June Music Notes from the road

This time I'm writing from Clovis, NM, a town where I had lived for 23 years before moving away.  Feels kind of good to come "home", see my friends and those folks who have been influential in my personal and music life.
Having a great trip so far, trusting God and getting some awesome messages about that subject through church services and bible studies in each place as I travel on my way.  TRUST and FAITH.

MUSIC WISE:
My first special time took place in Hot Springs, SD, with friends Pastor Bill & Pat Martin!  Love those two and their girls.  As always when I'm there it's a privilege to be included in the church service at Joy Community Fellowship.  It's been great to also attend some of their other activities, such as bible studies and gatherings.
One cool thing:  Joy Community Fellowship will be adding two of my songs to their worship service as God leads - "Goodness And Mercy" and "Victory!" (a song I co-wrote with 7 other songwriters in Aspen last year)!!  That's exciting!

Then my next stop was Arvada, CO, hooking up with fellow musician friends Mike & Kim Eaton (Renewed), hanging at their house.  Picking up Indie musician Erisa Rei, she and I took off from Arvada to Aspen for InspireSong 2018.
Once there, we roomed with my friend Dora and her friend Aggie!  She's one cool lady too!  We had such fun together!  It is really amazing how people, once strangers, now have become friends!  
One of the highlights at InspireSong is always the small group co-write sessions.  This year I was able to write a song with Tony Chung another Indie musician/songwriter friend from Canada whom I've met two years ago at InspireSong.  Tony and I had a blast writing together. Neither one of us had laughed that hard in a long time!  So as you can imagine we wrote a fun song, which by the way is totally out of both of our genres.  If you are coming to any of my concerts, you will be hearing that song!
After InspireSong and back in Arvada, I had the privilege to be at Renewed's band practice and videoing one of their songs with my phone!  Musicians are characters.... which makes it so fun when you take videos!  (Their website is: www.renewed-music.com)

From Arvada my present stop is Clovis, NM, where I am until after my concert on June 2 and church service on June 3 at First Christian Church. 
Last Sunday (May 27) was amazing! Leading worship at Crossroads Cowboy Church in Broadview, NM and catching up with another person influential in my music adventure was such a privilege!  Thank you Pastor Kymburly & Travis Odell for having me!  I will never forget those bible studies at the Odell home and the teens I had the privilege to help years ago! They wanted to do music as a band and it was great to see them grow and go forward in their music giftings for the glory of God!

Grateful for my friend Susan who has been hosting me all this week.  She is a runner, so I've been riding the bike while she gets in her 3-4 miles and so far we've also been walking 3 miles every night! I really have missed an exercise partner.  Talk about motivation!!!
Since I got here it's been a busy stay with the airshow at Cannon Air Force Base and seeing the Thunderbirds fly,  running errands, doing some fun shopping and even planting flowers.  It was so nice to see Susan's daughter Jill (who is now SO grown up!!!) and visiting with Susan's mom! It was a blessing for me to fix one of her mom's favorite bracelets which she hadn't gotten to wear for a long time because it was broken!  It's been really nice to be with my longtime friend, who has always been the sister to me I never had!

During this week, a wonderful lunch time was spent with another friend, Rose Kelly at my favorite place to eat Leal's Mexican Restaurant.  We caught up sharing stuff from our lives, kids and ministry - just good fellowship!  
Equally fun has been eating all my favorite foods I don't get at home.  Like Allsups Burritos, Taco Box guacamole/bacon burrito, Taco Villa's cheese fries and yet to do Twin Cronnie's jalapeno cheese balls!  So many other places I'd love to eat, however there's not enough time to get all that in - and I do need to eat at least halfway healthy in between the fun foods!! :)

Wednesday night I went to a bible study of another pastor friend, David & Geri Dawson, who also have been influential people in my music life and who I'm honored to count as family in Christ.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Date:  6/2/18
Time:  6:30 pm
Event:  Concert Nite
Place:  First Christian Church
1700 N. Main
Town: Clovis, NM

Concert time at First Christian Church, our home church Warren and I attended after we got married!  I'm SO looking forward to catching up with Pastor Jon and the folks there and anyone who would like to attend!  It's free.... so come on out.
For those of you who don't have my new music yet.... and NO I'm NOT playing Christian Rock anymore.... my 2 latest CD's (contemporary and organic folk) will be available for purchase, as will be my book, songbook and t-shirt which accompany my latest CD "When Wallflowers Dance" and also some of my own jewelry line 'NotesNBling'.
Excited to see everyone!!

Date:  6/3/18
Time:  10:30 am
Worship Service
Place: First Christian Church
1700 N. Main
Town: Clovis, NM
I'll be "special music" during Sunday's worship service. 

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Date:  6/16/18
Time:  7 pm
Place:  The Refuge
4317 Red Bluff Road
Town:  Pasadena, TX
Another "homecoming" playing at this coffeehouse/ministry in Pasadena TX.  Melanie Daigle has been another influential person in my music life and so thankful for her and how God has used her not only in my life but countless others she has ministered to through The Refuge over the years!

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IN ENDING:
Next my route will take me to the Corpus Christi area, then Pasadena and on to Oklahoma and back home. 
You know, amidst all the times I had "lay-overs" so far on my trip, there have been neat times of ministry, blessing people and loving on them in a variety of forms.  If it was spending time in fellowship, eating together, fixing broken jewelry, playing music or writing songs, watching their dogs or planting flowers.....none of those days was ever wasted and the Lord was always in the midst. 
Sometimes ministry looks so different than we imagine.  Sometimes it's just being....not always doing or preaching.  Those friendships formed, re-kindled or strengthened are vital to ourselves and others.  It's about people, about those we love and those we get to love because we haven't met them yet.  It's an amazing journey!

Keep watch on my Facebook page for "pop-up" concerts on my way.  Otherwise, after Pasadena my next "gig" will be in Beloit, WI for Rock On The Rock fest, where Warren will also be serving his famous BBQ!

....lastly, I've been reminded a lot on this trip:  "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."  2 Corinthians 12:9 and: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."  Philippians 4:8-9. 

Thank you for your prayers for me on this tour!  One sad news I need to mention.  Warren messaged me that his aunt Virginia passed away and that her funeral will be today (Saturday, June 2) in Texico at First Baptist.  So I will be there with family members who came in from out of town before my concert tonight.  Please keep family in prayers as they miss their loved one.

Until next month, keep checking back on this website and mostly on my Facebook page (Sam Scales Music) for frequent updates on happenings and events.  Don't forget to click the "Track" button for my concert announcements in your area.
Sam