Who Is This Guy, Anyway?

I’m a husband, father, musician, avid reader, and baseball fan. At this point, I am sixty-something (this way I don’t have to update every year).

I’ve been a musician for as long as I can remember, first getting piano lessons in, I believe, the third grade. As those continued, my father began teaching me guitar. When I came of age, I began playing trombone, which I played through junior high, high school, college, and seminary. I have also been a singer, probably longer than any of the above. I currently play keyboard (I have a Nord Elecro 6D 73) in the church worship band, where I also get to lead at least one song a week. I also play and sing in our monthly Night of Worship event. Sadly, my guitar fingers have grown soft, as have my trombone playing chops.

Above all, I am a Jesus-follower, and do my best (well, not always) to walk in his kingdom daily. This blog is my daily devotional. Each morning, I read selections from several resources and choose one to highlight in the blog, typically the one that speaks the most to my heart.

As for baseball, for years my primary team has been the Boston Red Sox, as my all-time favorite player is Carl Yastrzemski. However, as of this year, my primary allegiance has shifted to the home team, the Texas Rangers. I live less than fifteen miles from Globe Life Park, their home stadium. The reason for the shift was because youngest daughter, who is autistic, has loved baseball and the Rangers for many years, now. I have decided that my family is more important than which baseball team I root for. I still love the Sox. But I will now root for the Rangers when they play each other.

Last, but certainly not least, I have been married to the most wonderful woman in the world for over thirty years. This is most definitely one of those “God things,” because there have been a couple of times when I deserved to lose her.

Thank you for reading, and I hope that God blesses you somehow, through this blog. If I can pray for you about anything, please feel free to leave a comment.

Grace and peace, friends.

84 thoughts on “Who Is This Guy, Anyway?”

  1. Welcome to WordPress! I stick with Andrew out of nostalgia, I guess, but I seem to be one of the last ones. Oh, well. I used to listen to the Newsboys all the time and still do from time to time. I think I have all their CD’s up until the one with Take me to Your Leader on it. When I listened to more CCM (when we had a decent radio station for it and my CD’s weren’t mostly too far away), it was mainly them, Tony Vincent, Grover Levy, and Chris Rice. Third Day isn’t bad, either. =)

    Reply

  2. thank you for your site, I found the video and the reflection helpful. In your mini biography you wrote that you have a daughter who has a form of high functioning autism. My partner has Aspergers Syndrome, a form of high functioning autism. I love him dearly. In any case if it is ok I will add you to my favourites on d-land as I have been looking for some spiritual growth supports recently. I am a former clergy and the church and I parted ways (not my choice) in any case it has been about 2 years now and life has radically changed and I don’t have a church denomination anymore or even a church family…I need to work on that but first I need to work with God on some basic healing stuff first. In any case thank you for your efforts here! Christine

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    1. I it is certainly ok! I’m glad to have anyone reading, especially if you’ve found something of value here. Sorry to hear you’ve had troubles with the church, but it seems a lot of people have. I’m struggling with the institutional church, myself, lately. Thanks for the kind comments, and I pray that you get the healing you need. Jeff

      Reply

  3. Thanks Jeff…. The institutional church is just that but it has a history and a community worth having in life as well as a support in faith. I have found that since leaveing the churches a few years ago the loss of relationships, scripture, a prayer life, and preaching were more of the center of my faith life then I realized. I have to go back in some way to find again a faith community and that is not as easy as it sounds…I am now ironically a “seeker” but then maybe throughout life we go through this cycle over and over again to connect and reconnect with God. Hang in there the one still guiding isn’t us :o)

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    1. I appreciate your encouragement. I have greatly experienced the worth of having the community of the Church in my life. My troubles with the institution don’t involve the thought of wanting to completely leave it, so much as trying to change it for the better. I know I don’t have the power to change the world-wide institution (especially since it is SO diverse), but to affect the small group that I am part of. My pastor and I are trying our best to make our little corner of the “institution” more organic and more like Jesus originally intended (at least as best as we understand that). It is true that we seem to have to “reconnect” with God time and time again. I use this devotion to try to maintain my connection, and I’m always glad when someone else finds some value in it. I’ll pray for your efforts to find a faith community.

