I was honored he would ask and ashamed that I hadn’t thought of it. it took almost another year to get this recorded for ourselves and actually get Devin in the studio to sing it.

We are offering this single as a free download to the buyers of Dear God..Really? book on line. and to anyone coming to my concerts.

This song is mostly about the message of what fathers and sons mean to each other in the road we must travel and the motivation we must find. It’s interesting how our perspectives change when we have children of our own.

let me say that Devin is my youngest of two sons, he’s an actor, writer, singer. and this tune is not in a phrasing that he would sing normally. (he screams alot more). But he wanted to do it for what it says! I’m so proud! he learns and finds the truth to apply, and loves to apply it even when it doesn’t feel quite comfortable! Me Too! and that’s where we became brothers in Christ as well. I gotta go now… I’m gonna tear up.

By Bryan Duncan

Kevin Thomson, Bass player and founder of the Sweet Comfort Band, died on May 30^th 2010. “ Knowledge is power” he used to say  “ the one who knows is in control”. I smile now because he never told the band where the gig was! “how much further is this gig?” we would ask and he’d always say “four more miles”. It became one of the standard “Kevinisms” we would quote for years when we didn’t have a clue.

 The one who knows is in control. Kevin followed Jesus Christ. His favorite SCB tune, of course, was the one with the longest bass solo in it!  * “Get Ready” was a staple in the band’s set through six albums and eleven years. We closed the show with it even to the last concert. The song is a proclamation of the return of Christ and perhaps the mission statement of Sweet Comfort Band. Get Ready!

 If our choice of food is any indication of who we are, “Kev” was an all meat burrito with extra sauce and a big gulp. But he was an evangelist above all. When I met him in 1972, he was doing a home bible study. I was a nominal student at Southern California College in Costa Mesa, and a clean cut run away from the east coast. He had an “afro” back then, and when coming to see me, stood out on the Christian campus like a hippie at the museum. The Jesus movement had caught fire in Southern California by then. I was singing solo at the circus tent they called Calvary Chapel. Monday night was a big bible study night there, maybe 3000 people, who could also hear the new Jesus music bands, Love Song, Children of the Day, Bill Sprouse, and Country Faith.

 He’d heard me play a couple of songs one Monday night and came to see me about singing with his brother and himself. I now don’t remember our first gig as “Sweet Comfort”, probably cause he didn’t say. But what followed was an every weekend trip to small churches, prisons, and high school lunch time concerts. Kevin was the booking agent, manager, and driver of the Winnebago, also the head roadie! He lifted all the heavy stuff, prided himself on his strength. Usually set up the P.A. system by himself, that we blew up almost every month, and in the earliest days ran the sound from the stage. I always thought the bass was too loud!  

 It was his vision to present the Gospel in a new way and every concert contained an evangelistic message from the Bass player! Sweet Comfort Band brought a new Jazz rock influence to Jesus Music but Kevin Thomson was pure hard rock at heart. Listening to bands like Mountain and Moby Grape. It wasn’t that he hated ballads so much as he just had an aversion to Whole notes. (too much down time for the bass player). You’ll notice in the song “I Love You With My Life”, the biggest Sweet Comfort Band Ballad of our career, that the bass line bounces all the way through, much like Kevin in real time.

 In concert, he would often deliver his favorite message. The story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, he would elaborate upon the size of the Roman soldiers and all their gear, who came to take Jesus, “but when Jesus said “I am” the soldiers fell backwards on their backs.”  He would quote from scripture.  “Jesus didn’t have to die for us” he would say “he could have just called out his name over and over and the troops would have gotten tired and gone home”.

 You could see Kevin’s inner strength most when he spoke of Jesus. “Jesus wasn’t a wimp” he would say. “Nobody takes a beating like that and then carries a cross most of the way to his own crucifixion”. In Kevin’s eyes, Jesus is the all knowing second person of the trinity, God in the flesh. “The one who knows”, and has all the control over life and death. He believed it, he lived it. Who knows, perhaps Kevin fell on his back too at the voice of Jesus proclamation, “I am”. There was no doubt who Kevin was listening to for the rhythm of life.

 In the end Kevin had his own cross to bear and yet some thought something might be wrong with him because he never went through the depression that comes with quadriplegia. But then maybe knowledge is power here too! Kevin knew that “the one who knows is in control” even to the end of his life he was steadfast in his trust of a savior who doesn’t explain our circumstances to us. “Sweet Comfort” was the description of Kevin Thomson’s hope in Jesus. There’s a new bass solo in the heavenly angel band.

Kevin Thomson Bass Solo SCB “Get Ready” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EhcPuwBvZg

 We both know you could have prevented it if you wanted to. But you didn’t. I know that there is an appointed time for all of us with eternity. I just wish you could have scheduled her appointment a little farther down the road. We could discuss the ramifications of free will that you’ve gifted everyone and how it impacts all of us. But that doesn’t bring any one back from the dead.

