We are going to be in the hall of fame!

Time is just flying by. Cassi and I have been so busy since her trip to Belgium and my stint with Casting Crowns. This weekend is the first time we are really going to have to debrief and spend some time together. We plan on taking in a tourist attraction this weekend. We are going to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

So we will be in the Hall of Fame; as visitors, not inductees.

I need a bailout too.

Ask and it shall be given I guess. If you believe, like the Bible and stuff. Matthew 7:7 (and I DO). Well luckily I HAVE been asking for a bailout. Cassi has been asking for a bailout. Other people have been praying for us to have a bailout. Well, we got it in a few ways.

Stress bailout: Both Cassi and I have worked in an extremely high stress corporate environment at certain times over the past year. This music thing was my work-stress bailout. Cassi started another job this past week for her work-stress bailout. This exacerbated and contributed to another bailout need.

Income (cash flow) bailout: When you step out of a great paying job in Corporate America in to a music job and a job with a private school there is an income gap. When Cassi got her work-stress bailout I waited in anticipation for what God would do to help replace some of that income and help us lower our budget. In a sick way I was kind of excited because I knew God was going to show up. Well, the very next day a job opportunity came my way that allows me to keep playing with the Daniel Doss Band and teach my students. It came to me. I did not seek it out. So now Cassi and I have averted a crisis and we have lowered our monthly bills.

Mortgage bailout: Let's put it this way. I bought my house when rates were low and I was single and I was only playing music for a living. Now as rates have adjusted, our mortgage is not so great. I am working on getting a mortgage bailout. We will keep praying for that and if you could focus your prayers on that it would be awesome. We have some hurdles to go over, but the process is being started.

So even though America has not gotten their $700B bailout, my household is getting theirs. It seems that God is shaking ALL of us and letting us know that we need to rely on Him. It is easy to forget and feel like you don't need Him when things are good. Right now it is very apparent that we need Him. So all of this really is a blessing if your perspective is right.

Peace

It is like stealing your own car

Because I am a musician I have to be a Do-it-yourself-er. We musicians have irregular income; feast or famine usually, and we have time during most days to work on projects.

My latest project is getting my Camry's ignition switch to turn. It is turning enough to unlock the steering wheel, but not enough to get to the "ACC" position or really any position. If you can't get it to the ACC position it looks like you have to drill out the tumbler in the mechanism. That is basically where I am at. I have looked for any other way to make it happen. I wiggled and jiggled the: brake pedal, parking brake, key, steering wheel, tilt, pushed car back and forth. Nothing worked.

Now if I could only find my drill bits. Seriously, where are they?

We are home now. We drove for more than 80 hours, just shy of 5000 miles on this trip. 13 days away from home. It is sure good to be back and see our families and to get some sleep in our own bed.

Our drummer, Joe, is getting married in 12 days. We are only home for 6.5 days until we leave for a week. Joe is going to leave from a camp we are doing in East Tennessee to get ready for the wedding. The rest of us are going to be there Friday night after we get done playing. He is the last unmarried guy in DDB. We wish you guys, Joe and Kari, a long and happy life together.

I have many chores that need my attention. I have been gone 2 weeks.

Peace.