“Blues for Antonio”… an Evening of Sacred Blues
Wow! I had almost forgotten about this song… we played this cool event for Rick Sutton called “Sacred Blues” and I pulled out this blues tune I wrote back in Italy years ago. Until the night of this video, it had never been performed… sure was fun! (more…)
Party!! A barn party, that is…
George Vinson and Project Onefifty have traveled the world and done many different kinds of events… but on Sunday May 30th they’ll be part of their first “Barn Party”!
The good folks at Son Country Farms and their equestrian teams will be giving some exhibitions of some fancy horsemanship… and P150 will be providing the soundtrack!
Sound interesting? Sure! Fun? You bet! Come hang with us in beautiful Sterrett, Alabama for this cool family-friendly event!
Mercy Comes Calling…
Come help the Bana Project help the orphans and ‘at risk’ children of Lesotho, South Africa this Friday night at NorthPark BC in Trussville, AL. Me and the band are excited about the new songs we’ve been test driving lately, and we have a very special song written specifically about the needs of people not only in Africa, but all around the world. Look at the world through their eyes…
Need more info? Send me a message at george@project150.com
See you this Friday!
GV
All you need is…
It’s no secret that my all-time favorite group would be the Beatles. Growing up in the Sixties and Seventies (and the youngest of seven kids), some of the earliest songs I can remember hearing and liking were from that Fab Four from Liverpool.
I’m in my late forties now, but my love for all things Beatles hasn’t diminished. Quite the contrary; age and experience have helped me uncover the depths to their music, and I can understand far better the layers in their lyrics. I tell young musicians often that if you want a musical education, just start with the Beatles’ first recordings and listen to each LP in succession. It’s amazing to hear the variety of sounds and styles.
On my “Spheres of Influence” CD (released in 2004), I took the advice of a good friend and took a stab at coming up with an instrumental version of the classic George Harrison Beatle track “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. I am so glad I did, too! For several years it was one of the first search results you’d find online for this tune… wow!
It’s now been over forty days since my Dad passed away, and in that time I’ve been pretty much on ‘radio silence’. Now, life has gone on and has finally resumed a semblance of normalcy (whatever THAT is in my world… lol). I have to admit that more than my guitar has been weeping during these days.
But the time for mourning is past, and we have work to do! I’m excited by the new tunes we’ve been writing and recording. And we’re looking forward to playing them for you soon! We are planning some small not-quite-so ’secret shows’ to give you a taste of what we’ve been up to… contact us if you are interested in attending one of these sneak peeks in your area.
Remember… Love is all you need!
GV
My Dad…
Melvin Joseph Vinson Sr.
(1927-2010)
A life fueled by Love and illuminated by Grace
Melvin Joseph Vinson Sr., “Joe” was born on November 28th 1927 in Palmerdale, AL, the youngest of 4 children. He is preceded in death by his wife Virginia Vinson, his son Jerry Poellien, and daughters Patricia Vinson and Marie Vinson Holmes. He is survived by his children Dick Poellien, Donna Faile, Melvin Vinson Jr. and myself, George Vinson, as well as literally dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and a host of family and friends.
After Mom passed away about 4 years ago, Dad moved to the Cocoa, FL area where he lived with my brother Dick and his wife Karen. He spent a great deal of time fishing as well as holding court with his ‘breakfast buddies’. Not long after his move from Birmingham, Dad fought and won a battle against bladder cancer. But he continued to be plagued by a series of recurring ailments, resulting in periods of intense therapy in a nearby rehab facility. It was toward the end of November last year that found Dad working to regain his strength after another relapse. At the beginning of this year, when clots from his legs lodged in his heart, Dad was admitted to the local hospital ICU where his condition steadily worsened. He passed away on Wednesday, January 13th at 10:50am EST. He was 82.
I am convinced that time runs at different speeds. As a child, Christmas took forever to arrive, and summer passed far too quickly. As an adult, our own children grow far too fast. But days like this one, though long-expected, come in spite of prayers to the contrary. But death is a part of life, and we rest in the knowledge that there is One who knows the count of days we have on this earth.
Today we are gathered in this place for a specific reason. Not to mourn the loss of our parent or our friend… but to remember and to celebrate the ‘count of days’ my father enjoyed.
