A PREGNANT VISIT

while jessey patiently awaits her february baby,

we all enjoyed the outdoors on an unusually warm fall day.

LIVE    MOMENT by MOMENT

( i am so far behind with xanga post.  we're having computer issues.) 

ODE to RANDY STONEHILL

this past sunday, our local Christian radio station held a free concert. as soon as i heard about it, months ago, i put it on my calendar. i did not want to miss this one!

originally, i had asked my two sissys to go with me....since jim would be in mexico.
my one sister is having health issues, so she couldn't go.
the day before the concert, i was talking with my friend, barb. she decided she'd like to go too!
and we three went out to isaac's to eat before.
while we were eating, i got a call from jenni. she wanted to meet up with us.
and she actually ended up blessing us with a great place, in the very long line, because she arrived before us.


sitting in the church, waiting, nostagia kicked in with a lot of excited remembrances......

back in 1975, i was single. i was head secretary of Jesus Ministries, which headed up an event called JESUS '75.
(later known as CREATION FESTIVALS). a local farmer had donated his very senic farmland in morgantown, PA for a 3-day camping extravaganza filled with speakers, teachers, and musicians. it was a monsterous effort that i worked on all year long.....from organizing the daily schedules to pit toilets and venders. during this time, i was privileged to gather an enormous collection of records and 8-track tapes (remember them?) of musicians that sent us promotional packages and recordings.......hoping to appear on the stage.

randy stonehill was one of the pioneers of what became known as Christian contemporary music. prior to this time, if you wanted to listen to "Christian" music, you had to resort to southern gospel quartets or george beverly shea.

randy appeared at the farm in his infamous jeans....which included about 1,000 hand-sewn colorful patches on them. what's more, they were tight on his extremely long legs! he was a shocking sight to the "Christian" scene! he hadn't yet learned what would be expected or required of him in this new arena of "Christianity".

he just knew that he loved Jesus! and that he wanted to tell everyone about how Jesus changed his life!

i will never forget him singing a song with shocking words....and galavanting around on stage with his wild hair.

she's been smoking that C-I-G-A-R-E-T-T-E
that cigarette's got her on her knees
C-I-G-A-R-E-T-T-E
that darn tobacco won't set her free
suck baby suck
suck on that cigarette
go on and light up that fag
and take a drag
it's bound to snuff you yet........

we laugh about it now, but the farmer came to us, all red-faced, ordering us to get him off his land!
that he HAD to be demon possessed!!!!

as i recall, we got the farmer settled down somehow....and randy DID end up staying.

in the forty years that followed, his music and more importantly, love for Jesus is still going strong. that's a true artist!
i have felt a kindred spirit with the many songs he's written thruout the years.
some of my favorites are probably the least well-known...such as "rachel delevoryas".
jim shared this powerful song when teaching a bunch of middle schoolers.    

rachel delevoryas
with her thick eye glasses and her wild brown hair
rachel played the violin
when classical music was not in style
it was clear that she'd never be one of us
with her dowdy clothes, and her violin, and a name like rachel delevoryas............

he's been such a story teller. one of my favorite albums of his is entitled "stories".
"Christmas as denny's tonight" is on that album. what a picture he paints!

they got Christmas muzak piped in through the ceiling
and the waitress on graveyard
and the surly night manager
are wishing that all of us losers would leave....
the cop at the counter
he's the guardian angel
he watches these orphans
through dark mirrored shades.......
merry Christmas
it's Christmas at denny's tonight.........

who hasn't experienced a scene like that? traveling over the holidays?

of course, there were his many "hit" songs that made the music charts too.
"turning thirty", "i thirst for You", "shut de door", and the song he wrote for compassion international, "who will save the children?"
just to name a few.

so.....

when he took the stage, and started singing one of his first songs from that era, i had goose bumps and tears....as i clapped and sang along:

brother's and sisters, mister and misses, i love you. i love you.........
i love you, i love you, i love you, i love you, i love you, i. love. you.............

and i also sang along to:

all alone. drifting wild. like a ship that's lost out on the ocean
everyone's a homeless child
and it's not hard to understand
why we need a Father's hand
there's a rainbow somewhere
you were born to be there
but you're just running in circles
till you reach out your hand to the King of hearts.........

he sang a brand new song that really ministered to me! i had to go home and look the words up again:

life is tough
sure enough
but God is good!

life is tough
don't you blink
it isn't going to work out the way that you think

life is tough
suck it up!
it's a shame that we don't trust Him
the way that we should..........

i also loved the positive declaration in "irresistible future":

i'm gonna get up early
gonna stay up late
i got life to live
and it just can't wait

make things better
if they get worse
shake a little blessing
right outta the curse

i'm gonna drink it all in
like a grateful child............


and shouted along to one of his ending songs:

good news! Christ is returning
and Jesus gonna bring us on home
ain't that real good news? (go on and hang up your blues).............

always LOVE being reminded of this!)

of course, one of the best guitarist anywhere (as labeled by jimi hendrix), phil keaggy took the stage next.
he amazed everyone! and half of us couldn't figure out HOW or WHAT he was doing on his guitar.
i also found the grown man, sitting in front of us, extremely entertaining and humorous. he was playing air guitar.

these two precious brothers have seasoned well. as they played together, at the end, they were not only extremely entertaining, but also thought provoking, loving, and humble. and it was clear to see that they were just plain old having FUN up there! at their age, they had nothing to prove anymore. i. loved. it.

i'm going to end this post with another of randy's songs that just stood out like neon when i heard it on the radio for the first time. the lights went on! and through this simple little ditty, i believe battles were won in the heavenlys.... and broke down spiritual strongholds in my life.
"that's the way it goes sometimes" made me realize just that. so simple. yet so powerful and profound!

when you're in the valley of despair
seems as though you always will be there
let your heart be strong
though the road is long
there's a way to go

soon enough the path will start to rise
to mountains high, and clear and sunny skies
the way will take you high
the way will take you low
'cause that's the way it goes

that's the way it goes sometimes
things are going to work out fine
rain will fall and then
sun will shine again
that's the way it goes

and when the raging waters rush away
and it feels like you won't last another day
let your heart be brave
the calming of the waves
is nearer than you know
stormy days will be a distant dream
floating in a still and quiet stream
the river will run fast
the river will run slow
'cause that's the way it goes

that's the way it goes sometimes
things are going to work out fine
rain will fall and then
sun will shine again
that's the way it goes

life's a mystery
we don't always see God's hand
He's the Lord of awe and wonder
one day we will understand.........


