Margaret Cho: Keys From the Past

I have really enjoyed watching two genealogy shows on TV this year. The stories of famous people come to life as they search out their ancestry--many times finding surprises, disappointment and sometimes outright cool information.

Comedienne Margaret Cho was a recent subject on the PBS genealogy production "Finding Your Roots," hosted by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. She was surprised to learn of her family's political involvement with the Japanese who occupied their native Korea. Because of this traitorous action, the family were forced to migrate away from their village to avoid persecution. One of the family members--as they locked up the house before fleeing--grasped the keys and tucked them away as if they would soon return to find the place untouched and ready to move back in. 

I thought about this for a split-second and realized that I myself have a whole ring of keys on a proverbial key chain, stored deep in my conscience, hoping someday I might return to a place in the past that I've never been able to completely relinquish. Unfortunately--and possibly for my journey as well--Margaret Cho's family would never return to that village again. A member of Cho's family still has that very house key today.

Our lives sometimes resemble the attic in our homes: filled with hopes, dreams and intentions from the past, waiting there silently collecting dust. Maybe it's time to crawl up the stairs,  scan our hearts and make a plan to discard those things to which we may never return.

Maybe it's an old relationship, a grudge or an unrealized goal. Whatever it may be, most of us have a set of keys that connect us to the past. Some are to doorways of unfinished business that we are wise to complete. But some keys are to doors that we will never see again. 

Maybe it's time to say goodbye to some parts of our past. Thank God for new doors and opportunities yet to be discovered.   

Leading Worship: What I Love To Do Best!

Last weekend I had the privilege of leading worship at The People's Church in Franklin. Normally I am the music director at The People's Church, Spring Hill campus, but they let me out for a weekend to do what I love best: lead worship!


I am so blessed to be in the People's Church family and look forward to a rich future here. I wanted to share the video of the worship service last week along with Pastor Rick White's sermon entitled "Modern Lessons From an Ancient King," a 9-week series on King David. Have a blessed weekend, friends!

The Beatles at the Washington Coliseum

This past weekend was a milestone for me. I saw the Beach Boys for the first time. We received VIP passes, met a few of the boys backstage, including the "lost Beach Boy" and original lead guitarist, David Marks. What a killer night!

Several years ago Brenda and I flew to New York and saw Paul McCartney at the Madison Square Garden--another milestone. I wish I got tickets to see Ringo Starr here in Nashville in July...all sold out in a flash (that would have rounded-out my Beatles concert bucket list).

When we look back on our lives, its hard to disassociate the music we listened to growing up from our memories. The Beatles and the Beach Boys were the Alpha and Omega of my osmotic musical education.

I  came upon this clip online including some lost footage of a Beatles concert at the Washington Coliseum. Pretty darn cool. The documentary is lengthy, but if you are a Beatles fan, it'll be fine!

What an era in which to grow up: the 1960s. I am still blown away at the many cultural landmarks--good and bad--from that decade. I hope this video brings back great memories of that incredible time in history.

The Beach Boys: "That's Why God Made the Radio"

It's hard to believe that a new Beach Boys record (including Brian Wilson) will be here June 5th! There's a new single that has been released called "That's Why God Made the Radio." It definitely sounds like old-school Beach Boys.

I'm looking forward to seeing them in Atlanta this Saturday with my brother Jon, his family, and my son-in-law, Adam. There's a good chance we may get some backstage passes to meet the band after the show.

Brian and the boys may look a little older than we remember, but they can still sing like angels!

Sacrificial Pancake

For those who have attempted the delicate system of making great pancakes, the sacrificial pancake is familiar. First, it takes the perfect blend of ingredient and texture of the batter to create the beloved breakfast item. Then, even as the batter is of utmost quality--smooth, with just the right thickness, and no impediments like air bubbles to inhibit a perfect stack of goodness-- the first pancake of the batch usually suffers from deformation as it prepares the griddle to produce the rest.

Life is kind of like that. Sometimes before we succeed there are requisite failures that help pave the way. Many times in my life God has allowed failure in my first attempt at something. Henry Ward Beecher said, "One's best success comes after his greatest disappointments."

I don't like the taste of failure! Failure to me in the past has always been bitter, but it has taken the wisdom of God to teach me otherwise.

Jesus, knowing in advance that Peter would fail, told the Apostle in Luke 22 31-34:

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. ”But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." (NIV)

Jesus had big plans for Peter as a leader. So in Matthew 16: 18, Jesus reveales His assignment to the disciple:

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (NIV)

But Jesus knew that Peter, before he could become a success, needed to fail first. In Luke 22:15-19, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Peter said yes, each time with growing intensity. Finally Jesus said, "Feed my Sheep."

Like Peter, we may have all of the fervor, preparation and education for the life ahead of us. But sometimes failure is the best way to temper us, and humility will create a strong foundation for success. Just like the sacrificial pancake, failure is but one forfeiture on the road to a life of accomplishment.

Photos In the Attic

Josh & Betsy, North Carolina, 1991

Rummaging through the attic this week, Brenda came across some jewels. Somehow a stack of photos have been sitting up there for years. It's no coincidence that on the 15th anniversary of my mom's passing we would find some of the greatest pictures of Mom and the kids together.

As I said in my last post, life goes by so quickly and, if we're not careful, we might miss the significance of precious little moments. Trying to raise two kids 13 months apart on a college student's income was tough--just ask Brenda! When everything was happening it was daunting. But memories seem to take the rough edges off, and seeing the photos were a joy.

Betsy has been married to Adam for almost three years now; I am so proud of her and the life she is living. Josh, the oldest, will soon celebrate two years of marriage with Amber, and their first child is due in October.

Josh, Brenda and Betsy today

Both of our children seem to have survived our ignorance and failures as young parents. Our biggest goal then was to get to the next step. As the kids grew, the pace picked up and, before you know it, here we are.

Just an encouragement to young parent: Don't hurry through these times. I know it's difficult, but savor each moment if you can. One day you'll find photos in your attic and you won't believe how they've all grown up and gone.

You Don't Know What You've Got Til It's Gone

Thinking about the lyrics of Joni Mitchell's song "Big Yellow Taxi," I realize the many things we take for granted.  Southern California may have had it's share of troubles, but it's still a gorgeous place, and I am blessed to have spent the first twenty years of my life there.

I saw a photo a friend posted to Facebook the other day. It was a picture of his church youth group washing cars for some kind of fund raiser. The parking lot where they were working overlooked the beautiful Pacific Ocean--probably in San Juan Capistrano or San Clemente.  I made a comment to the effect: "I hope the kids realize that they live in an extraordinary place." My buddy commented back that they do. I believe they won't truly appreciate it until it's a distant memory.

Speeding through life as a young person, on the way to the next stop, is something we've all done. "There's got to be something more right around the bend" is what we say as we try to figure out a future for ourselves. Twenty or thirty years later we stop long enough to look back and realize that what we just rushed through will never happen again.

I am reminded to enjoy what is happening right now: windows are open and the ions in the air--along with the aroma of coffee being made and the sounds of classical music being played--are creating a moment in time that must be savored. I am going to stop right now and enjoy it, because it will be gone all too soon.