Haven’t had much time to blog. I had someone play with the sound system at church and record a tiny little audio clip of my newly refretted guitar. geet08.mp3

I’m feeling spent today. The year is coming to an end quickly. Kids are growing up way to fast and I can’t seem to get past the idea that I’m not getting any younger. I took a drive through Hollywood today for simply one reason. To retrieve my guitar from a cool old guy named Art Valdez. Art is a professional flamenco guitarist. Art also makes guitars and refrets guitars.

The guitar I dropped off was a gift given to me almost 15 years ago by a church I love dearly. I remember the day when one of my old pastor friends handed it to me as a going away present. It was one of the neatest gifts I had ever received and I’ve put it to good use in my ministry as a youth pastor and now a pastor. After a bunch of years of playing, It needed to be refretted, and a good friend of mine suggested Valdez Guitars.

Now this guitar has taken a beating. It’s been played by kids in youth groups I’ve served. It’s been dropped and the wood has been chipped. I’ve played every youth group song and VBS song you can think of and I can’t count how many times I’ve broken a string. I’ve taken it to Mexico and back. It’s been rained on.  It’s been to the beach. It’s been to camp with kids. It’s even been to the east coast where it toured a few churches where I made some cash on the side by helping lead worship while getting through seminary. It’s even been stolen and brought back by a homeless dude.

Now why not spend the money I spent fixing this guitar and investing it into a new guitar? I thought about that today. I’ve even had a member of my church give me a really nice Martin to lead worship with which I love, but there is nothing like my beaten up takamine. The sound of the guitar now with the refret job? Let’s just say that it sounds better than ever.

When I feel spent and tired, something I do is retreat to my guitar. I can play and sing songs to God. I can worship him with my whole heart. I can even help lead the people of God into worship with the hopes that when we walk away from worshiping the Lord that we’re restored to go back out and serve God. My guitar is simply my paint brush and my canvass.

Thank you God for every good and perfect gift!

I’ve seen Steven Curtis Chapman on more than one occasion lead the people of God into worship. It breaks my heart to hear of his loss. Prayers for the Chapman family tonight.