Now, he's trying to increase traffic and increase our blogging frequency. I'm grateful for the challenge and honored to have been tagged by him for the "Five Things You Might Not Know About Me" blogfest.
Here are five stories from my life. Retelling each story fills me with thankfulness for the way God used these experiences to shape my life.
I Inspired Charles Schultz . . . Maybe
My father coached football, basketball, baseball, and track on every level. He spent most of his career as a basketball coach. When I was two (1971), he was coaching at Sheffield High School (Alabama). My mom and I attended as many games as we possibly could (I am an only child). Before one game, my mom and dad let me play with the basketballs during the warm-up period. I tried to dribble and pass, but the balls dribbled me. I struggled to get all the balls back on the rolling rack. A photographer took a series of pictures and published them along with a story about the game. (My dad's team, the Bulldogs, won.)
A few months later, Charles Schultz depicted Charlie Brown being bested by a basketball. The strip bears an uncanny resemblance to the photos of me. The comic strip and the photos are side by side in our family's scrapbook. Whether or not Schultz saw the pics and based that Sunday funny on me or not is up for debate. (If I can find and scan the photos and strip, I will update this post and let you know.)
Moment of thankfulness: I miss my dad. He died three years ago. I invite you to read about this great man in my post about remembering him and my post about sports.
I dressed like a woman . . . once . . . in 3rd Grade (1977-78)
The librarian at my elementary school wanted to take a bunch of pictures of her students acting out "Little Red Riding Hood." I was cast as the wolf. I was cool, man. I had fangs and everything.
However, the coolness came to an abrupt end when they brought out a nightgown and silly hat for me to wear to impersonate Granny. I had to put on the old lady clothes and climb beneath frilly covers. I protested. Loudly. I eventually relented and played the part, but I was probably the least convincing wolf in the history of the story.
Moment of thankfulness: I've had a lot of fun acting. Learning to memorizing lines has helped me memorize scripture (how I wish I had more memorized). I've made great friends and had a lot of fun playing:
- The Raven in an original operetta about Noah's Ark
- The Little Drummer Boy in a Christmas musical
- The Announcer in a kid's musical
- Roger and Johnny Casino in "Grease"
- Li'l Abner
- Joseph in a high school production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
- Reader's Theatre
- Joseph, adoptive father of Jesus, for a Christmas pageant
- The cop (male lead) in "Pigeons and Dandelions"
I Performed Live at Opryland
Every summer, my family would drive north I-75 from Atlanta, turn onto I-24 in Chattanooga, and exit at Briley Parkway to spend a few days at Opryland. It was our favorite vacation spot. (By the way, Briley Parkway was under construction even then.) We would stay at the Drury Inn (now the Hamilton Inn) across from the BNA Buildings (where Nelson used to have satellite offices), eat at Denny's (now Mazatlan), and spend our days and nights listening to live music ranging from Bluegrass to 50s Rock to Broadway show tunes. I rode the rides, like the Wabash Cannonball rollercoaster, but we came for the music. We bought season passes every year until it closed.
One of the shows we loved was "Today's Country Roads." In the summer of 1980, Danny Gregg and the rest of the cast performed outdoors in the amphitheater where "Country Music, U.S.A." spent most of its history--The Theatre by the Lake. The show featured the top country hits of the day. The song list changed every month or so. My dad speculated that Opryland hoped it would bring visitors back again and again during the same summer to hear their favorite songs performed live. The show didn't last many summers, so I guess the ploy didn't work.
That year, Kenny Rogers' "Coward of the County" hit #1 on Billboard's country chart and #3 on Billboards Hot 100 pop chart. It was a centerpiece of the "Today's Country Roads" line up. During performances of "Coward", the performers would pull a boy out of the audience to join them in a chorus. One time, they chose me. I grabbed the mic, and cranked into it. I finished the chorus and the lead singer tried to get the mic back while the audience politely applauded. But I didn't let go. Before everyone knew it, the band had turned the corner into the second verse and I was singing again--instead of the lead singer. The rest of the cast provided background vocals. I finished the song and the crowd went wild with laughter and applause. I had no idea I had done anything wrong or unexpected.
