Big Ending

Everyone knows that Southern Gospel quartets are known for their cheesy, work-'em-up'-into-a-frenzy endings. I mean, c'mon, what's a SG concert without the tenor skying high, the bass sliding low, and various pointing and contortions by the quartet members. So, since we want to be considered big-time, here you have it: Liberty Quartet, live from Longmont, CO!

Royce enjoys sleeping about as much as anything.

Eerie

I'm trying a new "Lord of the Rings" look. Gandalf, that's me.

Colorado Connections

We have been having a great time in beautiful Colorado! This morning I showed up for our concert at Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Colorado Springs, CO and was shocked to find out that my cousin Greg Waggoner and his family attends there. At first, I didn't recognize Greg and was in the middle of introducing myself when it clicked. He just grinned the Waggoner grin. We all have it. Anyway, I was able to spend some time visiting with Greg and Luke (his son). I saw Josiah (another son) from a distance, but unfortunately wasn't able to talk to him or Kathleen (Greg's wife).

Then, Aaron and Cherylyn up this morning, too. Last night, they brought some of their friends with them to the concert: Jeff and Tonya Duddek and their children. Come to find out, Lori went to school with Jeff's sister, Faye, and knows their family extremely well. I also found out that Jeff used to attend Appalachian Youth Camp and knows my family pretty well. It's a small world. They are a phenomenal couple! God is using them and Aaron and Cherylyn to do great things for God.

We had a fantastic service this morning. Here are a few more pictures:

Getting ready for some food...Dan is mulling over his options

Doran, Aaron, Cherylyn, Alyssa, and Kinlee Horn, yours truly, Jeff, Tonya, Jeffrey, and Emilee Duddek

Aaron and Cherylyn Horn, former youth staff members at Grace Bible Church

Royce and Jeffrey hit it off immediately

Royce ate at the end of the table with the kids. For some reason, they get along just fine.

Here's a couple a' little shavers (Dan and Doran)

Directionally Challenged

Well, it happened again. Yesterday, as Royce was driving the bus, our GPS (affectionately known as the Garminator) went on the fritz. It kept on telling him to turn in 500 feet. He went in a circle twice. Now, remember, Royce hates the GPS. It has a woman's voice that tells him where to go, and he just can't take it. So, he's up in the driver's seat, blood rushing to his face, yelling for Dan and talking back to the GPS. Now, Dan, on the other hand is convinced that the Garminator is infallible. I mean, there's the Bible and just slightly below is the Garminator. I am convinced he would drive into a lake if the GPS told him to. Anyway, Dan runs up to the front of the bus and Royce says, "Dan, you drive. I can't figure out where she's trying to tell me to go." Dan looks up, then back at Royce and calmly says, "Uh, Royce, we have reached our destination. We're in the hotel parking lot." Sure enough, Royce had been driving around the hotel for 5 minutes. Just another day on the Liberty bus.

Royce prefers conventional methods of figuring out where we are going...

...while Dan goes wherever the Garminator tells him to go. We have literally ended up in the middle of a pig farm before.

The Fast and the Furious (life of me)

It's been a while, it really has. But while I have a couple minutes I'll fill you in on the latest. I'm on the bus traveling to Canon City, CO for a concert. We were in Thornton, CO last night. A great night with a fantastic crowd. It's hard to sing tenor at this high altitude, though. I was able to meet one of my favorite singers from the 1980s & early '90s: Billy Sprague. He is the worship leader at the church He had several #1 hits on the CCM charts back in the day. He also co-wrote Via Dolorosa (made popular by Sandy Patti). What a nice guy! He was gracious enough to give us a few CDs and a couple of books he has written. It was nice to see long-time blog-reader Neva (Royce's aunt) at the concert last night. We'll probably see her Sunday night, too. Doran and I will be seeing of our great friends and former co-workers (on the Grace Teens staff) Aaron and Cherylyn Horn tonight. And, then, I'm going to be able to meet up with my college roommate and fellow FCA-er, Chris Arndt, his wife DeAndrea, and their 2 children on Sunday evening. It's like it's the reunion tour or something.

