Correction!

I believe I made a mistake in directions for logging into the new blog. Just logging into newlifegroove.wordpress.com, will take you right to the new blog 'God's Music'.
If there are anymore corrections, of course I'll be sure to let you know right away.

As always be blessed,

Big Freddy

I Haven"t Forgotten Ya'll

No, I would never do that. I do have a new and slightly improved blog though. At a new site. It should, no doubt this time, be easier for ya'll to not only read but leave comments whenever you like. It won't be a difficult change thank God, just go to www.newlifegoove.wordpress.com. When you're asked for the blog you wish to activate type God' Music, and follow the prompts from there. You'll be able to read the blogs and comments from this blog as well as any new posts. Click reply to leave comment, then follow directions from there. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks for all your prayers, encouragement and love the past three years.

Love ya'll,

Big Freddy

What A Day To Preach The Word

"How Do I live With Cancer?" That's the question I'm asked the most. We celebrated cancer awareness today at my church ECBF this morning. Different people in the congregation spoke about how they've dealt with family members having cancer. The one that brought tears to my eyes was my daughter Ericka. She spoke a little of the fun we had before the doctors found that I have a cancerous tumor on my brain. After that she was afraid to visit me at the hospital because she didn't want to see me in that condition. Then she broke down in tears and couldn't finish reading what she had written.

My message had to do with 1Pe 2:25 my healing is in Christ Jesus. I'm healed by His wounds. Then I spoke on what God revealed to me after I found out I had cancer. He showed me that I wasn't the best husband I could be. That as it says in Eph 5:25 I wasn't loving my wife as Christ loves the church. Which meant to put her interests before my own. I went on to explain the type of woman the Lord had blessed me with in Diana. A Prov 31;10 woman, a virtuous woman, and in order to keep and please that type of woman men need to be Eph 5:25 men. Putting their wives before themselves. I went on to say that these are the things that concern me the most, not my cancer. God has that under control, and has directed me to handle the affairs of my marriage so that all will fall into place. One day I'll get to the rest of the message. Woman have responsibility in all of this too. If the husbands can get in line with our responsibilities it'll make it easier for sistas to except 1Pe chapter 3. Wives submit to your husbands. Man and wife both have work to do. In doing those assignments it's easier to be as one in Christ.
Amen?

Love,

Freddy

It's Al Good Too

Just getting in from a church event that was quite a blessing. Diana was honored with a plaque for her service at Urban Impact over the past five years. The surprise was Ericka doing a drama piece that her and some HSchoolers wrote re: being a child of God. Showing a teenage boy going through a number of issues that were pulling him in many different directions. Even the middle schoolers did a rap about Jesus, mom and dad being their heroes. They wrote the rap too. So Diana and I had quite the adventure today. I felt like I was courting my lovely all over again.

Now let's see if I have enough energy to go into the studio to play a little music. I'm really feeling tired right now, but it's a good feeling. I'm looking forward to my week, starting with the gym, a drug/alcohol group and a dose of guitar playing. A mix made in heaven. Amen!

Be blessed,

Freddy

It's All God

Diana and I visited our old church this morning, Holly Park Community in South Seattle. Our God daughter was honored as woman of the year, a big surprise to her. That's the church I got saved in and met Diana. A lot of goo memories came back being there today.

All day all I could think of was music. We're on our way to our church for an evening service celebrating Urban Impact an outreach ministry of our church and a sister church in Rainier Valley. Diana used to work for them. I believe they're honoring her and others who have worked for them in the past. That's nice, it's like today is sort of Diana's day. Service this morning away from our church felt like a date going back to our home church, and then I'll be by her side tonight as others recognize her for her dedication to all she does. When she's in it, it's to win it. She gives her all. I'm I a blessed man or what. Yes I am. Amen!.

Well, when we get home tonight I'll jump right in the studio and get busy on some music. It's so exciting what God continues to birth in me musically. One song after another. Time after time. I've got some, or I should say the Lord has given me, some really nice pieces to share with Diana that I just know she can sing some sweet melodies to. We talked about it this weekend and she's just getting over a cold and trying so hard to get more rest from her busy schedule. Pray for us please. God has great things in store for us.

Ericka is dong well as a sophomore. Can you believe it? She was just a wittle baby :]) My big girl.

Stay tuned..................................... off to church

Love,

Freddy

Keep That Beat

Yea, I'm keeping it all 4/4. It makes it easier to stay with the pace. I've been spending just a little more time playing my guitar, writing some new songs. I've had to really make an effort to focus on one thing at a time instead of trying to work on four different tasks at once. That's what I've been doing, opening three to four machines trying to accomplish different issues on each machine instead of working on one at a time. When I do one machine at a time I can then be more efficient with what each device can do and incorporate them to be used in finishing a single project. Things work so much better this way. When I try the other way, trying to open them all at once, I for sure miss something and fall short of the goal of learning the best way to use each device. Much smoother.

I'm trying to also get back into God's word on a schedule. I've been using scripture for topics in my recovery groups, so I do some study with those. Though I could do deeper study at another time during week. I've got a nice set-up on my laptop that lets me surf between the bible, a commentary, and a word doc worksheet to complete any given study. When an Idea gels I can see God all over it. Things just come together so nicely. His word opens up some much wisdom to you.

There's a fairly new coffee joint in Bell Town called Street Bean, that's been offering live music lately. On the 21st of Oct Shelia Kay is going to be featured and I hope to play there in Nov. You can find Street Bean on Face Book for more information.

Whatever you do, be blessed.

Love in Christ our Lord,

Freddy

Oh The Pain Of It All!

Yes, it's been a very painful couple of weeks. I had a tooth ache that at first would come and go, wasn't feeling like it would last very long. But after a week and half or so, the pain wouldn't go away. Couple of weeks ago I went to a dentist I'd been to a year ago, and a new assistant made a mistake and told me my insurance would cover what I ended up needing, a root canal. Come to find out it wasn't covered. I needed a root canal and a crown. $1,000. I'm not working everybody knows. Well the Lord is the one in charge, and the other day I let my drug/alcohol sponsor/mentor know my need and inability to find coverage. So the Lord did what He always does, came through in a big way, provided a dentist that could handle the whole thing. Amen! Thank You so much Lord God. What a blessing to leave it all in His hands. I did have a lot of trouble getting numb, so the dentist had to use a lot o Novocaine. He needed to remove the nerve, so it was very painful when he thought I might be numb and then I'd yell in pain when he'd hit the nerve. I even jumped out of the chair once. Finally I was numb enough for him to take out the nerve and place a temporary filling in the tooth. So the pain has been greatly reduced and the Lord made sure I was covered to get all the work done. I go back in a week or so for the crown. Thank you Lord.



Getting excited more and more everyday to get Diana's voice on some tracks of some new music. It helps too, that I've been slowly learning AGAIN! that I've got so much to learn about a good husband and father to my wife and kids. It really helps to slow down, stop and listen to my wife, the help mate that the Lord picked especially for me. I haven't done to well over the years. It's never too late, but I don't feel good that my wife had to go through so much while I come to the reality of what makes our marriage work. I mean she has responsibilities in this too, of course, but I can only do me and continue to prayer for my wife while loving through whole process. I can say it, type it and all, but Lord please give legs to walk it.

Amen!



