Singing Along the Journey

Service

Houses…Day 21

Yesterday, we had a visitor at Calvary.  Oh, actually, I'm certain that we had more than one visitor, particularly since it was a holiday weekend, but we had one visitor who sat with me and talked to me and frankly, left me in a complete state of awe. We had a visitor from Beijing, China.  Now you might say -- Great, wow, that's really far away!  Far is nothing for Calvary...we regularly have visitors from all over the world.   But not all of our visitors are people who must risk their lives and their livelihoods to follow Jesus Christ.  But this visitor does risk everything, every time they pray the Lord's…
Read More

All things bright and beautiful…Day 13

Okay, I know that I am supposed to honor God's creation and find the good in all its magnificence, but, really....KUDZU?  Must I really? You see, I am a city gardener.  I have, maybe a 4 ft x 10 ft garden in which to grow my few flowers.  If our continuing 98 degree plus heat wave is not enough of a complication, I have a never-ending infestation of kudzu vine.   While my hydrangea and my roses and even my Dianthus wither under the scorching and seemingly ever-increasing heat, my unrequested forest of kudzu thrives. In am thinking about this because of, well, three reasons:  first, my friend Harold's "Kingdom Parable"…
Read More

Looking for work….Day 4

I have to keep this short today, because, well, I have to spend the morning looking for work. No, I haven't suffered some sudden alteration in status, I haven't lost my church gig, nothing has changed -- frankly, this  is the way most musicians spend over 75% of their time, at least those of us who are lucky enough to be part of the LESS THAN 1% of our music school graduates who ever work in music after graduation.  That's right, we don't spend all our time practicing, not performing, but looking for work and doing the myriad of administrative tasks that are required to support that search. This morning, I have to…
Read More

Licensed to the Gospel Ministry…

Yes, those are the words Pastor Amy said on May 23, 2010, during the Pentecost service at Calvary Baptist Church.  I had heard her say them before:  she said them out loud at our last quarterly business meeting, when the congregation affirmed unanimously the recommendation of the licensing committee; and she said them to me one day (it seems so long ago) when I went to talk to her about the strong and continual need I felt to step forward, to proclaim my faith, and to live my journey of faith for all to see. But those words never meant more to me than they did that Sunday morning, standing in the…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Houses…Day 21

Yesterday, we had a visitor at Calvary.  Oh, actually, I'm certain that we had more than one visitor, particularly since it was a holiday weekend, but we had one visitor who sat with me and talked to me and frankly, left me in a complete state of awe. We had a visitor from Beijing, China.  Now you might say -- Great, wow, that's really far away!  Far is nothing for Calvary...we regularly have visitors from all over the world.   But not all of our visitors are people who must risk their lives and their livelihoods to follow Jesus Christ.  But this visitor does risk everything, every time they pray the Lord's…
Read More

All things bright and beautiful…Day 13

Okay, I know that I am supposed to honor God's creation and find the good in all its magnificence, but, really....KUDZU?  Must I really? You see, I am a city gardener.  I have, maybe a 4 ft x 10 ft garden in which to grow my few flowers.  If our continuing 98 degree plus heat wave is not enough of a complication, I have a never-ending infestation of kudzu vine.   While my hydrangea and my roses and even my Dianthus wither under the scorching and seemingly ever-increasing heat, my unrequested forest of kudzu thrives. In am thinking about this because of, well, three reasons:  first, my friend Harold's "Kingdom Parable"…
Read More

Looking for work….Day 4

I have to keep this short today, because, well, I have to spend the morning looking for work. No, I haven't suffered some sudden alteration in status, I haven't lost my church gig, nothing has changed -- frankly, this  is the way most musicians spend over 75% of their time, at least those of us who are lucky enough to be part of the LESS THAN 1% of our music school graduates who ever work in music after graduation.  That's right, we don't spend all our time practicing, not performing, but looking for work and doing the myriad of administrative tasks that are required to support that search. This morning, I have to…
Read More

