Is this the sweetest guitar pedal ever or what?????
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Music Awards Thank You
Thank you to all the fans that voted for us at the recent South Bay Music Awards! Although we did not win, it was indeed an honor just to be nominated. And we look forward to coming back even stronger next year!
Here's a snapshot of the band on the red carpet. Unfortunately Tommy isn't in the picture since he had another obligation that night, but he was there with us in spirit!
Reasons you should not drink and get a Tattoo
You might want to sober up before getting that tat you just thought up with your buddies...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Keyboardist Marcia Escobosa Welcomed to the Band!
SRB is proud to welcome Marcia Escobosa to the band on keyboards. Marcia brings her blues and hard rock background to the band with of course a feminine touch that audiences will enjoy.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
States of Heart and Mind
I continue to be amazed at how powerful our minds are. It is amazing to see how our perceptions and beliefs determine who we are, who we want to be and who we will become. Life being in the continual state of flux that it is, we can find ourselves in interesting and unexpected situations, and often with little clear direction as to where to go and what to do. There are no road maps, signposts up ahead, or beacons of light in the distance. We are left with little more than our hearts and minds to lead the way.
The heart of course is a mixed bag. While we are to seek the desires of our heart we are always wary of the fact that our hearts are deceitful above all things. That is of course unless it has been changed. Once the heart of a man (or woman) has been changed it is a very dangerous thing indeed. Like a Salmon swimming upstream we are thrust against the tide of life. To follow our heart we must fight for our heart's true desires. This is not always easy. The tendency is always there for us to turn around and flow with all the others in the river. It means less struggle. Less resistance. Everyone around us will be so much happier that we have "finally gotten on with things" and are starting to fit what they want us to be. However a journey where we "go with the flow" is not a very interesting journey at all.
Sometimes I think the more resistance you encounter, the more it indicates that you are on your path. People seldom fight things they understand, but they do fight things they cannot control or comprehend. They seek to put those things (and folks) into neat little boxes that they can categorize. But the Lord may sometimes have other plans for us.
"A man's heart deviseth his way...but the Lord directs his steps." - this scripture has always fascinated me. Our hearts do indeed determine where we end up. That being driven either by a reprobate heart or one that is fully surrendered. It is our choice. Each time that I successfully surrender my heart more to God's will for my life it is a little more frightening. You feel a little more naked. But the good part is that over time you learn to trust, maybe even revel in the fear of not having control.
Why does scripture say that He directs our "steps"? Why not say our "path"? Or our "journey"? I think there is a purposeful use of an image of a step. A regular, steady, trodding. Repetitive. Unexciting and unglamorous. I think we all can look back on events in our lives that we maybe never imagined, but in looking back there was a clear succession of steps that led us there. Our steps are not steps on a sunny day with our destination in the distance.... they are steps in the dark, onto stepping stones that God shines a flashlight on one by one. They gradually appear and we step. They are not in a straight line. Like any stony path they wind and jog here and there. We cannot make sense of where we are headed. Yet each time we step forward in faith we find that another step is revealed. This encourages us that we are on the right path and to press forward.
"Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind". The mind leads the heart to change. Interesting. So many times we are told the opposite of that. But following a hungry heart only leads us to the first thing that we think will satisfy and it often doesn't. The mind knows better. The mind searches for what will not only satisfy but also sustain us. The latter may not seem so good from the outset. Or it may be more difficult to attain, but nonetheless it is what is required for us to be fulfilled. So how is our mind renewed? Only by increasing in wisdom. And there is really only one source of that which is God's Word. Scripture tells us that "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom". So it all starts with conversion. Belief. And then the diligent seeking of His truth. For once we believe we are then prepared and willing to receive.
And the beauty of this is that we never really attain. We just prayerfully learn to live with the way the game is designed. We play out our part of the story. And we daily remind ourselves that it is after all HIStory that we are telling.
