Lately I’ve been on a mission to learn how to rest, a Sabbath if you will. I’m not talking about attending church on the weekend. I’m talking uninterrupted quiet time. I must confess the thought of resting or a Sabbath makes me feel a bit whiny. I feel almost spoiled just thinking about it. I mean, why should I get to rest when some people work three jobs to pay the bills? Come to think of it, I think I’m working 3 jobs. What about those emails in my inbox that have piled up? What about those nice people that invited us to dinner Friday night and the Pampered Chef party? (sorry) Do I sound whiny yet? I’ll continue: What about making use of that Scramble app I downloaded, or Words with Friends. Come to think of it, there are at least 12 people waiting on me to take my turn. Cleaning the house and mowing the grass and cooking and what about _____? You fill in the blank. If it’s not one thing it’s another. So why not try and do it all? Throw in another baseball practice or two a worship rehearsal and then let’s squeeze dinner in Friday evening with the Templeton’s. They are such nice people. We can rest when we’re dead. So, maybe I’ve answered my own question. What keeps us from taking the necessary times of rest?

It’s clearly us and our stuff.

I recently read an article in the NY Times about a guy we’ll call Mr. Campbell, who works with computers specializing in creating internet start-ups and then selling them to other companies. Here’s a guy who spends his day in front of two computer screens alive with emails, instant messages, chats, a Web browser and the computer code he is writing. You could say he is addicted to technology which is quickly coming to a mind near you. He forgets dinner plans, has trouble focusing on his family and goes to sleep with his iPhone on his chest. One statement that jumped out at me was when his wife stated that he is “not fully present with his family,” even when he is not using his gadgets. In fact, his typical breakfast includes watching a T.V. news screen in the corner of his computer screen while using the rest of the screen for checking his email.

Talk about the need for a Sabbath!

Just so you know the effects technology has on us…since I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve checked my email and twitter account three or four times.

If we are to give God all He deserves then finding times of rest and unplugging is important. It seems obvious that I’m not a very good example so my suggestions to you are also being written for me. The choice is yours (ours). Take a hike in the woods and leave your iPod at home. Find a bench along the way and stop to reflect on God’s goodness. Within the next month, do something that used to be considered a hobby. Take a nap on a Sunday afternoon and turn the phone and T.V. to the off position. Here’s one; don’t check email, Twitter, Facebook or voice messages for 24 hours straight. I dare you! Whatever you choose as your Sabbath, rest in knowing that what you’ll receive is what you need. Down time is not only important for your health and well-being but it will allow you strength to do everything as unto the Lord. He deserves it and so do you.

If you identify with what you’re reading you are probably in need of taking a rest more often. So, who’s in? I’m going to find time to rest this week and then post about it here. Grab a cup of coffee or hot tea. Breathe in. Breathe out. You just may change your world for the better.

Regi

 

Who hasn’t experienced God surrounded by majestic mountains or while at the beach, right? So, what do you do when you feel stuck on a Ferris Wheel at that same job, your car won’t crank, your debt seems to be gaining weight and you can’t seem to hear anything from God? Have you ever been there? Are you there right now? You could worry, but that won’t work I’ve tried it. You could call ten people to see what they think and I can tell you that while it may cause you to feel better, it’s not the best solution. Or, you may consider asking God to do the unexpected. I’ve tried that too. It works, but most of the time when the unexpected happens it’s often dismiss as “too” unexpected. I mean, wouldn’t God just speak audibly while we are up early reading His word? No! Usually not. Even Mary, mother of Jesus, had to simply trust that everything would work out by submitting herself completely to God. It’s not like He blasted the news over an intercom about Jesus birth. His presence in us guides us. Of course it takes faith and of course it takes a belief that God is for us and not against us. And, that “He has a purpose and plan for our lives” is actually from His word and not just something we overheard at the water fountain.

I believe when we engage and worship God we find our way to His will. That may be through prayer or praise or gut wrenching cries. It may not mean the car will crank tomorrow, but it does mean we can start learning how to believe. And sometimes the answers to our prayers may seem to come out of left field. When…not if that happens, just trust Him. Most times when we are faced with decisions or opportunities that seem impossible it’s when God shows up to say ‘watch this’. Remember in scripture how David poured out his heart to the Lord regardless of his circumstances? Whether you are experiencing a time of bountiful blessings or whether you feel you are up against the wall with no breathing room, you can come to Him. He will hear you. He will answer you. Sometimes it may seem like it takes forever but He will be with you every step of the way. Here’s the question. Can we trust God to work out every problem we encounter if we submit  to His will? Our willingness to trust is the beginning of relationship. Trust is not usually an easy and automatic response, especially when we are surrounded by fear. Trust has to be developed. When we deepen our relationship with God trust happens and gives us the courage to face our circumstances with confidence. When we pray and believe, it’s just another way for God to prove Himself faithful again.

