On Valentine's Day....Here's to love...No, Here's to Commitment

I wonder how many times the words "I love you" were uttered today in America? I wonder how much candy and how many bouquets of flowers were given today as a "sign" of love? The answer would probably boggle the mind. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against Valentine's Day. To the contrary, I celebrate it like the best of 'em. But here I am...pondering...

***Warning...do not proceed unless you are ready to hear my honest thoughts on some serious matters. This will be my reflections on what, I believe, will matter most to you and your loved ones. Now, if you proceed, consider yourself fairly warned.***

In my office, there is a small, subtle sign that I found in one of my father's desks. It's a tiny piece of wood that is painted dark brown. Glued to the face are seven pieces of carved wood that are painted white. Some folks have looked at the sign and asked "what's that?" Others look at it and immediately see the "Answer" slightly hidden in the carvings. Please see the attached photo for review. Rather than dwell on the sign, let's move forward...I have bigger fish to fry.

Cutting to the chase, I ask you point blank...what if Christ had loved us but wasn't committed to saving us? Certainly, Christ loved the poor and the downtrodden. He loved children. He loved widows and orphans. He dined with sinners and ne'er-do-wells. He associated with the outcast of society. Can anyone truthfully say that Christ did not show "love" in His life? So, let's agree that Christ loved all people.

But what if Christ had only shown His love by giving gifts of "candy," such as His words, or by offering "flowers," such as His miracles; and then not been committed to paying for our sins on the cross? We'd be lost...literally! He showed us love, but, most importantly, He was committed to the end. I borrow from an excerpt from one of John Piper's sermons from January 2007.

"Christ thought of himself as the bridegroom coming for his bride, the true people of God (Matthew 9:15; 25:1ff; John 3:29)." "Christ knew he would have to pay the dowry of his own blood for his redeemed bride. He called this relationship the new covenant—“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20)." "Staying married, therefore, is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant. “Till death do us part,” or, “As long as we both shall live” is sacred covenant promise—the same kind Jesus made with his bride when he died for her." (For more in depth coverage of the subject matter, visit: http://www.desiringgod.org. Search "Staying Married Is Not About Staying in Love")

Forget the candy and the flowers. Christ is waiting for you. He kept His promise. He kept His commitment. He loves you, but most importantly, He is committed to you. He will not let you down. The world will chew you up and spit you out. He won't. Everybody, including your loved ones, will let you down at one time or another. Christ will not fail you!

Love is a very, very important teaching of Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote that of faith, hope, and love...the greatest is love. Love is a blessing from God and God IS love. But, as you sit here and read some knucklehead's blog, we all know love comes and love goes. We don't always love everyone, everyday. In fact, truth be told, you won't always be "in love" with your spouse. If you have been married for over seven years, you probably ready to give me a "high five." But...if you are committed to your spouse, like Christ is committed to His believers, you will fall "in love" again.

My father was a Marine during WWII. He fought on Iwo Jima, which happens to be one of America's bloodiest battles. He rarely told me of any of the horrors he experienced during his month on the island. He did state this, though, that he would have done anything for his buddies that he fought alongside. They were committed to each other. They didn't always love one another, but when the going got rough, they were faithful to each other. Interestingly, the Marine slogan, Semper Fi, means "always faithful." Thank God that Christ is always faithful to us.

***EXTRA NOTE: 2/18/08***
***I hope that everyone can experience what I experience in my life. My wife and I have been happily married for over 23 years. I love her and she loves me! Plus, we're committed to each other. We've been through some tough situations, but love has always carried us through. ***

Happy Birthday, Angie!

Angie and I went on our first date on 3/31/1984. She had just had her 19th birthday the month before. We married that summer in August. So, I had almost a whole year to learn the rule. Her birthday is February 13th and Valentine's Day is February 14th. The two days are separate and never to be considered the same day for gift-giving purposes. No heart-shaped birthday cakes, no "Happy Birthday/Be My Valentine" parties, no mixing of the two days in any form or fashion.

Tonight, I made one of her favorite meals...Angie Burgers (Hawaiian style), BB rice, and baked beans. And Daniel baked Angie's birthday cake...chocolate on chocolate. mmmmm!!!! Plus, John and Angelle came by to join the party. Fun, fun, fun.

