She's Gone...

Well, it was a love affair that lasted for almost three years. I was driving a 1994 Buick Regal, which was given to us by my wife's family upon the death of her grandmother. Yep, that's right...I was driving a little old lady car. Anyway, once we entered booster-seat time with our youngest, Katie, I wanted to get something a little different, a little more fun. Screw practicality, I wanted speed and fun.

So I got her. A 1993 Nissan 240SX Convertible. I had to go all the way to Moore, SC, but she was worth it. My wife and I made a little weekend getaway out of it. We flew to Atlanta, where we were picked up by a friend, driven to Moore, then spent the night with his family in Anderson, SC. The next day we all went into Atlanta for a little shopping and hanging out. That night, we drove to Birmingham, AL, and satyed with another friend, then drove home the following day.

Anyway, the car has been great, and I've enjoyed every minute of it, but Crossroads Church is in the middle of a stewardship campaign to raise money for our new 1500-seat auditorium. I knew I wanted to make a substantial pledge, but didn't know how I might fulfill it. One of the points in the campaign is to look at what you have in your hand. When I thought about it, this was the first thing I thought of.

So there it is. I love God more than I love my car. I sold it today, and will use the money to help fulfill my pledge to the campaign. Pray that God will bless me with another great car (I already have the make and model in mind...).

We've Lost a Great One...

The world has said "goodbye" to Jackie Street, or perhaps it was the other way around. This man was one of the greatest players ever. And I hear he was a wonderful guy.

The closest I ever got to him was four years ago, when I was in Nashville mixing Coy Watson's Album "Love Has Spoken." (which I co-produced with Coy). We were there with the engineer, JB, when he got a phone call. There was a lot of laughter, chitchat about nothing really, and a final "love you, too" from JB. He hung up the phone, and said "That's one of the best guys on the planet," or something like that. He then said, "You may know of this guy:  Jackie Street."

Duh! I've patterned 85% of my playing after that guy!

I used to play in the Oneighty band in Tulsa. We covered a CCM tune every week. I would listen to the songs on the way to rehearsal, and scratch out a crude number chart. When I'd get to rehearsal, I'd just find out what key the song was in, and I was set.

That is, until we played Jars of Clay's "Little Drummer Boy." I just happened to listen to the song on a Monday afternoon. I immediately recognized the playing:  it was Jackie, on fretless, no less. At the end of the song was this really awesome solo, and I knew I had to get busy! I worked through my dinner break, then stayed late to work on it some more. I pulled it of, and I can still play that solo today (although not nearly as slick as he did it!).

Jackie, although we've never met, I'll miss you a lot. Hold down the bottom end up there until I get there to fill in for you every now and then!

I Just Found Out that I'm a Hero

My wife was checking my 10-year-old's penmanship homework tonight, and she ran across an assignment worksheet about heroes. Here are the two questions, and her answers (in parentheses):

1. What qualities and character traits will a hero have? (brave, encouraging, loyal, trustworthy, honest)

2. Whom do you admire? (The person I most admire is probably my dad. He doesn't really do anything important, but isn't everyone's dad their hero? I really look up to my dad, no really, he's pretty tall. Okay, I'll admit that I'm actually really short. But anyway, the person I admire the most is my one and only...DAD!)

OK, I'm not sure why she thinks that someone who has devoted his entire life to the ministry doesn't do anything important, but I'm proud to know that my little girl (who's getting less little every day) thinks I'm a hero.

Batman, eat your little bat heart out!

 

The End of an Era

OK, remember a while back, I blogged about our PAS cluster horns blowing? Well, as of 11:09 am CST, they're gone. A local audio company has worked us a deal on replacing them with a NEXO rig.  Paul McCasland and his guys came over this morning, and within an hour, we had these suckers down (by means of two hand cranks located above the ceiling - yikes!), apart, and on the truck. In a couple of weeks, the NEXO PS15s will be in place and we'll be a rockin'! We currently have a pair of PS15s and a Pair of PS8s temped in, and we're running full stereo (the way God intended).

This change represents the official end of all the gear of the previous regime, all the (old and antiquated) gear I inherited when I got this job. We how have all new QSC amps (3 years ago), Shure PSM-600 wireless in-ear monitors, a new Yamaha LS9 console, and the NEXOs are on their way. We're also about to do some major stuff with our TV audio, but that's a post for a later day...

Progress. Nothin' like it.

Milestones

This past week, I reached three milestones...

1.  For the first time in around a decade, I'm under 300 lbs.

2.  My 6th employment anniversary as Media Director at Crossroads Church.

3.  I received my ministerial credentials with the Independent Assemblies.

OK, so I'm a fat preacher now. Getting my credentials (complete with the laminated card) felt weird...who would have thunk it! I can now marry and bury...and take the ginormous housing allowance afforded me as a member of the clergy.

Next year, as I celebrate my 7th anniversary with Crossroads, I hope that I'll be under 250 or 225 lbs. My goal is to eventually be under 200, possibly 190, but we'll see about that.

"Christian" Celebrity Apprentice

OK, this is a blog dedicated (mostly) to relevant church media, and what's more relevant to the culture than network TV, right? Furthermore, what's hotter than Celebrity Apprentice, right!? Right? Am I right?!?

Well, Stephen Baldwin (the Christian) is in on a gag/spy deal last week, then denies it (when my DVR clearly showed otherwise quite distinctly), then tries to quit, then gets put on the other team, only to announce that he won't be able to work on the next challenge because he has to speak at a church...

Thanks, Stephen. Not only do you come across as a little cheesy (if not downright suspect, or even a little creepy), but after your new teammates put together a great (albeit losing - BTW, Trace Adkins is a genius) campaign, you waltz in and throw your advice around (as if your teammates were hanging on every word).

Maybe this represents (in part) American Christianity. Many people see us as hypocritical, shady characters who's only goal in life is to live our own way, doing what we please, then come in, high on our trusty steeds, and force our views on others (whether or not it was warranted or requested).

For me, being relevant to the culture also means that you become someone who people of that culture can identify with and respect. In the aforementioned "culture" of Celebrity Apprentice, however, I think Mr. Baldwin is neither.