The Rolling Hills In Virginia

Hypothetical scenario. Seven months ago you are hanging out with me at a New Mercy Morning band rehearsal. After practice you and I go out (with John & Jason), head to Applebee's, order the oriental chicken salad, and then in some conversation you tell me that in seven months I will be a solo artist on the road, going on my first national tour, and looking at the mountain terrain of Virginia at 4:00 am in the morning. There is no way I would have believed it.

But despite my doubt, there I was sitting in the front of a van that my road manager Ken was driving, watching the rolling hills of Virginia pass by as I head off to see my life's dream come true. I'm a touring singing/songwriter.

I was wearing my headphones listening to my MP3 player. The music was set to shuffle and anything and everything was playing. First a John Mayer song, then Disciple, then Wang Chung... wait, how did that get in there?

I was having some time just quietly thinking to myself about all of the things in my life that had brought me to this moment. I thought a lot about the old band, and my very dear friends in it. I thought about all of the day jobs that I really didn't want to do but did anyway 'cause I had to pay the bills. I thought about the church families I have been a part of and the folks at my home church of Still Waters Christian Fellowship.

I watched the scenery pass by and even in the gray of night, everything looked so beautiful. Every farm on every hillside looked perfectly landscaped and even the ones that were old and worn looked like a postcard shot, covered by the mountains and trees. I was in the south again. A place where my heart has never left.

At that moment, we drove down at a slope and I saw a breathtaking shot of mountain scenery, with beautiful farm lands, surrounded by lilac bushes and my MP3 player started playing the beginning of Copperline by James Taylor. If you have heard the song you might agree with me that the beginning is a very moving piece of music. Though I've never been to Virginia or Tennessee, I knew at that moment with great certainty... I'm home.