ROUND TRIP TICKET TO EGYPT

Hello Fellow Free People. SO...how's your SOjournings? Do ya feel like turning around and going back to the place where you first started. Did you have it better before you became a follower of Jesus. Did someone talk you into being a Christian with a line like..."Come to Jesus and all your troubles will disappear."?

Don't feel like you're alone. There were a group of people in Egypt...who were groaning from release of the bondage they were experiencing...only to get into a perseverating rut...and casting an eye back to the good old days...when the were slaves. At least they had good eats back in Egypt.

When you read the Exodus Experience...in the Book of Exodus...you encounter a people...who at one point experienced freedom and prestige...with their brother (Joseph) being in charge. Once he died...so did their influence. The sons of Israel...still were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land (Egypt) was filled with them. (Exodus 1:7)

Enter a new king. This king did not know their connection...Joseph. The new king's perspective was that the sons of Israel are more and mightier than they were (Exodus 1:8,9)

The solution to the problem...deal wisely with them. If you don't deal wisely with them...they will multiply...and in the event of a war, they will join in those who hate us and fight against us and depart from the land. (Exodus 1:9,10)

The response to this reasoning was BONDAGE...SLAVERY....FORCED LABOR. They appointed TASKMASTERS over them to AFFLICT them with HARD LABOR. They were forced to build for the Pharaoh storage cities (Pithom and Raamses) (Exodus 1:11). The problem for the MASTERS...the more they afflicted them...the MORE THEY MULTIPLIED...and the more they SPREAD OUT. (Exodus 1:12) The cause and effect was that they were IN DREAD of the sons of Israel. (Exodus 1:12). They had to pull an Emeril on them...and TAKE IT UP A NOTCH...BAMMMMM! The EGYPTIANS...compelled the SONS OF ISRAEL...to LABOR RIGOROUSLY....made their lives bitter with HARD LABOR in mortar, bricks and all kinds of labor in the field. The sons of Israel...needed a deliverer. God was already setting that into motion...but more on that later.

In comparison....we as the human race were originally free...but because of disobedience of one man...we all became slaves (Romans 5:12) We needed a deliverer....and that was already prophesied in the beginning (Genesis 3:15). We were bound by sin...with the devil, satan, the liar, the deceiver, the accuser of the brethren, the stealer, the killer, the destroyer...being a type of PHARAOH...and his taskmasters the little demonic forces.

Over the course of time...of many days of bondage...that the king of Egypt died. At that time...the sons of Israel sighed/groaned...BECAUSE OF THE BONDAGE...and they CRIED OUT. Their CRY FOR HELP...because of their BONDAGE...ROSE UP TO GOD. (Exodus 2:23)

God heard their GROANING...and as a result of their GROANING...GOD REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God SAW the sons of Israel...and God TOOK NOTICE of them. (Exodus 1:24,25).

NOTE: I have to believe that over their period of slavery...they had sighed and groaned before...but this time...something clicked with their groaning and with God. I think it may be...like me...before I became a Christian...I would moan and groan about the condition I was in...and with all of the consequences of my actions...BUT...one day...I CAME TO A PLACE...where my moaning and groaning....was a SINCERE CRY FOR HELP...and God knew I was serious.

God already had a plan in motion for their deliverance with a baby named Moses being born...and He already had a plan for our deliverance with Jesus entering planet Earth as a baby born to a virgin in a small land, in a small city with no fanfare.

God called on Moses....who had been through the process of being placed in Egypt's royalty...and then ran off to the desert for 40 years in the real preparation for a stuttering shepherd to walk back into Egypt...and demand...LET MY PEOPLE GO. Wh..ho...ho...should he said sent him? I AM THAT I AM. (Exodus chapters 3-4)

Moses and Aaron...came in and said to Pharaoh...."Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel...LET MY PEOPLE GO...that they may CELEBRATE a feast to Me in the WILDERNESS." (Exodus 5:1) Eventually after the various plagues....PHARAOH relinquished...and LET THE PEOPLE GO. (Exodus 5-13)

After the Pharaoh....wised up...and let them go...he began mulling over what he had done. "What is this we have done, that we have LET ISRAEL GO FROM SERVING US?" So...he sent his army after them...to RECAPTURE THEM....ENSLAVE THEM AGAIN. God provided the EXODUS ROUTE....with a miracle through the Red Sea....or as some theologians spin it...the REED SEA. They say the REED sea...was a little trickle of water....that was not deep at all...some say ankle deep. Hmmmm...that would make it even a bigger miracle as the armies of Egypt died in a bathtub instead of a sea.