When my family asked me to deliver this message, I immediately began praying for wisdom and guidance. Dad was clear in that he did not want a ’service’ (meaning he didn’t want anyone making a fuss over him… so very typical of Dad). But he was loved by so many people that our family decided it would be wrong to deny his loved ones a time to gather and to remember.
But this task is a daunting one. How to describe the life of such a larger-than-life character? And I do mean a character! He was Andy Griffith with a 3-chair barber shop… Johnny Cash with a razor. He was a career Army vet with the soul of an explorer and the heart of an artist. There are no words that suffice to tell this tale.
On the day Dad passed into eternity, I was heading back home to Tennessee from his Florida hospital room after coming to say my farewells. I was praying as I drove for Holy Spirit to give me some kind of insight… just a word that would encapsulate the essence of Dad’s life. And about an hour into that journey, my prayers were answered and the word was given.
When I was young, I thought my Dad was famous. Not an ‘Elvis’ famous, or famous like the Beatles… but it did seem that everyone knew and loved my Dad. We would be taking a trip somewhere, and he’d decide to stop for a break in Bay Minnette, AL or Pasgagoula, MS… or some other such middle of nowhere town. And I’d hear “Joe!” Wouldn’t you know that there was some guy that knew my Dad! Of course it never occurred to my child brain that Dad planned a stop to see some old friends!
Dad loved people and people loved him. I do have to admit to being more than a bit confused as to his name. To us he was of course “Dad”. But since he grew up as the youngest of 4 kids (the baby of the clan), his nickname was… ‘Baby’ and he was called that by his family for years (I confess I didn’t much like it at family reunions… my dad was no ‘baby’!). From time to time, former Army buds would come to call… and they would call him ‘Vince’. For a time I thought his name was Vince Vinson! To his grand and great-grandchildren he was Papa Joe (no grandpa or gramps!). But to all his many, many friends… he was simply ‘Joe’.
One nickname he never had, but certainly earned was that of ’shepherd’. Every family has a black sheep, but our family had a flock. I won’t name names or point fingers, because we know who we are… and Dad loved us in spite of all our trials and troubles.
He was not an educated man, leaving grade school at age 15 to join the merchant marines. But before the age of 21 Dad had seen more of the world than most of us see in a lifetime. He loved history and I’m convinced he left home in order to see the world and follow his spirit of adventure. As a young merchant marine (actually lying about his age to join up) he retraced the footsteps of childhood hero Jean Lafitte the pirate down in New Orleans. Many a time Dad would open up some maps and show us all the places he had been and the wonders he had seen. He worked on the Suez Canal… had layovers in Madagascar… joined the Army in WWII and was one of the first teams into occupied Japan. He later served in Korea, and was stationed in both France and Germany. He was working on building missile silos along the Czech border, and I seem to remember him spending some time in Puerto Rico as well. We lived on many an Army base, finally landing in Birmingham AL after he retired from the military with honors as a Master Sergeant. He had served in the Army Corps of Engineers as well as the 1st Cavalry Division, but traded all that in for a razor and a pair of barber shears.
Dad was an enigma. He could be gruff and tough with an Army bark (and a bite to match), but had an infectious laugh, a down-home sense of humor, and an almost Irish gift of gab. Guys would come by his barber shop in Center Point for a haircut even if they didn’t need one! He could ‘discuss/argue’ with the best of them… traits he passed on to his children in no small measure.
And while he wasn’t musical, he was indeed a music critic. I remember one time watching Joe Cocker singing on the Ed Sullivan Show. “Look at that guy” he exclaimed. “What’s wrong with him?” He didn’t get rock music, but country was his passion, and Johnny Cash a particular favorite. I got a steady dose of the Man in Black as Dad would take me places. I wouldn’t admit it then, but I love JC today due in no small part to repeated plays of “Folsom Prison Blues”, “A Boy Named Sue” or “Walk the Line” from Dad’s eight-track player in his truck.
Dad didn’t play an instrument, but was helpful to me and Melvin especially in our ‘musical development’. As we played our electric guitars down in the basement, we knew we had achieved the proper musical volume and angst when we heard the intensity of Dad’s stomping on the floor!
