Gibson Trini Lopez Standard Guitar

My Dad bought me this guitar for Christmas when I was fifteen years old. We traded a 1957 Fender Stratocaster with an original tweed case and one hundred dollars for this guitar at Hugh's Music Store in Florence Kentucky. Bear in mind that a 1957 Fender Stratocaster in playable condition would probably go for $17,000 in today's market. The Trini is gaining some ground however. In the mid 1990's you could get a vintage Trini Standard for $1200-1400. Currently I'm seeing these offered for $2300-2500. My guitar is a 1967 model according to Gibson records of the serial number. The inside label reads, "Trini Lopez Regular", instead of Standard.

The guitar is expertly crafted as were all Gibson guitars of that day. I have never had to adjust the tune-o-matic bridge since the guitar was measured and made by expert craftsmen that knew the exact measurements, so there is no need to compensate by adjusting the bridge saddles to achieve perfect tonality. And this was way before CDC machines. The pickups are just great. They are not loud and dirty by today's standards, but they provide a mellow blend to capture that great ES-335 sound. The guitar is essentially a modified ES-335. The headstock is the striking difference. An ES-335's headstock has 3 on a side tuners with the traditional Gibson carve on the top. The Trini Lopez Standard has a headstock exactly like a reverse Gibson Firebird. It is sort of Fenderesque with six on a side Kluson tuners (that do not slip). The other striking feature is the diamond shaped "F holes" and matching split diamond fretboard inlay. The fingerboard is rosewood. The strings are at just the right height. It requires little or no effort to play. The electronics are all by Switchcraft and are excellent quality.

In the mid 1970's I added a Bigsby tailpiece to the guitar of the same era. This caused too much distance between the first string and the tuner, so the high E string in most sets will not reach that top tuner. I have to buy .009 long neck banjo strings. These work out fine since they have a loop end that fits the tines in the Bigsby.

I seldom take this guitar out of the house. I've had it so long and it is a treasure because it was Daddy's gift to me.

An Answer to my Sister in law's question on Easter about Matthew 27:49-54

I spent Easter Day with my family at my brother's house. My sister in law, Ann, had a great question about this verse. She had read this to her kids on Good Friday and of course the kids wanted to know about the "zombie part", that is the dead coming to life. So when I came home today, I did a Bible study on this chapter.

Here we go. We will start with reading the verse in different Gospels. First the original in Matthew.

Matthew 27:50-54

50. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
52. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
53. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

Here is the same story as told in the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 15:33-39 33.

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
35. When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."
36. One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
37. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"

And this is Luke's version.

Luke 23:44-46

44. It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45. for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.


Let us start our study with Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse:

51-56 The rending of the veil signified that Christ, by his death, opened a way to God. We have an open way through Christ to the throne of grace, or mercy-seat now, and to the throne of glory hereafter. When we duly consider Christ's death, our hard and rocky hearts should be rent; the heart, and not the garments. That heart is harder than a rock that will not yield, that will not melt, where Jesus Christ is plainly set forth crucified. The graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose. To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above what is written.
The dreadful appearances of God in his providence, sometimes work strangely for the conviction and awakening of sinners. This was expressed in the terror that fell upon the centurion and the Roman soldiers. We may reflect with comfort on the abundant testimonies given to the character of Jesus; and, seeking to give no just cause of offence, we may leave it to the Lord to clear our characters, if we live to Him. Let us, with an eye of faith, behold Christ and him crucified, and be affected with that great love wherewith he loved us. But his friends could give no more than a look; they beheld him, but could not help him. Never were the horrid nature and effects of sin so tremendously displayed, as on that day when the beloved Son of the Father hung upon the cross, suffering for sin, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Let us yield ourselves willingly to his service.

This is the commentary from the Jewish New Testament Commentary by Rabbi David Stern.

The Parohket in the Temple, Exodus 21:31-35 describes the curtain as it existed in the desert Tabernacle. It separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Only the Cohen hagadol (high Priest) was allowed to pass through the Parohket into the Holy of Holies and he could only do it once a year on Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), to make a sacrifice for his sins and the sins of the Jewish people. When it was ripped in two from top to bottom, it symbolized the fact that God was giving everyone access to the most holy place of all in Heaven, as taught explicitly in Hebrews 9:3-9, 10:19-22

The Talmud (commentary on Torah) bears an amazing witness to the work of Jesus in altering the system of atonement. The background is that on Yom Kippur, when the Cohen hagadol sacrificed a bull (Leviticus 16), a piece of scarlet cloth was tied between it’s horns. If it later turned white, it meant that God had forgiven Israel’s sin in accordance with Isaiah 1:18, “though your sins be scarlet, they will be white as snow”

“Our Rabbis taught that throughout the forty years that Shim’on HaTzaddik served (Simon the Teacher)...the scarlet cloth would become white. From then on sometimes it would become white and sometimes not...Throughout the forty years before the Temple was destroyed...the scarlet cloth never turned white.
From Yoma 39a-39b The Talmud

Thus in the days of Shim’on HaTzakkik the sacrificial system established by God in the Tanahk (The whole Hebrew Bible) was observed, and it was effective. But afterwards Israel’s spirituality declined so that the sacrificial system was effective only sometimes. Finally after Jesus’ death, forty years before the destruction of the Temple it was never effective. The Talmud does not say it, but what had become effective in forgiving Israel’s sin was the sacrificial death of Jesus the Messiah.

Rabbi Stern, a Messianic Jew, gives us a lot to think about and expounds on the ripping of the curtain from top to bottom. Let's think of the significance of that fact. God in Heaven caused the Parouhket, the curtain that separated His Essence from top (Heaven) to bottom (Earth). Another thought on that verse is that when Jews grieve over a death, they are commanded to tear their clothing as a sign of their grief. Most importantly we are now invited in to the Holy of Holies because of the sacrifice of Jesus.

However none of the above facts offer answers to my nieces questions about the dead being raised on this day. So let us move along.

