The Duh Factor

2014-04-12T12:50:00.007-06:00

The Beta Sessions has been released!

2014-01-13T09:20:00.001-07:00

My new album The Beta Sessions is coming 2/18/14~

Professionalism

2013-11-06T08:59:00.001-07:00

Call me old fashioned, but I think there should remain a certain level of professionalism when patronizing a place of business. Don't get me wrong, on the flip side of the coin over-professionalism is just as annoying. Case in point:

Tech Support: "Thank you for calling Brand X. How may I help you?"

Are you really thankful that I'm calling Tech Support? The only reason I have for calling you is that your product isn't behaving as it should or isn't working at all. For this you are thankful? I'm not thankful but rather I'm a little ticked off and I'm not liking your or your product at the moment. For this you are thankful? It's nice to know that my misery is your happiness.

But I digress.

What I'm referring to is a local fast-food joint here no longer thanks your for choosing them nor do they welcome you to their store. At the Drive-Thru you get greeted by: "Hey, how's it goin'?" Seriously? Who am I? Your pot-smokin' crony? What's next week's greeting going to be? "Duuuude, 'sup?"

If you want to keep it casual I'm down with that. But how about greeting in a manner that you acknowledge that I'm here and that you are ready to serve? Something like: "Hi! Order when you're ready!" Still casual. Still pleasant. Still making the customer or guest feel like they are a priority and not just one of the guys.

Yesterday morning I swung into the bank drive through to make a deposit. The teller took the money, made the deposit, sent me my receipt and said, "OK, Derek. I made that deposit. Is there anything else I can do for you, buddy?"

I'M NOT YOUR BUDDY!!!!

Are You 1 in a Million?

2013-10-09T22:03:00.000-06:00

I'm looking for 1,000,000 people to download my entire Christmas Instrumental Rock CD for $1! No catch. 10 songs for $1. Why? Because it hasn't been done before. At least not that I know of. Go to https://derekclose.bandcamp.com/album...

Traveling Abroad

2012-11-27T14:25:00.001-07:00

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, my wife and I drove over to the Seattle Area to visit and consume turkey with my side of the family. We had a lovely trip and got to see a few old friends as well. What really made the trip interesting is that my hometown has changed quite a bit.

There are quite a few "strange" folks walking the streets at any given time. There are 3 that stand out.

Subjects #1 & #2

We came across these fellows at the gas station on while getting our fill up of fuel and snacks before heading out of town. The first gentleman had a Duck Dynasty style scraggly beard, baseball cap, jacket and didn't look like a street person. As I was filling up the car with gas he was standing by the far corner of the building. With one finger pointed up in front of him, he was looking up and giving somebody the what for. I looked around and couldn't figure out who he was talking to nor could I understand what he was saying. But he was letting somebody have it.

After a minute or so he quit yappin' and started walking toward the front of the store. Then he turned around, started yappin' again and returned to his previous place of conversation. Fortunately for me, the tank was now full so I high tailed it into the store. You know, just in case he was yelling at me.

After paying for our supplies my wife and I exited the store to find that Old Yeller now had a companion. This younger gentleman did have a look of possibly being a street person and carried himself in a manner akin to being mentally ill. As we walked to the waiting sanctuary of our vehicle says, "Heeeey! I know you. I've seen you before."

We weren't sure who he was talking to nor did we wait to find out. Treating the situation as one would coming across a moose in the wild we made no eye contact or sudden movements.

Subject #3

My wife and I are standing outside the door of our motel room enjoying a tobacco product when I hear a car horn: Beep, beep! This is one of those high pitched horns that says, "You had better get out of my way or my little grandma is coming after you!" So I mimicked the horn sound with my mouth, "Hermp, hermp!" The car honked again (or at least another one like it did) so I again answered in kind, "Hermp, hermp!"

Unbeknownst to me, a man of questionable character is walking up the street while I was conversing with the automobile. He stopped and looked over at us. My wife says, "I think he's looking at you." So I look over and sure enough, this guy is looking right at me. As I'm watching him watch me, he leans forward and squints like he's getting a real good look. He then stands back upright and starts trucking down the hill toward the street corner, back the way he just came.

