August
29, 2003 While we were at dinner last night we met Bob and Sue
formerly of Dallas Texas. They are planning to have a large scale Jazz
Festival in Everett next year. It is funny how God just moves people into
our lives like pieces on a chess board. They have some great ideas about
promoting this show and it might be fun to be involved.
Playing phone tag with our friends Randy and Terri in Ohio.
We have surely been busy. Miss seeing Jim and Penni as well.
Missed church a lot this summer because we were not around. There is a
new pastor now and that is always an adjustment. Most everyone seems happy
with Pastor Eric. At Lake Stevens Covenant we have made friends with some
very sweet spirited people and they have been great support through Andie
and my health challenges over the last year. Now it is off to the doctor
for both of us today. My hands don't seem to want to work and Andie hasn't
been feeling too hot ever since her first trip to the hospital. I am ready
for a change! I have working on some new songs but I have a lost a few
to short term memory. That did not used to happen to me. May be they will
come back on a different day.
August
26 It seems like this month has flown by. The leaves are
starting to turn on the trees. Autumn is on the rise. I love the colors
of fall. It is God's way of easing in the winter. It is a shifting of
energy. It is time for winter preparation and summer reflection. What
a summer it has been. As time goes by I like the cold less. Although I
do love that you can bundle up and keep warm and toasty. When you are
too hot, you are just too hot. Our household shifts like the earth's plates.
Dad in Texas, Sarah home. Liz gone for much of the summer, now home. Josh,
here, kind of, but not really. Still it is good to see him once again.
We are contemplating moving somewhere new. There are so many choices but
for now we will tackle our pre-winter chores and enjoy the extended summer
while it lasts. Gather with friends and thank God for another year.
August
24 I am glad for a lot of things today. I played a beautiful
wedding this weekend for Steve and Maggie, with lots of their lovely family
and friends. It took place on Lake Tapps with a view of Mt Rainier in
the background. It was busy over the weekend and I spent Sunday in the
Studio with Don and Oman Quijano. I heard some inspiring musical performances.
Andie did the Freedom Festival and the Evergreen Fair. The missing her
was the down side of this weekend. I love being with Andie best of all.
Josh, Sarah and I were able to see Freedom's concert in Bellingham and
it was so fine. Driving to Bellingham on a Friday night wasn't what I
thought I would be doing. Andie was volunteering at the church so I missed
her again. Freedom is performing a much more acoustic set these days and
it is my favorite. His voice is fine and emotion filled and I enjoyed
several songs I hadn't heard before. It is humbling to see the amount
of talent the Lord bestowed upon my children. It is a wonder to see them
blossom as growing human beings. They are always in my prayers and it
is a welcome when we get to see them. I am so glad that Sarah has chosen
this time to spend with us and for all she brings to the household. I
am also glad that Josh has returned to the family fold and I look forward
to his continued growth in life and in music. Chani is also making big
changes and is so very independent. I remember when she was a baby I feared
she would starve she was so insistent on feeding herself, even before
she could put a spoon in her mouth. I hoped some nutrition would soak
through her face since that is where most of her food ended up until her
aim improved.
August 21 It is a bluesy kind of day. I have been feeling
so tired lately. Some days just seem long. The weather is so beautiful
outside. That is probably not helping since I am inside with no windows.
I am missing both of my sons. Josh has been by after all this time but
is leaving again. He is such a good player. Freedom is incommunicado.
I doubt if I will see him before he leaves on the road once more. We Murats
develop at a very slow pace when it comes to the regular day to day stuff
of life. We thrive artistically, but the rest of life seems to be hard.
To make music is such a splendid gift and Josh and Freedom do it well.
I hope and pray they have peace with God, love in their hearts and respect
for the loves in their lives. Some one to love and be loved by really
irons the wrinkles out of life. Thank God for Andie who loves me through
to the other side of these blues.
August
19 We had the company of Scott and Deb MacGougan this weekend.
Scott helped me hang the new cabinet faces in the kitchen. As always there
was so much happening. Andie and I were in the mad "home improvement"
mode. Scott and Deb were in town to attend the memorial party for their
friend John, who recently died of cancer. We didn't even get to venture
into the studio this visit but Scott woke up on Saturday and picked up
my classical guitar and a song was waiting for him inside. It was a beautiful
morning tune. I am sure it was so early in the morning that my guitar
thought he was me. Deb and I rustled up breakfast while Scott played us
the new song. Andie was working and will have to hear it next visit. Scott
has been a great friend for so many years now. I wish we lived closer.
