by | December 20, 2019 · 7:00 am

Music Flashback With Audio! The Album that Never Was

Nashville

Back in July of 2013, a year before Katie went to college for a music degree, we spent a couple of days sitting in front of microphones in a studio in Nashville.

My daughters and I, along with Daniel Ziegenmier and Steve Castlen, were creating what I believe could have been a surprise hit – Katie’s debut CD. But, alas, the finished product was not to be.

Below is the story, along with photos and music I just uploaded to YouTube (scroll down to listen to them).

Goat Farmer Records

goat farmer recordsBelieve it or not, Katie (the recent graduate from Bryan College) was picked up by Goat Farmer Records in Nashville, TN. Yes, Goat Farmer Records. GFR was an independent label focusing on alternative bluegrass and Americana, and we were the label’s first Christian artists!

Being that GFR was not Sony, Capital, or Sparrow Records, the recording budget was limited. We were not flown to Nashville, nor did we receive big bonuses and specially prepared food during sessions. No limo picked us up at the hotel, either. But, what we did receive was a warm welcome, a laid-back atmosphere, and the opportunity to have fun.

If nothing else, this poor preacher didn’t have to fork out $10K for studio time. Can I get an amen!?

Unfortunately, the Christian message and mission of Katie’s music developed an uncomfortable vibe, and the label’s owner and chief engineer (Joel Ziegenmier) thought it best to release Katie and not pursue finishing the project or promotion.

Future attempts at recording also proved unfruitful, so Katie never got to put out the CD that we thought would be a blessing.

Pictures

Everybody loves pictures, so here are a few images from our sessions.

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Mr. Monkey goes everywhere.

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Daniel on the cajon, Haley on the Uke, Katie on guitar, Joel setting up, and me on bass (out of view).

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It’s hard to explain.

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Katie likes the Neuman u87 (microphone).

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Steve Castlen on drums.

Unlike many other groups, we get to play our own instruments! No hired studio musicians to replace us – no sir! But of course, that means recording music takes longer and requires a lot of work. Amazingly, one can get tired while having fun.

The Present and Future

While Katie was in college for 5 1/2 years, she wasn’t able to focus on her own music much, even though it was partly her creativity and potential that earned her a music scholarship. Even though she has written a couple of songs in the last 5 years, most of her time was spent learning music, including operas in multiple languages.

Now that Katie and Haley are moved out and on their own, and now that Katie is done with college, my hope is that she will return to writing and recording, especially since her voice has matured and her musical knowledge has been expanded.

If you like what you hear in the links I’ve included below, please contact Katie and let her know. Encourage her to rekindle the gift that God has given her.

Bonus Picture

rockers

Mirror Image (1993). That’s me, my sister (Rebecca), Jody Gould, and Steve Castlen back in the day 🙂

The Album that Wasn’t

The following “studio roughs” were recorded at the now-defunct Goat Farmer Records in Nashville, TN. Even though the audio quality was good, no post-editing was ever completed, so the critical ear will hear a few mistakes.

Also, Katie was only 17 at the time of these recordings. Her vocal and music abilities have greatly improved over the last 6 years!

Don’t you think that last song would make a great video? Even a great commercial for a cute car?

If you are a record label, Katie’s available 🙂 

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by | December 19, 2019 · 8:00 am

How We Know Jesus Was a Gift from God

A Christmas Sermon Outline

Have you ever been given a gift, or seen one under the Christmas tree, that needed no card or tag informing you who sent it? Maybe the meticulous wrapping was a clue to who the wrapper was.

I know Christmas is still a few days away, but some of you might need something to preach or teach between now and then. Therefore, please accept as my gift of an outline I prepared, “How We Know Jesus Was a Gift from God.”

Please, feel free to use it 🙂

“How We Know Jesus Was a Gift from God”

I.  Because of When THIS Gift Was Given

·   Galatians 4:4 “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son…”

II.  Because of How THIS Gift Was Wrapped

·   Luke 2:12 “And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

·   Philippians 2:7 “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”

·   Hebrews 4:15 KJV – “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.”

III.  Because THIS Gift Was Truly Free

·   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He GAVE…”

·   Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace…it is a GIFT of God, NOT of works…”

·   Romans 3:24 “Being justified FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

IV.  Because THIS Gift Was Exactly What We Needed

A.  To Bring Us Life – Luke 2:11 “Unto you is born, in the city of David, a SAVIOR…”

B.  To Bring Us Joy – Lamentations 3:22-23 “His mercies are new every morning”

V.  Because of the Love that Went Into It.

·   1 John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

VI.  Conclusion:

A.  Accept the Gift of Jesus

B.  Give Thanks! – 2 Cor. 9:15 “Thanks be to God for this unspeakable Gift!”

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by | December 18, 2019 · 11:18 am

Thoughts On Impeachment

I am not a politician, nor do I play one on TV. Once I daydreamed about running for Congress, but then I returned to reality and drank a strong cup of coffee – no more of that nonsense.