I'm not exactly sure what a "hermp, hermp" triggers but this guy knows.

He hits the corner and turns toward us. With a bit of uneasiness my wife states, "He's coming this way." So we turn around and I get out the key card for the door.

Wife: "He's getting closer."
I slide the key in and pull it out. The indicator light flashes green. The door doesn't unlock.
Wife: "He's still coming."
Put key in, pull key out, no light, no unlocked door
Wife: "He's right behind you!"
Key in, out, flash, door unlocks, opens, in we go, door closed.

I look out the peephole but he's nowhere to be found. Not sure where he went but as long as he's gone we're happy.

Wife: "You know how some people have that crazy look?"
Me: "Yeah."
Wife: "Well he had a look of crazy with a purpose!"

Moo Moo Clank - Free Song Download

2012-07-13T16:27:00.000-06:00

Here's a little song I composed just for the fun of it. It's free for download if you like it. Enjoy!

Movie Sequels

2011-04-08T21:59:00.002-06:00

Why is it that movie makers feel the need to capitalize on a movie's success by releasing sequels? Sure, some movie sequels are great. On the other hand some are just Movie #1 all over again in a different location. Or they are just plain awful. Just how many times are they going to free Willy? (I never watched any of those movies so I don't know if they freed Willy in each one.) But I'm not writing this to go over good and bad sequels. Rather I'm here to talk about naming them.

Some sequels are fine with just a number after the title. Like Toy Story, Toy Story 2 & Toy Story 3. That works. Others are kind of strange. Take the Rambo movies for instance: First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III & Rambo. Shouldn't it be First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo II: First Blood Part III & Rambo III: First Blood part IV? Or even more logical would be First Blood, Second Blood, Third Blood & Fourth Blood.

The reason this subject is even taking up any space in my brain is that I recently saw the trailer for Scream 4. Naming your movie Scream is pretty bland but not too bad. Scream 2 just sounds weird. So do Scream 3 and Scream 4. Why couldn't they be a little creative with naming these films? I would have named them Scream, Scream Again, Scream Some More & Still Screaming.

Black Friday

2011-03-24T09:35:00.004-06:00

I recently read an article where the basic message was do what you do and hope people love or hate it. If people love it, they'll spread the word. If people hate it, they'll spread the word. If they are indifferent, they'll remain silent.

Someone can vehemently spout hatred for something with the result of having somebody checking it out and liking it. Same goes for the reverse. One can check something out to see how great it is only to find out that the hype is just hype and the "thing" actually sucks.

It makes sense to me. Would you like a real life example? Rebecca Black and her "hit" single, Friday.

People are viewing the YouTube vid like it's going out of style. It had 42,970,631 views upon the writing of this article. Most of the views are off bad press. But guess what? Friday is #39 on the iTunes chart outselling Justin Bieber and Katy Perry.

Somebody is makin' a little cash off of bad press. Not to mention a video gone viral and a whole lot of people now know who Rebecca Black is.

What do I think of the song, you ask? With it's Auto-Tune fortitude, above and beyond ultra lame lyrics and a 13-year-old who has probably already peaked in her music career, I think it sucks.

And thanks to my negative review and taking the time to write about it I've only helped fuel the movement.

Me and my big mouth.

3 Groovin' Kings

2010-11-03T12:34:00.002-06:00

Three kings from the East are following a star that is taking them West. They've been traveling through the desert for quite some time when they decide to stop for a little rest. And a little jam session.

The result is 3 Groovin' Kings. This new take on an old classic is now available on iTunes.

Spread the word!

Product Branding

2010-06-29T10:00:00.002-06:00

Ever notice how when a company comes out with a new product that all the other companies' products that follow suit get called the pioneering company's name? Like Jet Ski? Weed Eater? Band Aid? A company called Jet Ski created a Personal Water Craft and everybody called it by it's brand name, "Jet Ski". Then all the other Personal Water Crafts like it were called Jet Ski too even though there was only one company called Jet Ski.

What's my point? Irritating Branding Nonsense. Sing with me:

"I am stuck on Band Aid Brand 'cause Band Aid's Stuck on me!"