People often ask if our parents encouraged us to be artistic. Several of us do have some measure of skill with a brush or a pencil, and there were several paintings hung on the walls of our house bearing Dad’s signature. When he painted or why he stopped, I don’t know. When asked about his ability, he’d brush it off by saying “Oh sure I can draw.. want to see me ‘draw some flies?’”
His sense of humor was legendary. When the Apollo astronauts landed on the moon, Dad went out in the back yard and found 2 or 3 rocks, which he then displayed in his shop with a sign reading ‘Genuine Moon Rocks” in big letters, with ’simulated’ down below in really small type. And people would actually ask him how he got moon rocks…
My oldest nephew Dick Jr. confirmed Dad’s wacky humor. They were riding in Dad’s truck one afternoon (probably listening to Cash on the 8-track) when he slowed down next to a guy riding a bike. He rolled down the window and waved, calling out ‘hey buddy!”. Dick asked “Papa Joe… do you know that guy?” “No” Dad said. “But it’s gonna drive him crazy trying to figure out who I am!”
Dad lived an incredibly full life. He found joy in family and friends, and found a strong faith in his middle years that empowered him through many trials, and indeed through the rest of his days.
And there were trials. As the father of 7 kids, and an income from Army retirement and barbering, money certainly had to be an issue. But it never overshadowed us and I don’t remember lacking a thing. We weren’t wealthy, but we were indeed rich.
But from time to time a shadow would fall. When Dad met and fell in love with Mom, she was a young divorcee with 3 small children. His mother came from a religious background where divorcees do not pass go, much less collect $200. But Dad found his soul mate in Mom, and her children became his children (he became a father to the fatherless). And there was never a distinction between ‘his’ kids and ‘hers’. We were a family and that was enough. The fact that Dad had so many nicknames, my older 2 brothers and sister having a different last name was no big deal.
Shortly before I was born, my maternal grandfather and namesake passed away, leaving Grandma Snyder grieving and alone. Today, such a grieving widow would be shuffled off to be someone else’s problem. But Dad took her in and she lived with us the rest of her life. Indeed she helped Mom and Dad raise us (having 7 kids, you need all the help you can get!).
And as kids will, invariably we made choices that caused our parents pain. The 60’s and 70’s were turbulent times and we were not spared this strife. From a mischievous event with my older brothers that could have cost Dad his Army career, to later issues with drugs and alcohol with his younger kids, Dad loved us and became the advocate for the offender. And while he would make no secret about his feelings of anger and disappointment, he would still love us in a way that was staggering in it’s implications.
Toward the end of her life, Mom became completely bedridden and required almost constant care. We watched as Dad served her humbly and sacrificially, with an intense love that was a testament to their devotion both to God and each other.
While he was indeed a very strong man, Dad endured the greatest of tests… not only burying his wife and soul mate, but suffering the loss of three of his seven children. No parent should ever experience this parting. It is yet another example of the great faith and trust my father has in the Father.
So when God answered my prayer at the very moment of Dad’s passing on Wednesday, January 13th…and gave me the word I had been searching for about him, I was overcome. When I thought about his life and how this incredible word applied, I wept tears that were filled not with loss or sorrow… but with joy. You see, I had been expecting words like ‘loving’, ‘merciful’, or ‘faithful’ (all would certainly apply)… but the word Holy Spirit whispered was ’scandalous’.
When Jesus encountered a woman caught in the act of adultery, his response was not to condemn and to pass judgement, but to love and forgive in a way that was more than shocking… it was deemed scandalous. God the Father loved us with this same scandalous love when He sacrificed His son for our sins and shortcomings.
So what really is this ’scandalous love’? How does it play out in our ordinary lives? The Bible describes it this way…
…to be a father to the fatherless
…to help the widow and the afflicted
…to help the prisoner and the oppressed
…to love others by serving sacrificially
Can you see the pattern emerging? Dad endured many situations that were the stuff of scandal, but loved through it all with a love that defies convention and common sense.
Do you see scandalous love of the Father reflected in the life of my father?
His was a life that was indeed fueled by Love and illuminated by Grace…
We love you, Dad…
George Vinson
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Father
Yesterday, January 13, 2010 at 10:50 am Eastern, my father Melvin Joseph Vinson Sr. passed away at a hospital in Cocoa, Florida. Dad was suffering from a variety of illnesses, but ultimately succumbed to complications arising from a large clot in his lung. He was 83 years old.
