godspell

my brother and i were fortunate enough to have someone give us tickets to see GODSPELL this past saturday afternoon. GODSPELL is one of my favorite musicals (well, probably my VERY favorite, along with OKLAHOMA) and i try to find some place to see it each year. i was fortunate enough to see the original cast to it "back in the day" but i have to say that this production we saw on saturday was possibly the best i've seen! it was also nice to visit the balzer theatre in atlanta. it's a lovely venue and is atlanta's first "green" theatre. (they recycle playbills, rainwater, etc.) AND.....i just noticed while looking at thier website that they even did a special performance of GODSPELL for the hearing impaired. how cool is that? BRAVO to the cast and personel of the theatrical outfit of atlanta! i'll be visiting you again soon!!!!!

easy for *her* to say....

Don’t need no copy of vogue magazine

Don’t need to dress like noBeauty queen

High heels or sneakers, he don’tGive a damn

My baby loves me just the way that I am

easy for HER to say.....just look at her!!!!

never say goodbye.........

i have come to the conclusion that i have more bon jovi memorabilia than bon jovi!! "back in the day" i was in all the fan clubs (helped run a few of them!) and not only did i collect things myself, but i had others send me things as well. in doing the big "purge" this week.....i decided to weed thru all that stuff and try to organize it. i've been working on it for hours and hours and i'm *still* not done!! i could open my own bon jovi store!!!!!!! LOL!! looking at all the stuff has really been bringing back some wonderful memories, but it also made me realize that i spent an awful lot of time and energy on this band. was it really worth it? thier music was a GOD-send to me there for awhile, and i met some AMAZING friends as a result of being in that fan community. (also met some nut jobs, but i digress....) still.........i think of all the time and money i might have wasted when i could have been doing something "worthwhile." ah well.....i wouldn't take those days back for anything, and if i could do them over, i have a feeling that i would do them just the same. now, tho, i have to wonder if i should really hold on to all of this stuff, or maybe let some of it go. i wonder what old tour books and tshirts sell for on ebay????

this *is* madness......

yes. i have officially lost my mind. i decided to "purge" once again......and get rid of *stuff* that i've collected over the years. a couple of years ago i went thru every box, drawer, closet and shelf in my house and got rid of soooo much collected crap. i saved only the things that i deemed important, but i've now decided that alot of the things i saved are STILL just collected junk that means nothing to anyone but me, that i NEVER look at or use, and that someone else will just have to throw away when i die. so......i spent hours and hours going thru things: tossing things in the trash, and pulling stuff out to maybe have sold on eBay. it all sounds like a good idea when you start out, but later....when your back is aching and your eyes are swollen shut from allergies from dust and basement mold, you start to wonder if maybe you aren't stark raving mad! it feels good, tho........like a big burden has been lifted. (or it will when i get done!!) still? i DO wonder about my sanity. (heeheee!) and i have boxes of stuff that i am still keeping...........which means in another couple of years i will probably get the "joy" of doing this all over again!! woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

some things are permanently ingrained.....

you know you've watched the movie 300 entirely too many times when you are watching another movie (in this case, a "miss marple" mystery on pbs) and you hear someone speak the line: "this is madness"..........and you yell: "THIS. IS. SPARTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of your lungs!!! :D

i'll be ok. really.

labor of love

labor of love definition: productive work performed voluntarily without material reward or compensation

when one performs a labor of love..........one does it *for* love, out of the goodness of one's heart, or dedication. there is no compensation, and none is required. however......there are times when one would like to know that the labor is not in vain. i am starting to wonder if all my "labors" are worth it. i spend an awful lot of time working on my gerry group. i am very concientious about it, try to keep it updated, and worry when i lag behind on news. the groups are really quiet, and i don't mind that, as i realize that most people who join groups are "lurkers" and like to read but not speak out. it's the fact the no one seems to bother to read that disturbs me. when i take the time to post news items, and days later someone else posts the same news item like it's never been seen or heard before...........i start to wonder: why do i do this? why do i spend so much time trying to be a good 'list mommy'? my own personal gerry fandom doesn't depend on the group........i was a fan long before i inherited it..........and i'll be a fan long after it's gone. it's frustrating to work so hard at something, and then feel like nobody gives a damn. to top it all off, yahoo for some reason has moved us from "entertainment" to the "adult" catagory which means that if anyone is searching yahoo groups for a gerard butler group...........they won't find us. i've emailed yahoo repeatedly to no avail. honestly....i was so frustrated about this that it actually brought me to tears. again....i feel like over 3 years of hard work and, yes, a labor of love.........has been a waste. i don't want compensation, i don't even want people to say anything about the group...........but for GOD'S sake........if you are a member..........at least READ THE DAMN POSTS!! at least then i will feel like all the time i devote to it is worthwhile. i know, i know...it shouldn't matter, because it's a labor of love after all, but dammit, i'm tired. if no one else cares..........why should i??? i swear, if i hadn't put so many, many, many hours into it, i would just delete it. there are lots of other groups out there and i know of at least one that would be thrilled to see mine gone. or? i could just stop updating it. i doubt anyone but cris would even notice.

