carry me home

hey everybody.

wow.
that's really all that i can say.

sunday night, i finally got to preach a sermon that's been on my heart for quite some time. it was titled "Jesus said NO". while it didn't go quite the way that i had imagined it, it went exactly how God needed it to. and i am very thankful for that.

after the sermon, i was happy to see both my nephew and my dad at the alter, among several others who had responded to the word of God. also there were teens from Evangel that made recommitments to Christ. and much to my joy, there were broken people that were set free. and one certain person in particular.

you see, while i didn't know who it was, i new that God was sending me to minister there, on that night, for a specific reason. for a specific person. and i am thankful that they were open to the word of God.

i struggled during my sermon with whether or not to share a personal battle that i had faced several years ago. but God kept pressing me that it was something that would touch someone. finally, i told of a time when i had "lost" myself in my christian life. and the cause of it, and the pain and hopelessness that i had felt at that time. and i told of how God brought me through it.

during alter service, a woman came to the front, in tears, and told me that she was going through the exact same battle, and that i had described her feelings of despair like i had read her mind. i knew where she was. because i had been there and survived to tell of it. i was able to pray with her. and pray over her. and offer her hope. peace. joy. and the heart of Christ.

one of my favorite poems is the "footprints" poem. the one where, at the end, Jesus says "my precious child. i love you, and would never leave you. in the times when you saw only one set of prints, it was then that i carried you."

i can offer no better offer of hope than that. if you are tired. if you are broken. if you are lost. if you feel forgotten. if you feel hopeless. if you don't know how to stand anymore. you are not alone. it is in those moments that we realize the truth of the scripture that says "My strength is made perfect in weakness." because it is then. at that moment, that He can show us how much He loves us. by picking us up. cradling us in his arms. and carrying us home.

so if you are there. look up to heaven, and say Lord, i'm tired. i'm hurting. i'm sad. please, i have no strength left to stand. will you carry me home? and see if He doesn't cradle you, and carry you home.

much love.
theoldmusicbox

so, in this hour, live like you're alive!!!!

this is taken from the song "so, in this hour" by the christian artist called the rocket summer.

"So in this hour
Everything I do
Will be all for this moment
Everything's for you
My heart is open
And willing
So take it"

this is taken from the song "live like you're alive" by the christian group called nevertheless.

"So here, I stand,
I'm ready for anything
i'm Just, a man,
but I'm giving everything
We're here
only for a second and then
We're gone
when we least expect it
So do more than survive
Let's live like we're alive"


as most of you know, i love music. but mostly, i really love it when i find a new group, or a new song, or something that i've never heard of, and it just totally blows my mind either lyrically, or musically, or both. until recently i had never heard of the rocket summer, or nevertheless. but i have to say, i have become a fan.

i love the line where it says "my heart is open, and willing, so take it". so often, as christians, we want God to give us everything that we need, everything that we want, and sometimes everything that we see. and what do we offer Him in return? we offer him advice on how He should be God!! seriously. how many times have you complained to Him that if He would just grant you what you've prayed for that your life would just be great and you could finally be happy? think about it.

when was the last time that you honestly said, my heart is open and willing Lord, please just take it. without adding some kind of stipulation to the request.

and then, the other song, we're here only for a second and then we're gone when we least expect it so do more than survive. live like we're alive. when i first heard that line, it literally took my breath away. i felt like i had been hit in the gut with a brick made of truth.

for the last couple of months, i've been going on remote control. kinda like the guy from the old mcdonald's commercial. remember? get up, go to work, go home, go to bed. get up go to work go home go to bed get up go to work go home go to bed. get up go to work GO TO MCDONALD'S go to bed. caught in the same rut, day after day after day with something special every now and then, and then back to the rut.

i'm sorry, but i believe that i was put on this earth for more than that!! how about you? are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? (sorry, couldn't help using that old cliche) are you tired of same old same old? are you ready for a revolution? are you prepared for a life changing moment in your life. well so am i.

i don't consider myself a prophet. just a man who hears from God from time to time. but i believe that we can do more than just survive. we can do it simply by saying "Lord, in this hour, everything's for You. my heart is open and willing. take it". i love David's prayer that says "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

if you notice, David gave no "here's how to be God" advice. or any other request but that God would know his heart and lead his actions. next time i pray, i think i'll try that. how about you?

much love
theoldmusicbox

hey, i didn't fall off of the planet!!