Let Him love you, it's better than good,



Freddy

Let Us Pray

Yes, we have so much to pray for. I appreciate all of your prayers, you know who you are. If not there's still time. My health is so much better these days. More solid, less ups and downs. I'm still getting used to eating small portions throughout the day. Doing that consistently helps to keep me from getting weak. If I don't stay on task I begin to get sluggish and feel like I'm going to fall over. So if you see me out carrying a little bag, just know it's got a few goodies in it to help keep me from getting in a bad space in the body. When the body starts to go the head is not far behind. Funny, in the old days it was the other way around. Those of you that need that mapped out for you hit me up @ frobin6579@msn.com., and I'll run it down for you. If you feel me hit me anyway and share the science so I'll know I'm not alone. Amen? :])

Anyway, we need to stay in prayer, and even fast at times. Yes even with my special diet needs I can still fast and pray if I do it with wisdom of the Spirit, you know. With all the mess going on in the ATL with the bishop Long (no my cap button works, just keeping things in the right prospective) we really have to spend time on our knees. Things like this can make Christians look bad if we allow ourselves to be judged by ourselves. Long is just a man, did some forget that? Should we really be that surprised? No, that's what man does when we get to full of ourselves. When we get caught up in our own hype. Last Sunday Long had the whole church, 10,000 people (packed house) on their feet, how many where on their knees? Praying for the man rather then praising him. Makes one wonder. Reminds me that I'm just a man and I need to pray for myself and my church leaders. I say myself so I can know how to lead my family, my leaders so I'll know how to follow the God in them. Amen?

We all know the truth will come to the light. Will we need shades, or will the covering of the Lord be upon the ones that have been living continuously in His glow? I praise God for my pastors at ECBF. There's real love at my church, transparency that holds us together in Christ Jesus. I've been taught to pray for all leadership, and also for those they are responsible to lead. Don't we all need God to reveal Himself many times daily? I know I do. Lord enable me to pray for those that accuse Mr. Long, his congregation and the body of Christ as a whole. We all need you Lord. Hear our cry.

Bless you,

Freddy

Well, Well, Well

Seems like it's been so long. I've really been pretty busy, which is a blessing. I have something to do just about everyday of the week. Praise God it's a good mix of bible study, drug/alcohol recovery and of course music. The Lord, my wife and my daughter have been helping me keep a balance. Sometimes I get a little run down, but it's all good.

I've had to take apart a good portion of my recording studio to get it set-up like I've had it in the past. Haven't done that in so long I forgot. My friend Ced and a brother from church, Phillip, have been a big help. So it's slowly coming together. I've got a couple of brothers doing projects too, so that's exciting.

I finally found one way to post some of Diana's and my music. There's a site at Reverbnation.com where you can go and do a search for The Robinson Project, and listen to the tunes we've posted. I'm working on a Face Book post, but haven't got it to work yet. But Reverbnation.com is easy, really I tried it so I'd see if folks would have any problems. Just log on and in search type The Robinson Project and click search, then you'll see a picture of me ball headed :]) I'll have to get a recent pic of Diana and me, and post that so I don't scare off potential fans. Ya know?

My health is strong, and so is my faith! The Lord is blessing me like never before. Such clarity. My purpose being revealed to me everyday. It's not like God has a lot for me to do, it's just enough. Just what I'm able to handle. No more no less.

You pray for me, and I'll pray for you.

Amen,

Love,

Freddy

Missing My Wife!

Alright, calm down! When you're done laughing you can read the rest of my post. Diana is at a women's retreat this weekend. Ericka's been in and out over night Friday with her God sister, and today taking the bus to the Landing mall in Renton. She's such a big girl now, and it's so hard for Daddy-O to let her go.

I'm so blessed having been real busy lately with support groups for cancer and recovery from drugs and alcohol, and of course music projects. I've had to take my time and plan out my weeks in advance so I don't jumbled up. It's lot's of fun though, as long as I don't allow myself to get too stretched. It doesn't help that I've been having continuous trouble with my comptuers. They no longer work correctly, crashing or my sound cards acting up. Praise God I still have one digital machine that I have to learn more about so I can work with it with the same skill I work with the software on my computer. A little studyinng and some practice it'll come.

Did a session with a Christian rapper this afternoon and did pretty good. Began with a little prayer and then started to creating. I forgot, at least one of one of my computers did fuction right at least long enough to complete the session. So I've got to get busy at trying to fix my systems once and for all. Though dealing with machines you've got to always be on guard.

Back to the lab,

Peace,

Freddy

Are Ya'll Out There?

I just thought I'd ask 'cause folks tell me far and in between that they read the blog but no one leaves a comment. What's up with that? I had one reader tell me they found i too hard to leave a comment. That was strange, I tried myself and it seemed really easy. Just scroll to the bottom of an entry click comments and type in the box. When you're done just click enter, I think, I've lost it now..........................................chemo brain! Ha ha ha! Oh well you'll get it.

Anyway, I had a very busy week. Cancer support group, drug and alcohol support group, recording sessions downtown and at home. And on and on. Saturday it started to catch up with me, but God always holds me up, takes me through. Kicked it with my cuz Thomas Robinson on Saturday rollin' in his Jag to Seattle.

Read a great story my wife Diana wrote for a church magazine. In it she spoke of her first mentor after she moved to Seattle from Baltimore 25 years ago. You might be able to log on to the Covenants website to check it out. The book is titled Balcony Women. You might find it on Covenant.com I really don't know the website, can you tell? Anyway, Diana's story is on pg 63.
Yes I'm proud.

Gotta go music calls.Love all,

Freddy

The Real Deal

I saw a movie last night in Seattle, Wheedle's Groove. It chronicles Seattle's early R&B music scene. It was ok, not real deep on information. More like Seattle music light. I know almost all the folks in the bands of the past so it cool to hear their stories, but again they didn't really go very far into their pasts. I would of liked to hear if any of them were doing music today and heard some of that. A couple of people you could tell were no longer writing/playing or involved with music much which is sad. Some are playing but just kind of stuck. Made me reflect on what I'm doing with my gift and talent. I praise God I can say I'm still playing with some of those guys, so I'm still creating still making music.

Things here in my own little studio are looking good. I'm finally getting the room straightened out and the software functioning like it should. I was fortunate to have a brother from my church come over and hook-up my computers so that they can talk to each other through a hub. That way I can sit at one screen and work on any system. Now I have to get my guitar synths to play in a way that sounds real. Some instruments are a struggle, takes a lot of work, a lot of time.
Everything takes commitment, I'm up for that. Until next time.

God bless,

Freddy

Happily Ever After

Yes, today is my 17th wedding anniversary. Wow, I never would have thought I'd be with someone even half that long. In my checked past I just couldn't stay committed to a woman very long at all. I was always on the move afraid of letting a woman too close to me. But Diana (my wife of course today) was different from all there rest. Very special in many ways. I knew of her for years before we even started dating. Even when I was still in my mess, I remember seeing her downtown where she used to work for the bank one day. She was so nice to me even though she knew I was struggling with substance abuse. We talked for a few minutes, and I recall feeling embarrassed because I was high on something, probably weed, and was uncomfortable talking to her like that. But I never forgot how nice it was to talk to her. We had originally met at Holly Park church, but I had left for about 6 1/2 yrs. When I returned we were both single, but I didn't think she'd be interested in me. How wrong I was. We finally began t date, but I still was unable to commit. I thought for sure I was going to blow my chance to be with the best woman I had ever met. But in time and with a solid spiritual trans formation in the Lord, I was able to pull it together enough to marry the woman of God. Amen.

I've learned over the years not to put my baby on a pedestal. That we both had, and still have, a lot of growth to experience. Praise God! That's a good thing. We both brought past experiences to the relationship and have had to learn how o understand one another in love. I thought I knew how much Diana loved me before I was diagnosed with cancer. But after we were told I had contracted cancer I really saw how powerful her love is for me. I know God will provide me with whatever I need, but I just can't imagine going through my health issues without Diana. Who else could do what she continues to do for me. It would have been too much for some to deal with. But Diana seemed to gather strength from the challengers before her. She goes most days, everyday, with little or no sleep. But doesn't complain. She has her moments where she seemingly runs out of gas, put she always reaches down and pulls it together to bless my family and I, every time. Praise the Lord.