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    1. Have you listened to “The Lost Dogs?” Mike Roe from the 77s, Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong from The Choir, and the genius behind it all, Terry Scott Taylor from Daniel Amos. Good stuff!

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  6. Hi, I found your blog through Aurora’s versatile blogger awards and am very glad I did! Believe it or not, I just started watching “How I Met Your Mother” and love it – the reruns everyone else has already seen help me unwind after a crazy workday. You taught me something new about Alice Cooper – never knew he was a Christian! My longtime boyfriend Lee is also a musician. Seems we have a bit in common and I’ll definitely be back to read more!

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  7. Thanks for following me here on WordPress. Sounds like we have a lot in common (aside from me rooting for my beloved Cardinals this postseason that is!) and will be able to discuss much! I look forward to it!

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    1. Thanks for following me back. I found your blog from a comment on Alienhippy’s poetry blog. She’s amazing, isn’t she? So, a Cards fan, eh? What a series, huh? I don’t remember ever seeing such an intense World Series, perhaps not since 1975, between the Reds and the Red Sox. Anyway…you have a lovely blog page, and I really enjoyed your blog on the Spurgeon devotional. I have read those, though it’s been a while. I might return to them soon. There are some that I come back to occasionally, such as “My Utmost for His Highest.” It’s getting close to time to select my tools for next year’s devotions. I look forward to reading more of yours.

      Reply

      1. You ain’t kidding about this being a great, wacky series. Baseball is a game of such x-factors, but time isn’t one of them. The drama stretches forever. (I’m exhausted this morning and running purely on will and caffeine.)

        Thanks for reading my page. I don’t post as much as I’d like, but I’m going to keep pushing it. I can’t wait to catch up with yours!

  8. Wow, I loved reading this entry…learned so much more about you. 🙂 I’m replying here to the message you left in my guestbook. I guess this is a weird spot for it, but I didn’t feel like going back to FB or your current entry (yes, I’m that lazy, LOL).

    My cousin met her husband on an online dating site…and he’s not a good match. It was one of those issues where he said what he wanted people to know but he has a lot of baggage and really just needs the Lord…and, at least up until the time of their marriage two years ago, she was very defensive about her choice and refused to see the problems in the relationship.

    I don’t think I would ever be able to come to the point where I would meet anyone else in person that I met online. More power to you for having that trust in your daughter. I don’t think I would have the trust in the other person to allow them to meet me (it was a big step for me to friend you on FB…a decision my mother doesn’t know of…I’d hear no end of it for sure if she knew).

    My mind just went blank on me. I guess I’m done. LOL. Thanks for reading and responding. Hope this isn’t too crazy a spot to leave my reply. 😛

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    1. Not crazy at all. I really need to get back to D-land and check up on all the people I followed there. Not everyone is on Facebook, or at least, if they are, I don’t know who they are.

      Take care…and Merry Christmas!

      Reply

      1. “or at least, I don’t know who they are” – well put! I know one of my readers (and I’m one of her readers) is on FB, but I’ve never asked to be her friend. Sometimes I’d like to suggest it, but I’m not sure if she’d go for it; she keeps her diary locked. And I’m not sure if I’m quite ready to let another internet acquaintance in on my last name. …And just a heads up, since you’re not updating there anymore, I took you off my buddy list. Don’t shoot me! 😛

        Merry Christmas, Jeff. Be blessed.

  12. Hmmm, Daniel Amos. I’m from Southern California, and I remember seeing them live. I also saw Sweet Comfort BEFORE their first album and Keith Green before His first album. That’ll date me! I was also privileged to see 2nd Chapter of Acts in concert, which was marvelous. I mostly listen to jazz these days (Keith Jarret, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny and most everything Big Band), and a wide smattering of Progressive Rock, with Yes, Genesis and ELP coming out on top (seen them all in concert). I’m also a fan of Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole ( and her famous dad) and Stanley Jordan, who I saw open up for Lee Ritenour. The Christian bands I’m listening to are Tenth Avenue North and Gungor. There are no good Christian jazz bands since Seawind and Koinonia. If you hear of any, please let me know.

    I read constantly, and am currently reading Brennan Manning’s All Is Grace.