NOTE: Once you become a follower of Jesus and are set free from you bondage of sin...even though there is a great peace and joy that comes into your life...and what once held you captive was now released and you were FREE...the devil....does not GIVE UP on you. He pursues....he attacks...he schemes...with well orchestrated plans and armies against you. (Ephesians 6). If you are not careful...you will let your FREEDOM...turn into an OPPORTUNITY for the FLESH....and be RE-SLAVED again. (Galatians 5:1,13,16,17-26)

When God set them free by HIS POWERFUL HAND...AND BROUGHT THEM OUT OF EGYPT (Exodus 13:16)...He led them...not by the shortcut...or the WAY THAT WAS NEAR... but led them the long way..."lest the people (ex-slaves)...CHANGE THEIR MINDS...when they see ware...and THEY RETURN TO EGYPT." (Exodus 13:17) God led them AROUND BY THE WAY OF THE WILDERNESS to the RED SEA...and the SONS OF ISRAEL went up in MARTIAL ARRAY from the land of Egypt.

So many times....since 1970...I have experienced warfare on the journey...and in 1972...I returned to EGYPT...a slave again. I thought I was missing out on something...and it appeared to be easier than this thing called CHRISTIANITY.

The cause and effect for the children of Israel...was that a 12 day journey...turned into a 40 year fiasco. They even got to the point of speaking out against God...and God's man, Moses.
"Why have you brought us up out of EGYPT to DIE IN THE WILDERNESS? For there is NO FOOD....and NO WATER, and we LOATHE THIS MISERABLE FOOD. (Numbers 21:5)

NOTE: I thought they said there was no food...they must have meant...no food that WE LIKE.

They already had the grumbling mindset...with their minds set on there stomachs..."...who will give us meat to eat? We REMEMBER the fish which we used to eat FREE IN EGYPT (they were not free but apparently the fish were)...the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic...but NOW...our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to LOOK AT...except this MANNA."(Numbers 11:4-6)

This entire scenario...was but a blip on the time-space continuum...but still speaks loudly to me in 2008. The things that they went through were EXAMPLES to us followers of Jesus...as a warning not to get LAID LOW/CUT OFF IN THE WILDERNESS.
(I Corinthians 10:6,11)

They (1) craved evil things (2) were idolaters (3) they partied...ate, drank, stood up and played (4) they acted immorally (5) they tried/tested the Lord (6) the were grumblers (against God and their leader). The cause and effect is THEY WERE DESTROYED BY THE DESTROYER. (I Corinthians 10:5-10) They OPENED THE DOOR...by REMEMBER...THINKING... and RUMINATING...on EGYPT.

The same thing will KEEP US from enjoying the PROMISED LAND....as we plow this field....and we take our hands off of the plow...and we look back...to where we were...instead of keeping our eyes on where we are going. In my new job...at Gentiva Home Health...I have found the secret of getting the allotted amount of patients that I need to see...by KEEP ON MOVING. Don't look back...keep the FOCUS.

Jesus did this on his JOURNEY here on earth for 33 years...and what we are called to do...as we WALK OUT THIS LIFE.

"Therefore...since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us...(former saints in Hebrews 11)...let us also LAY ASIDE EVERY ENCUMBRANCE, and the SIN which so EASILY ENTANGLES/BESETS us...and let us RUN with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us...FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS...the author and perfecter/finisher of faith...who for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM...endured the CROSS, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

If you hung in there through this long Rambling (some would say longer than a 40 year journey)...thanks. I have real empathy...for those who start out great guns...released from sin...only to be bound again...BECAUSE...I was one of those. This one thing I do know...that THE WORK THAT WAS STARTED IN YOU WILL BE FINISHED...and together...we cross the finish line...in Jesus. Don't look back...and don't give up...KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!!!!!!

Love and Egypt Free Kisses
Rodney "The Sojourner" Boyd

FROM CHAOS TO CREATION: NEW CREATION IN CHRIST

Greetings and Salutations all of you Old and New people. I am not talking about a chronological age...a blip on the time-space continuum...but being born the second time...being born again. To tell any good story...you use the literary device...of a flashback...or starting the story IN THE BEGINNING...so you can see where you are at NOW.