The heart of course is a mixed bag. While we are to seek the desires of our heart we are always wary of the fact that our hearts are deceitful above all things. That is of course unless it has been changed. Once the heart of a man (or woman) has been changed it is a very dangerous thing indeed. Like a Salmon swimming upstream we are thrust against the tide of life. To follow our heart we must fight for our heart's true desires. This is not always easy. The tendency is always there for us to turn around and flow with all the others in the river. It means less struggle. Less resistance. Everyone around us will be so much happier that we have "finally gotten on with things" and are starting to fit what they want us to be. However a journey where we "go with the flow" is not a very interesting journey at all.
Sometimes I think the more resistance you encounter, the more it indicates that you are on your path. People seldom fight things they understand, but they do fight things they cannot control or comprehend. They seek to put those things (and folks) into neat little boxes that they can categorize. But the Lord may sometimes have other plans for us.
"A man's heart deviseth his way...but the Lord directs his steps." - this scripture has always fascinated me. Our hearts do indeed determine where we end up. That being driven either by a reprobate heart or one that is fully surrendered. It is our choice. Each time that I successfully surrender my heart more to God's will for my life it is a little more frightening. You feel a little more naked. But the good part is that over time you learn to trust, maybe even revel in the fear of not having control.
Why does scripture say that He directs our "steps"? Why not say our "path"? Or our "journey"? I think there is a purposeful use of an image of a step. A regular, steady, trodding. Repetitive. Unexciting and unglamorous. I think we all can look back on events in our lives that we maybe never imagined, but in looking back there was a clear succession of steps that led us there. Our steps are not steps on a sunny day with our destination in the distance.... they are steps in the dark, onto stepping stones that God shines a flashlight on one by one. They gradually appear and we step. They are not in a straight line. Like any stony path they wind and jog here and there. We cannot make sense of where we are headed. Yet each time we step forward in faith we find that another step is revealed. This encourages us that we are on the right path and to press forward.
"Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind". The mind leads the heart to change. Interesting. So many times we are told the opposite of that. But following a hungry heart only leads us to the first thing that we think will satisfy and it often doesn't. The mind knows better. The mind searches for what will not only satisfy but also sustain us. The latter may not seem so good from the outset. Or it may be more difficult to attain, but nonetheless it is what is required for us to be fulfilled. So how is our mind renewed? Only by increasing in wisdom. And there is really only one source of that which is God's Word. Scripture tells us that "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom". So it all starts with conversion. Belief. And then the diligent seeking of His truth. For once we believe we are then prepared and willing to receive.
And the beauty of this is that we never really attain. We just prayerfully learn to live with the way the game is designed. We play out our part of the story. And we daily remind ourselves that it is after all HIStory that we are telling.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
SRB Nominated For A Music Award!
The Steve Riddle Band is proud to be nominated for the category "Best Blues Band/Group of the Year" at the upcoming South Bay Music Awards in Southern California. They will be held Monday April 27th at the World Famous Improv at the Irvine Spectrum. We need your votes! Please take a quick second to go online to their website and click a quick vote for us. The link is http://www.southbaymusicawards.com/Nominees.php
Monday, April 6, 2009
Think Californians are Angry?
Are Californians done with the Terminator and our state government? When fast food places start posting signs like this I think the answer is clear.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Rules Men Live By
Got sent this from a friend today. It was so funny I had to post it...
Rules Men Live By -
These are our rules! Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl.
If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports - It's like the full moon or the
changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do
not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to
almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help
solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are
for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an
argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways
and if one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one
1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us
how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it,
just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to
say during commercials..
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and
neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default
settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color.
Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1 If we ask what is wrong and you say
"nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer
to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything
you wear is fine... Really .
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about
unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this..
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But
did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them a
laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can - to give them a
bigger laugh.
Rules Men Live By -
These are our rules! Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl.
