Welcome Explorers

Just a note to, admittedly, a somewhat small audience of folks. The Sunday school class I teach has been renamed “Explorers”, and has been opened up to the age known as “almost finished high school to 99 and beyond”. Welcome, and I will be posting my study notes for this class in the box.net widget as pdf files, located on the right side above my “links” section of the blog. I will have these posted before the coming Sunday class, so you can look at them before class if you wish. BTW, you other folks out here in cyberspace are also encouraged to read, and comment too. Be nice but honest.

Phone A Friend

Just wanted to throw this in the pan and let it simmer on low heat. When was the last time you called a friend you have not seen in a while, just to see how they are doing? Well, I can tell you it’s been a while for me. I was reminded of that fact yesterday, when a friend called me, just to check up on me. I was so busy that I had to tell them I’d call back. Then I forgot until this morning. I also had a friend call me last week, just to check up on me-while his son is in the hospital!

I’ll agree with Paul, who confessed in Romans that, while he knew in the Spirit what he should do, his flesh simply sometimes did not oblige. Forgive me friends, and thanks for being there. And thanks for spurring me on to “phone a friend”.

Sacrifice in the Old Testament…..why?

My friends and I were having breakfast this morning at Sharpsburg Retaurant (free plug) and reading chapter 10 of Hebrews. It got us to thinking about sacrifice in the Old Testament. How are we to apply it? It’s still in the Bible, it  was Jesus Christ pre-incarnate, but now we are under the new law. Right?

Best as we could tell, the Old Testament is still very relevant, as it shows an illustration of how unworthy and undeserving we are before a Holy and Righteous God. It took blood and ritual to “be made right” in that day, although, as Isaiah points out, if the heart of the worshipper wasn’t right or was haughty, God despised their offerings. Now, it simply takes faith in Christ to know Him. Jesus paid the price for all sin-past, present, and future. Rejoice in your salvation, one that is not purchased with a dove or a goat, but THE Lamb of God!

Just take a few minutes and read some of Leviticus or Numbers, and you will gain a whole new appreciation for the gift of the Holy Spirit-that is, your belief in a Christ that makes foolish the wisdom of the world.

Up Close And Personal With A Guitar Great

Way back in March, I posted about an opportunity Jamie and I had to go to a Tony Rice concert with my friend and co-worker Ben Arnette. I mentioned that we were going backstage to meet Tony. Alas, that night it was not meant to be. We were informed late that Tony’s mother was in town, and that his backstage time was to be spent with her. Can’t blame him.

Fast-forward to last weekend. Ben had the opportunity to again see Tony Rice at a bluegrass festival, at Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary, NC. Tony’s management company was kind enough to give another chance for Ben to get backstage and meet Tony and photograph that famous six-string.

Turns out, things worked out for the best. A professional photographer(Greg Knott), and Ben’s son, Sam, accompanied him. I have included a few pictures, but not too many. Then you wouldn’t buy the book when it is published….

All kinds of interesting info was brought forth in the interview, but I’ll only share a few tidbits…..again, the book is in the works……

Tony mentioned that the neck on the guitar is not original, but from a slightly later model OM-body Martin. Thinner neck, wider string spacing for those lightening-fast runs.

Also, the first time Tony heard the guitar was at a  1960 Kentucky Colonels show, being played by Clarence White, later of The Byrds fame. When asked when Tony first played it, he responded, “That same night.”

Enjoy the pictures, and buy the book when it is released. It will be a must-have for fans of famous instruments. Next on Ben’s wish list: Doc Watson’s Gallagher. Stay tuned…..

The rain-soaked crowd at Koka Booth Amphitheater enjoys the Tony Rice Unit.

Tony Rice looking on like a proud parent. Wouldn’t you?

As Sam Arnette looks on, Ben takes the D-28 for a test drive, in front of Tony…yikes!

Flatpicking icon Tony Rice puts his ‘35 Martin D-28 through her paces.

Christians’ numbers decline? Maybe not….

As usual, Mark Driscoll hits the nail on the head in a response to a Newsweek cover story on the declining number of Christians in this country.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519517,00.html

Simply stated, the changing times make it so that there isn’t much benefit to simply saying you’re a Christian without being one. Morality is such that people generally could care less that you make 2 appearances at the local church a week.

But, like Mark, I think this is a good thing. Now maybe we’ll have a better bead on how many believers in Jesus Christ there are, versus how many country club members are paying dues this Sunday. God is the great “weeder-outer”…

Btw, good to speak with you again. More to come..

A Word Of Thanks….

