Latest Member of The Calvary Musician Family

Wow! Isn't she beautiful?!
Brand new all-tube, 30watt, 2-channel Egnater Rebel amp head and matching 1x12 speaker cab.


This will be used by all of our wonderful volunteer guitarists and I'm guaranteeing that many a pleasurable tones will be coming from the Fuel Servie, The Celebrate Recovery Service, and the Worship Center Services for many years to come thanks to our guitarists who help serve our church in worship every week.

Don't worry, it will be well taken care of and well used.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

I was completely shocked and humbled on Friday, January 15, 2010 after my birthday dinner at my grandma Guy's home when Ashley gave me a gift that was a small box filled with money!

I have been wanting (even needing...but that's just the musician in me talking) an electric for some time now, but just didn't have the money to get one. I was going to save a small sum of cash regularly but it would have taken me over 2 years to save enough for the beautiful Strat that was essentially given to me!

Thank you to all my family, friends, and church family who participated in one of the greatest gifts I have ever gotten. Thank you!

PS. Another cool detail...it was on sale!

Just in case you didn't know (which I'm guessing you probably don't), here is this year's best undiscovered drummer who has now just been discovered through Guitar Center's National Drum-Off Competition. Each performance is judged on creativity/originality, technicality, and stage presence. After winning store, district, state, region, Ramon Sampson's life probably just changed drastically after winning the national level.
Check out his winning performance:



That is some mighty fine drumming!!!
Check out the official announcement to get all the details.

Why Would Jesus Rebuke His Own Mother? (Or Because We're All In This Together)

I promise I'm not as boring as I may sound.
Ok.
You may continue.


To set it up, Jesus has just rebuked his concerned mother (she thought he was going a little overboard with this whole Savior-thing) in front of a crowd of his disciples because it was so crowded that she couldn't get close enough to him. So, she basically tells a random disciple, "Hey, please get Jesus's attention & tell him that his mother & brothers are here to get him."(Ouch!)
Jesus essentially replies, "These are my mothers & brothers; the ones following me, listening to me, & obeying me."

Now, the explanation.
As I read this portion of commentary from the Life Application New Testament Commentary (by the way, one of my favorite resources) I knew I had to share it's contents which explain the story.

"Jesus gave a respectful rebuke to his overly concerned mother; he was not severing ties with his earthly family. Through this incident, Jesus gave another lesson to his followers by explaining that spiritual relationships are as binding as physical ones. This would be the basis for the new community that Jesus was building--the Christian family [aka. The Church]...In these words, Jesus was explaining that in his spiritual family, relationships are ultimately more important and longer-lasting than those formed in one's physical family." (in reference to Luke 8:19-21, emphasis added)

I love it!
Shouldn't this then change our attitude & behavior towards the people in our church communities?
Now, let these words sink in:

"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35, NLT)

Another Year of New Life

I'm just so thankful for the new life that God gave me.
It really is the most outlandish agreement in the world:
I give God my rags, He gives me His riches!
Even when I don't believe in me, God believes in me (By the way, He believes in you too.)

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,"

Ephesians 1:7-9 (NIV)

He has given me another year of new life.
 I love what He has done for me, but I love Him more.

Thoughts On Luke 7:44-47 (Am I Simon or The Immoral Woman?)

The actions that were skipped by Simon the Pharisee were missed opportunities to show Jesus great love. The actions that were showed by the immoral woman were taken opportunities to show Jesus great love. Which one, by their the actions, loved Jesus?
So, by my actions, do I love Jesus?


My capacity to be more like Simon or the Immoral Woman today will be determined by my remembrance of my great forgiveness.