Guitar Restoration 2

So this very cool old guitar that appeared to be almost worthless came back home with me from the guitar shop. I was determined to hang it on the wall and have a cool wall decor, rather than sell it for $20. I thought I would check this guitar out out before I did. So I got on the internet and typed in Electra guitars and was sent to a web page that had a nearly complete history of the Electra guitar.

River City Amps

I found out that my guitar was somewhat collectable with a rather (I thought) interesting story. The model 2244 was made for 1 year only in 1973. I was a freshman in High School when the guitar was made and did not play at that time.

 This guitar was imported to St Louis from Japan where it was made. Matsumoku of Japan made quite a few different guitars not only for Electra, but Epiphone, Vox, Aria, and Westone among others. At that time there were a number of guitar companies attempting to tap into the rock and roll fan base and all those garage bands.

Les Paul born in Waukesha, Wi...guitar legend
died at 94 years when he passed in 2009.

The Electra guitar was a nearly exact duplicate of a Gibson Les Paul, who's creator (and also the man who practically the inventor of the electric guitar) was none other than Les Paul. Some feel like the Electra because of certain design features was actually a better guitar.

One reason for the lawsuit was the headstock design; it is called an open book design. The combination design and script was a rip off of the Gibson headstock. Electra was forced to change their headstock design and script. My guitar is "pre-lawsuit" so it is more collectable...not sure to who or whom, so I will attempt to restore it, for myself.







Les Paul and Mary Ford


Les Paul on his 90th birthday

Grace Like Water

When I was a kid in school we learned about the water cycle. The rain came down and the water fell into lakes, streams and the ever so humble homes of frogs and mosquito larva; the slough. If I were to pour out a glass of water or if it rained a giant storm I know which direction the water is headed...to the lowest point. Unless there is a lake on the mountain top the rain is going to try to head down the mountain to the valley below.

I know all of this seems rather simple and if you argued long enough you might be able to explain that not all of the water makes it down hill; I will give you that. The point I want to establish is that water seeks the lowest level that it can. Which brings me to the similarity between water and the Grace of God. Grace always seeks the lowest places and often drips past many of the places that we might expect it to stay.

Paul in the first chapter of 1 Corinthians explains that God has
not chosen the wise...
He has chosen the foolish things
not chosen the strong...
He has chosen the weak things
not chosen the noble...
He has chosen the base and the despised things
               
WHY?
So He can...
confound the wise
So He can...
confound the ones who are mighty
So He can...
prove that He can raise up something from nothing

Not many of us are mighty, wise, or noble. Many of us are however weak, foolish and despicable. God is very interested in weakness and frailties; look up, grace is falling like rain and it might be headed your way.

You Are So...Uncommon

I have recently come upon a startling thought...(ok maybe not startling)... but interesting none the less. There is an old saying that says, "there is nothing more uncommon than common sense."

I am so...uncommon

Well, with that being said...

Average, dare I say, common people, posses the potential to be really uncommon and interesting,  simply by being themselves. Not just uncommon and interesting but strong, and self confident. Strong enough to be encouragers, good examples, positive role models, and healthy parents raising kids to rise above the wash of low self esteem.

After all no is quite like you. So stop measuring yourself by other peoples standards. It seems that we are surrounded by people not comfortable being themselves, and they struggle with joy stealing self loathing. People who just never seem to be happy. How sad for them.

You are like a finger print, no one is quite as uncommon as you are. So despite my rather common appearance fishing on the big water, I really am quite an uncommon sort of guy.

Uncommon (adjective)
out of the ordinary...unusual...remarkably great.

Yeah thats us..Our best days are still ahead of us. Repeat after me...My best days are still ahead of me...say it again...My best...you get the idea, tell yourself everyday.

They Call It Bacon Love

Now thats a lot of love

 I came across this very cool store and could not resist the urge to let the world know. My daughter-in-law works at Nueskes in Wittenberg (no affiliation with Patina's) and Leah is always looking at bacon stuff.  Check this out, it is wild. I have an aversion to live pigs (not my favorite) but I do love Pork.

I love you more than bacon...c'mon thats funny.

"Bacon Love" the Mens Dept. at Patina

Hey man if you are gonna chew gum...this is the stuff.

When you bring home the bacon this is what you put it in...a bacon wallet

For extra kissable lips...what woman could resist that?

You have heard of beef steak on a bruise, well this is  for cuts and scrapes.

There are other items for the truly cultured these are only a few found in the mens dept. 

Guitar Restoration

I was leaving work one day about 12 or so years ago and on the way I came across a sign for a Garage Sale, so I stopped. Near the end of the driveway as I was leaving I saw a guitar case. I lifted the lid a little and saw an old guitar with no strings, it was missing a front pickup, and no apparent means to attach the strings to the guitar body. "If you want it you can have it" a guy sitting near the edge of the garage door spoke out. I stared at it for a moment; all of my "junk genes" were screaming at me to pick it up. Trying not to look like a scavenger I picked it up and put it in my car.

Convinced that I was never going to use this for more than a wall decoration or a door stop I put it under the bed for a few years. I then placed it in the bedroom closet for a few more years, then into the basement after that. I thought that perhaps other guitar players might be interested (not so much interest) but honestly it was not much to look at and the idea of it ever being used again seemed unlikely.

