|
This Past Weekend in KY, AL & OH
Mon., Oct. 9. 2006 7:55am EDT
We enjoyed a heaping helping of Southern hospitality this past weekend in Shepherdsville KY (Friday, near Louisville), Lester AL (Saturday, near Huntsville), and Beavercreek OH (Sunday, near Dayton). The shows were well planned, well attended, and well received, and the people were as warm as the weather.
Our keyboardist, Bill "Wild Thing" Hubauer, took a rare weekend off, and when that happens, we like to spice things up a bit by adding songs we seldom play into our set list. Rare nuggets retrieved from the vault at various times this past weekend included "Genny 22," "Fakey Shaky Parts," "Listening After Midnight," "Spirit Inside," "Monkey Scheme," "Born-Again Child," "Put You Down in My Will," and "Twins Came Out."
Special thanks to:
Our concert coordinators: Nathan Schroeder (Shepherdsville), Keith Williams (Lester) and Hunter, who prayed the Lester concert into existence, and Dave Warner (Beavercreek).
Our merchandise coordinators: Dana, Linda, Virginia, and Cathy (Shepherdsville); Anne, Pam, Denice, Carol, Brittany, and Megan (Lester); and Patti, Brittany, Greg, and Kristen (Beavercreek).
Our soundmen: Vann (Shepherdsville), Munky (Lester), and Larry (Beavercreek).
Our roadie: Micah (Shepherdsville, Lester, and Beavercreek)
Honorable mention to Chris Christopherson, who attended our concert in Lester, adding Alabama to the long list of states where she's seen us play -- 14 states in all -- good for third place on the all-time list (Beth Davis, who attended Sunday's concert in Ohio, remains the leader, with 18 states, followed by her dad, Larry, with 17.) Chris' son Alex, and mother, Memory, were also on hand.
After Friday's concert, we saw our old friend Todd Hunley, who owns and operates a Chick-fil-A store in Madison TN. Poor Todd and his friend Brian drove from Tennessee to the show but forgot they were going from the Central Time to Eastern Time, thereby losing an hour. They already knew they were running late, but they didn't realize just how late! Consequently, they arrived just in time to see us do our last song of the night. However, we got a chance to talk extensively after the show, and neither Todd nor we had any doubts that he was supposed to be there that night, no matter when he arrived, and not just because he and Brian helped us pack up after the show.
We hadn't seen or heard from Todd for over three years, but we'll never forget him. As a matter of fact, we had done on a radio interview with radio station KNLE (Candle 88 FM) in Austin TX earlier that day, and J. had related the story of how one of our concerts, including one particular song, had made a big impact on one of Todd's employees three years earlier. That story bears repeating, so we've an excerpt from the news story we wrote about it back then:
The highlight of our Friday (September 5, 2003) show in Clarksville was a phone call and an email we received the next day letting us know a young woman we'd met Friday afternoon had given her heart to the Lord at the concert. She was particularly affected after hearing our opening song, "Life Restored," a parody of Papa Roach's "Last Resort." The original song had a strong message about suicide, whereas ours is about salvation. This young woman told us she used to listen to that song a lot and contemplate suicide. She grew up as the daughter of a pastor and a "church lady," but said she had always wanted nothing to do with Christianity or Christian music. You should hear how excited she is now. It's amazing! Her boss (Todd), who invited her to the concert, called us in tears on Saturday, and she wrote us an email herself not too long afterward, sharing the whole story. Please keep her in your prayers.
That girl's name was Amber Parish, and we didn't include the email she'd sent to us at that time, but it turns out we still have it on file, and we thought it was so powerful we ought to share it now:
Hey, I wanted to write to you guys to let you know what an awesome show you played Friday night in Clarksville. From when I first met you guys earlier that day at Chick-Fil-A, I could tell that you were truly genuine. I was excited about seeing you perform. About 30 minutes before we left, I was about to back out on going. I couldn't get a hold of the girl that was supposed to go with me, and that left me with people that I dind't know, except for Todd. Something inside of me told me that I needed to go anways, so I did.
The first song that you played was "Life Restored". From that point forward I was had. There has been many nights when I have sat in my room, listening to Papa Roach's "Last Resort" with suicide on my mind. I had no reason to live, at least in my eyes there wasn't one. "Life Restored" showed me that there is another ways to fill that emptyness inside of me. God spoke to me through your music Friday night. I wasn't concered about who was around me, or trying to impress anyone. I was focused on the music, and the words that were being said in your songs.
Before you did that last song, J.. I believe it was J, spoke to the audience and said a prayer. I have heard that prayer all of my life, but usually sleep through it, or ignore it. God had a hold of me Friday night, and for the first time I said that prayer. I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart right then. God spoke to me through you guys, and I am amazed at that.
I didn't mention anything to Todd or anyone that night. I waited until I got to work the next morning and talked to one of my managers, who has been a great spiritual leader to me, and told him what happened. After that, I was running around, telling everyone. I can't remember the last time that I have been this happy in my life. I have been changed.
Todd told me that he left Karl a message telling him the good news. I wanted to let you know how God used you, and your music to speak to me, what I have been searching to hear. You are all special to me. I hope you will get this and keep in touch with me. You guys are awesome, and I cannot wait to see you again.
Your new sister in Christ,
Amber Parish
Of course, when we saw Todd at our show this past Friday, the first thing we wanted to know was if he still kept in touch with Amber. Turns out she's dating his brother Tyler, and so he called her up on his cell phone and gave us a chance to talk to her. We got a chance to tell Amber how we'd just been telling the people of Austin all about her that very morning, and we hope that was a big encouragement to her. Is God's timing cool or what? It reminds of this story in 2 Kings 8:1-6:
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, "Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years." The woman proceeded to do as the man of God said. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years.
At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to the king to beg for her house and land. The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, "Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done." Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to beg the king for her house and land.
Gehazi said, "This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, "Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now."
|
