Worship Yesterday

Yesterday was an amazing morning of worship and message. I was moved emotionally and moved to action. I got to play 4 great songs with a group of incredible musicians; just a wonderful time of worship in song. It was Ryan's last morning with us. He's stepping down for a while to be home more. Too bad, because he's one of my favorite drummers to play with and a wonderful human being whom I will miss immensely. Maybe I'll have to call him up on occasion and go out for coffee or barley pops to continue our always enlightening and enjoyable conversations. As a side note, I really miss getting to play with Skip; can we clone him?

The message was, as usual, deeply moving. I love our Senior Pastor. He's so open and honest and to the point. No monkeying around. When God lays something on his heart he shares it with us, no watering it down at all. I've always appreciated that about him, even when it touched a nerve in me - maybe especially when it touched a nerve in me. I realize more and more, I'm never done growing as a Christian. There are always more messy places that need cleaning. I greatly appreciate that Dave isn't content to just let us sit there and hear a "Waiting for Heaven" speech every Sunday, but spurs us on to self-examination and action. We're here to change the world, so get on with it. Quit sitting and watching. Get in the game.

What God hates! So, what do I hate? How can I do something about it? What do I love? How can I use that to affect that which I hate? More to come...

I need to make an equipment update here...

I now have a custom built cabinet from Low Down Sound that is absolutely amazing. I highly recommend them.

I also have a second bass in the family - A Yamaha BBN5A that is undergoing a sex change operation as we speak :) It is being converted to fretless. I would eventually like to upgrade both fretted and fretless basses to Roscoe SKB 5's or something along those lines, but these will do quite nicely for now. I'm probably going to need to update the electronics in the Yamaha to make it really nice.

I also have two new effects pedals - a MXR Bass Auto-Q and an EH BassBalls - the USA made version. Loving having the effects. Lots of interesting new tones and sounds.

Pray for Baby Doe

33 years ago yesterday... More dead than all the wars of the last 3 centuries combined... Pray for all the baby Does. Pray for all the mother Roes. Pray for our nation. Pray for victory in this battle to come soon.

Starting Point

Worship. What is it exactly, and how do you worship with an instrument, let alone an instrument like the bass guitar?

Let's start with what it is not. Worship is NOT music. It's not singing songs. It's not playing an instrument. It's not praying. It's not giving offerings. All of those things are part of a worshippers life (at least if you play an instrument), but they aren't worship.

Worship is a lifestyle of being sold out to God. Whether you make a living playing music or counting widgets, doing your job well is worship to God, unless you make that job or that music the object of your worship. For me, worship means selling out to God and using my gifts to bring honor and glory to Him. I try to bring an attitude of worship whether I'm playing Gospel songs on Sunday morning or funk on Friday night. Whether I'm walking a blues bass line or slapping a wicked funk part, I try to focus my mind on worshipping God, not showing off chops.

Loving my wife the way I should is also worship to God, provided I'm not worshipping her in the process. He created us both and designed us to be man and wife and when I treat her with Christ-like love, He is honored.

Raising my child in God's ways is an act of worship as well. Raising up the next generation of Worshippers is a most important job.

Even the way I treat my dog can be an act of worship. He is one of God's creation as well. He must be treated well and trained to be a good canine citizen in my neighborhood.

Where I really struggle in lifestyle worship is in my job. I despise my job most days. It is the antithesis of what I was designed to do. It's non-artistic and boring as all get out. It involves putting files in order and putting mail in those files. That's it... Not a good job for someone designed to be creative.

So, there's the first installment of the new bass blog. Next time we'll get into some actual bass discussion.

Worship Bass Indeed

So, I have made my mind up. This particular blog will be bass and worship related only. I have set up another blog to discuss my political views. If I can get my friend it-chick to help me, I will move some of the other posts on here to that blog. That should clean things up.

Awesome service yesterday at Fellowship Missionary Church. The music was phenomenal (and no, I wasn't playing) and the guest speaker was terrific, explaining what Pastor Dave and Gwen were doing and describing their trip for us. He also gave some great applications for our own lives from the text.

Wholesome Entertainment

Went and saw CheaperBy The Dozen 2 this afternoon. It's funny, but not as funny as the first one. Mrs. Bassjones and I took the little one, and she loved it. She's totally into Hillary Duff and thinks she's just about the most talented coolest girl to ever walk the earth. I know she's cheesey and phony and all that, but I think that's a good thing when her fans are all 7-10 year old little girls. Certainly better than that Lindsey Lohan person posing naked...

I hate Hollywood! Bunch of moral reprobates that think it's perfectly fine for an anorexic teenager to bare her breasts, so as to give a bunch of teenage boys and old dirty bastards masturbation material for a couple of weeks. "But it's art" - Okay, sure, fine... Tell yourself that if you wish, it won't keep Uncle Pervert from molesting himself to the image of her naked body.

Wow, how did I get from point A to point B in this post???? Made sense to me...

Tired

Long week - actually, short week, but I'm tired... Man I hate my job! I've really got to find something more fulfilling, and double the money would help too. I don't suppose that will happen anytime soon. I think I may turn this into a strictly worship based blog. Or a bass blog.

E.R. and the Right to Kill

Those of you who know me know one of my favorite T.V. dramas is E.R. It's Hollywood liberal bias at it's finest, but it's a well-written show and features some fabulous acting. I've been mad at their extremely one-sided portrayal of issues in the past, but last night took the cake. Issue - Abortion, i.e. legalized infanticide - or as liberals like to paint it a woman's right to choose.

If you didn't watch it, there were two women facing a decision about abortion. One, a permiscuous 37-year-old doctor - who used to be a nurse; the other, the obligatory 15-year-old rape victim, who got drunk at a party and woke up to bloody sheets and her pants lying on the floor. Not surprisingly, the show reached the conclusion for us that the young girl should not be forced to carry "it". So, against the wishes of the girl's "extremely religious", ardently pro-life parents, a Catholic, "personally pro-life" Doctor (who also happens to be very permiscuous, and is the father of the other child in the scenario), induces a miscarriage for the girl. As if a 15-year-old should make that decision on her own, let alone less than two hours after finding out she's pregnant. Yes, that's plenty of time to gather all the scientific facts and make an informed decision to murder your unborn child!!

Most disturbing was his explanation to the girl who asks "Is this a sin?" and quotes scripture about God knowing us before He formed us in the womb. He quotes Genesis about God breathing life into Adam, and then says "This is medicine's way of asking God to reconsider."

Me - "What the FXXX!?!?!" My wife - stares at me as if I just said something wrong...

So, now I'm really angry and if the big announcement next week turns out to be that Michael (who just got married) is gay, I'm done with this stupid show forever.

On the plus side, My Name is Earl was really funny last night.