The past couple of weeks I've continued to stay busy with ministry (volunteering at drug & alcohol recovery meetings) of different types. Music of course is a big part of that. Writing and recording the music the Lord imparts to me and my posse. What a blessing. Seems like the music and volunteer services mean so much more to me today. Makes sense, being told you're ill with a serious illness will make you straighten up right quick and look at everything in a different way. Ya know? Maybe you don't. Attending my cancer support group on Tuesdays for the past so many months has a big part to do with my outlook too. Some of the folks are waiting to die. That's a trip. But their attitudes don't reflect any despair at all. Makes me think a lot about living. Life just means a whole lot more today. Every moment is more precious than gold. Every breath .......................

Well, time to enjoy my wife's company. Am I blessed or what?

Love ya with the love of the Lord,

Freddy

Let's Groove To Da Right!

Oh yea, praise moves to take to church witcha. I'm in a 4/4 kinda beat tonight. Only at the middle of the week and I'm full on the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is sharing with me. Hope you can feel me on that one. All weekend and the past three days I've wrapped up the studio t home and in downtown Seattle. Devine Deliverance is moving ahead pretty smoothly in getting our tracks recorded. It can be a long process getting it just right, just the way you like it, but it's worth the time. Of course I'm busy at home too straightening up my little space and getting my gear hooked back-up just right. It's sounding beater everyday.

The music just runs through my head all day and night. I can't wait to get to my guitar and workout what keeps bouncing around in there. Even when I'm working out now, tunes are beatin' one groove after another in my head. I keep forgetting to bring my iPod a long so I can jam to some smokin' gospel music. But this is only my second week back into a workout plan. I've got to keep it going so I can feel better and improve my health. I'm really hoping to work on getting my balance straight soon.

Back to the music, I don't know if I mentioned a project my church, ECBF, is doing in the near future in refurbishing an old house on our propriety. One of the projects is a recording studio for young and old. Mostly the youth, so they can get inspired to get involved in all facets of producing music. From composing and playing to engineering to writing and production. I hope to help in any way I can. Right now I'm working with a number artists in my own studio to help them workout their musical ideas as well as helping myself learn more about using my gear and becoming better at writing and production myself. So as you can see I'm really in the race now a days. Feels good too.

Well amen, and amen then.

Please ........ be blessed,

Freddy

God Still Answers Prayer

Yep, yep! The Lord is better than good! It's official, my oncologist told my wife and I yesterday that my cancer is in remission. Praise the Lord for real. Thank all of you for all your prayers, love and encouragement the past three years. I always believed God would do it, but it still feels so .......... I don't quiet know how to say it. Almost unreal, to see how God operates. I'm feeling so much better, stronger both physically and spiritually. My balance and eyesight are still an issue but I believe God will heal me in those areas as well. I did have one fall last month witch was an unpleasant surprise, but other than that I really haven't had any falls in a longtime. With my eyes I have trouble focusing at times, and my glasses don't seem to help.

I've continued to do more music, Diana's and mine and the band Devine Deliverance. In both cases we're working on recording past and new material. In my little music recording space at home I have so much still to learn and a ton of stuff to familiarize myself with.

My church, ECBF, is to begin refurbishing a old house on the property and one of the projects is a recording studio specifically for the youth. I get to work on that project which is exciting, and hope in the future that people of all ages and music styles will be able to get involved in the recording process. Not just playing an instrument but other aspects of recording music like engineering, production.

So as you can see the Lord is restoring me in a special way. He's put it on my heart that I won't be restored to the way I was before I had cancer, but I will be brought to a place which will be better than where I was. Amen?
Amen!

If you dare.......be blessed,

Freddy

Stay On The Beat

Can't play the song if we can't stay on beat, ya know? You can't play your part like you're the only one in the band, how would that sound, I'm on Em7 and everyone is in C. Train wreck! There's no groove in that, now is there?

Life is much the same way, if we don't have harmony things get messy. Communication breaks down misunderstanding drives the car. Just recently I had to be reminded of this very thing dealing with trying to get various projects done. Talk often sounds good, but when the work begins we sometimes find out our ideas are completely different. We take for granted that people know more than they do, and may not have the experience needed to complete a task. One can be left hanging with little or no room to pull it together. Too many times I've been involved with folks that can dream real good, and turns out they're full fluff, of course nothing solid materializes and you're back to square one.

I thank God that I'm back with some people that have been producing music successfully for many years and they're looking to record the music of the old school musicians here in Seattle to upload on the net. So some great original music will be coming forth hopefully by the Fall or shortly after. The music projects I'm involved with are all Christian music projects so that's a blessing.

I've been awfully busy in my home studio making music with my wife and a few friends. Diana and I sang at church last Sunday and had a great time. Looking forward to doing more of that soon. I still haven't found out how to post music on this blog, but if and when I do ....... look out.

Till next, stay bless.

Freddy

Two & Four

If you're a drummer you most likely know what that means. I've been thinking lately, what time signature is life in? If it 4/4 two four would mean hit the second and fourth beats. Keep that pattern, lock it up and you've got a smooth kind of groove. Not a New Life Groove, but a groove just the same. So you're thinking what would make a New Life Groove? Then again, I might be all by myself, the only one who's giving it any thought. Anytime you realize that the Lord has brought you from a mighty long way, any beat you can get a hold of is like a new thing, and all good things are of God.
When I was strung out on drugs and alcohol for 23 yrs. I didn't think I'd ever get out of it, get another chance. Put the Lord brought me out, and showed me something new. I had stopped playing music, writing or creating anything of use. When I picked up my bible after years of spiritual starvation the Lord revealed wonderful truths in His word. One of the lovely truths was that He would restore me, and He did beyond what I could ever imagine. Blessed me with reconciliation to my family, gave me a lovely wife (and step son, son) and daughter and restored my relationship with my first born son. This July 9th I celebrated 19 yrs. clean and sober, all due to the Lord Jesus. Two and four,I've got to keep that beat and stay in the pocket, His way, that's the pocket or covering that will keep me. He's given me a new life, New Life Groove.

Nuff said.

Bless ya'll.

Hit me up and let me know what it's 'bout,

Freddy

Oh My

What can I say. Haven't seemed to be able to get enough sleep lately. I thought I was sleeping well most nights, but I guess I really wasn't. I'd sit up in the mornings after doing my exercises and then I could hardly stay awake. Even after laying down for 30 mins., which would turn into an hour or two, I'd still feel sleepy. Oh well, I pushed through and got a lot of music recoreded.

I've been jammin' like a crazy man trying to get this song done for Diana and I to sing in church in a week or so. It'll sound smooth when we're done. I'm almost to the point where I'm ready to record Diana's voice for the background vocals. Prayerfully Ericka will help her with those vocals as well. Ericka's voice has gotten better the past year. Once I get this song done (just the performance track) then I'll start on the CD mix that we plan to put on and upcoming EP (econo play: short mix) or future CD. We'd like to have that done by the Fall, with the Lord's blessing.

I'm hoping I feel well enough to attend service tomorrow, praying for the Lord's healing power to move through me now. Amen!

God bless,

Freddy

Deep In The 33rd

The 33rd refers to the groove. Or being i the groove. So when you ask me what I'm up to and I respond "I'm deep in the 33rd" I'm really saying in a sho nuff pocket. Yea!!! Wild language, I know. But I'm told I'm a wild kinda guy. So there :])

Today is quite a wonderful day. July 9th marks 19 years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Doesn't mean I've arrived, I'm still striving to be what God has called me to be, fighting the good fight of faith. I don't talk about my clean time much because one, I don't want to over whelmed those who are struggling in early recovery, and two it's easy to get in a place where I might forget and get out of pocket. It starts with behaviors, which is the start of relapse which leads to using, and that would be certain death for me. Praise the Lord for His deliverance. So I still have to stay on the grind and work toward 20 years. Celebration isn't what most might think. No bells and whistles, balloons and all, but a real presence of the great life. Yea for real!