I just finished up my first class in my MBA program. Oh yeah! No time to celebrate, though. I start my next class on Tuesday. The fun never ends.

Well, we have finally sold our house. And, I just found out yesterday that our offer on the soon-to-be-christened Waggoner mansion has been accepted. It's about 3 minutes from Trey's school, for which he is very thankful. I'll post pictures soon.

Speaking of Trey, I just talked to him on the phone and he informed me that he scored 10 goals in his soccer game this morning. Lori said that she tried her best to get him to pass the ball, but he kept on getting wide-open shots at the goal. What a guy! He can't play defense, though.

Up above, you'll see some pictures taken from the road in the last couple of weeks. I'll touch base later.

Update

By the way, classes are going great. I'm just snowed under. I have to clear off some of the extra stuff that clutters my life. But, not the blog.

Fresno Fan Fest

Another Southern Gospel Fan Fest is behind us. A great time was had by all. While I'll leave the commenting on Liberty's performance to other SG bloggers, I would like to hand out a few roses:

First of all, the Booth Brothers have to now be considered as one of the premier Southern Gospel groups in the country. Notice that I said groups. I'm talking quartets, trios, mixed groups, whatever. I've heard most of the SG "front-line" groups in the last year or two, and these guys are quickly becoming some of my favorites. They present such a diverse set; everything from classic Mosie Lister to contemporary to country. Then, when you mix in Michael's unscripted, spontaneous comedy with their smooth harmonies you have a winning combination. Michael is heir to Roger Bennett as the king of quick wit. One of the great running gags throughout the convention was Michael's war with the light guys. It was hilarious. But in addition to the never-ending laughs, the Booths can also instantly switch to a sensitive mood and deliver the most beautiful of ballads. They were incredible every night.

Secondly, the Isaacs wowed me with their musical talent and ministry. I loved their performances. In addition to Lily, Sonja, Becky, and Ben they have added a fiddle player (who is the best I have ever heard live), a guitar/banjo player, and a drummer. It's nice to hear a live band who can stand on the merits of their own music. The Isaacs will be able to go places most SG groups will never go based on their excellent musicianship. Regardless of genre, the Isaacs can stand on stage with anyone, Christian or secular. Becky and Sonja participated in Rodney Griffin's Songwriters Showcase. What I appreciated most was that they didn't try to gloss over all that their family has been through across the years. They acknowledged failures and disappointments but also shared the incredible moments of grace that have brought victory out pain. I am officially an Isaacs fan. Everyone should go out and purchase their new album, Big Sky. And, incidentally, Lily is one of the sweetest people you could ever talk to.

Thirdly, Legacy Five is here to stay. For all of those who have feared the worst since Roger's passing, I assure you to "be anxious for nothing". Tim Parton is one of the most gifted accompanists in SG today and perfectly complements the rest of the guys. They brought the house down on "Truth Is Marching On". The L5 guys are some of our best friends. They are performing better than they ever have.

I also enjoyed the Hoppers and the Greenes. Taranda Greene is one of the most gifted female vocalists I've heard for a while. Now, of course, her sister-in-law, Kim, is as powerful as ever. Both groups are incredible in a live setting. Greater Vision, the Florida Boys, and the Beene Family also turned in stellar sets. Oh, yes, I forgot: The Johnson Family. If you haven't heard these girls sing, you need to. They get better every time I hear them.

Some CDs that I picked up at convention and must recommend are:

The Isaacs: Big Sky
A new sound for the group, but awesome! Great lyrics.

The Hoppers: The Ride
The best album that the Hoppers have put out since the '90s. The biggest mistake that the Hoppers ever made was to sign with Spring Hill records. Their self-produced projects in the 1980s and early 1990s were much better than what they have suffered with for the past decade. The Ride is produced by the group and Lari Goss. It should be nominated for album of the year. Not only do they have great songs (which we've come to expect from them), but the mix and sound is incredible.

