LIMA, snOwHIO

The bus pulled out around ten last night because Gary knew it was supposed to snow where we were heading – Lima, Ohio. We pulled into Lima early this morning (Friday) and the weather was cold and dreary. Shortly after noon it started to snow and, as I set here at 11:30PM, IT AIN’T STOPPED! In fact we’ve decided to spend the night in Lima – a real dream come true! We’ll wait for Wooster ’til after sunwiserise.

So, what did we do cooped up on the bus all day? Well, what else but watch Bonanza! We love us some westerns. In fact, every time we head out west, we have a “Lonesome Dove” party. You haven’t lived ’til you hear these guys quote Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call, the main characters from that series.

Anyhowdy…

Today’s episode, “Silent Thunder”, is the one where Little Joe attempts to teach a deaf girl sign language so they can communicate better. His plan backfires when the young woman falls in love with him and the girl’s brutish neighbor resents her lavishing attention on the youngest Cartwright. Drama, drama, drama! (Hang on folks…this really is going some where. Well, okay, maybe not.)

So, tonight at half-time some friends came to the table to say hey. Last July they came to our Washington D.C Celebration where the granddaughter handspoke “God’s Been Good” and so many folks commented on how beautiful it was. When I saw her tonight, I immediately asked her to come up on stage and sign while I sang.

Now, she’s a pretty girl – young, tall and blonde – so as she came to the stage she stood over by the guys, right in front of me. Knowing what she was preparing to do, I asked her to stand behind me so I wouldn’t be distracted by her signing. (Those of you who have heard me stammer while I try to speak from stage can only imagine me trying to explain all of this to the crowd…talk about awkward!) I made it through the verse but as I began the chorus and saw the crowd watching the girl, I thought of none other than Little Joe trying to teach sign language to the deaf girl.

Now, I must admit that I have sung the song so many times that my mind sometimes wanders (a lot of singers do this) but I can usually think of the lyrics just in time. But as I sang, I could feel the words oozing out of my ears, dropping on to my shoulders, on their way from my memory to my tongue…all because of watching that pesky episode of Bonanza today. (I would like to thank my cohorts for seeing the “deer-in-the-headlights” look in my eyes and supplying me with the words.)

Lesson learned: No more westerns for me, pardner…unless they’re silent movies.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Be watching tomorrow for my interview with Scott Howard as he shares how he learned to skate backward. (Color me envious.)

Till We Meet Again,
Little JoeTiny Tim
Legacy Five

A Thousand Words…Ten Thousand Miles

So, it’s a wrap for January!

Even though we weren’t extremely busy – we only sang 11 times including New Year’s eve – it seems like ages since the first of the year. We were in Florida 3 different times, 2 of which were so cold we passed herds of penguins in sweaters. We had ice in Marietta and snow in Iowa & Indiana. Worse yet, we endured Michael Booth twice and ate dinner at Gerald Wolfe’s shanty on two occasions. Some of the most memorable things have happened but, unfortunately, I can’t tell you those things. Later maybe.

Of course, when there’s a change in the group, new pictures have to be taken. It’s probably my least favorite thing to do (relating to the group). You’ve heard of bad hair days or in my case, hair-less days…we are a motley crew to say the least!

The Bored Member

Our Fearless Leader

Shazaam!

The new guy

You Can’t Prove I’m Balding

Speaking of new pictures, I encourage you to start off this month with a new picture of yourself, a picture of who you are in Christ:

A Child of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1,2)
Forgiven (Col.2:13)
Complete in Christ (Col 2:9,10)
A Member of God’s family (Eph 2:19)
Chosen by God (1 Peter 2:9a)
Called out of darkness into light (1 Peter 2:9b)
No longer condemned (Romans 8:1)
Free in Christ (Gal 5:1)
Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
Deeply loved of God (1Jn. 4:9,10)
Secure in Christ (Jn. 10:27-30; Romans 8:31-39)
At peace with God (Romans 5:1)
A Citizen of Heaven (Phil. 3:20)
Protected from the evil one (1 Jn. 5:18)
Accepted by God (Eph. 3:12; Romans 15:7)
God’s Workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
Saved by Grace (Eph. 2:8,9)
Indwelled and Empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
Able to do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13)
A new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)

That’s actually 20 snapshots of you for February, one for each weekday. So put on your nicest outfit, fix your hair (or whatever you do with that stuff) AND be sure to smile…big!