The Life Application Study Bible points out that four miraculous events occurred on the day of Jesus’ death.
• The sky turned black
• An earthquake
• The curtain (parohket) in the Temple was ripped in two
• The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people
who had died were raised to life.

These events could not have gone unnoticed. Therefore everyone knew something significant had happened.

So know, for what they are worth, here are Marc’s thoughts on the raising of the dead.

We have no problem with the sequence of events in John 11:11-44. These verses are the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. So would it not be reasonable that we could accept that others too had arisen from the dead?

Though the events of Jesus’ death are recorded in all four Gospels, only the Gospel of Matthew includes the fact that the dead had been raised. Mark and Luke both make mention of the curtain of the Temple being torn in two. Luke makes mention of the sky becoming dark and the sun not shining.

So why does only Matthew make mention of this particular event?

Perhaps a clue lies in Matthew’s history. We do know a few things about him.

He was originally called Levi. See Mark 2:13-17 In the Gospel of Matthew he is called Levi and in the Gospel of Luke he is also referred to as Levi. It is only in the Gospel of Mark that he is referred to as Matthew. What else do we know?

A native or inhabitant of GreeceGreek Ματθαιος, Matthaios) is traditionally believed to be the author of the Gospel of Matthew. He was the son of Alphaeus, and was a publican or tax-collector at Capernaum. On one occasion Jesus, coming up from the side of the lake, passed the custom-house where Matthew was seated, and said to him, "Follow me." Matthew arose and followed him, and became his disciple

He is one of the original 12 disciples chosen by Christ to preach his Good News. Mark when recounting the story how the publican is called to be a disciple, he calls him Levi (2:14). Some explain this discrepancy by saying he formerly was known as Levi, but then he changed it, possibly in grateful memory of his call, to Matthew. The same day on which Jesus called him he made a "great feast" (Luke 5:29), a farewell feast, to which he invited Jesus and his disciples, and probably also many of his old associates.

He is one of the few disciples mentioned by name in the apocrypha or the 14 books of the Old Testament included in the Vulgate (except for II Esdras) but omitted in Jewish and Protestant versions of the Bible. Eastern Christian churches (except the Coptic church) accept all these books as canonical; the Russian Orthodox Gospel of Thomas, suggesting Matthew was of more importance in the early church than surviving evidence indicates. The time and manner of his death are unknown.

Some traditions say that Matthew was martyr and was martyred in Ethiopia, others say that he was martyred in Hierapolis of Parthia, an ancient country in Asia on the Caspian Sea that dominated southwestern Asia from about 100 BC to 200 AD. According Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus, Matthew the Evangelist was martyred in Hierapolis, and Matthew traditionally considered to be the author of the first Gospel..

Levi was a wealthy tax collector. His name also clues us in that he was a Levite. The Levites were the Israeli tribe of priests and he knew his heritage and he was no doubt educated as a priest. So he was aware of Torah, the first five books of Scripture and the oral Talmud, since there was nothing written at this time. He knew the importance of these events and based on that he recorded them. The Pharisees or P’rushim were the Temple leaders in Jesus’ day. These were learned men that were focused solely on the Law and keeping the Law. They had left out the Mercy, Compassion and the Love of God for His people that the original Levites that served as priests had been keenly aware of. Because of his profession, collecting taxes for the Roman government, Levi was disowned by other Jews and was outcast from practicing Judaism.

On consideration of the events that unfold, Jesus tells Levi, "Follow Me" and then a great feast is held wherein Jesus dines with tax collectors, Levi's friends and probably family (we see in Mark that there was another son of Alphaeus named John). He emerges as Matthew. Because of these three events, embracing a sect of Judaism, holding a feast and changing a name, this has all the outward appearances of a Covenant ritual. Levi now embraces Jesus as Messiah and joins this new sect of Judaism that believes Jesus has come to overthrow the immediate ruling class. Of course the disciples eyes get opened later on, but none of the followers of Jesus knew this until after His death and resurrection. We can assume that Levi/Matthew was a learned man and from his name determine his heritage. His father is mentioned several times in different Gospels, so we can glean from that his family held some importance at one time. Perhaps this shaped Matthew's attention to detail.

Let’s now look at the literal Greek translation of these verses. This is from the Strong’s Concordance.

50 And Jesus again crying with a voice loud released the spirit.
51. And look, the curtain of the temple was torn into two from above until below. And the earth was shaken, and the rocks were torn,
52. and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the having fallen asleep saints were raised.
53. And coming forth out of the tombs after the rising of him entered into the holy city and were shown to many.
54. the And centurion and those with him guarding Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the happenings, were afraid tremendously, saying, Truly of God Son was this one!

Instead of saying Holy People, the Greek translation of Matthew uses the word “saints.”

Note especially in verse 53 that no one appeared until Jesus had risen from the dead. Afterwards they went into the “Holy City” or Jerusalem.

53. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Let’s also look at Acts 2:16-36 These are the word Peter spoke to the crowds of Jerusalem.

“16. No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17. "`In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
22. "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
24. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
25. David said about him: "`I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
26. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,
27. because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
28. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
29. "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
30. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
31. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.
32. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
33. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
34. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "`The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
35. until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." '
36. "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

In fulfillment of the prophecies of Joel and David, Jesus the Holy One of God died but did not see decay and was resurrected.

By Jesus’ death and resurrection we now have salvation for all who die afterward. But what of those that had passed on prior to His death and resurrection?

Those that had died prior to these events had lived and died under God’s original Covenant, the 613 laws or Mitzvot that were given to Moses. They were judged under the Law. Perhaps because those that were raised had not just tried to keep the Law, but loved God and His Commandments. Because God does not break His Covenant these people were raised from the dead when God's Son died. The death of Jesus had freed them from their “sleep”. Because Jesus had now become the overall sacrifice for the sin of all those that believe in Him. He was the blood sacrifice to cover the sin of those who loved God and His Commandments, therefore those who were raised.
He will also raise us and we too will be resurrected.

