Journal

April Happy Birthdays Sarah Maria Noel Let it shine in 2009 Tim Noah Gallery

Anjali looks so much like Sarah Maria

April 26, 2009    Let's stay friends forever. Let the music play.
  Sarah Maria's birthday today. She is working. We set out to drive her to work this morning and when we arrived at the U of W Kayden projectile vomited all over him, me and his new car seat. Andie and I had planned on making a day of the World Rhythm Festival after dropping Sarah off. I had brought 5 towels since Kayden was sick last night about 7 times. It took all five towels. It wasn't the send off we had hoped for Sarah. She is going to go to New York University for her graduate degree in film making. I am manifesting a million dollars to help pay for it. It seems to have been mis-delivered however. Now Andie is in reading him stories. It will soon be time for me to go and give him some Papa time and maybe a Jimmy Jenkins story or two. When Andie and I traded off shifts at 4:30 this morning I told him all my Jimmy Jenkins stories and had to make up another one about Billy, Betty and Bobbie beaver. There was also a cat named Natalie that was stuck in a floating box and needed rescuing. It is all vague now as sleep depravation tends to affect memory.
  It was good of Sarah to come out and spend a few hours with us last night. At first I was vastly disappointed because she had planned to spend all day Sunday with us. Look for the good. You know it was just a few days from today, a year ago, I stepped on a plane and flew to Paris to spend 8 days with Sarah. That will remain as one of the happiest times of my life. She is truly a special ancient soul and kindred spirit.
Josh called today and shared several recordings he has been working. What a talent. He has such a unique approach to music. He has always had an inclination towards the Indian rhythms and melodies and he is proficient in playing those scales. I love how he is able to lace his sense of humor into his music, even the instrumental pieces. Sariah got on the Phone and told me she loves her Grampa and she likes my music. Thanks Josh. That tickled me because Kayden mostly doesn't. He does like the silly songs I make up on the spot. Today I was singing about him driving his big toy Explorer through the yard. I had a funky groove going on the guitar. He stopped and was just working his right leg to the beat while the rest of him was stone still. He is a good little dancer. We shot some hoops today too. It was all I could do to catch the ball and slow it down before tossing it to him. He insisted on being right under the basket. He is in bed now and told Andie he doesn't want me to come in because he is really tired but that I should stay home with him and not go anywhere tomorrow.
  I also talked to my dad today and Judith is going in for some tests but they are both fine. It is always good to talk to my dad because he prays for us all and that is a good thing. It is good that space and time aren't really relative. You keep your connections with the people you love. For example when my friend Bill McDanile called me yesterday, it was like we had just talked yesterday and it has been a few years. He just published a book and said he would assist me in publishing mine when I write it. You know I am a little road weary and I am going to call it a night. I would like to put a link up for Mac's book though. Fishing with Skipjack    I can't wait to read it.

April 22, 2009 Little ones you are the meaning of our love
Life goes on. People come and people go. Life goes on. Just heard from Jimmy Culler that Jimmy Wright is moving to Ohio. Can't believe he is going there alone. The couples come together and the couples fall apart. Life. May joy follow.

I am weary tonight but happy. I was thrilled to play with Scott MacGougan for two concerts this weekend to benefit Children of the Nations. The turn out at Border's Books was great and so was the one for the Harbor Covenant concert. The magic was there. The connection to the people was there. The full circle that happens when music goes out and comes back to you again all in a moment was there. My long time and dear friend Darrel Harris was there and we talked later about the joy on everyone's face as we were playing. Those musical moments are the times when there is no doubt in my mind that I am right where I am supposed to be. I am filled with gratitude to the people who came, Darrel, his son Sean and his family. Keith and Linda Gallup and Steve and the gang all the way from Renton Highlands. I am thankful for the generous donations for these children in need. Thanks to the efforts of many, especially Deb MacGougan, over $1000 was donated and a local pharmacy donated the wheel chair that we were hoping to purchase. I am grateful for the love that filled both rooms as we were playing. I was deeply touched. Our friends Larry and Cynthia Mason were renewing their vows on Saturday in Seattle and we were so sorry to be missing that ceremony. In my heart and spirit I sent out the love that was coming our way to Larry and Cynthia and their gathering. Andie was with Kayden at her Dad's 70th birthday party. Life. It all happens on the same weekend. Kayden charmed everyone and learned to ride a scooter and got to go for tractor rides and sing happy birthday to Grampa Noel. I am grateful for and ready to get a new computer so I can keep up on my web design. I'm a Mac.
Don't try to figure out what the world needs. Find your passion and do that. It will open a window to shine God's light out on the world.

April 15, 2009 Make it real
It felt like a regular winter morning today when I peaked out the door to let the kitty out. Winter in mid April in Washington, the land of four seasons in one day. Kayden finally slept through the night but awoke, as has been typical this week' at six in the morning. We played in the studio where we have quite an elaborate train track set up, lined with Thomas and friends. Under the midi rack there is an array of automobile characters from Cars. But we bypassed all that to take the cast of Madagascar into the vocal booth and behind the sound baffle a-frame. We ate tangerines and played hide and seek with Moto Moto and the gang while singing I like to move it, move it. We know how to party I tell you.

