A quote that sums up my life right now

"There's a real sense of adventure in a life of submissive abandon to the will of a providing God."

Frequent readers to this little corner of the web will no doubt recognize the quote and its' source.

Now, this is no contest. I have no prize to give whoever can name the author of this quote or where it came from.

I offer it here only as the perfect summation of my life at present and for however it may inspire any of you.

What a ride!

After this latest lengthy absence from this little corner of the web, a bit of explanation is probably in order.

No, iy's not due to an extended road trip with a gospel music group(what fun that might be, though!).

And it's not because of any health issues(thanks be to God!)...I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in!

I have alluded in the past to personal issues that keep me from posting here as often as I'd like...and it might just be the time to share the most consuming(and joyous)of those with all of you, right here...right now.

After just over a half century of living and working in this all-too-fallen world, I am finally going to do something that most people my age have been doing for quite some time by this point.

I am finally getting married/

What's taken me so long?

Well, call me picky, but given my inclination, I've never felt I could make a lifetime commitment to a woman until I was convinced that she shared my love for and dedication to Jesus Christ and His Word and Way. All the other sruff(llooks, income, personality, etc.)is nice indeed, but if my intended does not share the most important part of my being, then she cannot be my soulmate, which is what I believe God would want a wife of mine to be. Period. End of discussion.

Happily, I've found such a person. Leona is absolutely committted first, foremost, and primarily to Jesus...and wants her life companion to be the same. She has proven that repeatedly, over and over again, to the point where she motivates me to be as Christlike as I can possibly be, to a degree that no one I've ever met has. I need that as a part of my daily life. And her devotion to me is most reminiscent of God's love for me through Jesus, and I need THAT around me every day as well.

At this point, I can't afford NOT to have that kind of person and love in my life.

And I am looking very forward to returning that same kind of love and devotion right back to Leona, and soon I'll be doing that on a daily basis.

Leona is also gifted with a sunny and cheerful disposition, a most kind and caring heart, and a wonderful sense of humor that keeps life interesting and lively at all times...that doesn't hurt in considering her for a soulmate.

We have talked daily for nearly eight months, and have come to the mutual conclusion that God has deigned to join us together...so we are going to do just that.

But what a roller coaster ride this has become! Daily, my moods range from ecstasy to frustration to depression to wonder right back to ecstasy, in just minutes at a time!

Not having been in this state before, I'm concluding that this is just par for the course for an expectant groom...either that or part of the largest possible "teachable moment"(how I'm already tiring of that phrase!)one can imagine...and it's all in the education of a regular guy who's trying to live his life in the light of the gospel of Christ the best he can.

And I'm learning more and more daily the absolute joy that comes with belonging to somebody, and having someone to belong to him.

And I'm loving every minute of it...and can hardly wait for this next stage of my life to begin! Bring it on, Lord!!

I'll keep all of you posted on this latest divine adventure as it progresses...and I have NO doubt it will do just that!!

Just pondering

Every once in a while I just ask myself questions, and ponder over the answers to them...I imagine most of you do exactly the same thing.

Without going into all the reasons I bring this up, I'll simply share this one question with all of you, and not elaborate to much on it for now(although I could).

Is anyone else besides me old enough to remember when the adherents to Islam were called Moslems, and not "Muslims", a corruption of the name Moslems popularized by a Islamic cult which developed in the first half of the 20th Century here in the United States?

Islam is not understood well in this part of the world, not even by many of those who follow it here.

I'm just askin'.

Challenging days…

For the better part of my life, regardless of whatever has happened there, the presence of gospel music has always been a balm and a comfort...a soothing ocean of stability, direction, and inspiration in an otherwise stormy sea of life(boy, I sound like a gospel song, don't I?).

It got me through my college years, and those rough first post college years, when I actually had to start supporting myself financially.

And it got me through my first years in my chosen career field, even played a big role in that!

And it got me through the tense times around September 11, 2001, when no doubt all of us had a LITTLE uncertainty about our futures.

Now, though, the challenges are greater than ever.

The current economy is depressing, people are angry and contentious, the future seems so uncertain, and I am now entering the most topsy turvy, challenging, and potentially the most thrilling, exciting, and rewarding time of my life.

