Updated Johnson Family Web

Hey, I updated the family web site, including a new Guestbook. Be sure to stop by and check out the new front page. I have some work to do with the picture galleries but think it works fine for now.

http://johnsonfamilyweb.net/

See ya!

Went to Church last night

I had some tickets to see the Blind Boys of Alabama with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band last night at the swank Foundation Performing Arts Center on the campus of Isothermal Community College up in Spindale, NC. WNCW put me on the guest list when I was working the phones on Saturday (another great perk for answering the phones on the fund drive). It was an incredible show that sounded great and really moved me. It was Gospel at it's finest and the hertitage and feeling of New Orleans permeated throughout the 2 sets. My friend from Freedom, Steven Somers, went and we both agreed it was a fantastic show that featured rich and deep vocals with excellent musicial chops all around. Check out some pictures here: Blind Boys at Isothermal

Of course, I recorded the sets and the recording turned out fantastic. I have been uploading to friends and fans all day on the internet and listening while I work. It's one of the reasons I moved here, to be able to go and enjoy music on a week night or weekend without having to drive dangerously long hours after the show to get home. I was in the bed by 11:30pm with a song in my head and smile on my face!

Life Group tonight as we continue focusing on Love and Respect in our marriage. It's been a great series so far and I think Tricia and I are both learning ways to improve our communication to avoid all the crazy cycles that come from poor communication. I may never be able to understand her completely but at least I can learn to communicate with her on a level that brings us closer and fortifies our marriage bond.

Ok, a little more work to finish. If anyone wants a Labradoodle puppy, let me know. My neighbor has 3 and she wants to find homes for 2 of them. They look to be about 2 -3 months. See ya!

Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning

Random thoughts this morning:

> Dylan and I had a corporal punishment moment this Sunday after church after his Mom explained to me how bad his behavior and attitude were during church today. It definitely caught him by surprise and stung more than a little since the belt was involved. He got the message and I think Miles did too.

> I write about that lesson for Dylan because it's never easy to hurt our children and I later in the afternoon told him how much it hurt me. But, I also told him it hurt me more to have him act so ugly in public, especially at church and towards others. He got the message. He made need a reminder, just like the rest of us. God have mercy on us all.

> Miles, Dylan and Tricia were out of school yesterday (Miles and Dylan were off on Friday too) and I did get to spend some time with Dylan yesterday after work. He and I took Keller down to the creek for a romp. On the way down there, I noticed a snake in our path. Dylan didn't see it but I stopped us about 5 feet from the snake. I think it was a Pine snake. Keller did his best to investigate but after we poke it with a stick (to make sure it wasn't a Copperhead) it crawled into the hollow of the tree it was near. Dylan was thankful I saw it. Later we hung out in the backyard and pulled some weeds and played on the zip line. I gave him $2 for helping as we did pull a bunch of those darn mustard weeds off the hill. I'm just thankful we don't have the wild onion problem we did in Sumter. It was great to hang with Dylan and just enjoy the sunshine and cool afternoon temps. It doesn't get much better than that!

> Saturday, after Dylan's end of the year soccer banquet, I went up to Spindale, NC to work WNCW's fall fund drive. It's always a blast to go there and hang out with the DJs and staff at the greatest radio station in the world. I also picked up a pair of tickets to see the Blind Boys of Alabama with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band tonight at the swank theatre there on the college campus (Isothermal Community College). I'm going with a friend from Freedom, as it's a school night for Tricia. We also got the pleasure of hanging out with Jim Lauderdale, who came by to pitch for the drive too. Saturdays are always a fun time as it's bluegrass for 8 hours and you get some very interesting phone calls during that show.

> Although Clemson lost to a very tough Ga Tech team (they own us throughout our history of games with them), I am proud of how the campus and Tiger nation came together for the game and the healing after Tommy Bowden's departure. We have a long way to go but can only move forward now. A win would have been over the top good but that's a difficult thing right now and won't get any easier with the injuries and Boston College and Florida State up next. I just hope we can beat Duke for the Homecoming since we will be there!

