Southbend, IN Hospitality

Even though the tour ended technically at the close of October, Brian and I joined Abbye and Jeff Pates for a quick drive from Memphis, TN to Southbend, IN to meet some friends at the Catholic Worker Community there. We arrived at the drop in center and set up some of the equipment. It was the first Friday of the month and so they had Mass and a massive potluck dinner. We enjoyed being together at Mass.

At the potluck, I sat at the table with one of our new friends, Biff, and a family with all six of their children there. They took up the whole table nearly and it was easy to see their parent's features in each of children's faces.

Speaking of children, I read the common revised lectionary before I went to church this morning. It struck me how the passages all seemed to relate to inheritance, children, redemption, righteousness, and reward. In Isaiah 58 the suffering servant receives a reward for giving up his life - an inheritance. In Hebrews, Jesus the Great High Priest, reclaims for the household of God many children. God redeems, gives righteouness, we become his children again sharing in his inheritance. Somehow though, and it isn't all clear in my mind (maybe because I just loaded up on Nyquil) the theme is that whole eternal family is the reward of righteousness and the goal of redemption.

I could feel some of that as Brian and Abbye and Jeff and I traveled together this week. I could feel it in some of the conversations that I was surrounded by at the Catholic Worker Hospitality House. I could hear and see it in the way the folks joined together in the liturgies of the Mass before dinner. It was there when we sang and shared songs and stories for the folks that stuck around to listen.

Good quick trip. I hope to make it up there again someday. Thanks Southbend. Thanks Margie and Biff.

End of October

Here are a few pics from the last bit of the October tour. We're back home in Oxford, MS now and adjusting to the strange lack of movement of a stationary lifestyle! Ha! Looks like the plan now may be to get into the recording studio with Brian and get started on a CD of his songs. I'll keep updating here as we go. Meanwhile, please be sure to sign up to the right here on the mailing list. I send a monthly-ish newsletter. Next time the road calls I hope that we see many of you again!



We traveled down from Holland, MI to Columbia, MO to visit Matt and Laura Pinkstaff. They're old friends from SOS Summer Camp days in Memphis, TN. They've been living in India for the past few years so it's been a while since I've seen them. In fact, I've made three CDs since I saw them last. Here's a pic of Brian building a cd castle on their kitchen table after the concert.



A lovely silly group pic from the Pinkstaff's house. Everybody did a good job in this one. Bravo. We had lots of fun playing with the kids and visiting with our friends after so long.



Brian jams with our good friend Eric Papp. I think there may be a dancing Pinkstaff kid out of frame somewhere. Eric has helped set up house concerts in the past so we should be back around the Columbia area again in the future. Eric, hope to get breakfast next time we're through town.




Some Holland, MI friends Josh and Kim invited to dinner before we left town. We were appalled to find strange dead sea creatures all over our glassware as we approached the dinner table. Could be attributed to bad eyesight on their part, but honestly how could you not notice how poorly washed your dinner glasses were? And did they really expect us to drink that nasty ketchup that they poured in there? Besides that though the dinner was spectacular. Josh and Kim are just married and we heard fun stories of their romance. Great last evening in Holland, MI.



Lemonjello's is a favorite coffee shop hangout in Holland. We had several meetings there with friends. We hung out there several times, and read or journaled.



The cups at Lemonjellos are yellow. That could be because lemon jello is yellow? Or because it rhymes? I don't know.

Good Times in Michigan

Last night in Holland, MI at Amy's house. Great time playing for lots of Brian's good friends. Some good conversations afterward too about honesty and expectations in relationships. The past few days in Holland have been great in general. We were able to get lots of great visits in with lots of folks. Thanks Marybeth for dinner! And Josh and Kim fed us tonight so well too. Kurt took us out for dinner as well. We toured a cool recording studio thanks to Charles Driscoll (www.bigbinstudios.com)



Sharing the stories with the songs was especially sweet last night. It led to lots of conversations. It's always great to connect and discuss what's going on. Everybody always feels like they're the only ones dealing with the things on their hearts. It's freeing to find that you've got others around you who feel those things too. So good to find you're not alone.



We forgot to take a picture till a good many people had left! So if you're looking up pictures, sorry if you got left out! Thanks to everyone who was there and thanks to Amy and her folks for hosting us... we got a great night's rest that was needed.


Brian hanging out with some of his youth group kids.


One of the highlights of this week was playing for Park Church in Holland. Our friend Kurt set everything up for us to play for his youth group. In addition, most of Brian's old youth group from the past three years showed up. It was so beautiful to see those kids with Brian. They absolutely love him. It was also a unique chance to speak some good ole Gospel Love into listening ears. And it was just great fun, so fun I almost ate a bean bag.


In Midland, MI we stopped through at Brian's Parent's house. It was a special weekend since all of Brian's siblings and their children came home to see Brian and attend the concert (and to meet the newest member of the Mulder clan- little Luke Mulder- Brian's older brother Dave's latest child). The Mulder Fam was beautiful! I felt right at home, we ate big family meals like so many other places we've stayed, played games (Guess Who?, and I watched them play Euchre) Brian's younger brother Rob is a singer as well and he joined us on one of Brian's tunes at the house show. Good job Rob.


The Midland show was a blast! Lots of Brian's church family showed up, our hosts had a great room for us to play in, and Brian got to share many of his songs and stories with his family for the first time. We had a great time. And I found out that the guy who built my guitar lived only about 20 minutes away in Bay City. So I got in touch with him and he and he wife showed up for the house concert! The next morning we went to visit them at their home, toured the guitar building workshop, and just had a nice visit. Such good folks. Their kids have a band together and are just finishing a CD. His name is Bill Wise and makes Charis Guitars www.charisacoustic.com

Now we're heading to Columbia, MO to see some old Service Over Self Camp friends from Memphis who've been in India for a couple of years, the Pinkstaffs. We'll see Arvel Wilson and Eric Papp hopefully and who knows who else. That will be a good way to end up our traveling.

Then we'll head back to Oxford on Saturday and on Sunday morning I'll see good friends in church again at home. Actually, there are still a few more concerts, one in South Bend, IN with Abbye and Jeff Pates (dear friends, great music makers) and a couple more near Jackson, MS. We're about done. I am certainly done with this post, I need to get some sleep.

Goodnight friends, matthew

ps. Adam and Jenna Weiler hosted us one night too... they are running an amazing art and youth mentoring collective in Holland called "Ambrose". We got to see them in action today making screen prints with youth from around town. Part of Ambrose is a full graphic design and screen printing facility. They made my tour T-shirts. Check them out, support them... www.joyandrevolution.com