Time goes by and each time we get together we say we are going to do it
more. Then life happens. Scott MacGougan played all the instruments except
guitar on Far Cry From Love. As is his style, he did it all in a few hours,
if that. I am thankful this morning for friendships, for faith and for
family and for every time I get to visit and play music with this immensely
talented musician and good hearted man.
August
17 Love makes time rollover. The future, the present and
the past are seamlessly interwoven in a single embrace. When you love,
all time is mingled with your lover. There doesn't seem to be a time when
memory separates you. It is as if they were there your whole life. All
views are a perspective of two. One plus one equals one in love. Two humans
going through their life holding hands physically and spiritually. The
completion that love brings to our lives multiplies our capacity to give
to the world around us. In that case, one plus one equals a kazillion.
This is an example of floating math. Why is this all on my mind today.
It is Andie and my anniversary. A time to celebrate the completion of
my spirit with my wife and best friend, Andie. All these feelings I have
are because God gave her to me as a partner. That in itself is proof of
the generous spirit of God. So happy anniversary my love. I love you now
and always. Happy Anniversary.
August
14 As children we were filled with wonder, with patience
and tolerance and with unconditional love. Our adult perspective of the
child who still lives within us, can be distorted. If we could call up
the magic and innocence of those times, we would not dredge up so much
pain. It is so easy as adults, caught up in the cares of the day to day
living, to see only the sorrow of our early lives. I believe once is enough
when we go through our trials of fire in life. Whatever we were victims
of, we were innocent. That is the important thing to remember. If what
we go through makes us who we are, we should absorb and move on, eyes
open to the wonders God has created. I saw the most spectacular sunrise
this morning on my way to work. Bursts of color, purple, pink, peach,
and lavender, glazed the eastern sky. For a moment, I felt the wonder
of the young boy who used to run for hours in the woods and stand in awe
of the beauty of nature. As Freedom says, throw down your armor. Many
of our inner defenses that we developed early on for protection against
the world, only serve to box in our hearts and keep us from the wonders
of love and life. Open up! See the wonder, remember the joy. Our prayers
go out to all the people without electricity and to Jim and Penni for
their troubles with real fire.
August
13 The wee hours of the morning are my favorite time.
The world is asleep and thoughts flow freely. Thoughts of coffee mostly.
I feel like it is time to make a change. I know I was given the gift of
music and writing to use and develop. Finding the time is the challenge.
I would like to make the move to music full time and leave this other
stuff behind. There is family first and therefore we talk and plan together.
There is so much I want to share and to say. Lyrics God has given me flow
through my mind during the day and I wonder at how often in my life I
didn't pay attention to my own words. Last night I was singing So Much
Love. I wrote that song a long time ago before Andie and I got together
but she was part of the inspiration. "You're making me rise up to
all that I can be, The road is open wide ahead and I want you there with
me. I want you there with me." And it finally happened. I have talked
to other writers who agree that songs are often written before the subject
they are about has happened. I have full faith in the Lord and know we
will make the right choices. We miss our new friends Terri and Randy and
their family too. Music brought them into our lives, just as it did Jim
and Penni and so many others. God speaks clearly through music. What a
band there must be in heaven. I grow more grateful with time that God
gave me the gift of music and direct line for inspiration. My hope and
prayer is for a map on how to proceed from here.
August
12 So much has happened over the last month it is hard
to absorb. I was thinking yesterday about my friend Jimmy Culler and the
Papa Murat band. Jimmy is a great friend and a very talented musician.
He has volunteered to play with me for so many occasions I could never
repay him. He really shined at the Garlic Festival and we had a blast
jumping around to You Wear A Mask and The Club Americana. The other night
when just he and the other core member of the rhythm section, Mike Daily,
were rehearsing, I thought we would all develop stretch marks on our faces
from smiling so big. Music_Joy Joy_Music. Our performance at the Garlic
Festival was one of those moments you know you are so fully alive and
right exactly where you are supposed to be. Jimmy is the reason I ever
went to the Garlic Festival in the first place, after years of prodding
and low and behold my son Freedom was headlining. Some people in your
lives will always be there and Jimmy is one of those people. Andie and
I had to do the stumble in the dark to the restrooms in the middle of
the night while we were camping and there wondering around in the dark
was Jimmy soaking up the whole Garlic experience. He was like a little
child too excited to sleep. He was up and at 'em in the morning and did
part of my set with me in the pouring rain. He did wait to see if I got
electrocuted first. Just kidding. I am excited to do some more performances
and recording with Jimmy , Mike, Dale and Roger. I was grateful to Jimmy
when I was playing Djimbe with Joules, when I was watching Freedom play,
even when Sarah and Andie and I were dancing together. Friends are the
true gold of life. Music is the healing balm. I am glad I can share that
with my friend Jimmy.
