Worth It

Life Isn't Graded

I was wondering why my life couldn't be graded. You know, done in increments...like elementary school.

Last weekend I filled in as worship leader @ Reunion Church. One thing about me that's strange is that performing comes pretty naturally...but 'leading' worship is a completely different animal. I've always been uncomfortable being the one that calls out to the congregation "sing with me" or whatever the going cliche' to get people going is. But this Sunday was different. I was more laid back...it came a little more naturally. I still don't really know why.

Right after the service was over, I jetted off with my 8 mo. pregnant wife to grab a bite to eat and set up the first ever "Post 27" recital. It was an incredible turn-out. 50-60 people showed up for our 12 performers. I had everything from a 4 yr old singing the Jonas Brother's soon-to-be classic "Burnin' Up" to adults doing their original songs. It was a great experience over-all and my insides burst with pride for some of these folks and seeing how far they've come. I only wish I was better at hosting those kind of things....

This weeks holds even more...rehearsals - a tv interview - a radio interview - and this concert on May 3rd in Waco.

And all the while, my wife could go into labor at any moment. Anytime she makes a face or rubs her belly I ask, "Are you in labor?" I'm joking --- but not really.

The moral of my rambling : there may not be one. But if there is, it would probably be that if God dropped all the info about our future into our laps at one time...we'd freak. So even though I feel somewhat unprepared and slighty bi-polar at times...I haven't lost it - and I'm enjoying each one of these steps.

Now if someone could just tell me how to handle life after my daughter gets here....

(and no...that's not an invitation for a ton of 'daddy advice' --- i've already received enough to confuse Bill Cosby)

Baby Moon At Nylo

Elaine and I ran away...all the way to Frisco this weekend. The goal : grab one more weekend trip to ourselves before Cana makes her grand appearance. The destination : The Nylo @ Legacy.

This modern hotel sits in the friggin' middle of nowhere, really. Stonebriar and Ikea are close by - but it's mostly a spot within itself. It's got all the usual hotel-ish stuff, but also a restraunt/lounge called "The Loft" that served up some great stuff.

The thing that made the baby-moon incredible was that we didn't have much planned, but managed to stay relaxingly-busy... Everyone that's expecting should take a baby-moon...gives you a chance to remember and experience again just what made you fall in love with the other.

And now --- it's back to reality...and the countdown 'til my first-born makes her way into my life.

Baby New Year's

We celebrated the New Year with Tyler, Evie, Nate, Heather, Ryan, and Kate. It was basically a big baby festival with a little Rock Band thrown in. You'd think I'd be better at that game - but I pretty much got spanked every time. Yeah, that's a skewer in my mouth. Nate and Heather have a rockin' chocolate fountain that kept me company all night....and I skewered all night (marshmellows, pineapple, cookies, brownies...and all other things leading to a fatter, more rounded self).

We did watch a little bit of Big D NYE. I thought it was very interesting that for such a large city, they didn't have any big names taking the stage.

Elaine and I are ringing in the new year by registering for some baby stuff. I woke up in the mood to do it, so she's seizing the moment.

Texas

I woke up. Walked the dog in some shorts. Put on jeans, flip flops, and a t-shirt to go to work in.

Came home - made dinner - then took this picture with my dog in the sleet. Only in Texas.

2 Times The Turkey

I'm officially on the 'sympathy diet'. As it stands now, I've gained as much weight as Elaine has during the first tri-mester of her pregnancy. This has got to stop. If you call me past 10 at night and hear me with food in my mouth, make a note to yourself to slap me up-side the head the next time you see me.

The 2 stand-alone Thanksgiving meals (one with the Starkey fam, one with the Eastlands) didn't help my caloric intake situation, either. We did the full blown thing twice. And it was awesome. And it was horrible.

I got made fun of a lot while I was growing up. Folks used to say I didn't eat enough - that I ate too much sugar - that I'd be 'wormy'. Well - congrats folks....now I eat everything.

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was good : I know sometimes it's a great time with family/friends....and sometimes it's not so easy.

---

Just a little movie update (we've taken in a couple over the last few days) :

Lions for Lambs - Robert Redford directs some sleepers.....skip it
Transsiberian - Not a bad little flick...
Hancock - Okay
Twilight - Aside from the 75 screaming girls that wouldn't shut their traps when drag-pire Robert Pattinson came onscreen...I thought it was pretty cool.

New Day

And A New Place

Today completed the final parts of getting the new Post 27 Studio ready to go. I start teaching next week in my new space, and I couldn't be more excited to get into this place. With a little help from my parents, Tyler, and a lot of help from Elaine - this place is exactly what I want my studio to be like. It'll provide a lot of elements that I've yet to be able to give my students. I'm also glad to be getting out of the house and having an office space of my own.