My intention tonight was to upload a bunch of vintage pictures of Angie growing up. She was adorable as a little girl and beautiful as a young lady. But alas, I couldn't find the album with all of the photos of her youth. I did find some of the photos I've taken since we've been married. The crazy thing is that in almost every picture, she has one or all of the kids hugging her or she's holding one of the many pets that we've had over the years. But that, in a nutshell, is Angie. She LOVES our kids...no two ways about it. She would give her life for any one of them. She's the best mom that God could have ever given me to help raise our children. And Angie loves animals. She has such a compassionate heart for all of our pets. It's no wonder why all of the pets seem to gravitate towards her.

When does 1 + 1 + 1 = 2 Much Fun?

For all those whose didn't make the lunch bunch, I'm sad to say....we had tooooo much fun. The restaurant put us in a private room where Matt could behave any way he wanted and Mikey didn't have to worry about beating the ladies off with a stick. Plus, I got to sit with my back against the wall to avoid a possible mob hit.

Most importantly, we had as much fun as we've ever had at lunch. We know that some couldn't attend due to illness, some couldn't attend due to work, and some couldn't attend due to other circumstances. However, that did not deter us from laughing at the top of our lungs and enjoying good food. In fact, I'd say the picture I took speaks volumes....it was a blur, baby!

Later I'm going to post a special blog in honor of Angie's birthday. Drop back by and read it, if you please.

Legacy

Lately, have you thought about what you were handed down from the past? I'm not referring to the collective gifts of knowledge that we all share now, such as medical advancements, computer technology, etc. I’m specifically talking about the non-material gifts you obtained from your parents.

Typically, not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me if I am Harry Addison’s son. Usually, it is followed by some interesting or humorous story that my father was involved in. What an ice-breaker! Most times it means immediate acceptance by the other person…before they even know me. You can’t ask for a better legacy!

So, I pose a question to you. What legacy are you leaving for your loved ones? When I was younger, I guess I didn’t care. I wanted to win the rat race. Then it dawned on me, I’m running with a bunch of rats!

Now my soapbox, if you will allow me…have integrity…show compassion…but most importantly, take time to develop your relationship with God.

I finish with a poem that I read tonight. My father wrote this in the 70’s I believe. If you like it, try picking up one of this three books. They're in most bookstores in town and also at the parish library.

"These are the hands that held you

when you were hurt

And combed your hair and

washed away the dirt

These are the hands that

held your fevered brow

And gave you love and

understanding when you were

young and even now

These are the hands that

worked for you and glad

And were never raised in anger

at you when you were bad

So take these hands and remember

that it’s true

If ever trouble comes your way

they’ll be extended again for you."

How to Straighten a Crooked Guitar Finger

Almost a year ago, I was diagnosed with some form of arthritis. It's only been a problem, though, when I'm doing something strenuous that I normally don't do. Case in point, I love to hike on trails in the mountains. I get a kick out of seeing God's handywork; and, most times, you have to take the road less traveled to see it. Our last trip to the Ozarks was a blast! However, when we got home, my arthritic knee was swollen to the point that I hobbled around for several days. That's just the price I pay now. Welcome to Over-forty-ville...population...a gazillion and climbing.

The problem these days aren't the knees so much as the fingers. I play guitar everyday! I can't walk by one without picking it up, strumming, picking, etc. I go out of my way to play. Unfortunately, the little finger on my left hand has really started taking a turn for the worse...literally. In fact, it seems to have a mind of its own. The last knuckle is deformed a tad and is beginning to bear right. No, I'm not the "Elephant Man" by any stretch of the imagination, but it hurts to play for long periods of time. In addition, some chords are getting harder and harder to fret correctly.

Well, a while back, a watched a video of an old blues guitarist named CeDell Davis. As a child he suffered from polio, which left him with very limited use of his hands. Even though he couldn't play in the conventional manner, he picked up a butter knife and created his own sound by sliding the knife up and down the fret board. I'll admit, listening the CeDell is an acquired taste. Most folks find that his sound is out-of-tune or primitive. But he inspires me. If he can play slide guitar, then why not me?

So...do you want to know how to straighten a crooked guitar finger? Watch my video.

Extra Note: My wife read the blog, watched the video, and then said "I don't get it." I guess it's not self-explanatory for those who don't play guitar. I was trying to be humorous and show that you cover up your inability with a prop...in this case, a guitar slide. Since my finger won't cooperate, I'm learning how to play slide guitar.

Sunday, sunny Sunday

Wow, was the day gorgeous or what? On my way home from church, Angie called and wanted to know if I wanted to go for a bike ride. Hello??? Does Mike Tyson sweat during a spelling bee?

