Moments that Motivate with Tim Lovelace

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My late Uncle Otis had a saying, “If you are looking for me, look for the shade.” I was remindedof his expression while performing at an outdoor music festival. It was not a typical hot summer
day…it was a scorching, sizzling, mind melting day. The large  stage had a roof, so I didn’t see a sunburn in my future. However, I was concerned for the festival attendees. 

By the time the concert started, the sun was beyond brutal. I was sitting backstage, listening to a group and waiting on my slotted time to perform when I noticed the covering over the stage was affording a shady spot on the ground to the left of center stage. And yet, no one was sitting
there. 

Just then, I saw a lady in the audience stand up. She proceeded to take her chair to the shady area and sat there by herself. A few minutes later, three of her friends joined her. Then, slowly, people
started moving to where she was sitting. Soon, there were probably 75 people sitting near her. It only took one person, making an obvious right choice, to encourage others to do the same. With
very little effort, she became a leader.
 
Making the right decision does so much more than just having a positive impact on our personal lives. It affects others around us and can even affect people we may never know. 

In the heat of daily battles, may we all strive to make the right choice. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Look for the shade. 

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A  few years back I was doing a concert in Ohio, where I was introduced to a very kind gentleman, Dwight  Spearman, who had fought in World War II. I thanked him for his service, and he was very gracious, but like most heroes, he turned the attention away from himself and humbly gave honor to the soldiers who 
didn’t make it home.

His stories and laughter were so enjoyable. Very few veterans from this war remain, and I cherished our limited time together. In parting, I said, “You served your country and helped win freedom for the world, 
and I only served in the Boy Scouts.” He laughed heartily, and then profoundly remarked, “Well, we should all be prepared.” In case you didn't know, “Be Prepared” is the Boy Scout motto. 

Later on, I reflected on Mr. Spearman's words. Not only did all of those valiant soldiers go through intense boot camp training, but they were eventually prepared with battle plans to fight the war. Victory belonged to those soldiers, not only because of their bravery, determination and sacrifice, but also due 
to great preparation.

Doesn't that beautifully apply to our daily walk with the Lord? We can be prepared by studying the Bible, be prepared by putting on the full armor of God, be prepared by fighting battles on our knees in prayer. We can be prepared to defend and share our faith. And most of all, we should be prepared for the coming of the Lord.

Fellow soldiers of the cross, we are enlisted in the army of the Lord to fight for the poor, the marginalized and the weak. We are commissioned to love everyone and stand for the truth. Be 
prepared.

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There are many things that contribute to a successful garden, and pulling weeds is one of them. My family had a small gardener when I was growing up, and I’m actually one of those strange people who enjoys weeding. 

Several years ago, I was visiting some dear friends in the mountains of Virginia. They had a beautiful garden, and one afternoon my friend, Maurice Baer, was going out to weed, and I tagged along. 

As we were pulling  weeds, he said, “Be on the lookout for arrowheads, we have found a few this year.” Sure enough, a few minutes later, I removed an unwanted weed and found a treasure; a beautiful arrowhead.

I he’d it up to the sunlight and marveled at the detail. It had been buried for hundreds of years, and it was discovered because I was weeding. 

The unwanted plants use water, nutrients and fertilizer intended for the garden plants. The same can be said of life. There are many things that can stunt our 
internal growth. That’s why parents have a huge responsibility helping their children weed out character issues in their formative years. 

As adults, we are simply responsible for pulling the weeds within ourselves, recognizing that weeds always try to return, so we must be diligent. Daily, we need to drink the Living Water and be nourished by God’s Word, while allowing the Fruits of the Spirit to grow within us. As we work the fields and become more fruitful for the Kingdom, it is also super exciting to know there are hidden treasures just waiting to be found. 

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There’s something special about sharing stories. Let me explain. One of the many zany songs I have written over the years asks the question…what happened to tomatoes? The chorus says, “What happened to tomatoes? Beats all I've ever seen. The ones you buy in the store are red, but still taste green. What happened to tomatoes?  Does anybody know? They’re probably genetically altered in a scientific laboratory eighty-five feet below in a bunker in the middle of the desert somewhere in New Mexico!” Well, it’s not a song you will ever find in a hymn book…if you can find a hymn book.