Be sure to pray for us…

‘Til We Meet Again,
L5

From the desk of Taryn Fowler

Okay, so Tim has been asking me to write this for a while now, and I have allowed life to get in the way. This is my formal apology to Tim because he has grown old waiting for this piece of “literature.” Truth is that I’m a bit rusty at writing and more than a little bit self conscious! I know God is great and that he can use anyone he chooses, so I am overcoming my fears and submitting this to you in all humility! I hope it is insightful and beneficial!

In my research I have discovered a couple of things that may not come as a surprise to you, and truthfully, should not be that mind boggling to me, but non-the-less have been on my heart a lot lately. Growing up in a Christian home, I have known the “lingo” of Christianity since I came screaming into the world. It seems though, that there are nuances I have missed…. like the difference between discipleship and evangelism. Part of the reason for this lack of understanding is that my own evangelism was short lived… I accepted Christ at the ripe old age of 4. (I know, it sounds crazy, but it is one of my most vivid memories and I have never questioned it.) Evangelism, it seems, has to do with spreading the gospel of Christ to the world. In other words, making new Christians! Discipleship, on the other hand, is how we, individual Christians, teach those who have already become Christians to grow in their personal walk with Christ.

The Great Commission:

Matthew 28:19-20 (King James Version)
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen
Matthew 28:19-20 (The Message)
18-20Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

I have recently been researching and studying exactly what it means be to a disciple. My whole life I have known about the great commission but it has just been the last couple of months that the importance of this commandment of God has gained urgency in my heart. Part of this is a passion that God has put inside of me, and part of it is because in recent years I have been honored to have been discipled by two lovely ladies in my church who teach me more and more each time I serve under them. (Thank you Cindy & Rhonda!) I hope that each of you reading this has the opportunity to be discipled and in return disciple others in Jesus’ name.

As disciples of Christ, we should strive to understand more about God on a daily basis. This can only be achieved by daily prayer and Bible study. We need to be able to KNOW the Word of God so that we can follow the examples of Christian living and discipleship Jesus Christ modeled for us. Most of Jesus’ ministry took place in the close relationships that he had with his disciples. He mentored them personally, tutored them closely, and lived with them daily. His mission in discipleship was not to stand in front of them once in a while and lecture them, but rather to live with them in relationships and instruct by example. He strengthened them through personal relationships. We can see the power of these personal relationships because those twelve relationships are the basis for the entire body of Christ today, and throughout history! Imagine the impact we as Christians could have if we each would seek out more mature Christians to learn from, and then seek those who need guidance and walk with them. Instead of entire churches of “baby Christians,” stagnant in their walk because they do not know how to go forward after accepting Christ, we can have a Body of Christ that is growing and maturing through the example of Christ!

Several years ago I entered a women’s Bible Study and shortly thereafter was asked to serve as a leader. After extensive prayer I accepted the task, hesitantly… I thought that God would see me leading, realize his folly, and then lead me elsewhere. Thankfully, He knows better than me! I met the two ladies that I mentioned above and got to watch them walk with God, and learn from their example. I began to grow in the Lord, and saw the effects on my life. I also got to walk alongside some ladies who were new to faith and I got to watch God’s work in their lives. In both being discipled, and discipling, I have grown. I am humbled by God’s grace each day, and amazed that he continues to choose me for such an amazing task. I am no longer hesitant, because I know that I am doing what God has led me to do. I also know that as soon as he needs me elsewhere, I will go… but no matter where I am I will always strive to find those who can teach me, and those I can help, because that is what he has commissioned me to do!

Please, take some time to assess whether or not you are being an effective disciple and creating an example of Christian life for the people you come into contact with… then GO FORTH and MAKE DISCIPLES!!

L5 Turns 11!

Let me be the first to say, “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!”.

2010 begins Legacy Five’s eleventh year and we are so excited. So, what’s special about 11, you ask? Well…besides being the first three-syllable number – which really turns heads, according to my oldest son who achieved the milestone this past December – it has some very special meanings that apply to Legacy Five specifically.