Years later, I auditioned for Opryland's cast. I had to push my audition to the last day due to the chickenpox. I didn't get a callback. I've blamed it all these years on the illness.
Moment of thankfulness: Music has been a big part of my life. I started singing in the children's choir before I could read. My parents shelled out tons of money for piano, guitar, flute, saxophone, and voice lessons. For my 16th birthday, I didn't ask for a car--I asked for studio time to record a demo of a song I had written. Whether listening, writing, or performing, God has used music to teach me about Himself and His grace.
My Friends Called my Room, "The Shrine"
I became a Christ-follower at 14 (1983). I became a fan of Contemporary Christian Music very quickly. I spent my paychecks from my part-time job on LPs. (If you don't know what LP means, read the paragraph marked by the *** below.)
I spent hours (and dollars) at Jim Reimann's store, then called The Christian Armory. The music buyer, David Lancaster, and I got to be great friends. We ate Del Taco and watched Star Trek when we weren't listening to the new demos from Billy Sprague, The Choir, or Steve Taylor. David introduced me to the music reps from Word Records, Sparrow, and Benson. These guys gave me TONS of promotional material--posters, flats (replicas of album covers), cardboard standees, and (most importantly) free music.
I plastered three walls of my bedroom with music memorabilia. I subscribed to CCM Magazine and sent away for 8 x 10 glossy photographs with autographs. I went to concerts and used my connections to get backstage. I collected concert tee-shirts and buttons. All of these things ended up on my walls. My favorite artists were Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Petra. At different points, I have owned three Amy Grant life-size standees (cardboard cut outs)--one from "Never Alone," one from "Unguarded," and one from "Heart in Motion."
In college, I was the music buyer for a Logos bookstore in Athens, Ga. I used two standees for a big Amy Grant display. I lost them when the store burned on Thanksgiving eve, 1987.
Moment of thankfulness: I have been encouraged by the lives of the artists I've followed. I have been deeply affected by their songs. When I'm down, discouraged, or need a pick-me-up, their music inspires me.
***LPs (short for long-playing, also called records, albums, and platters) are vinyl platters with spiral groves carved into them. They had a hole exactly in the center by which they are attached to a spindle on a machine called a turntable. The turntable rotates at 33 1/3 rotations per minute. A small crystal attached to a stylus, attached to an arm is inserted into the grooves. The crystal and stylus are dragged through these grooves by the rotations. The rotations create sound wave vibrations sensed by the stylus and converted by the machine into music.
I Spent My One-Year Wedding Anniversary with my Mother-in-Law
My wife and I were married on May 5, 1990. On April 30, 1991, God blessed us with a healthy baby girl named Elisa. Labor was long, stressful, and didn't progress. At one point, my wife was having double contractions. At the doctor's urging, we chose to deliver her by cesarean. After a short hospital stay, Mom and daughter came home on May 4. Kaye's mom came to help for our first week at home.
Our first anniversary wasn't the romantic celebration I anticipated, but Kaye and I had a fun time eating a few bites of freezer-burned wedding cake and toasting each other--and Elisa--with Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider.
Moment of thankfulness: Children truly are a blessing from the Lord. Our lives are so enriched by our four children.
Now to tag a few others. I hereby tag Peach. Peach's blog is on my daily list. She writes about the things facing stay-at-home moms. I'm probably one of the few men who reads her blog.
I also tag Bob DeMoss, a New York Times bestselling author and one of the best commentators on media in the world.
Gregg Stutts is a Vice President with FamilyLife and has a unique look at the world around him.
I'm going to be bold and reach out to tag Dr. George Grant. Dr. Grant is a writer, speaker, pastor, and all-around amazing thinker.
I also tag Aron Bender. Aron is a radio show host in south Florida. I had the privilege of being his guest to talk about The Smart Guide to the Bible series. Aron is a fellow runner and his training log has encouraged my aspirations for participating in the Country Music Marathon.
Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope you'll read my past posts and return for future ones.