There is not space to describe what our family is feeling, and certainly not room to even begin to tell you about my Dad. I have been asked by the family to lead a very informal gathering in Birmingham, AL on Saturday, January 30th (place and time to be determined). Over the next days I will prayerfully attempt to compose a message worthy of the man who was my father.
“Joe” Vinson… 1927-2010 A life fueled by love and illuminated by Grace.
I love you, Dad…
Hello 2010!
2010… wow! Sounds like something from a sci-fi movie. But when you look at all the modern tools at our disposal in communicating the message of hope and mercy in Christ, it IS pretty amazing after all!
Project Onefifty is all about using whatever tools we can in our mission. One of our many goals for 2010 is to release several different music projects. While that sounds pretty conventional, we’re looking for ‘unconventional’ methods to distribute said projects!
So here’s our first attempt. We are offering an exclusive download of the original acoustic version of “I Will Trust in You” (featuring Gaither Vocal Band member Wes Hampton)! Click the link on the widget, sign up and then enjoy the music. Of course we promise that we will not sell your e-mail addy or flood your inbox with updates. We want to send you news of what God is doing through P150 so you can join us in this incredible adventure.
Hold on tight… 2010 is gonna be a wild ride!
God bless!
GV
“The Child”
Happy holidays, everyone! The season of Advent is upon us, the time where we remember and celebrate the birth of Christ. What a radical thing… God sending his son into our fallen world. Author John Eldredge likens it to a beach-front invasion onto enemy shores.
In the spirit of the season, I wanted to share a little instrumental I did several years ago. “The Child” is my arrangement of the Christmas carol “What Child is This?” (one of my favorites!). This song was used on a benefit CD by my great friend and P150 member Tony Wachter a few years back. This version is actually the original demo I recorded way back in the day… I hope you enjoy it!
Merry Christmas!!
“I read the news today, oh boy…”
It’s front and center in headlines everywhere… from TV to print to blogs. It’s an old, old story; an athlete is unfaithful. A rock star OD’s. A big corporation mismanages billions and the CEO walks away with a slap on the wrist and a big bonus. A politician tells a lie (gasp!).
Nothing is more newsworthy than a ‘good scandal’. Can we say “oxymoron”? While there’s nothing good about it, our culture thrives on scandal like a man dying of thirst needs water.
If you believe the idea that Man is basically a ‘good creature’, just take a quick look at the headlines. To be sure, there are a few ‘human interest’ stories, and a heart-warming tale here and there, but there is no better evidence for our fallen state than to see what news we apparently love to consume.
So what can be done about this state of affairs? Sorry, sports hero… Freudian slip…
I’ll let you in on a secret, and it’s something even more scandalous than anything you could hear about on the news.
It’s called grace.
“All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.” (Romans 5:20-21 MSG)
Grace… the aggressive forgiveness of God… scandalous!
Extra! Extra… read all about it!
The story behind the song; I Will Trust in You
I had the great privilege to play my song “I Will Trust in You” today in worship at the Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover, AL. The song was used as part of a message series about hope, and many people were moved by this message of Psalm 56:3. I have previously posted this story, but if you will allow me, here again is the inspiration behind “I Will Trust in You.” (more…)
Hope… love… forgiveness
A timely message painted on a building in Belfast, N. Ireland
It was one week ago today that I received a phone call saying that one of my sisters in Birmingham, Marie Vinson Holmes had been rushed to an area hospital sometime in the early morning hours. Her condition was very serious. (more…)
Have mercy!
What is the responsibility of believers in the world? Jesus spelled it out: ‘I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Global hunger. Up to now it’s been pretty much a third-world issue, confined to the poorest areas of our planet. There have been many humanitarian efforts to combat this problem, with many Christian organizations at the forefront.
But let me be completely transparent on this issue. Fighting global hunger has never been high on my list of priorities.
It takes a village… to create a website
It’s been a long time coming, and it’ll be a week or so before we’ve tweeked the living daylights out of our new site, so be patient.
Big time thanks to all the incredibly talented photographers, graphic artists, and the like who always makes Project Onefifty look better than we deserve. A special thanks to Durand Robinson of Creative Works in Dublin Ireland for pulling it all together and making it work!