And, as always(because if it ain't broke, why try and fix it?), I'll have the sounds of gospel music as my life soundtrack as I enter this most exciting and challenging part of my life.

Some of my best friends are really concerned about how I'll manage all this...but, as has always been the case, I think I'll be just fine.

Keep those posts, comments, and most of all prayers, coming!

I'll be just fine!

In quiet mode

Well, here I go again.

It's another of those ultra-quiet periods of my life where I don't post here much.

Now why do I even bother to tell you all THAT much? After all, Deon and Susan and Chris post even more sporadically than I do, but they apparently don't feel they need to explain that to the degree I do. Why do I feel so, then?

In my case, I feel as though I'm expected to stop by this little corner of the web fairly often(if certainly not daily)and share some of my thoughts about SOMETHING anyway(such are the expectations for those who are semi-regular or regular bloggers), and when I don't, I kinda feel I owe you all at least a bit of explanation as to why.

And now, this time, I'm dealing with a number of important challenges in my life. Big changes are underway, and suddenly I'm in the midst of preparations for the biggest change in my life(it's a really GOOD thing, so don't anyone be unduly alarmed for me)...and I want it all to come off well.

But sadly, simultaneously, I've had to endure some of the frankly stupidest, most mindless behavior I've encountered in some time as well(and I've seen plenty of stupid over the years). And since some of that has been in connection with the event alluded to above, it's been particularly discouraging.

But I knew ahead of time that challenges of that nature almost always await the one who puts his trust in the will of the Almighty God who controls this world. The Scriptures(and the rest of history)are replete with the examples and testimonies of those who have met those challenges, trusted in God's leading, and endured triumphantly.

Yes, God gives us all lots of "pop" quizzes...but He also equips us to pass all of His tests, and come through each one better for the experience. This has been a recurring theme all through my life, and will happen again. Do I know that for a fact now? No. But am I willing to stake all I believe on it? Absolutely.

Mastery of this process will guarantee that all of us will meet our life challenges, and rise over and above them. And while I devote my energies to passing this latest exam, I do so confident that all will end gloriously, and will be back here faithfully to share more of my thoughts with all of you...my friends.

In the meantime, I'm in concentration mode(no, not the Hugh Downs-hosted game show of bygone years)...so that means I'm relatively quiet...for now.

Happy birthday, Daniel!

Today I want to salute someone I've saluted many times here, but since he's a friend of mine to me more than anything else, I want to celebrate him right here in my very own little corner of the web!

Daniel Mount burst into all of our lives a few short years ago, when the message board fad was still predominant in online southern gospel music discussion.

When that fad began to fade, and the blog trend took it's place, Daniel moved right in and started his very own gospel music news, information, and commentary site, and before too long, it became the most-read such site on the web!

As it deserves to be...Daniel gets all the main news, encourages positive interactive discussion on gospel music topics, and works very hard to make his site as versatile and accommodating as a website can be.

And best of all, Daniel does all this with a love and appreciation of gospel music unsurpassed by any other writer. He also is a young man who loves God very much, and this shows in his writing and his taste in music.

And of all the other bloggers out there spending the majority of their time writing about gospel music, he is probably the most supportive of his fellow writers of any of them.

He reads everyone's thoughts, comments regularly on them, and when he feels one of us has posted a particularly worthy entry, he gladly links his readers to those postings, and thus helps support his compatriots in this endeavor. Some of the most read posts in this little corner, for example, are read because Daniel has unselfishly called attention to them at his site.

And Daniel is also an engaging discussion partner, and loves to discuss and analyze not only the music itself, but the business of it as well.

Recently, Daniel has even become a part of the industry himself, fulfilling a dream of his. Now, if only some major artist will record one of his compositions...

In short, Daniel has become a good friend, runs a great site, has his ducks all in a row with God, and is most supportive of both gospel music artists and those who support them, either by attending concerts, buying recordings, or discussing and writing about them. He has become a blessing to all those who love southern style gospel music.

And today, he turns 24 years young! How does someone so young appreciate a genre of music whose most classic renditions of it are as old or older than he? Listening, study, and love for it...to name three reasons.

