Wallpaper and Johnny Cash

Today I took care of lots of details that go into keeping new year's goals...phone calls, updating my resume, graduate program application, running, praying, reading. Then for year end "housekeeping". Updating check books, gathering receipts and best of all -- giving the pile to Wes to deal with come tax time.

Then on to wallpaper removal. Removing wallpaper gets me to thinking and that got me to listening to Johnny Cash "Live at Montreux 1994".

Some of you probably find it odd that Johnny Cash is on my "favorite music" list. It's true. I think it started this past March when I went on a personal retreat. I know it doesn't sound very spiritual but the first night away I watched "Walk the Line". The rest of the retreat led to many of the changes we undertook in 2006 - but back to the story.

I didn't listen much more to Cash until October. Back in Ohio, with two of our best friends - Chuck and Sue - we watched "Walk the Line" at our weekly dinner and movie night (We alternate turns fixing dinner and bringing dessert. A highlight in my week.)

The following week I happened upon "Live at Montreux 1994" a Johnny Cash DVD - I couldn't resist. We watched every second of it at our next gathering and I've been listening since.

There's something about the music - about sin and redemption. Strikes some chord in me. There's pain and hope and humor. I wonder if the "man in black" ever experienced the fullness of redemption. He said "My music is dark, sort of like my closet when you open it. Like me - if you look inside - it's dark."
All of us are, without God. And Cash sang and spoke of Jesus and redemption and that without it - he would be lost. So I know he knew. I hope he didn't die thinking he was still dark inside.