterday I shared part of a Bon Jovi song, Miracle because I felt a heavy load with my mom being in the hospital.  I went around all day with another part of the song running through my head....


Gonna take a miracle, to save us this time.
And your savior has just left town.


I know this to be totally wrong, each time the line would run through my head I'd remind myself that my Savior would never leave me  and that he was gonna take me through this.  

So I went to the hospital this evening, mom was very conscious, eating well, and needing very little oxygen.  A complete turn around from yesterday.  How well is mom doing?  I've got a list of things to do about 3 pages long, she was not worried if I did not stay long to visit -- Jeopardy came on at 7.

All I can say is "God is Good"

Monday, May 26, 2008

Miracle....

Penny for your thoughts now baby,
 looks like the weight of the worlds on your shoulders now.
I know you think you're going crazy, 
just when you thought everything's gonna work itself out
They drive you right back down.

It has been the longest 4 day weekend of my life.  I've been to war, seen people die,seen and smelled burnt bodies among the many other good and bad experiences of life. Nothing compares to seeing my mom in the hospital not knowing what may or may not happen.  I feel like the weight of the world is truly on my shoulders like it has never been before.  I also know without a doubt that my Savior the Lord Jesus Christ is here and in control.  Nothing else matters.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Piano man .....

You probably know the song, or at least the chorus, "Sing us a song you're the piano man, sing us a song tonight. We're all in the mood for a melody and you've got us feeling alright."  

The last week has been a bit hectic so I decided to splurge and get  some Ralph type therapy -- jump in the car and go for a drive.  Yes hard to believe but gas prices have even got me staying in town,  

I was heading east out of town when I stumbled on this song, just in time to hear the verse "The waitress is practicing politics and the businessmen slowly get stoned. Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness but it's better than drinking alone"

So as always I got online to get a good look at the lyrics, I thin k the thing that caught me most off guard was the  year the song came out -- 1973.  35 years ago!  In 1973 I was 12, and getting ready to go to my first unicycle met in Pontiac, MI.

I listened to the entire song and have read the lyrics several times as I type.  The thing that has me most intrigued is this drink "loneliness," we've all had it at one time or another, sometimes it's sitting there waiting on us and sometimes we even ask for it.  

I'm sure we have heard that you can be lonely in a crowd, because you are alone does not mean you are lonely.  I remember meeting with a Christian singles group, we were reading a book by Tommy Tenny, one observation the book made was that Twinkies with a friend are better than having broccoli alone.  

I guess if i were sharing my version of "the drink called loneliness" that would be a brownie for sure if not a road trip to DQ for a Brownie Earthquake.  

So since we are both here with no place else to go, tell me about your "drink called loneliness"

Saturday, May 17, 2008

All who are thirsty....




All who are thirsty

All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life


Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep
(We sing)


Come Lord Jesus come
Come lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come




Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

5:15 to someplace else...


We've all lost that piece of paper that we just had to have right?  I was looking for one yesterday and in the process I found the rough draft of the booklet for a 4 song CD I'd started several years ago.  I actually finished it except for the final mixdown.  The disc is called "Common Pleas"

I'm dealing with some issues in life that tend to make me really tired so when I get off of work I usually take a nap.  I had plans to meet another Pastor tonight but he was sick and had to cancel.  I woke up at 5:15 and decided to go someplace else tonight, that place turned out to be the recording studio.  

Now the question is will "5:15 to someplace else ... "  be a song or a complete new project?  Tune in next time and find out @ Life is Just a One Night Stand

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Late for work...

I was late for work this morning, but it wasn't my fault.  How many times have we used that excuse?  Because of railroad crossings being closed traffic is sometimes heavy, and because the parking lot did not grow when the payroll did parking spots at work are sometimes hard to find.  Ad these two together and I find myself arriving at work sometimes 25 minutes early.  Things have not been running that great at work lately, which translates to more work for me, so when I get to work early I have to options  -- sit in my car or go inside and have an extra 20 minutes to realize how bad my day is gonna be.  I usually pick sit in my car.

So this morning I was sitting in my car listening to the radio when it got down to like 2 minutes before I had to clock in and then it happened.  (pay attention Scott)  A song just began playing and it caught my ear, I'd heard it many times before, new most of the lyrics, but still I had to sit and listen.  The song was "Walking in Memphis" by Mark Cohn.  It wasn't the song that actually I did not need to hear the aught my attention but just knowing some of the lyrics.  i just had to sit until i heard the third  verse...



They've got catfish on the table
They've got Gospel in the air
And Reverend Green be glad to see you
When you haven't got a prayer
Boy you got a prayer in Memphis


Actually I did not need to hear the entire song, but I listened to it all, didn't need to hear the verse, but listened  to the entire song.  For some reason I just needed to hear those to little reassuring lines "Reverend Green be glad to see you, when you haven't got a prayer"  I really have know idea who Reverend Green is, at least in this song, I do happen to know a Reverend Green here in Marion.  


I pondered this all day, and I got to tell you there are many Reverend Greens in my life.  When life hits bottom and you truly feel you don't have a prayer  they are there and glad to see me. They want to help and are willing to sacrifice for me.  Sometimes its giving me one of those fancy knitted things to keep my feet warm, sometimes its a hug, a phone call, or sitting in a cheap restaurant when you can't stand cigarette smoke, talking to me until the wee hours of the morning when you have to be up early and you know I'll probably call off.  


I have many Reverend Greens to call on, you know who you are and thank God for bringing you into my life.