Divided and United

Hey all!!! Do you remember me? It's been a while... that's a lot of silence for this quasi-blonde... :)

It's a steamy Monday night, and as per usual, I have something lurking up in this ever surprising mind of mine. Perhaps the steam has been a loosening agent... :P

Sooo.... it was a great weekend... I played Friday night with a bangin' group-o- musicians...in fact, I have come to be quite fond of them... it's getting so that we are getting used to each other musically.. it's that "magic" time, when you can start to anticipate what the other one(s) is/are going to do! You can really bounce off of each other! So much fun... (usually) lol... In fact... I got a hand cramp three times from playing like a F5 tornado! whew...it's been a while... :)

I played Saturday and Sunday both... and compared to Friday night? Totally different atmospheres, and such different vibes... one totally structured and the other totally not.

There are two sides to me, musically... One is the free spirit, just waiting for the next "free form" to let loose and explore! She loves musical adventure and "going for it"...

The other one is the dread perfectionist that thrives on the familiar... She is the one that likes to be ultra-uber-ridiculously prepared. SHE likes the control... but one the plus side.. she IS practiced, and that is a good thing! She's not a lot of fun, but she IS useful for keeping to the program...

and really?

Both sides are necessary for balance. I want to play skillfully... aaaaand be stretched... aaaand flow like a lava machine : )

That's a lot like my Father, actually.. He is free flowing - like the wind.. you can't SEE the wind, but you can see the EFFECTS of the wind!

and that other side? He likes order - predictably so.

So, I am thinking that maybe I am a lot like my Daddy :)

Have a great week!

Beginners and the need for grace

Hey! Welcome back! Thanks for your time! I am going to talk shop tonight :)

I went to an open mic jam in Granby last night...

It was a great jam, in fact! The house band slid sleekly from one jazz/blues standard to the next with barely a break in steam. The rhythm section was so hot I almost went home for oven mitts... lol... The head honcho is a really close friend of mine. This guy's chops are so good - never mind play behind his back, he can LOOK at the guitar's strings and they move - lol : P

I have learned a lot from him... Let's call him Barney.

Barney has played with everyone... He was down in Muscle Shoals, Nashville, and even recorded on a Percy Sledge album.. For those of you old enough to remember him... or albums, for that matter... :P

One thing he taught me was how to be a gracious player. He showed me by example. In essence, you can be the best player in the world, and if you are unkind to "the rookies", then you really aren't all that hot.

You know something? I have met some amazing players.. even played with some... No, I am not going to name drop... it's just obnoxious - *eyeroll*

Ironically, it seems the higher they are on the musical "food chain", in their cool confidence, they are more concerned with imparting to others than they are beefing up their egos. How strange.. It's almost like the equally perplexing relationship between pick-up truck tire size and height of the driver... : *

I was pretty cocky some years back. Big fish in a small pond syndrome... or rather "sin"drome... :) Annoying as all heck.

So, to get, rather grudgingly, to the POINT (lol) - it's this: I have had some rather humbling trips on "Grace Mountain". The first few times, I hurled headlong down... but slowly, I realized that (some of) those poor fumbling players learned from me...

The encouragement (which by the way means to give COURAGE) and the kind words from a pro, more than once, kept me from quitting.

It was pretty humbling to realize that I could have life IMPACT on the 'green ones.' :) and hopefully, someday, those newbies will take the fledglings under their wings... and teach them to fly :D

May your jams be soaring!

Stretched to the breaking point

Ok... I have had more mental ramblings lately. My fervent hope is that I can convey them in a way that somehow resembles sense ... : P

The question I am going to pose to you tonight is this:

Are you being stretched? Stretched so tight you can almost see your bones underneath? O_o

I have had SOME kind of stretching lately...

