French...a choir boy?

I was sitting in church yesterday, and French slipped in and sat down beside me.  I found this odd because he usually only attends when we are on duty for worship team.  A group had just come back from a mission trip, so there were a lot of presentations, and there seemed to be more singing than usual. It was a short service.

French stood up after the benediction and was about to slip out the back (as per usual), but an older lady turned around and grabbed French's arm.  She told him that he had "a beautiful singing voice."  She also added that "he should really join the choir."

French looked for a way out of this situation.  He has always disliked being in choirs since we were in elementary school.  When we had mandatory choir he'd cause a scene and get kicked out.  French told her that "he played guitar on the worship team, and he'd be on next week."  The lady tried to convince him to be miked up when he played guitar.  French gave a noncommittal answer and tried to get away.

This lady was tenacious.  She somehow caught up with him in the church lobby and said: "God put you behind me today as a blessing.  I don't know why he did that, but you need to figure that out; share your blessing".  French thanked her, and darted past the pastor and out the door.

Outside, as he jumped on his motorcycle, he said: "I didn't even know I was singing".



This post was also featured here at Worship Links: http://www.worshiplinks.us/2013/04/surprised-by-your-own-gifts/ check them out.

Rose's Fight

Rose Fish got into a fight.  Shocking right?  Well "fight" might not be the right word, but she was involved in a heated disagreement; in a rural church parking lot, no less.  A friend wanted Rose to put a marriage equality sticker on the bumper of her mini-van.  Something like this:

Rose refused.

The friend responded that, "she didn't think she needed to talk about marriage equality with her friends, she had just assumed that she was preaching to the choir."  She then called Rose "intolerant".

Rose responded to this accusations as best she could.  She told the angry, yet tolerant, lady that Jesus did not call us to be tolerant, but to love, and that her friend needed to learn the difference.  Rose also told her adversary that the sticker was an idol, and she would have no part with it.

At that point the argument got really heated, and much more emotional.  Bruce Fish managed to bundle up his wife and kids, and drive home.

French told me all of this on the phone last night.   I'll be seeing Rose this weekend.  Her and Bruce Fish usually come back to town to visit his mother.  So I'm trying to gather some wise counsel on this issue.

Worship Team

My church worship leader said that she was "stuck"; as she had no guitarists for the service.  She asked me if I could help out.  I agreed, but she wanted to know if I knew anyone else.  I said, "that I knew a guy, but he likely wouldn't play."  I was wrong. French said yes. Well his exact answer was: "sure whatever".

So French and I led the music team.  French and I did some brief prep and then we just jumped into it.  I've heard him play plenty of Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin, but never Chris Tomlin and Hillsong United.  He did great.  He said his goal was to hit 80% of the notes and chords (he did better than that).  I even heard him belt out the lyrics; especially in the choruses.

French is a really organic and kinetic player.  So his foot was tapping, head bobbing, and body swaying.  He plays like this even when he is alone. This is how he keeps time, and he just tends to really get into music.  French asked me if he looked too weird bopping around.  I told him it was "all good".

After the service a lady came up to him, smiled and said that "he rocked it today".

I think the Redeemer Worship Team may have a new member, or two.

John

John was my grandfather, well at least for the last 25 years or so.  My grandmother married John when they were in their fifties; both of them had lost their spouses earlier on in life.  My grandmother was actually a widow since my mother was 13, so gaining a grandfather for the first time in my teens was a real joy.

John was cool.  He let me drive his snowmobile, he let me snag a beer from his sacred garage fridge, and he taught me the art of finding a TV with Hockey Night in Canada, (or in a pinch: another sport) at many family events.  Once when we were hanging out when I was 15, and he told me to hop in his truck and drive him into Perth.  I'd never driven before, so he taught me the basics and we hit the road.  I was pretty stressed, but it was pretty fun and exciting too.  I was a miserable driver, but I always remember what he said when we got back to my grandparent's house: "You sure got better at centering the truck on the way back.  You'll be a fine driver".  That simple compliment resonated, and sure helped me be confident when I went for my licence a few months later.

He died with far too little warning, but I'll sure miss him.

A Prayer for Rose

My phone rang on Sunday; it was Bruce Fish.  I think that is the 2nd time that he has called in three years, so I was pretty surprised.  He beat around the bush for a bit chatting about wrestling, his truck, and his dog.  Abruptly, he said: "Rose wants you to pray for her".  I said, "certainly".  He launched into his explanation.  Then said that he had to call French, and hung up.

Turns out Rose thought she was pregnant.  Her and Bruce Fish have one child, so far, but she really wants one more.  She envisions a little playmate for her baby.  Rose is approaching 40, (Bruce is older still) and she feels that time is running out.  Rose was so convinced that she was expecting that she had named the baby, and she was "talking" to it in her womb. Sadly, she was just uncharacteristically late.  Bruce almost hung up when he got to this part of his story.

Children are such a blessing, may Rose, and Bruce Fish, be blessed.

Silvertone

French is saving for a new guitar.  He had a supped up Epiphone Les Paul; with upgraded pick-ups and tuners.  French was carrying it out to a buddy's garage for a jam, when he slipped on a patch of ice.  He tried to save it, but the neck snapped right in half.  Currently, he is playing my old Stratocaster, but he wants his own.

Saying that he wants a new one is poor wording.  He really wants the one that is pictured above: 1963 era Silvertone Amp in Case Electric Guitar.  French is struggling a bit financially, yet he is pretty positive about a recent interview.

In the meantime, he's been playing open mics to make money.  At these free shows his favourite expression is: "Nothing says request like twenty bucks."

He'll have his "new to him" old guitar soon.

Rose's Bible Challenge

Rose has been pushing Bible studies on us guys for years.  She actually has a box of Bibles at the ready at her house; she buys them in bulk.  She is gifting them constantly.  This past  year she used our competitive nature to see who could read the the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in one year.  We all took on Rose's challenge.

Bruce Fish dropped out early.  He says he gets plenty enough Bible just living with Rose.  Pancake says he lost his Bible in church at Easter.  Sweaty gave it up once summer started.  By mid summer I was about 30 days behind in the reading plan.  I mentioned this to French.  I was shocked to hear that he was still on pace in mid August, so I caught up.

Once work started I fell way behind again; this time by 40 days.  I saw French sitting in his truck in late November.  He was reading his tattered Good News Bible he'd gotten when he was confirmed.  He was smoking a cigarette.  French exhaled and said:  "I'm on pace buddy. You?"  There was only a month to go, and I still had to reread the New Testament and a some of the Psalms.  I just couldn't let French beat me.

I finished just a bit late: Jan. 6th.  French beat me by a week, but Rose is so proud.


A creative way to get a coupla louts to read the Bible eh?