Tonight I’m thinking about the state of North Carolina. Of course, nearly everyone in America is thinking about that state tonight. Florence is taking her sweet time and unloading more water on the state than can be absorbed.
But for me tonight is not unusual. I often think about North Carolina, but usually in a different context. You see, I grew up there. Western North Carolina to be more accurate, and to be specific, Hendersonville. This is the mountainous part of the state. We could easily drive over to the Blue Ridge Parkway in about 15 minutes, and be on our way to Mount Mitchell, or Mount Pisgah, or Craggy Gardens, or dozens of wonderful places to hike or picnic and enjoy the outdoors. I’m sure it isn’t reality, but it seems that we were up there nearly every weekend.
Before I was old enough to be in school we lived in a house that had a bathroom at the end of the hall. My younger brother (he forces me to make the distinction) and I shared a bedroom right next to the bathroom. Every morning my dad would shave and shower in that bathroom. He was kind of a news and media guy, so he always took the radio into the bathroom while he got ready for work. And every weekday I would wake up to that ancient song, Carolina in the Morning. It was an old Mitch Miller recording that was played at 6:00 am on WHKP radio. Kermit Edney was the announcer and he used the recording as the theme for his morning show. He was known as “the old Good Morning Man.” It is certainly my very first memory of radio. Kermit ended up owning that radio station which became a treasured part of Hendersonville. Still is I think.
Hendersonville was a mecca for retirees from all over the country. The climate is considered to be mild, and the scenery is amazingly beautiful. As small towns sometimes are, life was a little slower. When in the eighth grade, I picked up the trombone as a musical instrument. Seems kind of late to do that these days, but my parents would not allow me to learn any instrument other than the piano until I had gained a certain proficiency on the piano. That turned out to be excellent planning. I ended up playing in the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra, and gaining a teacher who had retired to our town. His name was Kieg Garvin. He had retired from the US Army and was the soloist with Pershing’s Own Washington, DC army band. That was his job for 20 years, and I was able to study with him! I later visited Fort Myer in DC and went to the music hall (that base is basically a big music school). Mr. Garvin’s picture is all over the place! I really wish I had studied harder. It is dangerous when something that you try is fairly intuitive and you experience early success....your doom is just ahead if you aren’t careful and studious! There are many things that he taught me that I have not completely accomplished, even now....
When I was seventeen I had a part time job driving an early morning bread truck route delivering for a local bakery. I really got to know my home town then, and many of the locally owned grocery stores and restaurants. It’s a great place to visit, and even a better place to grow up! Planning a visit next month. I always feel that North Carolina “pull” as we get into the early fall.
So now you know a little of my North Carolina mental ramblings. But not only am I thinking about my old state, I’m praying for it, and for all the people who are there.
Not sure I have ever done that before. I hope you will join me!
Friday, September 14, 2018
Thursday, September 13, 2018
My Quest for an Analog Life
Hello everyone!
This post from my Facebook page has been a long time coming, and there are so very many reasons for
it. I’ll outline just a few:
I’d like not to have to purchase blue blocker lenses.
I’m anxious to read more books, especially the 66 found in
the Old and New Testaments. The perfect
vehicle for that is hundreds of years old.
No need for electronics or memory!
Our house sports 800 square feet of front porch, which is
too often vacant of humanity.
We need to finish our basement.
We built our house on 7 out-of-the-way acres. Unfortunately it is a privet farm. I MUST spend more time “harvesting.”
I seriously need to do more score study!
If I practice, my handwriting might improve….maybe I can
then send out a handwritten letter to someone via the US Post Office. What a luxury it is to receive an actual
handwritten letter!
I need actual face time with friends – you know, REAL faces,
REAL time, REAL conversation!
Conversation that is complete because all of the elements are there for
true communication.
I’ve always had a secret envy for friends who have had this
same sort of epiphany and have followed up with action. I have begun to move forward with having
better success with several of these things.
Netflix and Amazon Prime are gone!
I do enjoy reading the Kindle books I have and I will certainly continue
to use ForScore on my iPad for choral work (perhaps the blue blocker glasses
will still need to be acquired), but because I’m on a quest for more of an
analog life, I’ll be reading more from my bookshelves at home and working more
outside around our place.
All this to say that I will be leaving Facebook on
Sunday evening, September 16. I have enjoyed the connection
with friends, and the conversations and keeping up with everything and everyone. But it is one of the casualties of the
diminishing of my online presence.
