somewhere between

i have been to those places

places with no end
no compass
no direction
without clear path

places contrived by the mind

or images planted by God

Escheresque landscapes
a futile passage

through which there is
no way out

of forests dense

surrounded by chasms deep

plateau upon plateau
separated by plateaus

no visible logical means

of returning
home
endless endless
corridors that are the same
same doors
leading looping back again
to the same doors
to the same corridors again
spiraling stairs up down
twisted sceneries
no script
no scenarios
just ceaseless movement
ceaseless activities
constant journeys
through places only
the inner eternal soul can percieve
places stolen from reality
or places of deja vu
bending stretching warping
yet for some unknown reason
for those moments
i accept as my reality
sleeping sojourner
not realizing
it is just my mind playing with me
stealing me there
time and time again
like an ancient dusty record
playing round and round
again again

i have been to those places

been there a thousand nights
places fabricated
seemingly real

lands created
somewhere between

right and left hemisphere

trying to tell me something

or nothing at all
visions prophecies fables
random tangible
electrical impulses
thoughts memories
clashing randomly between
my mind's deep sleep
different stages
different plays
acted out
by those living
those dead
of those i knew
or now know
or never met
i am in it
always there
talking walking seeing touching
yet finding no way no answers
moving about
without chosen method
 minus conscious decisions
moving about the eternal
without a route
 no out
out
always in
no hope of end
no out
out
no knob
nor exit
no exit only
until i wake
only escape
when i wake

grace forgiveness given

Jesus Christ 
God's only son
God's only way
God's only mediator
came lived died
returned
so that we might believe on him
so that we may be reborn
new creatures
new men
to let the old man die
become transformed
into new creatures
grace given
his righteousness shared
so that we may pursue him
so that we may live in him
and he in us
grace forgiveness given
so that we are not just excused of our sin
but rather we become free from it
so that we may depart from it
that which destroys us
learn to step away
become stronger
set apart
taking on the character of Christ
adopted sons of God
with family traits
not wallowing in our sin
mere animals with excuses
with a free pass from hell to heaven
rather
a straight way to become
sons of God
not wallow
not stay in our sin
to continue
in the same ways
of death to death
mercy grace given
so that we may grow
and walk with our Creator
as in the garden
as God originally intended
for the pleasure of his company
as in the garden
believe receive walk
away from bondage
death
believe receive walk
toward light and life
use his grace given
for the means
it was originally intended
believe receive walk
let us walk together
with God
toward holiness

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation - but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
-Romans 8: 12-13

Ina's big love

Ina and her oldest son Fred.

We all said goodbye to Ina a year ago.  She had been through a great deal physically, but her spirit never wavered, nor weakened.  My aunt Ina was a strong and unchanging presence in  all of our lives.  She was full of love and full of spunk  She never held back what was on her heart and on her mind.  She'd give you her two cents worth and a quarter to boot.

She never took guff off anyone.  A straight shooter that Ina, but it was always straight from her heart, a heart full of an honest love.  Ina Chunn was a wonderful human being.  I couldn't be in the same room with her without her demanding a hug and some sugar.  From childhood to adulthood, I could not escape her wanting sugar, and never wanted to.

Even during the trials of her final years, her spirit remained strong.  Ina was Ina and our world was richer having known her.  I know when I see her again, she'll want a hug and a little more sugar.

You are missed dear aunt Ina, and will always be remembered.  We will never forget your big love.

near the music

sitting in the back seat
dad driving down the street
to where ever we were going
like a thousand times before
seeing
the back of his head
his eyes
looking forward
in the rear view mirror
he sang
he sang and we  all joined in
i liked being in this family
near the love
near the music
always music
where ever we went

older sister
older brother
learned to play those guitars
learned to play well and they could sing

there were wooden instruments everywhere
leaning against the walls
leaning against the chairs
every where we were
every where we went
before i ever ventured to learn
i'd often pick one up
feel the texture
sounds of those bronze strings
wishing i could
wishing I could
and knew one day i would
play
compose
sing
pour it out
pour it out
i wanted nothing more
nothing more
than always live
near the music

i hung around you
drawn to you
any every time
i heard your voice
i would follow
ask to tag along
plead if I had to
just to be near you

i would
carry the cases
the speakers the stands the amps
i'd go to just sit in the corner
just to be present
and listen
just to be near you