April 13, 2009

Stop all complaining. Period
So begins The Success Principles Jack Canfield. I didn't get much further in my reading. I did listen to the abridged audio version a few times. I really got a flat tire on the complaining part though. I just have this innate natural ability to do it so well. I would probably make a good food or movie critic but I have always thought that if critics had talent they would be creating something and not criticizing something someone else created. Complainers are truth challenged. We often start a complaint by saying"I'm not complaining" and then follow that statement with a complaint. Stop complaining. The whole premise is that complaining is best achieved when playing a victim role and playing a victim just leads to more opportunities to play a victim role. I think play is the right word. It is a choice. I think in the flurry that the day to day can become, it is too easy to forget that we call into existence so much of what we experience. Consciously or unconsciously. Hence, the more awake and conscious you are the better.

It was a quiet Easter here in the tulles. Faith, Kayden and I spent the day together. One of Andie's customers brought her a huge prime rib and it was the best I had ever seen or tasted. Faith and Andie chitty chatted and worked in the kitchen. Kayden and I set up train tracks all over the studio. We also unrolled a trip prevention electrical cord strip that is about 5 feet long and made an excellent highway for Hotwheel cars. Kayden was quite happy to find his Easter basket and have a little egg hunt in the living room. It was a cold and rainy day outside. Andie and Faith made Brussels's sprouts, asparagus, gluten free Yorkshire Pudding and that seared Prime Rib. It was amazing. We found with the absence of mashed potatoes we had room for more of everything else. It was grand. Later Kayden and I watched The Bee Movie while Andie and Faith played Spite and Malice card game. It was just a mellow Sunday.

Andie and I had a nice phone visit with Sarah Maria and I spoke briefly with Chani as she was driving back into Washington from her trip down the Oregon coast. Sarah was in good spirits and was headed over to a family gathering for a while. She suggested we create a non-holiday holiday since she doesn't lie holidays and never comes over for any of them. I am kind of excited because that leaves a lot of days open for visiting. If she chooses. Our father daughter weeklies seem to be falling off but that may change. Or not.

I will be spending as much time as I can find this week to practice for my concerts this weekend with Scott MacGougan in Gig Harbor. It should be fun.

This morning I have this strange sensation of doors closing. I must focus on opening new ones as the distance grows.

Family. Acceptance. Moving on. Letting go. Rebirth. Change. Love. Gratitude. Community. Prosperity. Music. Music. Service.

April 5, 2009 A crowd is a tribe without a leader.

This last week has been filled with all sorts of encounters, news and rekindling of friendships. There is so much that has happened, but the I will start with my most long time friend Darrel Harris showing up. Darrel had called my friend Michael Gardner to track me down. I called Darrel and found out he was going to be in town for about a week so we arranged to meet up yesterday. Even though we were both in Issaquah the next day we opted to have Darrel GPS me and meet me at home. When he stepped out of his truck with a big ran and walked towards me, it was like not a day had passed since we had seen each other, even though it has been over 10 years. He and his lovely wife Ann have been studying the same spiritual and life principles as Andie and I. Andie called Ann last night and they got to chat on the phone. Andie was beaming If Andie and I were still eating potatoes chips and drinking soda I could have cracked a pop and busted out a bag of chips sat back, munched and just listened to Darrel tells tales about the last several years in his and Ann's life. Our families have always had a strong connection as families and we talked for hours. I had father and daughter night with Sarah and Chani the night before so I running on about 2 hours of sleep but I didn't care. I was so happy to see my friend. Earlier when Andie and Kayden got home Kayden had a mild melt down and refused to look at or talk to Darrel, But in 15 minutes he was sitting on his lap and pretty much railroaded any further "grown up" conversation for a while. I am hoping Darrel's son Jason will come by with his kids for a visit before Darrel heads back home. We talked about everything thing, The regular stuff: religion, politics and life. It is so timely as we both agreed that we are being called as healers and teachers to help with changing the world. Perhaps helping those in need would be less grandiose. Actually they are the same thing. Every act of kindness creates a positive result we can only imagine. We talked about how we keep winding up in leadership roles and with everything going on in the world we need leaders. Darrel is a walking example of gratitude. Even though he has ailments that cause him pain and challenge his mobility, you could not find a more positive and joy filled person. This quest for knowledge and healing began with The Secret and has really opened us up to life and each other. In his typically generous manner Darrel bought us a couple of books at Border's Books in Everett. The Divine Matrix and Ask and It Shall Be Given. It is interesting to note that what began as a quest for abundance and prosperity quickly shifted to a spiritual quest and the blossoming of joy and gratitude for where we are right now. It is like waking up from a deep sleep. Sometimes when camping the intensity of nature when you first awaken is like that. Your senses are keen and dilated. Your awareness is intensified and you feel a connection with all that is living, including the earth, the sky and the sea. That's being alive. That's being awake. I like it.

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Greg Murat (mur-rah)
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