The Beene Family: Something to Talk About
This is the best album that the Beenes have ever put out. It features a mix of familiar songs with some great original material. However, the classics have such fresh arrangements that they sound new. A very impressive production.

H.I.M. Mass Choir: 3 CDs (There Is a Cause, Preach the Word, and I Choose the Cross)
I have really enjoyed getting to know Jim Davis. For those of you who don't know Jim, he penned the new Gold City song, "Preach the Word" on their Revival album. He is a wonderful man of God. He is an associate pastor at an Assembly of God church near Fresno. He is also a music teacher for their Christian school. They have a choir that tours every year, and I'm here to tell you they are one of the best choirs I've ever listened to. I have been listening to their CDs all day. All church choirs (and Bible college choirs) could pick up a few tips from their performances. Great stuff!

All in all it was a fantastic week. It was cool to see so many of you who read my blog regularly. Well, I guess semi-regularly due to my sporadic posting. I also need to shout out to our friends Eternal Praise, Inheritance, the California Melody Boys, Golden State Quartet, the Herb Henry Family, Master's Voice, and the River Boys. We had a great weekend together!

Can't wait 'til next year: May 1-3.

Stuff that keeps me busy

This is from a personality assessment I had to upload for a class. Shawn is my partner for the project. For more information, google the phrase "DiSC personality test". We had to design a logo and catchphrase (above) to accompany our results:

Keith Waggoner and Shawn Worman teamed up together for this project. We are both high “I”s. Keith’s secondary tendency is a “D” (a high D, actually) and Shawn’s is a “C”.

What are the strengths & weaknesses of your profile?

As high “I”s (influencing tendency) we tend to be people-oriented and outgoing. As a result, we tend to make new friends easily. We are usually poised and persuasive, passionate about what we wish to see accomplished. We are enthusiastic in our interaction with others and are often very trusting.

While there are many positives about the “I” trait, we also have to pay careful attention to the more negative implications. We are often disorganized, impatient, emotional, can have dramatic fluctuation in moods, tend to give more attention given to feelings than facts, and have this annoying habit of dominating conversations. We struggle with the ability to be firm in dealing with a less than comfortable situation. In fact, we often avoid confrontational situations due to our desire to be liked by everyone.

What kinds of things cause your style stress?

When we know that a confrontational situation waits, we stress out. We also want to know that we are appreciated. When that “pat on the back” doesn’t happen, we begin to doubt the worth of our contributions. We also are frustrated by a lack of flexibility either by employees or employers. The phrase “we’ve always done it this way before” drives us crazy. Think outside the box, people!

What does your style do that causes other styles stress?

Our annoying habit of taking a while to get to the facts is especially stressful to those with the high “D” style. Also, our relaxed approach to dealing with challenges can cause stress to those who just want to get to the bottom of the problem. The “S” and “C” traits would be annoyed with our tendency to wait until the last minute to accomplish tasks. All traits would be exasperated with our failure to develop systematic approaches to a task or situation.

Do you feel that if you took the test looking at your personal/social life, the results might be different?

Both of us answered no. Keith fits the “I” profile even more in his social life, than in the workplace. When he is on the job, his “D” tendency tends to surface almost as much as his “I” mode.

How do your family/spouse/friends look at you?

They would definitely place us in the “I” category. We are a fun person to be around and usually are at the center of any activity or conversation. They view us as motivated and competitive, while still being team players. We are viewed as creative, with the ability to “roll with the punches”, accomplishing tasks despite changes or interruptions. Shawn believes that people would also perceive his high “C” side, as well.

If you are in a management position, would this be a helpful tool for hiring?

Keith: The DiSC test would be a helpful tool, though not one that would carry a lot of weight in the hiring process. Ultimately, I’m looking for the best person for a specific position, someone who can get the job done. The test would shed a little bit of light towards a person’s tendencies, but I don’t think it would be a definitive indicator of whether or not they are the right person for the job. I think the test would be more beneficial for an employee who is already hired.

Shawn: I think it would be very helpful. If you have a paper work position to fill that works alone, then I probably wouldn’t be the best fit. This could help fill the position with someone that would enjoy their work and make a more productive, happy employee. This would especially work when hiring someone in sales.

