Real LOVE

I am, for once, going to cut to the chase and try desperately hard not to rabbit trail. Though it seems like an insurmountable feat... I. Will. Be. Focused. : ) What I am going to toss out there may be a bit controversial, but truthfully, that doesn't always stop me... :p

I want to talk about Love. Real LOVE. Not the 'I "love"you today, but tomorrow you will bore me to tears' kind of "love". That ISN'T even love. Not the "I love you cuz you liked me first' love either. Again...not the real deal. Or my favorite... "Well... if it's convenient, I will "love" you'...We are so fickle aren't we? : *

We live in a disposable society. If something breaks, more often than not, it's more expensive to repair something than replace it.... and FORGET printers... You are almost better to but a new one than replace those ink cartridges... and marriage? It's taken a beating...sigh... we get bored and move on...or worse..give up. We just don't 'get it' sometimes...

Real love costs something. Sacrifice!? yes... time, money, effort. It requires compromise (the GOOD kind) when you usually DON'T want to... it's about not giving up or in...

Real love doesn't care what you have done, what you smell like, what your income is, or how you dress. Real love doesn't even care how well you play the bass... (though I might - haha!!)

Real LOVE came down here two thousand years ago, and still cares about you! So if you want to know the real love that is beyond any human understanding, and can forgive you of any sin that you have done, or maybe are even in the midst of - 'For God so LOVED the world, that whoever believes on Him will not perish, but have everlasting life! John 3:16... if you want to know more about this love, I'm here.. send me a line!

This week, if you are thinking about love, think about this... unlike people, He (Jesus: real LOVE) won't ever leave you - you are NEVER alone... <3

I hope you have an amazing LOVE filled week!

Of songs and writing

So... yes, another blog post. I know, I know... you haven't read the last one yet... perhaps you haven't read any... that's fine! I write them when I feel the unction to write. 'What's on your mind,' you ask, somewhat warily. : )

I want to talk to you about writing...song writing... I have been on a relatively new kick...

I have been playing the bass for almost THIRTY years! Good grief! I can sing backups, but lead??? sigh... and well, I haven't become the bass player extraordinnaire ... : ( .... but I have delved into songwriting... not so easy when your main instrument is not the typical accompanying kind...

EVERYONE seems to play guitar or keys... I just never wanted to... so, it's a bit limiting... in some ways it's like trying to write melody on the drums... : * sigh ... (now if I were Victor Wooten,or Jaco, or Stanley...well, I wouldn't be writing a modest blog and looking for work, now would I???) lol

Now, I have noooo recording and production prowess... and no software... and sadly... NO THEORY... Doesn't look too promising, does it?

BUT - I discovered the coolest thing! It's Chordbook, an online program that lets you see the chord on the guitar and hear the strum! So, I can find the corresponding chord to what I am "hearing", put a name to it, and save it for when I DO have someone to work with! It lets you save your chords and keep stuff for reference..

I actually wrote something on it, and recorded the thing on my Voice Memo app on my Iphone... crazy technology huh?

So, if I can actually find someone that wants to play with an old lady that can still rock a good funk groove, and thinks that "the church" really SHOULD play the blues, (cuz after all, King David wrote some kickin' blues material) then we'll talk... and have coffee... and jam : )

Keep looking up!

Lori

The Joys of Estrogen

Ok... this one may scare you guys - er, men off.... the title is certainly daunting... and I admit, at times I display the "spaghetti maze" of thinking that IS the female mind...We have been confounding men down through the ages... lol

Yet, I, sometimes, don't understand women... and I am one. I am a little off center, I suppose most creative types/musicians are - with that having been said... let me describe my typical experience when meeting a woman that is... shall we delicately say: 'past childhood rearing years'.

Scene: a typical women's church function - around the craft table -

I am surrounded by about ten middle aged 'ish' women. We are chatting cheerily away about typical "girlie" things - work, God,cooking, children, the men and issues in our lives. Suddenly out of nowhere, the woman next to me stares intently at me and blurts out - How OLD are you!?!? Me, I am somewhat uncomfortable with the subject. Old age has crept up quite sinisterly on me, and I am not at all used to being in the throes of mid life. sigh... Why does that question weigh so heavily on most women that they absolutely NEED to know how old you are?

My guess: the old 'Compare and Compete' syndrome? "Am I as pretty as she is? Am I prettier? How do I compare?" Why does everything have to turn into a competition? Does it really matter? (insert frustrated sigh here) The outer stuff fades anyways... beauty is nice to see, but if you have no inner beauty, then in my opinion, you really AREN'T beautiful...

(and if you really want to know what God thinks is beautiful go to www.biblegateway.com and quick/keyword search 'beautiful'. I think you will be mighty surprised!)

I have one more proverbial bone to pick with the female gender. You see guys, even WE, at times, get sooo vexed with --- DRAMA... I really only want to experience drama if I am sitting in a semi comfortable air-conditioned seat and someone paid for the ticket. : ) AND no one around me is talking on their cell phone or putting their feet on the back of my seat. Gum snapping is also discouraged. (Don't their parents teach kids any social courtesies these days?) sigh... that is for another rabbit trail, entirely.

Men can be sooo much easier to relate to. I envy ANYONE that can actually think about NOTHING! Really! I do... Let's face it, if I have 15,000 words per day and the man I am with has about 500, it can make for a crowded evening.. Ladies, it's so worth it to use up those many extra words on a woman that can actually pay attention without getting tired! lol

But seriously, though we speak two totally different languages in every conceivable way, when the two halves come together, it's pretty neat! What a design plan! Have a great weekend, all! <>< : )

No time to quit!

You came back! Thanks! Glutton for "pun"ishment, eh? This week's contemplative ramblings are simmering on the back burner- or at least trying. : )

My favorite Book - I call it Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.. (no, not an original name, but really cool, nonetheless!) has a lot to say about giving up. Quitting. Throwing in the towel. (WHERE exactly does that towel go, anyway??? ) just sayin' - :D

But even more amazingly - I am way more excited about what it says about NOT giving up... we 'super spiritual' types call it persevering. :P

There is a whole section that compares our lives to that of a runner in a race. As we 'run', we need to keep our eyes on the prize... the goal... the finish line. The reward.

For those of us that belong to Jesus Christ, He is our prize. He got us into this race, and He is the one that welcomes us at the end of it! :) kind of like Bill Cosby when he quips "Keep it up... I brought you into this world... I can take you OUT of it." lol... anyway.. of course I digress.. Seriously... He's such a Prize that we even hand Him back the winnings! : )

But even if you are not a Christian, think about it. Have you ever played a game of pool? When you are setting up your shot, you keep your eyes not on the cue ball, but at the ball you are trying to get into the pocket.

Keeping my eye on the finish line will do a number of things. It keeps me from getting distracted...and from looking around at the other racers, or those on the sidelines for that matter.. and Lord knows, I sure don't want to look in a mirror at that moment.. Frizz city with a nasty helping of smelly super soaked!

So... if you are tempted to quit...don't. Hang in there... Run hard! Run well! and win!