I Will Trust In You on YouTube
“I Will Trust in You” is a song written by George Vinson and performed here by Project 150 featuring Wes Hampton of the Gaither Vocal Band. The video is produced and directed by Rick Sutton.
Behind the music… "I Will Trust in You"
Lately I’ve been talking a lot about this new collaboration with Wes Hampton of the Gaither Vocal Band. We’ve recorded brand new versions of two of my most popular songs, “Forty” and “I Will Trust in You”. Both of these songs are several years old, but they seem to resonate with folks. So I was looking back through past journal entries and noticed something; I’ve never shared the story behind the songs here in this journal. So if you will allow the length, here is the inspiration behind “I Will Trust in You.”
If you’ve ever gone through a failed pregnancy, then you know how devastating this experience can be. To go from the joy and expectancy of a new life… to the bitter pain of a life lost prematurely, the physical, emotional and spiritual toil can leave permanent scars.
God has blessed Carol and I with five children, but in between our second and third sons, we endured not one but two miscarriages. I almost cannot describe how this affected us. Needless to say, when we became pregnant again, there was always a shadow of fear in the background of our joy.
In February of 2004 we found that we were expecting a fifth child… we were so excited! Having four boys, we were of course hoping and praying for a daughter. When we announced our ‘impending arrival’, family and friends went crazy. As we were in our 40’s, we laughingly endured being called ‘Abram and Sarai’… lol.
But on the very day of our announcement, Carol started having problems. We immediately called her doctor but could not get an appointment for two days… two days! All the old fears and emotions were raging in my heart. How could God allow such a thing? We’d already been through all this twice! I’m ashamed to say that anger at God was just one of the emotions I was dealing with in this crisis. My heart prayer was for all to be made right. Thankfully God is big enough to take my puny rage.
I am a musician and songwriter. Part of who I am and how I deal with life and the world is through song. I can distinctly remember sitting on the edge of my bed on the night before Carol’s appointment. With my guitar in hand and my journal open, I was halfway playing and praying to God for guidance and understanding. I ran across a song fragment I had jotted down a month or so before. All I could see were the words of Psalm 56:3 leaping off the page… “When I am afraid, I will trust in You”.
It may seem like yet another songwriter story, but at that moment God gave me the song “I Will Trust in You”… it came into this world complete… chords, melody, and lyric. Through my tears I wrote down this incredible gift of comfort from Holy Spirit. I assumed that this was meant only for Carol and I, but in coming months this song found it’s way to Wes Hampton, where he and I performed it for the first time as part of a Celebrate Recovery worship service. God obviously had other plans for this song!
Audra Grace Vinson was born on October 29, 2004 and at the time of this writing is a healthy and vibrant four year old (going on twenty!). God not only brought our family through this trial, but the message of hope and grace and trust at the heart of “I Will Trust in You” is now being heard all around the world.
In this time of hopelessness in our world, God is using this simple song to proclaim the truth that He is hope, and that He is trustworthy!
Thank you for allowing me to share with you. It is the prayer of both Wes Hampton and myself that the promise of Psalm 56:3 will be at the center of this project and in everything we do.
God bless,
GV
The Fall
No one likes a fall. I’m not talking about ‘fall’ as in the season (love that kind of fall). I’m talking about the ‘I’ve fallen and I can’t get up’ kind of fall. Which is about what happened to me this past Sunday morning (in more ways than one).
It was another busy weekend on the road (can you say ‘thank you, God’?), but things weren’t going all that swimmingly. On the way down to Oxford, AL Saturday morning for an event that night, I started feeling a bit under the weather. By the time I arrived at the venue for set up and sound-check, I was in full-fledged ‘virus’ mode. Yep… the ‘Full Monte(zuma)’. Thankfully our host and the band guys were very patient, and the event schedule was very kind to me. I got through the gig and made it to Birmingham that evening, as I was scheduled to play at Hunter Street BC in Hoover, AL the next morning.
By the time 6am rolled around, I was still a bit shaky but on the upswing. Whenever I play, I typically like to stand, especially in a worship setting. But that day I was just too dang tired, so I played from a folding stool. Two out of three services… no problem.
