While laying here in a hospital bed, I've had lots of time to reflect on things. Going to the ER with chest pains, laying on those uncomfortable gurnies, and waiting for hours for someone to tell you something lets you think about a lot of things. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am saved and bought by the blood of Jesus, and yet I had the urge to make things right with God, just in case. In fact during the three hours laying on that gurnie, I made things right with God several more times. Funny how if you think that you could be in the next bus load going to heaven, you just want to be extra sure.
Well, after that ordeal, and I am in a little more (not much) comfortable bed in the hospital, my mind can roam to other areas of my life that might need attention. My life is pretty boring, so we won't go into any of those areas, but after those thoughts, and watching 4 hours of Ultimate Fight Championship programs, I couldn't help but notice how competitive these guys are. Improving their craft is a lifestyle to these guys. Each one is determined to be the #1 fighter in the sport. Now I've watched a few times when good fighters stepped into the octagon with lessor qualified fighters who were more competitive and dedicated to honing their craft and lost because they just weren't as committed to spending the time to learn all of the aspects of their craft.
With all this time to do nothing but think, I couldn't help but compare the two trades of Ultimate Fighting and Southern Gospel singing. These Ultimate Fighters train themselves, not as a group, daily with rigorous hours of physical preparation. It got my mind to wondering just what would happen if every Gospel singer gave just one hour a day to preparing themselves vocally for the task at hand. What if every singer, and musician for that matter, practiced the fundamentals of their trade for one hour everyday. What if every Gospel singer stretched him or her self in a way to better the way they perform. I remember the stories of how the Statesmen practiced hours a day, not a week with one night of practice, but hours a day. After all that practice they would go sing. No wonder they are the standard bearers of today. No wonder their recordings were of such quality. I hear of recording companies not even giving the artists the music to practice before they get to the studio. I wonder where out genre would be today if we still had the work ethic that our early groups had.
That's just something that I was thinking about while lying in the hospital bed, waiting to find out that I was OK, it wasn't a heart attack, and it was probably bad acid reflux.
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 06/20/2007
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Sorry to hear of your ER visit brother Deon. We will pray for you here in Arkansas. Your thoughts and words are challenging though. Makes me want to play and sing a little more. Thanks for the motivation. Get better soon.
Paul Jackson / The Prophets
http://www.pauljacksongroup.com/blog
Deon,
I am so sorry to hear of your illness. I will join with your other friends and Sogospelnews family in prayer for your full recovery.
May God bless you and keep you in His everlasting love.
Donald M. Frazier,PhD
My thoughts and prayers are with you as well, Deon...get better quick!
I also have to agree with your observations concerning the work ethic of gospel singers. Nothing is as easy as it appears....excellence takes work!
Morning glory and evening grace,
Giving the world a smile each day,
john.sogospelnews.com
Deon,
Glad you are okay, and hope you will be back in full swing soon.
I have been the heart attack route (twice) and it isn't easy. So, praise God, you didn't have to go through that.
You are right, work ethic is essential. We should never just rest on our laurels, we should always be willing to work toward excellence and improve in areas we are weak.
Keep on writing and keep on singing.
Rhonda
Ransomed
Go therefore, and teach all nations,...
I am glad that you are ok. I had somthing similar happen to me a week ago. I have had a lot stess in my life in the past year. I'll try and explain quickly. Our daughter (31) found out that she has a growth on her petuitary gland last Nov. Doctors don't know what it is so they have her do an MRI every three months to make sure it isn't growing or affecting her eye sight. She misses work every week because of headaches.
Deon;
Brother, so sorry to hear of your adventure and glad you didn't have to travel the path I have had this year!
In one year I have had a 4 way by-pass operation and 5 months later operated on for prostate cancer and they felt I needed a little extra so I also got a pacemeker in my 17 day hospital stay in June and 7 days in Janurary. This is my first day back at work and we have a worship service / Concert this Sunday. God is so good.
I agree that nothing good comes from doing anything half way and that includes singing Southern Gospel Music. I do my part to sing scales and sing along with the CD's on my way into work and on my way home. I don't know if I'm getting better, but at 60 I ain't getting worser. Amen.
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