Final Thoughts of 2008

It's is fascinating what is happening in the world.

WARS.......Rumors of Wars......Famines......Natural Disasters......One world money market..... Recession......Diseases..............all sounding familiar? (Matthew 24)

I was reading I Timothy 4 today....and it struck me how the closer I think I'm getting to God, the further away, I really am.............Without correction, I would be without hope.....so here I am.... someone who has been in ministry for Christ for almost 35 years........and I know very little.

We are all treading on a minuscule, paper-thin blade of reaping God's blessings or losing it all.

I know this isn't the happiest blog for the end of the year......but its a sobering thought

I trust you all have a blessed New Year.........May God pour Wisdom all over you.
Take a moment and read 1 Timothy chapter 4 today........i won't print the whole chapter but I'll close this year's last blog with the final 3 verses in this timely chapter.

"...Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you."

(1 Tim. 4:14-16)

Love to you all
Greg

The Future of Church Music

OK......I know I've been slipping on my blog this FALL.....I need someone to do my other job...so I can do this full-time..........HA!!!

Enjoy this.....its one of the funniest things I've seen in a while

My First Experience in the ER as a Parent

So my darling daughter, Adalyn, with exuberance abounding during my choir rehearsal last night, tripped and fell flat on her face. Her nose began to bleed and then swell. (approx. 9:50pm)

AT 10:10pm, I was made aware of this and we (Angie and I) began the proceedings of going to the emergency room for the first time in this area.....and for the first time as parents.

This is not a pleasant experience for anyone at any age. You are filled with the questions of unknowing. I mean.....did she break her nose?...... If she broke her nose, is there anything that can be done anyways?......if we don't take her to the ER will we regret it?....If we do take her, will it be a waste of time and money?........and by the way, where is the hospital?

We figure out the closest hospital was about a 20 minute drive.....so we go to find it. Addy is being brave...not crying.....but not enjoying keeping ice on her 'boo-boo' (10:25pm)

We arrive at the hospital.....I'm excited because there's not a lot of activity....we're gonna get treated quickly...this is making my decision to go to the hospital easier to accept. We park.... unload everyone out of the car seats....walk to the door.......the doors don't open.......THEY'RE CLOSED?????!!!!!!! What kind of a hospital closes?

Have I really been so out of touch with hospitals that I didn't know they have working hours?

There is a sign that says in between the hours of 10pm and 7am go to [this other hospital]..so we proceed to the other hospital (10:35pm)

We arrive and check in with the receptionist.....she's nice and gives Addy a beautiful green bracelet that has her name and info on it.....Addy want to take it off immediately....but after we tell her only the doctor can take it off...she calms a bit.....and so the waiting begins..... (10:50pm)

At 11:20pm, we are called into triage where we tell the nurse whats wrong and vitals are taken. I am realizing that Addy hates her temperature, blood pressure, & pulse taken....fun times!!

.........and so we wait......and wait........and wait

Finally we are called to go to the doctor......YIPPEE.........(12:50am)

Nurse comes into our holding room (1:10am)

At this point, I must tell you that I didn't realize their are no walled-in rooms in the ER...so, you get to hear everyone's problems, sounds, pains, etc... It was a packed night....so we had our elderly, our druggies who overdosed, our kids who couldn't breathe, and people with existing illnesses who were screaming out in pain..........all while trying to calm two little girls and two frightened parents

FINALLY..... the doctor comes in at 1:45am......He says it is a good sign she is not bleeding and doesn't think it is broken; however, we can not tell and we need a CAT Scan....DA-DA-DA-DUM! (that was Beethoven's 5th for anyone interested)

I send Angie and Macayla away ( back to the car ) and I begin to wait for this CAT scan.....Addy passes out ( PTL ) (2am)

At 2:35am, we go to the other side of the hospital for the xray and we wait to get all magnetized up

At this point, I must say it is not a pleasant feeling seeing your child next to the CAT Scan machine....even though I knew this wasn't life threatening....its just not a good feeling.

(and YES.....I know its illegal to take pics inside these buildings...but I just had to -
the big hole was about to chomp down on my little girl)

Well, I wished I had the next few minutes recorded...because I'm telling you...CRAZINESS!!!

I had to move Addy from one bed to the other....she woke up and FREAKED out..... She went ballistic....I tried to calm her.....she wasn't giving in......the doctor was an old craggedly man who was towards the end of his shift ( I guess).....he was...."Look, sir....you're gonna have to calm her down".......and I was....... "I can't"........he then said....."You're gonna have to hold her"

So the doctor put the magnetic vest on me.......yes they do make one in a 'very' large size. So I'm all suited up....holding Addy's hand...telling her we are going on a treasure hunt....blah blah blah.. none of it is working

I think I've calmed her down a bit and then the doctor puts foam in between her head and the headrest.....then STRAPS HER HEAD DOWN..........yeah right.......Addy is going ape at this point...........The doctor is yelling at me....ADDY is crying.....I finally get her calm and the table begins to move into the hole............Addy looks up and sees the RED LASER light going to her face and jumps out of that bed....SCREAMING as loud as she can.....

