Take Me Home

Always been quite attached to this tune, as it elicits fond memories of summer vacations in hot & humid Southeastern Oklahoma, circa mid 1980's. During that time, the song received frequent airplay on Tulsa's very own K107, which also happened to employ my favorite D.J. of all time, the (now) late Jan Elizabeth Degan (best known as Jan Dean), God rest her soul. On this live version, the auxiliary percussion are beyond terrific at the onset, but what Sir Phil is able to accomplish using the masses as his echo chamber/personal choir, near the end is nothing short of extraordinary! Jouir!

Hope Deferred

'm not gonna lie to ya, this year has been anything but proficient & life giving. Now we're practically 3 months into this thing & it would appear any light that might be had at the end of our otherwise elongated, dismal tunnel, is without question...an oncoming train.

Talk about "Swing & a Miss".

I pray anxiety levels reduce in our household just as bloody soon as our mountains are sufficiently relocated.

Wow, this is a boring blog entry. And you're still reading because why? ...(crickets)

On a side note, it would also appear I'm suffering from writer's block. Perhaps that's why I haven't been around lately. Alas, sad birds don't sing. I think it was Churchill who once stated "When you're going through hell...keep going".

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12 New Living Translation

Mr. President, They Have Daughters Too

Stop This Train

This past week was one of the more difficult weeks of residency (particularly for my wife & children). We currently find ourselves with little to no reserves at this hour while like you, staring a new week in the face. Which brings me to tonight. I typically don't do well with birthday reports, as the milestone usually leaves me in a frustrated, melancholy state of being. Nevertheless, while our current circumstances are anything but ideal, you can't put a price on the act of four children rushing around like mad (in your absence) baking you birthday brownies to surprise you with upon your return.

I wish I could somehow bottle nights like tonight & savor bits & pieces of it at various future dates of my choosing. They are quite simply a welcomed oasis in a desert of discouragement.

I suspect some day, when I am nearing the finish line, I will reflect upon these freshly made memories with even more appreciation than I currently possess. If only there was a way to slow the hands of time. Please oh please God, stop this train.

Didn't We Almost Have It All

Like countless others, I was profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of perhaps the greatest female vocalist in pop music Saturday night. Whitney Houston not only represented my generation, but also performed the finest rendition of the National Anthem in the 1991 Super Bowl by which all other National Anthems will be measured. Admittedly, I'll never fully understand why stars on Houston's level seem to pass before their time. That acknowledged, candles burned at both ends may burn twice as fast, but they also burn twice as bright. R.I.P. Whitney. Now you belong to the ages.

With Me All The Time

Came across this recording I had forgotten about so I thought I'd share. It's a simplified, acoustically driven arrangement of my song "I Am Not Afraid". I recorded it on the fly right before we left Houston in Twenty Ten, as I was needing much personal affirmation at the time due to our uncertain future. I always enjoy performing this tune in a live setting because the lyrics are so encouraging & edifying to our faith, plus it's loads-o-fun to play if you happen to have a gifted percussionist on hand (& boy do I!) to add some tasteful egg shakers or delicious light metal brushes on the head of the snare. Hope you enjoy, & hope you share with others. -cW.

Pictures On The Floor

Upon the arrival of our new home in Summer of Twenty Ten, I was struck late one night by the visual of pictures leaned up against our wall on our floor. Anyone in the world could look at that & know they weren't where they were supposed to be. Anyone in the world would also know that wasn't their final destination. So it is with us. Transitions are risky & uncomfortable to say the least as the unknown can be a terribly frightening thing. But that doesn't mean we're doing something wrong. One way or another, we're all in transition. Is it safe? No. But what is?