Licensed to the Gospel Ministry…

Yes, those are the words Pastor Amy said on May 23, 2010, during the Pentecost service at Calvary Baptist Church.  I had heard her say them before:  she said them out loud at our last quarterly business meeting, when the congregation affirmed unanimously the recommendation of the licensing committee; and she said them to me one day (it seems so long ago) when I went to talk to her about the strong and continual need I felt to step forward, to proclaim my faith, and to live my journey of faith for all to see. But those words never meant more to me than they did that Sunday morning, standing in the…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Houses…Day 21

Yesterday, we had a visitor at Calvary.  Oh, actually, I'm certain that we had more than one visitor, particularly since it was a holiday weekend, but we had one visitor who sat with me and talked to me and frankly, left me in a complete state of awe. We had a visitor from Beijing, China.  Now you might say -- Great, wow, that's really far away!  Far is nothing for Calvary...we regularly have visitors from all over the world.   But not all of our visitors are people who must risk their lives and their livelihoods to follow Jesus Christ.  But this visitor does risk everything, every time they pray the Lord's…
Read More

All things bright and beautiful…Day 13

Okay, I know that I am supposed to honor God's creation and find the good in all its magnificence, but, really....KUDZU?  Must I really? You see, I am a city gardener.  I have, maybe a 4 ft x 10 ft garden in which to grow my few flowers.  If our continuing 98 degree plus heat wave is not enough of a complication, I have a never-ending infestation of kudzu vine.   While my hydrangea and my roses and even my Dianthus wither under the scorching and seemingly ever-increasing heat, my unrequested forest of kudzu thrives. In am thinking about this because of, well, three reasons:  first, my friend Harold's "Kingdom Parable"…
Read More

Looking for work….Day 4

I have to keep this short today, because, well, I have to spend the morning looking for work. No, I haven't suffered some sudden alteration in status, I haven't lost my church gig, nothing has changed -- frankly, this  is the way most musicians spend over 75% of their time, at least those of us who are lucky enough to be part of the LESS THAN 1% of our music school graduates who ever work in music after graduation.  That's right, we don't spend all our time practicing, not performing, but looking for work and doing the myriad of administrative tasks that are required to support that search. This morning, I have to…
Read More

Licensed to the Gospel Ministry…

Yes, those are the words Pastor Amy said on May 23, 2010, during the Pentecost service at Calvary Baptist Church.  I had heard her say them before:  she said them out loud at our last quarterly business meeting, when the congregation affirmed unanimously the recommendation of the licensing committee; and she said them to me one day (it seems so long ago) when I went to talk to her about the strong and continual need I felt to step forward, to proclaim my faith, and to live my journey of faith for all to see. But those words never meant more to me than they did that Sunday morning, standing in the…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Houses…Day 21

Yesterday, we had a visitor at Calvary.  Oh, actually, I'm certain that we had more than one visitor, particularly since it was a holiday weekend, but we had one visitor who sat with me and talked to me and frankly, left me in a complete state of awe. We had a visitor from Beijing, China.  Now you might say -- Great, wow, that's really far away!  Far is nothing for Calvary...we regularly have visitors from all over the world.   But not all of our visitors are people who must risk their lives and their livelihoods to follow Jesus Christ.  But this visitor does risk everything, every time they pray the Lord's…
Read More

All things bright and beautiful…Day 13

Okay, I know that I am supposed to honor God's creation and find the good in all its magnificence, but, really....KUDZU?  Must I really? You see, I am a city gardener.  I have, maybe a 4 ft x 10 ft garden in which to grow my few flowers.  If our continuing 98 degree plus heat wave is not enough of a complication, I have a never-ending infestation of kudzu vine.   While my hydrangea and my roses and even my Dianthus wither under the scorching and seemingly ever-increasing heat, my unrequested forest of kudzu thrives. In am thinking about this because of, well, three reasons:  first, my friend Harold's "Kingdom Parable"…
Read More