I've been spending a lot of hours this week in my tiny studio. Trying to get gear and stuff straightened out and hooked up. Seems like before I can get it together I make a bigger mess. Then I stop and focus and making a little music. Over and over the process goes. Feels so good, it does. Diana and I are singing at our church on Sunday the 25th of this month so I'm redoing the tracks to an old song of ours that we haven't done for a longtime. It's always fun to play and sing with my wife. I'm the most comfortable then. I don't know if I've blogged that I've been rehearsing with the old LoDebar band, they've changed the name to Devine Deliverance. Diana might get a chance to sing with them too. But the blessing is we're getting busy. That's like the best therapy for me.

I've been doing bible studies too. Did one at the UGM's New Vision program last Saturday morning. I directed that program for seven yeas in the past, so it was a blessing to share. I'm trying to get out and do that more often, it's up lifting.

The hot weather is nice, but hard to get used to at first. We go from cold and raining to sun blast just like that. If the sun stayed out more I could handle it better. Whatcha gonna do? Sit under the fan, that's what.

Be blessed. I'll see if there's a way to post some of our music on the blog or something. Amen? Amen.

Freddy

Here I Go Again

And again, and again. I'm so worn out, that I've been bed all day. I can barely sit up here and type in my blog. I'm truly running on Holy Ghost power. No energy man. I had a long week, going to both my cancer support group and my D/A group on Tues and Thurs during the day and then recording sessions on both of those evenings. Didn't play guitar at church Sunday but went to a 4th of July picnic after church and waited for the sun to come out. But then it started to rain, and rain, and rain some more.

During last week I spent a lot of days straightening out my little music studio, which took a lot out of me too. But it's slowly coming together, and should be more functional. A new friend is going to help me upgrade the software on the computer that's in the shop. When it gets back home, in about a week or so, we'll do the thing with the software and Ced is supposed to add more plug-ins. But, praise God, I've got enough gear and software to make blessed music. Diana and I are supposed to sing special music on July 25th, so I'll be recording some tracks for that to. I still haven't tracked a song for Ericka. I'm sure she thinks dad has forgotten, but it's coming. Between the moods, illness, pain and so on, it's a real fight at times.

Let us ray.

Freddy

It Really Is, In His Music

Yes the Lord really is good, all the time. Listen to the melody ............... it's a sweet tune. Just got home from a 7 pm recording session. The old Outta LoDebar band, now Devinne Deliverance, has a new guitarist, Paul Anderson an old friend of ours and Tim Horiuchi on drums. Tim has a recording studio in a rehearsal building where he leases space. What a set-up! All the gear, equipment, of a big professional studio with a great live room. So we can record live all instruments and lead vocals at the same time. That way you get a real feel that you might not get doing tracks one or two at a time. If the band tracks are tight you can come back in and record as many tracks as you need for the lead vocals, and then dub, record, the background vocals. Then if you haven't recorded with effects, you can put them on the tracks during the mix down.

This session made me feel like coming home and getting into my own little but just as powerful studio. Tim and I just so happen to use the same software. He was ready to send me home with one of his favorite microphones to try out on my own rig. I was shocked at his generosity so I said I'd use it at another time when I had a vocal session set-up. What a graceful brother. Getting back with the band is just what I need to supplement my therapy. Paul and Tim are just the brothers the band needed to push us to the next level. I'm excited to see how God is going to use us for His glory. The ministry we've got ahead of us........ I'm ready, use me Lord.

Gotta go play a little before I go to sleep.

God bless. Drop a brother a line .......... be an encourager,

Freddy

Music Haven

Accept for church, I've been my in studio all weekend and Monday to. I'm worn out. Besides making killer beats, I moved and rearranged a lot of gear all over my little space. If I turn around once I've covered the whole room. It's so small I keep bumpin' into myself. My partner in crime, Ced, came by and helped me out showing me how to use the music software he uses exclusively. He also helped me open up some avenues in my usual choice of software I had forgotten about over the years. It was all good until I tried to put this newer piece of gear in the loop. It's supposed to make using multiple devices mix better. But it just made things worse. So I undid it until I can figure out what I'm doing. Of course trying to go back to the simple old school way had it's problems too. I was really tired by then and only got it part of the way back together. Praise the Lord if He blesses me with tomorrow, I'll be at it again. Because of the software Ced put on my system a couple of months ago, when I opened them up today I found hundreds of plug-ins. Oh yea, I was so blessed today that I forgot my main music computer went down Saturday. The other blessing is that Ced took it with him offering to get it fixed. God is so good, yes, all the time.

I've another wind now. Think it's time to work on my message for Saturday's prayer breakfast at UGM.

Have a blessed week. Let God, the Holy Spirit, drive the car. Amen? Amen.

Freddy

So It's Summer ?

Really? My baby girl just walked in from finishing her first year of high school. She did so good, her mom and I are very proud of her. Now she embarks on a summer of basketball and fun. Hopefully she can spend some valuable time with Daddy-O :]).

I'm feeling better after a scare this past weekend from a new medication. By Sunday afternoon I was feeling much better and since then my body is kind of wavering up and down. Sometimes I feel pretty good and other times I get sluggish and feel like I'm crashing and need to lay down. I try eating little portions of food throughout the day to keep my blood sugar steady. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Visited my Oncologist yesterday and said I looked the best I have since my cancer diagnosis. That was encouraging, though my wife and I wonder why I really need to see him four or five times a week. He's nice and caring but really doesn't do much. I guess it's a safe guard of sorts. It is a blessing though that my condition is stable.

I'm looking forward to bring the message at a prayer breakfast held at UGM's New Vision program this Saturday morning. NV is the recovery program I directed for about seven yrs before I came to direct at Eastside Academy in 2004. That should be uplifting to share the word with men that are trying to change their lives. Right now I plan to speak on waiting on the Lord, Ps 27:14, also looking at how to wait. When you're in a program it's hard to wait and work on changing a lifestyle that sometimes takes a longtime to develop. Hopefully I'll be able to share something from God's word and my experiences that will help them get a foot hold in a new life.

Amen?

Rev Freddy

What's in a Groove?

........ and another thang

The Groove Continues

Oh yea, the beat goes on! In the studio this week making new music. Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him.! It seems like for ever since I cut a tune, but once I get going it's hard to stop. I've got to get some melodies worked out now. I know Diana and Ericka are ready to do some vocals. I've got to get back in sink, and get it swinging again.

I've been struggling a little with a little depression. Not real bad, but enough to impead my moving forward sometimes with projects and such. I talked a little bit about it at my cancer group. Which was helpful to me. I'm not as down as I could be, just tired of cancer at this point. Ya know? But no doctors have told me I only have so long to live, just to live life at the fullest. So I need to get a grip! Sometimes you have to pull yourself up. Now I should be able to get on wit it!

I have so much to do and so little time. Just kidding, I just need to learn how to better use my time. Maybe I should plan every Sunday how I could spread out my projects throughout the week. Sounds good, but will I do it? One day at a time, moment by moment. Teach me Lord how to be a better listener of your word, I know there, is Your instruction for my daily walk. That and more time spent in prayer. I feel like now is a great time to start studying my devotion verses and composing sermons to be more prepared for future talks and the like. Even that process would bless my spirit and my life in general. Well, pray for me, and I'll pray for ya'll. Cover my support Lord.

Amen,

Freddy

Living is Music, Music is living

Yes.................. a day full of music. Friend of mine, Bleu, came over to work on his tracks. Great musician, he can play many styles. His tunes are kind of folk like. So we added two guitar tracks and a bass track to a drum track he picked out last week. It sounds pretty good for scratch tracks. And then later we will record vocal tracks. Even after all these years it's still a learning experiance for me. Now to get to my own music! Diana and Ericka have been waiting patiently for a longtime now. Bring it to me Lord! I'm willing and ready to jam.

