Gearing Up For Cornerstone 2008 [4/10/08]

My mind for the past several months has been wrapped around going to Cornerstone this summer. If all goes according to plan, this will be my 10th year.

From 1991-96, I was single, relatively poor man, who ate up and relished the environment and community of it all. I saw some incredible shows, experienced huge church services, awesome fellowship, got little sleep, and lived through a number of storms. I was almost struck by lightning one year! Luckily, my friend, Jim, has much raw footage of our camping experiences to look back onto with an everglow feeling.

Stuff changed for me after 1996. I broke up with my ex-fiance that year, and went through a series of life and career changes that have dramatically affected everything since. A number of friends came and went. I have been married to my wife for nine years, have a baby girl, have my master's degree, and have been in the place where God set me ever since. Ups and downs, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Since getting married in 1998, I have gone three more times, with a friend each time. In 2000, I made the trek with a friend named Dave. In 2001, I travelled with Bryan, who I used to DJ with. Finally, in 2003, I made the long journey with my friend, Bob.

I have to admit, my years as a single man were much more enjoyable experiences. Something about getting older has made the whole camping thing a bit more distasteful, but I'm willing to go that route again, if only to rediscover my love for the JPUSA event.

The shows I have seen are the reason I wait every year for the new list of bands appearing there. I have incredibly fond memories of the violet burning in 92, Iona in 93 and 96, the Prayer Chain, Saviour Machine, VOL, LSU in 93, Mike Knott with Cush, Mike Knott any time, Chagall Guevara, Mastedon, the 77's, the Choir, Lost Dogs, Undercover, Larry Norman, Chris Taylor, Over The Rhine, Monk, Jacobstone, etc... It only scratches the surface.

I love checking out new bands and artists. Call it my addiction. It is a fresh thing to discover something new that whets my musical palette.

I should be mellowing out at my age. I am not whatsoever. God has given me a passion for music, and not settling totally absorbed with the past. The past has its place, but I live for the here and now and the future music.