Sheri & I had dinner with Loren & Felicia Barton last night. For those who don't know, Felicia was one of the unfortunate souls who fell victim to the wacked TV agenda of American Idol this past season. I remember watching her perform, being blown away by her chops, and then imagining my hand reaching through the LCD to strangle every deaf alien that had a hand in sending her packing back to VA. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
As it turned out, Sheri had grown up with her in-laws, the Bartons (actually baby-sat Loren when he was 4, but we won't go there). So, when we were asked to have dinner together in VA. Beach, we accepted without question. Any time we have the chance to affirm the credibility of God-given talent in those who've felt the acute sting of things like secular bias, you gotta know we're on it -- ears ready & heart wide open. Don't get me wrong, they weren't in emotional traction & tossing in the life towel by any stretch' they're actually at areally good place right now; but, it always helps to be encouraged along the way. Believe me.
After the seafood disappeared, we watched their amazing 2 yr. old, Malechi, dance free-form around a
city fountain while we kicked back & chatted without letting time dictate one second. Hadn't done that in a quite a while. Talk about catharsis. We'd forgotten what life was like without the tick-tock of diapers, cereal, milk-warming & naps yoked around our necks. I even remember smelling the downtown air and re-discovering my senses, as kooky as that sounds. Deprived? - maybe; blessed? - without a doubt.
We capped the evening off with a quick listen-through the working demos they'd carved out thus far, and let me be one of the honored first to say that the world will be hearing a lot from Felicia Barton in the very near future. She's definitely on the right track. As a matter of fact, she's on the right 10 to 12 tracks. No matter what man does to thwart true talent, God has an amazing way of looking after His gifts, and seeing them through to the end of His will. If He gets lifted up, nothing in this world is as unstoppable as His hand. Not even 100 million viewers.
Is she going secular or Christian? Maybe she needs the master touch of the Magehee-meister!!! Glad to see that you are throughly enjoying this vacation!
Posted by: John Ng | July 01, 2009 at 05:23 PM
Glad you guys had a good time last night. Reconnecting with you senses is always good.
Posted by: Jennifer Eckert | July 01, 2009 at 07:49 PM