5 things for halloween week

FYI - this post has nothing to do with halloween at all, but I WILL be carving a pumpkin and roasting pumpkin seeds with my bride tomorrow!

1. I don't know what exactly to say that I'm thankful for but - I just played with the Jacksonville Symphony - and it is the best orchestra I have ever played with. It was exhilarating!! Sure we weren't playing huge staples of the literature (it was a halloween concert complete with Harry Potter and Hall of the Mountain King) but it was AWESOME. To get technical - it was amazing to be a part of an orchestra where I didn't have to wonder if the strings were going to be able to play the music, the woodwinds would be in tune, the principal trumpet would actually lead the brass section, and whether or not the horns would actually be able to hit the high notes (much less in tune). It was truly humbling and enlightening experience. So....I'm thankful for it.

2. Passion - without it, #1 wouldn't have been possible. Musicians do a unique thing, and when there is passion behind it, it's just that much better.

3. Dave - my friend dave myslinski came down - he's a suit who works for ALEC as the director of their educational task force. We were school mates together at rutgers and he had a conference down here, and just decided to make it a week-long vacation to visit me and keep me company while Ashley is in Dallas. He's a fun pal and we went gun shopping. He's also my go to guy for when I don't understand what's going on in politics, or I need to know the dirt on a particular candidate.

4. US Navy - as far as I know (and I may have already been thankful for this via blog), I make more than probably 80% of my colleagues in the professional trombonist realm (and probably more than most of my colleagues my age).

5. The sermon that I heard on tithing - 10% of the first fruits. God says test Him - so we are doing it. My car sold after this decision and our first action regarding it - allowing me to fix the tinting on the mustang, and do other maintenance things needed and pay off another credit card.

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow....

no matter how big or small.