To
all my Facebook friends, let me just offer up the George Costanza line as he “breaks up”
with a girlfriend: “it’s not you, it’s
me.”
My online presence will now be limited to email and this long
neglected blog. Sorry, no Twitter or Instagram for me. You can find me here!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Workplace Tyranny
Have you ever had a tyrannical boss? A person that requires more work from you than is possible given the time allotted? Do you feel astonishing stress because of the workload that is put upon you by this individual? I do. And it is worse than ever right now!
Don't misunderstand. I love my job, and I love my place of work. It is a near perfect environment. I have the greatest people to work with, and they all bring amazing talent and energy to what they do. The person that I answer to is a great supervisor. He does not stand over my shoulder, nor does he micromanage what I do.
"So just who is this tyrant?" you may ask. Well, the tyrant is me! I have given myself so much work this month that I am nearly unable to cope!
How is it that those of us who plan our own schedules and our own jobs are so much busier than those who have direct supervisors assigning specific tasks? Truthfully, I cannot imagine any rational supervisor asking more than about 50% of what I have assigned myself! Perhaps I am too interested in my own profession. Maybe I am so committed to what I do that I should actually be "committed!"
But I have noticed something about those great people that I work with. They have done the very same thing to themselves! I'm not kidding! We are all quite overworked, and it is because we each carry a tyrant within ourselves that expects excessive output. It is truly amazing that we all love our jobs!
But this month, I am not happy with the tyrant that has forced me (yes) to do everything that I am doing right now. And after some relief comes at the beginning of the new year, he'll do it all over again in about 4 months or so.
I've never worked this hard in my life. Ever. And I wouldn't trade it for anything!
Don't misunderstand. I love my job, and I love my place of work. It is a near perfect environment. I have the greatest people to work with, and they all bring amazing talent and energy to what they do. The person that I answer to is a great supervisor. He does not stand over my shoulder, nor does he micromanage what I do.
"So just who is this tyrant?" you may ask. Well, the tyrant is me! I have given myself so much work this month that I am nearly unable to cope!
How is it that those of us who plan our own schedules and our own jobs are so much busier than those who have direct supervisors assigning specific tasks? Truthfully, I cannot imagine any rational supervisor asking more than about 50% of what I have assigned myself! Perhaps I am too interested in my own profession. Maybe I am so committed to what I do that I should actually be "committed!"
But I have noticed something about those great people that I work with. They have done the very same thing to themselves! I'm not kidding! We are all quite overworked, and it is because we each carry a tyrant within ourselves that expects excessive output. It is truly amazing that we all love our jobs!
But this month, I am not happy with the tyrant that has forced me (yes) to do everything that I am doing right now. And after some relief comes at the beginning of the new year, he'll do it all over again in about 4 months or so.
I've never worked this hard in my life. Ever. And I wouldn't trade it for anything!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Post election reaction (Am I the American I should be?)
For the last six or seven months, I have endeavored to avoid becoming publicly embroiled in all of the controversy surrounding our presidential election. I have come to believe that my personal relationships are much more important than the disagreements that sometimes arise in political discussions. That is not to say that I did not retain an opinion because I certainly did. It's just that taking the opportunity to disseminate that opinion was much less important to me than the relationship with my friends.
In this blog entry I will disclose how I voted, and my reaction to the outcome. But the conclusion that I have come to should be applicable to all who read these paragraphs, and might not even be controversial. Let's see.
First, I must remind us all of the great concern and even anxiety that every engaged voter experienced in the final days and weeks leading up to the election. This applies to voters on both sides of the election and the corresponding issues.
I must now admit that I was (am) disappointed in the outcome of the election. Election night was a gloomy affair for me. When it became obvious that Ohio and several other needed states had moved away from my chosen candidate, I went to bed. Not that I slept for awhile, because of the disappointed feelings I had. What to do now?
I wondered how those on the opposite side felt, and I had a pretty good idea. It is exactly how I would feel, and I know how I (and my "half" of the country) would likely have reacted. It is how the winners felt and likely reacted as well. Let me describe it for you:
Had our guy won, we would have all taken a deep sigh of relief, relaxed (read celebrated) for a few minutes, and then hit the sack for a deep rejuvenating sleep. We would have wakened the next morning with the assurance that "the adults are back in charge," and the confidence that all would now be well - many worries would be behind us. I would have relaxed, taken a seat (figuratively), and crossed my legs, relaxed in the knowledge that a new administration would take over in January. But should that have been my reaction?