When I was a kid the word "Brand" wasn't in that jingle. It was merely:

"I am stuck on Band Aid, 'cause Band Aid's Stuck on me!"

Somewhere somebody decided they needed to set the pinnacle of adhesive bandages apart from the others by adding "Brand" to it. Most people I know call any adhesive bandage "Band Aid" regardless of who makes it. So why did Johnson & Johnson have to add "Brand" to their already cool Band Aid name? I dunno. I still hate the word "Brand" in the jingle. Throws off the meter.

This reminds me of playing with Legos as a child. One day I decided I must read the entire instruction booklet including all of the fine print. Much to my dismay I discovered that all of us children who loved our Legos were doing it wrong. The note read something like this:

"Please refer to this product as "Lego Brand Building Blocks" and not "Legos" blah, blah, blah."

I can't remember the exact wording but it was something like that.

Now what kid is going to say "Lego Brand Building Blocks" when they can just say "Legos"? None that I know of. Hand me that red Lego Brand Building block with the two dots on the top. No, not that one. The other one next to the yellow Lego Brand Building block that's square with the four dots. Hey Billy! Wanna come over and play with my Lego Brand Building Blocks? How dumb does that sound?

I think for vacation this year we will go visit Lego Brand Building Blocks Land. And if I get a cut I sure hope I have a Band Aid Brand adhesive bandage!

Headline Nonsense

2009-09-20T22:11:00.001-06:00

Here's a headline from CNN on Sunday, Sept. 20:

Kid scores 1,019,000 on Guitar Hero

Big freakin' deal. I'm sure the college recruiters are lining up at this kid's door.

Lung Ailment Caused by Spoon Fragment

2009-09-19T13:07:00.002-06:00

John Manley has suffered two years of ill health, coughing, vomiting and pain. Finally a doctor, using an endoscope, looked into John's lungs and found the problem. The culprit? A plastic spoon handle from Wendy's. They are calling it a fragment but when you can read "Wendy's" on one side and "hamburgers" on the other, one must ascertain that it was a decent sized chunk.

Now John doesn't recall chowing on a spoon so he said it must have been in either the food or drink. If it was in the food, one would think it would have been discovered by the teeth. I've eaten hamburger with a piece of bone or cartilage in it that was quite easily discovered once it came between my teeth. And it was pretty small. Certainly not large enough to print "Wendy's" on it. If one were eating fast enough I guess there's the possibility of the plastic being missed.

If the handle were in the drink I could understand it going past the teeth undetected. Since fast-food beverages are routinely consumed via straw, I can't imagine a fragment large enough to have legible print on it to be able to pass through the straw. In either case, how did the plastic get into the lung?

That's probably where the saying "inhaling your food" comes from.

Obamanomics

2009-04-05T13:18:00.003-06:00

I found this photo to be quite humorous. Why? Because it's funny! Now I had somebody tell me:

"To be fair to him, no he didn't do that. No one person is to blame, and I am personally shocked at the fact that a group of people could so easily condemn one man for what is obviously a broad spectrum of factors contributing in a global economic meltdown."

Obviously Obama isn't solely responsible for the economic situation we are in at the moment. The plane started losing altitude before he took office. I don't think it takes an above average I.Q. to understand that if an airplane is losing altitude that the best way to correct it is to put the plane into a nosedive.

And yes, that is exactly what he's doing.

The R-Word

2009-04-04T21:04:00.003-06:00

In an ever increasing attempt to eliminate any potential chance of offending anyone, anywhere, at any time, a new movement has arisen to classify the word “retard” and any derivative as a hate word. They are even going as far as to say “The r-word”. So from henceforth, we'll refrain from use of the r-word in it's traditional form. First let's look at the definition of the word:

R-Word
–verb (used with object)
1. to make slow; delay the development or progress of (an action, process, etc.); hinder or impede.
–verb (used without object)
2. to be delayed
–noun
3. a slowing down, diminution, or hindrance, as in a machine.
Slang: Disparaging
4. a. a mentally r-worded persaon
b. a person who is stupid, obtuse, or ineffective in some way: a hopeless social r-word.
5. Automotive, Machinery. an adjustment made in the setting of the distributor of an internal-combustion engine so that the spark for ignition in each cylinder is generated later in the cycle.

