First blog entry- birthday edition!

Do I know how to write a blog? I will try....and it's fitting that it is my 55th birthday today, which means that it is never too late to start something new. I told two of my sons today that I am at the age I thought my father was stone old when I was young. But I guess it is all about perspective. So to celebrate my birthday, I will give thanks. Thanks that I am still alive; I could have died in that gun fire in Niger in 1989 when the students rebelled and fought against the police, and I suddenly was caught in the middle on my motorcycle and had to dive into a taylor shop for cover. I could have died in that train wreck in Corsica between Bastia and Ajaccio in 1978 or was it  1979 when the train derailed after a loose rail piece penetrated the wagon floor and hit a young girl in the face, while the train slid out of the tunnel towards the ledge. I could have died in that car accident in Ibiza when my van was hit by a cross speeding car and the vehicle's side was completely opened while my van just had minor scratches. I could have died lying down with Malaria in Ivory Coast, and was rescued by a Bororo medicine woman and her herbs, or I could have died smashed by my own security guardian's metal rod when I jumped the wall of my own compound in Abidjan when he didn't respond to my habitual motorcycle horn signal to open the gate. Now thinking about it more, there were so many instances where I could have lost my life, it is hard to argue against the realization that there is an invisible hand over me protecting me against major harm. So I give thanks to God for allowing me to still be around.

I am a believer; I am a musician; I am a husband and father; I am a cook; I am a pastor; I am a business owner; I am a soccer coach; I am a composer and writer; I am a counselor; I am a listener; I am a worshipper; I am a disciple; I am a bad joke teller and a good story teller; I am a laugher, and I get emotional in strange circumstances; I am a helper and a doer; I have a great family, local and global; I love my wife; I love my kids and family; I motivate and inspire; I am impatient; I don't need much sleep; I hate injustice; I am a performer, I love to be on stage; I am a hugger; I have visions and dreams; I have not yet peaked; This is just the beginning.

So, now that my first birthday edition blog is published, I want to do this more, tell stories, enter into current conversations, inspire others to greatness and creativity, record and produce music, love and unite my family, worship God with the gifts and talents He gave me. I know, talk is cheap, got to do it! But not alone! I need community, want to create community, want to be part of community. So much to do, so little time! So a big birthday shout out to all of you, I love you all! God bless you! Yep, this is my first blog post.......

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