After a fitful sleep I woke up feeling less than rested, and with none of the assurance that I might have had if circumstances had been different. But I did ask myself "what now, how will this election affect me?" The answer that hit me is the same that I should have found if my candidate had won the election! And it came about as I reminded myself of something I remembered saying awhile ago. It is not the answer, but it led me to it:
"If I am not successful in this life, I cannot blame the President of the United States.
If I am successful in this life, the President of the United States does not get the credit."
So with that knowledge, what do I do with this election, or any election in the United States? Of course, I do what I can to vote my conscience. But after that, what is my "job" as an American citizen, and have I really been doing it the best it can be done for all these years?
Here's what I need to remind myself to do:
1.) Take care of my family and myself. Aggressively! Seems intuitive (and of course, we all want to do it), but part of that understanding comes from the fact that no other human can be relied on to do it. No one (not even the government) is as interested in my welfare or that of my family. In fact, no human being or organization is capable of caring for me and my family as well as I can. And no one cares like God and I do!
2.) Be the best I can be in absolutely everything I attempt. This means going the second mile every time, with every task, in every endeavor, and not allowing circumstance to easily derail me from that goal.
3.) Recognize the circumstances of my life that I can control (there are more than I think there are), and take control of them. Recognize the circumstances of my life that I cannot control (there are fewer than I think there are), and put them into the hands of God and leave them there unless (and until) they move into the "controllable" category. But of course as a Christian, I believe "He's got the whole world in His hands."
4.) Exercise serious stewardship over the strengths and gifts given to me by God. Of course this means ensuring my financial situation is in order. This also means I'll do everything in my power to be a good steward of another asset provided to me by the Lord - my physical body. Time to do all those things I know to be true regarding getting healthy - diet and exercise and rest and recreation and trust in God (all these things are stress killers)!
Perhaps these things are just something in my life that I need to re-examine, and that most readers of this column are way ahead in this. I hope so!
So what am I really writing about here? I am writing about the fact that we still have enough freedoms in this country to be the kind of Americans that came here in the first place seeking the American Dream!
And just what is that American Dream? I submit to you that it is not a house with a picket fence and 2.5 children, nor is it a government check nor accessible health care, nor even safety. And certainly it is not at all about stuff!
The American Dream is self-determination and freedom! I am determined to do all in my power to enjoy to the full the freedoms that we have to make our own way in this country. And if I do not, I cannot blame any president for my failure to do so.
This is the American I should be, and so many others were this way out of necessity when our country was founded! And has that "necessity" diminished? I submit to you that it has not!
Would I be thinking about this as much if my candidate had won? Probably not. It has become natural for Americans to "relax and rely." Should it have been my response if my candidate had won? Absolutely!
And most importantly, I am determined to give glory and honor to the One that gave to me the freedoms that this country recognizes!
God bless America!
In this blog entry I will disclose how I voted, and my reaction to the outcome. But the conclusion that I have come to should be applicable to all who read these paragraphs, and might not even be controversial. Let's see.
First, I must remind us all of the great concern and even anxiety that every engaged voter experienced in the final days and weeks leading up to the election. This applies to voters on both sides of the election and the corresponding issues.
I must now admit that I was (am) disappointed in the outcome of the election. Election night was a gloomy affair for me. When it became obvious that Ohio and several other needed states had moved away from my chosen candidate, I went to bed. Not that I slept for awhile, because of the disappointed feelings I had. What to do now?
I wondered how those on the opposite side felt, and I had a pretty good idea. It is exactly how I would feel, and I know how I (and my "half" of the country) would likely have reacted. It is how the winners felt and likely reacted as well. Let me describe it for you:
Had our guy won, we would have all taken a deep sigh of relief, relaxed (read celebrated) for a few minutes, and then hit the sack for a deep rejuvenating sleep. We would have wakened the next morning with the assurance that "the adults are back in charge," and the confidence that all would now be well - many worries would be behind us. I would have relaxed, taken a seat (figuratively), and crossed my legs, relaxed in the knowledge that a new administration would take over in January. But should that have been my reaction?