    Jeff, I appreciate your openness to the Gospel and your transparency in life. God isn’t finished with you yet, and your lessons in servanthood are only there to enhance your effectiveness in His Kingdom.

    Blessings,
    Jim

    Reply

    1. You saw DA live, huh? I’m so jealous. I never got to see them live. I have, however, had the opportunity to see the Lost Dogs a couple of times, so I’ve met my earthly hero, Terry Scott Taylor. Got to see The Choir and the 77s a couple times each, as well. I’ve also seen Yes, Genesis, and ELP (although, at that point, the “P” in ELP was Cozy Powell). I’ve recently discovered Gungor. They are very good. I was a big fan of Keith Green, but never got to see him. I did get to see Rich Mullins several times before he died, though.

      Thanks for your encouragement. That means a lot. I need to check out your book sometime.

      Grace and peace,

      Jeff

      Reply

  13. I just discovered your blog today and I look forward to returning. I am surprised that I can relate so well to your posts, because we have absolutely nothing in common! I enjoy none of your favorite TV shows or your music, and I intensely dislike professional sports. However, I have benefitted from reading John Piper and C.H. Spurgeon; and I have recently gained an interest in women’s college softball–it’s nice to see the girls get a chance to learn teamwork.

    On a devotional level, I feel very connected to your thoughts and I appreciate your sincerity. I am a serious person, and I usually do not respond well to humor–there is usually an underlying anger or downright silliness (i.e. not sober). Yet, your humor is witty, sharp, and makes me chuckle. Most people cannot make me laugh, so thank you for drawing that out in me.

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    1. Nice to meet you, Aunt Melanie. Apparently, we have something in common, because we both like Piper and Spurgeon. At some point, I chose to move the music and sports, for the most part, to my other blog, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit. Sometimes, they still leak over to this one, though. I’m flattered that you find my humor to be witty and sharp. I thought it was just silly, for the most part. Hopefully, it’s not ever inappropriate. And I certainly hope that it’s never angry or mean-spirited. I try to avoid that. I’m very serious, though, when it comes to my theology.

      Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. I see that you aren’t currently writing in your blog, but I’ll browse through it.

      By the way, my manager’s daughter just received a full scholarship to a junior college in women’s softball. She is, apparently, pretty good.

      Reply
  16. Pingback: Sounds Fair to Me « Eden in Babylon

  18. “Who is this guy anyway ”
    love that
    i think from your writing and what you show
    that this guy = You
    is pretty awesome at expressing himself
    peace and grace
    🙂
    Cat

    Reply

  20. Hey Jeff, Thanks for stopping by and checking out Morning Story and Dilbert!!! I took a quick look at your Awesome blog and saw your Blog Roll, it looks like you may have room for one more!!!??? Oh yeah, I’m a Netflix junkie too. I love their Martial arts movies. I get really fired up in the fight scenes. Another cool thing is, I have a hearing problem and most of the time they CC the martial arts movies in English. Take Care my Friend and God Bless 🙂 Kenny T

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the comment, Kenny. I love Morning Story and Dilbert. I need to update my blog roll. There are actually several that I have started following since I last updated it.

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      1. Hey Jeff, Do you have a blog that is featuring Praise and Worship music, such as reviews, music tempo’s, popularity, etc?…. I would absolutely love that kind of blog posting. Take care my Friend, stay warm and God Bless 🙂 Kenny T

  21. Loved reading about all the things you like, and I totally agree that loving and worshiping God is what we’re created to do, and nothing else quite fills that void in us! I also resonate with your list of favorite theologians; they are also some of my favorites! My daughter married a young man whose brother-in-law played bass for Alice Cooper for many years. Until then, I had no clue that he we a believer. It’s a strange planet! Blessings!

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    1. Your daughter is married to a guy whose brother-in-law played bass for Alice Cooper. I… just got goosebumps. Various emotions just flashed through, not the least of which is envy. 😀

      Thanks for reading and commenting! I’m way behind on my blog reading, but your travel photos are usually one of the high points of my day. Blessings to you and yours!