If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports - It's like the full moon or the
changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do
not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to
almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help
solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are
for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an
argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways
and if one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one
1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us
how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it,
just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to
say during commercials..
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and
neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default
settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color.
Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1 If we ask what is wrong and you say
"nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer
to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything
you wear is fine... Really .
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about
unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this..
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But
did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them a
laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can - to give them a
bigger laugh.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The New America
Tough times. And they look to be getting tougher.
In the county I live in here in Southern California, unemployment is at over 12%. Everywhere that you look are foreclosed homes for sale and empty commercial business properties for lease. If you are like me you probably know many people that have been directly affected by the loss of a job or loss of revenue at their place of business. It's hard to stay optimistic as we watch wave after wave of bailout money going out the door to inept and failing corporations, with dishonest corporate officers and politicians still playing games. Political Parties point the finger at each other and play party games in the media even though these rascals are all cut from the same cloth. People like Bernie Madoff steal people's life savings and leave them to a terrifying future in the most vulnerable years of their life. States like mine are bankrupt and rather than fixing the problems they cut things that matter like education and increase taxes on an already struggling populace. Crime is on the upswing, and it seems like it isn't even a shock anymore when you hear about a mother or father killing their own children. A popular punk band has a song that states "Welcome to the new dark ages..." I fear they may not be far off track.
Statistics show that fewer and fewer Americans profess to be Christian anymore. It's common knowledge within the evangelical community that Church attendance is on the decline. And although we are seeing more megachurches than ever before, most of those are either stable or declining in attendance, and many of the smaller Churches are dying. Secular culture is winning the battle for the hearts of Americans...
Secular counselors will tell you that they are inundated with desperate people right now. Folks looking for hope. Looking for answers. They have nothing left to hold on to. In truth what can a counselor offer them? A positive message? Some type of reassurance? Can they analyze their past and help them to feel better about their current predicaments? At best they can only console them. What our brothers and sisters need is the guiding hand of a Lord that can actually come to their aid. A power from on High that can step into their situation and work miracles. Join me in prayer for this great nation of ours. And let us also pray that together we as a body of Christ can help reach out to those who don't know the Lord and do our part in sharing the message of the Gospel. America needs it now more than ever.
In the county I live in here in Southern California, unemployment is at over 12%. Everywhere that you look are foreclosed homes for sale and empty commercial business properties for lease. If you are like me you probably know many people that have been directly affected by the loss of a job or loss of revenue at their place of business. It's hard to stay optimistic as we watch wave after wave of bailout money going out the door to inept and failing corporations, with dishonest corporate officers and politicians still playing games. Political Parties point the finger at each other and play party games in the media even though these rascals are all cut from the same cloth. People like Bernie Madoff steal people's life savings and leave them to a terrifying future in the most vulnerable years of their life. States like mine are bankrupt and rather than fixing the problems they cut things that matter like education and increase taxes on an already struggling populace. Crime is on the upswing, and it seems like it isn't even a shock anymore when you hear about a mother or father killing their own children. A popular punk band has a song that states "Welcome to the new dark ages..." I fear they may not be far off track.
Statistics show that fewer and fewer Americans profess to be Christian anymore. It's common knowledge within the evangelical community that Church attendance is on the decline. And although we are seeing more megachurches than ever before, most of those are either stable or declining in attendance, and many of the smaller Churches are dying. Secular culture is winning the battle for the hearts of Americans...
Secular counselors will tell you that they are inundated with desperate people right now. Folks looking for hope. Looking for answers. They have nothing left to hold on to. In truth what can a counselor offer them? A positive message? Some type of reassurance? Can they analyze their past and help them to feel better about their current predicaments? At best they can only console them. What our brothers and sisters need is the guiding hand of a Lord that can actually come to their aid. A power from on High that can step into their situation and work miracles. Join me in prayer for this great nation of ours. And let us also pray that together we as a body of Christ can help reach out to those who don't know the Lord and do our part in sharing the message of the Gospel. America needs it now more than ever.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Thoughts on the New Year...