Vacation Time

Elaine and I will be leaving in a few days (75 hours from now, actually - but who's counting) to go on our summer vacation.

We're beach people - and we found a place not that far from home. It's called Laughing Horse Lodge. It's a dog-loving funky little set of condos in Port Aransas.

I always hear of how bad Texas beaches are --- but this little spot is really great. The sand is soft (not that hard gravely stuff) and there are great dives to eat at. Our favorite is Shells, a little place across the road from our condo. I'm no fan of seafood - but this place serves up a burger on a ciabatta bun that I could eat more than 3 times a day. And I might just do that.

I can't believe the summer is almost gone...but I'm more than excited to close it out this way.

Husbandly Love

Saturday, Elaine wanted to 'mini-homemakeover' a spot in our backyard. So, being the obliging and wonderful husband I am, I gleefully pitched in. (Actually, I knew it was coming - so I figured it best to get it over with before the 100+ degree heat would be joining the party, too.) And, I guess I can't take too much credit, Elaine's mother and both of my parents pitched in quite a bit of effort as well.

There's something nice about seeing things getting done in the yard. There's also something nice about the smile on a wife's face when she gets to see something that's been in her head for a long time. Here's what we came up with (Sorry Elaine, if I'm stealing your thunder....but you have more blog readers than me anyway....)

The whole area between the sidewalk was just dirt before we started...


In other news, our dog has opened up a stump removal business. This huge stump from our backyard was rolled down into the creek, where he chewed, spat, and quasi-ate the entire thing.
I have a video I'll post later....

Walking in the Dark?

John 8:12 - Jesus said "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

Christ had just rallied around a woman caught in the act of adultery. She was about to be stoned by the Pharisees. She's probably shaking with fear, shoulders drawn in - trying to prepare for the smack of that first rock being hurled at her. Then Jesus told her accusers, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.'" I can only imagine the dumbfounded look on this lady's face. Full of shame : publicly disgraced - and here is this man challenging those around her. As those with rocks in their hands started to walk away, I'm sure waves of relief began washing over her. There she was, free from accusation and condemnation - in front of Jesus himself.

There's a Wayne Watson song I've always liked (Walk in the Dark) that says, "I'd rather walk in the dark with Jesus than walk in the light on my own." Though I understand the point he's trying to make - something just hit me this morning : I can't walk in the dark with Jesus. It can't happen. It may feel like it - it may even look like it at times - but He is the light of the world.

I can't always reason or figure out what's going on in my life. But I don't have to wait for things to get clearer; having a sunny mountaintop view doesn't indicate that I'm walking with God (but it sure is nice!)

"He who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but HAVE the light of life." I think I wait for the outcome of my plans and actions to produce light - to shed light on my life. But I have the light of life. Maybe the goal for the day should be to follow and HAVE the light of life. Follow and have. Follow and have.

Idol Idol Idol

Over the past few years, I've quietly boycotted American Idol. Not for any other reason than I thought it was getting kind of worn out - I was getting tired of the same manufacturing of a pop star. I was always the one sitting silent when the table talk turned to Idol chatter...I felt a little left out.
This year, we (in a blaze of glory) entered into the mid 90s by getting a DVR. Since then, I've been recording and grazing through episodes of the show. At a time when I figure everyone should be talking about the Presidential election - it's been American Idol that's dominated the conversation. So, for this reason, I've been glad.
I must say - there are some pretty good singers here and there. But for the most part, I see more media manipulation than ever. I think as of today, there's 20 or so folks left. Are they REALLY the best 20 out of the hundreds of thousands that auditioned?
So, it's with great reluctance that I've been sucked back into the Idol machine.

Valentine's Day

My wife knows me well.
Peanut Butter and Jelly with no crust - and a nice pile of stuff to share with Harrison --- what a great way to start off any day.
Today I got the special treatment today with my heart shaped sandwhich.

Valentine's day is an interesting day : people go crazy, buying all these gifts ; expecting gifts...yada ya. The cool thing I was reminded of this valentine's day wasn't the importance of the holiday : but how great it is to be in love and to have a wife that loves me without reserve.

UrBanquet

Last week I got to sing with some friends at the Mission Waco UrBanquet. Mission Waco is an organization that provides programs to the poor and marginalized while also sharing the Gospel. The banquet is a fundraising event held each year to share the vision and successes at Mission Waco.

Elaine and I have always enjoyed attending the banquet because it opens our eyes and grows our worldview. It's also encouraging to hear the stories of those who have been changed by the work that happens at Mission Waco and those who have given their lives over to battling poverty.

