Back To Basics

I'm not promoting Allstate Insurance with this post, I'm promoting the values that the commercial represents.

Deceptively Simple

Continuing the thought I expressed with my entry on John Lee Hooker last week, here is another artist who gives new meaning to deceptive simplicity. Eric Bibb is a blues guitarist carrying on the great gospel blues tradition of such such icons as Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis and Son House. He makes his home in Sweden, but comes from a decidedly "royal" American family that includes his father, blues singer Leon Bibb, and uncle John Lewis, a pianist and composer with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Here are two selections but, if you like what you hear, go to Youtube or to Eric's website for more great music. If you REALLY like it, and I hope you do, buy his CD's- Youtube's great but a guy has to eat.

The wonderous internet

I was talking to my daughter on the phone this morning and the conversation turned to the state of the economy and what the future holds in store for our country and our way of life. I somehow segued into talking about how amazing the internet is. The amount of knowledge that we have at our fingertips is just staggering. You can- just about literally- find out anything that you want to know with just a few keystrokes.

Example: I was recently reading a book about the Ironman triathlon and in it they referenced an article written by Barry McDermott for Sports Illustrated in 1979 about the second Ironman ever held. I went to the computer and, within 5 minutes, I not only had the article (minus the photos) in front of me, I also had an SI archive site where I could literally page through a copy of the actual magazine where I could view the photos as well.

Anyway, the point I was making is that we have tools available to us now that I could not even dream about when I was my daughter's age. The state of the economy is going to cause many things to change in the near future; we need to start using the opportunities and tools available to us to create a new vision of the world. I really believe that opportunities are out there for those willing to dream and work.

So, what have I done with this amazing new technology? I looked up a comedy routine I heard years ago that, I couldn't remember very much of, by a guy who's name I had forgotten. His name, I found out, is Brian Regan and he is hilarious. Enjoy....

"King" Hooker

I'm a guitar player and I have been at it for a long time. I consider myself to be fairly proficient- at least as a rhythm player- but sometimes I just have to remind myself that trying harder doesn't always translate into "better." My favorite blues artist has always been and will always be John Lee Hooker. He may not be the most technically gifted guitar player but, as this video demonstrates, many times less is more. Speed and the number of notes played can never be a substitute for artistic vision; and John Lee Hooker has that in spades. You can talk about B.B. King, Clapton, Stevie Ray and Muddy Waters all day long (and I love all these guys) but to me the King of the Blues is John Lee Hooker, case closed.

The Warrior

I first accepted Christ's offer of a new life in the fall of 1991 but, like many others, the seed fell onto a rocky path and sprang up quickly. When the sun came out, however, it began to shrivel up and then the weeds came up and began to choke the shriveled plant. The Lord, in His infinite mercy, never gave up on me, though, and, within a few years, brought Bev into my life and one night on my way home to Sandusky from Clyde I listened to this song. By the end of the song, I had rededicated my life to Christ and have never looked back in 12 years. Needless to say Mylon and this song, The Warrior, hold a very special place in my heart.

Your choice

I was reading some passages from Joshua today as part of a daily reading thing I do through Ginghamsburg Church and this passage from Joshua 23 really hit me right between the eyes: 23:14,15 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵ But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (TNIV)

That's putting the choice right out there on the table isn't it? It immediately reminded me of one of my all time favorite Bob Dylan songs, You Gotta Serve Somebody (click on the Slow Train Coming album cover link to hear the recorded version of the song)

Al Franken????

Does anyone care LESS than I do about whether Al Franken makes it into the Senate as the Senator from Minnesota? I don't think it's possible to care less than I do. I just read an article in the Wall Street Journal about how he is "studying the issues" in his down time while waiting for the dispute over the election results to be worked out (after a recount, Franken holds a slim 225 vote lead.) Franken says that his would be a vote for the stimulus package, if only he were allowed to vote. He adds, sagely, that he would, however, "push for measures to assure that the money would be spent wisely." How responsible! What a guy. He goes on to say that he has given no thought as to what he might do if his opponent ultimately prevails. I hope he's not contemplating a return to comedy- we need one more bad comedian even less than we need another bad senator.

Somebody once told me that I looked like Al Franken and I was highly offended- not because he's ugly (I realize I'm no George Clooney) but because he's an idiot.

What is going on out there in Minnesota? Remember that this is the same state that elected Jesse "The Body" Ventura to the office of Governor a while back. BREAKING NEWS: Anoka County just found more than a dozen ballots that were not counted in the recount! Big surprise...I wonder if the ink is dry.

I posted this video on my Facebook page a while ago. I'm not much of a "Facebooker" so I don't think many people got to see it. I want to post it again here because I think EVERYONE needs to see it. I first saw it at the Willow Creek Association Leadership Summit last August and it blew me away. If this doesn't fill you with "Holy Discontent" nothing will. Let's get fired up and ask God to SEND US! P.S. Watch it in full screen.