Various commentaries and oral tradition and of course the writings of Matthew in 27:53 view this particular miracle as a reaffirmation to the families of these “holy people who had died were raised to life” that Jesus was the Messiah. Once again they were being greeted by and seeing departed loved ones.

Interestingly we are told that these people were raised from the dead and appeared to those in Jerusalem. We are not told anything else. So we know nothing of their fate after these events. We should heed the words of Matthew Henry, we must not desire to be wise above what is written.

Benjamin

Benjamin 


Here is my newest precious family member. My grandson Benjamin. I've only got to meet him on a few occasions so far. He lives in another state and it is a four hour drive.

Benjamin is a wonderful, wonderful person and is growing like topsy. When I first saw him he was 10 pounds of sleepy baby. He is now 15 pounds of very alert baby and at three months of age, he is as large as some one year olds. He loves being held and cuddled and he enjoys his grampa's ticklie beard. He has recently made a rare discovery of his fingers and has determined that they fit nicely into his mouth. He also makes great baby fists, a sign of a true street fighter.

Benjamin, buddy, your grampa and grandma love you!

Jesus Freaks

Jesus People 


Joel 2:28 "I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions."

1971 was a magical time for those who opened their hearts, for those that listened.

The Spirit of the Living God was moving and touching the lives of people throughout the world. The end of the Viet Nam War was fast approaching. We had lost all respect for our government and therefore authority. Birth control had eliminated abstinence, but we soon found out that free love was empty, bitter and selfish love. The Drug Culture had promised to get us high and set our minds free. It only created addiction. Eastern religion, meditation, Hari Krishna and Gurus were exposed for what they really were. They were nothing but cult leaders feasting on the cults that they had created.

But the Spirit of God was touching all that would listen and accept. We could feel His Love touching us and it was so strong. God allowed us to see through His Eyes the broken spirits and hearts of those around us. We had a burning desire inside of us to share this wonderful story, this old, old story. So we took to the streets and shared our life changing experiences with everyone that we could. Instead of going to clubs on Friday and Saturday, we would go to prayer meetings and Bible studies. We would pile into Churches dressed as we always dressed in blue jeans and T shirts. Some Churches accepted the rag tag newcomers and some were appalled.

Many of us just didn't talk the talk. We walked the walk. We wanted to know more about God the Father and Jesus the Son. We sought out ministers and teachers to tell us what they knew. We read the Bible. We read the commentaries. We had daily and weekly devotions, prayer meetings and Bible study. Many went on to Bible colleges and Seminaries.

We also turned away from the music of the day. It's theme was about sex and drugs or hating the establishment. But we had found a higher calling. So we created our own music and we listened to our own popular singers and groups.

It was a time of developing deep relationships with others that we loved as dearly as brothers or sisters. The above picture is from a March Day in 1971. It was Spiritual Revolution Day and it started with a rally at Fountain Square in Cincinnati, Ohio. The group of people captured in this picture as they prayed went on to become some of my dearest friends. I cherish the love that we shared for Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the love and bonds we shared with each other.

Jammin with the FDP

Jammin'

This was a fun time and I was kinda' nervous.

I hadn't played guitar in front of people in a long, long time. I hadn't played guitar with people in a long time. In fact, this was a blues jam and I usually fingerpick.

So here I was, the hulking white boy you see on the left, playing with the petite Bluesmama, my buddy Spazz and Gwiemer on the Epiphone bass. I'm playing my pieced together Frankenstein guitar (Frankie) and Spazz is playing trombone, so we had to do things in the key of C major. Bluesmama just blew us all out of the water. My goodness could that girl play the blues.

These are all my friends from the Fender Discussion Page where I hang out under the nom d'plume MarcO.

They Wouldn't Do This To A Dog

Everyone is talking about Terri Schiavo, the poor woman in a Florida nursing home. Some would like her to please die. Others want to keep her alive.

There are those who say, "she is brain dead and worthless and would be better off dead."

Others will argue, "She is human and therefore has a right to live."

Some claim she wouldn't want to live like this, so she should die.

And some would rebut that it is not for her to decide as she is incapable and that right thinking people who guard over her have a bound and duty to preserve her life.

I can't lay claim to being a good friend of Rich Mullins, the Christian songwriter. But I was certainly an acquaintance and met him several times during his Cincinnati years. Rich was one of the most beautiful and tender hearted people in the world. He was loved and admired by all who knew him. In my opinion, he walked with God and God blessed him with a tremendous insight and the ability to put down that insight into wonderful song.

He wrote a song called Madeline's Song.

"Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays

Madeline stretches and Madeline kicks
The angels in heaven say, "Hey look at this"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays

And the only angels that I've ever seen
Look like tears on the face of the sky
Though it sure breaks your heart to see heaven all streaked up
With sorrows like theirs, still you know all the while
From where cobbles shine golden like emeralds shine green"

Madeline was the infant daughter of a couple that were great friends of Rich. Madeline was born with brain and birth defects. She was totally helpless throughout her short life. Rich would go and visit her parents and he hold this baby and whisper and sing to her. And Madeline would in turn make baby noises and laugh and stare into the air. Rich would tell her parents how impressed he was with Madeline because he knew that her coos and laughs and gurgles were her prayers. She may have been written off as a pitiable waste of existence by some, but Rich knew that she had the attention of The Father and that His Holy Angels were communing with her and she with them.

Do you doubt that? Here is what our Lord said:

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

Who are we to say that Terri Schiavo does not commune with God? Her brain may be damaged, her body broken, but how do you measure a person's spirit?

Jesus also said:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

I say that if Terri Schiavo was a poor starving dog. If she were a bone skinny dehydrated mutt, many of those who are in favor of starving Terri Shiavo to death would rally around this mangy beast. They would notify the press and have photo ops of themselves feeding the pooch. They would then start an organization called Feed The Hungry Dogs. Yet these same would deny this poor woman a cup of water.

Those that oppose allowing her to live are theives that come to steal (life), kill and destroy. Our Heavenly Father has sent His Son to us that we may have life and have it to the full.