I changed into some shorts, aired up the bike tires, and off we went. Angie and Daniel had already mapped out the course, so I just went along, not really knowing where we'd end up. As we pedaled through residential neighborhoods, I soaked up the sounds of an old blues album from my iPod. The sun was brilliant and the temperature was mid 70's...quite comfortable. It wasn't long before I realized we were heading for the Forsythe Park. Lots of folks were taking advantage of the pleasant weather and enjoying family time at the park. While we were there, we met a gentleman who had just finished running a 13-mile course. Oh, by the way, he's 65! He looked fit as a fiddle. We struck up a conversation and made a new friend.

Traveling back home, we rode on the levee for a mile or two. It's amazing the natural resources we have right here in the twin cities. I'm afraid we take it for granted so often. I took some photos of the river and Angie and Daniel on the levee. By the way, I took the photos with my cell phone and I couldn't see the display on my screen. So please don't gripe about the amateur framing. Angie says it's because I'm photogr-awful. On a positive note, I took several wonderful pictures of my feet and the bike pedals. =)

Later, I went to a play rehearsal for "Reality Bites Back." This one is going to stretch my acting muscles because we're going to ad-lib some of the performance with the audience each night. As usual, I'll be leaning on my stage-veteran friends for help. Did I mention most of these stage vets are young enough to be my chil... er, I mean...my younger brothers and sisters. Although the cast is not complete yet, this looks like this is going to be FUN!

We All Have Addictions

I do like Saturdays. John, Angie, and I stayed up late Friday night and watched Bourne Ultimatum. So this morning, I let my bride sleep late. I realize I'm tooting my own horn here, but breakfast was waiting for her when she arose from her slumber. We decided to tackle the mess under our carport today. What a chore! Actually, Angie took on the lawn and I took the carport. Both were formidable obstacles. But Angie has a green thumb and it's such a pleasure to watch her work in a flower garden. I envision God smiling from heaven as He watches her toil in the soil with such merriment.

After cleaning for most of the day, we went to a party with some of our friends from church. While I was there, I realized how addicted I am to laughter. I can't go a day without laughing or I go crazy. I don't mean chuckling mildly or laughing for a ten second burst. I'm talking about a kick-your-head-back-and-guffaw-for-a-minute-or-more laughter. I evidently require several of these boisterous expressions of pleasure per day. If I don't get my fix, I lose what little grip on reality that I cling to. So, here's a warning: if you see me smiling, get ready...I'm thinking of a one-liner. Please don't hold it against me...I'm an addict.

If life is a cake, then friends are the icing

Friends do make life more fun, don’t they? Today, as planned, some of the cast of Oscar & Felix dined together at the mall. In addition to the regular O&F Lunch Bunch, we had some other stage veterans join us; namely Kim and Tony Sanson, Laura Michelle Wolfe, Cathy Burgess, and even my wife. I handed Matt Wilkins my camera and he took some candid shots…hope you like them.

My creative juices are flowing today. I have a new project that may be heading my way. But I’ll save the discussion for another post. Suffice it to say, I’m really excited about this one and the opportunity it presents.

Special Note: Matt Wilkins and his sister deserve kudos for filming and posting some of the O&F performances. Check out Matt’s website for the video. I’ve posted a link to his site on my page.

More Air Time

Today I filmed a segment for a TV show, Home Sweet Home. Mike Roberts is a local home inspector who also produces a TV show that plays in the Monroe and Shreveport markets. He and I had a chance meeting a couple of weeks ago and he asked me if I'd like to be on his show. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. The show is supposed to run in about a month. I'll try to keep you posted of the date and channel. Check out his website: http://www.hshlouisiana.com/

Lately, I can't go anywhere without someone telling me they saw me on a commercial. A couple of months ago, I acted in a commercial for Encore Cleaning and the commercial is just now running regularly on TV. Although the producers sent me a copy of the commercial after it was edited, I haven't seen it on TV yet. I wonder how I'm going to feel after I see my goofy butt on the small screen.

Tomorrow, I expect I'll get to have lunch with some of the Oscar and Felix cast. I can't wait because we can't ever seem to control our laughter. And we all know that laughter is good for the soul. Plus, my soul needs some work.

Angie's Pre-Birthday Party

Angie's birthday is February 13th. However, since Meredith is in town now and she won't be able to make it back home on Angie's official birthday, we had a little pre-party tonight. I wish I could take credit for this clever plan, but that belongs to my daughter.

We went to the Outback Steakhouse for our dining pleasure. Mmmmm, good! However, after we finished our meal, the goofy side of my family came out and we started acting silly at the table. Imagine that! I snapped a few photos to capture the mood. It seems like I remember someone yelling "oompah" before the madness really kicked in.

