Thunder And Lightning Never Felt So Good 

How Much Enjoyment Do We Really Deserve?

God only knows what can be accomplished through faith. With this thought in mind I headed back to Gordon's studio this afternoon, with my wife's blessing, I might add! Cheryl has got to be the most understanding female it has ever been my honor to meet. The three musicians and the owner of the facility were waiting when I got there. I have a hunch they warmed up before my arrival. Old R & B, country and some blues beget an afternoon of musical delight. Thanks, to four fine players for more fun than I think people are supposed to have! We were once again treated to a cloudy afternoon which made the lack of air conditioned surroundings more than comfortable. There were the required amounts of coffee consumed and with head properly bound for keeping perspiration from dripping into eyes, it began. Hours of innovative lead lines laid down by the artistic talents of Gordon and Rod, backed by the percussive efforts of yours truly and a pair of veteran bass enthusiasts, Ken and Darrel. Gordy and I took a few turns at pounding out some rhythm on the drums, and a "machine" was employed for that task when everyone played their chosen instruments. The clash of shared styles would have been pleasing only to the ears of another musician, but it was good. The easy fellowship we shared, and the enervating, enthusiastic, and innovative manner in which the various parts and pieces came together was a joy(but then I like thunder and lightning, too). Excitement is the theme that so many of us look for in our lives, those moments that "stretch" us and help us to get beyond ourselves. We can do all of this and more within the context of our daily lives if we are willing to let God's Spirit flow around, and through us in all that we share with others. Not everything we do has to be "great," it's enough that we are entering in to the experience of life with others and taking a little time to enjoy. The key is(pardon the pun guys)to allow ourselves the freedom to express whatever it is that waits beneath the surface for an opportunity to shine. The elements are these, get everyone on the same page, start together, finish together, and in between our beginnings and our endings, enjoy what's happening. Sounds too easy doesn't it? Just maybe it is all part of a plan. Listen to the music of life and fit your part in where and when it's needed, it's bound to be "great!" You deserve it! You owe it to yourself to enjoy the blessings you've been given, and only Satan can take that away from you! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Okay, We Ended Up Doing Two Days, But I Can't Do It Again For Awhile! 

It's A Really Good Looking Animal, But I Was Raised Never To Shoot Anything That I Wasn't Willing To Eat!!! 

Remembering This Day And The Joys It Held

This was a fantastic day! Fellowship and music for 13 hours, and now it is drawing to a swift close. New friends met, old friends greeted, and not a single thing to dampen the spirit other than a little rain late in the evening. Musicians, Lord, I thank you for musicians! Twenty miles from my doorstep a studio beckoned early this morning, and that was the beginning. Out in the country, just far enough that the rabbits don't run away when you're walking around where they live, was my location for 8 great hours. For those of you haven't been afield much, rabbits, even in the wild in SD, are very tame. Why would they be any other way, nobody ever bothers them and the rest of us that walk through their world are only momentary interruptions( if even that). This is SD where the entire state is comprised of less than a million people. If you talk to anyone from here, and you happen to be from here, you both know a lot of the same people. That never ceases to amaze me! In the process of meeting new guys that play I learned that although we come from different areas of the state, we all worked the same places during the sixties and seventies, and we all know dozens of the same people. Every state has a history and a heritage to be proud of, and ours is no different, only ours tends to hinge on the "big things" that get SD attention, other than the "big thing" that makes us totally unique in the country today. Mount Rushmore is a national monument, the Corn Palace in Mitchell is the only one like it in the world, and the other high spots you can read about for yourself. The thing you won't read much about, though, has to do with the people and their collective personality based on numbers. Because we're few, we are mighty in the sense of how we deal with one another and how we deal with the stranger in our midst. We're like the rabbits, there really is no need to be alarmed for any reason. I'm sure this sounds like a naive approach to life in the 21st century, but I think if you're one of those folks who is also a non-threatening individual you will find an entire state where you can wander and spend time with people that you'll love meeting. Who knows, you may even wish to come live here, but I hope not too many do because that would put an end to some of what I'm writing about. The communities would be altered for ever. We've probably got all the bad stuff the rest of the world has, you just have to look harder to really find it. Just a quick tap on the calculator just informed me that I'm a blood relation to about 1% of the people in the state. Whoosh, where else in the US could one find that much togetherness? (Don't even go there, I know what you thought of, and yes, it is possible) Just please remember this, if you want to meet the people you have to go where they are, and that means actually setting aside the regular tourist stops. Stop at the visitors place on the interstate, or at a service station, get a map, and find the places where the rabbits don't run when they see you coming. That's when you'll know you've arrived in the heart of SD. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Thoughts On Being From A Less Populated State, South Dakota! 

We Could Franchise This In The United States And It Could Be The Next BK