Read Luke 16:19-31

Hope

Hope 


This is Princess Hopie. She is my best girl and the world's greatest granddaughter. She smiles and my heart melts. I'm a pushover for dimples. She is four years old and has great fashion sense. She is pretty. She is a little sister and has that role down pat. She is her mother's girl.

I love you Hope!

Covenant

Covenant is a rite that is as old as the age of man. Covenant was established by God. It is essentially the joining together of families or peoples by a common bond. Covenant is forever and is not to be breached.

The first mention of Covenant in the Bible is at Genesis Chapter Six:17-21

17. “ I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.
18. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.
19. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.
20. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.
21. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."

And after the events of the flood, in Chapter 9 we read:

9. "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you
10. and with every living creature that was with you--the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you--every living creature on earth.
11. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12. And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
13. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
15. I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
16. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
17. So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

The next mention of Covenant in the Bible is with Abram in Genesis Chapter 15:

18. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates--
19. the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
20. Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
21. Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."

It is not until ten years pass that God concludes the Covenant with Abram, as we read in Chapter 17:

1. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty ; walk before me and be blameless.
2. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."
3. Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
4. "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
5. No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
7. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
8. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
9. Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.
10. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
11. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.
12. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner--those who are not your offspring.
13. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.
14. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
15. God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.
16. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."
17. Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"
18. And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
19. Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
21. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year."

Several important things take place here that are important to Covenant. Paramount is a promise to keep the Covenant that is offered. There are new names given. Abram is no longer. Sarai is no longer. They are now Abraham and Sarah. God has given them a portion of His Name.

There is letting of blood. And there is a sign of the covenant. This is an outward sign that once in Covenant, you are different. This of course is circumcision. Others could now see that Abraham and his male followers were those who worshiped the One God. There is also a giving of possessions. God gave Abraham the land in which he and his people were dwelling. And there is a promise that the Covenant would not only bless Abraham, but be an everlasting Covenant for his descendants.

Today in our society we have perhaps a couple of Covenant rites, the primary one would be marriage. Because of the love of a man and a woman and their promise to join together as one, their families are also united. There is a changing and sharing of names. We celebrate the letting of blood in Holy Communion by remembering the Blood of Jesus being shed for our sin. As a sign we exchange rings. In other societies sometimes clothing was exchanged as when David and Jonathan entered into Covenant.

Perhaps is we were to know more about the meaning of covenant, the seriousness of covenant, we would not take marriage, baptism and even contractual obligations lightly.

Colton


This is my boy. My best buddy. My grandson Colton. He's a great kid. He's smart, funny and is blessed with a warm heart. He's the apple of his mother's eye. He is a blessing to all who know him.

Colton, I love you buddy.

Damned if you do. Damned if you don't.

I enjoy having some verbal interaction with other like-minded souls on a music website for guitar players and their families. We share events in our lives, we answer questions about life, trade humor, we give and receive advice. One fellow’s story this week was worth offering on my small blog.

A middle school public school teacher that makes an attempt to teach the young folk of Queen’s New York shared with us this past Tuesday about how glad he was that he had taken a course in CPR and learned the Heimlich maneuver.

He had walked into the school’s cafeteria and came upon a group of five thirteen year old girls seated at a table. The girls were all laughing at their classmate. The classmate’s face was blue and she was coughing and gagging. This teacher didn’t know, because of the girl’s laughter, what was going on. So he asked the girl if she was choking. She nodded her head "yes" and continued gagging. The teacher pulled her out of the seat, stood behind her and put his arms around her ribs. Then he compressed her diaphragm with his fist. Out flew a Hall’s cough drop that had become lodged in the girl’s throat. He sat with her until she was calm and said that she would be alright.

He walked away wondering why all the girls were laughing at this event. He then went to the administration office to fill out an incident report.

All of the members of the guitar website congratulated him on his heroism. We let him know that he was in the right place at the right time. He was the man of the hour.

You would think that this would be a great end to a great story.

Today he let us know that his union representative took him aside and scolded him. The rep let him know that he had left himself open for a lawsuit. The girl could claim that he was fondling her and trying to molest her by placing his body behind her so closely. The union guy also posed the question, "what if you broke her ribs? You could lose your career and the school district could be sued."

This teacher said that later today his vice principal also took him aside and gave him a similar lecture.

I find this to be totally ludicrous. What has happened to our society that it has become paramount that we look out for number one and ignore the needs of those suffering around us to the point that when an emergency arises, we are told the it would be better if we looked the other way?

Learning the History of the Song

When I was young I had a lot of opportunity to share music in Churches, coffeehouses, clubs, even on the street.

When I was even younger than that I got to study some essentials about music. One course I took was music appreciation. It was geared to learning about baroque, classical and romantic music and composers, but it gave me a wonderful way to look at all manner of musical compositions. To really learn about a song, you needed to learn about it's author and what made him or her tick. You needed to learn why the author chose a particular musician to be a vehicle for the tune. What inspired them to write a song. Even learn about the singers vision for the song.

The song below was recorded by B.J. Thomas back in 1971. It was his second hit. The first was his version of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. Mighty Clouds of Joy was written by Buddy Buie and Robert Nix. Buddy Buie is a songwriting legend and a good ol' boy from Dothan Georgia. His boyhood friend was Bobby Goldsboro. Goldsboro was breaking into his recording career and brought along his childhood chum. It was Goldsboro that introduced Buddy Buie to Roy Orbison. Buie went on to write songs for Orbison and his band. He also wrote songs for up and coming musician, Billy Joe Royal. A band emerged in the late 1960's called The Classics lV and Buie wrote and produced all of their hits. Traces, Spooky, Stormy were all crafted, arranged and put on tape by Buie's talent.