then....in this midst of all this frustration, a dear friend sends me this poem:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered

;Forgive them anyway

.If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

People may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It is never between you and them anyway.

in my current mood.......it seemed rather fitting and reminded me of my own "love anyway" motto!! it's a wonderful poem, and full of brilliant advice, but oh lord.....it sure is easier said (read) than done!!!

a rare breed....a man with integrity

Biker preacher at home on Harley or leading church

By ADRIANNE M. MURCHISON

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/14/08

Biker dude – not preacher dude – comes to mind when you meet Tom Hamilton.
He is indeed a tattoo-laden, leather-jacket wearing, Harley man.
But motorcycles aren't the burly pastor's No. 1 passion.
Jesus is.
And he's in his element during Tuesday night bible study at Sozo New Covenant Fellowship church in Tucker. The brightly-lit storefront space serves as a sanctuary for nearly 50 worshippers, and rows of oversized loveseats and chairs are their pews.
Standing on a platform, dressed in his usual liturgical attire – jeans and a T-shirt – the preacher dissects the Old and New Testament with church members.
He points out that the book of Luke is written in an orderly way and the book of Mark is not. He picks member's minds on the role of women during the time of Jesus. And the 51-year-old reminds them that he too is a student of scripture.
"I don't know about you," he says. "It's not that I'm a slow learner. I'm just a fast forgetter."
Hamilton and friend Charlie Crippen co-pastor the unconventional church. Crippen leads Sunday morning services while Hamilton plays the piano and guitar with the band and teaches children's Sunday School.
The church, however, is Hamilton's baby.
"I'm living my dream right now," said Hamilton, a former Marine and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Sozo was birthed from a weekly Bible study that Hamilton and his wife Brenda started at their home in 2001.
The couple has been married for 27 years.
"It started out with a few people Tom and I hung out with recognizing there was something in him we could learn from," said Brenda, 61. She works as church assistant and treasurer. "It got bigger and we moved into our neighbor's great room. It got to the point where everyone really felt like we had the underpinnings of a church," she said.
Hamilton left his job as network engineer and obtained a degree from Beulah Heights Bible College. He's now working on a master's degree in divinity at Mercer University.
The church doors officially opened in 2004.
Members volunteer with SafeHouse Outreach and other programs that help the homeless and hungry. Anyone in need is welcome at Sozo, but along with help they get some tough love and questions from pastor Hamilton.
"My first reaction when someone says they need help with rent is 'bring me your budget,' " he stated.
New members must take Crown Financial Ministries 10-week biblically based course at the church. The course is led by a church member. Couples and individuals pay $55 and $45, respectively, for course materials, Hamilton said.
"We get initial resistance and then by week five, everybody is looking forward to it," he said. "You learn to open up in a small group and develop relationships. Secondly it really gets you to understand what the Bible says about money, honesty and integrity."
The small church has not always met its own budget of nearly $3,000 per month in rent. High school and Naval Academy buddies and other friends have helped pay the bills, Hamilton said.
On a few occasions, car dealership owner Tim Stewart has paid the rent.
"I met Pastor Tom at the dealership in Tucker, " Stewart said. "I instantly loved him because he rode a Harley. He really puts forth his heart and wears it on his sleeve. Very few people will actually lay down corporate America and do what he's doing."
Joanie Burleigh, 53, from Doraville, met Hamilton at Pleasantdale Church of God. There he taught Sunday School to kindergartners and Bible study to inmates at Gwinnett Detention Center through its program with SafeHouse Outreach.
"At first he was kinda scary with his tough approach," she said "I thought, 'Who does he think he is.' And then I saw that he's just a teddy bear."
Traditional Sunday service never resonated with Hamilton as a child, he said. Despite nurturing parents and success in high school sports "traditional" is not a label that is easily pegged to Hamilton.
The Nashville native's family lived in Texas, Delaware and Ohio. A recovering alcoholic, he started drinking at age 15. Later, he dropped out of high school but still received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He recalls weekend "drink-a-thons" during his senior year.
At age 28, Hamilton said Brenda told him frankly that alcohol was destroying his life and he stopped drinking that day.
"I have not had a drink since February 16, 1984," he said.
Recovery from alcoholism has served his ministry and attracted some members who have battled addictions.
Worshipper Lon Cotton said he's 19 years sober from drug and alcohol abuse. "A lot of people in recovery can get specific help from specific problems here," he said.
"I think that we extend a lot more compassion and understanding. We realize that when you feel marginalized [inside], the last thing you want to be made to feel is more on the outside," Hamilton said.