Truths drawn from the fast

Now that my 21 day fast is over, I have been looking back and trying to determine what exactly I have learned from the experience.

I guess, first and foremost, I learned how much of my life is driven by my fleshly wants, cravings and desires. Only rarely was I physically hungry at any time during the fast- most notably the last two days- but what was driving me to distraction were the intense cravings I experienced for breads, chips and peanut butter; all of which are things I certainly don't need for survival. I realize that I have to look into my heart and determine, through prayer, what it is that I lack and what need I am trying to fulfill through eating these things and why that need is so important to me. God provides all we need to sustain life, and life abundant; as long as we are driven by cravings, whether they be food, sex, drugs/alcohol, T.V., material things etc., we are distancing ourselves from God and His will for our lives.

As I headed into the last two days of the fast, I was ready for it just to be over. My fleshly body was telling me that I had no more to gain from finishing out the last two days and that my hunger was blocking any further communication with God. My spirit, however, was calling a different tune and I was led to No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton.
Chapter 6 is titled "Asceticism and Sacrifice"
and I thought that would be a good place to start. Here are a few excerpts from what I found: "The spirit of man must first subject itself to grace and then it can bring the flesh in subjection both to grace and to itself. Grace inspires us with no desire except to do the will of God, no matter what His will may be, no matter whether it be pleasing or unpleasant to our own nature." Romans 8:13 "if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

"It is one thing to live in the flesh, and quite another to live according to the flesh. The second case makes the flesh an end in itself."

"It gives great glory to God for a person to live in this world using and appreciating the good things of life without care, without anxiety, and without inordinate passion. In order to know and love God through His gifts, we have to use them as if we used them not- and yet we have to use them." See (1Corinthians 7:29-31)

"The man who loves God more than himself is indifferent to the impact of things in his own life. He considers things only in relation to God's glory and God's will... But he is no more indifferent to the value of things in themselves than he is indifferent to God. He loves them in the same act with which he loves God. That is: he loves them in the act by which he has renounced them, and in that love by renouncing them he has regained them on a higher level."

"The virtue that is sufficiently resolute to pay the price of self-denial will eventually taste greater pleasure in the things it has renounced than could ever be enjoyed by the sinner who clings to those same things as desperately as if they were his god."

This is some profound stuff, I know, but this concept has had a great impact on me and given me much to pray and study about as I move forward after this fast. ALL things are a gift from God, and only when we are able to sacrificially give them up to Him, can we accept them back as His gift to us and truly appreciate and enjoy them. I've got a long way to go but this fast has given me a goal to strive for.

Good Music

My daughter Katie's boyfriend Tony Schaffer is a guitar player who plays with a really talented singer/songwriter named Chris Castle. If there were any justice in the music business, you would be hearing them on the radio but, alas, there isn't and they continue to struggle on in relative obscurity. The cool thing about both of them, however, is that they are in it for the love of the music and not the money. They recently recorded a CD at Levon Helm's studio in Woodstock, New York (Levon was the drummer for the legendary rock band The Band and has recorded many other great albums in his own right.) They have played numerous times at The Ark in Ann Arbor, toured the east coast several times and play frequently in Cleveland as well.

I'm a guitar player myself and used to do the singer/songwriter thing, playing in bars in my younger days- nowadays I only play in church and with a band associated with Kairos prison ministry. The thing I find really cool about Chris and Tony's music is that it is the same type of music I played at their age and, when I watch them play, it really takes me back. They are, it must be noted, much better than I ever was. If you like the video attached, check out Chris's web site www.dirtsandwich.com. P.S. Tony (my daughter's boyfriend) is the one in the middle.

Plug Warehouse

Today was the first "Plug Warehouse" event of the year and I was planning to go but school was canceled AGAIN and I stayed home with my grandson. The plug warehouse is a sale open to greenhouse growers and garden shop vendors held every Friday from the end of January through the middle of May at Greencircle Growers in Oberlin. Greencircle is one of the largest greenhouse operations in the country and the Oberlin location has over 70 acres of greenhouses. I went up there two years ago to get some chrysanthemum starts and had the opportunity to actually venture out into the greenhouses. Within 5 minutes I was completely lost and, if it weren't for my guide, I would probably still be wandering around looking for the way out.
The plug warehouse is a really unique experience, it's kind of a cross between a garage sale, an auction and the old T.V. game show Super Market Sweep. Every Friday they offer for sale, at a huge discount, all the plug flats that have come back on the delivery trucks throughout the week, for one reason or another. Some are partial trays, some are damaged and some are just excess. It's first come, first served so you need to get there early to get the best selection. The similarity to Super Market Sweep comes from the fact that the sale is held in a monstrous warehouse and they keep the racks roped off until the sale starts at 7:30 and, when they take down the ropes, everyone runs down the aisles trying to find specific plants they are looking for. If you're not careful, you can get trampled.
People come from all over the state and there is always a large contingent of Amish farmers in attendance. I don't usually buy a whole lot but I enjoy going just for the spectacle and to talk to the people. I hope everything works out so that I can go next week, I'm really looking forward to it.