That group eventually disbanded, Buie and J.R. Cobb recruited friends and formed The Atlanta Rhythm Section. One of the members of ARS was Robert Nix. Buie, Nix and Cobb cranked out many of that bands hits throughout the 1970's. It was during this period that Buie and Nix wrote Mighty Clouds of Joy. The Atlanta Rhythm Section never recorded this song. It would have been a perfect fit for Ronnie Hammonds voice. Instead B.J. Thomas or his A&R team (most likely) picked it. Thomas had a wonderful arrangement. I never knew that Buie and Nix wrote this song until years later when I could do research. I always had a fondness for the Atlanta Rhythm Section and their works. Now I know why.

Mighty Clouds of Joy. It's verse, chorus, verse, chorus, simplicity at it's best. No complicated bridge or key changes. No tricks, just a plain simple, pure song. The phrase in the chorus, "Sing Hallelujah" and then the response "Hallelujah" just hints enough at the call and response of old Black Gospel. That knocks me out. The guitar's repetitive riff and smooth Major Seventh chords sweeten and play against the melody.

The key of E major used to be a breeze when I was a young guy, but at 53 it's pushin' my vocal limit. This song is a joy to sing and play. Especially when I see how happy it makes people.
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y

THE MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY

Those old bad dreams
been sleeping in your head.
Those old dark clouds
been hanging around your head.
But all your hard times
will vanish in the wind.
When the mighty clouds of joy come rolling in.

Ohhhh, Holy Jesus
Let your love seize us.
Oh, let us find sweet peace within.
Sing Hallelujah.
Hallelujah !
Happiness begins,
when the mighty clouds of joy come rolling in.

Those old storm clouds
are slowly drifting by.
And those old raindrops
are fading from your eyes.
And oh, Mr. Sun,
gonna shine on us again.
When the mighty clouds of joy come rolling in.

Ohhhh, Holy Jesus.
Let your love seize us.
Oh, let us find sweet peace within.
Sing Hallelujah.
Hallelujah !
Happiness begins,
When the mighty clouds of joy come rolling in.
Holy Jesus
Won't you let your love seize us
Let us find sweet peace within
Hallelujah!
Happiness begins,
When the mighty clouds of joy come rolling in.


lllllllllllllllllllllll

Letter to my Brother

Dear Monty,

We received a call from Anne today. She said that you were going on a spiritual journey. I’m not exactly certain what is meant by spiritual journey, but I am assuming it is a retreat. And that can be a wonderful thing as long as you are not hanging out in the woods and wearing a loincloth and beating drums with a bunch of other middle aged guys. My idea of a retreat would be for you to get away and try not to let the cares of life burden you for two or three days. Also you get to think about life, your relationships and your faith in God. Anne wanted us to send to you our support. Well, I think you already know that we do support you and your family. So in lieu of reminding you of that, I’ll pass on a few tips, some facts of life that I have picked up.

Hold tight to the covenants that you have made. Covenants are unbreakable bonds, vows and promises that have been made between you and others and made before your family. Examples in our culture would be marriage, baptism. The world just doesn’t take covenant seriously any longer. Everyone is looking out for themselves and promises mean very little. Show this to your kids. Lead by example.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. When someone hurts you it is normal to have feelings of fear, hate, anxiety and anger. This is normal. We are all created with these inherent feelings. If you feel the same way two or twenty years later then perhaps it is time for healing and renewal.

Know your own thoughts and feelings. Manage your own thoughts and feelings. By doing this you don’t have to react to others when you are posed with irrational emotions.

Be in agreement. Your girls are growing up fast. They will try and test you and Anne. The thing is that all people, children included, learn and react very differently. Some are thinkers. They have to give serious though to actions and weigh the consequences. Some are feelers. They relate to situations on an emotional level. Instead of weighing consequences, they weigh outcomes based on their feelings. Some folks are doers. They’ll jump in headfirst whether there is water in the pool or not because they want to just try it out. They read the directions later. You can probably gauge what kind of a person you are from these three examples. You can also gauge what template your wife fits into. Some differing learning and reacting styles seem to rub the wrong way with others. Be in agreement with your wife.

I am told the importance of long term goals. However in 1995 when Linny became to ill to work it became impossible to think about long term goals. In fact, I sort of drove myself crazy with worry. What’s going to happen next. What will this test result show. How am I going to pay for her medicine, much less all these bills. In March she will have been sick for ten years. What I learned, what we both learned is to take one day at a time. Someday you have to take one hour at a time. I’ve never really made any long term goals until January of 2004. I had only one goal and that was to get out of debt. It didn’t work out exactly as I had planned, but I am out of debt.

Monty, you and I were not raised in a touchy, feelie family. In fact I do not think most of my friends were raised much differently from us. Love and appreciation were expressed mainly in actions. Mom and Dad never did say, “I love you.” That was OK, because some of the kids from families that did go around saying “I love you” were totally dysfunctional and actually hated each other.

When Dad was sick and in the hospital recovering from heart surgery, I found him crying. He said that he was so impressed that we kissed Mom. His family had never done anything like that. He missed kissing his mother. Words welled up inside of him and he eventually spit out “I love you”. He went on to tell me pretty much what I have summed up in the above paragraph. So listen up, because I’m only saying this once. I love you and I love your family. You have done well for yourself. You have much to be proud of.

I hope this spiritual journey has a profound effect on you.

Love,


Marc

John 14:3 and John 15:13

I heard somebody say that God is dead.
But every breath I take my precious Savior gives.
He took me from the world that’s what He did.
Praise God I’ve been redeemed when He rose up from the dead.

For if I go to prepare a place for you,
I’ll come back and I’ll take you to myself that what I’ll do.
No greater love hath any man than to give his life for you.
He said, “Why would I tell you so, if it were not true?”

If you’re lost somewhere outside then you need the love
of the one and only God Who sent His Son from up above.
Accept Him in your heart and you will know,
when the Light shines deep inside, then all the darkness has to go.

For if I go to prepare a place for you,
I’ll come back and I’ll take you to myself that what I’ll do.
No greater love hath any man than to give his life for you.
He said, “Why would I tell you so, if it were not true?”

