A bit of frustration has contributed to me beginning this day a couple of hours earlier than planned. I really didn’t plan to be in the shower at four-fifteen but there I was. A touch of nasal congestion had made sleep more challenge than comfort. But there was also the Willie Nelson effect: my desire to be on the road again.

I plan to travel over to western Kentucky today and spend some more time helping my sons with their remodeling projects. Hopefully, we’ll make good progress on those and make some good memories in the process. If things go really well, we’ll spend an hour or two playing guitars and singing.

There’s another planned high point for this trip, one that I look forward to with almost unspeakable anticipation.

I reconnected late last spring with a high school friend who was closer than a brother for many years. He was also my brother-in-law for just a few years. With our subsequent divorces and my living away from western Kentucky for nigh on forty years now, we drifted apart. However, as was readily evident when we got together last May, we never quit loving each other.

In those late teen and early quasi-adult years, Mark and I worked together, played together, went to stock car races, and spent hours racing our bikes around Merritt Jordan’s store in Browns Grove. And we sang. And sang. And sang. A deep love of music strengthened our bonds and gave us genuine pleasure. We even almost won a talent contest in Fulton, Kentucky one year. Took second place, beat out by an eight-year-old piano prodigy. Ah, well…

We won’t be competing in any contests this weekend, but Lord willing, we will be singing a special at Mark’s church, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Mayfield, Kentucky. We’ve narrowed the selection down to a half-dozen songs or so but won’t make our final selection until we get together for practice on Saturday.

If you’re in the area, join us Sunday morning. If you’re not in the area, or opt not to show up, maybe just offer up a prayer for safe travels, good reunions, and strong on-key voices.

And, that no matter what choice we end up singing, the Lord will be honored, and his people will be blessed.