I had a spooky D/A group yesterday. Staying clean and sober is a full time job. I've made that group my home group, make that group at least once a week. It's down in Bell Town in Seattle. A tough part of town to stay clean and sober. A lot of riff raff down there. But praise God I've got a lot of solid support, most of it in the ministry. So there's a lot of deep topics that come up around the room. Addiction is really tricky. If you're not careful you can talk yourself into a mess. So it's important to see yourself through the eyes of others sometimes. Of course if thier loaded there's no telling what they really see. Ya know? So I try to listen to most everything and weed out what I can't use. But you have to be honest with yourself, 'cause some stuff is hard to hear. It hits close to home. But the real is the real.

Checkout other blog enteries and drop me a line sometime. Thanks for your prayers,

Freddy

Don't Just Another Sunday

Church was a big blessing this morning. A grip of prayer, I went up once and then again with my wife Diana. She had to drag me to the alter the second time. I can be hardheaded some times, and it really doesn't serve me. So I'm glad she didn't let me sit there. We both needed pray. Pastor Drake prayed, and cried for us. It took a minute but the Lord got my attention. Diana is such a blessing to and for me. There isn't enough time nor space on this page to explain what a blessing she is. She does all the hard stuff, without mjuch fuss at all. And when she does get a little stressed, it's after laboring for hours, days even, without a break. I wish I could send her off for a real vaction. But she won't rest wondering if things were alright at home. If I could take her, how much good rest would she get with me around? I know God can work it out, in ways I can't even see. That's another reason to pray for my healing, so I can get healthy enough to cater to her. I could spoil her real good, striving to love on her as Christ loves her. I'm believing the Lord to deliver us to the answers to those prayers.

I plan to have a very musical week this week. I've got so much to finish so I can move on to newer tunes. I've been dragging so much. I'm looking to a better spirit than I've had lately. Can't put my finger on just what it is, ust kind of down, wondering what's going on. It's mostly a head thing, I need to get out of my head and more into the Word. I've been reading Proverbs for the second time in this past month. Powerful word. Good guide lines for living everyday. I'm excited looking forward to what God is going into in my home. I desire to have my home at piece in Christ.

Yes we can, have a home blessed of God. Amen!

Freddy

The Good Life

Yes, I'm living the good life. Or it can said, I'm living the God life. Ya feel me!? I've had a little trouble with my blood suger lately, but over all I'm feeling real good. The pain from RA has been reduced a great deal due to a new med and stopping another whose side effect is pain. The pain isn't gone all the way, but it's being managed, enabling me to do more things before I run out of energy.

I've been getting out into the sun when it peaks from behind the clouds. In Seattle you have to get it when you can. I've learned to deal with the rain, it took me all of my life, but today I don't let it depress me. All praise to the Lord. When you serve Him, weather isn't a factor.

Haven't done much music though, and I don't have good reason for that. But as long as the Lord keeps waking me up every morning, I've still got a chance. I have a lot of pieces recorded into one system or another, so I don't lack material. Lord, please give me a Holy Ghost push :). But I'm on my way tonight to do praise and worship with an old band out at Riverton Place, one of UGM's programs in SeaTac. That ought to be a grand time in the Lord. We'll be at their graduation of clients from thier drug/alcohol program. A chance to give praise to God for the new life He gives these men and thier families. I can use the excerise too. :)

Have a great evening in the Lord. He wants that for us, Amen.

Freddy

Another Day in the Life

Good day at Matt Talbot this morning, at a comencement for four people in the program. Matt Talbot is a center in Bell Town, downtown Seattle. They've been helping street people (homeless) addicted to drugs and alcohol with thier recovery from substances for the past 20 yrs. It was a great time in front of an almost packed house, made up of clients, staff and board memebers. It's a blessing to watch folks complete different phases of the program which lasts about 8 months to a year depending on a client's personal program plan. Some clients have a lot of trouble making it to that point, some in the room are still struggling, these four are an encouragement to them. So, on most Thurs I sit in on an 11 am D/A (Drugs & Alcohol) meeting to share, be supportive, and keep my own program on track.

I really hope to get to my guitar this evening. It's way past due. There's always music swirling in my head, but it seems I have little motivation or engergy to get the tunes out of my head. It's coming though, I can feel it right on the tip of my mind. Ever been there? You want to do something but just need a little nudge. Lord, nudge me ......................................... nudge me real good. :) :) :)

I've had tough moments the past week or so, but for the most part I've been able to manage my pain and feel pretty good. I said it before, and need to keep saying it, no Dr. has told me "Freddy, you only have this much time to live". Praise the Lord? They've just told me to grasp ahold of life and live it to the fullest. How do you do that? I can truly see that there's nothing holding me back, nothing standing in my way to do just that. But how do I get to it? The Spirit just blessed me with this thought. Recently I've had to push past my pain to get up most every morning and read devotion/bible, excerise and so on, to kick my mornings off. Why not do the same with my art, music, drawing, writting (recovery/treatment stories or ficiton)? Makes one wonder, huh? As far as my music, I know that when I get started it's hard to stop. I really haven't drawn or written anything in years. Sometime ago I did some drawings for Diana, she even used one I did of Ericka when she was a baby, for a card she published. But then I just stopped. You have to work at drawing and painting, and I don't spend any time even sketching. I haven't really put any effort in writting either. Diana, and my brother Michael, have tried to encourage me to write about D/A treatment, recovery, testimonies and such, but I just haven't tried. Maybe I should just start jouranling and see where it goes. As you know doubt can see I'm going to need a real good spell check program and proof reader. :)

Well, after all of this has been said, I guess I need to sign off and go to the studio. The Lord has provided it, praise God, so I shouldn't let it go to waste.

With much love from the Lord,

Freddy

Deliverence

Since last Thurs I've had 3 out of 5 days with minimal pain. A coulple of days were kind of a mix. Low blood sugar, sluggishness, and fatigue. But for the most part I've really been doing much beter. Haven't done much music but it's coming.

Had a real good Family Impact meeting last Sunday night. Lot's of blessed fellowship and good food. I think these groups are a much needed part of our walk with God. I think something would be missing if I couldn't lok forward to that meeting. I believe it'll make ECBF a stronger church, and a more affective tool for the Lord minister in the community. Whoever thought of this one was listening to the Holy Spirit.

I'm so blessed in so many areas. One is having more than enough clothes to waer. So I plan to go through my closet(s) (for the 2nd time in about a month) and give them to one of the missions programs. Kind of fuuny 'cause the closes are mostly too big for me, and when folks come to the mission they are usually under weight, Hahaha! So mybe someone can wear them when they've been in the prgram for awhile and get some fat on 'em. Either way I think someone will be blessed. It's always nice to have the Lord strighten out a life and then bless them with things they'll need to start over. It's also great to see the graditude on the face of the recipient when you give.

Gotta go, gotta go .............................feeling great!

God bless,

Freddy

Still Fighting

Yep, it felt like a heavy weight fight this weekend. Last Thurs and Fri were the best two days I can remember. Saturday morning everything crashed. I seemed to manage my pain pretty good, but I just felt sluggish, with no energy. I didn't go to church Sun morning, but made it to the family impact meeting later Sun night. That was a blessing. Lots of fellowship, prayer and lots to eat.

But now we're in a new week. The Lord has blessed me with anoher chance. I'm looking forward to an uplifting week. Not sure of everything that's coming, but excited just the same. I plan to learn whatever I can about another cancer drug my doctor mentioned my last visit. Avaston, I believe it's another form of chimo. A couple of people in my cancer group have mentioned it, so I'll ask them to share what they know. I"m not on the hunt for a miricle drug, I'm comfortable where I am. But we'll see.

Of course music needs to take a front seat in my activities this week. I've planned a couple of sessions for Tues and Thurs. Only God really knows.

Wait on Him,

Freddy Bobo

Really In The Groove!

Yep yep, the pas two days have been on track in pocket. The Lord is really blessing me and the family. Had a good session with one of my partners that's going to be working with me on some vocal tracks. All we did was talk about how we get inspired to compose songs. I had to listen to what his experince was the best way to get ideas out. He in turn listened to how I'm used to writting. It was a blessing to do what was needed to get on the same page. So when we get together next week we'll have a productive session. I'm learning everyday. Praise God!

