Makin rounds in Alabama

After filling up on some Calhoun’s BBQ in Knoxville, we made our way down to Birmingham Alabama. Melissa and I have so many great memories from this part of the country. During our time dating in high school, her parents were nice enough to allow me to tag along to visit family and spend time in Birmingham with her for holidays. We did this several times during our time dating, and we have so many great memories from visiting in Birmingham. What seems life a lifetime ago, I renewed my love for guitar, and the passion that can be brought from it, in Birmingham Alabama. Under a canopy of trees in the middle of remote Argo Alabama, an old biker from the seventies named Breeze inspired me to play—with soul. Breeze, who stood at about 5’5” covered from wrist to neck in tattoos, always lined in bandanna, and bearded from chin to belly button, will always hold an incredible spot in my memory and playing. Maybe it was the acoustic guitar that he left permanently hanging in an old knotty fork of a tree in his front yard, maybe it was the way he refused to “plug up” (insisting real guitar players can bend acoustic straaangs just like the electrics), or maybe it was just the simplicity of life he and his wife enjoyed at that point in time without the latest have-to-haves, but whatever it was --- this part of the country and Breeze renewed my love for bending straaangs and singing the blues. Melissa and I spent so many nights huddled around a campfire with her brother, Breeze, and his wife Becca, playing old blues tunes, country tunes, and introducing Breeze to some new riffs from the 80’s and 90’s. SO many great times to think back on. Thank you Mr. Breeze

On our first return back into Birmingham, we were put up at casa de Osborne. This is the home of Melissa’s aunt Linda and uncle Ken.  The morning visit with uncle Ken was definitely a great way to start off the day.  Over a biscuits, bacon, eggs, and Alabama sausage, Ken and I talked spiritual matters, current politics, and the relationship between the two in America today. It was a great morning, intriguing conversation, and it was a very nice opportunity to get to know another member of my in-law family.  Ken was a surprise to the morning, and he even gave me a book for the road! Thanks Ken!

After we left Ken and Linda’s wonderful home in Birmingham Alabama, we picked up my brother–in- law Brian on route to Mobile. I cannot begin to describe how excited we have been to spend time and talk with Brian since we knew we would be heading south. Melissa and I have been praying so much for Brian over the last few years. I have known him for half of my life, and he and I have shared some very similar struggles at times. Our lives have been intertwined many different ways, and this trip and visit was very needed for he, Melissa, and I together.

Melissa, Madilyn, Brian, and I were “On the road again” already! We were onto Mobile to visit Nanny and Pappy: Melissa’s grandparents. Our conversations, while screaming down I-65 south, were quite in-depth and challenging. Catching up after not spending much time together over the last 4 years provided the truck with quite the conversational topics. Saul of Tarsus seemed to keep making his way into our conversation and the visual life changing pictures we were trying to look at in the truck this afternoon.

Saul of Tarsus got a new chance and a new option to live his life for The Way. After persecuting the Lords Church, He was given an opportunity to serve it (Acts 9:15). This was a life not promising to be easier, but one that he must suffer for the Lords sake (Acts 9:15). Saul knew this as victory, the only way to be pleasing to God, the only way to escape being a slave to sin, and God’s will for us all (Acts 22:15-16, Luke 12:8-9).

What a great application for us who have persecuted the good things of God with our lives in times past. Those of us who may feel that there is NO WAY God could ever forgive us for the dirty things we’ve done (Luke 7:47). NO way I can get right. NO way things can stop going wrong for me. So there comes Saul of Tarsus, or better known as the apostle Paul, to the rescue. He was chief of all sinners (1 Tim 1:15), and God chose Him. He chose all of us sinners (Ephesians 2). Every last one of us. We CAN choose Him by laying down our lives for Him (Romans12: 1-2)! He will make us a new life in His Son. One with purpose, one with reward, and one that can take the focus off ourselves.  Brian and I gave our thoughts to how our God will do this for those that seek Him, how He has done this in the life of our family and the many Christians we have had the opportunity to meet in this life, and how ---it won’t be easy. Counting the cost---well--- costs you some things. The reward here and after is so great in comparison to the alternative though. As I write this now, my heart pours out for you Brian. I know it cannot be easy turning from the way you have been on for so very long. I know bridges and relationships have been burnt and it seems lows have always been in your surrounding. I know Bubba—I know. But do not let the sorrow of this world burden you; let it lead to your repentance to a life in God (2 Corinthians 7:10). Watch what God says it will produce in your life if you continue in this (2 Corinthians 7:11). You CAN do it Brian….give it all to Him.  Sermonette: Done. Sorry bout that yall- Love that guy, and I ask you pray for him. Thanks!

