Guitar Delivery

I put the finishing touches on Eubanks Guitars #002, plugged it into my amp to make sure the pickup worked, then called the owner, Mike Jensen, and told him he could pick it up whenever he wanted.

He wanted now.

He was working up in Thurmont at his body shop, "Mike's Auto Body," and couldn't wait to come get it. I let him borrow one of my cases so he could safely transport it home.




He's happy.
See?



The guitar looks good, plays great, and has a nice sound that will only get better. I told him to play the heck out of the guitar over the next three months to break it in.

The top (not called the front, even though it's the part that faces the front) is made of spruce, which sounds better and better as it ages. The next few months it will adjust to the vibrations caused by playing. It will loosen up, which means it will vibrate more, which will loosen it up even more--and a top that vibrates more loosely is a top that will sound better and better.

The first Eubanks Guitar is the one I made in Vermont. This is the second Eubanks Guitar, but it's the first made here in Maryland by myself. And it's the first made for someone else.

But not the last. Pam's itching for me to get to some things on the Honey-Do List, but when the weather warms up and I can control the humidity in the garage, I'll start on the next one. There are dibs already for #003 and #004, but if you're interested--seriously interested--let me know. It'll take a few years to get to you, but as long as you're not in a hurry, I'll add you to the waiting list.

This was a lot of work. It was frustrating at times.

But it was a lot of fun.

Allow Me My Grinchy Moment

Have I mentioned how much I despise the Yankees?

23.5 degrees

Long before there were scientific instruments or calculations to figure such stuff out, prehistoric people knew something was up. It was getting colder. Nights were getting longer. More disturbingly, the sun wasn't rising as high in the sky. Each day, its peak was closer and closer to the horizon.

If something didn't happen, maybe one day it wouldn't peak above the horizon at all, and there would be nothing but frigid darkness.

Prehistoric people didn't know exactly what the sun was, but they knew it brought light and it brought warmth, and their lives depended on both. When it was warm and daylight lasted longer, plants grew and animals were plentiful. There was food to be found.

But when the darkness lasted longer and the cold grew more bitter, plants withered, animals became scarce--and people died.

Around this time of year, they noticed that the sun started rising again. We know that the sun stops descending in the northern hemisphere on December 21st, and the very next day--today, in fact, it starts rising a little higher.

Solstice. From the Latin sol, meaning "sun", and sistere "to cause to stand still." The sun stops descending and starts heading in the opposite direction.

It's not easily noticeable at first, not without instruments and mathematical formulas. It took a couple of days for people to notice that the sun had started rising higher in the sky

Probably around December 25th is when they saw it. The promise of warmth. That the darkness wouldn't overcome the light. That Life had returned to earth.

And so they celebrated.

And so do we.

"What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." John 1:3-5

Beyond $50K

WFC has raised over $40,000. That was before yesterday's "$10 Friday," and we know over $4,000 was given yesterday--we may have even dug a well in one day. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

We are going to blow past $50K.

We keep counting until the end of the year. How many more wells will we do?

Thanks, everyone.

The XVI?

Today I received two very nice Christmas cards saying that someone had donated $20 to Water For Christmas in my name. Very nice, and much appreciated.

But the "From" line was left blank. Either the person wishes to remain anonymous, or Charity: Water made a mistake.

I'm guessing the former, because both cards were addressed the same way (which is why I think it's one person.)

"Dr. Laurence Lee Eubanks XVI"

OK, it's not Laurence or Lawrence or anything. It's Larry. It's on the birth certificate.

But someone is just jerking my chain, and I have my suspicions.

So, thanks for the donation.
If Charity: Water made a mistake and you don't mind telling me who you are, shoot me an email.

But if you're just jerking my chain, I'm calling you out, and daring you to call me Laurence to my face. :)

Christmas Movies, Pt. 2

Last week I shared my list of must-see Christmas movies. Some people questioned why certain movies, like "White Christmas" weren't included.

Because I didn't watch "White Christmas" growing up, so it never found a place in my nostalgia bin.

I've watched it as an adult. Nice movie. Bing and Danny Kaye were big stars, and nothing beats Bing singing "White Christmas." But it's not must-see for me.

There are some Christmas movies that, when I've mentioned I've not seen them, I get incredulous looks from people. See, I'm not a big movie-watcher. I go to the theater maybe 6-8 times a year. Maybe. And I don't rent movies a whole lot. Seems I can always find something better or more pressing to do with my time.

So there are a lot of good-to-great movies out there that I've never seen.

Shoot, I had never even seen "Casablanca" until last year.

So, here's my list of Christmas movies that I haven't seen that everyone seems to think I should:

1. "A Christmas Story." When someone mentions something about a Red Ryder BB Gun and I look at them with a puzzled look, I end up being the recipient of some diatribe about what a great movie it is and how in the world have I not watched it.

Truth is, until last year I had never even heard of "A Christmas Story." It's been out for 20 years; where have I been? Sorry; I know I must be some kind of cultural Philistine for having missed this bit of classic Americana. I'll watch it, I promise. Someday. When I don't have something more pressing to do.

Sheesh.

2. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" starring Chevy Chase. Never seen it. Never even caught five minutes of it on T.V. All my friends talk about how funny it is, share their favorite scenes with each other, and I have to stand off to the side and watch. I'm not allowed to play in any reindeer games, because I'm the only one who hasn't seen the movie.


That's it; that's the list. Every other Christmas movie that I haven't seen I can find plenty of other people who haven't seen it or who have but don't think it's the greatest thing since Rudolph's red nose.


There is one more list of Christmas movies/specials that I need to mention. Go on Amazon or something and search for Christmas movies, and you'll find some that will make you wonder, "Who thought this would be a good idea?" Really, really lame Christmas specials.

So here's my list of Christmas Specials I'm Glad I Never Saw:

1. Donny and Marie's Christmas Show. Too much teeth.
2. Barbie in a Christmas Carol. Barbie--yes, the long-legged doll--as a Scrooge-like diva?
3. Barney: Night Before Christmas. I'm dreaming of a purple Christmas? Don't think so.
4. Ernest Saves Christmas. Ernest was funny for a commercial or two, but not for a full-length movie.
5. A Carol Christmas. It "stars" Tori Spelling, William Shatner, and Gary Coleman. Thespians everywhere must have gone into mourning.

Unfortunately, this list could go on and on and on.

But I can't.

Catching Up

I'm a pastor, husband, father, son, brother, and uncle, and Christmas is just a week away.

Been a tad busy, so I've gotten behind on my posts.

Truth is, if you want to know what's going on with Water For Christmas, Jody's blog is the best way to go. It's almost in real time.

I get all my information from her anyway.

But in case you haven't heard, WFC has raised over$35,000. The WFC Benefit Party Sunday night in Muscatine raised over $15,000.

That's seven wells. I predicted six, Jody challenged us to hit ten.

I was wrong. Jody is going to be right. We're going to hit ten. Maybe more.

5,000 people won't have to drink disease-carrying, disease-causing water.

Tomorrow's Friday. You know the drill.

FBC's Choir has their annual Christmas party Saturday night. They usually do a gift exchange. They still are, but instead of buying gifts, they are going to bring something from home to give, and give the money they would have spent on gifts to WFC.

Gloria in excelsis deo, indeed.