For instance…

Every anniversary has a theme…from the 25th silver anniversary to the golden 50th. Last year, at number 10, we were honored each time a plate of cookies covered with aluminum, the decade theme, passed through our bus door. At times it took on a lesser charm, like when I was eating lukewarm beanie-weanies from a tin can, also a ten year souvenir. But what a difference a year makes…

This year it’s stainless steel! Do you know how big that is to a bunch of burly guys? (Well, 3 out of 5!) I mean, stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust…at least as easily as ordinary steel (it stains less, but it is not stain-proof). But it’s still…steel. Steel is an alloy or a mix of several metal elements that give greater strength and resistance to corrosion. That’s who we are…a ragbag, hodgepodge of guys who, combined, give greater strength to each other and, holding each other accountable, fight against corrosion in each others lives.

You know what else about 11? In Hungarian, eleven means “alive” – having life, in a state of action. If you asked me to fill in the following blank, “I feel most alive when:____________”, I would say, when I’m around the people I love. That’s why I feel like the most blessed man in the world…when I’m home with my wife and sons, when I’m “at work” surrounded by friends and fans and when I’m traveling down the road with five guys that make me laugh, think, create and wonder – I’m alive ’cause I’m with people I love. In the same language it also means “lively” – full of life, energetic! Even though there are times when gettin’ up on stage and doing our thing is the last thing we want to do, we spur on and stir up each other until – before you know it, there’s energy and life.

None of this is by chance. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…” That’s from the Gospel of John. Guess which chapter…eleven!

So, as we enter our eleventh year, I’d like to wish my comrades 365 days of strength like steel and life – alive and to the fullest. Actually, I may double that to 730 days since the theme for the 12th year anniversary is…silk and linen! Oh boy…

tp
Legacy Five

Nothing To Say!

I believe I made the comment when I started this blog that it would be “worth your time so hopefully you’ll come back often.” As I began posting, I found it therapeutic and corrective. It also put the rest of L5 on better behavior as they discovered that anything was fair game for me to write about. As with many things, once you’re aware you’re being watched, everything changes…you know, like when the engine no longer knocks after you’re at the mechanics; the toothache that keeps you up at night miraculously heals itself as you walk through the dentist’s door! Such was the case with our last tour of the year. We were like a bunch of old geezers, no offense if you are one. But really, nobody talked or went anywhere exciting…no nothin’!

I have my theories as to why this was the case:

Theory 1) Due to the fact that we averaged 3 dozen cookies per night on our west coast tour, we are experiencing prolonged side-effects from a sugar-induced coma. Once again, though we’re grateful for the sweets, the lethargic state we’re left in leaves us lagging!

Theory 2) As we enter the winter season, our bodies and minds are preparing for hibernation. Granted, for some of us, who shall remain nameless, hibernation is a perpetual state and they have learned to do their thing on auto-pilot. Signs of this thesis began showing during a recent concert in which Howie sang the 2nd verse of “Above All Circumstances” first. And immediately thereafter, Cuz sang the 1st verse of “Just Stand” twice! But I said I wasn’t going to mention names. Sorry.

Theory 3) Preoccupation. All through the year we, like most in the work force, dream of what we would do if we had 3 consecutive weeks to accomplish and finish a certain task (read “honey-do list“). The closer we get to said vacation, the more time we spend dreading anticipating its arrival. For example, our boss will spend several days completing business for the year and will spend time in Colorado. Sounds glamorous.
Howie and his brood will head south to LA to hunt with some friends and including Mark Trammell…all of which is to be captured on film for later distribution. Sounds productive.
Last I heard, Glen and kin are hangin’ ’round the ‘hood enjoying a Tennessee Christmas. How…Tennessean.
Gary will enjoy time spoiling his grand daughter. How grand.
Sunny has a date at the bus zoo with a grease monkey. How…transmissional.
Frank is busy taking up where he left off 5 years ago. Just imagine the feeling of putting that suitcase away for good. How relieving.
I’m writing this from the 5th floor of Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville where my wife has had surgery to have a rib removed that was crushing a nerve bundle. There’s something ironic about the very thing God used to form a woman getting on her nerves but I’m too close to the subject to make cracks. As for our holidays, I’ll be Mr. Nurse & Mr. Mom and will look forward to summer vacation. How rewarding.