Happy New Year everyone! It seems the older that I get the less I look forward to a year ending and another one beginning. But I think there was a definite purpose in the Good Lord giving us a yearly cycle. Cycles are a pattern of His Creation (God is of course the master artist). He uses cycles in everything: time, seasons, birth (life) and death, growth, etc. I find for myself that the start of a new cycle is always a huge time for reflection. This is the time where we usually make wild resolutions for the new year as we look back at all the things we should or shouldn't have done. So we (people) usually join a gym, try to give up a bad habit or two, decide to volunteer more in our community, change our diet, take up a new sport or hobby, do those repairs around the house we have been procrastinating about, finally decide to move into a career we love, go back to school, patch things up with friends or family we haven't seen (or decide to not to see certain toxic ones anymore), etc.
I think if you are like me you will find yourself to be a creature of habit. Although we all enjoy variety and the newness of change, challenge and excitement in our lives, for the most part we find what we enjoy and kind of stick with it. This can be as simple as the food we like to eat or as complex as our worldview and the various social relationships we find ourselves involved with. I find that I often need to "recenter" myself. This is probably done by both men and women in different ways, but the way I do it is more typical of what us guys do. We get alone. We retreat. Some folks call it to our man-caves, but it can really be anywhere. For some it's the mountains, a particular spot on the beach, a river or lake, their garage, a trip to the desert, maybe even a gravesite of a loved one. I have probably a handful of places that are important to me like that. This is where I can get alone and talk to God. Really look deep into myself, pour my heart out to Him and wrestle with my demons (which we all have). This drives women crazy because they want us to talk about things to give them a feeling of comfort, but this time is not about them. It's about us. Recentering ourselves. And we need it.
I look back on my life, and I try to objectively look at the great things that God has done. The times He has been faithful, the times He has watched over me, protected me, provided for me, and guided me. I try to look back at SPECIFIC prayers that I prayed and I can always see many that were answered. I have seen many dreams fulfilled in my life. Challenges overcome, children healed, opportunities presented to me. It is looking back on God's past goodness to me that I find the confidence that He will bring me through any present challenges or unseen future ones as well. And no matter what bad has come, the good has always outweighed it.
We MUST do this. We as people tend to take God for granted (as we usually do with other things in our life as well). Oftentimes when we find that we have accomplished a goal it isn't as fulfilling as we thought (you get the job you always wanted and it has as many downsides as the job you hated before, you go out with the gorgeous woman that stops you in your tracks only to find out she has a horrible personality, your spouse doesn't fulfill all your needs, your kids grow up and leave, you buy the new car and now the payments drive you mad, etc. etc.) Why is this? Well you may have heard it said before, but NOTHING is perfect this side of eternity. And that longing in our hearts for perfection (Heaven) cannot be found in this world. So when our goals don't measure up we get frustrated and usually point that frustration to some extent at God. The children of Israel did this frequently. They were always forgetting the things God had done for them and usually had a "what have you done for me lately?" mentality. And usually when He stopped doing for them the reality check was pretty harsh.
Why does God have us repeat communion over and over again? It's because we forget. We need to be reminded. Its like reading scripture over again that we have read before. We need to not only enlighten ourselves with His wisdom, but also maintain it. And if we take it for granted that's usually when we fall.
I think that recentering ourselves will be ever so important for us all this year. 2009 will be a year of serious economic challenges for not only our country but throughout the world. Can we trust Him with our doubts and fears?
Some things to ponder...
Do you have a roof over your head? A bed to sleep on?
Is your neighborhood relatively safe?
Do you have food in your home? If not do you have access to buy it convieniently if you need to from a grocery store?
Can you worship your God freely without the threat of harm coming to you from your government or neighbors?
Are your children given the opportunity and access for public education?
Does your community have hospitals and health clinics with sterile instruments and modern equipment with competent doctors?