After a fitful sleep I woke up feeling less than rested, and with none of the assurance that I might have had if circumstances had been different. But I did ask myself "what now, how will this election affect me?" The answer that hit me is the same that I should have found if my candidate had won the election! And it came about as I reminded myself of something I remembered saying awhile ago. It is not the answer, but it led me to it:
"If I am not successful in this life, I cannot blame the President of the United States.
If I am successful in this life, the President of the United States does not get the credit."
So with that knowledge, what do I do with this election, or any election in the United States? Of course, I do what I can to vote my conscience. But after that, what is my "job" as an American citizen, and have I really been doing it the best it can be done for all these years?
Here's what I need to remind myself to do:
1.) Take care of my family and myself. Aggressively! Seems intuitive (and of course, we all want to do it), but part of that understanding comes from the fact that no other human can be relied on to do it. No one (not even the government) is as interested in my welfare or that of my family. In fact, no human being or organization is capable of caring for me and my family as well as I can. And no one cares like God and I do!
2.) Be the best I can be in absolutely everything I attempt. This means going the second mile every time, with every task, in every endeavor, and not allowing circumstance to easily derail me from that goal.
3.) Recognize the circumstances of my life that I can control (there are more than I think there are), and take control of them. Recognize the circumstances of my life that I cannot control (there are fewer than I think there are), and put them into the hands of God and leave them there unless (and until) they move into the "controllable" category. But of course as a Christian, I believe "He's got the whole world in His hands."
4.) Exercise serious stewardship over the strengths and gifts given to me by God. Of course this means ensuring my financial situation is in order. This also means I'll do everything in my power to be a good steward of another asset provided to me by the Lord - my physical body. Time to do all those things I know to be true regarding getting healthy - diet and exercise and rest and recreation and trust in God (all these things are stress killers)!
Perhaps these things are just something in my life that I need to re-examine, and that most readers of this column are way ahead in this. I hope so!
So what am I really writing about here? I am writing about the fact that we still have enough freedoms in this country to be the kind of Americans that came here in the first place seeking the American Dream!
And just what is that American Dream? I submit to you that it is not a house with a picket fence and 2.5 children, nor is it a government check nor accessible health care, nor even safety. And certainly it is not at all about stuff!
The American Dream is self-determination and freedom! I am determined to do all in my power to enjoy to the full the freedoms that we have to make our own way in this country. And if I do not, I cannot blame any president for my failure to do so.
This is the American I should be, and so many others were this way out of necessity when our country was founded! And has that "necessity" diminished? I submit to you that it has not!
Would I be thinking about this as much if my candidate had won? Probably not. It has become natural for Americans to "relax and rely." Should it have been my response if my candidate had won? Absolutely!
And most importantly, I am determined to give glory and honor to the One that gave to me the freedoms that this country recognizes!
God bless America!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Do Not Be Afraid
Do Not Be Afraid
I am the director of The Kinge's Quire, a group formed in 2008 to sing music from the Renaissance as well as music composed for cathedral settings. We use young trained sopranos and altos with adult singers in order to create just the right sound. Hope you enjoy this recording that was made at a concert we sang for the Tennessee ACDA summer conference in Chattanooga just over one week ago. Click on the sub-title "Do Not Be Afraid" to listen.
I am the director of The Kinge's Quire, a group formed in 2008 to sing music from the Renaissance as well as music composed for cathedral settings. We use young trained sopranos and altos with adult singers in order to create just the right sound. Hope you enjoy this recording that was made at a concert we sang for the Tennessee ACDA summer conference in Chattanooga just over one week ago. Click on the sub-title "Do Not Be Afraid" to listen.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Things that are popularly counter-intuitive . . . .
How are your natural reactions faring? Are you strange? Is there some pattern of behavior in your life that someone might consider to be counter-intuitive or unnatural?
I remember reading the bumper sticker on a small car several years ago. It made me think, and initially I did not understand it. Perhaps you have seen one like it, or have heard the saying: "The one with the most toys, wins!"
It is my observation that the bumper sticker stated very clearly what many wish to accomplish in this life. And it has become the norm for many. Natural, and even intuitive.
So, I thought I'd make a short list of behaviors, thought processes, and actions that I believe to be popularly counter-intuitive. There are likely hundreds more.
1.) It is more fun, and much more satisfying to give, than to receive.
