Brenda and I returned last evening from a marathon, 12-hour drive to and from western North Carolina to deliver my dad back to his Forest City home. We only spent 10 minutes at his house before we climbed back into the car and headed west. Arriving in Murfreesboro with 2 hours to spare before worship rehearsal, Brenda and I spent time over a Chinese dinner reflecting on Josh and Amber’s wedding. What a sweet couple they are. The wedding was simply beautiful. At one point at our home this past week we were hosting a pretty large brood. We thoroughly enjoy the time spent with our parents, ever knowing that these opportunities are precious. The Latin phrase,”Carpe diem quam minime credula postero,” (Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future) comes to mind.

As we watch the passage of time leaving it’s evidence on our faces and bodies, we are reminded of our parent’s towering presence, holding a protective hand over our lives. Their care and influence still casts a shadow today. Pop is slower and takes his time climbing down stairs but still has a sharp wit and a youthful view to life. My role, and that of my brother Jon, has reversed over the years. I feel very protective of Pop’s safety, health and over-all welfare. I never want any harm to come to him.

Brenda and I recently learned of a close elderly family member who has been the target of a subtle yet malicious attempt to take over her finances. She has been a widow for several years now and is enamored by any attention showered upon her. When family learned of the situation, and made her aware, the widow was shocked at how easily her ill-intentioned neighbor attempted to swoop in under the cover of concern and began to make moves toward changing her will to become the executor. Family halted any further progress and are beginning to unravel the mess. Another neighbor, a wheel chair bound widow didn’t fare so well. She allowed the predator to make changes to her will to have full ownership of her home upon death.

I was quickly drawn to a passage in Micah, chapter 2 last night before collapsing into bed with exhaustion. It plainly spells out God’s perspective on taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable.

1 Woe to those who plan iniquity,
to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they carry it out
because it is in their power to do it.

2 They covet fields and seize them,
and houses, and take them.
They defraud a man of his home,
a fellowman of his inheritance.

3 Therefore, the LORD says:
“I am planning disaster against this people,
from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,
for it will be a time of calamity. (NIV)

My dad, who served in both WWII and the Korean War, has always kept my interest in these wars high. I guess it’s every son’s quest to discover his father’s journey. My dad is filled with stories from his life of almost 84 years. Some of those include meeting Frank Sinatra and Gary Cooper, as well as being under-aged and kicked out of a bar by Nat “King” Cole. The written recollection entitled, It Occurs To Me, is a monument to Pop’s days on the earth. His story is still being written and it will be published one day.

Since the 50th anniversary of D-Day, the movie Saving Private Ryan, and HBO’s Band of Brothers, there is a resurgence of interest in WWII. Numerous first-hand recollections of the young men and women who survived these terrible battles have been written into memoirs, video taped and kept for posterity. As the “Greatest Generation” fades away into history, I am thankful for all the information I can gather about these brave souls.

Two DVDs I purchased lately are a harrowing, intense collection of stories by men who fought in the Pacific, European and N. African campaigns of the war. One is called Peleliu, 1944: Horror In the Pacific. Produced in 1991, it contains interviews rarely seen of the late Eugene Sledge, one of the central characters in HBO’s Pacific mini-series.The second is WWII In HD from the History Channel (2009). This DVD, a linear account of the entire breadth of the war, is available in Blu-ray and contains over 7 hours of color footage, much of it recently discovered and mastered in high definition.

It is amazing that after almost 70 years these aging veterans recall the frightful images with an emotional immediacy–just as if they were still there in the midst of battle. I will continue to study the Greatest Generation, once described by a news correspondent at the beginning of the war as being a generation unable to rise to the occasion that invaded their young lives. However, as subsequent history has proven, my dad’s generation did indeed rise admirably to the responsibility forced upon them. I am forever grateful.

Let’s face it, if you haven’t dealt with Facebook or Twitter yet, you’ve either been trapped on a deserted island with Gilligan or you just refuse to break down and sign-up. You probably wouldn’t be reading this right now, either. It’s obvious that social websites, including blog tools like Blogspot and WordPress, have revolutionized our way of communicating. No wonder the US Postal Service is failing. People aren’t writing letters…they are writing updates on every move they make, minute by minute, multiple times a day. I am totally on board for the long-haul!