Can you see it coming? Of course you can! We had no more started the opening bit of music for the last service that it happened. There I was… sitting there, minding my own business… listening to the beautiful strains of “Shout to the Lord”… waiting for the measure to come where I strum this gorgeous A2 chord, replete with shimmering chorus and my trademark delay sounds. Suddenly as if the New Madrid fault line had a seizure, I found myself involved in literally the longest fall I’ve ever experienced in my life. Oh… I’m sure it only lasted seconds… but in that moment, I’m certain that Einstein’s theory of time dilatation came into play and that my tumble was exponentially longer.
Somehow I started to fall backwards… yes, backwards and off the 18″ high riser, all the while holding my prized ‘82 Strat. It would only be poetic justice (or poetic license) if the lyric at that moment was the ‘mountains bow down’ line in the song being played. But who knew… all I knew is that I was falling!
Finally I fell to earth. In best Olympic tradition, I immediately jumped to my feet. You know when the gymnast misses the final ’stick’ but jumps up and acts as if nothing had happened? Yep… I tossed my stool back onto the riser, made sure that me and my guitar were all in one piece and plunged right back in (ok, I did re-tune first… lol). Fortunately there was no long-term damage, other than my ego. I have been told that part of this wonderful event was captured on video… oh, great!
But then it gets serious. I was on the way back to Nashville when I received a phone call from Carol. Our son Justin had been in a car wreck in Huntsville. Apparently he was on the way home and was literally a few hundred yards from his house when a car came out of the blue and hit his vehicle on the passenger side. He was in an ambulance on the way to the ER when he made the call to my wife. We planned on meeting at the hospital as soon as possible.
Thank God for grace and mercy! Other than a few minor cuts and some bumps and bruises, Justin was fine (his car, alas, was not so good). We spent the rest of the day getting him back to his house and settled.
On the drive back later that night, I couldn’t help but think about all the events of the weekend. If you believe in luck, then you’d have to wonder why me and the family were patently unlucky. But I don’t think that way. I don’t even think it was the enemy or an ‘act of God’. The Bible is clear that we live in a fallen world. When we fell in the garden, we pretty much told God what He could go do with himself. And ever since then we’ve been living in a world full of random chaos. Sometimes, stuff just happens!
But even in the middle of ’stuff’, God never stopped caring or protecting. In every event of the past weekend, God’s grace and mercy were evident. From getting through the event on Saturday, my Humpty Dumpty impersonation on Sunday, and to Justin’s near brush with disaster… God protected us from far more serious consequences. And if feeling some sore muscles or replacing a vehicle is the price to pay, those pale in comparison to what could’ve been the end result.
No one likes a fall. Least of all God… when we fell, imagine his grief. But continue to imagine his love and mercy… so much so that Christ came and lived and died for me and for you and everyone who needs that mercy and grace.
Guess you could say that God ‘took the fall’ for us.
In His Mercy,
GV
"What’s in a Name?"
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
You’ve heard that one before, right? And while words can’t really ‘hurt’ per se, what about your name?
Yep… your name. Your moniker, handle, designation, sobriquet… the list goes on. I love words and their meanings, but there is no more meaningful word than the one that signifies… you!
It’s interesting the cyclical nature of the names we give or curse our children with. I was at a music workshop just this past Saturday, and three of the guys in the band were named ‘Justin’. I have one of those too (son number two). It means ‘full of justice’, by the way.
So what’s the deal with our names? Some of us have them because our parents just like the way they sounded. Names are also given to honor a past family member or great world leader. In fact, I’m named for both my maternal grandfather AND British kings… woo hoo!
Most ancient cultures believed that names were powerful and could shape the destiny of the individual. Some even have birth names that are used until maturity and then their ‘real name’ is bestowed after some ‘right of passage’, or at least until the nature and character of the person has been revealed. The popular young adult book series ‘Eragon’ has an important plot point in that everything in that fictional world has just such a ‘true name’ and the holder of this secret knowledge can wield immense power.
The Bible is pretty clear about what God thinks about names… especially his! All throughout scripture, God tells us that his name is so holy, that it’s what he swears by. All the promises given to us in the word has the God-name ’seal of authenticity’! The people of Israel were so in awe of God that they wouldn’t even speak his name aloud or inscribe it.