I was performing a few shows at DollyWood theme park in TN, and I sang the tomato song in only one of the shows that day. After the show, a local hospice nurse and her friend from Oregon came to my merch table. The nurse told me that my song reminded her of something she had recently experienced.  She had a hospice patient who had asked for one thing, a homegrown tomato. But
they were now out of season in TN. The nurse told this story to her friend in the Northwest, and her friend said she still had tomatoes in her garden. She then picked a luscious tomato and traveled with it to Tennessee. 

The hospice patient was granted her one special request; to eat a delicious, vine ripened garden tomato. Hearing the tomato song caused them to share their story with me, and I’m so glad they did. 

Sometimes the seemingly ordinary is actually something extraordinarily priceless, like  a single red tomato. Remember, there is power in telling stories, so don’t miss an opportunity to share yours!

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At the Lovelace House we make coffee in a variety of ways. We have drip coffee, pour-overs, french press, Keurig, percolator, and more.

Mary Alice has a couple of coffee makers from Germany that I call her Science project. I always feel like I need to wear a lab coat and refresh myself on the table of elements before I walk near it.

Although I love a full bodied cup of coffee…let me tell you how I made the weakest cup of coffee in the universe.
I was going to leave early one morning, so the night before, I decided to prepare a small coffee pot. I began by pouring the proper amount of filtered water, then placed a natural filter, avoiding the
bleached paper filters that result in bitterness. And this is not even the science project. Then I set out some freshly ground dark roast coffee on the counter. As I was coffee prepping, our dog, Lola, gave me the look that she wanted to go outside. When she returned, she wanted to play. Trust me, she doesn't need caffeine.

The next morning I heard that wonderful sound. I walked into the kitchen to discover a carafe of hot water! No way! I had left out the coffee last night. Talking about weak coffee! Although I was doing a good thing by playing with Lola, I became distracted and left out the most important ingredient.

In our spiritual lives, we can be so busy doing good things that we get distracted from the main ingredient…God Himself. May we all daily taste of His goodness

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A couple of years ago we had a small earthquake in our small town. Everyone was talking about it. The last time our town talked this much about an event was when we had a grand opening of
a new Dairy Queen. We were the epicenter of east Tennessee hot fudge Sundaes.

After our quake, neighbors would ask, “Can you believe how loud the rumble, and how it shook everything in the house?” I would honestly answer, “ I didn't hear or feel anything.” They looked at me in disbelief.

Let me explain. I arrived home from some concerts, and was unpacking at my usual
hyperactivity, break-neck speed; my cat , seemed spooked, and ran past me in the yard at the same speed I was walking, as I carried a suitcase, guitar and backpack.
I rushed into the house and noticed my daughter Gabrielle doing homework. 

I went into another room, when
I heard Gabrielle say,” Whoa! Did you hear and feel that? I said, No, I’m working. She said it last several seconds and moved thing on the mantle. I can’t believe you didn’t feel it. 

Later that day the official Richter scale reading posted and I told Gabrielle the quake was a 3.8, to which she quipped, “ Just think, since you couldn’t tell it was happening, you are at least a
3.9.”

I am sure the earthquake story in the Bible was much larger than 3.8. God used it to unshackle prisoners and draw others to Him. God also moves and shakes our world spiritually for a greater purpose. Let’s not get so busy and focused on our current circumstances that we miss the magnitude of the great things God is doing in our lives.

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The beauty of the New River Gorge in West Virginia, and the bridge that spans this mighty gorge, is spectacular. When built, it was the worlds longest steel single arch bridge. Eight hundred and seventy-six feet high. 

Every year, on the third Saturday in October there is an event called the Bridge Day. They stop the traffic on the bridge so you can walk out on it. Adrenalinejunkies from all over the world come to rappel, zip-line and base jump. 

I went to experience bridge day one year, and it improved my prayer life, especially when I looked over the rail and recalled the scripture…LO I am with you always. 

They had a special built platform for base jumpers. These guys and girls would take turns climbing up the platform and jumping off the bridge. They were not only jumping, but also doing flips, falling backwards and more! Every time a person jumped off the bridge, my stomach went with them. Someone nearby said, “Don’t worry, they are experts. It’s mostly math.” Math? What I’m seeing is trust in the person who folded the parachute. It would take a lot of faith and bravery to make the leap.