The doctor throws up his hands .....gives me a ...."I can't do this.....we're going to have to sedate her".............SEDATE HER???? EXCUSE ME????? I don't think so

We go back to the ER.......(2:50am).......the [original] doctor tells me that we can sedate her but she seems to be okay because there is no bleeding and she can still breather...so he wants us to keep an eye on her and then he discharges us at 3:05am.

We get home at 3:45am and Addy is asleep..................so was it a good idea to go to the ER? Hindsight no...because we waited 5 hours for them to say "keep an eye on her". But as "inexperienced emergency situation" parents, we would've worried all night if we didn't have her looked at........

I must say, I don't see how anyone could be in the medical profession. Thank God for them. I just don't see how they do it...........

A special shout out to my brave wife Angie, and little girl, Macayla, who were troopers through the whole night.

To my sweety, Adalyn.....I know one of your favorite movies is Hunchback from Notre Dame, but we definitely don't want you looking like Quasimodo....so we're gonna get all better real soon.

My final thoughts about this experience is that the emergency room had no resemblance of Grey's Anatomy, Chicago Hope or even ER......WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

If you haven't started using this...NOW IS THE TIME

This Reminds Me Of Many Auditions

Really all I can say is.... "Lord Bless Him"
For those of my TRUTH alum compatriots.....enjoy!!

What would you say to him if he just auditioned to be in your group?
How do you encourage and critique at the same time?
So are the days of our lives.........

SONSEED - You gotta see this group

This is to cheer you up today!!! Enjoy!

What An Amazing 24 Hours?

Just as I was coming down from last night's truly inspired, historic, mesmerizing, awe-capturing, show within a show within another show;
a new jolt of adrenaline hit me around noon today.

Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, accepted the VP spot for the Republican Presidential ticket.

Now, first, about last night.....to all my fellow conservatives, it IS possible to be inspired by concepts without agreeing to the philosophies.

I use the word "INSPIRED" as being - a moment something makes you feel, believe, or act differently than you had before.
This does not mean you have to change you own standards or beliefs; it just means that you were compelled to reach a little deeper in your own thoughts and decisions.

You can be inspired by a car and be compelled to buy it......this does not mean you have to agree with everything that car designer, manufacturer, or distributor believes in.

You can walk into a clothing store.....see an outfit that "speaks to you".....decide you want to buy it.......that, to me, is being inspired.....even when you know the designer has different beliefs than you; did that prevent the inspiration?

To those blessed enough to have been to Walt Disney World, were you not inspired? I mean, come on....the happiest place on earth.........but it is widely reported they have special days for those whom you do not agree with spiritually or philosophically.....does that stop the sheer awesomeness of you trip?


This happens in music all the time......there are great musicians throughout time, who have written / performed inspiring music, who have differing views as myself; however, it does not stop the heart from beating faster or the spiritual uplifting gifts that come with that hearing.

Well, last night was inspired! Knowing this country's history and the sins our people have committed on one another throughout the last 400 years, last night was miraculous. I have not heard an orator as moving, with so much pressure put upon them, as I did with Barak Obama when he accepted his nomination last night

.

And the production was AMAZING......that staging in the little time they had.....it was a wonderful achievement.

But don't get me wrong, I still despise most things he and his party stand for. It PAINS me that we do not have a speaker like that in my party. The gift and talent of oratory is not to be discarded as something 'anyone' can do........Not just ANYONE could've have done that last night.

So, yes, I was inspired and a little saddened as I went to sleep last night........I mean its over... there is nothing we can do to top that next week....

And then this morning, the political storm clouds grew darker..... a name, Sarah Palin, entered my vocabulary. Who is she? How do you say her name? She was picked as VP candidate? What?

WHY, OH WHY DID YOU PICK HER?????????

I mean its no big deal that I don't know who she is.....but NOBODY knew who she was (outside of Alaska)........this could not be happening.........we are DOOMED!!!!

Then I heard her speak.....I saw her family......I learned that she was a mom of 5 (including a soldier going to Iraq and a 5 month baby boy with Downs Syndrome)..Today was her 20th wedding anniversary and she's a fighter for the RIGHT causes. She is a STRONG Christian who goes to an Independent Bible Church

Throughout the day, I got more and more pumped up......this is a breath of fresh air...this is making a true change in our government politics as we know it.

Here is an article that TIME online has put out titled
"10 Things You Should Know About Sarah Palin"
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1837523_1837531_1837528,00.html

It was a surprise to all politicos, pundits, media, and people in general.........all the newscasts are talking about this being the biggest gamble in America Politics history...just imagine if McCain can pull this one off.......................OH MY!!!!

Its been an AMAZING 24 hours of politics in the US of A.