So do our names define us? Are these seemingly random bestowed appellations really self-fulfilling prophesy for our lives?
And it seems that the nursery rhyme about names and pain is not really accurate. There are some names that wound so deeply that these titles can shape our thoughts and emotions. ‘Loser’… ‘idiot’… ‘cripple’… ‘tramp’. Given years of repetition, these names begin to stick to our souls. Called ‘loser’ enough, a person will believe it, giving power to the lie and dominating their life until God knows what end.
But there IS hope! The Bible tells us that God not only knows our name… he has a new name for each of us, known only to him. Jesus promises that “to him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.”
Wow! The God who created the universe knows and cares for me so much that he has an intimate name that only he and I will know. And I believe that this name will be the defining descriptor of me and my life and purpose… the ultimate ‘true name’. Incredible!!
Finally, in a passage in the book of Revelation, the name and identity of Jesus is made crystal clear:
“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
So what’s in a name? Apparently… everything!!
GV
"Hope… and other four-letter words"
Today is a historic day… but you don’t need me to tell you that!. Whether with excitement or dread, we’ve all been looking toward this day when Barrack Obama will cease to be the President Elect and will become THE President of these United States. Whatever your opinion of the man or your political persuasion… he will be the God-ordained leader of our country, and deserves our respect and more importantly our prayers.
Barrack Obama early on was labeled the ‘candidate of change’ and ran openly on a platform of ‘hope’.
Hope… now there’s something to talk about.
I tried to search out all the political speeches that contained the word ‘hope’ but quickly realized how futile a task that would be. Just about every politician has, at one point or another, embraced or even tried to personify the concept.
The word itself is defined several ways. ‘Hope’ can be ‘to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment’ or even ‘the theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God’s help.’ Hope… just say the word. It’s powerful… and you can see why speakers are quick to invoke this magic phrase.
And that’s the problem. We are quick to make the promise, but rarely can we deliver! When bandied about so casually, the word becomes (like it’s close relative ‘love’) just another ‘four-letter word’.
My prayer is that Barrack Obama will be a great President. We’re in desperate times and need the fulfillment of the promise of hope. But ultimately we need to trust not in a man or a system or the hope that political promises will be kept… we need to find the true source of Hope… Jesus Christ.
“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.”
1 Peter 1:3 (The Message)
Now that’s Hope!
GV
So This is Christmas… 2008
Wow. 2008… almost gone. And where did it go so quickly? I couldn’t let this year end without one more journal entry. I purposefully went on ‘radio silence’ during all the election madness of November, and then the Christmas season was upon us (and numerous musicals and gigs, thank God!).
In the midst of all the holiday cheer, there are a select few Christmas tunes that I really enjoy. “Silent Night” and “Do You Hear What I Hear” are a couple of carols that ring my bell. But one song in particular has been rolling through my mind even now.
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
John Lennon wrote “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” as his ode to peace and the belief that love could triumph over war, hate, bigotry, and all the other ills that infect and affect mankind. This is not just an idealistic hippie dream of the 60’s, but the fervent faith of a man proclaiming his heart-felt faith in peace.
And he was right… almost. In my own life, every attempt to change in my own power usually ended in disaster… or worse! I can’t help but be reminded of my friend Martin in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After giving us a tour of that war and hate-torn city, he made a statement that still rings true. “The only thing that will bring peace to Ireland”, Martin boldly exclaimed, “is the Love of Jesus”.
Amazing! I know he was referring mainly to Belfast and the Irish ‘Troubles”, but his words are incredibly appropriate. On every hand we have our own ‘troubles’; recession, unemployment, bankruptcy, political unrest… and almost in fulfillment of those dire prophesies, we have war, famine, and starvation. Somehow just hoping and wishing for Love and Peace to triumph is not enough.
And it’s not. But God made a way through these troubles (notice I didn’t say ‘out of’). The Love and Blood of Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Check it out for yourself and see if it’s not true.
So… this was Christmas and 2008. What have we done? What have ‘I” done? In spite of the triumphs and trials of 08, I know that 2009 will bring it’s own unique set of challenges, and that Jesus Christ is still the answer to the war that rages in my own life.
I’ll leave you with the chorus of what is now my favorite Christmas song…
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now…
Wishing you Love and Peace in 2009… His!!