I eventually took hold
determined to not let go
learn some chords
put them together
throw in some worlds
actually learned
i took a guitar
and never left her
learned to write
word by word
melodies
lyric and rhythm
wasn't easy
didn't come easy
but worth the trouble
time and the callouses
i worked until the work became craft
labored until songs were born
born with my name

all those years ago
all those songs ago
older greyer
yet the heart feels young
yet the songs are young
maybe forever
maybe eternal

older greyer
i will travel on
until i can travel no further
singing like my father once sang
looking forward
going where ever
always near the music
ever going
always with a song
until i can no longer
i will always be behind you
always behind you
just to be near you
near the music

Somewhere in England

Dearest Mother and Papa,

Your letter of September 8 finally reached me today--the first piece of mail I've received in almost two weeks--or rather it was yesterday that I got it, and I haven't received any since.

It was a bad surprise to learn that Dr. McKissick had died.  Evidently you had mentioned it in a preceding letter which I have not yet received.  I dislike getting mail in improper sequence, for it is confusing at times--but it is far better than not getting any mail at all--so I shouldn't complain.

Is Murd at home yet?  If he is, I'll bet his mouth is eternally going.  Make him write me, by all means, and give me the full dope.  I wonder if Zeigler and Flynn went back.  I just can't get used to the fact that Murdoch has left me.

Glenn Miller had Sam Donahue's navy band on his program Thursday night, and both of their bands sounded wonderful.  Donahue played on of his newest arrangements which he dedicated to the Amphibious branch of the navy (his band is in the Amphibs)--the title: "LST Party".  It was a  hot swing number and reminded me so much of the good parties we had aboard in Londonderry.  Wells would go to the galley (kitchen), break out the ham and eggs, and cook to his heart's content--and we'd have the biggest feasts in the wardroom.  I'd sing "Easter Parade" for all the girls, and McRae would snicker on the sly to make me self-conscious and get me tickled.  He reminded  me a lot of Jennie Llew sometimes.  We all had such good times together--we were like one big happy family.

Do you remember my writing you that Wells took a truck to get supplies the day before the accident, and all of us rode in the city with him.  He let us out, and I haven't him since.  Well, today I learned something new.  While talking to one of our boys, I found out that Wells got recreational and welfare equipment for the ship that day and spent practically all of the ship's service sum.  He brought back a ping pong set, some baseball hats, ball mitts and gloves, and about $300 worth of phonograph records (all types, popular and symphonic), dart games, and everything imaginable.  Of course, all this stuff was lost before I got a chance to even see it.  I didn't know this until today.  But just think what a good time I would have had if nothing had happened. This would have been the pleasant surprise waiting for me instead of the unpleasant one that actually occurred.  Now I remember Wells mentions that he was going to get some stuff like that, and I suggested to him that he try to get a movie projector if possible, so we could have our own movies aboard ship.  That was an awful thing.

I hope Edith is all right by now.  let me know all about her.  Is she still in the hospital?

Sunday Afternoon 17:30

I heard some news today that has pepped me up considerably.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Still no more mail.

Lots of love,
Ainsworth
* Bill McRae and Ainsworth (Pat) Finlayson in photo.

woe is me

Several months ago I injured my shoulder.  I seem to feel it in the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles of the scapula.  At first the pain radiated to the anterior, which caused me to wonder the original source of the pain.  I haven't been giving massages lately to give my shoulder time to heal.  Every time I seem to be getting better, I re-injure it.  Darn it!  I was feeling better up until yesterday.  I must have turned wrong in the night and re-injured it.  I really doesn't take much.

About three weeks ago, on our last day of vacation in Panama City, my friend Donnie noticed that my left eye was shutting.  Sure enough, by the time I got home, my eye had completely swollen shut.  The eye doctor said that I had either an infection or some kind of allergic reaction.  She prescribed some steroid cream to rub over the upper part of my eyelid for the first two weeks.  I did, and it got a little better.

