On the road again

Taking a break from a full day of driving right now. We are just outside Montgomery, Alabama. About four more hours and we will be at on of our favorite spots; Carrillon Beach on the Florida panhandle just east of Pensacola. Lots of sun and surf and chill time with my family. In a weird kind of way the drive calms me and emphasizes the slow separation from real life; you know as I go I am making final calls and leaving messages to make sure all my loose ends are not so loose. That being said, here are the things I am most looking forward to:

singing with my kids on the beach with the sun setting and a guitar in Max's hands

power walking up a sweat in the Florida heat with Cynthia before anyone gets out of bed

watching a movie as a family

talking on the balcony of our condo

cooking dinner together and getting in everyone's way

listening to Garret laugh at my jokes

getting alone with Jesus on the white, sugar-like sand

getting some reading done

not wearing real shoes for a while

We have learned to treasure our sabbath rest the older we have gotten. It means so much each time we take the time to escape. Blessings.

Rock On!

I went to a Toto concert the other night in Indy. You may remember their big radio hit, "Rosanna." My brother is a big fan so I went to see what all the fuss was about at his invitation. The venue was very cool. It's called the Music Mill and it used to be one of those Play Place deals with rubber balls and a tricked-out PVC Jungle Jim from floor to ceiling. Nice job rehabbing the joint, by the way. The band was outstanding and the place was rocking as they say with 500 middle-aged 80's renaissance freaks in their Hawaiian shirts and Rockport sandals and really big hair on some of the women. Even the band was interesting to watch as their age really showed at close range and their bushy mustaches gave them away for sure. I got to thinking as I watched some guys my age and older really getting into the music that so many people in this place are here because they think this is real music. "Forget that noise my kids listen to!" I just know that's what so many were thinking as they were moving their bodies violently (from the neck up) in sync with the music. It made me think of how much I didn't like screaming guitars even when I was a teenager. It just never scratched my musical itch and here I was reliving all this at around bed time with a 2 hour drive ahead. It took me once again to the thought that we really resist change in so many ways. The musical world has changed and morphed so much but we still yearn for the way it was back in the day. Those days seem so good, but time marches on anyway. I actually like much of what I hear these days, but I am just bent that way I guess. Not really into black and white movies or retro furniture either. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

No rain in sight...

At least that's what it seems like. My lawn has been torched by the high temps and blazing sun. The only thing green right now are those resilient little plant creations called weeds. That bugs me. Lately, I have been thinking about a bunch of stuff but somewhat unable to find anything to write about. Writing is not natural for me, but it is therapeutic. Funny thought, huh? Why would I stay away from something that heals and reforms me when I KNOW it works? Maybe because I am an awful typist or somewhat of a scatterbrain but mostly because I am a person. It's the same reason I feel far away from God at times and yet do not pray or wait on him. It's the same reason I feel alienated at times and do not search out a friend. It's the same reason I feel fatigued but fail to go to bed at a decent time. Crazy! God is so patient with me, and I am very glad about that. I feel better already. Pray for rain.