However, I am a voter who has been watching politicians for many years, especially the last three, and I’ve been pretty disgusted by the whole lot.

Granted, not all politicians are sleazy scumbags. I get it. As a matter of fact, over the years I have had the privilege to know a couple of government officials, servants, who love our country, had high moral and ethical standards, and were not afraid to put their careers on the line while doing the right thing. But those are truly, truly rare these days.

Now, today, I get to see the culmination of three years of attacks on the President of the United States of America: impeachment.

Frankly, I find it funny that we went through two years or more of people absolutely sure Donald Trump colluded with the Russians and played patty cake in a hot tub with Vladimir Putin. They had “evidence” to “prove” it. Yet, none of that is part of the impeachment being voted on today.

As a matter of fact, the Democrat Party in America, aided by the mainstream press (a willing extension of the Party), has done nothing but look for any reason whatsoever to destroy President Trump and remove him from office, even before his inauguration! Even before he took the oath of office, there were protests, calls for violence, fires in the streets, intimidation of voters, and yes, calls for impeachment.

Simply put, the Left has hated Donald Trump since he shattered their dreams and defeated the Ice Queen, Hillary Clinton. There was nothing he could every do to win them over. There would be nothing he could ever do to gain their approval. Simply because he won the election, he, along with half the country (the “deplorables”), would be the recipients of attack after attack after attack. The Left’s pathological hatred would drive their whole agenda.

So, on this historic day, President Donald Trump is being impeached in the House for the most pitiful of excuses for “crimes and misdemeanors” anyone has ever seen. He’s not being impeached for colluding, lying under oath, bribery, tweeting too much, bad hair, getting jiggy with an intern behind the “resolute desk” in the Oval Office, or breaking into the Democrat headquarters. No, he’s being impeached because of misrepresented conversations and disrespecting those who’ve done nothing less than try to carry out a coup.

And the American people are wising up.

Blind hatred can lead one to do stupid things, including self-destructive behavior. When your sole mission in life is to destroy another person, you become bitter, narrow-minded, angry, mean, and eventually delusional. What’s even worse, hatred and a desire for vengeance can wind up hurting the very ones you love – including your country.

When nothing else is as important than vindication, retribution, and the orgasmic desire for the destruction of your enemy, you  become the servant of Evil and the hand tool of the Destroyer.

America is worse off now than if it had let the man elected President do his job, good or bad. Seething, delusional, maniacal, and pathological hate has divided and wounded this nation, all because a single man won an election, thereby stalling the radical agenda of those hell-bent on cultural transformation.

It’s an historic day, for sure.

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by | December 16, 2019 · 11:25 am

King George: Master of All He Surveys

Here’s the most recent post from another blog I use every now and then to publish pictures. George makes for great object lessons 😉

Anthony Baker's avatari4 Daily

It is amazing how tiny dogs think they are so big. Of course, being king over the back yard might not be on George’s mind, but he knows his territory, from back porch to back fence. 

He’s so cute.

But in reality, we humans do look out over our kingdoms and think of ourselves as masters of all we survey. We look at this and that and claim it as ours, when in actuality it is only loaned to us for a short time – our lifetime. 

The true King is the one who never dies, who’s deed to the universe will never expire, and the one for and by all things were created.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and…

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by | December 15, 2019 · 11:01 pm

Graduation 2019 and a Walk Through Musical Memory Lane

I haven’t been writing much, lately. It’s been pretty busy around here.

One thing that just happened was the graduation from college by my daughter Katie.

Katie’s first day at Bryan college was back in September of 2014 when we dropped her off at the dorms. I still remember getting back home, walking down the hall and looking into her freshly-painted, peach-colored, sparkly room, knowing those days were over. I cried a river as I leaned against her door frame.

The first picture was taken on that first day at Bryan. Here is myself, Haley (our youngest), and Katie, all sporting our brand new t-shirts to celebrate and remember the day.

Can you believe these are the same two girls?

Here is Katie with Dr. Stephen Livesay, the President of Bryan College.

Now, here’s the proud dad and mom with the graduate 🙂

So, Katie got a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and Vocal. She could always sing, and she can write some beautiful music. Let’s view some performance history on YouTube 🙂 See if you can tell how much she’s matured by the last one.

Here is a video of Katie back in November of 2011 (8 years ago). This was the first video of her singing I ever posted on YouTube.