Ok, got some work to finish. More later. See ya!

Bobby D's words

Somewhere in line behind the words of Jesus, the words of James, John, and Neil Young, the words of Bob Dylan have made such a difference in how I live and see the world. Lately, politics have turned into a shouting match inside my head. On my walk with Keller today in the rain, I was listening to the recently released alternative version of "Mississippi" from Bob Dylan's Tell Tale Signs set. It could not have been more poignant and striking to me. Keller was clueless of my moment; but, that's why we have good dogs in our life: to remind us that running down a trail in the pouring rain is a true joy of life! See ya!

Mississippi

Every step of the way we walk the line
Your days are numbered, so are mine
Time is pilin' up, we struggle and we scrape
We're all boxed in, nowhere to escape

City's just a jungle, more games to play
Trapped in the heart of it, trying to get away
I was raised in the country, I been workin' in the town
I been in trouble ever since I set my suitcase down

Got nothing for you, I had nothing before
Don't even have anything for myself anymore
Sky full of fire, pain pourin' down
Nothing you can sell me, I'll see you around

All my powers of expression and thoughts so sublime
Could never do you justice in reason or rhyme
Only one thing I did wrong
Stayed in Mississippi a day too long

Well, the devil's in the alley, mule's in the stall
Say anything you wanna, I have heard it all
I was thinkin' about the things that Rosie said
I was dreaming I was sleeping in Rosie's bed

Walking through the leaves, falling from the trees
Feeling like a stranger nobody sees
So many things that we never will undo
I know you're sorry, I'm sorry too

Some people will offer you their hand and some won't
Last night I knew you, tonight I don't
I need somethin' strong to distract my mind
I'm gonna look at you 'til my eyes go blind

Well I got here following the southern star
I crossed that river just to be where you are
Only one thing I did wrong
Stayed in Mississippi a day too long

Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drownin' in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothin' but affection for all those who've sailed with me

Everybody movin' if they ain't already there
Everybody got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now

My clothes are wet, tight on my skin
Not as tight as the corner that I painted myself in
I know that fortune is waitin' to be kind
So give me your hand and say you'll be mine

Well, the emptiness is endless, cold as the clay
You can always come back, but you can't come back all the way
Only one thing I did wrong
Stayed in Mississippi a day too long

Copyright ©1997 Special Rider Music

Neighbors

I want to use this post to write about neighbors. Having good neighbors is key to a good life. Neighbors who watch out for you when you are gone and when you are home, neighbors willing to watch and feed your pets while you are gone and neighbors who are willing to lend a hand when needed are gifts from God. Tricia and I are extremely blessed to have neighbors like this all around us in our new neighborhood.

My neighbor, Barry, not only helped me unload the U-Haul on Sunday night; but, he always followed me in my van to the U-Haul return center and waited for me while I turned in the van. They also watched and feed Keller and Shadow last weekend while we were in Sumter. Barry and Linda are good neighbors and good friends! Thanks Barry! Thanks Linda!

I hope some of you watched the PBS Frontline special about the Presidential election candidates last night. It was a well-rounded 2 hour special on the 2 men and their histories and how they arrived at this moment. Tricia and I remained interested the entire 2 hours, a rarity indeed.

So far, the feeling about our interim coach at Clemson, Dabo Swinney, has been nothing but positive. I have given him credit for our great recruits of late and now see him as the motivator we needed to make use of the great recruits. My good friend, Jock Hendricks, who is the worship leader at Alice Drive Baptist, said this about Tommy Bowden , "He's like the nerd dating the super model, he doesn't know what to do with what he has, much less where to take her on a date." I think Dabo may have some ideas on where to take his date. Saturday at 12pm will show us if he has some idea of what to do with the talent. It's gonna be a wild ride no matter what!

Off to walk with Keller and get the family off to school!

See ya!

A new chapter

Well, the axe fell yesterday.  Tommy Bowden and Clemson parted after nearly 10 years together.  It's a new chapter for the Clemson football team.  I saw it coming, thought it was something that needed to happen but not 100% I thought it would happen mid-season.  Now, we have to rally the team and somehow salvage what's left of this season.  I wish Tommy the best in his pursuits and in life.  I think Dabo will do a fine job for the rest of the season and we will see what the end of the season brings.