How much more can I get pulled apart at the seams before before I BREAK!!?!?!? At nearly six feet tall, I think I am "stretched" enough! lol

But seriously, I can relate. I have had all kinds of struggles as of late... I won't tell you all of them, but I have been dealing with all kinds of doubts, financial windfalls, bends toward depression and hopelessness... it's sometimes so hard to remember "This, too, shall pass" - the constant encouragement that this old world is not my long term home... that I have a bright future and hope :D

There have been times during the past few weeks where I have felt that I am so alone, and no one understands the pain and loss that I have dealt with these past few years.

I really could have a great pity party... In fact, I have, truth be told. Unfortunately, I was the only one that showed up for the party, and it wasn't all that fun.

So... in answer to the above question? How far can we be stretched before we break? What if I tell you that for me, that was the whole POINT?!

"What?? You are certifiable", you grimace skeptically...

Yes, I am... most certainly... :) BUT this "testing" is GOOD! : )

Did you know that when silver and gold are heated to excruciatingly high temperatures the impurities, or dross are/is removed? Removing them makes the precious metals more and more (pure) beautiful! As the dross is removed, you can see your reflection more and more clearly in them. It takes time to remove ALL of the junk! It can be a long process!

When you combine pressure with heat in coal, it produces a diamond. Likewise, when we let the trials shape rather than shatter our character, we sparkle!

I, for one, am endlessly captivated by the beauty and sparkle of diamonds. <3

For me, my trials and pains aren't wasted! I have a promise from my Father, (the Heavenly One) that every pain I go through will have a purpose... that somehow - someway He will produce something good! Even if it seems hopeless... He LOVES hopeless, cuz for Him, it's not!

Remember that when the kitchen gets too hot...

and have a "sparkling" week!

Thank you to the Open School of Gemology for the blog pic : )

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

Cliff Hangers and Waiting

Happy Wednesday! It's funny... I get inspired to write in the strangest ways.. For those of you that know me, I know what you are thinking... keyword=strange.... lol...

Seriously, though, I was contemplating. I do that from time to time... keeps my mind guessing : P.

I love a good love story! A great plot, interesting and believable characters, and a little adventure or intrigue... Heat well, stir, and sip!

Keeping that thought in mind, what happens as your follow the story-besides the interruptions??? lol... well - as the plot unfolds, you follow and you wait... you wait to see how things are going to play out - unless you are one of the naughty ones that reads the end first - : P.

Wait... more's coming. Things are going to happen! Be patient (my personal favorite... ok... not! lol) If you sit tight, you will see change! Or the new catch phrase - "wait for it!" *eyeroll* NOT my favorite word... in my opinion, it's a four letter word. : P

Kind of like our lives. We spend sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much time waiting................................................... point made

When I record I wait endlessly for set up and drum adjustments. Thank God for laptops, iphones, and journals. Waiting AND being quiet?!?!?= interminable.

When I cook, I have to wait for the finished product. Who wants an apple pie that's half baked? Blech!

We wait for the weekend... the week can drone on and on, and the beloved FRIDAY hits like a champagne bottle on the side of a ship!

When I pray, I wait for an answer. Poor Daniel. In the Bible, his answer was delayed for three weeks due to spiritual "red tape" - aka - the old enemy of our souls mucking around and making trouble.

Someone precious to many of our hearts is waiting for a new lung, and discovering the infinite depths of the mercy of God. <3>

We wait in traffic. CT, FYI, does NOT wait well on the roads. Enough said.

We wait for results... tests, jobs, spouses, children, being reunited with those that you love <3>

We as believers wait and wait for our ticket to be validated when we enter Heaven's Gates! That ride is totally WORTH THE WAIT! ***see Owner for details, certain restrictions apply.. : D

So, here's the kicker: we are also waiting for Him to come back.. Here... really... He said so.. he also mentioned that we won't know when.

That is really the ultimate cliffhanger - don't you agree? and when He does, it will be worth the wait. Make sure you have your ticket!

Thanks to themorningsundotblogspotdotcom for the pic