Flanfire

Stopped by Bongo's BBQ in the West Campus area tonight to catch the debut of the Dirty Dishes - Kathleen O'Keefe, who writes a Texas music column for Country Line magazine, on guitar (she's the songwriter), and Jen Obert, formerly of Cooper's Uncle, on fiddle. In the house were such notables as South Austin Jug Band mandolin player Matt Slusher, Shelley King bassist (who's also in People Skills and Kim DesChamps' blues band) Tony Velasco, and Gary Hartman, Director of the Institute for the History of Texas Music at Texas State in San Marcos. The girls did mostly originals by Kathleen - songs like Roll On, Baby, and Small Towns Can Kill You in the first set and Stranger in Your Shower Tonight in the second (which we had to leave early).

Sunday's coming - Resurrection Sunday, as we call it - and we are heading for Burnet for the annual Bluebonnet Festival and a rousing gospel set or two by the Andrew Ham Gospel Band -- which features Brennen and Seth Hulbert on mandolin and guitar and Ham himself on bass. It is supposed to be quite cool out - a fitting time to remember what the week is all about. From the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem as the long-awaited Messiah to the time a few days later when some finally realized he had no intention to lead a political rebellion against Rome to the time even his friends abandoned him to the time the grave could not hold him.

Jesus spelled out the secret to a full life - that we are elevated in his kingdom by the way in which we first accept the premise that God has provided all of our own needs and second accept the challenge to pour out our lives in service to others. So our job is to look for opportunities to serve and not demand to be served. It is those who oppose God's kingdom who seek to lord it over others. And quite frankly it is not that easy to seek servitude as a lifestyle.