Lees House Concert- High Point NC

We had a really enjoyable house concert at the Lee's place in High Point, NC tonight. Our friend Kevan knows this family and set up a house concert for us there (and he came to watch/listen as well- he's seen us 3 consecutive nights and somehow seems to really enjoy it each time... fantastic). Our hosts tonight were really kind and we enjoyed talking to them and hanging out before and after we played (they even fed us a delightful feast afterward- peppers filled with rice and tomato and such, and some homemade brownies and ice cream for dessert). 2 of the guys- Thomas (whose place we were at)and Justin- opened for us and played 5 of their songs, and it was nice to be able to just sit and listen to someone else play for a while.
After playing 7 shows now, we're getting pretty comfortable with the songs we've been playing, and it's really fun to be able to improvise and spice things up a bit.

-Brian

ps. from matthew...
I'm adding a little bit here too. I was reading "Jayber Crow" by Wendell Berry earlier while Brian was posting pics. What a great book. It will break your heart but it is so beautiful. Brian is on his way to sleep at the moment and the rest of the house is quiet except for the calm water swaying sounds and faint hum of the dishwasher- a sound I like especially late at night. Wow it's nearly 2am!

Something sort of funny occurred to me tonight at the house concert. Previously, I've felt sort of disappointed if too few people showed up, but tonight we had a small crowd and I didn't even think about it. In fact, I felt a lot of joy tonight while we played. I particularly enjoyed the smallness of the evening. This is a running theme in my life that pops up every once in a while. (there's even a song along these lines on the new CD) Anyway, I find myself repeatedly disappointed with all the bigness that I thought I wanted and repeatedly surprised and comforted in the smallness I end up with. House concerts are becoming very dear to me.

Another great consequence of playing in homes and staying with people is, well, people. You really get to be around people. I'm loving visits with friends, new friends, hosts. Brian and I both commented on the beauty of walking into a stranger's house tonight and then walking out several hours later feeling so grateful for the lovely people we now felt so glad to have met. This keeps happening.

And being on the road hasn't been as wearying as I expected. I think because the concerts haven't felt so much like performances as they have felt like visits. I can't express it all right now... I just feel so grateful for the sweetness and the loveliness that comes from slipping under the radar of the big, fast, loud world and looking into someone's face and listening to their voice, sharing a song or a story, not being in a hurry or worried about money or efficiency or 'making it' with success, but instead making stories with friends.

That's the Good Way. I think that's a Kingdom Way. Mark Heard said, "Love is never everything, but it's the best thing" There's always something else begging for attention and allegiance. I don't want everything. I just want the best thing - though I play the fool to get it. Jesus believed in the value of the foolishness of God.
Everything changes because of that, thank God.

Better sleep! Love, matthew