What’s up guys! Hope you have all had an awesome week. Been good around here. The church Scott, Darrell, and I attend has been having their fall revival, so the time has been a bit constrained, but in a good way. Props to our good pal Lynn Stapleton of Huntingdon Missionary Baptist in Huntingdon, TN. He came up and helped our pastor Johnny Carver and did a wonderful job. Got updated on our dear friends The Victory Quartet as well (based out of Lynn’s church)…and got them a copy of our latest CD “Live In Nashville”. Appreciate all the kind comments people have been making about the project…it was truly a labor of love to capture a concert like that live. I know I’ve mentioned it here, but we did finally include the skit that Jess and I do from time to time that has Jess singing like Edith Bunker from “All In The Family”. Without fail, it seems to be the one song everyone can agree is their favorite…how crazy is that??
Had a great weekend first at the Barn in Pana, IL on Saturday night, then near Carmi, IL on Sunday morning (Omaha General Baptist in Omaha, IL) and Sunday night (First Southern Baptist Church in Norris City, IL). The Barn came first and (as always) we had a blast and saw some old friends…which included of course the big cheese at the Barn, Joanne Clark. She was down a bit after recently having had knee replacement surgery, but I suspect she will be back good as new in short order. While trying to leave, we had our trailer lights go out…which proved to be quite a chore to get working again. Jess (or resident mechanic) rigged them up to at least have one light going while we traveled Saturday night. Sunday afternoon we spent a few hours in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Carmi, IL while Jess did a bang up job repairing them. By the time we left, they worked better than they ever had…then Monday he sealed the deal by making sure the work was “finished” (meaning wrapped nicely and rerouted through the channels and such). Kudos Jess….wish I had half the skills you have with tools.
Quick shout out to the Pollard clan who came out and supplied folding chairs and company while we (when I say we, you know I mean Jess) worked on the van. They supplied moral support too by doing things like stare at Jess while he worked, and making fun of whatever he (or any of us) were doing at the time. Couldn’t have done it without you guys….oh, and Jess will be calling Tammy any second to get your date set for 2009. Just wait by the phone Tammy…it’s coming through right now…I can feel it… 
Got a portion of this coming weekend off…why you ask? Well before we go sing Sunday in Lawrenceburg, TN at New Life Baptist with Bro. Wallace and crew (thanks WDXE for advertising it), I’ve got to help my daughter do some celebrating for her 16th birthday! Yep…quite a milestone. Remember mine like yesterday…pulled up to the highway patrol station and took the requisite driving test with Mrs. Tennessee Highway Patrol all dressed in her brown pants and khaki shirt with all the appropriate shields, bars, and badges fully displayed. I didn’t kill anyone so I guess that impressed her enough to give me my temporary license…which gave me all the paperwork I needed to spend the next several years gallivanting all over creation. Like me, Savannah will have to wait until the driver’s testing station opens on Monday…my birthday too was on a Saturday. Easy enough wait…she’s held out this long, what’s another couple of days? For those in the greater Nashville area….be on the lookout while driving…a new participant will soon be going it alone.
Don’t forget about Gatlinburg in November….that’s right around the corner. Will be practicing some Christmas songs soon (Marty made sure we were going to be doing the Christmas thing this time…his last Gatlinburg was hay and corn stalks…this time it will be Christmas trees!). The whole gang will be there….Jess, Scott, Darrell, Marty, and me….plus all our wives (including Scott’s new bride by then Ashley) and children-folk. Should be awesome…so what’s ya waitin’ fer?? Call Jess today at 615/332-5500 and let him know you are in like Flynn.
Oh…and by the way…I mentioned a blog by a guy named Jeff last week who was being exceptionally nice to us. Well after some prodding by “the guys” I remembered Jeff….so, Jeff….I owe you an apology! I do know exactly who you are and appreciate you and your son coming by and spending time with us (me on Thursday evening and Darrell especially on Friday after the showcase). Appreciate the kind words you’ve spoken in the past blog and now the new one this week laying out lots more detail about us. We need to hire you to be our marketing guy!
Did I mention already that we are at T minus two weeks and counting for Scott and Ashley’s wedding? I kid around allot about her needing prayer and such…but this week I’m going to go serious on you guys. Scott is an awesome dude who I have known most of his life. He has been very involved in the church, and in particular the music if the church, all of his life. He’s thoughtful and has been super good to Ashley from day one. Ashley is incredible…her smile lights up a room and she always has a sweet thing to say to make you smile along with her. You guys are incredible together and all of us at Called Out Quartet wish you the very best and are excited to all get to see the event soon. We’re always there for you, and that includes especially the Called Out Quartet family that stays home most weekends…they are ready and willing to be there for you Ashley should you need anything at all. It’s a tough life sometimes staying at home while we travel hither and yon, but God’s blessings have always been upon our wives and kids and I know they will rain down on Ashley as well for sacrificing some of her time with her man. We love you guys and want all of you out there who haven’t seen them together to know…they are a great couple both in looks and in love.
One more quick hit…our dear friend Doug Scalise in Brewster, MA recently lost his mother to complications stemming from a stroke she had not too long ago. Up until then she was a vibrant and loving woman (we are told by Joe Fitzgerald up in Boston) and I know Doug, his siblings, their children, and especially his dad will miss her greatly. We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to them all in this difficult time and ask that you all remember the Scalise (pronounced Sca-lee-see) family in your prayers.
Doug Scalise emailed in a response to our condolences last week that he takes great comfort in knowing his mom is with Jesus now, and that truly is a special comfort in times like these….assurance that if we are saved, we will see our saved loved ones again someday. I know the whole Scalise family would like nothing more than for this unfortunte circumstance to help some poor soul out there struggling with “is this God thing real”? The emphatic answer is 1000 times yes….God is real and Jesus died for all, meaning everyone…meaning in particular you. I propose that even if you question it, give it a chance…make yourself an altar somewhere (car, home, work, church…the where doesn’t matter, it’s the how as it relates to the condition of your heart that is the important thing) and pray for God’s guidance. I know He will reveal to you your condition and if you aren’t already saved by His grace, will reach His mighty hand of salvation down and touch you. Tonight in revival we spent time in the first few verses of Revelation Chapter 1 talking about the divine inspiration of the word…then we turned over to Psalms Chapter 116 and read the detailed description of David and his salvation experience. Absorb those scripture passages and seek for your soul to be saved…He’s ready with outstreched arms, so why wait…get this thing ironed out now for (as Darrell so aptly says all the time) “today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2) …
Hope you guys all have an great weekend…talk again soon…
Von and all the guys at CO4