 I’m nearly speechless here. I’m filled with a wild mixture of love and pain, resentment, sadness, and one giant question mark about your plans. Right away I feel responsible to speak for you about why you allow this kind of tragedy. But even an accurate answer would not change the aching of hearts broken. And seeing a nine year old lying in a coffin will never look right to me.

 Personally I can see how you move most of us along as a direct result of the current pain we’re in. Nothing seems to change without the pain of loss. It’s the only way we overcome our fears of changing the way things are. I pray her sacrifice is not wasted. That what needs to change in our lives here will be brought to pass. And I pray that children lost will speak to us from their shortened lives that we are responsible to love those we love deeply with all the immediacy that this moment brings.

 A friend of yours told me there’s a difference between endurance and perseverance. The first is a matter of toleration while the second is a real pursuit, a moving forward in the belief that “love” will always win, truth will overcome, and darkness will dissipate. I’m picking what’s behind door number two in this case.

 Take care of Erica for us, give her some hugs and kisses too. Let us rest in the pleasure of knowing that she is in your arms, safe and secure from all alarm.

And give us the strength to live fearlessly because we knew her to be that way. Until we meet again Erica, we’re leaving a light on for you down here!

 Thanks for letting me share… amen

 I’m a newlywed at Fifty Six! Raising two teenage daughters! Well I’m throwing money at the problems anyway. I wrote two books and had one published. My first acknowledgement that music might not be a sustainable compensation. My fingerprints are on file at the police station too. A true sign that I’m still not above the law and spiritual insights don’t always translate to appropriate behavior.

It feels like I’m changing horses in the middle of a stream. It’s uncomfortable sometimes but then there is a real sense of adventure again that I didn’t see coming.

I’m not sure the new Social Media circus I’ve joined is not corrupting my writing skills. The punch line has to come before the joke can be told. It comes with a realization that nobody pays attention to anything for more than a few seconds. I signed up for FaceBook and Twitter, posting everyday in hopes of rebuilding visibility for my work.

I tend to judge my worth by number of comments on my sites. Still lookin for validation in the wrong places perhaps. I read more books this year than ever but missed my goals by half.

I bought a car that I don’t drive. Lost all my back memory on Computer to a theft. “old things are passed away because I didn’t back it up”. I’ve tripled the list of  co laborers I know by first and last name.

I book most of my own shows and handle my own travel. I write and produce and look for true synergy. I started a non profit public charity for Radio Rehab. I’ve gone from “Singer/songwriter” to “content provider” in a single year.

The good news is, no body I know well died this year! (though a couple of friends tried). I’m still reasonably functional too, still walkin which became a problem several months back. I’m old enough to worry about not recovering from a health set back. I only got sick once. which is still once more than usual for me. But I watched my dad suffer a stroke and fight with Alzheimer’s at the same time. A not too subtle message of preparation for what comes before eternal life!

Amazing Grace continues to be my favorite song. I’m discouraged about my sphere of influence though it might be greater in a tighter arena. Most of the things I worried about this year didn’t happen. I still live in a spectacular home even though it is rented. And that is something to thank God for in this world of foreclosures.

I hope that I appreciate what others do for me, more than I have in the past. That success truly does have many fathers. “It’s a Wonderful Life” continues to remind me that friends are where the real wealth is. And the strength of family should not be discounted. And it all comes as a result of sacrificial giving first and placing the needs of others above our own is the only true way to survive.

I’m old enough to dream dreams that I might not realize but young enough to crave a vision for what I still might do that is a contribution to sanity in this life.

Disaster’s have a way of clearing a path for a new way of seeing the world. Hardship really is the pathway to peace. Thank God for a little more time: A new year with a new agenda is on the horizon. Seize the moment.

I had a miraculous intervention this month in last minute gigs that made the difference in the outcome of Christmas for my family. I sang through the flu to make it happen. And God showed me the real celebration of Christmas. It’s the beginning of “Divine Intervention”.

“God often speaks to us directly through the circumstances we are in” I told the Jubalee crowd on sunday morning. “Sometimes God’s direction is seen as more of an inconvenience” at least in the way I react.

But in my ‘affirmities’ I felt a connection to all who are facing a different kind of Christmas this year. It seems everyone is facing a tighter budget and leaner times. But hardship has a way of sharpening our focus that I believe is unopposed by God himself. It is something of an unwanted opportunity for personal and spiritual growth.

And I opened my presentation with “what a wonderful world”! God has a plan. and we miss it because of the obstacles often. “I think to myself” has to come first in this song. It has to. I can see a wonderful world with a deeper thought process.

In the Serenity Prayer it adds, “accepting hardship as a pathway to peace” . Peace is easier sung about than posessed. Even on the advent of celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace. I’d rather have it than sing about it for that matter.

And as I “Came home for Christmas ” this week I had that along with a wonderful gratitude for home and family and the satisfaction of making ends meet (with a little help from God’s friends and himself)
Merry Christmas to all I say… make the best of your circumstances and look for the gifts in the hardships. they are there… ‘wrapped beneath our tree’.