Are you able to work for an employer with reasonable employee rights under proper working conditions for a fair wage?
These are just some things to think about, but the truth is that most of us are so blessed to not be living in conditions that exist in certain parts of the world. So I welcome 2009 in with you. May the Lord bless us all and keep us all under His wing. Let us be thankful for all that He has done. And let us prayerfully ask for help where needed.
That should help last me a little while until I need to remind myself again. :)
I think if you are like me you will find yourself to be a creature of habit. Although we all enjoy variety and the newness of change, challenge and excitement in our lives, for the most part we find what we enjoy and kind of stick with it. This can be as simple as the food we like to eat or as complex as our worldview and the various social relationships we find ourselves involved with. I find that I often need to "recenter" myself. This is probably done by both men and women in different ways, but the way I do it is more typical of what us guys do. We get alone. We retreat. Some folks call it to our man-caves, but it can really be anywhere. For some it's the mountains, a particular spot on the beach, a river or lake, their garage, a trip to the desert, maybe even a gravesite of a loved one. I have probably a handful of places that are important to me like that. This is where I can get alone and talk to God. Really look deep into myself, pour my heart out to Him and wrestle with my demons (which we all have). This drives women crazy because they want us to talk about things to give them a feeling of comfort, but this time is not about them. It's about us. Recentering ourselves. And we need it.
I look back on my life, and I try to objectively look at the great things that God has done. The times He has been faithful, the times He has watched over me, protected me, provided for me, and guided me. I try to look back at SPECIFIC prayers that I prayed and I can always see many that were answered. I have seen many dreams fulfilled in my life. Challenges overcome, children healed, opportunities presented to me. It is looking back on God's past goodness to me that I find the confidence that He will bring me through any present challenges or unseen future ones as well. And no matter what bad has come, the good has always outweighed it.
We MUST do this. We as people tend to take God for granted (as we usually do with other things in our life as well). Oftentimes when we find that we have accomplished a goal it isn't as fulfilling as we thought (you get the job you always wanted and it has as many downsides as the job you hated before, you go out with the gorgeous woman that stops you in your tracks only to find out she has a horrible personality, your spouse doesn't fulfill all your needs, your kids grow up and leave, you buy the new car and now the payments drive you mad, etc. etc.) Why is this? Well you may have heard it said before, but NOTHING is perfect this side of eternity. And that longing in our hearts for perfection (Heaven) cannot be found in this world. So when our goals don't measure up we get frustrated and usually point that frustration to some extent at God. The children of Israel did this frequently. They were always forgetting the things God had done for them and usually had a "what have you done for me lately?" mentality. And usually when He stopped doing for them the reality check was pretty harsh.
Why does God have us repeat communion over and over again? It's because we forget. We need to be reminded. Its like reading scripture over again that we have read before. We need to not only enlighten ourselves with His wisdom, but also maintain it. And if we take it for granted that's usually when we fall.
I think that recentering ourselves will be ever so important for us all this year. 2009 will be a year of serious economic challenges for not only our country but throughout the world. Can we trust Him with our doubts and fears?
Some things to ponder...
Do you have a roof over your head? A bed to sleep on?
Is your neighborhood relatively safe?
Do you have food in your home? If not do you have access to buy it convieniently if you need to from a grocery store?
Can you worship your God freely without the threat of harm coming to you from your government or neighbors?
Are your children given the opportunity and access for public education?
Does your community have hospitals and health clinics with sterile instruments and modern equipment with competent doctors?
Are you able to work for an employer with reasonable employee rights under proper working conditions for a fair wage?
These are just some things to think about, but the truth is that most of us are so blessed to not be living in conditions that exist in certain parts of the world. So I welcome 2009 in with you. May the Lord bless us all and keep us all under His wing. Let us be thankful for all that He has done. And let us prayerfully ask for help where needed.
That should help last me a little while until I need to remind myself again. :)
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