Secrets of the Continent
A Trilogy, Book One: Shaman's Spark
by Marcus Lawson
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Back in the 90’s, I played in the band, Bodacious. We played country, country-rock and southern rock. It was an excellent band, and Zane Hill, the male lead vocalist, had quite a large archive of original lyrics and music. Kenny Duncan, the lead guitarist, still plays at Legends in Myrtle Beach, where he is the music director. The rest of the lineup was – Chelle Duncan, Kenny’s wife – lead vocals, Garry McGee – , lead and rhythm guitar, Jeff Murphy – bass guitar, myself – drums and Frank and Missy Bilosoli ran the sound. We played some of the best country music clubs and venues around. Later, after I remarried, I left the band to attend to my domestic duties. The band dis-banded a couple of years later, when everyone went on to other interests.
In the mid 90’s, Zane Hill, Garry Mcgee, Jeff Murphy, myself and a steel guitar player, Aaron Butler, formed the Zane Hill Band. We played both in the studio and all around (i.e. the Charlotte Nascar races). We played original southern rock and country rock.
Anyway, I said all that to say this – I recently ran up on a copy of our only CD, Somewhere In The Night, and thought I’d put up a track that is probably the most country sounding song we did – God Bless These Hands.
Click to open the player for “God Bless These Hands”
Don’t know if you like country, but you just gotta appreciate that steel work Aaron’s doing here! By the way, as a drummer, I’d like to offer the definition I was given for a drummer – a drummer is someone who hangs around with musicians.
Steve
Tags: This one’s been out for a while, but I can’t continue without including it forever in the archives of this blog. I promised myself I’d do that. Plus, I get such a kick out of humorous redos of classic music. Niki Maness sent this my way a couple of months ago:
There’s also a band, Hayseed Dixie, that does bluegrass versions of AC DC songs. I was introduced to their stuff about 4 years ago by a co-worker (oxymoron) at the Post Office. He’s Dan the Fisherman and is a great story subject himself. But for the purpose of this post, I’ll limit it to this one song.
Steve
Man, was last week a good one for me! Dad turned 80 yesterday – a true octogenarian! He’s in better shape than I am. I think he looks 
like he’s in his late 60’s or, maybe, 70. And to use a term that’s overused, but the best way to describe him, my father’s a saint. He honestly spends the better part of each day making someone else’s life easier for them. I’m now 52 and he asks me every time we talk if there’s anything we need – and he means it!
We celebrated by getting all of us together (except Cindy’s in Nashville now) to eat dinner and enjoy each other. It was great! My brother Brian, who is a comedian who never got paid for it, kept us all laughing. The only part of the night that wasn’t perfect was when our six-year-old, Joseph, fell asleep and then fell out of his chair and onto the floor. Thank God that He makes kids out of what seems to be rubberized titanium. Only Joseph’s pride was hurt. Did I mention how lovely my wife, Crystal, looked last night (and every night, for that matter)?
My whole week was great. I just finished my first week on first shift, and I totally love my job! On Monday and Tuesday, I was overwhelmed with training on things I had never seen, and, therefore, didn’t quite grasp. Now it all makes sense and I can’t imagine doing anything I enjoy more. Okay, before my optimism causes you to vomit, I’ll close out – but not before I thank Jesus!
Steve
Shaman's Spark
There is a new author out there, and I know him personally. His name is Marcus Lawson. He has written a new fiction book, much like the genre that includes Lord of the Rings and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – books that, while having a great fantasy storyline, have a great Biblical storyline, also. Christian fiction would be the correct genre.
I invite you to read Marcus Lawson’s first installment in the trilogy, Secrets of the Continent, titled Shaman’s Spark. Here’s a short synopsis by the publisher:
Secrets of the Continent
A Trilogy, Book One: Shaman’s Spark
by Marcus Lawson“Time stood still as Malachi realized that he was no longer in the real world. He saw the man raise his arm and turn his hand to throw the fireball at him. He heard both the stick creature and the griffin behind him yell and lunge for him.
So begins Malachi’s first night on the Continent, a world full of stick and mud creatures, griffins, centaurs, dwarves, gnome-like creatures, vampires, and shape-shifters. The young boy soon finds out why he has awoken in a new world ruled by Keepers—corrupted men and women trained to harness the secrets. In doing so, he learns that he is of the race of Fioren, a group of people who are born with the knowledge of all the secrets. With the help of the creatures of the Continent and a few friends from his world, he must not only fight to rescue the Continent from Erogant and his legion of Keepers, but he must also rescue its citizens from complacence.
Join Malachi on his journey to discover within himself the power to lead and the desire to serve Adonai in Marcus Lawson’s first installment of the Secrets of the Continent trilogy, Shaman’s Spark.”
Marcus is also a teacher and a wonderful Christian friend. I’d recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
Here’s the trailer for the book, by the publisher – to be aired on national TV soon!
I had someone request that I create a “tribute” web page for Joseph Stack, the man who flew the small aircraft into a building housing the IRS in Austin, Tx. The requester stated that I could get a huge amount of attention (most probably the FBI). This would be attention that I wouldn’t want – not necessarily the anti-freedom part, but the part about the glorification of a man who murdered innocent human beings.
Facebook just yanked a tribute to Joseph Stack, by a conservative radio host, Jon Alvarez. He was painted there as a hero to Americans who have been done wrong by our government, and the IRS in particular. Stack’s suicide “manifesto” was also taken offline this week.
I have mixed feelings about all of this – I detest big government, but I also detest the murder of innocents to make a political (or otherwise) point. I vehemently detest attempts to impede the freedom of speech, but I pray for people who take advantage of that freedom to put immoral ideas out there.
While I have strong political views, I found out the hard way that, instead of publishing them in a way that might breed hate within myself or those who would read it, I serve my God and humanity much better by exercising my vote to make my voice heard. So, in this way, I feel good about my decision not to take part in another political site. Ill do much better by praying for everybody involved.
Okay, here’s the time line – February 28, 2009 – I finally retired from the US Postal Service. I had big plans to spend a great deal of
time with my family and utilize web design as my income source, until all my retirement started coming in (I’m “only” 52). We started out well and took a nice ten day vacation to Disney World last April with my father and mother-in-law. Needless to say, I immediately began a job search when we got home. My dream was just that – a dream. With the economy in the trouble that it was, the web income was not so forthcoming. Now it’s a year later.
It started this way: I was interviewing for a good part time job in the areas in which I was both familiar and that I enjoyed. I had, after all, retired from the PO , mainly to preserve the sanctity of my mind. I was in Kernersville one day, interviewing for a job, and I called my Dad to see if he wanted to go to lunch. He asked me then, “Have you considered working where I work?” It was perfect! I then became a medical specimen courier for a great company. The job was virtually stress-free, all the people were great to work with, and I got a company car – near perfection! The only two differences in what I had set out to find were that the job was full-time (not a problem at all) and it was a third-shift position. I absolutely LOVED this job. However, I have walked around in my “waking” hours like a zombie and have been virtually ineffective in any other endeavor. Third shift was not a good shift for me at this “juncture” in my life – or my wife’s life.
I wouldn’t be eligible to bid on a first shift job until I had been with the company for at least one year - and first shift is “prime territory”. We prayed and accepted what we must endure (and what I had asked for), and then it happened. IT was something that simply does not happen – ever. A courier on the first shift requested a mutual trade to my position. All that needed to happen at this point was that I had to accept the mutual trade. Are you kidding me??!! IT was done quickly and I begin my first shift job Monday morning.
The point of this story – pray. And don’t forget to pray for others!
Steve