Rock and Roll Christianity

It was on America Online News. It was on Entertainment Tonight. I received at least thirty emails from the Jesus Music Online forum. Some fellow from a musical group called Korn was baptized in the Jordan River last week. His name is Brian “Head” Welch and he states that the baptism has purged his anger. This band, Korn, was recently featured in an episode of a TV show that I enjoy called Monk. None of the band members looked like a happy lot.

As Phil Keaggy states in one of his songs, “All Of The Angels In Heaven Above Rejoice When There’s A Soul Saved.”

I’m really glad for this fellow. He made a public profession of his faith in God and in God’s Son Jesus the Christ. I am certain that he felt the peace of the Holy Spirit settle upon him. This is all a wonderful thing.

This caused me to think back on my Jesus Freak days, I am reminded that there was a real burning desire to have our favorite Rock Stars become Christians. There were rumors that George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and quite a few others became Christians. There was talk that a guitarist from the band Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green, had quit to become a Christian. Why did we it mean so much to us that our musical heroes were becoming Christians? Why were not equally concerned when the shy girl that sat in the back of a classroom professed her faith in Jesus? Why was it more important to us that our Rock heroes were worshiping the Lord, instead of having equal concern about bringing the Peace of Jesus to our own family members?

Perhaps part of this is due to the publicity personel associated with celebrities that promote our heroes and a intensive desire on the part of the media to sell news. Perhaps part of this is our own joy that we felt and we want our heroes to share in that joy. In my humble opinion we have our priorities all wee-wawwed.

Harken back to ancient Rome. Do you think the early Christians of that city felt the same way when the Emperor Constantine became a Christian?

“Hey fellow citizen Demitrius, did you hear the latest rumor? The Emperor has become a Christian and he has decreed that all Romans are to become Christians. Is that incredible or what?”

“Where did you hear that? Well, well that would be great news indeed citizen Euripides, especially for ourselves and all the other believers.

I wonder, does that mean no more being beaten by the Praetorian Guard, being eaten by lions or hanging on crosses?

I mean that sounds all well and good, but what about the Arena? I certainly do enjoy a spot of entertainment you know? What will we be doing for entertainment if there is no combat and mutilation? You've met my son the a gladiator. He makes a pretty fair living and has lots of admirers. I know he doesn’t cotton to our ways. He's got a bright future. I fear if this rumor is true then his career might come to an end. I was so in hopes of seeing him at the Arena next week, doing battle with a lion and maybe wounding a couple of Christians. You know, not mortally or anything.”

“Relax Demitrius. I also heard that the Emporer that is planning new entertainment for the Arena. It will be starting next week. I'm surprised your boy didn't say anything about it. I've heard that Williamus Grahamus will be publically speaking. I understand he is a fine orator. Then they are to bring in entertainment called Gospel Quartets. I’m not really certain what that it means, Gospel Quartet, but I’m going there to find out. And your son will soon be embracing our ways. Like I said, it's mandatory now."

Oh and Demitrius, the Emperor made a speech last week and said that he realized there because of a scarcity of work for gladiators and his legions, he is setting aside extra funds from the treasury and sending them off on an exciting campaign to the heathen lands outside of Rome to put to death all non-believing mongrel dogs that don't heed the Emporor's decree. So your boy might be off for a couple of years. But you can rest assurred that his career of killing, maiming and ravishing will not go wasted. Hey, would you like to go with me this weekend and check out Grahamus?"

“Well it sounds Emperor Constantine is doing the right thing. My boy is still going to be appreciated and well respected. He will still follow his calling and now he has to become a Christian or else. You gotta’ like that. Hey sure I’d love to come. Pax Romanus brother.”

“Pax Romanus back at ya’dude.”

Being Sick and Staying Home from Work

Yesterday I started out with a fever and coughing. After that I got chilled. My manager monitored a call that I had taken from a fellow wanting to cash out his 401(k) plan and she scored me on the call. I wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t on my “A” game. I got a 72 on the call. This unnerved me. Here I was making an effort to come in and help out when I’m feeling terrible and my reward is a lousy score that will cut into my next bonus. My wife says no good deed will go unpunished.

I was going to tough it out, but I decided that I’d be better off going home and getting some medicine and rest. So I requested to leave at 4 PM. The medicine was the easy part. Because of constant post nasal drip and coughing, it made it near impossible to lay down to sleep. I believe I was up until 3 AM.

I wanted to go into work today. I like to work. I like to feel useful. Not everyone is cut out to do the job that I preform and I think I’m fairly good at it. The center that I work at sounded like a tuberculosis clinic yesterday. I think the guys that get rewarded for never missing a day of work should also be knocked upside the head with a two by four since they came to work when they were sick and spread their disease. These disgusting plague careers.

This morning, I still have a fever and my body aches. The cough has lessened. I called in this morning at 6:30 AM then fixed a couple of pancakes and checked my email. I’m going back to bed.

Amplifiers Part 2

So when I last blogged I had described my amplifier history up through the Kustom top and Bandmaster bottom. I was driving a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle during that time and the only way to lug the Bandmaster was to remove the passenger seat. The Bandmaster cabinet was the larger one built in the early 1970's. It was way too bulky and heavy.

During the 1950's through the 1970's no one seemed to come across the idea of miking the amplifier. We all thought bigger and more powerful was better. All the rockers had stacks of Fender Dual Showman and then moved to Marshalls. I salute the genius that decided to put a microphone in front of a Fender Champ amp and run it through the public address system.

So I traded the Kustom amplifier and the Bandmaster cabinet at a music store for a brand-new Yamaha amp. It’s a G50-112. The guy at the store saw me coming with these two vintage pieces and probably bought the amplifier at a deep discounted price. He was a Yamaha distributor. I'm sure he made out like a bandit. But I didn't want that big old speaker cabinet any longer. So I was happy with the deal.