The visit with Nanny and Pappy was classic. Pappy, a WWII vet and a true southerner, always makes the visits incredibly entertaining. Melissa and I purchased some Starbucks House Blend coffee to brew Nanny and Pappy’s, and Melissa and I convinced both her grandparents that they needed to jump in the pot with both feet alongside Melissa and I. Nanny agreed despite making it sweetly but quite and clear  her last experience with Starbucks left her starring at her blank ceiling at two-thirty in the morning. Pappy did indulge as well. Let’s just say he tolerated it in comparison to “his” normal House Blend.

*Another post and another day about the word “sorry” and Floyd T McBride (Pappy).

Priceless.

 Nanny’s cookin is, well….off the hook! Her meal Friday evening highlighted the week of cookin; fried flounder and hush puppies. This meal is infamous among the McBride family to say the very least, and it did not disappoint in any way. We visited with Melissa’s aunt Coleen, Uncle Tim, cousins Courtney and Corey, and Aunt Linda from our Birmingham stay throughout the week, and we enjoyed every single minute of it. Visits with this side of the family always leave me jaw-dropped at how much Melissa’s mannerisms, personality, and skin tone reflect from this side of the gene pool mirror. They way they stand, slightly talk with their hands, laugh, and yes-tan within 10 minutes of standing in a slightly sunned area. Love that woman-and her family. I thank God so much that I have been able to know them and that He has blessed me with a great extended family to be around.

Bubba, we enjoyed our visit with you so much. If you read this, we love you.  Keep searching the kingdom first brother (Matt 6:33), and it will fall in line after that. God is faithful and true. Lean on His understanding. Love you.

On to Memphis where the flood waters are rising….but not before I take down a Big Nasty from McAllister’s Deli!Yeeeeaaaahhh  mmannnn!!

Madilyn and her uncle Brian riding horses!

Madilyn picking Pappy's flowers Note: Madilyn is allowed 1 flower picked/day per Pappy

The Kitchen Table

Random Fruit! Spectacular!

Madilyn and her bud Courtney

Courtney taking the abuse!

Linda and Nanny

Coleen and Tim

Corey showing Pappy how to text

Madilyn watching some Toy Story

 Brian 

McDonalds  in Mobile had some flare this day! Makin ballons for kids- Atta girl!

Oh yes....

The BIG Nasty

Big Nasty- Before

Big Nasty- After

Madilyn reasoning with Brian on the best pick in this years NFL draft: Randall Cobb

Note: Melissa, Madilyn, and I left a few days before the Tornados hit Tuscaloosa and other parts of the state. Please continue to pray for those affected and reach out as you are able. Love yall. 

Knoxville BaconBratCakes II

Our next part of the journey toward Perth Australia landed us in Knoxville Tennessee. Knoxville is not only the home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, but it is also also the home of our dear friends Garland and Tamani Pope. We came to know Garland and Tamani through their time spent worshiping in Appleton Wisconsin a few years back. Through weekly bible studies, many o’ cup of premium blended Garbucks coffee, and earth shattering rock that was sounded forth from my upstairs landing in Wrightstown Wi, our families formed a great friendship.  Garland is one of the most God fearing men I know. He and Tamani have encouraged Melissa and I so much in service, faith, and obedience to God since our friendship began. We were extremely exited to spend time with them, and for our visit, Garland secured a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. This thing was beautiful! A complete 360 degrees in design, the cabin was unique in every way. It harnessed a spiral staircase that led to a landing overlooking the breadth of the cabin. Garland and I determined that this would be the best place for the ROcK to be sent forth to the rest of the cabin community that weekend. In packing for the trip, I just happened to include my guitar, amp, and microphone in the suburban. Funny how things like that make it in for the trip! Coincidentally, Garland managed to pack his quite portable electronic drum kit in his already family packed Honda Odyssey, so it was proverbially ON.  The visit in Knoxville though had many highlights outside of the cranked up beats, distortion filled guitar riffs, and soul wrenching vocals (Note: Tamani and Melissa, and the girls I might add, may describe the last events as clanging cymbal and loud thumps, angry and slightly out of tune guitar noise, and mumble bumble microphone blabber). 

