"Wish You Were Here"

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Filet Mignon! Whoa! Momma really missed me, I guess…and now she’s trying to discount how special me being back home is by saying it’s the Fourth of July weekend. And my stepfather’s employee discount at Kroger helped out. So I’m out on the patio, using my patio furniture, at my new Memphis home. Mom’s got her tongs in hand and we’re waiting on the fire to die down as we listen to the Bee Gees on the Media Player. “Night Fever” and “Stayin’ Alive” from 1979’s Greatest Hits CD.

I don’t think Ms. Sunshine likes this music too much, I’ll have to put it on Sugarland in a minute or she’ll probably retreat to the bedroom. I was listening to a 70s rock station this morning and she made me change it. I love 1970s Rock-n-Roll and it has to do with my raising. The one thing my mother and father were consistent about in my upbringing was the music my little brother and me listened to. And we listened to it loud!

So now I’m trying to get her into Daniel Doss Band. Surely everyone likes Daniel’s stuff? Oh well, she’s gonna listen to it for the moment before I find some whiny country. Country music is okay but it isn’t my favorite and I can take or leave it. I think Sunshine is bored…we went and watched a movie this afternoon. Public Enemies. It was a decent movie, I enjoyed it. It did fantasize the ‘syndicate’ which is another term used for organized crime or mafia. You know the movie had to end with the bad guy losing? Well Ms. Sunshine didn’t like that too much; Johnny Depp did do a great job of getting the audience to fall in love with him or rather his character, John Dillinger. Every day I could fall in love with Johnny Depp but he seems to have a ’dark’ side, don’t you think?

Speaking of dark sides…how do you deal with someone who has one? No don’t worry I don’t think Ms. Sunshine has one and I’m pretty sure I don’t. I just have a brother whom I love with all my heart and I would give my life, if it meant he could have his and have it more fully. Our relationship has gotten better since I gave up my ’smoking’ habit that I picked up for only 3 weeks. I’m telling you; those strongholds in your life can eat away at some of the best blessings and relationships in your life.

So now I’m just being a DJ with this Media Player….it’s Hansen’s “MMMBop“! How many of ya’ll remember those little kids? My brother and I love this song and before our grandfather died we had him dancing around the BBQ pit to this song. He loved the verse where they sang the chorus and he would have the biggest smile on his face and you could tell that the weight of the world was a million miles away from us when we were singing this song. Granddaddy also liked the song “Man from Milwaukee”. My granddaddy was so much fun and he loved having fun with his grandchildren…..even when we reached adulthood he made work fun! My first job at 9YO was running the register at his BBQ restaurant. When I could finally see over the counter I was allowed to take money from the customers. I worked there a few days a week and all summer if I wasn’t at the swimming pool. I grew up working with my brother and two 1st cousins, Brian and Matt.

Now the DJ has JT on. Justin Timberlake, who is from Memphis, Tennessee. Ms. Sunshine said she likes this one. She complained about it being hot out here while ago. I think it feels great. But I like to be outside most of the time, if I can. I mowed the front yard this afternoon and took a 2.5 mile walk. I enjoy being out in the sunshine and at night I enjoy the cool breeze of the night air. I do think the mosquitoes are starting to gnaw on our ankles though. Time for some bug spray…

Now I had to turn on my Kirk Franklin CD. And this one is OLD, The Nu Nation Project from 1998. I love the song “Revolution“. They quote the verses from Revelation 7:16-17 “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Truth be known, I daydream about the day that God takes my face in His hands and wipes away my very last physical tear from my eyes and I imagine He will kiss my cheeks and tell me “Welcome home daughter. For every tear you’ve cried I give you blessings abounding here at home.”

Do you ever think about what it is going to be like to see your Creator face to face? The song, “I Can Only Imagine” is a beautiful account of what we might possibly do when we see Jesus face to face. Imagine being able to see the nail scarred hands and see the kindness in His eyes. And then to comprehend what He did in order to just see you face to face in His Father’s Kingdom. It’s gonna take us until eternity NEVER ends to get over it…

So now I’ve chosen to play a musical selection that my brother and I have endured a lot through the lyrics of this song and it has created a stronger bond between us b/c of the song. The song, Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”. We want to remake our version of the song with my brother doing all the guitar playing and him harmonizing with me. No one has ever remade that song, especially into a duet with a female voice. We have our special bond b/c there were times in my brother’s life when he had to go get help, he would not leave town until they had me in the car with them. One time when I lived in Dallas, Texas I couldn’t get back home to where he was so he called me from my father’s cell phone and kept me on the phone the entire time he drove to where he was going. “Wish You Were Here” playing in the background, over and over and over again. We like to wear out a song.

So I’m sure I’ve bored my audience tonight. I’m just ’not feeling’ this blog lately. I don’t know why? Maybe b/c I’ve been exhausted with packing and moving. I pray I become inspired, all I have to do now is unpack. I can’t walk through my bedroom. I went from a big house full of stuff down to one bedroom, a sitting room, and a storage building. I had to downsize quite a bit. Don’t you feel a little sorry for my non-inspiration? I’m kidding….I’m tired and Ms. Sunshine is on a Starbucks kick. Wanting to go back for more tonight and we’ve yet to eat.

Have a great Fourth of July; we’re going down to the river to watch the fireworks from Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis.