Remembering Keith

They say dead men tell no tales. It's been a year to the day since by brother died and his death had written a chapter in the story that may not have been written otherwise. My brother died a few minutes after midnight on April 7,2009. It was literally the longest day of my life. My dad woke me up about 3 a.m. with the news. His death still seems surreal to me, but at 3 a.m. the day of it was the most surreal.

I had seen Keith less than 72 hours before and at that point, it seemed like he was getting better. The phone call from my Dad, said otherwise. I was in a haze when I got off the phone and went back in the bedroom and told Amy. The death of a loved one is the ultimate alarm clock and once I told her we were both wide awake.

Amy took the day off work and later that morning we told the kids. We knew how the girls would take it, it would zoom over Lucy and send Emma into a fit of tears. Charlie was the wild card, we did not know exactly how he would react. It turns out he was much more upset than we expected him to be. He ran out of the room, very angry.

Time stood still for a while. Because Keith died the week before Easter, there was 1 week between his death and the funeral. After that the days slowly passed into weeks, the weeks turned into months, and before long it was Veteran's day and I was commemorating what would have been Keith's 39th birthday with a memorial here on the blog.

Now almost another 5 months have passed and we are at the 1 year marker. I still miss Keith fiercely. It also still feels like the whole thing was a gigantic hoax. I fully expect Ashton Kutcher to come out any minute with Keith by his side and tell me how I've been punked. Alas, that probably isn't going to happen. Keith never had the impulse control to keep a joke that long. As much as I'd love to have him here with me again, I know he's with the creator, and having the time of his life.

One Season comes to an end

Today signified the end of Men's college basketball season. What started as a field if 65 a few weeks ago was down to 2. When the tournament brackets were announced, My wife and I filled out our brackets as we do every year. We were pretty surprised to find out that her pick to win it all and mine were squaring off in the final game.

That's right, my wife picked Butler to win the NCAA tournament. She picked a 5 seed, whereas I went with perennial power house and #1 seed Duke.

What a game it was. If Butler would have made that desperation half court shot, they would have won. The shot was very close. It seems like every other year, I pick Duke to win it all, it just so happens that this year I was right.

Emma's Favorite Day of the Year

The day after Easter is one of Emma's favorite days. This is because it blends in one of her passions with one we are trying to instill in her. The day after any holiday is usually a great time to get bargains on that holiday's merchandise. Which means that the day after Easter is a bunny lover on a budget's dream come true.

Some years we hit store after store for bargains. This year we just went to Walgreens where all Easter merchandise was 50% off. She got a really nice Webkins bunny. Also, she got her own real bunny back today as Smoky was being bunny-sat all of last week. It also didn't hurt that her favorite baseball team (White Sox) won their season opener today with her favorite player (Mark Buehrle) getting the victory.

All in all a great day for our bunny girl.

Next Time: By the Way . . .

The lost art of exaggeration

My Six:

I love the words "Or So".

Steve Martin used to talk about two simple words: I Forgot.

At some point probably under his influence I came up with my own credo: If you're going to exaggerate don't forget to say "or so."

Over the years I've shared this credo with a million (or so) people. Okay about 17. But numbers are infinite. Lets take that million and compare it to a google (1 with 100 zeroes, not the search site). Comparatively speaking a million is much closer to 17 than it is to a google.

Well I have 117 or so things I need to do today. For more 6 or so words head over to show my face dot com.

Next Time: Emma's favorite day of the year

April Fool

Last time I shared some lyrics from one of my favorite lyricists, me. Now, I am a lyricist, a poet, I am no musician. One of my favorite musicians is Noel Paul Stookey. He is the Paul from Peter, Paul and Mary. I dig the singer, story teller types. When Amy and I got married my sisters performed his "The Wedding Song" as a processional.

One of his best songs to me will always be April Fool which he performed live on his 1982 album "Wait 'til you hear this!" with his band Body Works. It is one of those songs that is hard to misinterpret, It is obviously written to and about Jesus. Since April 1st falls on Holy Thursday this year I thought it would be a good time to share the lyrics for this song. You can down load the song at Amazon among other places

April Fool

Noel Stookey and Stu Davis
©1981 Neworld Media Music Publishers

April Fool
You wear your heart on your sleeve
And though they laugh when they leave
You call it Love and I believe (you)

April Fool
Why must you always play the clown?
You have the edge you laid it down
You give it up without a sound...

Oh April Fool
How can they say "love is cruel"?
They catch the ring but drop the jewel.
Like a teardrop in a pool...

April Fool
As the heart shows through the eyes
Before you were born you were recognized
And unto the losers comes their Prize.

Oh April Fool
Even as the hands were washed, you knew
We'd free the thief instead of you

April Fool
You said the Father was in You
You said we know not what we do
Forgive us...April Fool.

Next Time: 6 Words or so

I forgot all about Amnesia

I was looking through some of my older writings as I wanted to share a poem I wrote about the transition from winter to spring when I lived in Russia.

I discovered some song lyrics I wrote a few years after that when I was attending seminary in Columbia, South Carolina.

I gave the lyrics to my friend who put them to music and performed the song at a chapel service. We had been studying the prophets in one of our classes, and I decided to write a song summarizing one of the theme's of the prophets the cycle of rebellion of Israel. In the second part of the song I transitioned from Old Testament Israel to modern day America. This was written and performed in 1996 so the references are dated.

Looking it over 14 years later, I am not quite sure how I feel about the song. Thought I'd give it a spin here.

Amnesia

Word by David Roller

Music by Jeff Six

Israel, oh Israel those who bear my name

Why do you act like other gods and I are just the same

Israel oh Israel what's it going to be?

What do I have to do before you'll turn to me?

You were my chosen people in my promised place

Made to be a blessing, you trampled on my grace.

Israel oh Israel I cry over you

Why do you keep forgetting what you're supposed to do

Israel oh Israel what's it going to be

What do I have to do before you'll turn to me?

Israel oh Israel I still wait for you

I am your God and Father worship what is true

Israel oh Israel it's time to make your choice

Serve your own desires or listen to my voice

Israel never returned, I sent them away

They serve as a witness, even to this day

America, America land of the free

Free to do just as you please, you walk away from me

America, America what's it going to be?

What do I have to do before you'll turn to me?

Did I give you freedom just to gain your wealth?

You were free to worship, you exalt yourself.

America, America, I cry over you

Why do you keep forgetting what you're supposed to do?

America, America what's it going to be?

What do I have to do before you'll turn to Me?

You've had riots and you've had wars but you would not turn

AIDS and Oklahoma City. Will you ever learn?

America, America, I still wait for you.

Remember your God and Father. Worship what is true.

America, America it's time to make your choice.

Serve your own desires or listen to My voice

Remember Israel!

Next Time: April Fool