The Yamaha is a solid state amplifier that is good at playing clean. Blues players would hate it. Shredders would hate it. However, clean is what I like, since my playing style is finger picking. Instead of having a master volume and a volume control, this amp has a volume control and a distortion control. The distortion functions like a fuzz tone. I do not use that feature. The amp was designed and manufactured in Japan and was even signed by one of the amp technicians on a sticker inside the cabinet. G50-112 denotes that it is a 50-watt amp with one 12" Yamaha Special Design speaker. It probably weighs around 50 lbs. This is my favorite amp.

Since I’m older, I started looking for something lighter to carry around to play music through. A few years ago, I purchased a Pignose G40V. This is a class AB tube amp. It is powered by two 6L6GC tubes and originally had three 12AX7 for the preamp and phase splitter. I changed one of the preamp tubes to a 12AK7 to get a cleaner and quieter sound.


The Piggy was designed for rock and roll and over driven tube distortion. Turn up the volume and you can clear a room. I keep mine quiet and it sounds great. You can just plug into this amp and go. There are no effects, just amplification. It's 40 watts into a 10" speaker that can handle 80 watts. It has more bottom when I plug it into a one 12" speaker cabinet.

I’ve also got 2 Squier 15 watt amplifiers that I use to power my keyboard set up. I have put a switch in both of them to turn off the internal speaker and I run the signal into some larger speaker cabs. This is strictly for home use.

I have two other amps. One is a 1970's Fender Vibrochamp. It needs a new rectifier tube. It looks like it’s been played at many bars. But it has a wonderful sound and the tremolo is incredible.

The other amp is a Squier 25 Champ. It’s similar to a Fender Champion model that was being sold at the time. These are solid state amplifiers.

Amplifiers Part One

My first amplifier was probably manufactured by the Kay Guitar Company as a house brand for Western Auto Store. I still have it. It is a class A amplifier, which means it has one power tube that runs continuously and one pre-amp tube. It also has a rectifier tube. The rectifier, be it a tube or solid state, does the job of converting alternating current to usable direct current.

The pre-amp tube is what amplifies the electric guitar's tiny signal and amplifiers tonal range and the power tube amplifies the signal into audible sound that is sent through the speaker.

Class A denotes that the power tube is running at peak power continuously. Usually these amps have one or two power tubes. A class AB guitar amp has two to four power tubes that alternate duty so that while one or two are "on" the other one or two are "off". The first preamp tube in this type of amp is called a Phase Splitter and is designed to send alternate the signal between the power tubes.

My first guitar and first amplifier were very much underappreciated by the 17 year old kid that owned them. My father had purchased a 1956 Fender Stratocaster for $150 including tax from Dodd’s Music in Covington. It was beat and so was the tweed case that it came in. I carried that guitar around everywhere.

About a year later, I had saved up $200 and went to Midwest Music and purchased a brand new Fender Deluxe Reverb. Which I also toted around everywhere. I think the Deluxe Reverb weighs in at around 30+ pounds and the Strat and case weighed a respectable 15 pounds or so. Who needed gym classes.

All my buddy’s owned new guitars and here was I with this beat up Stratocaster. After a couple years, I traded it for a 1967 Gibson Trini Lopez Standard. The Trini is still in great shape and probably would be worth at least $2500 and up in today’s dollars. However a 1956 Stratocaster with original 7.5" radius maple neck, original pickups and original case would be worth about $15,000. My

My Deluxe Reverb pumped out 22 watts into a 12" Jensen speaker. I cranked it to 10 to be heard in the garage bands. Most of my friends owned Super Reverbs. These were rated at 40 watts and had 4 - 10" speakers. There were some more bells and whistles on a Super. It had a midrange control and a bright switch. It was heavy and bulky.

I sold the Deluxe for about $250 and bought a Bandmaster 2 - 12" speaker cabinet and a 50 watt Kustom tuck and roll amplifier head. Kustom amps were solid state, but I didn’t know. Amps was amps.

Well, This is Me

Marc O'Hara

A chubby white Christian boy with a bad attitude.

I've come a long way from being a skinny Jesus Freak. Middle age and gravity have hit hard, Marc keeps chuggin' along.

I'm gettin' 'little older and a little out of shape,
but I still believe in Jesus.
I've had a lot of old friends say I've made a big mistake,
but I still believe in God.

I've got a little wiser since I've found this brand new life
and I still believe in Jesus.
I have a couple daughters and a very lovely wife
and I still believe in God.

I still believe, I still believe and I can't concieve no different.
Jesus died, was crucified and now the Son has risen.
I still believe, I still believe and it's still the same old story.
Jesus Christ was crucified and rose as King of Glory.

Some Thoughts on Fingerstyle Guitar

I started playing clarinet in the fourth grade. My Mom played piano. So I was trained to be a very melodic based person. Most guitarist playing is chordal based unless the musicians are classically trained. I was never content with just strumming chords. And I never had the opportunity to study classical guitar. I was able to take courses on music theory and composition while I was in school. But I digress.

In band situations, from the 1920's to the present, the guitar was generally used to provide a sense of moving the rhythm to the proper key of a song. It was a traditional rhythm instrument along with the percussion section. However for me, playing the guitar is melodic based. Even when playing the guitar to accompany singing, I feel that the accompaniment needs to be melodic.

When I was playing and singing in Christian coffeehouses and churches, I met Mike Wilshire. Mike had been a player a well known local band before he became a Christian. He was an excellent fingerstyle player. He used his thumb and all of his fingers on his right hand to pick the strings. I emulated his style. Later on I learned that this was a version of Travis picking. In Travis picking (attributed to Merle Travis) the player picks alternate 1 and 5 notes on the bass strings with the thumb while picking either a melody or a repetitive pattern on the top four individual strings. In the style that I learned from Mike, I essentially do the same thing with my thumb and 1st finger. Playing a repetitive pattern was fine for vocal accompaniment, but I strived to learn to be more of a melodic player.

