First, we're on Fall Break this week. While Kyle was at work yesterday and Colton was with his friends, Vanessa and I went to town to pick up a few things. We stopped at Taco Bell to grab a bite before hitting Wal-Mart and were just about ready to leave when I saw her smile, then someone behind me covered my eyes. My first thought? Okay - this must be someone special, but who?
My eyes were uncovered and it was Jean Tittle ! I look around and there's Hershell at the counter. What a site for sore eyes! (that line reminds me of another song - gotta make sure to add it too...) This was the first time we'd seen them in AGES! We had already finished but moved to their table to sit and talk while they ate. We ended up staying for what had to be an hour or more just talking about old times and what we're all doing now. They talked about their great grandkid and Vanessa talked about our dogs. :-) They've recently lost two pets, which was sad. :-(
We talked about music, of course. When we were with Heaven's Echos years and years ago (more than 20, at the beginning), they were a big part of our lives! They weren't like a father and mother to us, but were more like an aunt and uncle that you really loved spending time with. And those of you that know how much I valued my aunts and uncles will know how large of a statement that is to me.
Anyway, I started by asking Hershell if he was offended by Country music. He said no, and I proceeded to tell him about my Friday night gig... I played his bass some back in the day (when he'd want to concentrate on singing a slow song, usually) so I wanted him to know that I was playing bass all the time and I showed him my callus on my right hand. :-) I also asked him if he'd ever thought he'd think of me as a vocalist. :-)
He said more than once he wished I'd come play with them. They have a piano player only and he said they'd like to have a bass, guitar, mandolin, whatever. I told him I didn't feel led to do that anymore, but that I'd love to sit in and just see what happens. We made sure we had each other's numbers and he said he'd talk to the keyboard player and see what happens.
After we left, I told Vanessa I can see three 'issues' with this... First, if I'm not called into that ministry, it's not the right thing to do - I firmly believe that. Second, I feel like I've really come a long way as a vocalist and I don't think I'm ready to give that up and go back to just being a musician. :-) Third, I'm afraid that it would come down to that OR Country and that they wouldn't 'let' me do both. Now I'm not saying that God won't call me back into that ministry - He did it once before, and He can do whatever He wants of course - but until such a time as that, I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing and having all the fun I can with it.
So - this begs the question - why even pursue that? I've decided that if I'm going to progress in my music that I have to make myself available. I don't believe in coincidences - the fact that we ran into them yesterday means that something bigger is at work here, and I'm not going to turn my back on that. Will something come out of it? I don't know, but I do know that if I close doors I'm cutting myself off, so I'll strive NOT to do that.
Before I go - I found a couple of old scanned pictures of them on their granddaughter's Facebook page. These were, of course, before we met them, but there is no doubt it's them!
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