GV
December 31, 2008
www.project150.com
Breathe… breathe in the air…
Take a deep breath… hold it for a sec.. exhale. Now don’t take another breath… hold that for as long as you can stand it. Now… take in the tiniest amount of air imaginable and hold THAT.
That is just a small taste of what my buddy David Gaines has been going through the past year or so. But thank God for medical doctors and the miracle of a double lung transplant. He’s out of hospital and doing well back home in North Carolina. David is a life-long friend, and I couldn’t imagine life down here without him. But I was convinced that God still had work for Dave to do… and apparently God agreed with me!
As close to home as that close call was, things got a little closer for us recently. My oldest son, Brandon (23) has dealt with asthma since he was a child, but with fewer and fewer issues as he’s gotten older. So imagine our shock when Brandon had to hospitalized for a week due to a very severe asthma attack. The doctors never really could find what triggered such a massive attack. Right on the heals of one of my best friends going through issues with lungs… breathing… I was more than a bit apprehensive when Brandon’s doctor decided to consult a pulmonologist. All I could think about was David’s ordeal… was this the beginning of the same in Brandon?
Thank God for mercy! They finally determined the causes of the attack (a variety of factors) and initiated the proper treatment. Brandon’s doing great and we’re all resting much easier.
But I find it interesting how the enemy would like nothing more than to steal the breath from our lungs. With no air, there is no life of course… but even the slightest attack on our breath has major consequences. It affects our strength and stamina… it changes the way we live and work… and it silences our voice and the ability to proclaim the grace and mercy of the Father.
I am convinced from scripture that our very breath is from God. Genesis tells where God literally breathed live into man. And the apostle John relates where the resurrected Christ breathes on the disciples, imparting the Holy Spirit. Is it any wonder that the enemy wants to rob us of this God-given gift?
So now I find myself reminded to thank God as I take in a big gulp of O2. And I can’t help but think of all the people who don’t know Christ and how they really need air…
Waiting on the wind of the Spirit to blow…
GV
Sacred Blues and a "Point of View"
For those of you in the Birmingham area that attended the launch of the Genesis Coffee House series, you might recognize the shadowy figure in this pic… lol. For those of you who missed “Sacred Blues”, well… I have a feeling that we’ll be doing another such event. We had a packed house, a LOT of fun, and (most importantly), we helped raise several hundred dollars for the “Babies First” charity. Not bad… doesn’t really make you blue, does it?
I am excited about this extra bit of news; I’m finally beginning to work on my new CD project! This new record, under the working title of ‘Point of View’, is going to be a blast to make. I’ve spent the last few years writing, and I feel like I have some of the best songs I’ve written. Time will tell, won’t it?
So, hang on for the ride. I’m going to attempt to document the work in progress on this blog. Keep an open mind and keep me in prayer!!
More to come…
GV
Sacred Blues!
Hey! Me and some of the P150 guys are playing at this event.
Here’s the official word on this cool new concert series. Glad we can help kick it off! Hope to see you there!
GV
Genesis Coffee House series presents “I Have A Hope; An Evening of Sacred Blues”
Leeds, AL, 7:30 pm, June 20th, 2008 – The Genesis Church will kick off its coffeehouse concert series this June with “I HAVE A HOPE; An Evening of Sacred Blues” with Liturgical Autopsy featuring Rick Sutton, 2Blu, The Lucky Stiffs, George and the G-Men and George Vinson’s Project 150.
The coffee shop will be open from doors at 6 PM till 7:15 serving coffee, tea and assorted desserts. Come early and enjoy the company of other blues lovers.
This first event will be a benefit for “Babies First of Birmingham”. The Babies First program provides residential group care for single young mothers and their babies. The reality of life has come too soon for many young women. Babies First provides opportunities for both mother and child, including housing, education, and job opportunities. Go to http://umch.net/locations/birmingham.htm for more information.
For additional information on “I HAVE A HOPE; An Evening of Sacred Blues” contact Rick Sutton or go to www.myspace.com/genesiscoffeehouseseries for updates and links to the artist. You can also download a full size poster of the event there.
The Genesis Church is a new United Methodist congregation located at the River Oaks Golf Course (formally Terry Walker Golf Course) in Leeds, AL. The church website is www.thegenesischurch.org.