The Food Network presents...

I am currently home alone. Lori and the kids are in Pennsylvania with her parents (who haven't seen Trey and Kassady for 3 years) which means that I am living the bachelor life.

It has given me the opportunity to cook for myself, which rarely happens. So, I've been getting by. Tuesday night was Italian night with agnoletti with light alfredo sauce, a tossed salad, and breadsticks. Wednesday's lunch featured veggie-cheese sandwiches with a mango and green tea on the side. Wednesday's supper was baked Mediterranean cod and asparagus. Yum, yum! This morning I got up early to prepare a special breakfast casserole that would knock your socks off: eggs, goat cheese, and spinach. Today's lunch was orzo risotto with roasted vegetables. The feta cheese just put it over the top. Then, tonight was my crowning achievement: salmon with matzo crust, steamed green beans, and a lemon. Incredible!

Ha, ha, ha! I'm having a hearty laugh as I look over what I just typed. First of all, I don't even understand what I just described. I copied it from Lori's "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine that was found on the kitchen counter. Secondly, I wouldn't even think of imbibing the above-mentioned culinary wonders. Truth is I've been surviving on frozen pizza, Pop-tarts, warmed-up chicken corn soup, and Taco Bell. I am begging God to make the time pass quickly. I am also downing quite a few Pepcid AC.

Keith and Norman say "Two thumbs up"

I'm always the last one to jump on the bandwagon, but for those of you who haven't seen the movie "Facing the Giants", do so. It's an awesome story of God's power at work in the lives of those who believe in Him. It's true that His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.

I needed it's message tonight. Awesome!

Hair-raising

OK, for all of you that gave me those incredible words of affirmation concerning my new 'do, thank you. For the time being I'm letting the fringe grow back. However, as soon as summer rolls around, the hair is coming off. To be honest, I like the no-hair look (and feel).

Sorry, Mom.

Workhorses

Liberty's work is never done. People wouldn't believe the time and energy that we put in to improving our performance. Like this picture, for instance. Most people would take a quick look and say, "Oh. That looks like two grown men making fools of themselves in public." But a deeper look would reveal that this picture is in fact of two grown men practicing to make fools of themselves in public.

Getting a Facial

I've been trying to tell Royce that if he keeps on screwing up his face like that it's going to stick. Look what happened to Doran (to the right of Royce).


Actually, that's Paul Munson to the right of Royce. He spent last weekend traveling with us. He's more fun than a busload of Mexican jumping beans. You know, I started to type the previous sentence with no clear idea of where I would end up with that analogy. It's a gift. It really is.

Just another item to add...

Well, for better or for worse, here we go. Tuesday kicks off the first day of classes in my MBA program. I am pursuing my degree at Indiana Wesleyan University. I use the word "at" very loosely since I will take the program in its entirety on-line. This is what I love about living in the 21st century. Due to my traveling schedule there is no way that I could find time for traditional classes on campus, but this on-line program meets my need of flexible course delivery. We're living in the good ol' days, folks.

So, if you need to flesh out your prayer list, add Baldy. In all seriousness, I would appreciate it.

Bracketologist Despair

My brackets are so screwed up. There's a reason they call it March Madness. I decided to go out on a limb this year and pick several upsets. Of course, this is the one year that all the top seeds win. Everytime I zig, the games zag. I am resigned to a lifetime of bracket disappointment. You know it's bad when you find yourself behind Jon and Doran in the standings. Sheesh!

As promised...

Shaved

I finally did it. Yesterday I took the plunge (actually with the help of a very reluctant Lori) and shaved my head. Totally. Gone. Mr. Clean.

Tomorrow I'll try to get a picture up. I kind of like it myself. However, the timing of my haircut is due to the fact that Liberty is off for the next couple of weeks while the guys enjoy spring break with their families. So, I have plenty of time to grow the fringe. I'll probably let it come back. Especially since Lori isn't convinced with my shiny coiffure.

Let me know what you think.

New from the director of 24, a conservative comedy