Theory 4 has to do with squirrel brain fumes from the jar that no one reminded me to remove from the bus – but that’s a stretch!

So to those who wondered why I haven’t blogged for a while, there you have it.

And again I have succeeded to fulfill the words of Mark Twain, “If you have nothing to say, say nothing.”

Thanks for…nothing,
Tim

And we’re back…

Well, we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. By now the leftovers are gone or are turning green…

Speaking of leftovers…on the past west coast trip, you folks averaged 3 dozen cookies at each concert. I haven’t seen that many cookies since I was a kid in vacation bible school. Thanks for all the sweets but let’s make 2010 the year of protein in various forms! I guess beggars can’t be choosers, huh?!

Speaking of more food…we sang tonight at the Amish Open Door Restaurant. The crowd gets to enjoy their meal before we sing and then try to stay awake for our concert. Howie says folks struggle to stay awake in our concerts even when food isn’t served. It felt good to play again after our time off. I seldom get tired of playing for this bunch and I always get a kick out of something that someone on stage says.

We left with a tray of cookies, a box of home-made fudge and an apple pie!

Check it out

If you haven’t taken advantage of the free mp3 download from our website, legacyfive.com, be sure and do so. It’s the “Festival of Carols” from our Christmas cd, A Little Christmas.

Frank did an interview on Janet Pascals website, janetandfriends.com, the end of October. Go over and check it out.

Misc. Pics

Preston Fowler shooting Thanksgiving dinner

U.S.S. Trouble

The Seamans Salute

We’re heading toward Indianapolis. There’ll be plenty to talk about there.

Tim

Influence (Part 1)

Have you ever experienced one of those moments when you knew someone was looking at you? Wasn’t it kind of weird when you looked around and discovered that your “sense” was correct? Someone was indeed looking, staring or just watching you. Now think about this: If someone watches you, then you will influence them to some degree. There’s no denying the influence that each life has on the world. In fact, sociologists tell us that even the shyest introvert will influence 10,000 people over the course of his or her lifetime. Our lives shape the people around us in profound ways. Whether we intend to or not, we affect others through our influence.

In the classic Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is given a tremendous gift: the opportunity to see what life would be like without him. As he wanders through a world that has no memory of his existence, George is dismayed by the plight of his friends and family. Devoid of his influence, their lives lack the warmth and richness he is accustomed to seeing. As George struggles to come to terms with his bleak surroundings, Clarence, his guardian angel, sums up the lesson that he hopes George will absorb from the experience.
“Strange, isn’t it? Each person’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”

Let me tell you about one of those many surreal moments for me, when God reminded me of the fact
that L5 is influencing lives.

We host two events every year at Gaylord Opryland Hotel, in Nashville. We call the event Celebration and it is a three day event every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. This past Memorial Day, a lady named Patty walked up to me at our product table during intermission and asked me, “Why is everyone here so happy?”. I
looked at her a bit puzzled because there were about 1200 people at Celebration and I just assumed most
all of them were either happy or understood the idea behind why we were happy. So I asked her to repeat
herself and again she asked, “Why is everyone here so happy?”. Patty proceeded to tell me that she and her seven year-old daughter, Hanna, were at Celebration by “accident.” She continued by saying that her husband was a physician and that he had just been transferred to a new job in North Carolina. She and Hanna were on their way from Michigan to N.C. to look for a new house. They stopped in Nashville to get
tickets to “The Grand Ole Opry” but instead were sold tickets to our Celebration event. She told me that her
husband is a Muslim and that she was not accustomed to being around so many people who seemed so happy. She again said to me, “So you see…we’re not supposed to be here. We are here by accident. This is not the Grand Ole Opry and I don’t understand why everyone around here is so happy. What is this music all about?” Then I realized, this was a divine appointment and God was giving me an incredible opportunity to tell this lady and her daughter why we were all so “happy.

So, I proceeded to tell Patty and Hanna that the reason everyone there was so happy was because we have
been forgiven of our sins and that as a result, we are guaranteed an eternity in Heaven with God. I was
able to tell her that John 3:16 says that “God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that
whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That’s why we are all so happy,
I told her. At that point she instructed little Hanna to “Listen to this man.”

