Hello, friends. Casey here. Ken has been in Lima, Peru this week with a group of World Vision artist associates. They have had packed-full days of visiting local Area Development Programs, eating yummy Peruvian food, meeting local World Vision workers, and touring the slums of Lima. But get this - Ken actually got to MEET two of the children we sponsor! Yesterday, he got to hang out with Ashly and Edson, both eight years old, all afternoon. Needless to say, I'm pretty darn jealous. I wrapped up some presents to give the kids and their mothers, and this is what they sent me in return:

 Wow. Aren't they beautiful? It made me smile REAL big.

For directions, click here.

This weekend I made a quick trip down to New Orleans and Mandeville to fill in for a friend at St. Timothy UMC while he lead a youth retreat. The music and church portion of my trip went wonderfully. I enjoyed my time with the band and people. We sold several CDs and sponsored a few children for World Vision. All-in-all, it was a great time. The traveling head-aches on the other hand…

Let's start with my trip down. I wake up Saturday morning to find out that during my travel day I have the joyous task of trying to nail down a new substitute worship leader for Vineyard UMC. A good friend of mine was lined up to lead in my absence, but due to a crazy gas shortage in Nashville, he literally couldn't get enough gas to leave the city. let alone make it all the way to Memphis. So, in between flights, I spent the whole day on the phone trying to track someone available down on such short notice. Fortunately, Jamie Baker came to the rescue and the service went off without a hitch. 

Sunday, on the return flights, to my chagrin, my luggage was only checked to Atlanta (where my layover was) and never got on the flight to Memphis. It was told after arriving in Memphis that it would be on a later flight that evening and I would have it in my hands before I went to bed. Around 11:30, Casey and I were awoken by the ringing of our phone to discover that our bag was still in Atlanta and wouldn't be here until today. Thanks for waking us up to make us mad. Anyway, the good news, the bag just made it back safely in hands and everything is there. (I can finally brush my teeth with a toothbrush rather than my finger) 

My one consolation for yesterdays troubles, though totally unrelated to the bag ordeal, was that I was bumped up last minute to Business Class on my return flight to Memphis. Since my stress level had been very high, I certainly appreciated the extra conveniences of Business Class had to offer.

After a long weekend of 6 hour rehearsals, late night hotel check-ins, 3 church services on Sunday morning, another afternoon of rehearsal, and finally putting on a concert, I am exhausted. But even still, playing music with good friends, no matter who is there to listen, is just plain fun. I can hardly talk after singing so much this weekend, but I had the time of my life.

I've been looking forward to the band experience for so long. Doing the solo thing is fun. It's even better when Bryan and I hit the road together as a duo act, but playing with a band is just a whole other experience all together. I wish I knew how to relate it to other fields of work. The coming together each individual part to form one harmonious sound, it just gives you a since of awe and wonder each time. Though you may have played the song a thousand times, it is a new performance, never before or again will it be played or heard in that exact way. I have enjoyed the studio so much, but the final product is finished. You can't change it from there (unless you run out of new material and just decide to remix) The live experience is different every time. For the performer, it is a rush. An adrenaline high that is very hard to come down from when the night is through. But oh what a rush. And hopefully for the audience member it is an experience that can bring change, even if only for a moment. A change in mood. A change in perspective or thought. Or maybe a life changing decision to love others more. 

Well, if you weren't there last night, I wish you could have been. But know this, we will be taking the band on the road this year, kissing the solo career of Ken Weatherford behind, hopefully to be replaced by a group of musicians commited to simply giving you the best night of music we possibly can. 

So, I have nothing really all that important or funny to say, but I was sitting at the computer and thought I should do something. I'm heading out to play a coffee house at Murray State tomorrow night. It has been a while since I've played a show like this (2 hours or so all by my lonesome) so I am a bit nervous, and also a bit excited. Anyway, if you are in the area, you should come and say hi. I've got a lot of great new music that I'm really excited about and you can pre-order a copy of "The Middle Year." Hope to see you there. 

Good night - don't let the bed bugs bite. 

So I find myself sitting at a car dealership waiting on my VW Jetta to get an oil change. The expected wait time is an hour and a half. On top of that, the cost is astronomical. needless to say, this was a poor decision to start off my week.

In other news, my good friends Matt and Mary are off tooting around Europe and I’m jealous. I know I shouldn’t be, but I also think it is better to be open and honest about your feelings. So Matt, Mary, if you read this, I’m sorry. But I don’t like you right now. I hope you are having fun and all, but I wish we could be there with you. Be safe, and be sure to bring all of your good friends a nice souvenir.

so it has been a while since I have had the time to share a few words, thoughts, anecdotes, or anything else for that matter, but I'm back. Though today I find myself with a slight cold, so my thoughts are a little fuzzy at best. 

A few days ago I turned 26 (WOOHOO). I'm a little confused as to how it is already March of this year. People used to tell me as a kid that time would start going by faster as I get older and they were right. I don't like it. Anyone else feeling old?

I wear clothing produced in sweat shops. Probably some of it was even made by child labor. More than likely, you do to. As followers of Jesus, is that not a sin? I think it is, and we need to change our ways. Not by boycotting these companies or trying to shut them down, that hurts even more souls, but instead by asking the companies to make sure that the factories which produce these items are providing fair treatment and living wages for all of those it employs. By following Jesus, we are to live lives drastically different from that of the world. Are we? 

That's all I have to say about that.