"In the BEGINNING...God CREATED the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

BEGINNING: (ray-sheeth)= the first place in time, order or rank (specifically firstfruits)--beginning, chief, principal thing.

CREATED: (baw-raw)= to create, to cut down (a wood), select, feed (a formative process), choose, create, dispatch, do, make (fat)...creation out of nothing...NO THING...ZILCH...ZERO...NADA.

In Dr. Henrietta C. Mears book...WHAT THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT (Bible Handbook)...Dr. Mears speaks of the nature of Genesis (origin) and beginnings.
"Genesis is the book of beginnings." She outlines some of the beginnings:

1. The beginning of the world--Genesis 1:1-25
2. The beginning of the human race--Genesis 1:26-2:25
3. The beginning of sin in the world--Genesis 3:1-7
4. The beginning of the promise of redemption--Genesis 3:8-24
5. The beginning of family life--Genesis 4:1-15
6. The beginning of civilization--Genesis 4:16-9:29
7. The beginning of the nations of the world--Genesis 10-11
8. The beginning of the Hebrew people--Genesis 12-50

Dr. Mears also writes, "Genesis is the record of the BEGINNINGS of all these things. No wonder that when PEOPLE, because of spiritual blindness (Ephesians 4:18) REJECT God's revelation in this peerless record of BEGINNINGS, they worship CHANCE as the CREATOR, BEASTS as their ancestors...and FALLEN HUMANITY as the flower of natural evolution."

Verse 2 of Genesis 1...describes the condition of earth at this time. "And the earth was FORMLESS and VOID, an DARKNESS was over the surface of the deep..."

FORMLESS: (to-hoo)= to lie waste, a desolation, desert, a worthless thing, in vain...confusion, an empty place, without form, of nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness

VOID: (bo-hoo)- empty, a vacuity, indistinguishable, ruin, emptiness, void

DARKNESS: (kho-shek)= misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness, night, obscurity

There were TWO THINGS...that CHANGED the condition of this chaotic mass. (1) The Spirit of God (2) God speaking a word.

"..."and the Spirit of God was moving/hovering/sweeping/brooding...over the surface of the waters. Then GOD SAID..." (Genesis 1:2-31)

When Paul was writing about Abraham...the father of faith...who BELIEVED GOD...AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS (Romans 4:3)...Paul wrote that Abraham had a promise (of children)...but when he was so old that he it was beyond his physical ability to reproduce...where was dried up and Sarah's womb was a tomb...He CONSIDERED NOT HIS OWN BODY (his abilities)...but BELIEVED HIM who made the promise in the first place.

"As it is written...a father of many nations have I made you (Genesis 17:1-8)...in the sight of Him WHOM HE BELIEVED...even GOD...who
GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD...and CALLS INTO BEING THAT WHICH DOES NOT EXIST (calls things that are not...as though they were). (Romans 4:17) This was how GOD OPERATED in the CREATIVE PROCESS...and this is how we move by faith. We hear His Word...we do not consider our impossibilities...and we begin to TALK the LANGUAGE OF FAITH. As a Speech Pathologist...I love stuff like this.

God saw the condition of earth...formless, void, dark...and SPOKE (and God said)...into existence ORDER. He gave life to the dead...and called into being that which does not exist.

What started this Rambling for me...was...and is...me RUMINATIN'...on my own inabilities...my own impossibilities...my own frustration... in my B.C. state (before Christ...before the fall of 1970)...and in 2008...as the world is falling apart. Maybe your world is falling apart. Things are shaking on the personal and global level...and you are being overwhelmed by the storms of life... the earthquakes, famines, spirits of doubt, loved ones dying, and your money just won't last (this is a line from a song I wrote in the 70's called WALKIN' ON THE WATER). The problem...in the song...was that I took my eyes off Jesus...now I'm sinkin' mighty fast. The solution...get my eyes back on Jesus.

I am a NEW CREATION...IN CHRIST. Outside of CHRIST...I am an OLD CREATIONS...but because I accepted what SATISFIES GOD in relation to my SIN STATUS...I am a NEW CREATION...the OLD THINGS...passed away....BEHOLD...NEW THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY COMING. (II Corinthians 5:17) The way that I have to walk in this NEWNESS...is like Abraham did...

