A Word Straight

Joe Bubar Jan 28, 2010

Most of us, I suspect, can hear Johnny Cash’s deep and weathered voice singing at least one phrase of his 1956 hit, “I’ll walk the line.” (Actually, I’m not sure if the voice in my head isn’t that of our own Terry Dahlgren – he does it quite well!) But, according to “The Man in Black”, he wrote the lyrics to this song while waiting backstage in Gladewater, Texas just before he was to perform. Cash said that the words came so fast that he had a hard time getting them on paper quickly enough. Now, the fact is that Johnny Cash, who had only been married a short time to the love-of-his-life, intended the poem to lay out his absolute devotion to his young wife. You can’t miss it as the ballad opens and closes with this:

“I keep a close watch on this heart of mine,

I keep my eyes wide open all the time.

I keep the ends out for the tie that binds,

Because you're mine, I walk the line.”

This Sunday the message, entitled “Go Straight…I Dare You,” is a call to live the “Jesus-life,” an explanation why you’ll want to do so, and a reminder of how someone would know that you were, in fact, “going straight”. The text is I Peter 1: 13-25. Take a look. It is a call to “walk the line.”

By the way, to “Go Straight” requires more than just a song. See, “I’ll Walk the Line” was about Johnny’s first marriage, to Vivian Liberto; a marriage that was marred by numerous affairs, including one with June Carter. The good news… eventually Johnny Cash did walk the line - and so can we!

Let me remind you:

  • The next Informational Meeting for Men's Mexico Mission Trip will be this Sunday (31st) at noon. It is scheduled to last 30 minutes. Check the link.
  • Parent’s Night Out – February 13th. To make this experience meaningful for the children as well as their parents, some of us need to join the child-care team for the evening. Call 489-4200 or write to Lyn if you can help. (). Check the link for details.
  • There are two more weeks to give to the Haitian Relief Fund. Present giving now exceeds $10,700! We are joining hands with Evangelical Free Churches across America in this effort. Click and read the blog about how our gifts are being used.
  • Please pray for me as I travel February 1st – 13th to assist our sister churches in Albania and Macedonia. The picture below is from last March. A bit nippy, it was!

From time to time - check out what else is happening by going to www.gracevine.com, our church's WEB page. You'll find everything from downloadable sermons to the most recent schedule of events. You can

And I’ll see you in the pews!

Joe Bubar