Who Said Work Couldn't be Fun?

Last night began with a quick show that was finished before nine-o'clock. Then came the party! In an elegant but not stuffy ballroom Amanda and I danced like nobody was watching until we looked like the Biggest Losers after last chance workout. We had delicious food, plenty of drinks, and we all boogied the night away to a hot dance band complete with live brass, fantastic singers, and enough fire to set off three smoke alarms. Even the little kids were dancing! It was the most fun I've had at an exhibitor's party since I was five years old in Decatur, AL and I peed in my pants to avoid having to leave the sawdust dance floor.

This morning, I could have just stayed in bed but Amanda had a plan. We headed out at about 8:45 to the little German bakery, then went to this picturesque park. Norman Rockwell could not have painted a prettier park. We jogged, did some push-ups, found some perfect monkey bars for pull-ups, did lunges, squats, jumps, and found all sorts of ways to sweat off a few of last night's bacon wrapped scallops.

Now it's time to squeeze some work into what has felt a lot like a vacation. I have two sessions to play for today and then we leave for NYC. Who said work couldn't be fun?

Horsin' Around

For the past few days Amanda and I have been in West Springfield, Massachusetts where I am playing music for the UPHA-14 Spring Premier Horseshow. I'm still getting used to my new Yamaha keyboard so the first day was a little stressful, but now I have found my groove and am rockin' with the rhythm of hoof beats.

The Eastern States Exposition Center is a beautiful old brick coliseum on a compound of sorts, surrounded by replicas of many of the eastern states' capitol buildings. The horses' stable areas are immaculately clean and decorated with colorful banners, curtains, brass lanterns, fountains, plants and huge glossy photographs of stunningly beautiful American Saddlebred, Morgan, and Frisian horses. Since this is one of the first shows of the season, everyone seems exited to be here and see friends after a winter's season back home.

The familiar smell of hay and the sounds of horses' pawing and clip clopping on black top is a powerful memory that always transports me to a carefree time when I was a kid hanging out at the stables with my Mammaw and Papaw. I guess we all return to what is familiar in one way or another. Even though my saddle is an organ bench now, I get to ride along vicariously while helping to create the festive mood that makes for a great horseshow.

I'm writing this to remind myself that I'm a lucky dog; and when I've been sitting there for umpteen hours trying to think of another good song appropriate for a little girl named Suzy to show Star's Big Something-or-other to, that I'm just carrying on an old family tradition. And I am thankful for the opportunity.

A Tragic Love Story

I do not have much to offer today. But I will give a little window to what happens to be swimming around in my head right now.

Spring, you remind me of my first girlfriend. You showed up on what had been a cold winter day when I was really needing someone like you. That was back in February. Right after Valentine's Day to make matters worse. You winked and flirted and promised you'd never leave... then pbpblt! You were gone. Every time you come back I forget how much your previous exit wounded me and I am in love all over again.

Spring... come back and stay you fickle whore!!!

Our Cow Adventure

This is the cow we picked out to be our dinner for two or three nights a week for the next year. We like his white face. He will not spend his last days in a feed lot ankle deep in his own waste like most of the cows who end up at Kroger. He will not be fed parts of other cows, inadvertently becoming a cow-nibal. He won't be fed growth hormones, or be be shipped from Mexico where we are cautioned not to drink the water. If the water in Mexico isn't safe for human consumption, then what do you think Mexican cows have been drinking? Jose Quervo? It would probably be safer!

No, I'm afraid we are the ones who have been drinking too much. Or something. Something has convinced us that our startlingly red beef magically appears on the grocery store shelf. You don't believe me? Well take your average kid to a farm and point to a pair of sweet, furry cow eyes and say "There's your next burger" then watch the horrified look come across his innocent little face. He'll think you are at a petting zoo. We are totally disconnected from the process by which our food arrives on our plate; and that is, I believe, one foundation of the health epidemic we are experiencing in the USA, especially in the southeast.

The more information we have, the better decisions we can make. I stole that from Oprah. (She still says a few things that are worth listening to.) For instance, if you knew you could buy an entire grass finished cow from a source you knew, at a reasonable price, and that the meat from that cow would be considerably better for you, might even taste better, and would certainly be better for the environment, would you want to do that? We decided to do just that.