"And without becoming WEAK IN FAITH...he contemplated (not) his own body...NOW AS GOOD AS DEAD since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; YET with RESPECT TO THE PROMISE OF GOD...he did not WAVER IN UNBELIEF...BUT GREW STRONG IN FAITH, giving glory to God...and being FULLY ASSURED that what He (God) had promised (to Abraham) He (God) was also able to perform." (Romans 4:19-21)

In my flesh...I cannot live the life...but by faith...as the Spirit of God is IN ME...I SPEAK FORTH what God SAYS ABOUT ME. I can start of with a GENESIS EXPERIENCE...every single day of my life...by the blood and forgiveness of Jesus...and the D.B.R.

"The steadfast love of the Lord (the Lord's lovingkindnesses) NEVER CEASES (indeed never cease)...for His compassions NEVER FAIL... they (mercies/compassions/lovingkindnesses) are NEW...EVERY...MORNING. Great is Thy FAITHFULNESS (even when I am not)...The Lord is my portion says my soul...therefore (because of what I just read) I HAVE HOPE IN HIM." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

Thank God for his CREATIVE PROCESS IN ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He ain't through with me YET!!!

Love and Ordered Kisses
Rodney "Ain't Ya Glad He Ain't Through With Me Yet" Boyd

HELP...I NEED SOMEBODY

HELP...I NEED SOMEBODY
HELP...NOT JUST ANYBODY
HELP...YOU KNOW I NEED SOMEONE
HELP!

So goes the title song from The Beatles second movie (in colour).

In this crazy mixed up world...where wrong is considered right...and right is considered wrong...where STRENGTH IS KING...and weakness is sneered upon...it is becoming increasingly evident...to me...that I NEED HELP.

The collage is a collection of HELPERS...in the TIME OF NEED. They are considered the good guys. Just in the nick of time...within a 30 minute time span...including commercials...they swoop in to save the day. These are just a few of my favorite celluloid heroes. You get extra credit if you can name them... or the show they were own. HINT...there are a few who are real life heroes.

PRIDE prevents us from availing HELP. When the pressures of this world is cooking...when the events of the day are too much to handle...when I get to the point where the question WHY cannot be answered...when my back is against the wall...and I cannot solve, resolve, or be involved anymore...I NEED HELP.


In 1970...my back was against the wall. I was a skinny kid...with not much of a future. I had no direction or drive. I was not a very good student. My idea of a good day... was sniffing paint thinner, gasoline or some other chemical (I was looking for a cheap high)...going into some psychedelic world of dreams...where my mind was expanding...but in reality it was imploding. In 2008 my cheap high is now reaching $4.00 a gallon. On top of the various chemicals...I would like to numb the pain with the old pain number alcohol. My number of choice was vodka and orange juice aka SCREWDRIVER. I went from being a social drinker to becoming a SOCIAL DRUNK. I thought I was in control...but I was a mere puppet...with depression, paranoia, and illusion pulling the strings.

There were a couple of events...that begin to change my direction. One thing was dating that sweet little Baptist girl...Brenda Sue Williams. I started to go to church...so I could catch a little extra time with my hunny bunny. I made sure that everyone knew that I did not believe in all that religious crap. I made sure that when everyone would bow their heads in prayer...that when they opened their eyes...that they knew that I had not bowed my head...because I would be staring them in the eyes as they opened. Humph...that showed them. Little did I know...that faith comes by hearing...and hearing by the word of Christ...and that I was hearing the gospel every Sunday...and I was being prepared for a life changing moment. During this time...I was still getting high...sniffing, guzzling, and popping.

NOTE: I received Jesus in the fall of 1970...and by January of 1971 I was enrolled in a Bible School in Chattanooga. By 1972...I had BACKSLIDE...FACE FORWARD...back to the old ways of my vomit. "As a dog returns to his vomit..."

I was working at a factory...and was taking "getting high" breaks. I would dip a rag in a cleaning solution...and wring out the rag...leaving only the fumes. I would then go to the bathroom stall...and sniff the fumes and go on a little trip...the pause that refreshes. I remember one little journey...where I would be listening to the conversation going on in the restroom as people were standing around and smoking as they were on break. As they left the building...I thought I had SUPER HEARING...and as I strained to listen to their conversations...as they went out the door....I felt my body...following them...and when they would turn a corner...I would enter into the concrete wall and listen as they walked down the aisle. It was so real...I could feel the concrete scraping my body causing much pain. Of course...I woke up and I was still in the bathroom. Another day...same bathroom...I heard a voice say..."You can always tell an addict by the way he holds his rag." I woke up and the realization was so overwhelming...that I was holding my rag in that special way. Another time...that I got high, I was on another bathroom break...and I found myself strapped onto a large stone altar...with a knife poised above. I heard a voice say..."Choose Big Rod....choose life or choose death." I sensed that my lungs were being filled with the fumes...and that I was coming close to my last breath. Just before the knife came crashing down...I threw down my rag...and woke up...with a gritty taste in my mouth...like grit from a large stone altar. I wish I could say that I came back to God...but I did not. I did not huff any more...but I did RUN FROM GOD...for a couple of years.