BaconBratCakes II: The Remix commenced the first morning of the visit, which was epic to say the very least. Friday evening we were able to obtain some tickets to Cirque de Chine; a Chinese themed version of Cirque de Soul, in which graceful acrobats, contortionists, and plate spinners (that’s for you Tamani) wowed us with their world renown talents.  We were all very impressed by the show, and our children performed beautifully in their performance of watching quietly as well.  The girls, and their overall performance that weekend, was also a highlight to this portion of the trip. Big E, Little e, and Madilyn played extremely well over the weekend together, and Garand and Tamani’s son Isaac even got into the action at times.  Times that any one of the lively and playful girls fell down the death trapped spiral staircase: zero.  Times that any one of the kids had a complete meltdown: zero. In one hundred and seventy two times up and down the staircase and each night letting the girls ramble until 11pm, I am quite puzzled how either of these did not happen at least once.  

Saturday we attended the blustery Orange and White game at Neyland stadium, in which our starting quarterback this year, Tyler Bray, went 5- for -30. Not encouraging to say the least. We did enjoy the visit to Neyland despite the lacking performance and cool conditions, and the girls even got to scream GO VOLS with their orange and white pom poms. Success!

 We worshipped Sunday with a congregation on the outskirts of Pigeon Forge that Garland was familiar with, and it was absolutely great. The bible study that morning centered around Jesus’ words on forgiveness and repentance, and many members of that local church body had really good comments and scripture references for discussion. Our afternoon was spent eating Tex-Mex and traversing through the tight nit traffic in Sevierville from the car show that was being hosted there. That afternoon, we were able to manage a “short” walk around the cabins that ended with Little e and I winning the race up the final hill leading to our cabin. That evening was spent playing some board games and telling embarrassing stories from our upbringings in Tennessee, in which there were many.  I am not sure if the quantity of stories were due to all of us growing up in Tennessee, as it was the common denominator between us, or if it were just happenstance of our unique families. Between gut wrenching family photos, unreal stocking stuffers, and first car mishaps, we had the cabin overflowing with stories and laughter.  I will not submit those stories in this venue, as they must be lively animated and wavers signed to keep silence of the history being revealed.  If you are interested, please let me know, and I will forward you a waiver.

Our last day was spent completing a laxidasial pack and finishing one last coffee infused jam session, in which the floorboards of the landing were shaking loose and skylight from the top of the cabin was cracked from the rock that was being brought forth. Honestly, my embellishments of the music coming from the amplifiers and drumsticks really are a shield of mediocrity that lies at the heart of our abilities. That is what I love about music though; you can be as good as your love for music. Whether its playing air guitar and singing to your dashboard, or pickin’ with buddies the three songs you know how to play, music allows you to be Eric Clapton in your own mind. If not Eric Clapton, place the name of your favorite musician here: _______________.  The goodbye was bittersweet. As we have experienced along the way thus far, the visits have been extremely great, but we have to begun to seriously entertain in our minds that we will not see these faces as often any longer. This perplexing idea is comforted with the visits we are having, as well as the anticipation to be in Perth to start serving God with the brethren there. This time spent with Garland and Tamani was as good as we have ever had and especially good for the recharge of our family battery, but unfortunately our departure signals the rock will be on mute for a while. So it looks like its air guitar and singing to the dashboard for the near future.

So that’s what we are doin’! Crankin it up and singing away to the next part of the trip: Mobile, Alabama.  Barbeque, Nanny and Pappy, and a much needed and anticipated visit with Melissa’s brother Brian.

BBCII: The Remix

The light that shone on our ROcK

Jam Session Station

Anticipation for BBCII

Rocky Top

1 out 3 looking aint bad

Cirque de Chine

My friend that turned to stone

This guy about chopped me in half 

Gettin Smoky!

It is GREAT--to Be- a- Tennessee VOL!

Volunteering..... to wear some glasses!

The wood is good

My sweet Melissa

Farewell Knoxville.....Thank you for the recharge!

Hoosier Land

The first leg of the trip has been FANTASTIC!

We left extremely late on Monday afternoon in order to escape the deathtrap that is Chicago rush hour traffic. Although now that I think about it, maybe that is just was my subconscious mind coming to the rescue in order to cover up the mass hysteria that ensued Monday morning in the cleaning and packing the remainder of our home before our showing at 12pm. This “forced “ us to leave later than desired! Yeah…. that’s the ticket!