Many years later I was watching one of the few TV videos that were made of A Prairie Home Companion. Chet Atkins was featured on that show and played his rendition of the Don Maclean song "Vincent". I made up my mind that I would learn that song. I had made a video tape of that show and recorded the audio portion. It took a while to study Chet's fingering, but I determined that he was using an alternate tuning of G,D,G,D,B,E. I though this was ingenious. The top four strings were used in normal tuning and the bottom two lent the bass accompaniment. The only drawback was that you could only play in the key of G. My eleven-year-old daughter had signed up for Saturday art classes at a college in Dayton, Ohio. I took her there at 8:30 A.M. and the classes ended at 12:30 P.M.. So I had four hours and the drive was too long to go back home. So I brought my guitar and tape recorder and headed to the local park. I relearned the guitar. That's where I taught myself to play Vincent. From that tuning I was able to arrange a number of other songs.

Recently I've gone back to concentrate on traditional tuning and worked out some new versions of old songs. The one drawback to concentrating on fingerstyle (in Kentucky it's called thumb style) picking, is that it is now difficult for me to use a flat pick. I've solved that by using my first finger as a pick.

There are a lot of resources on the web to find out more information on thumb or fingerstyle guitar playing.

What A Day This Has Been - Part ll

My wife is an only child. She was raised by abusive parents, that were abused themselves. They were more mentally abusive than physically abusive. During an era in which most women stayed at home and men worked, her parents both worked. They left the job of raising my wife to women they called "governesses". They were actually babysitters, however both her folks had delusions of grandeur and thought this title lent more credence to them with their friends.

She seldom was with her parents. When they arrived home for dinner, she was given a plate of food and sent to her room for the evening. After my wife reached the age of maturity, twelve years old, they decided that she was old enough to take care of herself.

I mention this because of an incident that happened today that lead me to record today's events.

For years her parents dream was to move back to the "country" and live as country squires. Rising up in the morning to survey the lower 40, then spending the day on their porch basking in the country air and tilling up the soil. They eventually sold us their city home, The Old Haney Place, and took our money to put as a downpayment on their country estate. The land that they owned was actually my father-in-laws inheritence. Across the street from their home was a plot of land that they deeded to my wife. They were in hopes that when we became wealthy we could build our estate next to them, although it would have to be much smaller and sort of cottage-like, so it would not overshadow the Master's estate. It would be much easier that way to come over and care for them in their golden years.

As you may have read in the last post, my wife became ill. Due to expenses beyond our control, we never became wealthy, so we did not get to build our much tinier, much less grand estate. We are still residing in The Old Haney Place as a matter of fact. However my wife had been promised for years that the deed to her property was tucked away safely in a safe deposit box.

This brings us to today's events.

We have been without a computer for the past 6 months. When you are housebound, a computer is your doorway to the world and to meet people with similar interests. We had been saving money since our old Tandy 1000 crashed and were about ready to have a friend build us a new one. But my wife's parents generously came through with enough money to purchase a great system. They told her not to cut corners. They said that they had gotten some money back from their medical insurance and were sharing it with her. This was totally out of character. But we thanked God that she was once again able to get back in touch with her internet friends.

Today the truth was revealed, as it always eventually is. Her parents, without her permission, sold the property that they deeded to her for around $30,000. So the new gift of a computer was actually purchased with her own money.

The inlaws went to get their taxes done. Their tax attorney told them that since the deed was in their daughter's name as well as theirs, they were required by law to disclose the sale of the property to her if they were claiming the entire procedes on their income tax or they would have to give her the money due to her to declare as income on her taxes. He said that he would call her if they were unwilling.

What do you do when your own parents betray you?

You thank your Father in Heaven that He will never leave you or foresake you and you put all of your trust in Him.

What A Day This Has Been

Today, March 4th, 2005 is the tenth anniversary of the day that my wife fell ill with an incurable neurologic disease.

She was making her rounds in her car working as a home health care nurse today, 10 years ago. She felt an intense stabbing pain in the right side of her face that went to the back of her head. It was so severe that she thought she had been hit by a random bullet. She pulled to the side of the road in hopes that the pain would go away. She felt her head for blood, but there was no blood. She called our family doctor on her cellphone and asked if she should go to the emergency room. He told her to come to his office as soon as possible.

After examing her, he was clearly puzzled. He wanted to get her to see a neurologist. The only one immediately available was a doctor that had treated her for headaches in the late 1970's. Under his care she inadvertantly suffered a stroke due to poor placement of a catheter during an angiography. So she was not going back to him. She had to wait several months before she was diagnosed as having Raeder's Paratrigeminal Neuralgia by a competent doctor. In the interim I took her from one doc to another in hopes that some test might shed some light. It was obvious to me that she had encephalitus, but what did I know. By the time she saw Dr. Kelly, the swelling in her brain had subsided, but not the after-effects.

Since then it's been tough times and a long road to regaining health. She had to give up her career as a registered nurse and a public relations specialist. She gave up much more than that. Her freedom. She has been essentially housebound and dependent on those around her to provide for her. She has been subjected to limited activity as well by this disease. She has been abandon by all of her old friends and acquaintances. People assume you are contagious. Besides it's really a bummer hanging with the sick. Her church has never done anything but send her envelopes for tithes. But we continue to hang in there and trust that God will provide for our every need.

This is my story

Hello,

My name is Marc

I am a guy that has worn and still wears a lot of hats. I'm a husband, a father, a grandfather, a son, a former grandson, an enteprenuer, an employee, a Defined Contribution Specialist, a musician, a genuine Kentucky thumbpicker, a lover of fine guitars and a player of a few. I'm a lover and I have been a fighter. I've been financially sound and I've had to pawn my guitar. I was lost, but I have been found for the past 35 years. I've been a skinny kid and a fat man. My education has been sporadic at best. I've been a hospital orderly, a surgical technician, the owner of a grocery business and a provider of information regarding institutional retirement plans. I've been shy and I've been outgoing. I've met the enemy. I've met the Son. I am my father's son and I am my Father's son. I trust that the righteous will never be forsaken, nor will their seed ever go begging for bread.