This past weekend's reunion festivities were so much fun for us.  Although we didn't make it to the SHS football game on Friday and then missed the family day picnic on Saturday, we made the most of the dinner/dance on Saturday night.  I think Tricia was a little nervous about the reunion; but, it didn't take long for her to see we were in for a fun time.  It was great to see so many friends from high school that I hadn't seen since graduation day.  We had a great party and I look forward to catching up with everyone on Facebook and online soon.  In fact, we have been very busy with Facebook in the last couple of weeks and even more since the reunion.  Lots of friends in some really good spots in life and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves just like us.  

After hanging with the family on Sunday, we made it to Alice Drive for a very stirring sermon #1 from Clay Smith on elections and the Christian role.  It was not what you might find at every other Southern Baptist church and I thank God for Clay's gift and vision.  It's not easy to stand up and say things that make everyone uncomfortable, regardless of political slant.  It was so amazing that Tricia and I had the very same conversation on the way to Sumter on Friday and God used that conversation as a great lead to Clay's sermon.  I am going to make a strong effort to get the remaining 3 sermons of this series that will end before election day.  

On the way back to Greer, we stopped in Irmo.  I should also mention we had a U-Haul truck with us.  We pulled out of my sister Susan's drive-way with the dining room suite and a 56 inch rear projection Sony TV.  The house has definitely changed and still in settling process.  That TV is a 2003 model and we picked it up for a low $500 and it looks great in our living room in place of  the former 26 inch TV.  That 26 inch TV is now up in the hangout room for the boys.  They are really excited about the new TV.  Tricia is really excited about the dining room!  I think the TV will last more than a few years and be a great bridge until I can afford a OLED TV.  That dining room suite was my Mom's suite originally and Susan is getting a new set.  This set had been promised to Tricia and she waited very patiently for MANY years!  It cost me right at $200 for the U-Haul and the fuel.  MUCH, MUCH cheaper than a new suite and it's actually furniture made in the USA.  Wow!  Can you believe it?  They once made furniture here in the USA?  I thought China was the only place anything was made!  

Last night, we went to Miles' Upward football banquet.  He had a great time playing this year and learned that football is not easy!  Just ask Tommy Bowden!  Ok, time for my walk! 

Have a great day and hope to see you soon!  Go Tigers!  

See ya!

High School Redo

This weekend is my 20th high school reunion. Well, I think that is some kind of sign you might be getting old...your 20th High School reunion. I haven't attended any of the previous year reunions, so this should be interesting. It's also amazing how quickly Facebook has connected most of us recently too. Folks that I haven't seen or talked to or even thought about in 15 to 20 years have suddenly been added as friends in Facebook. Many of us have held "mini-reunions" via Facebook lately but there are still many who still have yet to make any contact or presence online.

We are leaving tomorrow after school and heading to the Sumter High football game with the boys. As long as the rain holds up, we should have a great time. Then Saturday, we have a family day planned at the high school followed by a dinner/dance with the rest of the alumni.

It's amazing how fast 20 years have gone by and it's going to be interesting to see how friends have changed during this time. Of course, when you are in high school, it's your world. Your life expands focus almost immediately after high school graduation and it's never the same. Who still lingers in the high school party and who has grown with life will be the key observation of the weekend. Hopefully, I find myself in the later.

We are also going to stop by Susan's place and get the dining room suite she has had since she got married. The suite belonged to my Mom and Tricia has been waiting so patiently for her turn. Our current table has been with us since a friend gave it to us back in Tacoma in 1997. It will be something different to have furniture in the dining room that matches! Tricia and I have waited through several "almost purchased" false warnings from Susan. We decided to hold her feet to the fire and will have the U-Haul in the driveway this Sunday after church!!!

Hope you have a great weekend. Miles and I are sitting her watching the Clemson v. Wake Forest game and it's not going so good so far. Come on Tigers! It's not or never!

See ya!