Until next time, Regi

You could say I really love coffee. And, until I placed myself on a more Ramsey like budget, I enjoyed a non-fat, free pour Latte every morning Monday through Friday. That’s $920 a year not counting the egg sandwich or cranberry muffin I’d often add.  ‘I know coffee’ is the point.

It started years ago when I wandered into a small establishment called Sam & Zoe’s in Berry Hill, a small business community south of Nashville. The Barista suggested a Latte and I indulged in the nearly $4 of pure joy. It kept me coming back for more and before long my drink order went like this; “I’ll have a grande, extra hot, half caff, non-fat, free pour Latte with a shot of hazelnut.” High maintenance one customer remarked. After I’d ordered the drink a couple dozen times it became ‘the usual’ which was less interruption to their already busy morning. Years later, I’ve narrowed my drink order to a non-fat free pour Latte. It’s easier on everyone.

Where is this all going you say? Well, I recently realized that I loved my Latte more than I did my Bible. Wait a minute. Did I just say that? Every single day my stop at the coffee shop had become a ritual. Gotta have it to get through the day! Since when did I have that same passion for reading God’s Word as if my life depended on it? You may be way past me on this. Maybe you’re a coffee lover and a lover of scripture. Or maybe you’re like me, finding a cup of coffee warm and inviting and scripture not as much. But, what if God’s Word became a ritual. More than a ritual; a passion. What if we loved scripture so much that we’d skip a favorite telivision show to finish the chapter we’d started that morning? What if we were occasionally late to an appointment because we had to read one more passage? I’m not saying we should lose touch with our day to day but I’m saying we should know our Bible as well as we know our coffee.

I’d like to invite you to join me as I read and write scripture. I’ve chosen the book of Proverbs. And, over the next 30 days my plan is to read and write by hand the entire book. By the end I plan to have developed a habit that I look forward to each day.

Until next time,

Regi

Where do I start? I was driving alone listening to 99.7 when I heard this annoying man talking about debt and how it was dumb. I turned it off immediately. Who wants to hear someone drone on about budgets and cutting up credit cards? We for sure weren’t on any budget and no one was cutting up my Mastercard. I’m not sure how it all happened but before I realized it this guy had me hooked. I was secretly listening to his show almost every day. Don’t worry I didn’t tell anyone for fear of being branded as weird. There’s part of the show where people call in and scream ‘we’re debt free’ claiming to have paid off $25,000 dollars in just 26 months making just $45,000 a year. Yeah right! What did they think we were dumb? No one does that! Besides our life was pretty good.

Anyway, I’m not sure how it all happened but before long I made the mistake of telling my wife about this crazy guy saying debt was dumb blah blah blah and all of the sudden there I was standing in the middle of the kitchen with credit cards in one hand and scissors in the other. What was I doing? Nashville boasts of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Morton’s and other fine expensive establishments that I’d never get to visit without these precious cards. My wife said cut them and with a click the credit cards were in pieces on the floor. I didn’t know whether to cry or call the credit card company and order new ones. That was 11 years ago. Everything changed. Our living room sat empty for a long while until we could buy a couch. Then it was a chair. And, finally the bookshelves. You get the point. We felt free for the first time since our first credit purchase a few years before when we had to have that little bundle of joy, Java the miniature pincher.

Then last year on a beautiful spring afternoon I’m not sure how it all happened but I was standing at the car dealership when I spotted her. Black with a red top. Upgraded leather seats. High performance engine. Satellite radio. 36,000 mile warranty. Roadside assistance for 3 years. Harman Kardon audio system equipped with 8 speakers. And amazingly it had been discounted and was a special order car the salesman told me. Wouldn’t you know it, in walks a couple from our church who were there to pick up their matching cars very similar to my beauty. They confirmed it was THE car to buy. I had to to have it. Sold! After all those years of no payments and I had just allowed my caraholic senses to take over. But it felt so good on the drive home. It seemed the car knew me and responded perfectly. Ah! Life was good.

That is until the third payment came due. What the? I was not used to remembering to pay a flippin car loan. The courtesy call from ‘the bank’ came wondering if I had forgotten. My fine automobile was becoming a nuisance. Was that dirt on the hood? Somehow the black didn’t shine quite like it did a few months ago. Whew, I’m not sure how it all happened but there I was standing in the middle of a used car lot about to test drive a car older than my 13 year old daughter. Unbelievable! What in the world was wrong with me. I was getting out of my amazing car, newer than anything on their lot, to test drive a vehicle that had enough miles on it to have driven around the world a few times.