As my wobbly knees helped me walk back off the bridge I heard a young man loudly sharing his faith in Christ to strangers. Most people passed him by, but a few were listening. Some may have questioned his method, but I admired his passion. I looked back at the bridge and then to
the young man, realizing he was the bravest person I’d seen all day.

Living and sharing the Good News takes a leap of faith. May we all, as believers, take that leap of faith!

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Many of us grew up when the ice cream truck roamed our neighborhoods playing music and ringing a bell that was music to our ears! I recall one day when I heard the truck go by, and I asked my mom if I could buy one of the seven cent banana popsicles. She said, “The ice cream
truck has already made the neighborhood loop.” What?! She continued, “It has already passed our house twice?” I told her I knew the truck always turned left on Second Avenue and asked if I could try to catch up to him on my bicycle. She agreed.

I grabbed my coins and jumped on my red bike. I was heading west on my aptly named Western Flyer. The truck made a couple of turns, but I was following the sound of the bell. I kept pursuing until he finally made a stop. I peddled up to the truck with one minute and seven cents
to spare. I purchased my popsicle and knew the Alabama sun would soon start melting it, so I sat down by the ditch, peeled back the thin, white paper and enjoyed the best popsicle in the world. With a popsicle-stained smile and sticky fingers on my handle bars, I slowly rode back home.

As adults, what are we pursuing? Are we chasing social media trends? Are we racing after money or notoriety? Are we trying to follow someone else's dream for us? Better yet, WHO are we pursuing? In Jeremiah 29, God says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Don’t let this moment pass you by. 

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I attended Saraland Elementary school as a young boy. Every year, we had a Fall Festival to raise money, complete with a cake walk, bobbing for apples, and we even had a small enclosure for a makeshift jail. 

The fifth graders were in charge of the jail. I looked forward to being a fifth grader for two or three years. Finally, I was old enough, and the teacher gave us
badges and told us we had the authority to arrest everyone. The convicts would have to pay 10 cents to be released.

I knew what to wear to the festival, because we had western shows on TV, like Gun Smoke and The Lone Ranger. Complete with dungarees, a cowboy hat and a red kerchief, I may have
looked like Opie Taylor, but I felt like “Dead Eye Timmy” going to the OK Corral. 

When I arrived at the school with my family, I was ready to make my first arrest. I saw a few teenagers walking down the sidewalk, and I sauntered up to them and said, “You are under arrest. I am taking you to jail.” They laughed, and one of them said, “You’re not taking me anywhere.” I realized this was not going to be easy. I looked at those big boys and felt more like Barney Fife than Marshall Dillon. I soon discovered grandparents were much easier to arrest.
 
You see, I was dressed like a sheriff, had a badge and had been told I could arrest anyone, but one crucial fact remained…I was not a sheriff. The Christian walk can be the same way. We can attend church, say religious cliches and even believe them ourselves, but authentic Christianity
is only found in a life lived for Jesus.

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Because I have a crazy song entitled, “Living In a Coffee World,” I am often asked when I fell in love with coffee. My love for java happened when I was a young boy, but trust me, I wasn’t drinking it at that age. I was way too hyper for that, but I would go with my mom to the A&P
grocery store each week, and there was one aisle that would ambush my nostrils with the wonderful aroma of coffee beans. Mom would place the beans into the silver bean grinder and tell me that a good cup of coffee starts with freshly ground coffee beans. Then I would smell the
coffee before she sealed the bag.

My parents’ percolator was like the loudest alarm clock. I recently had a teenager at a concert asked me what a percolator was, and I told him it’s a Keurig on steroids. 

Some of my earliest memories are of my parents sitting on the front porch sipping coffee and talking. When I became a teenager, I started sipping coffee in the morning with my parents and
eventually entered a world of front porch communication with them.

Now that the hands of time are spinning like a windmill in a hurricane, I have a family of my own. When I’m having coffee with my wife, I savor so much more than the coffee. 
If you are not a coffee drinker, enjoy some hot tea or even a glass of juice with a loved one. The big question is are we making and taking the time to pause for cherished moments; time to talk, laugh, encourage or be encouraged? Drink in the moments that are stronger than a cup of coffee. 

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