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