Quality Entertainment

Two nights ago was my final night at Cliff College, and the last night of the 2008 academic year. Some people were away, and others were doing various other things, but for those who wanted to come, there was an open mic event in the common room. It wasn't well-advertised and nor was it incredibly well-planned (primarily because I mislaid the sign-up sheet), but it was a very memorable and enjoyable evening and I'm very glad it happened.

I started the night off by playing some Johnny Cash music as people walked in. And why not. Much fun was had, and the mood was very light-hearted. There were some quality musical acts from the Cliff residents who tend to perform at such things, including some country and western material, and the mood became more spiritual after some Holy Spirit-inspired creative writing was read. Then there was a very inspirational time where one close friend got up and rapped, making it up on the spot. He rapped about his love for Jesus, and what he meant to him. After that, the entire room became quiet, and we laid hands on and prayed for him. It would've felt somehow inappropriate to go straight back into doing funny stuff (to me at least) and so a friend and I played another Johnny track through my laptop (I Was There When It Happened, originally by Davis/Jones). It was appropriate because it was true for every person present, i.e. Jesus saved us.

Soon after this, the fifth(!) Johnny song of the evening was performed. They were all done in a comedic way, hardly any were rehearsed and most involved a kazoo, but it was they above all that both kept the night flowing and kept the mood bouyant. The success of any open mic is entirely dependent on the attitudes of those who attend, so I'm glad that most who came seemed like they wanted to be there and enjoy it. As the night ended it seemed only fitting to play some more of Johnny's music. So basically, what was intended to be an open mic, consisting of anything those who came wanted it to, turned into something of a country and western appreciation/Johnny Cash tribute night, with God at work both in some of that, and also in between. Good times!

This is why I've decided a Johnny Cash puppet would be an awesome thing. I'm just imagining the audiences he could entertain, both via Johnny's secular tunes, which are loved by many of all ages, and also in the Christian songs he's sung, some of which are very well-known and others not, but all of which contain gospel truth and have an evangelistic potential that cannot be underestimated. So Dad, if you're reading this, because you're more creative than I...you get the picture;)