 Due to the late departure, our arrival time into Warsaw Indiana was a triple espresso induced 1:30am, and I suppose the trip to the Apple store in Milwaukee did not get us there any quicker! HA! In any respect, we were in HOOSIER land! The majority of all of my relatives from my mother’s side of our family reside in this town, and every time I return, some strange new memory seems to creep its way out from the Bermuda Triangle section of my brain.  Case in point: In visiting with my 3 cousins, Jim, Tom, and Mike, it was brought to my memory an event in which, while spending my summer in Warsaw fishing on Chapman Lake, I hooked my cousin in the abdomen with a fairly decent size lure. Blood was present at this event, and although it was not specifically mentioned in the tale that was being told, I am sure there were some blood curdling screams had as well by my poor, helpless, hooked cousin Tom.  Here is what boggles me: You would think this sort of event would not escape from the retaining wall of your mind. You would think that event like hooking someone with an extremely sharp set of hooks would forever be “there” with you in memory. I have had a lot of fishing conversations since then, but for whatever reason I misplaced this fishing story. I do suppose though it was a much more traumatic event for Tom than I, as he was the one being yanked around the pontoon boat by the stomach. On Tuesday evening, the coffee and laughter filled stories shared between us were excellent, and the food was classic Warsaw grub; Sloppy Joes, chips, dip, and POP. The night capped God centered conversation and prayer with my Aunt Leanne really highlighted this portion of the trip though. She and I both had an inward look at “soul matters”, and with family members, which whom you rarely are around and “comfortable” with, it can sometimes be intimidating. Not so in this case. The barrier, if there ever was one, was broken down almost instantaneously, and throughout our conversation that evening, we had a serious look on how and what was pleasing to God. We talked about how our lives were matching up with His word, and what we could do with His help to be more effective in our service to Him. It is simply amazing how God can make certain times and situations so conducive to really focus and meditate on Him and His will with others. This was that time, and it was quite heart warming. Leanne and I capped the night off with some great prayer, and we bid our farewell that evening as she and her husband were both leaving early in the morning. 

After this. we headed to Fort Wayne to visit my Aunt Kathy, who is possibly the hippest and best home decorator in the Northern Hemisphere. I am convinced her DNA possesses a hypersensitive feng shui strand, which is clearly seen in her wonderfully laid out domicile. We introduced her to Chik fil A breakfast biscuits, where in her reply was ”I never knew one could eat Fried chicken for breakfast!”. Yes you can Aunt Kathy…yes you can.  We then headed down to Wapakoneta Ohio to visit my G&G Rosengarten and my Uncle Tom.  My grandfather is currently in the hospital, and frankly is not doing very well. From what my grandmother said, he was having a pretty good day while we visited. He remembered Madilyn right off the bat and played with her, as he was able.  The nurses said that he had been talking about his time in Okinawa Japan during his physical therapy session that afternoon. He had been giving them a little grief, which seemed to be a good thing in their eyes! He is having a rough time, so please pray for his comfort. Giant hugs from my Grandmother is always at the top of my list, and plenty of hugs were dished out during our visit. She is a huggin lady, and I dig it.

We left to go see my Uncle Tom, who recently just got a new scooter and cell phone to match. The story that I got from his visiting attendant was that Tom is required to take the cell phone, wherever and whenever he goes “cruising”, so that if he gets lost or runs out of juice he can call to be picked up.  Needless to say, Tom is “jacked” to have his scooter and cell phone, and he is using it to it’s full potential. Uncle Tom is one of the most inspirational people I know.

Madilyn has been absolutely incredible on the trip! We have been putting her through the ringer, and she is really showing how lovely a little girl she is.

The road to Perth is becoming more real everyday, and the anticipation to be there is building right up along with it. Melissa and I have been praying so much for the group there over the past few months, and through the last few days she and I have had some incredible focused conversations around evangelism ideas, young children’s needs, and just settling in with everyone there to see where we can be of service. It has been great. Love that woman.

Knoxville is the next journey on the trip, and lets just say there was enough ROCK and baconbratcakes to go around for whoever wanted it! New updates to come…

Again, Mel and I hope you can get some encouragement and laughs out of our trip. Please feel free to comment or request posts you may be interested in discussing.

Here are some pictures of the Indiana/Ohio Visit:

                               This is the Winona Lake Shops and Eatery in Warsaw Indiana:

Some guys I found to jam with in Warsaw...

My lovely girls enjoying the sunshine!!

Madilyn diggin her ice cream!

Ice Cream Shop

Zachary boys from left to right: Mike, Tom (aka my twin), and Jim

NOTE: Tom's stomach seems to have healed just fine from our fishing incident

Big Wally burgers and Tenderloins....please wait while I wipe up my drool.

Melissa getting a Granny Rosengarten hug.....LUCKY!

                                                                              

Uncle Tom about to hit the town!

Our little trooper...on the road again!