And his birthday is easy for me to remember...it is the same day as my younger older brother...who is nearly 40 years older than Daniel, but...

Hsppy birthday, Gary...and happy birthday, Daniel...my very good gospel music-loving friend!:-)

Getting out my crystal ball

I don't normally make sports predictions(it's like life itself...who knows WHAT'S going to happen?), but as of this moment...2:32P(PST), Tuesday, July 6, 2010...I can guarantee one "for sure", not gonna fail prediction regarding the current World Cup soccer championship.

The tournament winner will be from Europe! Carve it in stone!

We’re ALL Americans!

I suppose you could consider this post one of my "get it out of your system" posts.

This time of year, however, really brings this subject to the forefront of my consciousness.

Some of you may know by now that the object of my earthly affections is Canadian. That being the case, you can imagine all the references to Canadians as opposed to "Americans" in our conversations.

Now a lot of you also know that I try to be as precise as possible in my use of language. At some point, I'll post further as to why I feel precision is necessary in our communication...because that's a key element in my personal life philosophy. For now, though, just know I tend to be on the "picky" side when it comes to words...and the uses of them.

Anyway, it occurs to me that our Canadian brethren are getting a raw deal in this whole use of the term "Americans".

For the continent that both of our great nations share is called "North America"...and there are TWO continents called "America"...one North, and one South. And Canada and the United States take up most of what is called North America.

Now I know that the official name of my country is the United States of America. But does that give us ownership rights to the entire continent, simply because we are the wealthiest and most prosperous nation on this continent? I don't think so.

After all, on the basis of our common origins and geography, the people of Canada have as much right to refer to themselves as "Americans" as people in the United States do...so why the distinction?

I know that the people of Canada are proud of their homeland and heritage, and don't mind at all being referrred to as "Canadians". And since the designations have existed for so long, it's not likely that people will wise up and stop referring to residents of the United States as simply "Americans", as if Canadians and Mexicans(not to mention Brazilians and Argentinians, among other residents of South AMERICA)are not entitled to such recognition.

Am I serious about this? Well, to a degree...if only because there isn't much difference between Canada and the United States if one looks at the lifestyles each country lives closely. Yes, there ARE cultural differences, but heck, that's all we hear about anymore within the United States, it seems!

My sweetheart and I have our own terminology to be more precise...residents of Canada are Canadians, and residents of the U.S. are "United Statesians".

I don't expect our terminology to catch on, but at least we're trying to be fair...and accurate!

After all, both Canada AND the United States are great nations, and they should be recognized for both their individuality and collective heritage! After all, they have shared the world's longest common border for almost 150 years, and(for the most part)been at peace for that entire time...no mean feat in this violent, sinful world!

Here's to Canada...AND the United States...of America!!

Prayers and thoughts….

Earlier this week(Monday, I believe), Wensdee Enloe, youngest daughter of Phil Enloe(ex-Courier and longtime musical evangelist and now pastor of a Florida church), passed away...she was only 33 years of age.

Most readers of this little corner of the web are aware of my friendship with her uncle, Neil Enloe...and they may or may not be aware of the fact that I finally met Phil last year when he appeared in Fresno to sing at a church not far from where I live. That was a true blessing to me.

Regardless, I feel a very strong bond with the Enloe family as a result, and I was shocked and saddened to learn of that news.

I truly wish I had words of absolute comfort I could say that would help ease the pain and hurt right now, but I simply do not.

All I can offer Phil, Neil, and the rest of the Enloe family is my love, friendship, prayers, and whatever support I'm able to provide.

Wensdee's funeral was yesterday, and I pray it was a blessing and comfort to all involved in whatever way possible.

I know of nothing else about the situation, other than our God is involved, and that being the case, all will be well.

My sentiments are above, and my prayers and support continue.

Can weekends be overrated?

One of my very dearest friends in this world has declared that weekends "...can never be overrated!"

As wonderful a person as this friend is, and for as much as she can teach me about enjoying life properly(and still does daily), I thought I'd turn her declaration into a question and examine it a little closer.