Definition #4 is showing where the derogatory use of the word originates. So therefore there is a negative use for the r-word. On the other hand there is regular use in practical, every day living for the r-word also. This is especially true in the Automotive Industry. When adjusting the timing on an engine, one either advances the timing or r-words it. Imagine the conversation in an auto shop:

Hank: This engine ain't runnin' right.
Merl: The timing is too far advanced.
Hank: What do you think I should do?
Merl: You need to r-word it you moron!

Sounds r-worded doesn't it? I think so too.

It doesn't matter what terminology is used to describe those with challenges it will be used by the majority as an insult for somebody who isn't challenged who does something stupid. Here's a list thus far:

R-word, R-worded – used originally to describe a person with a birth defect affecting the development of their brain. If a person who wasn't born with this defect does something against the grain of common sense, the response was, “Are you r-worded?” or “Don't be such an r-word!”

Mentally Challenged/Handicapped – used in place of the r-word to describe a person with a birth defect affecting the development of their brain. If a person who wasn't born with this defect does something against the grain of common sense, the response was, “Are ya mental?”

Special Education, Special Ed – used to describe the education provided for those with a birth defect affecting the development of their brain. If a person who wasn't born with this defect does something against the grain of common sense, the response was, “You're such a SpEd!”

To further accentuate the “Special” ones, the school system used smaller buses to transport those with special needs to and from school. Unfortunately, being a smaller group of individuals, their bus was obviously not as long as the other buses hauling students around. Therefore the insult used for a person who wasn't born with this defect does something against the grain of common sense, the response was, “And you ride the short bus.”

If this whole “r-word” movement takes effect the next insult will be, “Don't be such an r-word!”

The Special Olympics are spearheading this movement. Don't they have enough to do already? Don't they have better things to spend the organization's funds on? Now I have total respect for those who work with the mentally handicapped. They have a patience and wisdom that is far beyond me. But to make the r-word a hate word is completely r-worded!

What makes the r-word so different that other degrogatory words used to describe people? First of all, the r-word has different uses: Some positive, one negative. The n-word (I find the use of this word offensive) has only 1 use and it's derogatory to people African decent. Spic has only 1 use and it's degrogatory mainly towards Mexicans but is used against those of Latin American decent. At least it's a derivative of Hispanic and last time I checked Hispanic wasn't an offensive word. Wop, used against Italians, supposedly got it's use during the mass immigration to the United States. It's what was written on the backs of those who didn't have papers. W-O-P was written and it meant Without Papers.

It seems to me that nobody really knows the meaning of all three of those words, n-word, wop and spic. The only thing the dictionary says is “slang, disparaging” against a particular race. The r-word isn't solely a word used as disparaging slang. It has other meanings too.

As an American caucasian male I've been called a yankee or yank (Dang straight!), a honky (A what? I still have no idea what a “honky” is.), and a cracker (I must be a Ritz!). None of these words offends me in any way. Why? They hold no meaning for me or anybody I know. But dang-nabbit! If the r-word is going to be changed to the r-word then from here on out honkey is the h-word, yankee is the y-word, and cracker is the c-word! Ok, now I'm being r-worded.

Do I think we should call people who are mentally challenged r-words? Absolutely not! We shouldn't refer to them as stupid, idiots or addled either. They may be mentally challenged but they are smart enough to know when they are being insulted. They may be mentally challenged but they have feelings too. They are human. They are people. Therefore they need to be given the same love and respect that we all desire.

If the r-word gets changed to the r-word just think of the strange ramafications it will have on the Enlish language:

If the engine is pinging try r-wording the timing 5 degrees.
This clothing is not flame r-wordant.

To me the whole thing is just retarded.

Silly Scientists, Lungs Aren't For Frogs

2008-04-13T11:47:00.001-06:00

I read an article on CNN today about the discovery of a lungless frog. That's right. A species of frog that doesn't have any lungs. Oxygen is absorbed through the skin. They say that the frog got rid of its lungs (due to an evolutionary process) to reduce buoyancy so they could avoid being swept away in the fast moving rivers they call home.