I was cleaning in the basement looking for some cassette tapes...(I know I am hopeless). I was looking for a particular Christmas tape downstairs in the closet and there it was, the case that held the old guitar. I pulled it down and looked at it and wondered if it would ever hold tune again, if not maybe I could hang it on the wall in my office downstairs and just look at it. I am not much for having things around that just don't work anymore if I determine it is worthless I will toss it out. I just wasn't sure about this guitar.

I thought I would take it to the guitar shop and get a professional opinion, he never really touched it or expressed much interest and said he would give me $20 for it. If I bought a new guitar from him he would give me $40. I thought for 40 dollars I would just hang it on the wall and tell my lame old story about the junk guitar and the rummage sale.

Still not convinced that it was junk I looked up the guitar on the internet to look for parts...I was very pleasantly surprised...(the story will unfold).

Insignificant Christianity: Live Somewhere Else

If you want to be a truly insignificant Christian it is vital that you live some where else other than where you are right now. Often insignificant Christians cannot see where they are (right now) nor do they understand the value that they bring to today.

If it is your desire to be a really insignificant Christian you must allow yourself to live in the past.

I know that "back in the day" 

The streets were safer

  The neighbors were kinder

    The food tasted better, because everyone ate at home

      The old church was preferred because of it's pastor, its songs, and the pot luck dinners

        All of the children behaved better...even the animals behaved better

          ...and the list goes on and on...

Who will take a stand in the middle of today and declare powerful Christianity?

It is certain that our culture has changed, and remembering the "good old days" may bring sweet thoughts and memories of your past; but at what price? I do think that we spend a lot of time wishing things could be the same as we remember, but those days are gone. If the truth were told we may have never understood the sacrifice that our elders may have payed for our days to be so sweet...thanks mom and dad.

What we need to do as vital functioning change agents for Christ today is to stand up and face our difficulties and be real men and women of God by obeying His word and living righteously. Living in the past will drain power from today; leaving us wondering why our lives feel so empty and meaningless.

The other place that we often make the mistake of living is the future. Certainly it is prudent and wise to plan for tomorrow and step into that day by faith. I have made the mistake of dreaming too much about what might be, waiting for some mysterious door to open only to find that I have missed opportunities to be a significant Christian. It is a little sad because I may never get those opportunities back again.

One day while leaving Jericho a blind man was crying out for Jesus to notice him; his name was Bartimaeus. His name meant "son of Timaeus". Timaeus meant one who was unclean, weak, (defective). Bartimaeus (the son of weakness and uncleanness)  was the son of a man of weakness; his father may have had a very similar problem. Perhaps this uncleanness and weakness may have been genetic. Bartimaeus was not allowed to enter the temple and was likely the scorn of the people around him because of his frailty and his past;  it is very likely that everyone knew all about this family.

When he cried out to Jesus he tossed aside the garment he wore that may have  identified his condition and decided to leave the past behind. Jesus asked Bartemaus what do you need me to do for you? Bartimaeus might have replied, "Lord, deliver me from my blindness and my past" and Jesus did.

Lord help me to get past my past to be a significant Christian.

Rising From the Ashes

Sheepishly as if eyes were watching him, he approaches his key board clears a path to the track pad and keyboard. He looks at the screen then the i-sight camera still feeling like someone is watching, he opens up the blogging program. He signs in and wonders what  he should write about after all of these months of silence. Almost apologetically Frank tries to gather his thoughts and then realizes that there just aren't that many new things to offer the rest of the world...screech (screaming tires and then the sound of a car crash, the sound of twisting metal and busting glass...it sounds better in an audio book or on the radio).

Wait a minute he is one of the most interesting people he knows; certainly things will come and the world will be a better place.

Making a resolution this year to blog once again he has already failed by 3 days. With this understanding of the weakness of his own character and with the knowledge that weakness seems to not only run through out his life, I am, (I mean Frank is) certain that, they have in fact in recent months purchased race cars and are using his mind and lifestyle as a race track.

Oh the misery and the condemnation that this sense of failure brings...and once again the despair of his own short comings loom like a thundering storm cloud that will most certainly bring flooding and damage to the the small community that was once a happy man.

How does one begin to rebuild in the ruble of what seemed a glorious ancient culture. He determines that this amazing civilization will rise again only by the turning over of stones and picking through the twisted lumber and salvaging what he can...one day at a time...one post at a time until once again all of his friends will know that like a Phoenix he has risen from the flames of devastation and obscurity.

So many thought so many ideas and yet so little time to blog. Understanding that others have the same number of hours in their days and that this capital must be budgeted and spent wisely. Being the giving person that he is he wonders; can he remain effective in the tangible world of real people and still send his thoughts to people he does not know or will never meet. Could it be that both could be accomplished? Could he somehow be insightful and encouraging to those who read in the far reaches of this ever shrinking planet, and still minister to needs in Marshfield, Wausau and who knows where. This poor man with a guilty conscience trying to be all things to all men must...somehow...fight...through these... hindrances.

A mental picture from the long past days of comic books comes of Lex Luthor and Superman; it is the weakness that kryptonite brings. Yet somehow he must push through the impending doom and fight until he once again soars. Frank (with the help of the superman analogy) once again realizes that in spite of frailties, weakness and very few gray cells (brain power) he can in fact push through, he will once again rise and be better...(still not sure at what).

But that will come another day...stay tuned...do not touch that knob...do not attempt to change the channel.

Whew I am exhausted.