I got outside for a little bit today. Is this Seattle? It's nice to ride around and watch all the people in thier sun garb. I bet the malls are full of people buying summer sets. Then next week we'll need our rain gear. :) :) :) But we should enjoy it while we can.

Diana and I are so proud of our daughter Ericka. She's doing her thing in HS. She got to play tennis this year. Something she's been wanting to do for so long. Unfortunatley I didn't get to get to any of her matches. But next year, when I'm walking in my healing I'll have to check our baby out.

Oh yea, I said my ealing, which cometh from the Lord. I had a very vivid dream last night where I was walking around with no problems with my balance, and I had know trouble with my sight. It was so real like I'm doing all the things I used to do. I don't know how much God is going to return to me to the state I was in before I got cancer, but in a lot of ways I've blessed with growth in how to enjoy the life I and give my best in all I do in His name. Amen?

Diana and I have to get busy about the song we're gonna sing this month. I think I found a good track of a tune we wrote some years ago. Hopefully we can get that song figured out and present it to the church so we can all celebrate Christ.

Well I need to find somewhere to go so I can get more of this sunshine.

Bless ya'll real good,

Freddy Bobo

Lovely day, lovely day!

Feel like singing. I'm expecting one of my partners to come over this evening to do some singing. So that should be fun. Diana and I have to sing special music at church in a couple of weeks. So my challenge now is to dig up tracks for a song we already know and that the church may have heard us do in the past. Diana will probably have to sing all the lead vocals, but I'm praying that I'll be able to come up with something so we can all have a truck load of fun.

God is so good! I'm having one of best days I've had in a longtime. I was able to get beyond my usual pain this morning and sat in a D/A recovery group this morning. The group was really fun. I testified a lot about where the Lord had brought me from in my own recovery. That helped relax the memebers of the group so they could share deeper things about thier own struggles in attempting to recover from a life of D/A. Yesterday I went out south to Riverton Place to sit in on a recovery group. It was pretty deep, emotional, as well as funny. I even cried with the men. I was so spent when I got home yesterday, that when my friend dropped me off, I stood in my living room and realized I was by myself. I wondered, it seemed outloud, what do I do now? I was really bewildered. So I began to pray to God to bring me through. And of course He did. Soon Diana and the rest of the family came home and all was good. So today I was really ready to do the group at Matt Talbot Center in downtown Seattle. Great group of people. And the staff is cool, so it's a real blessing.

Went to one of my docs today, and he checked out the MRI I took on this past Monday. Everything is stable, no growth in the tumor. He thinks that inspite of the pain I'm suffering from, I have a good attitude. That's due to the grace of the Lord. I can't, I won't complain. He's been to good to me and mine.

Stay blessed,

Freddy Bobo

The Cell World

Right now I hate cell phones. Yes I said hate. Strong words from a God fearing man. Though I think the cell phone industry is way out of hand. What's with all the taxes and extra charges? Say I figure out a plan that's $100 a month (we're dreaming, I know) by the time the company figures in all the taxes, sir charges, this and that, my bill will $200 or more. They say unlimited this and that and free that 'n 'em, but end up charging you for every service you add to the plan. Frustrating man, too messy.

On a sweeter note, I'm excited about doing more music. I keep saying that everyday now, so I can push myself towards the room. The music room, that is. Melodie of love, oh yes, I'm feeling that. Surely I've got a tune to lay down tonight. Iggy's coming over tonight to get into some vocals. Hopefully something good will jump off. Ya know?

Had a good cancer support group this afternoon. It's still hard to accept that some people are more ill than others. Some have been told t hey may have only so much time to live. My doctors haven't told me that, but I still wonder what the Lord has instore for my life. I'm stable now, and there's no reason to think that something horrible might happen to me. I've said it once and I'll say it again, I need to grab ahold of lif e and get on about living. Amen!

Love you all,

Freddy

New, New Life

RA, is no fun, for real! Pain is a pain. Can you feel me? Somebody give me an amen! We will now have a selection from the choir. :) No, I won't preach that one tonight. Had sort of a hard morning, strugglin!g with low blood sugar and pain throughout my body. But with prayer and the Lord's encouragement I got out of bed and did what I needed to do to get ready to go get under the Word. To help me feel better I wore a nice suit, by FUBU, black with cuffs in the pant legs. Are you getting the vision? :) Diana and I were color cordinated, she wore a lovely black blouse and black slacks. Is that TMI (too much information)? You can tell, I'm feeling much better now!

I even played guitar with the praise team. Praise and worship was a real God thing this morning. The Lord moved through the Holy Spirit, and the team was able to usher in the Spirit to move the service to a higher level. It really helped me come around so I was feeling better as the service moved on. Diana sang this morning too, I love watching and listening to her sing. I even had to give her a little wink during the service. Is it alright for me to flirt with my wife? During service even? I think so! It makes for an exciting time, in the Lord. Yea, in the Lord! She's my wife, man!

I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me this week. Last Friday I mixed a few tracks of music, and that was theraputic. So I'm hopoefully on track to keep a roll going next week so I can get some new music done. It helped too, that I got back into my bible devotion last week. I'll need to stay in that groove, because I will hinder my communion with God if I don't. I can't listen to Him if I don't commune with Him.

Stay in His groove, amen?

Freddy

Owee!

That's all I can say, man. Had a great drug/alcohol support meeting downtown Seattle this morning. God moved. I'm going to try to make that meeting every Thurs morning. Even after all these years I still need the support. I can drop some stuff, which helps, and I can listen too, which helps others as well.

I'm doing ok with my pain today. Not too bad. I hope to get into the studio tonight. Lots of music going 'round and 'round in my head. Got to get it in the system. Ericka's been waiting patiently for a tune to work on. So she's up next. Her voice has gotten better with age. She thinks, or acts like an old lady anyway. She'd trip if she knew I said that. :) :0)

Cancer ......................................... what can I say. Docs tell me I still have it. Most times I don't know how to think of my condition. No one has told me I only have so long to live, like some of the people in my cancer group. They've just said to live life to the fullest. Got to learn how to do that. Another process to grasp. But in Christ I really believe I can do it. I'm retired, so go fishing. Ya know? Hard to do, but not impossible. I have to watch how I feel throughout the week, but lately I've been having stretches of time where I can cope with my pain or sluggish state inorder to things done. Yea, I feel like making some simple tracks tonight. Try a couple of things and see how it sounds. That would make my week a good week. Must produce to feel like I do have a normal life. There's stuff I just can't do anymore, but there's so much that I'm able to do. Get to it Big Fred. :) As soon as my wife gets home from work, I'll jump right to it. She loves it when I'm playing my guitar. Joy ..........joy.

Freddy Bobo

The love of God!

Still In The Groove

What a blessed day! It's been a few days since I've blogged, the computer I usually use for the net is in the shop again. Viruses. Goodness! I just got it out about a week ago. So I've already deleted some infected websites, that I know are infected.

Found out about a week ago that I've got RA. Strange, because my blood tests didn't show it. But the RA doc did do some other in office tests that confirmed my pain the past 2 months or more is a result of RA. So I'm taking another medication, non-narcotic, to help arrest the pain. But I went to another one of my doctors today and she stated that some of my pain could be from another medication I take for little trimors I get from time to time. So I stopped that med to see if it would help stop some of the pain. If so, than I won't take it anymore. It'll take about 3 weeks to see how I do. I may end up taking something different for the trimors.