21 Day Fast

My wife and I, along with some members of our church and people from over 350 other churches nationwide, are entering the last 6 days of a 21 day fast (more details at Awakening) and, boy, am I hungry. I guess I should probably re-phrase that to read, boy am I craving different foods, because, in truth, we are really not going hungry. We are doing what is called a "Daniel fast" which means we can eat all the fruits and vegetables we want but no meat, bread, grains, dairy, sugar, etc.- basically all the good stuff- and every few days we have a day just juices and liquids, so we are really not suffering all that much. Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week (the last 3 days of the fast) are just juice and liquids, however, and I know that's going to be tough.
God has revealed a lot of things to both of us over the past 15 days, but the one thing that has made the biggest impact on me is that there are, literally, millions of people around the world that don't have the choice to give up food because they don't have any to begin with. I complain about opening a well stocked refrigerator to eat my fill of fresh fruits and vegetables while children go to bed with empty stomachs all around me. The excess of our society sometimes, to be honest, sickens me and my own selfishness sickens me most of all. I have determined that somehow, someway I will make a difference and, in my own small way, help to alleviate this situation.
When I read Matthew 25: 31-46 I realize that it is talking to me and that I have no excuses for turning my back other than my laziness and self-centeredness. Lord help us to "step-up."

Malabar Farm

I have recently been re-reading portions of one of my all-time favorite books, Malabar Farm, by Louis Bromfield. I particularly love the journal entries contained in the book. This book as well as others he's written (Pleasant Valley, The Farm, From My Experience: The Pleasures and Miseries of Life on a Farm, and The Wild Country- one of my all time favorite novels) have been a huge influence, not only on my writing (Malabar Farm is what inspired me to begin writing my column in the first place, and I have tried my best to live up to the standard he has set) but also on my life and certainly on my farming and gardening techniques. Bromfield was one of the leading figures and motivating forces behind re-introducing sustainable agriculture practices into American farming and still retains, 53 years after his death, a position of vast influence and respect within the field of agricultural science. As important to me- or maybe even more so- as his technical expertise is, is his easy going, lyrical style of writing that brings me back to his books so frequently. When I read his descriptions of hearing foxes bark and wildcats shriek from across the hills in the dead of winter, I feel like I am sitting right next to him, warm and cozy before the fire in the Big House, hearing them myself. If you haven't ever checked out his writing, I urge you to do so; I promise the experience will be a rewarding one. Check out the official website for Malabar Farm State Park here.

Francis, Francis, baby, babe...

I don't know what made me think of it, but yesterday I found myself really missing Louie the lizard from the old Budweiser commercials. I went to YouTube and, sure enough, I found the entire sequence of commercials on one video. I always loved these guys, especially on the radio ads. That's where the title of this entry comes from anyway, if you like them too, enjoy...

Garden Club Talk

I gave a talk to some really nice women at the Happy Homestead garden club last night, deep in the heart of Riley Township. We talked about organic gardening and ways to incorporate organic methods into established conventional gardens. As usual with these kind of discussions the focus quickly settled on soil, types of soil amendments and composting. That's where it all starts. It really made me anxious to get my hands back into some soil!

O.K. Winter, I Surrender!

Boy, has it been a tough winter so far or what? Two days before Christmas I noticed that several of out hot water radiators weren't heating up and discovered that our boiler tank was cracked and that the boiler had to be replaced- have you priced boilers lately? They ain't cheap! Then this past Saturday, our upstairs pipes froze and broke in the attic. I spent the entire day trying to repair the damage- and I'm not a very accomplished copper solderer. I got one pipe fixed but wasn't having any luck getting a watertight seal on the other after two attempts. I went to Lowes for more supplies and- Thank the Lord!- I found "quick connect" fittings- no soldering! They were expensive- but still cheaper than a plumber- and in 10 minutes I was done. If you have problems with copper pipes I highly recommend them- the jury is still out on their longevity however.

It's a New Day!

I have, as part of a New Year's Resolution, decided to update my web page and to begin blogging. I hope to be steadfast in my new endeavor, so check back often for new entries. I have begun the renovation of the mole hill farm site by re-doing the home page and will continue to revamp the remaining pages in the days and weeks ahead. I hope you will feel free to share your opinions about my ramblings and I hope to see you in the spring!