Last time I saw her, she instructed me to stop using the steroids because it was causing my eye to swell.  The cream travels through the lid and reached the eye.  I wish that I could use it again because my eye was opening up while using it.  It was affecting my vision.  Three weeks later and my eye is closing again.  The closed lid is also affecting my vision.

When driving around town, I find it easier to drive by going ahead and closing my affected eye.  I've been letting Katie drive as much as possible.  Sometimes I have to drive and so I do.  If this thing doesn't get better soon, I'm going out and buying an eye patch.  My family has been ribbing me that "Daddy looks like a pirate" anyway.

I started my an algebra class a few weeks ago.  I've been having a hard time seeing the overheads and doing the homework.  I kind of wish that I had gotten better before jumping back into the classroom.  It's been kind of crazy as of late.

Other physical problems kept me in bed on my birthday August 19th.  Gina and I were both under the weather on our Anniversary on the 1st.  We didn't do anything but crash, hardly talked to each other.  Fifty-five so far hasn't been working out for me so far.  Boo-hoo.

The good news is that my family still loves me and I'm not dead yet.

this glimpse

Last week I saw dad.  I didn't recognize him immediately.  It wasn't because I hadn't seen him in a while, but because he had changed.  His face was leaner and had been darkened by the sun.  He was younger but still had his salt and peppered hair, white temples.  He could've been a movie star from Hollywood's golden era.  Who was this handsome and rugged fellow?  Why did he approach me?  He knew me from the start.  It wasn't until he smiled.  There was no doubt about him when he smiled.

It didn't seem to me that I was looking at a glorified body ~ I don't know what a glorified body looks like.  I now imagine a glorified body is the body that we would have had if it hadn't been for the fall of man.  Dad looked to me to be a man freed from all physical limits and boundaries of his old flesh and of the fallen world he left behind.

He was standing there looking straight at me.  His countenance was surprising, his soul was familiar but he was a different man.  He was strong, he was fit and eternal. His good looking and slightly leathered face told of a man who lived outside beneath the sun, who constantly travels ~ an explorer.  Since he left us, he has been exploring the heavens without end. It made sense to me after thinking about it.  I guess if I had spent all my days on Earth on crutches and in a wheelchair, I would be a traveling man too.  I had always wanted to walk with dad, side by side.  I knew that the next time I'd see him, I would be able to.  We will walk together one of these days.  I am now not sure I would be able to keep up with him.

Doug's visit

We've been trying to hook up more as of late.  Doug Moore and had been meeting in Rome, GA ~ a half way point for the two of us.  My eye has been messed up the past few weeks so Doug made the trip down to Gadsden to visit me.  We had some graphic design work for marketing material to discuss, but we made plenty of time to just hang.

Later in the afternoon, Doug followed me home so we could play guitar.  It has been over 25 years since we last played together.  We swapped a few songs and reminisced when we first met on the Gadsden State Junior College campus in '78.  Doug started coming to Christian Brothers Coffeehouse after our initial meeting and we soon became buddies.  We knew back then that we'd be friends for life.  Unfortunately, like many old friendships, we haven't taken the time like friends should to get together.  We have been starting to rectify that lately.  We are getting older and crustier, but our friendship hasn't changed a bit down through the decades.

While my old friend was checking out one of my guitars I asked him to play his version of Grace Darling (Strawbs).  I have always loved how he performs it ~ he really made it his own.  I actually prefer hearing Doug sing it over the original version.  He sounds good.  I wanted him to just keep singing but he had to get back home.

Maybe I can get him to come down and play at Vineyard on a First Friday sometime in the near future.  That would be fun.  Anyway, he's on his way back to his home in Georgia as I write this.  It is always good seeing him, so good hearing him sing those old songs.