August
11 What a weekend! The Garlic Festival was all we hoped
for and more. I did a recap in the newsletter. It is another Monday morning.
I am so grateful for my morning visits with Sarah . She is such a wonder.
She cannot comprehend how I do the long commute, but when she is with
me, it always seems like we arrive too soon. I enjoy the one on one time.
I loved the time with Andie this weekend too. She does happy really good.
Andie is incredible at putting things together and because of her we were
able to relax and and share the joy. My wife does so much for us all and
she was responsible for getting us prepared for the weekend of camping.
She told Sarah, " You are staying!" so that Sarah wouldn't leave
the festival and Sarah did stay and we had a great time together. Liz
and Josh were there and as is typical, we didn't really see them much
the whole time. It is good to spend time out in a beautiful setting and
let the world go by for a few minutes. Time out from the day to day and
time in for the people you love and miss most of the year. I am weary
in a good way. We trade sleep for life sometimes, just like we trade life
for work. Family and friends are what makes the balance between what life
throws at us and the choices we make. Andie and I love a lot of people
and pray for their lives to be blessed throughout the coming year.
August
7 New day and new life. So much life. Talking to my
father, Joseph, on a regular basis about his new Ibook computer and his
website He is getting the hand of things and I know soon he will be making
tracks of his music. He gave so much I am grateful for, my music especially.
It good to see him walk his faith in Jesus and still see his humanness
in fighting the Murat blues and the natural way we seem to gravitate towards
stress, at least in the past. Josh called from Lynnwood after 8 months
of no contact and I picked him up and brought him out to the house. I
expected him to show up at the Garlic Festival but not like this. Had
I known he was coming I would have had him play lead in the band for the
Friday afternoon concert. He is playing great. Lot of hurt there over
the years for both of us but it looks like once again we chose love the
rest will work itself out. I long ago put Josh in Jesus hands and just
sent him love over the miles. He has a good heart and a ton of talent.
Liz came back from the CHIC Christian Youth Conference positively glowing.
I am very hopeful she can retain her faith and attitude now that she is
back in the "world". She went to my friend David Jones's class
on "Mad at Dad". She said she had to make two columns. I asked
if I was in one of them and she said, yea. Been kind of sick since coming
back from Ohio, chills, fever all that fun stuff. Hope that goes away.
Now I heard today that Sarah is moving to Seattle.#$%^&& How could
anyone leave the booming mudtropilis where we live. It is tough, as a
father, to see your off spring in relationships that are obviously one
sided. You want the to be treated like the wonderful people you believe
they are. But I open my arms and choose love, choose love, choose love.
August
4 We made it home and boy are we tired. Had a mix-up
at the airport and couldn't find Chani's boyfriend, Jeremy, who came to
pick us up. He couldn't find us and after an hour and a half Sarah came
to pick us up and drop me off at work. I am too tired to say much other
than we have a new extended family in Ohio. We have been adopted into
the Fickel family. We are very happy about that. So many fine and fun
people. I guess I am a little weary because I donated a quart and a half
of blood to the local mosquito population of Ohio. One of the high lights
of the trip was watching Andie chasing fireflies in Randy and Terri's
back yard. Andie has always wanted to see fireflies and she and Kyla had
a ball. I sat on the porch and watched the two young girls at play. We
felt so at home it was very hard to leave but we are so much richer for
the experience with new friends and memories of the hilarious antics of
the Fickel clan. I must stumble to the shower and bed and hit the ground
running again tomorrow.
August
3 It has been a great trip so far. Wonderful
stories from Randy and Terri. They have made us feel completely
at home. Meeting and talking with Aileen and her daughter, Kyla
was a fun experience. We all feel like we have always known each
other. So much personality in this family. I think Terri should
write a book. We did the Lobster Fest and that was nice but the
real fun has been singing and playing music till two in the morning.
We have to head home soon to get some rest. Love to all . Columbus
is pretty nice and we have enjoyed the rain. It is so dry back
home. So much to do and little time left. Keep the faith. We get
to see Freedom next week.
Journal
July 2003
Journal
June 2003
Journal April-May 2003
Greg Schedule Silent
T Studios History Poems Andie CDs Recording
Andie's Photos Lyrics
Newsletter Journal
View CCNow Shopping Cart / Checkout
Home
Bahia Joules
Graves Freedom Taxi Riverpeople Smokin'
Gun