WSIX played Rodney's new George Strait single on the radio this morning. There is a segment that disc jockey, Gerry House, does called "You Be The Judge". He plays a brand new single and then listeners call in and rate the song on a scale of 1 to 10. The name of the song is "I Saw God Today" and the listeners LOVED it. They gave it all 10s (and even a couple of 20s!)
And then I sat in the car at Sam & Zoe's with the rain drizzling down the windshield talking on the phone to Rodney. I had, of course, called him as soon as the song came on, but had gotten his voice mail. He called back and said that he had, indeed, heard his song because Nicolle has been getting up and turning on the radio in the mornings. It was one of those phone conversations that catapulted me back in time.
It was May of 2002 and I was in Rodney's home town, Gruver, Texas on a writing trip. He was still farming full-time and making monthly trips to Nashville. I think we wrote a couple of pretty good songs, but what made the biggest impression on me was when Rodney took me out to his family's farm. The panhandle had been experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent history and farming was not going well at all. We stood in the cornfield and he showed me how the corn stalks were only about half the size that they should be. I remember saying something to the effect of, "Well, Rodney, I predict that there will come a day when your songs will pay the bills and you won't even have to farm anymore!"
I'll never forget the image of Rodney reaching down and picking up a clump of hardened sod. He crushed it in his hand, and as dust fell through his fingers and to the ground, he said, "Julie, I appreciate the way you've always believed in me, but right now the hope for my songwriting is as dry as this dirt."
Today, back in the present, I just had to smile as Rodney, who quit farming two years ago, casually used words like "George Strait", "highest debut" and "great reviews". Furthermore, he keeps hearing reports that people are MOVED by the song. I won't give away what it's about, but it would seem that God is using this song to touch people.
This is all so encouraging to me. The thing is, if something is meant to be, it will be. I will work as hard as I can and I will believe as much as I can. The rest is out of my hands.
I guess you could say, right here at Sam and Zoe's, in the pouring down rain, I saw God today.
The Calling
10 years ago
2 comments:
That's wonderful! I hope you get your break, too. And soon!
Meg
Sweetie - I think back on those days too....I think your conversation with Rodney was obviously providential. I seem to rember times where you've uttered the same types of words that Rodney did in that field that day. I can't wait to hear similar humble accolades coming from your mouth as well. Either way I'm so proud of you...you're beautiful, talented and I love you and Sydney definitely does. I see God everyday in your eyes and in the way you look and me and Syd and the ! :) I'm glad it's me!
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