You see, there has become a whole subculture in our society that tends to view the weekend as an inherent refuge from the drudgery of a 9-to-5 world, and the workweek as an all-too-necessary drain upon a life we would otherwise be enjoying to the fullest!

If you think that is a bit of a stretch, perhaps it is....slightly. But how often do we meet people on a Monday, ask how they are, and get an answer like, "Well, what can I say, it's Monday!"...as if the first day of the workweek is inherently a drag, and not to be thankful for or appreciated?

Feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken, but where is it written...or evident in the day itself...which statistically is just as likely to be as sunny and nice as any other day of the week...that Mondays by virtue of their position on our calendars are inherently cursed?

The answer is...of course Monday can be as nice as any other day of the week if we allow it to be...after all, the people we work with and our job are the same as they are the rest of the week...and the weather can be just as nice...I know of no "Monday weather disasters" that have affected the earth to date. In short, there is no significant difference between Monday and any other day on our calendar in reality! It's in our minds...and we people who put our trust in the Creator of this Monday-filled world know that our Mondays can be as great as the rest of our days if we allow Him to be Lord over them.

And what's with the saying "T.G.I.F."? Are we saying that simply because Fridays are the end of our workweeks that somehow they are inherently "better" than the rest of our hopelessly drab workweeks? (For those that say "yes" to that, explain what the big deal is about Friday the 13th then...go ahead, I'll wait.)

After all, it's still the same job with the same tasks that we do all week...and we have to come BACK to it in two more days...how then is Friday that much of a liberating factor? And what entitles us to automatically feel better because of what it says on the calendar about today? Statistically, calamities are just as likely to occur on Friday as they are on any other day of the week.

Of course, the answer is obvious. Fridays are no better or worse than Mondays in God's domain.

Which leads us to the weekends. Now most of the world does most of its' work on the Monday-Friday cycle, using Saturdays and Sundays to rest, relax, worship, or otherwise "take a break" from work for a couple of days. And doctors agree that such rest is essential for a healthy lifestyle. I don't have a problem with any of that in any way.

But we all are still alive and functioning all seven days of a week. And there are many who need to be working on the weekends so that our world can function as it is intended to. People like...oh, doctors, nurses, law enforcement officials, truck drivers, recreational workers, media people(well, I can't leave myself out of this completely, can I?:-)...and most of all, parents(ESPECIALLY mothers!)...parents NEVER get time off, formal lunch breaks, vacations, or anything!

But the people who do get a break from work on the weekends like to use the extra time to take in some of the wonderful sights of this world, and the many beautiful things in it...and I salute them for doing so. I'd do it more myself if I could(yes, and I know it's a choice I make to have a job in which I work on the weekends!)!

But let me ask, is Yosemite or Yellowstone or Mt. Rainier or any other natural wonder more attractive on Saturday and Sunday than it is, say, Monday or Tuesday? Is there less litter or noise or air pollution on the weekends than during the work week? Did God create those days to be superior to the others, or have we made them what they are to us by the choices WE make as a society to elevate "the weekend" into a special societal status? I think you can already answer this question without me having to do it for you.

One final example...I had the time of my life on June 18th, a Friday, when I watched my friends Dave, Duane, and Neil sing here in Fresno. I even had quality fellowship time with these three men, my friends. To me, there is NOTHING that can be enjoyed more than fellowship with brothers in Christ whom I admire greatly. Now others might enjoy seeing a beautiful coastline more, or a field in bloom...nothing wrong with that. But can a better time than I had be had? No!

I was doing what I enjoy more than anything in the world. Now, it was on a Friday...some might say because it was the evening, it was already part of the weekend. But that didn't matter one bit to me...I would have enjoyed that time as much if it had been on a Tuesday or a Wednesday as I did on that Friday.

Conclusion: We get out of life what we put into it...when we put it in...whether it's on a Monday, a Friday, a Saturday, or a Sunday.

The weekend has no binding authority on our joy or happiness...it is our relationship to God, and how we allow Him to be Lord of our lives, that matters most.

I love Him, and I love my friends...I'm a happy man...more to the point, I am content. I am no martyr with a chip on my shoulder because I don't get to do what other people do on Saturdays or Sundays.

I am His...and He is mine. Amen.

Psalm 23:1

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