Looking for work….Day 4

I have to keep this short today, because, well, I have to spend the morning looking for work. No, I haven't suffered some sudden alteration in status, I haven't lost my church gig, nothing has changed -- frankly, this  is the way most musicians spend over 75% of their time, at least those of us who are lucky enough to be part of the LESS THAN 1% of our music school graduates who ever work in music after graduation.  That's right, we don't spend all our time practicing, not performing, but looking for work and doing the myriad of administrative tasks that are required to support that search. This morning, I have to…
Read More

Licensed to the Gospel Ministry…

Yes, those are the words Pastor Amy said on May 23, 2010, during the Pentecost service at Calvary Baptist Church.  I had heard her say them before:  she said them out loud at our last quarterly business meeting, when the congregation affirmed unanimously the recommendation of the licensing committee; and she said them to me one day (it seems so long ago) when I went to talk to her about the strong and continual need I felt to step forward, to proclaim my faith, and to live my journey of faith for all to see. But those words never meant more to me than they did that Sunday morning, standing in the…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More

Houses…Day 21

Yesterday, we had a visitor at Calvary.  Oh, actually, I'm certain that we had more than one visitor, particularly since it was a holiday weekend, but we had one visitor who sat with me and talked to me and frankly, left me in a complete state of awe. We had a visitor from Beijing, China.  Now you might say -- Great, wow, that's really far away!  Far is nothing for Calvary...we regularly have visitors from all over the world.   But not all of our visitors are people who must risk their lives and their livelihoods to follow Jesus Christ.  But this visitor does risk everything, every time they pray the Lord's…
Read More

All things bright and beautiful…Day 13

Okay, I know that I am supposed to honor God's creation and find the good in all its magnificence, but, really....KUDZU?  Must I really? You see, I am a city gardener.  I have, maybe a 4 ft x 10 ft garden in which to grow my few flowers.  If our continuing 98 degree plus heat wave is not enough of a complication, I have a never-ending infestation of kudzu vine.   While my hydrangea and my roses and even my Dianthus wither under the scorching and seemingly ever-increasing heat, my unrequested forest of kudzu thrives. In am thinking about this because of, well, three reasons:  first, my friend Harold's "Kingdom Parable"…
Read More

Looking for work….Day 4

I have to keep this short today, because, well, I have to spend the morning looking for work. No, I haven't suffered some sudden alteration in status, I haven't lost my church gig, nothing has changed -- frankly, this  is the way most musicians spend over 75% of their time, at least those of us who are lucky enough to be part of the LESS THAN 1% of our music school graduates who ever work in music after graduation.  That's right, we don't spend all our time practicing, not performing, but looking for work and doing the myriad of administrative tasks that are required to support that search. This morning, I have to…
Read More

Licensed to the Gospel Ministry…

Yes, those are the words Pastor Amy said on May 23, 2010, during the Pentecost service at Calvary Baptist Church.  I had heard her say them before:  she said them out loud at our last quarterly business meeting, when the congregation affirmed unanimously the recommendation of the licensing committee; and she said them to me one day (it seems so long ago) when I went to talk to her about the strong and continual need I felt to step forward, to proclaim my faith, and to live my journey of faith for all to see. But those words never meant more to me than they did that Sunday morning, standing in the…
Read More

It’s only three chords…

That's what I kept telling myself as I crawled onto the bench of the tiny electric organ in the chapel at Thomas House a week ago Wednesday.   Not a digital piano with an organ setting, but a real, live  (well, mostly live) organ with pedals and stops and everything.  I was about to "stretch" myself and my musical skills, by playing an instrument for which I have no training, accompanying myself as I sang.  I was participating in my church's mission week series, EchoDC. So, I haven't played any instrument in public for over 20 years, except my voice, and I have probably never played and sang together where anyone…
Read More