well, it sure has been a crazy last couple of months hasn't it. i'm happy to say that baby bethany is home and doing great. she's up to 8 pounds now. wow, that's a long way from 3 pounds 4.5 ounces. oh yeah, she was suppose to be born last saturday. oops, only missed that one by about 2 and a half months. hey, maybe that means that she'll always be ready to go early or on time. well, she is still a female so i guess i shouldn't get my hopes up.

anyway, what have i been thinking about for these last couple of months. i sure haven't been blogging. mostly because i've been praying, or taking care of family, or trying to work or sleep, or (shhhhh) both at the same time (oops).

i have been thinking that i am the most blessed man on the planet.
even through all of the craziness. and all of the heartwrenching ache of doubt and fear that tried to tear apart my soul during the dark hours. i never felt abandoned. i never felt alone.

through the whole mess, i felt the hand of God firmly on my shoulder. He gave me strength to get through, to care for my wife, to care for all of my children (who, by the way, have taught me a newfound respect for single parents. i would never survive, God bless you all) i was reminded time and time again, that, "His strength is made perfect in my weakness". my friends, i have mastered the whole "weakness" part. and am thanking God daily for His strength.

be back soon
much love
theoldmusicbox

coming soon

hey everybody!!

i know, i know, i know. it's been, like, 3 months since my last blog. i apologize, really, i do.

it has been absolutely insane around here though. first, my wife's water broke almost 3 months early, then a whole host of other things. but, now, everything is fine. my 'fun-sized' baby, who by the way does NOT have leigh in her name, (tsk, tsk) is home and doin't great. she is almost normal sized now and growing more everyday.

although i haven't had time to blog, trust me when i say, i've had plenty of time to think. so, there will be some interesting blogs coming soon. i have much to be thankful for. much to look forward to, and nothing more to fear.

talk to you SOON.
theoldmusicbox.

thank God for divine protection

i do not believe in luck. i do not believe in coincidence. i do, however, believe in God. and His divine protection.

as you all know, one of my favorite things in the world is my motorcycle. well, as you all know, they can be dangerous in many ways, as well as fun. and, in the years of my riding, i've had several close calls on the road. but none like last night.

around 10:00 o'clock last evening, i was riding home from waynesville. i was coming down s.r.73 and going about 60mph give or take a few. it was pitch black dark and cold. there are NO lights down there for the roads. just as i crested a hill i switched on an accessory and the next thing i knew, i heard a loud POP!!! ALL of my lights went out and my engine died. again, i was doing around 60mph(orso) when suddenly i had NO LIGHTS. i coasted down the hill and tried to make it up the next but didn't make it. there was no shoulder to get off of the road and i was in the valley portion of a double hill. i saw headlights behind me before i crested the hill, so i knew that i had to make a choice. i tried everything that i knew to at least get my lights on, but my whole electric and engine was hopelessly dead.
i was at my end. and thought for sure i'd be squashed by whoever was coming up behind me. so i prayed, "Lord, i need some help." as soon as i got the words out of my mouth, i saw the lights coming and heard the oncoming car. my bike is black and blue. i was wearing my black leathers, and black jean and black helmet. the truck came to a stop right behind me. the driver asked if i needed help. i said yes. he got out and helped push my bike up the hill into the first driveway. IT WAS HIS DRIVEWAY!!

he then told me that he was also a biker, and he saw my lights flickering as i topped the hill so he slowed down. then, he and his wife invited me into there home until almost 1:00 A.M because i couldn't get a tow truck for my bike. he told me that he had a trailer and a ramp so if i couldn't get help, he would take me and the bike home. one of my good friends ended up being able to make it and me and my bike made it to safety.

while i'm supremely bummed about the bike, there are several reasons for my thankfulness.

1) i was headed for i-75!! another 5 minutes and i would have been going alot faster with alot more traffic. and even if i had made it safely off the road, i would have had to sit on the side of the highway for about 3 hours and left my bike on the side of the road.

2) shane and his wife and 18 month old, were more hospitable than most people i've encountered while looking like a questionable biker decked out in leathers. (would you have let me into your house that late at night, looking like that?)

3) he was a rider, so he had ramps and stuff so that when my friend came, we were able to take my bike home.

4) i was able to keep my bike on the road while going over 60 totally blind. i literally could not see anything.

so hey, i may be bummed, but at least i'm bummed safely at home