The keynote speaker at the banquet was Larry James, CEO of Central Dallas Ministries. Out of all the great things he said, the most impacting to me was the idea that we are all poor in something. He explained that the poor community had an understanding of community that most of us have never even experienced. And even though the were poor in monetary terms, they were rich in the area of community.

When I think of the poor, I usually visualize the person on the street corner holding the sign. That night poverty took on a new mental image for me. Larry explained that over 40% of South Dallas families lived below the poverty line. Unbelievable.

But even more than my mental image of poverty changing, I realized my ignorance to the impoverished community around me. I've been in Dallas now for over 3 years, and I'd never heard of Central Dallas Ministries. I wasn't aware that such a large number of people were barely scraping by only miles from my own house. It always stings to recognize just how narrowly I view life.

I encourage you to take some time to check out these websites and read about what these people have devoted their lives to.

No Resolution

Many of you know that Elaine and I were broken into back in September. Along with our car, whoever ripped us off also took a purse, cash, my wedding ring, and our ipods.

The morning we realized our car was gone, I just knew that we would never see it again. I figured it was either in a million parts already or being driven until someone decided to abandon it in Mexico or something. Needless to say, it's been 4 months and I've stopped looking for it while driving around town.

But today, we had a message from a detective saying that he had an update on the case. Elaine called the police department and the cops had actually found it....my ipod.

Yes, yes : my ipod has turned up at some pawn shop. And for just $90 I could go pay the pawn guys for it, or I could take the pawn shop to court and try to win it back.

Don't know about you, but I'll keep my $90 and let the pawn shop guys sell that ipod. I could never use it again - just wondering all the places it may have been.

MASK

I made Elaine watch the movie Mask last night. Well, I didn't really have to force her or anything - but she was a little weary of it to begin with. I mean, the movie stars Cher...that didn't really rope her in to begin with.
Turns out, she really liked the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, you should check it out one Sunday afternoon that you'd rather watch a movie than flip through all the channels that have nothing on.
The main character is this kid named Rocky Dennis - and he has this wild and rare disease where calcium deposits on his face and skull and causes it to become deformed. Anyway - even though I know the story has been 'Hollywood-ified' ... it spoke to me. Here's this kid who can't go anywhere without getting some comment or getting stared at. And in his 17 years of life, he went for it : he didn't let the criticism stop him.
Unfortunately everybody's gonna have trouble in life - but it's usually not the problems that cripple us, it's our attitude.

Showing Me Up.

My wife is showing me up.

I recall wanting to start a blog about 3 years ago and Elaine gave it little thought. Now, she's gone blog crazy (and I'm glad) - but in the process is making me look bad. So - I've resolved to get back into the game....

We've had a picture'y' Christmas this year. Elaine and I haven't done the best job in the past with getting good pics of things that we do --- but this year I guess we've turned over a new leaf.

It's really strange how Christmastime changes for me as I get older. I remember marking off the days until Christmas on a little chalkboard when I was younger. I guess it was partially the presents, the time off of school - the food. Remembering back, though, I don't recall many of the presents and only one or two favorite foods (like this crazy-sick peanutbutter chocolate log thing that my mom and aunt used to make...). But I do remember spending time with my family and getting that warm / hearthy feeling of being around everyone. As you get older, I guess it just gets harder.

I've been grateful to be around a lot of kids this season - their eyes remind me of many things. Here's some shots of the season....

This is Santa's Little Helper, Ainsley (my niece) - striking a pose....she's good at that.This is Nehemiah Thomas (son of Patrick, the guy who helped LOADS by producing most of the 'Driven' Album)

Me and my bud, Harrison.

Santa's Little Helper #2, Jayci (Ainsley's siter) - I love her 'cause she'll dance all day with me.

Album Updates

The album is finally finished. It will be released in January. For the time being, there's a new song posted on the myspace page. www.myspace.com/jerodstarkeymusic

Pix

Finally

One more week :

In another week, my album will the leave the studio and all the mixing, and enter into the mastering process. It's been exactly one year since I started this process, and I'm very excited to be nearing its completion.

Crunch Time

If you're reading this blog, you're probably. extremely bored and have checked every other link you have to friends' webpages. My posting frequency has left a lot to be desired.

Just an update :
The album is starting to finally take some shape....we're starting to get closer and closer to a light at the end of the tunnel. Still got some instruments to lay down, some vocals to do, and a lot of mixing/editing...

It's one of those times in life where the 'when it rains, it pours' expression actually fits. The Post 27 website, which will have information about my piano and vocal instruction will be up soon, as well. The site will also have info about customized songwriting and songwriting instruction. I'll be singing in a couple of places over the next month or 2, leading worship for a high-school retreat, and leading worship at Reunion Church.

If you're the praying type - pray that I stay in my right mind - that I'm unphazed by tiredness - and that more than anything I don't settle for less than I'm supposed to.