They are also worried about the illegal mining and logging that is clogging the rivers of Croakus Non-Lungous with silt. These acts are causing the frogs to run out of living space. I do not really understand their worry. If the frogs got rid of their lungs to adapt to river dwelling. Then they should be able to grow them back to live on land.

Stupid Scientists.

God Is A Crutch!

2007-12-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard this: "God is just a crutch!" For me, it has been plenty. For the longest time I didn't know how respond to this statement. If I say, "No He's not." then I'm lying by declaring I don't need Him. If I say, "Yes He is." then I've admitted to my own weakness, and playing into that statement, I'm just using God as the fall guy. It's a Catch 22.

The other day this statement came to my mind. Not sure why as I haven't heard the The Crutch Argument in quite some time. But then it hit me. God is a crutch that I lean on daily. If it weren't for my "crutch" I wouldn't make it. Define it. It: Eternal life in paradise. Without my crutch, I spend eternal life separated from God.

God is a crutch that everyone is going to lean on eventually. Those who reject the truth until it's too late will try and lean on the crutch at Judgment only to have it ripped out from underneath them. "I never knew you."

What it boils down to is at what point in our lives are we going to lean on God? As soon as we hear the Good News? Sometime after pondering the truth and realizing it to be truth? Or after death when the crutch is no longer an option? I chose a long time ago to lean on God. And my life has been the better for it.

What I Have Learned - Forgiveness

2007-08-14T12:40:00.000-06:00

Forgiveness is a main key to our relationship with Christ. God forgave us a huge debt that we don't deserve to be forgiven of. Why should we not forgive others of their tiny debt?

Welcome to Derek's Discovery of Forgiveness.

Long story short. My dad left home when I was six. Resentment built over the years and really materialized in my teen years. I really didn't care if I saw him again. Then he called me when I was 18. He apologized for leaving and asked for forgiveness. I forgave him. I know it was real becuase it immediately felt like a 2-ton weight came off my shoulders.

But the forgiveness was not complete. I found myself getting bitter and resenting him whenever I thought about the past. I had to continually forgive him. Then around Feb. March of last year, I realized I was rehashing the past in my mind again. But this time was different. I wasn't getting all worked up. I wasn't angry. A little sad over the lost years, but not angry or bitter. At last the forgiveness was complete.

What's interesting is that it took about 13 years for my dad to come to a place in life to humble himself and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness was given but it took 13 years for it to become complete. Sounds like a long time and it was. But it's complete.

And since that breakthrough I've found it much easier to forgive other people and issues of the past. And I feel so free!

Unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment doesn't hurt those who've wronged us. It only hurts the one who can't or won't forgive. If we don't forgive, we're being self-destructive.

It's our job to forgive and ask forgiveness. If we need forgiveness then we need to go to the one we've wronged and humbly ask. Then it's their job to forgive. And if they won't, it becomes their problem.

Holy Smokes!

2007-04-28T22:47:00.000-06:00

Man is it dusty in here! I need a maid!

Just a really quick note to let everyone know that the recording is going well! We're almost done. I only have 1 more song to get the bass tracks done and then it's all up to Dan to put together LOL. Sometimes being the bass player has its perks!

Anyway it's all good!

God bless both of you who stop by here from time to time!

Have a great weekend!

Back In The Saddle

2007-02-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaaack! Back in the saddle again!

What does that mean? Does it mean I'm going to be blogging more often again? Maybe. What it really means is that I'm getting back into music. And I must say that I'm thoroughly stoked! If you didn't know this already, I'm a bass player. I played in quite a number of bands from 1988 to 1999. Then my musical pursuits came to a screeching halt.

But just recently that has changed. I entered a video contest put on by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I also put myself up as an artist on MySpace and ShoutLife. This led to meeting Dan & Barb Johnson of Sanctyfied. And Dan has invited me to play bass on their next CD called Flying High! scheduled for a Fall/Winter release. How cool is that? I thought so too!