The cow in the photo belongs to my dad right now and lives in his organically fertilized pasture. He eats grass mostly. His diet is supplemented in the winter months by hay, which is grass, just the winter version. This is by far the healthiest diet for him. And it results in much healthier meat for us. Grass finished beef is naturally higher in Omega 3 fatty acids and lower in saturated fat than corn fed or feedlot beef. And because he lives a less stressful life, his meat will contain less cortisol, or the stuff that makes you have a fat belly. (Besides the Krispy Kremes and BBQ potato chips.)

I believe the upcoming generation must begin to think differently about the food we choose to eat. There are healthier, tastier, and more responsible ways get our food. Our culinary culture is lazy at best, and downright trashy at worst. Think before you eat!

This is the first time Amanda and I have ever done anything like this. Although, I remember my parents having some of our own beef and pork slaughtered and butchered when I was a young kid. And it's funny, when I look at pictures from back then, most everybody was about thirty to fifty pounds lighter than they are today. I will continue to post the progress of our cow adventure.

Disclaimer: To all who were planning a trip to Kroger to buy some BBQ potato chips and Krispy Kreme Donuts, I apologise, but admit it, you are not helping the situation.

Relevence

What does it mean to be relevant? Current, with the program, in the know, hip, cool, edgy? Right now, to me, it means that you are able to be taken seriously. That people do not write you off before you get to what it is you are trying to say... you with me?

Apparently, the Buick was once relevant. It wasn't when I was a kid. I was kind of embarrassed when my Mamma and Dad bought a blue and white Buick with Navy blue velour seats. That was in the eighties. Kids now have never even heard of a Buick. That's what happens when you fail to be relevant. Just ask Rick Wagoner, ex CEO of General Motors. Or the folks at the Rocky Mountain News. You'll make news if you don't stay relevant, it just might not be the kind you were trying to make.

I'm going to borrow my pastor, Dan Scott's soap box for just a second here and say that there are many modern churches that have confused plain old ignorance with being a proper Christian. I, along with Dan, reject that idea. If we continue to insist that the world is flat just because that is what we grew up hearing and that "round" nonsense just makes us uncomfortable, then that means we are stupid.

Now, being one who has, for many years, complained about the new praise chorus' lack of depth and melodic content, I am guilty of throwing out the baby with the bathwater when it comes to being aware of what is current in church worship music. I'm working on that. Maybe it would be more accurate to say God is working on me about that.

The point I am trying to make is that it is entirely possible to show great respect for our parents, and grandparents customs while responding to the world around us. If we do not, we will certainly go the way of the Buick. The world will go right on without our voice. Without our contribution. Without salt!

If I have ever heard this particular idea preached in church before, I am struggling to remember it. And I have been in a lot of church services. If you count fifty-two Sundays in a year, not even counting Sunday nights, Wednesday nights and revivals, over thirty-five years.. OK, knock off five cause I got "saved" when I was six so let's say that was when I started listening, that's around eighteen-hundred and twenty sermons I've heard, and this new idea comes along that proclaims it is not just OK to be "with it," that it may even be important! Dang. He's a dad gum revolutionary y'all!

This is loosely based on a sermon Dan preached a few weeks ago called "Leaving a Legacy." You can hear it or even watch it at http://christchurchnashville.org. You'll find it under sermons. If you are willing to do that though, I'm probably not really talking to you. Still, do it. You won't be sorry.

Daniel Smith

This week I had the disturbing experience of finding out a friend died by reading through the comments on an old photo. I experienced an emotional flood of shock (he was only 34), guilt that I hadn't made a better effort to keep in touch, and pain over what seems so unfair.

After reading his blog, patdanielsmith.blogspot.com, what I knew of Daniel became even more apparent. This is a funny, strong, wise, and faithful man who kept his focus on Jesus till the very end... and God did not heal him. There are so many who rock along through life never giving a thought to the eternal and it seems like they can't do anything wrong!

Mouth cancer. Didn't smoke, didn't dip, ran marathons and paid close attention to everything he ate. If this doesn't cause you to do a double take, I don't know what will.

It wasn't that long ago that we were on stage together cracking each other up at Dollywood just having a ball, and now he is gone. If I could have known this was coming and told him then to do something different, what would it have been? No idea.

I don't know why, but something about Holy Week usually renders me an emotional time bomb, and this is no exception. I'm getting ready to go to church right now. I pray that God will open my mind to allow his wisdom to permeate my own and supersede my doubts and fear.

If Daniel could speak to us now, I wonder what he would say? He has seen heaven. It's real. Life is fleeting, get it right!