Haven't done a lot of music the past week, but I've got a few things in the can that need developing. There's always something buzzing around in my head that I nedd to workout. So get to it Fred! :) :) My lil' music room is coming along, really slow. I have so much stuff that needs to be fit into the room with a lil' more planning. Where will I put this, should I keep that? Some stuff honestly probably needs to go. But it's so hard to let it go. Though I know I can only use so much at one time. But I've enough to set-up sub workstations. That way I could teach Ericka or my grandson Jalen, how to record ideas they may get. Diana and Jerrold always talk about learning to use the gear. It's pretty easy to do, really. Just takes a little time. Diana and I have to
workout what we're going to sing next month. Maybe I'll something ready for Ericka to sing by then. That would be special, now wouldn't it?

Got to get with my wife for some quiet time tonight. Praise God!

God bless,

Freddy

Off And Running

"it's early in the morning, and I ain't got paid, so I fell to my knees and began to pray". Too much time on my hands? Just doin' what I do, everything's a song. Will the Lord give me a good tune today? He will if I'm listening.

What do you do for folks that want to stay sick, or out of sink with God? I sat in a drug/alcohol recovery meeting yesterday, and it brought back early memories of my attempts to get clean and sober. Half hearted commitment, off balance rationaltions that even other additics find hard to make sense of. I sat and listened to what poeople had to say about hanging around old friends that are still drinking and using. About how that was good for thier recovery. Then gentily I shared my own story of years of failed attempts at recovery becuase I thought I could do the same things, same behaviors I did when I was activily using, and then stop using. Soon I'd be right back to using and in a bigger mess. I couldn't just tell someone new in recovery that what they were doing would fail, could even kill them. They'd get defensive, so I used myself as an example. Some of the people in the meeting aren't new, they've been doing the same dance for years, lying to themselves about how things are going to change, all the time they couldn't wait to get that next hit or drink. I let them know how important it is to change everything, people, places and things. Some are ready some aren't. The truth is, it's not that they can't quit, most times it's that they don't want to. Using drugs is illegal, it's a choice. Drinking isn't illegal if done at a legal age and in moderation, though using drugs /drink to excess is a sin. When the health community speaks of drug/alcolhol addcition being a disease it's as if they dissmiss the additics responsibility for the affliction. Addiction starts as a choice, which in God's eyes that choice is a sin. You explain that to some and they begin to deny the sin and the responsibility for where thier choice has lead them, to ruin. Pride and ego can really get in the way of one turning thier life around. It's hard to get a person in such a position to give thier unbelief over to God. They've trusted in the drugs/alcohol and that lifestyle for so long that they're afraid they won't have anything to lean on. Even though that lifestyle has brought them and thier family down, they feel like they'll have nothing else to lean on,to trust. Over time they've lost all their clean and sober friends and support. When you try to leave the lifestyle that's killing you it can be a pretty lonely place to be in. I had to swallow my pride and addmit that I was powerless over sin and needed the help of God and His people. Took time, it took geting honest. I had to regain the trust of my family. They never stopped loving me, but until I could get honest with myself and others, I really had no chance of being freed. Wow! That's just a little of what the Lord gave me through that meeting yesterday. Then just unfolded some of it today as I shared on the blog.

What are your thoughts?

Love you,.................... really , love with the love of the Lord,

Freddy

New Life Groove?

It's my testimony that the Lord has given me new life throughout my life. Even before I was saved I believe God had His hand on me through many, many trials. I used to think that God saving me from drug & alcolhol addiction was the biggest mirical of my life. But three years ago when the doctors told me I had brain cancer, at first I really didn't give it much thought. I just believed that God was going to bring me through. I kept looking for feelings of hopelessness and despair, but I never felt any of that. Even now I feel confidience that the Lord is going to use this moment in my life to bless so many, begining with my family. You know what it's like to have relatives, close relatives that are still on the fence about committing to Christ. But even after they've watched God deliver you from certan death, they still want to do things thier way expecting that things canewill change, or get better. There nothing that conpares to the deliverence of Jesus! But I guess it takes what it takes.

So in spite of the cancer I believe that once again God has come through for me with new life. Another chance to praise Him with all I have. The grove is geting in pocket, or sink, with God. That comes from being, living in and through His word. When you're in sink things go along at a steady clip. Even with bumps, big or small, the winds of the world, changes and storms, God is right there to bring you through anything. When you're in the grove with God you're under His protection and guidence. New life groove, a fresh start within God's protection and all the benefits that afords. There are so many opprotunities within a solid relationship with God. I plan to take advantage of all I can in Him. It's exciting just thinking about it.

Every morning is new, and life can only be found in Christ. Get in His groove.

Blessings,

Freddy

Great Sunday

Yes, it's a great Sunday. Around 4 pm just finished a wonderful dinner, thank you Diana, now I'm ready for a nap. Had a rough morning, but in Christ I made it through. Didn't play in praise team band, but priase and worship was uplifting. We went right form P/W to some powerful prayer. I didn't walk up, but I felt like God had His hand on me throughout the whole process. I plan on playing guitar next week, after rehearsal on Thurs night.

Yea, this week should be a good week for doing some music. Iggy is supposed to come by tomorow night to work on some tracks. Anothr partner, Bleu is also supposed to get with me too. He's a musician from why back that I played with abou five or six years ago. To tell the truth, I'm really not short on projects. One session at a time, and they'll get done.

I've got two groups a week now that are helpful to my support with my drug and alcohol recovery and my sickness with cancer. Tues and Thurs I'm commited, and I think that fills my week out just right. The other days I can spend working on music and I really need to spend more time in the word of God. That would go far in my healing, physically and spiritually.

I'm excited about next week. Thank you Lord for the inspriation.

Bless you,

Freddy

Going Ahead

Today at Mat Talbot Center there was a comencement for memebers of the centers drug/alcohol recovery program. Three men were honored for completing phases of the program. It's good to see men and women make stridws in thier recovery. Many of the articapents come right from the streets, from homelessness. Matt Talbot is just one program in the city that works with patients with an outpatient method. For some it can be hard because there is so much temptation on the streets between the center and thier housing. Also, many of the services they for other issues they are dealing are in the downtown area as well. Sometimes it's a lot to wade through when going from one end of town to the other. That's where strong faith in God can pull one through. And even thought it only takes a small amount of faith to access the power of God, it can be hard to work up to even the smallest bit of faith when you've lived one failure after another. When one can accept that the fight is God's and his/hers, we can stand aside and allow the Lord to move as He can, in victory. And there are so many who have come through the Matt Talbot programs and have stayed clean and sober for years, walking in victroy to victory! Matt Talbot has been doing this for 25 years. Amen!

The Lord has been allowing people from my past to show up in my life lately. Some are people who had gone through drug/alcohol treatment in one of my programs. Some are still clean and sober and some are still struggling finding it harder to get out of the grip of addiction, the grip of sin. That's the real illness, sin. Is it really the dope, the drink that hooks one, or is it fleeting joy of sinning? So many continue to do the same behaviors lying to themselves that things will be different, all the time knowing what's coming. Failure, pain and disapointment. The people that are still clean and sober are a real blessing, reassuring me that recovery in Christ is still the number one method to bliss. There are some who are musicians and ready to get some project done. Be listening for that, I promise it'll be a treat.

It's late now for a young man like myself ( 11:30 pm ) so I'll be going to pray and then to bed.

Night, night all,

Freddy

Humpty Hump

Middle of the week already. Had a pretty good day. Sat in on a recovery meeting at Matt Talbot this morning. We talked about the fight to stay clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. I shared a little bit about my 23 year struggle using drugs. Everyone has a story about using, breaking the law and being unable to quit on thier own. But the highlight of my testimony is how Christ brought me out. I praise the Lord for a chance to speak on His power to overcome. Even addiction, any type of addiction. Being downtown helps me remember where He brought me from, all that it took. Priase God, 18 years clean and sober and still recovering. Always getting better. There's always room to improve. So I like to tell people that it's an on going work, and that's not a bad thing. I spoke to them jjust a little bit anout being blessed with soberity then being told you have cancer. I'm sure some of them find it hard to understand how I'd still count myself blessed. I can't even explain it, but the Lord has given me peace about my condition. So I spend less time tripping and more time giving Him praise. He's given me that.