But, this month I will not receive a call from the bank nor will I have a car payment to pay because I sold my car payment almost two weeks ago. Done. Finished. Never again. This isn’t a blog to brag or make anyone feel bad about a car payment. No, it’s about realizing that we have choices to make on our journey and some choices own us for life and others for 60 months at 3.9% interest. Next time I fall off the wagon I hope it’s because I ate an extra brownie.

Until next time,

Regi

You have been made in God’s image. You are here for a specific purpose. He knew you before you were born. He knows every hair on your head. He knows every tear you’ve ever cried. He knows every tear you’ve held back. God loves you with an everlasting love. He smiles when He thinks of you. He rejoices over you with exuberant singing. He always loves to hear you pray. He surrounds you with His holy presence. His mercy is new every single morning. He will never leave or forsake you.

13 #sevenwordsoftruth sentences that hopefully encourage you,

Regi

I have no idea how this started. #sevenwordsoftruth

For some time now I’ve been using #sevenwordsoftruth as a hash tag on Twitter. I can’t remember the exact day or month when I counted out seven words in a statement I heard and tweeted it. But now there’s hardly a day or conversation that goes by where my ears aren’t listening for a statement that is tweet worthy (as my daughter says). To give you a few samples of my recent tweets, “If a Latte appeared I’d drink it.” #sevenwordsoftruth “A preacher shouldn’t preach if he’s high” #sevenwordsoftruth. So, you get the picture. Even now as I’m writing this post my mind is wandering off down some path of curiosity hoping to suddenly think of another seven words to share. Can you think of one? I’d love to have you join me on Twitter with a few of your own sevenwordsoftruth. Or, post them in a comment here and I’ll tweet it with your permission.

Until then,

Regi

Hey y’all,

The Christmas CD is finally here. “Holy Night” is available in my store and on iTunes, whichever you prefer. Phillip Keveren produced and orchestrated the tunes and we were able to have the City of Prague Symphonic Strings play on the album as well; all 42 of them. Kent Hooper, who engineered everything on the project sent me a link to actually watch the strings being recorded which was crazy unbelievable. We recorded the rhythm section at Playground Recording and my vocals were recorded at Kent’s home studio. I hope you’ll find the project a nice backdrop as you spend time with your family and friends making memories together. Next up: I’m recording a secular tune and will bring you more on that really soon. Hey… I hope you like the next website. We are working to update every part of the site so keep coming back to check it out. Regi

For several years I’ve talked about recording a Christmas vocal project and each year time always seemed to come and go without ever getting focused. This year is different! I’m finally doing it. All the songs have been chosen and three have been arranged by Phillip Keveren who is a friend and wonderful orchestrator here in Nashville. In fact, he is on his way to Prague where 42 string players from the Prague Symphony will be playing on three of the songs. We have chosen a variety of songs including “Silent Night”, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, “O Holy Night”, “I Wonder As I Wonder”, “Let It Snow” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”. We decided to record fewer songs but focus on producing a continual listening experience by adding musical connectors between each song. I’m excited and can hardly wait to complete the project. Hopefully after these tunes are mixed, I’m starting on a new project that I can use with worship teams and choir’s during Worship Weekends in 2012.

Keep a look out for my new Christmas project. It’ll be here before you know it.

Regi

I just returned from Nashville, Arkansas for a Worship Weekend. One part of this weekend that really struck me was the 7 churches that joined together from several denominations. Friday night included a wonderful meal and fellowship, a devotion/discussion and a time of worship through music. In addition to talking and writing about our thoughts on worship we rehearsed several songs together and presented a concert of worship on Saturday evening. We also focused on a wonderful non-profit organization (Health Clinic) that received nearly $2,000 in support from the Saturday concert. Then on Sunday I had the opportunity to lead a time of worship with the First United Methodist choir and congregation and for the first time presented a children’s sermon. It was fun to say the least. I appreciate the music director, Kristie Eggers for working so hard to put the weekend together. Knowing that people were blessed as a result made it all worth while.

If you are interested in hosting a Worship Weekend at your church let me know.

Regi

I closed my eyes and April disappeared. The last post I made, for the three of you reading this, mentioned me going in the studio to record. Okay, so I made it downstairs a few times and have sat down at the piano and thought about what songs I’ve written that could be a consideration. I even had a meeting with a producer friend to discuss the possibility. So, the plan is still on. Now I’m trying to decide whether I want to begin with Christmas or non seasonal music. That is where I am with the recording today; deciding. I think I’ll go back downstairs today and see if anything clicks. I’ll keep you updated.

Regi