Just wanted to thank the members of R & R Fellowship and Mt.Hermon Missionary Baptist Church for hosting the “Raising Great Kids” conference. The emphasis on God’s grace in His adoption of the sinner called to salvation, tied in with the need to pray for the salvation of our children was fresh water to one who was thirsty. And to be able to attend the conference with my wife was like a weekend long date! Have you seen her new “do”? It’s really cute…..

Thanks especially to Dan Rolfe, who spoke on the tough subject of discipline of your children. With Dan’s 49 years experience, he had much to offer….

And remember, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15

Guitar techies- I need you…

The flatpicking genius himself.

If you are a guitar player, or an afficiando of acoustic instruments in general, I have a task for you. The guitar pictured here is a 1935 Martin D28, one of the most sought-after instruments in guitardom. The back and sides are made of Brazilian Rosewood, an endangered wood highly prized for its resonance and bass power. Anyway, I ramble….

Tomorrow night-that is Wednesday, March 11, 2009, I will have an opportunity I am excited about. Not only do I have tickets to a Tony Rice Unit/Dan Tyminski Band show in Raleigh with my wife (date night!), but I will have an opportunity to meet Tony backstage!

My friend, and the service manager at our dealership(Hubert Vester Toyota), Ben Arnette, has a project going where he wants to interview/photograph famous instrumentalists with their instruments. He has asked for and received permission from Tony’s people to go backstage, to interview Tony about the instrument and take a series of photographs. Well, he needs someone to hold the background cloth for the photograph! On to the point of this post (besides shameless boasting, of course)…

If you could ask one question of Tony relating to his instrument, whether it be about care and upkeep, string guages, security on the road, whatever- I will take your question to Tony himself. And I’ll tell him you said hello. So let’s have your question..

Good God, good kids, good weather, good times…

We left with Boone,NC, in our rear view mirror, still standing. The ski trip was fantastic, except for the injured knee of a brave brother that succumbed to the deteriorating conditions of a warm spring afternoon on the slopes. I want to thank the wonderful youth of Oakdale Baptist, who hung out with old, crazy people all weekend to have a good time in Christ at Sugar Mountain, NC.

Let’s get this party started..

Snowboard primer

Mick cruising down the mountain

Sugar, meet Grandfather

Alex “beastin” it, whatever that means..

Sugar Hill Gang (old school!) in the midst of God’s handiwork

Sandy Howard led a devotion on Friday night which was very powerful. She led us to thank God for His provision and grace upon the widow and her son, through Elijah.

The next morning, we journeyed south on Hwy 105 to Banner Elk and Sugar Mountain. We hit the slopes at around 9 am, with some tubing at 10am. We had a blast.

That night, we attended a concert at a local church by, among others, the band “A Rush of Fools”. Good times!

Soon and Very Soon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, in just three days, I will be fortunate enough to be looking down this very slope. Hopefully, not from my backside. Our church youth group will be heading out Friday, March 6th, for Banner Elk and Sugar Mountain ski resort. I am not a very advanced skier, but it is in the top five of things I enjoy doing. Thankfully, our local support system  (thanks, Robin, John, Nicholas,and Katie) have made it so my wife Jamie and I can act as chaperones for the group. Super excited!!! I will have pictures, probably more than you want to see.

What I’m hoping is that you’ll share some of your ski stories with the online community. Group ski trips, church trips, time share experiences at the slope (don’t laugh-it’s a free weekend for an hour or two of Chinese water torture), near-disastrous falls….. Please share, I won’t tell a soul 

The Shelter Is Full

Well, tonight I got a dose of reality at, of all places, Food Lion. My beautiful wife Jamie and I left Alex with his sisters for a few minutes and ventured out into the cold tonight, in search of my precious half-n-half. I know, it’s pitiful. While there, we decided a tub of Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice Cream wouldn’t be so bad either.

As we were standing in front of our cashier, we watched her wipe a tear from her face. She said a homeless man had just come in, asking for food. She said she would give him some, but asked where he was going to sleep tonight. He said, “in the woods, I guess. The shelter is full”. This obviously upset her, and us. She said she was going to go down to the dollar store and get him a blanket. We left feeling guilty that we were spending six dollars on nothing, while this man was struggling to survive. I know it’s everywhere, but my sin is blocking out things that are unpleasant. Tonight God simply did not allow that, and I’m so grateful. We got halfway home, turned around, and went back to the store to give some money to the cashier to help this man. She was still in the dollar store when we got there. She had picked up a couple of mattress “egg crates” and two or three blankets for this man. I thank God for His grace, and I pray this man will find a warm place to rest tonight. Count your blessings…..  James 2:16  ….. That cup of coffee will be accompanied with much reflection and prayer in the morning…