Blues & Brews 2007

Another year in the books, and another year at the blues and brews. And here I am, sitting here, soaking it all in. The party, the after party, the friends who could come and those who couldn't; thank you. And for all of you who have yet to experience this festival, maybe someday you will... its absolutely amazing. I can only hope that you all have the the chance to make the trip down here someday... and hopefully I can be here to experience it with you! The highlights this year: Los Lonely Boys, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Mofro, Eric Lindell, Keb Mo', The Black Crowes and Ana Popovic. They are in no particular order... and ask anyone else they may give you a different list, but for me, those artists made the festival worth it! Well, and few stories :)

One story worth noting, during the Black Crowes, a highly intoxicated gentleman (I use the term gentleman loosely) continued to tug on the fellow's jacket standing in front of him proclaiming that he couldn't stand there because he didn't have a clear view. Granted the drunkard was 5'5'' and the person standing in front of him was over 6'1'' so I can understand the drunk logic behind it. Now the 'heckling' went on for 45 minutes, which to his credit, the taller fella' exuded plenty of patience. Shortly after the concert started, a four-foot-nothing woman was dancing like a wild-woman in front of my dad, she somehow bumped the patient guy who had been doing his best to ignore the drunk guy behind him. At this point he turned and (literally) checked her into my dad with his forearm. After catching her, and propping her back onto her feet, looked at my dad, thanked him, and then resumed flailing about. The guy then turned to my dad and apologized for knocking the woman into him. Go figure. While all of this was going on, there was some guy behind my dad screaming over and over again to 'turn up the mic!" Granted, the sound system wasn't up to par, and we were having a hard time hearing Mr. Robinson's voice, but after 45 minutes, to continue to yell during and between every song... give me a break. At some point he leaned towards my father and yelled to him... "hey, tell them to turn up the mic.... pass it on!" My dad then leaned forward and to the guy's satisfaction appeared to pass the message forward. The head scratcher of the evening was the twelve kids, non of them in their teens, running around in front of the stage between the crowd and the band. Now this is a concert where marijuana is being passed around (among other drugs I'm sure), people are drinking heavily, and very clear not an environment for anyone under the legal drinking age, but for some reason, for half the concert, these kids were free to do as they wished. I mean... what's up with that?

So now, I'm sitting here in the Durango Airport. I've been bumped while the rest of my family has flown out to their respective destination.
I mean, what airline knowingly overbooks a flight? Whatever, I get a free ticket out of the deal! And when I do get home... make sure to come back and check out some of the photos!

Merry Christmas

Christmas is my favorite time of year. Its a time to rejoice, a time with family, a time of year where the world pauses, if only for a moment, to celebrate the birth of Christ.

this year, as I removed myself from the chaos and distractions of all that goes on this holiday season, I realized that today really isn't completely about Jesus at all. Its about us. It is about you and I. Jesus was and continues to be our gift, our promise from God. We are His children, and as John 3:16 states, He gave us His son, so that we could have eternal life. How the familiarity of that verse becomes amazingly mundane, but still rings true with excitement.

Think of it this way. Although I don't have any children in my family at the moment, I did have an opportunity to see it through my work...just a glimpse... but.. Think about when you celebrate Christmas with young children. If you were to ask any young child what they're excited about, what would their response be? They look forward to the presents. They get excited about the packaging, tearing it off with anticipation just to see what hides beneath. And you can just see the excitement exuded from them. Its infectious... and it gives us, the giver, joy to see that. God is our giver, and we are the young children receiving the gift. He delights in giving to His children... He gets the ultimate reward in giving, and we get everlasting life through the sacrifice of His son.

Today, as I celebrate the birth of our Savior, I lift up a praise of thanks for this wonderful gift I've been given.

Merry Christmas!

Three Wonderful Words

Three words. No more no less. We dance around them, we're afraid of them, yet at the same time we long to hear them. And when we do, its music to our ears. When we realize that we love someone, trying to find the best way to say it, or the right time seems to be as ever elusive as the "perfect" person. But thats what is so funny. Because when we realize we're in love, is when we realize that the person we want to tell is, well, perfect. At least perfect for us. That person that seems to balance us out, cover our weaknesses, somehow change our perspective to realize what life could be... or at least find its meaning. The thing is this: we don't love the people we love because they're perfect. We love the people we love because they are.

We say it too much, we don't say it enough, we long to hear it, we're afraid of what it could mean... all of this energy spent on trying to understand the most simple, yet most complex emotion known as love. Some people fall easy, others more guarded and spend more time trying to analize every moment, every feeling, wanting to be sure. Sometimes it passes us by, other times it slams into us like a sixteen-wheeler at full bore. There are no rules, there is no manual or how-to for love. Every story is in itself unique and its own way, amazingly breathtaking.

Real love, true love has no limits. It will wait, it will forgive, it will last for eternity. It will give everything for its survival, for its longevity, for an opportunity to grow further. Its generousity will give when it has nothing to give.... it will especially give time.

So when I think about saying those three words: I love you. For me it isn't momentary, it isn't something fleeting. its something real... its something I desire to uphold, to share, to encourage, to create...

...and to celebrate

Dreaming with a hoping heart

When you're dreaming with a hoping heart
The waiting becomes the hardest part
Suddenly the calendar becomes a measurement
Where timing plays the part of commitment

Is she really here with me?
Does she desire what I will be?
No she doesn't, because she can't
she's afraid, she's scared, she's hesitant

When you're dreaming with a hoping heart
And waiting on love is the hardest part
Caught between pushing on and turning away
Intentions to guard my heart become the only way

Is she really here with me?
Does she desire what I will be?
No she doesn't, because she can't
She's afraid, she's scared, she's hesitant

Walking the line between being broken and being completely fulfilled.
Its a walk of faith, one only of the strong-willed.
While my heart is at odds with conventional wisdom
She wants nothing but to experience some freedom

Falling asleep only to wake up with more question
Waking up afraid of what things to mention
Do I have to fall asleep with hope-filled hands?
Is it something that I can continue to withstand?

When you're dreaming with a hoping heart
The waiting becomes the hardest part.