Saturday I had a blessed little biker blessing event to sing at. Sponsored by my own Black Sheep chapter. It was a bike blessing and they served a Biscuits  and Gravy breakfast. I was drinking the cravy from a bowl after my presentation. It was that good.

I got the idea to bring my bike hauler and use it for a little stage. It was a perfect set up for a parking lot concert. My friend Derek Hughes set up a tight little p.a. system to and I parked a sweet Harley in front of the stage for effect.

Bikers are a flighty lot and I expected em to be rolling out quickly but as I played my most uptempo material, and added three Christmas blues tunes they mostly hung around til the very end.

I sold more NehoSoul Christmas CD’s than HOGWASH books which was a surprise.

What can I say this gig was all gravy for this old biscuit. I left thinking about bringin my own stage set up all the time and just playin in parking lots. At least there’s no line at the door!.

Sunday Morning I played the tiniest little church in Montclair “Church In The Oaks”. Inside was the most intimate of church settings. Felt like a glorified attic! with carpet and vaulted ceiling. It was remarkably comfortable. So sound proof that they needed little in the way of P.A.

This was a “partnering with pastors” service. Done in a conversation with the local pastor. It went so well conversationally that I only played five songs.

There has been a flow in my “content” on stage as a direct result of personal hardship that I can only attribute it to Divine design. The message is built around Psalm 119:71 “the sufferings you sent, were good for me”… I had a new story example for every song this morning. I included my feelings about my son leaving a Christmas card for me last year. and when I sang: “I would like to say.. just before I leave you”…. from “I love you with my life”. there were tears all around.

The moment was so powerful that I had to end with this song and let that moment linger. The whole message was about seeing difficult people as the ‘God sends’ that they are. Because usually its the same people close to you that bring you joy if you persevere.

I was done by noon. Driving home I thought about the things I’ve tried to make happen vs the things God surprised me with. and I can see that He is plowing a different field with me. One I have continually overlooked in my search for something “bigger”.

We’d cleaned up all the discarded wrapping and were wrapping up the evening. Devin was the last to leave. We walked him out to his car and said our goodbyes. When my wife and I came back in, I noticed an envelope lying on the floor beside the tree. Thinking I’d missed some trash I was headed to the waste paper basket when I realized it had been unopened.

There was no name on it. Inside it simply read: TO: Dad, Thanks for being so awesome. you’re such a talented person and I’m proud to say I’m your son. Sorry I didn’t have any real presents this year, …I may pick you up stuff once I get covered! I love you and thanks for everything.

He went on to write personal letters to my wife and her daughters pointing out simple thoughts and feelings about each of them. But he didn’t want to be there when we opened it probably thinking it would be dismissed as a “nice” gesture.

I wasn’t prepared for the wave of emotion that swept over me in that moment. Suddenly everything about Christmas changed. I never thought I could have such strong feelings for my kids and the gift they are all by themselves. Especially when they suddenly shine through the heart like that. It was just pure sincerity that topped all the gifts I don’t remember now.

Just words! ? unpoetical, nothing clever or humorous even…. just heart felt! And I have never seen him the same since. This Christmas I think I’ll just share my heartfelt words too. You can’t put a price on what sticks in your heart.

But in the last six years I’ve met each of the band members in other situations. Tim Gaines even playin with the NehoSoul Band. Oz Fox lives in So. Cal. and Michael Sweet shared the stage with me as a presenter at the Dove Awards a few years ago. Robert has given me an in-depth conversation about the “art of visual time keeping”.

Last night there were no pot bellied, balding Rock Stars on stage though. It was like a new and improved version of Stryper. They came off strong, energetic and delivered a blistering set of their highlight metal meyhem, including an accurate cover of “Peace of Mind” by Boston.
The twin guitar leads we’re unbelievably precise. I knew that Oz Fox could play but Michael Sweet too had fantastic musical delivery. Together they were two hammers on a white hot blade. And I begin to realize that these guys we’re reveling in what they were born to do. They were cooking with no cobwebs in the kitchen!

I sat there thinking “these guys are gonna do this for 16 weeks on the road..nearing their 50′S !!!??? I was proud to know em all. And to have been a contemporary in Christian Music too, twenty five years ago.

Eight bikers showed up to ride in. I had a great time with them. Made the four hour trip a lot shorter. Thanks to George Esparza.

Played on a flatbed outdoors for a candy bash. Came on after a really good progressive metal band. Guitar player and drummer were spectacular. Guitarist did a Joe Satrianni piece that was impressive.

It was candy night of course and I was full of  it! Humor went over well too.

Sunday came an hour late but everyone was at church on time for a change. I brought an hour of the service. Ken Rasmussen might have trusted me too much!

Great and humble folks at Valley Life, and that sanctuary was the perfect music hall.

I ran into two hundred HOG members at the grapevine coming home and discovered that several had already read the HOGWASH book cover to cover!

Jezebel was in a great mood ridin home in the pale moonlight.