The one consistency in my childhood days was music. Day and night, music was always on, usually turned on full blast. Jerry Lee Lewis was a big part of that blast. In the late 50's, early 60's he was the Man. He was way bigger at my house than Elvis and right now, packed in a box are a handful of 45 RPM records - one, on the original Sun label is JLL's. Whole Lotta Shakin Going On. Truthfully, I didn't know he was still alive until a month ago and that he made a new CD blew by me completely.
I watched this great icon this morning on Imus In The Morning singing and playing Great Balls Of Fire, Whole Lotta Shaking Gonna On and a few more. I don't know how old he is - He has to be eighty or kissing close to it. He had a hard time walking but his vocals and piano playing skills would never have given that away. I had tears in my eyes as I watched the people around him - most of them born in the last couple decades, in awe, For those who remembered him, their youth was remembered all with the songs. Just before he started playing he talked about how he was to be a preacher. He got kicked out of bible college because he played, My God Is Real, boggie woogie style during chapel. Had he been successful, I guarantee you , I would have had a coming to Jesus moment, right there, right then, along with the rest of my family. He is related to Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggert and they all grew up together in the same neighborhood. Imagine that.
The other night, a TV journalist was talking a guy he has known all his life. Whenever he see "Charlie", and asks how he is doing, Charlie always says, Fine-just fine. He says 40 years ago Charlie made started putting $200 a month in the stockmarket every month. EVERY MONTH - he never, ever missed a month. Always the same day of the month, always. He asked Charlie why he continued to put money in when the market crashed in the mid-90's. Charlie just shook his head and said, It was bound to turn around. Every month, the same amount, on the same day. Today, Charlie is worth over a million dollars.
There is much to be said for perserverance. I'm not so sure I would trade Jerry Lee Lewis for Pastor Jerry but his perservance I do envy. The perserverance I see in Charlie's Story reminds me I have all I need to bank myself in Christ. No matter what happens, everyday I push my faith in the path of Christ. It sounds like a cliche but what would I rather leave as a legacy, a millions dollars in cash or faith?
Absolutely no contest.
To persevere whether I can see or not.
To keep on marching when it looks bleak.
For me, today has already been quite a day. If you ask me, How are you doing? I would proudly say, Fine-just fine...