Here is a video of Katie from December of 2012 singing an original, one of the first songs she ever wrote.

Here she is from before her college days in a high school talent show playing guitar (they won 1st place).

Now, the video is not the best quality, but here is Katie and I playing for her high school graduation banquet. Again, this is a song she wrote…and she’s playing the uke better than I played the bass.

This is her senior (college) recital in January of this year. I get to play with her at the very end – because I played for her when she first auditioned for a music scholarship…which she received 🙂

 

Which brings us to the last video – the one made tonight at a church in Soddy-Daisy, TN. Now that Katie is on her own, a college graduate, and living back in Chattanooga with her sister, Haley, I don’t get to perform with her anymore, nor hear her sing in church. So, it sure was a blessing to see this video of Katie doing a wonderful performance of “Breath of Heaven.

This is what loving the Lord, 6 years of college, a lot of prayer, and tons of perseverance will get you. I’m a blessed dad to have such beautiful and talented daughters.

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by | December 12, 2019 · 6:00 am

Christmas Canine Cuteness

I had already purchased Christmas cards when the idea was suggested that we make cards with photos of George and me.

It wasn’t a bad idea, necessarily, but I do have a wife, so wouldn’t it be a good idea to include her, too?

So, since I already had the cards (sorta), and since my wife has been out of town and unable to have her picture made with me, I decided to take pictures of George and make copies to insert inside the Christmas cards I’m mailing out.

George is like a wind-up toy that never winds down. Yet, when I put him up on the table and wrapped him in electric Christmas lights, he sat there perfectly calm and still. I was shocked … see what I did there 😉

Anyway, here are a few photos I took with my iPhone, including one with me in the jacket I wore last Sunday night for our Christmas concert. Don’t envy me; that’s a sin.

A perfect little gentleman 🙂

Someone has a little attitude.

He’s either singing “Oh, Howly Night,” laughing at my attempts to make him smile, or screaming, “I don’t want to be a media hound!”

Buddies 🙂

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by | December 10, 2019 · 9:13 am

10 Reasons Why Jesus Is Better Than Santa Claus

It wasn’t an anti-Santa sermon; it was pro-Jesus.

Yes, Sunday morning I did my best to keep things positive and upbeat, rather than pound Santa Claus into the ground as an antichrist-like idol that replaces our Savior as the primary focus of this season.

As a matter of fact, a 5-year-old could have sat in the service and not been dissuaded in his belief in the existence of Saint Nick.

The whole point of the sermon was to highlight Jesus Christ by contrasting Him with the legend of Santa Claus. Therefore, even if you still believed in the jolly old elf, there’d be no comparison with Emanuel, God with us.

If you can spare 39 minutes, click on the picture or the link below and listen to the audio of the sermon. It’s a lot more exciting than simply reading the outline – which I also provided (in case you want to follow along or use it – feel free).

“10 Reasons Why Jesus Is Better Than Santa”

 

1. Santa lives at the North Pole – JESUS is everywhere!
Psalm 139:7-8
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from the presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”

Mat 28:19-20 – Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

2. Santa rides in a sleigh –JESUS walks on the water!
John 6:18-20
“And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But He saith unto them, ‘IT IS I; BE NOT AFRAID.’”

2Ki 2:11 – And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

3. Santa comes but once a year –JESUS is our ever-present help!
Psalms 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Isa 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego

4. Santa fills your stockings with goodies –JESUS supplies all your needs!
Philippians 4:19
“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

5. Santa secretly sneaks down your chimney uninvited –JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited!
Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

6. You have to wait in line to see Santa –JESUS is as close as the mention of His name!
Hebrews 4:16
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Galatians 4:6
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

7. Santa lets you sit on his lap –JESUS lets you rest in His arms!
Deuteronomy 33:27
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the EVERLASTING ARMS.”

8. Santa has a great laugh: “HO, HO, HO!” – But Jesus sings and dances!
Zep 3:17
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love (so deep of an expression that it’s difficult to translate), he will joy over thee (to spin around) with singing (a ringing, joyful cry).

9. Santa says “You better not cry” –JESUS says “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.”
1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
He even collects our tears!

10. Santa is most famous for giving gifts to good boys and girls — JESUS was the gift to make bad boys and girls good!
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ”

For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. – 2Co 5:21 KJV

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*Santa has a list, but so does the Lord: The Lamb’s Book of Life

Rev 21:27  – And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Santa checks his twice a year… The Book of Life only once.

Rev 20:15 KJV – And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Remember #5? He’s at the door of your heart right now.

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by | December 9, 2019 · 10:30 am

Christmas Monkey (“The Least of These”)

The Least of These

This video from several years ago is one of my favorites. It features my youngest daughter, Haley, wrapping a warm blanket around a shivering Mr. Monkey.