2.) Being "open-handed" rather than "protectionist" with assets, prevents loneliness.
3.) Honesty in the smallest things, has the largest impact.
4.) Building up the accomplishments of others rather than your own, brings joy.
I consider the above list to be unusual. At least the implementation of the list is probably unusual. Out of the ordinary. Less than run-of-the-mill. Even peculiar.
Read this description of Christians from the New Testament, King James Version:
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
I have compiled and worded this list, but the concepts are by no means original, especially number 1.
With God's help, I would like to become a little more peculiar!
I remember reading the bumper sticker on a small car several years ago. It made me think, and initially I did not understand it. Perhaps you have seen one like it, or have heard the saying: "The one with the most toys, wins!"
It is my observation that the bumper sticker stated very clearly what many wish to accomplish in this life. And it has become the norm for many. Natural, and even intuitive.
So, I thought I'd make a short list of behaviors, thought processes, and actions that I believe to be popularly counter-intuitive. There are likely hundreds more.
1.) It is more fun, and much more satisfying to give, than to receive.
2.) Being "open-handed" rather than "protectionist" with assets, prevents loneliness.
3.) Honesty in the smallest things, has the largest impact.
4.) Building up the accomplishments of others rather than your own, brings joy.
I consider the above list to be unusual. At least the implementation of the list is probably unusual. Out of the ordinary. Less than run-of-the-mill. Even peculiar.
Read this description of Christians from the New Testament, King James Version:
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
I have compiled and worded this list, but the concepts are by no means original, especially number 1.
With God's help, I would like to become a little more peculiar!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Internet Gnostics
Have you ever heard of the Gnostics? They were in existence during the early Christian church. They believed that they had "secret knowledge," and that secret knowledge provided their salvation. But that's as far as we will go regarding the Gnostics from the early centuries of Christianity.
What this is REALLY about is the internet, and websites and the "secret knowledge" necessary to build a website. But of course the knowledge is not really secret, it's just not general knowledge. Most people require the services of an "internet gnostic" in order to get things done.
Well, we've found a way to be finished with internet gnostics. For the purposes of illustration dear reader, please go to the following web address: http://firstcumberland.com.
This website was built entirely by individuals who know virtually nothing about website creation. Their lack of knowledge is no secret to anyone, yet the website promoting First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga is the result of their efforts. The staff at the church is entirely responsible for the site. Individuals from the music department, the children's ministry, the youth ministry, and the administrative assistant, are the ones responsible for what you see on the page.
Admittedly, there was a template, and a very user friendly interface. But no one has to send information and photos, or video to any outside entity (websites updated "while you wait"). The site can be changed every hour if need be. The pages can be edited from any computer at any place around the world. No additional software (Dreamweaver, Frontpages, Notepad++, etc) is needed to edit the site. Multiple people can edit, save, and publish separate pages to the site simultaneously.
No "secret knowledge" needed!
And since I've gone to the lengths to explain all of this, lets give some big time props to cloversites, the brilliant young firm that assists companies and ministries to create excellent websites with the extreme advantage of amazing independence.
And no internet gnostics necessary!
What this is REALLY about is the internet, and websites and the "secret knowledge" necessary to build a website. But of course the knowledge is not really secret, it's just not general knowledge. Most people require the services of an "internet gnostic" in order to get things done.
Well, we've found a way to be finished with internet gnostics. For the purposes of illustration dear reader, please go to the following web address: http://firstcumberland.com.
This website was built entirely by individuals who know virtually nothing about website creation. Their lack of knowledge is no secret to anyone, yet the website promoting First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga is the result of their efforts. The staff at the church is entirely responsible for the site. Individuals from the music department, the children's ministry, the youth ministry, and the administrative assistant, are the ones responsible for what you see on the page.
Admittedly, there was a template, and a very user friendly interface. But no one has to send information and photos, or video to any outside entity (websites updated "while you wait"). The site can be changed every hour if need be. The pages can be edited from any computer at any place around the world. No additional software (Dreamweaver, Frontpages, Notepad++, etc) is needed to edit the site. Multiple people can edit, save, and publish separate pages to the site simultaneously.
No "secret knowledge" needed!
And since I've gone to the lengths to explain all of this, lets give some big time props to cloversites, the brilliant young firm that assists companies and ministries to create excellent websites with the extreme advantage of amazing independence.
And no internet gnostics necessary!
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