WHY AM I OPENING UP AND SHARING THIS INFORMATION? I needed HELP...and I know that if God can help me...he can help anyone. Do you need help?

"May the Lord answer you IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! May He send you HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY, and SUPPORT you from Zion." (Psalm 20:1,2)

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who FEAR HIM...on those who HOPE for His lovingkindness, to DELIVER their soul from death, and to keep them ALIVE in famine. Our soul WAITS FOR THE LORD...He is our HELP and our SHIELD. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we TRUST in His holy name. Let Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according AS WE HAVE HOPED IN THEE."
(Psalm 33:18-22)

"Let us therefore, DRAW NEAR with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may RECEIVE MERCY...and may FIND GRACE...to HELP IN TIME OF NEED." (Hebrews 4:16)

"...I will never desert you...no will I ever forsake you...so that we confidently say...THE LORD IS MY HELPER...I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. What shall man do to me." (Hebrews 13:6)

"Therefore...if ANY MAN...is IN CHRIST...he is a NEW CREATION...the OLD THINGS passed away...behold...NEW THINGS have come. (II Corinthians 5:17)

The bottom line...JESUS HUNG UP FOR MY HANGUPS...and He HUNG UP...for YOUR HANG UPS ALSO. I wrote a song...years ago when I came back to the Lord...called WALKING ON THE WATER. The idea was that when things are going good...I am WALKING ON THE WATER...but when I got my eyes of of Jesus (like Peter did)...and began STANDING ON THE WATER...I started sinking.

I'm standing on the water...the storm is all about...earthquakes, famines, and spirits of doubt...my loved ones are dying...my money just won't last...I TOOK MY EYES OFF JESUS...NOW I'M SINKING MIGHTY FAST....SO when your sinking...just REACH UP...and He'll pull you out again...even though you're sinking...He will lift you up...from YOUR PAIN WITHIN.

The KEYS TO GETTING HELP...is found in the above Scriptures...(1) realize where your help comes from in the day of trouble (2) fear Him (3) hope in him as deliverer (4) wait for the Lord (5) realize he is our help and shield (6) trust in His Name (7) draw near to him
(8) receive mercy (9) find grace (10) Get IN CHRIST....by the D.B.R...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS.

Well...thanks for letting me ramblin' on...about where I came from....and reflecting on where I am at now. I know many of you have the same...but different...story...where you came to the END OF ROPE...and fell into the ARMS OF JESUS. For those who say that CHRISTIANITY IS A CRUTCH...as Andrae' Crouch says..."A crutch is a pretty good thing...if your crippled." As John Lennon says..."One thing you can't hide...is when you're CRIPPLED INSIDE." And again...as Andrae said..."If Jesus is a crutch...then give me two."
I am not talkin' about religion...but a relationship.

Love and Crippled and Healed Kisses
Rod "Ain't Huffin' No More" Boyd

THANKFUL FOR ...CRAAAAAAAAWFISH

Greetings fellow Cajuns and Cajun wannabes. Why is the man in the first picture smiling. It could be that he is watching the LSU baseball team playing on a T.V. in front of him. It could be he thinking about his new recording project that sounds fantastic. It could be the various successful showcases of his band that has been taking place. But none of these events compares with the sweet joy as he is partaking of that sweet meat...Mr. Crawfish at the Annual Legendre Crawfish Boil.

In the third collage that you see...there is a collection of pictures from the boil... and pictures from my favorite Elvis Presley movie...KING CREOLE. This movie opens up with a song...that Elvis sings with KITTY WHITE. This is one of the first...rare...duets that Elvis sings with a female. In Viva Las Vegas he sings with Ann Margaret.

This song is sung in a type of CALL AND RESPONSE song (music of the church)...as Kitty pushes a cart down Bourbon Street in the morning. She is selling her wares of CRAWFISH in the French Quarters. Elvis is getting up...getting dressed and they begin to sing.

