261--Monday Eve

Ok, so things are finally organized enough in my space that I can turn focus to music. All told, a quick and smooth transition. Within two weeks, I'm relocated, employed and properly domiciled.

Tomorrow evening, working with Isaac to begin crafting musical sequences for the February concert in Laguna Niguel. Wednesday evening with Dawn to catch up and talk about our film project. Thursday with Jim, my worship leader, to talk about how my exploration of worship and my dwelling in this community come together at this time. What can I bring here? What is here already that will shape me differently?

I promised Cecilia I'd record "What A Friend" this week, guitar and vocal. I'll schedule that for daytime on Thursday. I also have to get back to Scott with some notes for vocal arrangements on Days Of Rain. I've been trading messages with Cowan, but no real-time conversation in a couple weeks.

While Richard was preaching this morning, my mind kept going to Joshua 1. I spent a lot of time there in early 2008, and I camped often at verse 9: Haven't I told you? Be strong! Be courageous. The Lord will be with you wherever you go.

This morning, though, I couldn't make it to 9, cause I kept stopping at 6: Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

Am I supposed to lead someone somewhere?

Lead who where? What people? What land? What were they promised? Is this for me? Do I take myself too seriously? That verse is in there for whoever reads it. Or is it in there for whomever it reads?

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

264--Twas the night before Christmas

I felt like such a man, going out into the cold morning with a wheelbarrow, filling it with split logs and 2x4 scraps, bringing them in and lighting the woodstove that heats the school lounge.

What could be more manly? Well, actually, I could have had to climb a trail and cut the tree myself and log it and then split the wood, as opposed to the 200 feet I walked to a covered shed filled with already chopped firewood.

I still get some manly points for this, right?

Got the fire started, chatted with Ryan on the phone, just catching up. He's going to preach out of Luke 2 this Sabbath. I would love to be there to hear it, but I'll have to listen online two weeks from now when it gets posted. I hope we get the video-streaming up to par quickly so I can hear him preach in real-time.

Tonight Scott's leading "Lessons and Carols" like we did last year in the Fellowship Hall and between thinking about that and the passage that Ryan's preaching from this week, I decided to read Luke 1 for today's podcast. So I read it and that took about 8 minutes. Then I started playing music for it and that took me a couple hours. A medley of "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "O Come All Ye Faithful."

I looked up as I was finishing the guitar-work and it was almost time to head over to Jim and Bonnie's. Spent the afternoon with the Finley's and that was a ridiculous ton of fun. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy bantering with Seth. The guy's hilarious. I just hope that in 2010 we actually make some of the videos we talk about.

I stole the eggnog and humongous mug in the white elephant gift exchange. Food and fun, laughter and games, friends, family, and eggnog thievery--I think this is at least part of what Christmas is supposed to be.

I'm back at my place now, just me and the canine. Candles and the water fountain, constant drone of space heaters against the tinkle of Vegas' tags. I'm going to check on that fire one more time, put a couple logs in so they can warm the space a while longer.

photo by Darlene Taylor (of the tree at the Finley's house this afternoon)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Pick A Chapter, Luke 1, selected by Lennox

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

267--the case of the missing cable

The rooster crowed at 3:40 this morning. It's not a real rooster, just my cellphone pretending. But it wakes me up. Had to leave at 4 to get General to Portland Airport. Not that his flight was that early, but I needed to make it back to Mcminnville by 7, because that's when I started work this morning. First day back at Oregon Wine Services.

Had an excellent visit with Topher this evening--we're getting together again after the holidays to talk about design ideas for my website. This evening we assembled a bookshelf while catching up on the 4 months since we last connected.

I don't know exact air temperature outside, but there was actually ice on the ramp when I went out with Vegas earlier.

It took me a couple hours to rig the sound recording setup, because a cable that I usually connect through, somehow didn't make the trip with us. Necessity being the mother of invention, we (and by that I mean me and Vegas) came up with another solution and better sound quality. Sometimes a setback gives you the advantage of a fresh approach.

Back to work at 7 tomorrow, so I'll just post this evening's 'Pick-A-Chapter' reading from Lamentations 3. The guitar is whatever I played as I listened to the words of the passage this evening at about 10 O'clock. Just some live noodling to match that chapter.

What chapter may I read for you?

Hope you had a marvelous day.

Pick-A-Chapter, Lamentations 3, selected by Wanee Jeerapeet

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

269--Where the heart is

Toward the end of May, I returned from a month at home in the islands with my folks. As I looked at LA from my airline window seat, I knew that my time in the city was drawing to a close. I thought maybe I'd just been spoiled by a month of nature--trees and beaches do something to me. Maybe a month or two in the city would erase the memories of a slower, simpler life. On the other hand, maybe not.

When the voice in my spirit told me it was time to go home, I automatically thought that meant going back to Grenada. So I immediately notified Ryan that I'd be heading back to the rock in a few months, and began making plans to cross the Atlantic another time.

Early September I had another realization. Home for me isn't just in Grenada anymore. That's where I grew up. That's where my parents live. Home for me is someplace else. Someone(s) else.

One of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite artists, Bryan Duncan:

There's a saying "your home is where your heart is"

My heart believes its true

And my home's so far away

Though the seasons and the scenery keep changing

I will make my home with you

'Til I'm finally home to stay

When I think of home

When I'm tired and feeling homeless

I come to you

You're where my heart is...

There are places on this journey I'll remember

Many faces all so dear

They can always bring a smile

But no matter where I am or where I'm going

In my heart you're always near

You have made my life worthwhile

When I think of home

When I'm tired and feeling homeless

I come to you

You're where my heart is...

It's 10:49pm. I'm unpacking boxes because I want this place to be organized by the time I leave for work on Monday morning. I'd like to come back to a functional workspace and get right down to it. Still about 20 boxes to go and some of them I can't really unpack until I find a bookshelf. Hoping for good luck at a garage sale or at the goodwill store.

While unpacking, I put on a cd of Bobby McFerrin dueting with YoYoMa, and that reminded me of Brian--he gave me that cd. Then I traded some emails with my mom, and a couple with Cecilia, a phone call with Darlene, Facebook wall posts with Taron. I put away the jacket and coffee mug Andrey and Febe gave me, then when the cd was done, I put on another one, something Scott gave me: Cistercian Monks Of Stift Heiligenkreuz (good luck with that)

Tamara's painting is on the dining room table until I find hammer and nails to hang it in the kitchen. The painting Jenny gave me is leaning on the wall next to the table. Outside air temperature is around 50 degrees. In here it's a comfortable 71, according to the clock/thermometer from Wanee.

Today was an amazing day of rest and re-connection. Lovely couple Chris and Bryanna came by and had tea and dinner with us. It turns out General and Chris are old friends from working together at kids camp in New York years ago. You gotta love how small this family is, and how large.

What am I getting at? You each have some of my heart, and my home is with you. Don't be fooled by geography.

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

270--Too sleepy to think

Wow! what a trip.

back and forth three times from LA to Sheridan, and now a chance to rest and catch my breath before we get down to it. Not much time, really. I start working 7am Monday at Oregon Wine Services, the company I worked for until I left for LA 4 years ago. Good to be back home, in so many ways.

Tired. Glad it's Sabbath.

I'll be back to reading a chapter a day starting Monday.

Have a great weekend.

O, wait, I gotta tell you this one other thing. So I wrote a song in the car on the trip OR to CA Wednesday night, and then another one on the trip CA to OR Thursday night. That's two new songs in 3 days. Nice! But the cool thing is that one of them has this blues feel and I wanted to get a specific guitarist to play it with me, a guy named Jake Blair. He's a phenomenal blues guitarist whom I've not seen in at least the 4 years since I've been gone.

So I go to Mac to confirm my job situation for next week and after that's all taken care of, I go to the grocery store to stock some food for the apartment. I'm looking for olive oil, cause I'm making the tomato soup. As I come around the corner into the aisle I look up at, you guessed it, Jake Blair. Seriously? Two nights ago on the way to LA I'm writing a song and thinking he's the right guy for this and two days later I run into him in a grocery story after not seeing him for years? Ever feel like you're being set up to win?

Well, it's sleepytime, and I'm behind a week on sleep.

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

271--5:56pm

 

It's my last time sitting in this chair for a while. I'm in the Admin office of Hollywood SDA, exhausted. On Tuesday, we drove through the night to arrive in Sheridan, Oregon, on Wednesday morning, then drove 16 hours back to LA last night to drop off the rental truck. Now my stuff is waiting for me in my apartment 999 miles north of here. 

There's no way I could have done this without General's help. For a few moments yesterday, he met some of the Open Door Community. Today I got a call from one of them saying she thinks her husband knows him from New York. I mean, how many big black guys named General do you meet in a lifetime? So yeah, we're gonna grab tea with them and see if we're talking about the same guy. 

I love my new apartment. I love having an apartment, period. 

It was good to be in the country and see my family from there. 

To my family here in LA, I'll be back real soon. Not to live, mind you, cause I am a country-boy and some things just get stronger with age. But I'll definitely see some of you in February. So do stay in touch, and remember, like Amanda says, it's not just me that can come visit you. You can come on up to the trees sometime also. 

I will miss you, but really, I won't. You're in my heart, and I keep that with me. Allows me to take things personally. After all, it is my life--I take it personally, and you are with me wherever the Lord sends. 

Thanks for everything. Thank you so much. 

Scott, right down to the last minute you come through for me. Penny is going to really appreciate those oranges. Cecilia, you're doing a fabulous job. Is that a new desk in the office? Didn't realize there was a top on that thing. I thought it was just made of papers and miscellaneous junk. 

General, I'm gonna need some caffeine on this one. 

273--12:38pm

12:38pm

General flew in from Colorado last night. He's here to help me with this move. Right now he's picking up the Chevy Silverado from Enterprise.When he gets back, we'll load up and roll out.

Earlier, I was cleaning up the backyard area where Vegas spends most of his days. That's how I met Caesar. He stopped by the fence and said "hey man, is that your dog? He is phenomenal!!!"

He went on to tell me about their first encounter. How Vegas barked at him then came and sat next to the fence and invited him into a game. I really love it that he starts the game-he even tells you what to do.

Caesar went on to tell me that he and Vegas played ball often and he even came down from his apartment once to stop someone from harassing my dog. I loved how protective he was about Vegas.

I have been so blessed. I have a truly awesome animal companion, and I live among such wonderful humans as this stranger who plays with my dog and protects him from harm.

Nice to meet you, Caesar. Thank you for being a friend.