Katie (the daughter that is going to be graduating from Bryan College this Friday! After 6 years!!) is doing the camera work.

The message of the video should be obvious, and one that we should take to heart.

I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to share it, too!

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by | December 7, 2019 · 8:20 pm

Under the Light On the Tree

We had just finished putting up our first Christmas tree here in Georgia.

So, after getting the lights and ornaments set, it was time to move it out of the middle of the floor. While under the tree, pushing it closer to the window of the living room, I looked up and thought, “Isn’t that beautiful!”

Then, like any good blogger, I decided I wanted the world to see the pretty photo I took with my iPhone. It was when I titled the post that I thought of the beauty of another tree.

“In the old rugged Cross, stained with blood so divine, such a wonderful beauty I see; for t’was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, to pardon and sanctify me.” – George Bennard, The Old Rugged Cross

The only reason we have a Christmas tree is to celebrate the One who came to offer us eternal life, and that only could have happened by Christ being crucified.

I probably wouldn’t have thought “Isn’t that beautiful!” when standing underneath the cross, but in retrospect, that would have been a wondrous sight to behold!

The Light … on a tree.

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by | December 7, 2019 · 7:00 am

Are You Ready for Christmas?

If it was this easy!

If I have been asked once, I have been asked a thousand times: “Are you ready for Christmas?”

Well, if by “ready” you mean “have you purchased gifts for every relative and friend, cleaned your house, wrapped everything in red foil, watered the tree, mailed the cards, etc.,” then NO! I’m definitely not ready!

On the other hand, if you’re asking if I am ready for Christmas to get here, then yes, I am.

Am I the only person in this situation? I would suspect most people probably wish they had at least another month to get everything on their lists done.  On the other hand, I hope that we are always ready to celebrate the birth of Christ, which is, of course, the point of the whole day.

But aside from getting ready for the Christmas celebrations, there are other things for which we should be prepared.

As a matter of fact, below are three things we all should be prepared for, maybe even more so than Christmas.

Be Ready to Preach

Paul said, “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel…” (Romans 1:15).  I should be able to say the same, for, just like the apostle, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” (1:16). I should, and YOU should be ready to preach/teach/share the gospel at any time with anyone.

But you may say, “I am not a preacher, though.” Really? Well, the words of Jesus apply to all of us. He said,

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. – Mar 16:15

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. – Mar 16:15 ESV

Even though you may not be a pastor or Sunday School teacher, if you are not ashamed of Jesus, then it is still your responsibility to “proclaim” the message Christmas, the gospel (“good news”) of Jesus coming to save.

Be ready to preach.

Be Ready to Give an Answer

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer [a reasonable defense] to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” – 1Pe 3:15 NIV

If Jesus is the “reason for the season,” are we able to defend the Reason based on reason and evidence, not hollow, empty faith?

There are so many who are quick to attack Christians and the God of Christianity. They claim Christmas is based on a myth no more verifiable than the existence of Santa Claus himself. These same folk who deny Jesus was the Messiah then choose to follow some other pagan god or no god and say their “reasons” are more logical.  Really? Where is their evidence?

The Apostle Peter, when he said to “always be ready,” knew that there would be those who would question us and ask, “why do you have so much hope?” There are still plenty of people who are without hope in this world.  They are looking for answers. What they are not looking for is a fairy tale to make them feel good; they are looking for Truth that will make a difference in life, both on this earth and in eternity.

Be ready to give an answer.

Be Ready to Go

I know that Christmas is just around the corner, but who can assure me I’ll be around to see it?  There are no guarantees about tomorrow; one day life on this earth will be over and eternity will begin.  However, for many of us, we believe that Jesus is coming back one day.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. – Mat 24:44

I want to be ready for His return.  I want to be ready to go with Him.  Being ready for that day, I believe, is a lot more important than getting everything wrapped just so, or cleaning house. If any “cleaning house” is done, we should always make sure our spiritual “house” is clean and ready.  One day, someday, a trumpet is going to sound…

1 Corinthians 15:51-54  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Are you ready to go?  If not, then there is good news: You can be!

You may say that you are not good enough.  You may think that you have done too many things to be forgiven.  You may think that if God is real, then there is no getting right with Him because you’re just too bad.  Well, if you are willing to put your faith in the Christ of Christmas, the good news is that God is also ready…ready to forgive.

For thou, Lord, [art] good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. – Psa 86:5

Get ready for Christmas, but make your heart ready for Christ.  The Savior born in a manger wants to give new life to you.

Are you ready?

Questions about faith in Jesus Christ?

Call 1-800-NEED-HIM

 

 

 

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