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaawfish.....Craaaaaaaaaawwwwwfiiish...See I got em...see the size...stripped and cleaned...before your eyes...sweeeeet meeaat look...fresh and ready to cook. Craaaaaaaaaaaaawfish....Craaaaaaaaaaawfish.

Well I went to the bayou just last night...there was no moon but the stars were bright...put a big long hook...on a big long pole...and I pulled Mr. Crawfish out of his whole...Craaaaaaaawwfish....Craaaaaaaawfish.

Now take Mr. Crawfish in your hand...He's gonna look good in your frying pan...
If you fry him crisp or you boil him right...he'll be sweeter than sugar when you take a bite...Crawwwwwwwwfish....Craaawwwwfish.

The best part of this Crawfish boil is not...sitting around talking with friends... and smelling the sweet aroma of the boiling of spices, potatoes, corn, garlic cloves, corn and of course crawfish. The best part of the boil is not getting a large platter full of the cajun feast...sitting down and begin to pulling off the tails, sucking the heads of the crawfish, eating the sweet meat. The best part is not taking a break and then starting all over again...with the juices dripping down your face and arms as you take a break to wipe your mouth and drink a cool drink. What could be the best part of this event?



The best part of the event for old Ramblin' Rod...is getting together with my son...and taking our annual picture of a son and his dad...sucking the head of the crawfish. It is especially meaningful...since he graduated from high school... has been living at Wherry Housing while interning for Community Servants...and working at UPS at night. I don't get to see him as much as I use to...and just to hear his voice or see him for a moment is a treat.

Sometimes...we don't miss the ones we love until they are not around as much. Sure...this is part of life...and as our kids spread their wings to soar into adulthood...it hurts...BUT...we have to cherish the moments together. I think I have a little taste of how God must feel when we don't call or check in on a regular basis. Sometimes as we grow in the Lord....we tend to drift a little in our independence. We tend NOT to read the Word as much as we did when we first came to know Him. Our prayers are not as consistent. We tend to become more self-reliant rather than come to Him. In Revelation....we are encouraged to RETURN TO OUR FIRST love...and do the things that we did when we first met Him. It is getting back to the basics of life....reading the Word, praying to Him, having intimate conversations with Him. When we do things like this... it makes the simple pleasures of life so much better. When my relationship with God is good...little things like a Crawfish Boil, a night out to a concert, a look of love from your wife, a simple song, a picture with your son...becomes so much sweeter.

Lord...your Word says, "In EVERYTHING give thanks...for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5:18) In EVERYTHING...means everything...including the crawfish boil. If I could learn the lesson of being thankful in the little things...and in the everythings...life would be good.

Love and Cajun...Spicy...Kisses
Rodney "King Creole Boyd"

P.S. The King of Kings...is the King of kings...including king creole.

RUMINATIN' ROD'S ROCK N' ROLL NIGHT OUT

To whom it may concern...I had a great night out last night. Brenda was on the OCOEE RIVER on Friday...and on the road back...and old Rod was grooving to the tunes of a group called the FAUX BRUMMELS. This hot little band was playing at Kimbro's Pickin' Parlor in Franklin.

It was a small, cramped, hot and steamy place...but I loved it. I ate an overpriced bacon and tomato sandwich...drank a warm Diet Coke...at a hot bowl (yes even though I cooked throughout the day and night).

It was an eclectic grouping off people who showed up...including the various in-crowd recording people...young up and comers...the inebriated to the tea totalers.

The musicians was a montage of various artist that I cut my teeth on in the early days of the Jesus movement including...Phil Keaggy, Dave Perkins, Lynn Nichols, Tom Howard, Mark Williamson and other surprise guest artists.

They opened up with one of my favorite instrumental songs...GREEN ONIONS. Aaaaaaaaaaaah...mighty tasty oh precious stink. From that point the music ranged from blues, Beatles (I Saw Her Standing There/Get Back), Yardbirds, Stevie Winwood, The Turtles (a rollicking version of Happy Together), All Right Now (Argent) and everything in between. I am happy to say...that Phil ran his guitars through a Fender Princeton Reverb Amp (that I passed on to him). Hmmmmmmmm.....I wonder why it never sounded that way when I played through it. : ) OH WELL.

The bottom line is...that at 56 going on 57...I can still ROCK AND ROLL...but of course that is when I'm trying to get up because I fell down and I can't get up.

Love and Aged Like A Fine Wine Kisses
Rodney "I'm Tired" Boyd