Arriving back home, we surprised Angie with a birthday pie! Strawberry goodness from Not Just Pie. Plus Meredith had picked out some special ice cream as well. Now I feel fat as a tick. I think I gained six pounds...but it was worth it. (seems like I've heard that before somewhere)

Monday Blues

Other than taking Meredith to lunch at the Pickle Barrel, not a whole lot special happened today.  Maybe a little drama here and there, but nothing that won't dissipate by the morning.  So on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say this day was a Monday.

Not Your Typical Super Bowl Sunday

I haven't missed watching many Super Bowls. As a kid, I remember watching only parts of the game when the Dolphins beat the Redskins to preserve their undefeated season. We had a football game going on outside that was much more important to me. I missed Super Bowl XIV, Steelers vs Rams, because I was driving back from New Orleans. My fraternity had a winter formal in the crescent city that year.

But tonight takes the cake. My daughter, Meredith, is in town because LSU is out for Mardi Gras. Usually, when she's in town, I cater to her whims. However, I turned the game on in the den and popped a squat on the couch. Meredith was sitting beside me but she was busy doing something on her laptop. I thought to myself...this is great. I've got my girl home and I'm getting to watch the game. Life couldn't be better...little did I know.

Meredith finished whatever she was working on and walked over to the TV. She asked me if I wanted to watch something with her. My answer, of course, was "Yes, the Super Bowl." But she promptly put in a DVD of "Little People, Big World." We watched about an hour's worth and I sat patiently...longing to know the score. She grew weary of watching that show, so she got up and asked if there was something else I'd like to watch. "Yes, the Super Bowl." Unfazed, she put in "Gilmore Girls." Did you read that!!!??? I watched several episodes of "Gilmore Girls" while the Super Bowl was on. ...And you thought it was easy being me.

Well, God rewarded me for my behavior. Throughout the GG marathon, I went to the bathroom on a regular basis....wink, wink. Truthfully, I would walk to the back of the house and check the score. You're going to think I'm lying, but every time I walked to the back, somebody would score. I didn't get to see the whole game, but I saw every score in real time. Wacky!

Then the thought occurred to me: how many dads were watching "Gilmore Girls" with their daughters during the Super Bowl? I may not be in a class by myself, but it doesn't take long to call roll.

Lazy Saturday

Today has been fun. Hil and I finished the fiddle. Plus, I got to meet some of Hil's friends and even got to play alongside them in jam session.

First, Hil and I glued the fingerboard onto the fiddle and set it aside to dry. Then we went to one of his friend's to show off one of Hil's mandolins. While we were there, I got to sit down and play guitar with some true southern gentlemen...El and Joe. El picked up a guitar and starting playing and Joe joined on the mandolin. As for me, I held a guitar and tried to hang on as the train was leaving the station...if you know what I mean. We played several tunes together, but mostly I was a spectator. But it was great fun and they are such interesting folks!

Back at Hil's, we put the bridge on the fiddle and put on a set of new strings. After a few adjustments, Hil christened it with a song. Sounds great!

Tonight I'm taking my bride to the Strauss Masquerade Ball. Somebody asked me earlier what I was wearing and I told them that I'd be the one in the mask...get it? I'm really looking forward to seeing some of my theater friends. Plus, I know I'll be with the prettiest girl there.

Geriatric Blues

I spent some more time with Hil today working on my fiddle. When I got there, he had already taken the clamps off and was preparing to apply the pre-stain. We applied a generous coat and then set it aside to allow it to dry. I've noticed that Hil is very resourceful. The clamps that he uses are custom-made by Hil out of typical items found in any hardware store. In fact, many of the gadgets he uses to graduate fiddles have been designed and made from his own craftiness. Growing up during the Depression will make you learn to use what you have available. My dad was the same way.

I stained the fiddle after it was dry and then HIl applied several coats of lacquer. Tomorrow, we'll apply the fingerboard and the tuning pegs. It won't be long before the neighbors accuse me of torturing a cat because I can't play the fiddle. Also, Hil worked on a 5-string fiddle he's building with his brother. He said that the gospel fiddlers like to have access to the low C string for playing some traditional songs and he's already made a handful of these hybrid instruments.

Hil has written a song called "Geriatric Blues" that he plays on the harmonica. He cut lose on a few verses today and I started filming. He's written over twenty verses to this song. It's gets funnier every time I hear it. Maybe someday I'll be able to play it when I'm in my eighties.