As I continued to tell her about Jesus and what He had done for us, she asked me, “What page in the Bible
tells us how we can know we are going to Heaven?” She knew nothing about Christianity.

Intermission was now over and it was time for us to sing, so I quickly asked Patty for her email address
and assured her I would stay in touch and answer her questions. Then, I looked over at our product table and saw a pink MP3 player that had every Legacy Five song on it we had ever recorded. I picked it up and handed it to Hanna and said, “Hey Hanna, I want you to have this. It has lots of great songs on it and it will help answer some of the questions you and your mommy have about God.” That was in May of this year.

Click here for Influence (Part Two), the rest of the story .

Remember, people are watching you. Make sure that you use your influence to show them Jesus.

Legacy Five Families Thanksgiving Plans

As we head back to Tennessee to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with our families, I’ve asked the L5 wives to share with you their plans for us this holiday.

Here’s the Frank Seamans’ clan plan according to clan-planner Libby Seamans.

“We plan to spend Thanksgiving the same as every year. We have a tradition of spending it together as a
family. All 5 sons come home (they sleep where we can find space), and sometimes they bring a friend. So
our house is full. I cook the traditional Thanksgiving feast (one of the 3 times I cook each year : ). I do add
one non-traditional dish, my mom’s macaroni salad – very yummy, goes great with cold turkey the next day.
The evening before I bake, – 2 pumpkin pies, 2 pecan pies, a carrot cake (special family recipe – see
below),

Our house is filled with kids and blessings for a few days. Before we eat we go around the table and share
the one thing we are most thankful for, it can get very emotional…and insightful. Oh yea, we always go to
see the latest movie – the whole family…very expensive these days.”

Carrot cake

2 cups flour – 1 wheat / 1 white
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 small can crushed pineapple (not
drained)
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup broken walnuts
2 cups sugar: 1 white / 1 brown
2 tps baking soda
1 1/4 cups oil
1 cup coconut
3 eggs

Combine all ingredients – stir until fully mixed.
Pour into lightly greased bunt pan, bake at 350 for 1 hour

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup of butter (one cube)
6 oz cream cheese

Blend until rich and creamy – frost cold cake.

The Dustin family will head south to northern Louisiana. This is the schedule according to Kristi, Glen’s wife.

Thanksgiving Day we’ll be with my family. We’ll actually celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving. We do that every other year to alternate holidays between families. Everybody brings a gift and we play Dirty Santa. It’s a lot of fun. Then, we’ll spend a couple of days with Glenn’s family. There will be LOTS of yummy food and we’ll eat WAY TOO MUCH, but isn’t that what holidays are for .

As for Gary Buckner, our transportation engineer and his household, wife Sharon
reports:
“During our 35 years of marriage we have always spent Thanksgiving Day with the members of Gary’s family who live in town. For the first time his mom is having her family gathering on Tuesday evening and
traveling out of town with Gary’s brother on Thanksgiving Day. My family has celebrated Thanksgiving for several years with dinner on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Needless to say, Gary will miss both gatherings.

And since our oldest daughter, Sheree, and her family live in Mississippi and will not be able to come to our
home this year and Geniece, our other daughter, and her family will be traveling to South Carolina, Gary and
I will visit with my mother on Thanksgiving Day and be thankful for the wonderful family and blessings God
has given us.”

According to the little-but-mighty-matriarch Kelly Howard, Howie’s wife, “The Howard’s will nestle
down on Little Pond Lane this year and enjoy Thanksgiving at home. Mallory and I will cook our traditional southern Thanksgiving dishes: turkey (with the help of a new Paula Deen recipe!), dressing (Debbie Bennett’s family recipe which I have been using for yearssee below), sweet potato casserole, english peas and a good pie of some sort.

We have a ‘painting project’ in Grant’s room which needs to be tackled by the man of the house, so we will give him a day or two to recover from this long trip and hopefully get a paint brush in his hand. We will try
to get our Christmas decorations put up but mostly enjoy being at home together. We are thankful for so
much and blessed beyond measure. To our L5 family all across the miles, we are eternally grateful for your
support and your prayers for each and every one of us. Happy Thanksgiving!”

Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread mix (enough to make a 9 x 11 pan of cornbread)
3/4 c – chopped onion
3/4 c – chopped celery
5 eggs slightly beaten
2 cans chicken broth
salt
pepper
poultry seasoning

Mix and bake cornbread as directed. Cool and crumble into pieces. Saute onion and celery in 3 or 4
Tablespoons of water until tender. Combine crumbled bread, onion, celery, eggs and chicken broth
until moist (will more than likely use most of the broth from 2 cans). Season with salt, pepper, and poultry
seasoning to your taste.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes or until firm consistency. Enjoy!

As for the the Fowler’s:
“We will be hosting Thanksgiving at our house. Those in attendance will be Scott, Taryn, Preston, Bailey, my mom, my sister Pennie and her husband Steve. Pennie’s son Jason, his wife Susie and their 5 year old son Peyton. We rarely get to see my nephew Jason since they live in Missouri so we are looking forward to it. We
will play lots of games well into the night. Jason and I love to play “Risk” but we have a tough time getting anyone else to play because it is a 3-4 hour war board game.

On Friday, Peter, another nephew of mine and his wife Dana and their 2 year old daughter Anna Bell will be
at our house.

Saturday Taryn and I will go to her mom and dad’s and spend the day visiting with them. They live near
us in Franklin, TN. We will get plenty of eating, visiting and playing in over the next few days!”

And finally, speaking for the Parton-party-of-4 Lori Parton says, “We’ll travel a few miles north to my
mom’s for the day. We’ll enjoy her great southern feast complete with my favorite, giblet gravy (see recipe below), Tim’s favorite sweet potato casserole and the boy’s favorite, homemade chocolate pie. Then we’ll head home to prepare for our oldest son’s surprise birthday party on Friday, an all day event!

Turkey Giblet Gravy

Turkey giblets
4 cups turkey broth

Boil giblets in broth until done (approx. 20 minutes); slice giblets

Add:
3 boiled eggs sliced
1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

Dissolve 2 heapin’ tablespoons cornstarch in 1/2 cup cold water

Add cornstarch slowly to mixture while stirring until gravy is at desired thickness.

Happy Thanksgiving from Legacy Five and all our families! We are grateful to God for you!

Influence (Part 2)

As promised, here’s the continuation of “Hanna’s Story” from last week…

Three months later, at the Labor Day Celebration in early September, I was standing at the record table when a lady walked up to me and said, “Hey Scott! Remember me?” I could not believe my eyes! It was Patty (Hannah’s mom). I said, “Yes! Of course I do. How are you Patty? Are you here again by accident?” She told me that she had come back to Celebration…this time on purpose…to find out more about this Jesus we all sing about. I asked her if Hanna was here and she said no…Hanna was in school now in North Carolina and couldn’t come. She was there by herself. So, we spent a few minutes catching up a bit and in a moment she pulled out a note Hanna had written to me. Here’s what the note from seven year old Hanna said:

“Dear Mr. Scott,
Thank you so much for the music player you gave me.
I loved it but somebody stole it and I am sorry. Please
don’t be mad at me. Please can you help my family go
to Heaven? I want to go. My dad is Arab and I am
half. He believes in Allah and I don’t. I love my family
and wish they were happy like you, but they are not. I
think you know God so please tell him about me and
tell him to take my daddy to Heaven because he is a
good daddy and I love him.
Hanna…7 Years Old”

Wow…A flood of emotions came over me so much that I could not hold back the tears. Talk about a sobering note…especially from a little child. It was at that moment that I realized that this is exactly why Legacy Five does what we do. This was a great reminder to me that we are influencing people’s lives.

A song we just recorded called Faithful To The Cross says it great. Listen to these lyrics:
Some follow after fortune and fame
So when they’re gone the world will remember their name
But I am learning that what matters most
Can’t be held in my hands
And that riches aren’t the measure of the worth of a man
It’s found in being…

Faithful to the Cross, Faithful to His call
Laying down my life, surrendering my all
Forgetting what’s behind me and counting it as loss
Faithful to the finish…Faithful to the Cross.

I want to know I ran my race,
That I fought the fight and kept the Faith
And when at last I stand before the throne,
I want to hear Him say, “Well done!”
That my heavenly Father would be proud of this son.
So may my life be…

Faithful to the Cross, Faithful to His call
Laying down my life, surrendering my all.
Forgetting what’s behind me and counting it as loss
Faithful to the finish…Faithful to the Cross.