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      1. Well, when my daughter showed me a picture with Alice Cooper’s arms around her husband and herself…then I got goosebumps, but I wasn’t sure if it was envy or a bit of fear! There are many mysteries in this life. 🙂

  22. Hey Jeff, just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a loyal follower to my blog. I really appreciate it. Have a Happy New Year and God bless.

    Reply

  23. I use library thing and goodreads to keep track of books I read and want to read. I’m also a WoW player, although with school and work my time on WoW has dwindled significantly. I guess it’s not entirely bad, but sometimes I miss those late nights on the game. Nice to meet you!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the follow. Nice to meet you, as well. I think I have a library thing account, but I use Goodreads mostly. I really like it. I’ve actually gotten a few of the free advance copies through their giveaways. I’m pretty much a casual WoW player, these days. I have a few friends who still play, and we’re trying to get an all-nighter together sometime. That would be great fun!

      Reply
  24. Pingback: Whatever is Lovely – Blog Award | sevennotesofgrace
  27. Pingback: Thanks for the blog award! | sevennotesofgrace

  28. I happened to come across your blog. Looks very cool and engaging! Congrats! You may be interested in and letting your readers know about our upcoming Malcolm McDowell film that is about values, love & family! God Bless!

    Please let me intro. myself. We are very fortunate that Malcolm has attached himself to our upcoming film BEREAVE and he loves it so much that we are doing a #Kickstarter campaign where he is personally involved in awesome perk fulfillment. So far we have sold some great perks like dinner w/ Malcolm, premiere & party, download of completed film, roles in the film, days on set and more! We are at $38,000 with 16 days to go, but need to reach $100,000. It’s doable! But we need to get the word out, let the world know it is happening; reach his fans. Press is brutal and very stingy. So we’re going grass roots with it. Do you think you could post a little something on your blog if you like what you see? Please let us know. We would be extremely grateful to you! Here is a link to our campaign: http://kck.st/15oAyoa

    As you may or may not know, Kickstarter is an all or nothing platform for crowd funding. If the campaign does not hit its goal, the backer is not charged anything. If we do hit our goal, the backers make history and produce our wonderful drama/romance starring Malcolm McDowell, Neve Campbell & JJ Feild.

    Thanks!
    Evangelos Giovanis
    vagoproductions@yahoo.com

    Reply

    1. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the comment. I will certainly check out your Kickstarter. I know about Kickstarter, and have actually supported a few projects there. I’ll check it out. I’m a fan of Malcolm M, too. God bless!

      Reply

  29. Thank you sir! We do need the support. We are trying to tell a wholesome story of love between a couple that has been married for over 30 years! A rarity both in what is being produced out there and what the story is about! God bless!

    Reply

  30. Hey Jeff,

    We just put up a post on our blog that we’d like you to read. If you have time, could you come by, read the entry, and tell us what you think? We’d love to have your opinion 🙂

    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. I don’t post much music on this blog. And I’m currently not playing anywhere, which is sad. Hopefully, I will be again, some day. Welcome, and thank you!

      Reply

    1. Wow! Thank you so much! I am honored and humbled. My time schedule is so crazy, though, that I probably won’t have time to acknowledge or pass it on until the weekend. But I certainly will!

      Grace and peace,

      Jeff

      Reply

  36. Thanks for following The Immortal Jukebox. I hope you are finding lots to entertain you and maybe making some discoveries. If you haven’t visited for a while check it out again. Please feel free to add comments. Good luck with your blog. Regards Thom.

    Reply

    1. Thank you. I haven’t visited a lot of blogs lately, but plan to get back over to yours, as well as some others that I’m following.

      Reply
  38. Pingback: The Barnabas Award – The Mimosa Blossom

  39. Hello, I am Roberta. I noticed that you mentioned Paul Militaru on one of your posts. I too have been concerned about him. I did just post a brief note about him at my blog. Having been here at wordpress for years we do get familiar with others and miss them when we no longer hear from them.

    Reply

    1. I’m glad to know of someone else who is concerned. I will keep trying, but if you learn anything, please let me know. I miss his lovely photos. I can’t even see the old ones.

      Reply

  40. Thank you Jeff for visiting my site and sharing your views. I loved what you shared about your music and your wonderful wife. Stay blessed.😊🌹

    Reply

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