By the time I get home from Phoenix…

Alright, alright. I admit – it’s a corny blog title. But since I have just returned from Phoenix, I kinda had to do it. Besides, Jimmy Webb’s brief masterpiece made famous by Glen Campbell is one of the best songs in the English language.

More to the point of the blog – I spent the weekend as the guest of 1st Southern Baptist Church, Scottsdale, AZ. I worked with the choir and orchestra on nine of my choral pieces. We concluded the festivities with a concert/worship service on Sunday morning. They were well-prepared by their able music minister, Keith Matney. They have a solid music program there and it shows in the people’s enthusiasm, in their love of music, and their love for one another.

I had a good time, and I think the folks there did, too. (I sure hope they did.)

A few takeaways from the weekend:

1) “Dry heat” or not, it’s really hot in Phoenix in the summertime. I sweated up the joint. Projectile sweating. The players on the front row of the orchestra needed rain gear while I was conducting.

2) Despite the heat, it’s very pretty in Phoenix in the summertime. As evidence, check out the view from my hotel room.

3) I hate flying. Okay, that doesn’t have so much to do with my weekend in Phoenix, which was, by every accounting, a good thing. But I had to fly to get there and back. And the good folks at the TSA and the airlines have joined forces to make air travel about as unpleasant as they possibly can.

4) I really need to lose 50 pounds. As evidence, check out the picture of Keith Matney, my host and normal-sized guy, and me, fat sweaty guy. I think I also hate cameras as much as I hate flying.

5) As they sing (incessantly) at Disneyland, it really is “a small world” after all. Turns out that for two years way back in the late 50s, Keith Matney’s parents lived on the same block as my family – in a dinky little Texas berg called Seagoville. If they hadn’t moved away before Keith was born, he and I would’ve gone to school together. (Cue the ichy-sweet music…)

6) (Going for an even half-dozen takeaways) I am a lucky guy to get to do what I do.

So, many thanks again to Keith and everyone at FSBC for their hard work and fine hospitality. God bless your ministry there in Scottsdale & Phoenix.