I'm still going to be working closely with Nathan Creek on an upcoming mega hard rock/metal project that's currently in the planning stages. Along with playing on the worship team at church and helping out a few others with their songs, I can honestly say I'm gettin' very musically busy! I'm just giddy with excitement. I know, "giddy" isn't quite the manly word to use but what can I say?

I can say this: God is sooooooooo good! He's the one who's provided these opportunities for me. Thanks, God! You truly are great!

Stay tuned for greatness!

Morning Worship

2007-01-21T22:40:00.001-07:00

Today was pretty normal Sunday. I got up and went to the early service, played on the Worship Team, went home and picked up my family so we all could attend the later service together. It was during worship at the 2nd service that things went awry. The second song we sang was new to us. It's called "The Stand" by Hillsong United. The lyrics are as follows:

You stood before creation
Forever within Your hand
You spoke all life into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin went upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

I walk upon salvation
The Spirit of light in me
My soul to declare Your promise
My life in Your hands

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

When we got to "You stood before my failure / Carried the Cross for my shame" I got choked up. I couldn't sing any more. I tried. Before I knew it tears were coming from my eyes. I could only close my eyes and raise a hand while the congregation continued to sing.

It really hit me hard what Christ did for us. Taking my failures, my sin, my shame, long before I was born, and nailed them to a tree. He let them hang there in agony for at least 3 hours. He took those things to the grave with him. But 3 days later He rose from the dead. He came out of the grave alive once again.

But my sin. My failures. My shame. Remain buried to this day.

And yours are buried too.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

2007-01-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is currently running a contest. They have taken their song "Wizards in Winter" and removed certain parts, ie. guitar, bass, drums, or keyboards. Then you make a video of you playing the removed part of choice along with the song and upload it to YouTube.

Here's the link to my entry in the bass category:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNBcX3v175g

Feedback is appreciated.

Enjoy!

'Twas the Night, or Rather Early Morning

2006-12-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!

Have a blessed Holiday Season by whichever name you call it. I call it Christmas.

For without Christ, it's just a mess.

Cracking Jokes

2006-11-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Microsoft made a funny yesterday. I about fell out of my chair I laughed so hard. Here is what they said:

Vista is finished.

Our Village Idiot Teaches History

2006-09-29T09:31:00.000-06:00

I've often wondered what's wrong with kids today. But I've come to the conclusion that it's not all the kids' fault. (Granted some kids are just bad eggs and need to be flushed.) There are quite a number of teachers out there who, quite frankly, shouldn't be telling our kids anything.

The other day my 13-year-old, 8th grade son informs my wife and I where cocaine comes from. The cocao bean! And that's why chocolate can be so addictive. After a mild fit of laughter we ask him where he got this information from. He said it was his History Teacher.

You've got to be kidding me!

First of all, I never new that cocaine was really a part of American History. At least not enough to substantiate a quick lesson on the how to's of extracting cocaine from your Hershey bar. What was this "teacher" thinking? Obviously they weren't.

So we held a short, brain-cleansing debriefing session to undo the potential damage. We let him know that cocaine comes from the coca leaf and chocolate is made from the cocao bean. There isn't any cocaine in chocolate, cocoa, Cocoa Puffs or Coca-Cola. Well, at least not any more. We printed out the facts off of the internet and sent it with him to give to his teacher. Makes me wonder what other complete nonsense this person "teaches" our kids.

So we set the record straight: Cocaine comes from coca leaves, chocolate from cocao beans, and his History Teacher is full of caca.

In All Things

2006-09-18T11:55:00.000-06:00

Paul told the believers in Philipi that he had learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. (Philippians 4:10-13) "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

But long before Paul said it, another had already put being content into practice. Habakkuk had put a few gripes before the Lord pretty much asking God why He tolerates injustice. After God assured Habakkuk that all would be well, Habakkuk said "I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us." After which he says:

17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
(Habakkuk 3:17-19)

What shall we do then? Complain, rant and rave when things aren't going our way? Or brag and gloat when things are going great? Nope.

We're to rejoice in the Lord! We're to be content. If we have our eyes stayed on Jesus, the circumstances around us are merely that: circumstances around us. God is our strength. God is our provider. He promises to take care of us.

And He doesn't lie.