Thirty years ago young Doug asked a young me to tour Europe with him.  He said we'd take our guitars and travel the roads like minstrels from town to town ~ sing for our supper.  I never took him up on his offer and oh how I wish that I had.  It's the one great regret of mine.

why sin is sin

 

as a child
 i thought as a child
as a child
i was told what to do
what to believe
a young mind
just told
to be good
a good son
to do good
to do what is right
not what is wrong
but yet i as a child
didn't fully understand
what made sin sin
why
sin is sin
there in in every classroom
upon every desk top
upon every wooden ruler
engraved the golden rule

but why
at home
in sunday school
i learned the commandments
but didn't understand completely
why sin is sin

what i finally came to see
as i grew
from day to day
that sin is sin
that wrong is wrong
because sin is what harms us
harms another
sin is death to us
sin is sin
because our Heavenly Father
isn't just trying to make us do good
for goodness's sake
but
sin deadens the soul
separates us from each other
separates us from who we were made to be and become
separates us from God
he can not tolerate sin
because it is sin that contaminates

sin like cancer
poisons the souls
of the ones he loves
he wants no harm
to come to us

so
through his son
Jesus
shown
love grace forgiveness
shared righteousness
shown
the way truth life
the way to become
good sons
good daughters
to aspire
to achieve
to become
to be
like our big brother

but sin is still sin
the chains from which we are free
chains broken
that we do not have to daily wear
we are unshackled
no longer confined
to the law of death
no longer confined
to flesh
now of the Spirit
now new creatures
i see
i see now
i clearly see
the definitive reason and why

because he loves us

desires for us to love ourselves
our neighbors as ourselves
our Father abhors sin
that which limits us
that which kills
cuts off from his love
separates us from him

God is Love

sin separates our fully knowing him
keeps us experiencing life fully

sin is sin

yet we are free
we are free
sin is sin
yet we are free
free

as a child
i could not see
not as far
as a man
i see a little further
a little further
ever walking in grace
ever walking in faith
ever learning climbing
ever further
reaching beyond flesh
beyond sin
for him

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation - but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry "Abba. Father."  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his glory."
Romans 8:12-17

The Guise Ride Again!

Brook had been wanting to get The Guise back together again.  The last time was at Moon Song Songwriter's Cafe in 2009.  I had invited Ron Greer to join us on bass that evening. He fit right in.   We all had a great time together.  We always look forward to the next opportunity to play together with great anticipation.

I think it was Brook that came up with the name.  When we started, our idea was to revisit and revive songs of artist friends of ours who were no longer playing.  There was a band from Centre that used to play throughout the 1970's called Psalm.  They were all great guys and played great songs.  Barry Goss and Arnie Sanford were the primary song-smiths of the group.  The group had disbanded by the eighties and no one was singing there incredible songs.  We did our own versions of some of their numbers.  

We rarely perform without playing Arnie Sanford's 'With Your Help'.   We once got to perform that song for Arnie at Skylight.   His M.S. had taken away his ability to play or sing by that time and he was very pleased that we were carrying on with his songs. We miss our dear friend and his music will always be included on The Guise's song list.

Barry Goss is one of the most prolific song writers in the area of that era.  No one can sing "Jesus Knows All About It" like he did.  Our version is different than the way Psalm did it, but we're pleased with The Guise treatment of it.  Another one of our favorite songs we do was written by my songwriter/poet brother in-law Dan Noojin.  Our version of his 'Insane Man' has an unusual feel and dynamic.  Good stuff!

The three of us are individually songwriters, so we play plenty of our original works.  We played Brook's 'How Could You Be So Good', Michael's 'Taking The Time' and my "You Remembered Me'.  We have our old standards, but we'll also be bringing new songs to share.

What to expect?  We're old friends who go back a long way.  We share a lot of the same past, love for the same kind of music.  We love being together, playing together and enjoy the comradery on and off stage.  Our voices harmonize well together and so do our lives.  There has always been a chemistry there.

So Friday evening Ron is back with us.  Every time I'd see him over the past few years he'd ask me when The Guise were going to play again.  Tim Rolfe is another dear friend who'll be on percussion.   We are each anticipating tomorrow evening.  None of us know what's going to happen.

Come join us.