Since we have influence over the lives we come in contact with, we must choose the nature of our influence wisely. Regarding those choices, former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden says, “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.”
We pray the Master will always find us Faithful to the Cross so that we can leave a Legacy of His love to
those with whom we come in contact and have influence over.

Come back again next week for my final thoughts on the topic of our personal influence.

Scott

Catchin’ Up in California!

“Sometime in the night we arrived in California. I didn’t feel it, nothing smelled any different…it just happened. Well, that’s not exactly true…it did take us 7 days to get here but anyhow we’re safe and sound. Thanks to God and Gary!”

I wrote that line on Thursday, Nov. 19th with every intention of finishing. But it didn’t happen and, NO, it didn’t have anything to do with the cauliflower or a lack of sleep or anything like that. I was just busy with other stuff.

Anyhow, this will catch you up:

1. Portland, OR. Concert was great. Full house and a few friends that had seen us at PraiseFest in Sevierville, TN just a few days ago.

We had something happen that, according to Fowler, has never happened. Here’s Scott’s post from Facebook telling you about it. “Tonight something happened for the first time in the 23 years that I have been singing. A man at the concert tonight bought a Christmas CD for EACH family in attendance. Thank you Les for your incredibile gesture of the Christmas spirit!”

2. Thursday was Yuba City, which in english means, “Time to wash the bus!” And after several days of travel, Sunny wasn’t very…sunny. So, we washed her. (I made up that “time to wash the bus” stuff. Since we’ve had those Romainians on the bus, you can just imagine the translations we’ve been comin’ up with!)

We decided to let our stow-a-ways friends, Simon and Wesley get in on the act.

spala autobuzul! (washing the bus!)

Since they’ve not had any experience, Gary had to go behind them and do it right!

Doin' it right!

We had a wild crowd at Crossroads Community just like every year. One guy there has posted some YouTube videos. Check them out by clicking here, here and here!

One sad thing that happened that night is that a woman was crossing the street to get to the concert and she was hit by a car and it sent her flying through the air. She had just been released from the hospital after having hip replacement surgury. All she wanted was to get out in time to make it to the L5 concert. She got out in time, but didn’t make it accross the street in time. So tragic! I’ll let you know when we hear anything about her.

3. Friday we drove down the road to Stockton where we were with the Herb Henry family, Larry Ford and the crowd!

really into it, huh!

4. Today we stayed in Temecula, CA which usually means “Where the sun breaks through the mist”. Today it meant “Where SUNNY breaks through the mist”. It is actually a very neat old town. Some of us walked down main street to eat lunch. We found a mexican restaurant in the old First National Bank of Temecula building called, “The Bank” (which in Spanish means…”the bank”). On the cover of the menu was a story of the first robbery back in 1930. One of the 2 employees working there ran after the thief, caught him and the robber was sent to prison for 3 years. For this the employee was given a nickel plated .45 caliber pistol and the teller, a diamond broach. These days they fire employees for deterring such entrepreneurs!

Oh well…

At First Baptist Hemet where we sang tonight they celebrated the season with a Thanksgiving dinner. As we walked to the building where dinner was being held, we saw a fire truck and an ambulance in the parking lot. As we entered the building they were rolling out a 99 year old gentleman who had just collapsed and died. Surprisingly, the mood of the place was upbeat and the concert was wonderful with a thousand plus in attendance. It was a home-going celebration!

As I close, don’t forget about the concert at the El Cajon Wesleyan Church tonight (11/22/09). Click here to go to the page, then click on “Watch here”. It starts at 6:30PM PACIFIC time. Don’t be late!

Speaking of late, it’s 2:00AM and we just fueled at exit 1 in southern California. I can see the lights of Tijuana, Mexico from where I’m writing this.
Tomorrow (Monday) we begin the trek back east with one stop in Yuma, AZ. We’re on the home stretch and thanks to your prayers and a God that answers, we’ve had no bus trouble, no bad weather and everyone still likes each other…well, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad!

Till We Meet Again,
Legacy Five

P.S. Another reminder!

A Brave Man