th' coal mine and th' reason we came in here

hi friends and family -- we're in west virginia right now-- and for who knows how long-- all of psalters were going to come down here after th' fall tour and stay with brandon and becca-- a young couple who were gonna join psalters but decided for various reasons not to-- but then another tour got booked right away so me and bethra decided to come down here just th' two of us and think and pray and figure out what's next-- brandon and becca came here from toledo ohio some months ago to work at a mission for youth-- well things aren't always as glorious as they sound--
they like working with th' kids but they are not really allowed to be themselves--
if any of you have had to work somewhere were you've had to compromise your beliefs you know how spiritualy exhausting that can be-- and there are no like minded people anywhere around here-- so they have some friends but no real friends like the encouraging one another bear one another's burdens type friends whom you can have long talks and lots of laughs with-- so in other words they were kinda lonely being down here too-- they made a committment and want to stay and fulfill it tho-- so they are really glad that we decided to come down here instead of going on tour again-- me and bethra didn't know them at all when we came here- besides a breif meeting on tour- but we've gotten along very well-- we have so much in common but come from different backgrounds- so it makes for an interesting exciting friendship-- we live in a big house with them and stay up late talking almost every night-- often under th' guise of playing poker- it's really nice for us cause we thought we were in for a major culture shock leaving psalters and moving to wv-- but we're really glad we got th' chance to come here and meet these guys-- they're th' kinda friends that will be for ever- we've been talking alot about where to go next and they are as ready as we are to move outta this giant coal mine that is wv- we've thought about renting a place together in another city- about moving to th' same town or neighbouring towns and about moving far away from each other-- we've thought about moving bck to fort collins and have tried to convince them that they'd love it there because we love it there-- but th' point of this is that we have no idea where we'll be next (as usual) but we're here to pray and be friends with these guys and probably with out giving us much time to pack our bags God will say GO-- and that will be that-- but in th' meantime we're going to try and get a car and work a bit while we're here-- save up some money since we have no bills here -- and play music together-- read and write and bethra has been aching to bake for th' past 3 month's and now she can-- so that's where we're at now -- please pray for us --

live under th' mercy of our love -- th' passionate christ --

a visual tour The image “http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/ricoandbeth/DSCF0103.jpg visual tour

welcome to our visual tour-- have yourself a cup of mate with us and enjoy th' pictures--


psalters of old-- circa 1880's--



21st centery psalters--



here's th' bus in it's early days--






scott wondering if he can sit on th' toilet with his hat on--



and here's relaxin after workin on th' bus all day--


the army advances-- with th' banner of christ leading th' way






and th' singers went first--- followed by th' dancers--








and in between shows we hung out-- enriched our fellowship with each other-- and even got stuck in th' mud--



this train's a ready to roll--


that was in tennessee-- i drove all night long-- we we're really tired-- jay took over th' driving and we saw a sign that said 'travelers rest' -- so we went there and it was this big farm with an 1800's reinactment show going on-- tickets we're 5 dollars-- we told them we're travellers and we saw th' 'travelers rest' sign and followed it here and they let us in for free-- th' people doing th' reinactments treated us like we were straight out of th' 1800's ourselves-- which we probably looked like -- we were dirty and road weary and some of us were dressed like robin hood-- so as we tried to leave we realized we were stuck in th' mud and after tearing up th' yard really good we made friends with th' owner of th' farm and left on very good terms-- imagine showing up in a big black scary bus - there's nine of us dirty and tired and pretty scary looking ourselves-- we show up in th' middle of tennesee to a place where school kids are on a field trip -- we cause everyone to stare at us and then we tear up th' yard trying to leave-- th' farmer has to work late trying to help us out of th' mud -- and he takes a real likin to us-- askes us to stay longer or at least come back and stop by next time we're in town-- gives us his phone number and address and asks us for a cd of our music and sends us away with a big smile and a happy good-bye--- now that's southern hospitality--

and on to th' next show--















after driving all night long--


some hang out time between shows-- bethra and jeremy playing 'fading'



bethra checking our email--




rico after a nice chicken dinner--


charity and jeremy--


sometimes in life you are happy--
sometimes yr blue--


and never forget to be thankful for yer free will---



do you ever feel like your being watched?....


when really it's just a shadow on th' wall.



there is coming a time when everyone must decide--

worship-


or warship?



peace to you all on your journey-- and in th' words of our southern jewish friends--

th' day after thanksgiving/ community

hey friends-- th' time is coming soon for us to move off th' big black bus that has carried us so far-- to so many places and so many faces some new some old even-- we will miss our psalter friends and send them off with our blessing as they continue on their journey to carve out a new nomadic community lifestyle completely rooted in Jesus-- we're looking for a place to make camp for a while and we're thinking about michigan alot but we're not 100% sure yet-- so please pray for us and pray for yourself too and we'll keep this site updated when we know more-- and send us thoughts/prayers/ideas -- we want to have a community - whatever that may look like-- and one that is using and developing th' talents that god has given to each of us-- and learning meeting god in each other-- cuz as our friend jeremy says, each person has a secret that god has given them and you learn about/ meet god by interacting with people and getting to know that secret part of god that only they can reveal-- so many people all over th' country (and probably all over th' world- we just haven't been there yet) are moving towards community living and i think it's part a god's great plan and for those of us called to it pray to find your place and for others to find theirs-- and let's work together in th' body of christ and use our talents and abilities and resources to support each other-- and serve each other-- and" all men will know you are my disciples when you show love to one another" -- there's a great quote inside one of th' psalter cd's-- it says ' th' greatest thing we can do for th' poor is to help awaken their creativity. When their creativity is awakened th' poor will indeed liberate themselves'-- so that's what we want our focus to be(not the only focus-- but one of them)-- to help each other awaken our creativity-- let us show god that we appreciate th' life and gifts that he's given us by using them to th' best of our ability-- and encouraging others to use their gifts as well--

"i think we cry at funerals- even at funerals of people we don't like- because we realize what a miracle life is - you realize, this will never happen again- there will never be this exact combination of genes, there will never again be the things that have created this person to be what he is.- god has spoken uniquely here, and it's gone- it's over.- and i think there's some regret because we all realize, boy, we didn't pay enough attention."
-rich mullins-