LIVE   ENCOURAGED

(because......that's the way it goes sometimes) 

CONCERTS

i haven't been to any concerts in a long time.  until recently.

if  you read one of my recent posts, you'll recall jim's surprising me by taking me to a bob dylan concert.

back in the 70's, dylan's gravely voice whined out on my vinyl record player constantly.

then i got saved....and my desires were replaced with Jesus music!

then dylan got saved!  and came out with some amazing lyrics to his song writing.

and i bought, and still have, the two albums from that era.

here are the amazing lyrics to two of my favorite songs from these albums:

Gotta Serve Somebody
You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might be a rock'n' roll adict prancing on the stage
Might have money and drugs at your commands, women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a state trooper, you might be an young turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody's landlord you might even own banks.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be working in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may call me Terry, you may call me Jimmy
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray
You may call me anything but no matter what you say.

You're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

I Believe In You

weeks ago, i  heard about a brand new Christmas album that he'd come out with.

i was truly intrigued.  i couldn't imagine dylan.  singing Christmas songs. 

it. just. did. not. compute.

jericho put it on our ipod....and i  listened to it.  constantly.  for weeks. 

i think it will replace my favorite michael w. smith one. 

i highly recommend it!   

is is so nostalgic.  and fun! 

here comes santa claus, do you hear what i hear, winter wonderland, hark the herald angels sing, i'll be home for Christmas, little drummer boy, the Christmas blues, o' come all ye faithful, have yourself a merry little Christmas, must be santa, silver bells, the first noel, Christmas island, o' little town of bethlehem

LIVE   MUSIC

BRINGING COLOR TO THE GREY-NESS

my sincere apologies to the majority of you who do not want to have anything

to do with Christmas yet. 

no music. 

no decorations.

i admit to succumbing to both.  in fact, i have worked feverishly the last several days....

and i am happy to announce that Christmas has come to my house. 

i am done.  finished.  and relieved. 

because now i am free to sit back and enjoy it all.  a clean, decorated house. 

i have never decorated this early. 

in fact, i usually put up my decorations around my birthday, december 3. 

it just seemed the perfect thing to occupy myself with....with jim away in mexico this week.

i found a white fake Christmas tree at goodwill for $.50 or $1.00....

(can't quite remember)....and had it stored in the garage for quite awhile. 

i was anxious to do something different this year. 

i thought that  my bright apple green living room walls would facilitate a white tree.  

plus, i had some vintagy-looking decorations that i had been collecting for years. 

and bubble lights?  anyone remember bubble lights?  

when lit, the liquid in the candle moves.  and bubbles.

underneath the tree, i gathered some old toys....

nesting cubes, tablets, and wooden rulers that i remembered as a child.

also goodwill "finds". 

(do you get the feeling that i am a "fan" of goodwill?) 

when jericho saw it, she said, "it's an "urban outfitter's" Christmas!"

i'll take that as a compliment. 

i needed something above the fireplace.  something vintagy-looking. 

i found an old screen in the basement.

i stapled this  vintagy-looking Christmas paper on it....

and a mary engelbreit calendar picture in the middle.

and beside the fireplace, i placed a last year's Christmas present

that  my precious grandbabies made. 

next came the dining room.

my chairs were "ready". 

i have a favorite, growing collection of bottlebrush trees.....

reminiscent of the ones i used on my train set as a child.

i always enjoy getting these out every year. 

and i will never forget the day my mom purchased this skating set.

i was just a tot.  we were in downtown lancaster....peering in the kresge's store window.

i begged and begged mom for it! 

 i thought it was just the most magical thing i'd ever seen.

i remember mom scratching the pennys together for each skater....

so much she wanted to please me! 

i will treasure it always! 

i put my goodwill  Christmas tablecloth on...in the sunroom.

and hung these $.50 goodwill ice skates on the wall. 

i had a pair just like this...only in white. 

and i had the rubber skate guards too.  just like these.

after Christmas last year, at target, i got 70% off ribbon.  i knew i needed to replace my damaged, faded, worn ribbons this year.  so i made lots of ribbons.  and tied them everywhere.

on these little burlap bags i made....and stuffed with greens.

and on a lantern.

as well as on the picket fence greens.

so......

let this joyous season, that i love so much,  B E G I N  !!!!!

LIVE  

CHRISTMAS..... 

  ~EVERY  DAY~

do you trust me?
has my long term xanga relationship with you imposed some safekeeping for your care?
have you found me honest? 
have i lacked integrity in my knowledge and delivery thereof?
have you found me a dependable resource in which to to inform?
have i earned your confidence?

before you purchase one of these beautys

or

for that matter, even purchase a property,

here are some points to ponder:

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A FULL- TIME NON-PAYING JOB,

WITHOUT BENEFITS,

 EVERY OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER?

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

DO YOU HAVE SPARE TIME?

 WHAT ARE THE CHILD LABOR LAWS?

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS.
AND
A WORD TO THE WISE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT.

LIVE WISDOM