All praises to Him!

Freddy

Victory Is Mine!

7 am and I feel the best I have in months. Even my pain can't keep me down. Read a little word going to excerise get dressed and shoot down town for a drug/alcohol meeting at the Matt Talbot center.

I'm slowly getting my studio fixed up, but I'm running out of room to put things. So now i have to really put some thought into how to best use the space. It may take me a few arrangements to get it right. But I know I get more excited everyday, just thinking about the tunes that are going to be developed in that little room.

I really think I'm still adjusting to not being able to work, and do for myself like in the recent past. My relationship with Diana and Ericka was much different 3 yrs ago. Ericka and I could just get in the car and go get a slurpee, drive to the beach and kick it. Not anymore. That affects both of us. We try to make the best of it but it's not the same. So I think, am I whole? What does that mean? I can tell myself that sure you're whole Fred, but I don't move like I am. my preciption needs re-tooling. Being whole in Christ is different then being whole in my physical body or mental state. I'm working at it, but I don't have a blue print. Don't know if I'd follow it if I had one. Ha, ha, ha ! I do know I need to take this a step at a time........a step at a time.

Be blessed toady folks,

Freddy

Here We Go Again

Just kidding :) :) it's started out to be another blessed day! I feel like I was able to get going pretty early this morning

Last evening I had to take my mom to ER, after she had been feeling flu like symptoms the past couple of days. Turns out she needed to get her fulids up. So she went home last night and is doing well. Mom has hd illneses in the past when my sisters, brother and were young but hardly anything since we've been grown. So it can be kind of scary when your mom calls and needs you to take her to the hospital. But she's in such great health that I didn't expect to get that call. She had plenty of prayers going up for her. I'll check on her later today.

Friend of mine Iggy, stopped by last night to do some recording. Of all times I couldn't get my one system to record like I usually do so I got stuck trying to figure it out when I had other methods of capturing the tracks. Iggy sounds like he's got a cool ear, and good ideas dealing with the music. So I look forward to working with him. So today after my cancer group I plan to get in the sudio and get my music jumpin'. Oh yea, I'm feelng the Lord bringin' it to me. I've recorded a lot of little pieces, ideas and saved them in a folder to work with them later. Can't wait to see what Diana and Ericka sound like singing on these tracks.

Another friend of mine, Culpepper, an accomplished multi-instrument musician I've know for many years, is scheduled start working out his ideas this week. Culpeper writes his own music and is good at arranging and painting cool pictures with the tones of the instrumentation. I'm looking forward to what types of sounds he'll create. I recorded him about 8 years ago, and I've got the sessions saved somewhere. I need to dig those out so we can compare them. So much to do, where to start?

Nuf for now,

Blessings,

Freddy

Life Is Still Good

What a day what a day! Great start this morning, prayer, breakfast, excerises, and walked the mall. Now I'm ready to have some lunch and then going into the studio and work on some music.

The Lord has blessed me so much in spite of my afliction. I can still so much each day he gives me. Like this morning as I prayed I would be distracted form the pain I'm suffering in my body, which makes it easier to overcome my condition and move ahead with my day. So I keep on pressin' on and I'm encouraged every step of the way. I like going to the mall thru part of my walk I'll sit down and just relax. I can drink some coffee or one of the drinks I bring along. During my sitting time I'm able to people watch. That's the most fun, especially the little kids. It's funny to see the kids work their parents. The grandparents are the funniest. They have trouble keepng up with the little ones who want to run all over the place. Sometimes the kids will stop walking. They want to be carried or sit in the stroller. Parents will try to get them to walk and the kids will just shut down, like thier legs don't work anymore. The parent will end up dragging the kid by the arm across the floor, 'cuase thier little legs don't work anymore. Sometimes you can hear kids crying and screaming from one end of the mall until it's right on top of you. That's don't so much fun, but kids will be kids.

I used to go to the Renton airport after the mall to watch the airplanes come and go, when the weather was beter. Should be able to get back to that soon. I don't know why but I still am facinated by planes. Thes plaanes usually the small ones, though they work on a few jets. But I've never seen them come in or fly out. Now I need to find a place where I can watch race cars. Or maybe go to the dome when the big four wheelers roll all over each other. Again, I don't know why I like that kind of stuff.

Kick back some talk when you get a chance. Just click comments and speak your heart.

God bless,

Freddy

Sunday Bliss

Yes, after a ruff morning, physically, I'm having a much better evening. Didin't make it to church but Diana and I are going to the Community Impact Family meeting tonight. Our church family at ECBF breaks into group 2 Sundays out of the month at a couple families homes. It's a real blessing becuase we look deeper into the word that was preached that Sunday morning service breaking smaller groups, men and women, one person might give there testimony and then we eat until we're about blind. :) :O :) lots of fun.

The sun was out all day, and though I didn't go out in it, the Lord let me enjoy from inside the house where it was warm. Well my wife is tuging at my coat to get on the road, so I'll close right now and hopefully pick-up later this evening.

LOve to ya'll

Freddy

Living & Lovin' Life

Yes, life pretty good now a days. Spent most of today with Ericka. I even plaed Mario on the Wii. What fun driving off the road and bumping into stuff. It's only 8 pm, so I stil have time to do a little music. Don't know if I'll get to it though. It would be nice to spend a little special time with Diana. She had asked out for a date tonight, to see a movie. But we had a wedding we wer supposed to go to. But didn't make it. My hairdresser hasn't shown up yet :) :0 :)

I've been struggling a little today, thinking too much I guess. Gotta get a grip on that, 'cuase it stops me from progressing. The Lord has blessed with talents, and I need to honor Him by using them, getting better at them. My lovily bwife is really talented too. I try to encourage her to write more. She writes stories, poems, song lyrics you name it. The Lor has blessed us to write many songs together, and I look forward to what He's going to give us in the future. I hope to do work with Ericka too. Before my illnes we'd get out the guitar and she'd get in front of the mic and we'd just have a good time into the night. That's how spent our time when her mom had o go out of town. Diana would come home and we'd have a brand new song in the can. She's getting odler so I need to get her recorded before she's off to college. Wow! Just the thought of it is scary. :)

I'll check ya'll out as the new week is upon us

God bless

Freddy Bobo

Another Blessed Day

Yes, He's done it again. The Lord has given me another blessed day. It's about 8:20 pm right now and Diana is at her arts and craft class, so Ericka and I here just chillin' look out for one another. So that means I can't sneak any candy and stuff :) :). So I'll be good and watch a movie with my baby. Oh yea!

There's lots of music floating around in my head. But it can be a struggle get to my guitar or my workstation. Today I felt so sluggish, and then it seemed as though my body pain was extra painful. Doctors still can't figure out what to do. But they tell me to keep pushing through, doing things that bring me joy, like my music. So I have a simple plan for tomorrow, Saturday, to play a little guitar at first, and then record some guitar to the workstation to save any new ideas. A song for Ericka is up next, and I feel like I'm almost there. I've got some things for her to try. Of course Dian's always willing to try something new, so she's in the wings ready to do her thing.

Next week I'm going to start volunteering at Matt Talbot, downtown, doing a drug/alcohol recovery group. That ought to be a fun adventure. I haven't done anything like that in 3-yrs., but I'll just relax and let the Holy Spirit do it's thing through me hoping that everyone, inculding me, will be blessed. It's an honor to be asked to do a group. I wondered if I'd ever do anything like that again. To give of my time and experience is the least I can do for the Lord.

Hey, I got one thing done this past week on my honey do list. A brother from the church came over and did some painting for us. A few walls needed painting after having some work done in the past. Took me a while but it was taken care of. I really can't take much credit 'cause Diana I think talked to the brother first :) :) but I did have to follow through. There it is. On to the next project.

Real sore so got ta go.
Love ya'll

God bless,

Freddy