Thanks to all who came to the wedding yesterday as well as all of the well wishes and words of blessing we’ve received through email and Facebook. We made it through pretty much unscathed. The bride and groom have boarded their big boat headed for the Caribbean, and Brenda and I are still enjoying the ridiculously killer leftover ribs from Friday’s rehearsal dinner. I guess the reality of both kids married will sneak up on me when I least expect it.

I have been blown away by all of the birthday greetings received through Facebook, too. I’s amazing how many friends I have in faraway places. Thank you so much! Brenda took the opportunity during the rehearsal dinner to serve cake and sing Happy Birthday. I couldn’t have been more blessed. 50 feels good so far!

Guitar players, and instrumentalists in general, have one thing in common: bone tone. When I put together the gear page for my website, I included my personal definition of this term that Norm Stockton (bass player I knew from my days with Maranatha! Music and Worship Leader Workshops) introduced me to almost 15 years ago.

BONE-TONE: definition- The unique musical tone that emanates from an individual’s hands and fingers. It is equal parts heart, soul, touch, experience, pain, joy, passion, inspiration, expertise and God’s anointing. Bone-tone comes through even when the player is using someone else’s rig.

I listen to my favorite guitar players like Billy Gibbons, Larry Carlton, Mark Goldenberg, Mike Campbell, Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, etc., and try hard to emulate their tone. I know that every aspect of their set-up, how they pick the strings, the energy of any given audience, all contribute to the unique signature of each player. Even if I were to copy the rig of my favorite players, my tone always seems to jump out. I want their tone to jump out! I know that I will always play with my own unique voice.

In the current edition of Vintage Guitar magazine (Sept. 2010) there is a generous tribute to guitarist and former handyman from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, Joe Negri, now in his early 80’s. Bob Benedetto, the man who built Joe’s current guitar, says of the accomplished guitarist,

“When you listen to Joe play, you’re hearing refinement, complete professionalism. I can’t even describe it. It’s beyond just saying he’s a great player, or this and that–just a refined, tasteful first-class player.”

I think this is the goal of every serious musician–to be refined and tasteful.

The most important aspect of a guitarist in a band is not how great a certain tone is by itself, but how that tone contributes to the song in conjunction with the other players and their parts. Any seasoned picker will tell you that less is more. A great player knows to stop playing if the moment requires it. He is also ready, when necessary, to jump out over the band and make a statement by playing a solo or a cool rhythmic pattern.

My goal is to always be ready. I try to bring all the tools I might need to a gig–even extras in case something breaks down. The accumulation of gear isn’t always the entree into good tone. It’s amazing how simply playing in tune, in time and with taste can move you closer to your guitar playing fantasy. Refining your unique voice is the impetus for your musical journey.

Sally O’Malley, Molly Shannon’s character from Saturday Night Live, breaks onto the stage and announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Sally O’Malley. I’m proud to say I’m fifty years old, I’m not one of those gals who likes to hide her age. And I like to kick! Stretch! And kick! I’m fifty! Fifty years old, ladies and gentlemen, fifty years old! Fifty years old!”

I’m turning 50 this week. It doesn’t seem like 10 years since I gathered with friends at a party decorated in black–receiving gifts relating to old-age and being the blunt of over-the-hill gags. 40 was kid’s stuff. It’s funny how I seem to have caught a second wind since then. A serious health warning from your physician helps you to realize it’s time to quit playing games and stop giving into failing eyesight, bad eating habits and general slothfulness.

50 ain’t so bad, especially when you have a great looking wife, the kids are married, and you have a few more bucks in your pocket than when you were still raising kids and trying to figure out what you were gonna do when you grew up. I guess it’s the age when you finally come to terms with your dreams and reality. I can truly say that I am living way beyond my dreams.

The great thing about our journey– marrying young, having kids right away, and often times choosing the difficult route–is that we made a conscious decision to travel down a unique, yet rewarding road. We could never have dreamed of the places we would go and the sweet life that we have lived so far. A lot of it has been very challenging but it lead us to where we are today. We are humbled at the generosity of God–great kids, health, and plenty of youthful spirit to keep people guessing our age.

So, on Saturday I can shout, “…fifty years old, ladies and gentlemen, fifty years old! Fifty years old…and I’m just getting started!”