Ben and Jameson Owens Play the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention

We hauled the boys and their gear to the airport Tuesday morning for their week-long guitarfest in Nashville.  They have been having a wonderful time performing, enjoying concerts, and jamming at the Music City Sheraton. I am so grateful for this blessing from God in their lives, and for all the dear people who made it possible - especially Mark and Carol Pritcher and the Taylor and and Anderson families, Phil and Cindy, and Chris and Meagan.

Today Ben and Jameson performed with Tommy Emmanuel and Roland White. Tommy is probably the greatest fingerstyle guitarist of all time, a living legend who plays more than 300 dates a year all around the world.  Roland is a Bluegrass original whose first band, The Kentucky Colonels, played "The Darlins" on the Andy Griffith Show back in the early sixties. My boys are on cloud nine.  Hopefully we'll have some pics and video later.

The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

 ¹   Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD,
      But a just weight is His delight.
       ²  When pride comes, then comes shame;  
      But with the humble is wisdom.
       ³  The integrity of the upright will guide them,  
      But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
       ⁴   Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,  
      But righteousness delivers from death.
       ⁵  The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright,  
      But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
       ⁶  The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,  
      But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
       ⁷  When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,  
      And the hope of the unjust perishes.
       ⁸  The righteous is delivered from trouble,  
      And it comes to the wicked instead.
       ⁹  The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor,  
      But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
       ¹⁰  When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;  
      And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
       ¹¹  By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,  
      But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
       ¹²  He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor,  
      But a man of understanding holds his peace.
       ¹³  A talebearer reveals secrets,  
      But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.
       ¹⁴   Where there is no counsel, the people fall;  
      But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
       ¹⁵  He who is surety for a stranger will suffer,  
      But one who hates being surety is secure.
       ¹⁶  A gracious woman retains honor,  
      But ruthless men retain riches.
       ¹⁷  The merciful man does good for his own soul,  
      But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
       ¹⁸  The wicked man does deceptive work,  
      But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
       ¹⁹  As righteousness leads to life,  
      So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.
       ²⁰  Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD,  
      But the blameless in their ways are His delight.
       ²¹ Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished;  
      But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.
       ²² As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,  
      So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.
       ²³  The desire of the righteous is only good,  
      But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
       ²⁴  There is one who scatters, yet increases more;  
      And there is one who withholds more than is right,
      But it leads to poverty.
       ²⁵  The generous soul will be made rich,  
      And he who waters will also be watered himself.
       ²⁶  The people will curse him who withholds grain,  
      But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
       ²⁷  He who earnestly seeks good finds favor,  
      But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.
       ²⁸  He who trusts in his riches will fall,  
      But the righteous will flourish like foliage.
       ²⁹  He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind,  
      And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
       ³⁰  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,  
      And he who wins souls is wise.
       (Proverbs 11, New King James Version)

God Blesses Ben Owens

Ok, so Ben and his buddy Nate spend the night near Nashville and end up meeting up with Tommy Emmanuel for dinner. What are the odds?? Well, Tommy plays over 300 shows per year; he is almost never home. Looks like it's gonna be a good trip. Thank you Lord.

The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.

 ¹ I will extol You, my God, O King;
         And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
 ² Every day I will bless You,
         And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
 ³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
         And His greatness is unsearchable.
         
 ⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another,
         And shall declare Your mighty acts.
 ⁵ I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
         And on Your wondrous works.
 ⁶ Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
         And I will declare Your greatness.
 ⁷ They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
         And shall sing of Your righteousness.
         
 ⁸ The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
         Slow to anger and great in mercy.
 ⁹ The LORD is good to all,
         And His tender mercies are over all His works.
         
 ¹⁰ All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
         And Your saints shall bless You.
 ¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
         And talk of Your power,
 ¹² To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
         And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
 ¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
         And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
         
 ¹⁴ The LORD upholds all who fall,
         And raises up all who are bowed down.
 ¹⁵ The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
         And You give them their food in due season.
 ¹⁶ You open Your hand
         And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
         
 ¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
         Gracious in all His works.
 ¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
         To all who call upon Him in truth.
 ¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
         He also will hear their cry and save them.
 ²⁰ The LORD preserves all who love Him,
         But all the wicked He will destroy.
 ²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
         And all flesh shall bless His holy name
         Forever and ever. (Psalm 145, New King James Version)

He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

 ¹   As snow in summer and rain in harvest,
      So honor is not fitting for a fool.
       ²  Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,  
      So a curse without cause shall not alight.
       ³  A whip for the horse,  
      A bridle for the donkey,
      And a rod for the fool’s back.
       ⁴  Do not answer a fool according to his folly,  
      Lest you also be like him.
       ⁵   Answer a fool according to his folly,  
      Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
       ⁶  He who sends a message by the hand of a fool  
      Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
       ⁷ Like the legs of the lame that hang limp  
      Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
       ⁸  Like one who binds a stone in a sling  
      Is he who gives honor to a fool.
       ⁹ Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard  
      Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
       ¹⁰  The great God who formed everything  
      Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
       ¹¹  As a dog returns to his own vomit,  
      So a fool repeats his folly.
       ¹²  Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  
      There is more hope for a fool than for him.
       ¹³  The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!  
      A fierce lion is in the streets!”
       ¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,  
      So does the lazy man on his bed.
       ¹⁵  The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;
      It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
       ¹⁶  The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes  
      Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
       ¹⁷  He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own  
      Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
       ¹⁸  Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,  
       ¹⁹ Is the man who deceives his neighbor,  
      And says, “I was only joking!”
       ²⁰   Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;  
      And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
       ²¹ As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,  
      So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
       ²²  The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,  
      And they go down into the inmost body.
       ²³   Fervent lips with a wicked heart  
      Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
       ²⁴  He who hates, disguises it with his lips,  
      And lays up deceit within himself;
       ²⁵  When he speaks kindly, do not believe him,  
      For there are seven abominations in his heart;
       ²⁶ Though his hatred is covered by deceit,  
      His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
       ²⁷   Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,  
      And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
       ²⁸  A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,  
      And a flattering mouth works ruin. (Proverbs 26, New King James Version)