Man, I'm so excited about the response that "Pilgrim Man" man is getting at radio. It's so difficult for a new artist to get airplay…so to have 79 stations take a chance on an unknown like me is really extraordinary.
I hope people are being encouraged by the song. I usually write things that I need to hear myself, and so what happens is that I'll pop the tune in my car and something will hit me in the lyrics that I really needed to hear. That's amazing to me, and makes me feel like God is involved in this process…that it's not just about me being clever or talented. It's about God using a semi-normal guy to create a tool that He will use to encourage His children...including me! What an honor to be a part of this!
May 21, 2010
Grandma Mildred (1915-2010)
My Grandma Mildred was a poet, a writer, a teacher, a musician. She focused on being creative and then taught others to do so, as well. She demonstrated how to live an unconventional life, showing me that I could as well. She was rootsy and advantgarde before I knew what that meant, or even more, how to appreciate it. She taught me that life isn't always lived between the lines.
I love that whenever we'd visit her Eau Claire, WI house as kids, the house was full of mystery and intrigue. She always let me explore. She always let me put my hands on new musical instruments I'd never seen before, or to play her big organ with all the fun sounds. She always let me be adventurous. I'm grateful for that lesson and hope to continue to be adventurous, and encourage others to do likewise.
I love that she did an acting stint in the Grande Olde Players in Omaha. She taught me that you're never too old to put on makeup and get up in front of people and act silly.
I love that she took such good care of our dog Scamp in her final dog days. She showed me that even though you live alone, you never have to be lonely.
Grandma Mildred was never fake or artificial. She never wanted to convince anyone that she was anything other than just herself. Sometimes that meant putting on makeup and big jewelry to go play the piano for all the "old people". Sometimes it meant just lounging in her nightgown. I'm grateful for her teaching me that there's a time and place to be fancy, even if other people don't agree.
I don't claim to understand a lot about how she lived her life, or how she managed to live as long as she did on her regular diet of crossword puzzles and romance novels. But I admire her contentment with simplicity. As I grow older, I hope to eliminate clutter and excess.
Her love for me appeared to grow with her age. Oddly enough, the less she was able to walk, the more she was able to say "I love you" to me. I hope to say "I love you" more, the older I grow, as well.
Love, Mark
I love that whenever we'd visit her Eau Claire, WI house as kids, the house was full of mystery and intrigue. She always let me explore. She always let me put my hands on new musical instruments I'd never seen before, or to play her big organ with all the fun sounds. She always let me be adventurous. I'm grateful for that lesson and hope to continue to be adventurous, and encourage others to do likewise.I love that she did an acting stint in the Grande Olde Players in Omaha. She taught me that you're never too old to put on makeup and get up in front of people and act silly.
I love that she took such good care of our dog Scamp in her final dog days. She showed me that even though you live alone, you never have to be lonely.
Grandma Mildred was never fake or artificial. She never wanted to convince anyone that she was anything other than just herself. Sometimes that meant putting on makeup and big jewelry to go play the piano for all the "old people". Sometimes it meant just lounging in her nightgown. I'm grateful for her teaching me that there's a time and place to be fancy, even if other people don't agree.
I don't claim to understand a lot about how she lived her life, or how she managed to live as long as she did on her regular diet of crossword puzzles and romance novels. But I admire her contentment with simplicity. As I grow older, I hope to eliminate clutter and excess.
Her love for me appeared to grow with her age. Oddly enough, the less she was able to walk, the more she was able to say "I love you" to me. I hope to say "I love you" more, the older I grow, as well.
Love, Mark
May 11, 2010
Advice I Wish Someone Would've Given Me
I'm a big fan of going after the desires of your heart—mostly because I believe God put them there, and also because of the joy I get from doing it! If you're like me at all, you know how difficult it can be to set your sails in a certain direction you'd like to go, only to find out there's no wind and the boat seems to have leaks in all the strangest places.
This is one of my most favorite quotes: "Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." —Calvin CoolidgeHere are a few things that I wish someone would've told me a while back. I think learning these early on would've made my life a bit easier...and perhaps made me see I was less crazy than I am tempted to believe I am.
May 5, 2010
Lessons I Learned From the Flood
Life has been flipped completely upside-down for many people in Nashville. Over the past weekend, we experienced a crazy amount of rain, up to 20” in some parts. And it all came so quickly that the rivers didn’t know what to do—except to go places they’ve never been before. Places we never imagined they would go.
The devastation is mind-blowing. The effect this flood will have on our economy remains to be seen, but will most certainly be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Many people lost their lives. Thousands of people lost everything in their homes, and even more people are left with a huge mess to clean up. I’m grateful so many people have asked if I needed anything—fortunately the waters receded before they came inside my house. Many people in my subdivision, and our town, are really struggling right now.
Sunday was a bit scary, surreal, crazy, and intriguing as we helplessly watched the water have its way with our street. During one of the breaks in the rain, I stepped out into the street to examine the rising waters. I found a small group of my neighbors talking. I discovered that one of my neighbors was afraid because he couldn’t get out of his driveway, and was running low on groceries. I told him to make a list, and we’d take care of it. One neighbor (whom I had never met before) had a truck and was willing to take me through the water-logged streets to the store, and then insisted on splitting the bill with me. Through the experience of our like-minded mission, I made a friend.
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| The center of this picture is where I play softball - you can see the dark roof of the school on the right edge, my house is just above the school. |
Sunday was a bit scary, surreal, crazy, and intriguing as we helplessly watched the water have its way with our street. During one of the breaks in the rain, I stepped out into the street to examine the rising waters. I found a small group of my neighbors talking. I discovered that one of my neighbors was afraid because he couldn’t get out of his driveway, and was running low on groceries. I told him to make a list, and we’d take care of it. One neighbor (whom I had never met before) had a truck and was willing to take me through the water-logged streets to the store, and then insisted on splitting the bill with me. Through the experience of our like-minded mission, I made a friend.
The flood of 2010 has taught me a few powerful lessons:
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