I’ve found a new favorite. It’s a vintage store called Pre to Post Modern on 8th Avenue South. It’s almost like the front door is a sort of portal or time machine that takes you back to the past.

On a recent visit, I found an old wax cylinder from somewhere around 1909. If you’re wondering what that is, think of a record made of wax and shaped like a cylinder. Apparently, they stopped making them in 1915, so chances are there’s no one left who remembers them from childhood.

The song is “When the Humming Bird Returns, Sweet Irene, written by Ted Snyder and sung by Byron Harlan and Frank Stanley. If you have no clue about any of this, you’re probably not alone. This song, as well as many from that time period, have been lost to history.

Stuff like that really brings out my inner geek. I get warm and fuzzy feelings thinking about who might have bought it when it first hit the shelves at some general store. I wonder if the family gathered around to hear the sweet refrain of the music.

If you live in the Nashville area and are into old stuff, I recommend Pre to Post Modern as a place to check out. Here’s a link to their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pretopostmodern

It’s Friday night at 10:07 pm. I’m tired. I’ve been wracking my brain for something creative and inspiring to share in this latest blog post, and I’ve got nothing.

The muse part of my brain has apparently already gone to bed. I’m just winging it and hoping for the best.

And that’s okay.

Not every blog post will be the best ever.

Not every day will be your best.

Not every moment will be the most memorable.

I think the meh moments help you to fully appreciate the great ones.

I think on that note I will call it a day and fall asleep to some good music.

Good night to all you out there in social media land, wherever you are.

“So I give you a new command: Love each other deeply and fully. Remember the ways that I have loved you, and demonstrate your love for others in those same ways. Everyone will know you as My followers if you demonstrate your love to others” (John 13:34-35VOICE).

This was the verse of the day from BibleGateway.com, a very useful online Bible application that lets you read the Bible in any number of translations in English as well as many other languages.

These words are more than just a good sentiment. They are a command from Jesus.

Love each other. Not just the ones you like. Not just the ones who share your political views. Not just the ones who are easy to love.

Love each other, i.e. your brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s much easier said (or written) than done.

I remember something that Pastor Mike Glenn said at Kairos once. He said that we are never ever given an excuse or an out to disobey the words of Jesus.

After all, whatever He commands will end up being more than worth it in the end.

These are some helpful guidelines to use when your prayer life feels lifeless and cold. Kairos Pastor Chris Brooks instructed us to use as many of these as we needed, whether all of them or just one.

I think #9 might need a little explanation. My understanding is that you can pray within a framework, like using the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) model while still allowing the freedom to pause on one part or sit in silence or go wherever the Spirit leads.

#11 might be hard for those who like to be seen as super spiritual. It’s humbling to confess to another that you need prayer for yourself, but even Jesus asked His disciples to pray for Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

#7 is best utilized in a park or on a nature trail or anyplace else where you can celebrate God’s creation. It’s refreshing and healing to be outdoors when you pray sometimes.

For #12, I personally use The Book of Common Prayer and on occasion, The Valley of Vision, which is an old Puritan book of prayers.

I believe prayer is a discipline, and the best way you improve isn’t by reading about prayer or talking about prayer (although these are good and helpful), but to pray as best you know how at every moment when you feel prompted to pray.

Just pray.

Yes, it’s Monday. Yes, it was cold and grey and rainy for most of the day.

It can still be a good day.

I had peach hot tea at Starbucks (and it’s rapidly becoming one of my favorite beverages). It goes good with Mondays and cold weather. Even if I did burn my tongue on it. It was worth losing a few taste buds.

Even Mondays can be good days if you look for the good instead of the bad in your day.

Any day you’re alive is a good day because being alive means that there’s still the possibility of the miraculous and the amazing breaking into your day.

Being alive means that you still have a purpose and a mission. It means God’s not done with you.

So happy Monday, everyone!

Now on to Tuesday.

I suspect that this is your prayer as well as mine. I further suspect that if most people out there who aren’t atheists are honest, this is probably their prayer as well.

Trust and faith are the antidote to worry and fear. The perfect love of Jesus still casts out all fear as we receive it and allow it to overwhelm us.

Imagine that– being overwhelmed by perfect love instead of fear? I want that.

Amen.

I’m all for new music and branching out and trying new things, but sometimes it’s good to go back to the tried-and-true classics.

I chose Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison and Johnny Cash at San Quintin as my soundtrack for my traveling for the past two days.

For the Johnny Cash fan, you just can’t get any better than these two recordings. There’s an energy that fuels these recordings that I haven’t found in any of his other albums. It’s raw and fast and loud and counter-culture.

It blows my mind to think that 2018 marks 50 years since the recording of Folsom Prison. In my mind, that album holds up as well or better than anything since. It’s true country music that doesn’t sound like every other country music record out there.

I can’t recommend it highly enough, so of course I’m providing links to get both albums.

https://smile.amazon.com/At-Folsom-Prison-Johnny-Cash/dp/B000028U0Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1518148707&sr=1-1&keywords=johnny+cash+at+folsom+prison&refinements=p_n_binding_browse-bin%3A387645011

https://smile.amazon.com/San-Quentin-Complete-1969-Ncert/dp/B00004W17B/ref=pd_sim_15_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00004W17B&pd_rd_r=0SWDQYZMNNZ92N7B54S8&pd_rd_w=7cqJP&pd_rd_wg=lOXXv&psc=1&refRID=0SWDQYZMNNZ92N7B54S8