Harry Chapin has told me stories for many years. His words are familiar and in them I have always felt at home, with the stories, the words, and him. He has always been a close, good, faithful friend (he never got in my face or told me my butt looked too big in a pair of jeans), he just told me of stories of myself, of others, and made me laugh, cry, and carry a tune, and has always been welcome in my heart and home.
Sometimes you take a good friend for granted, and he remains on my cd player, on my turntable (I actually use my albums) and in my car. However, my smile and appreciation and thankfulness for the creation of Harry Chapin deepened recently when I saw the Cotton Patch Gospel. I knew of the CPG for years, my mother saw the original production and just raved, it was here in town, yet, I never got the opportunity to see or hear it until Thanksgiving of 1997. I didn’t move for 111 minutes, I laughed, cried, tapped my foot and was so drawn to it, bought the video and have watched it over and over. (I am having a CPG party in February for friends and family – EVERYBODY’s gotta see and hear it).
When Jesus spoke to the masses he taught and spoke to them directly with loving directives and reminders of God’s care. Yet, when He taught the disciples he did so by parables, stories that made them think and discern, it shook up their present “religious” thoughts. I believe the CPG does the same thing; it separates the time-gap of 1,964 years between those events and us with gentle promptings to remember the original mission, so simple; love, God-others-self. The music, the lyrics and the tone….are amazing, and I hear Harry all through it.
Which brings me to another cherished point of Harry, his heart was genuine, from concert to CPG, his heart rings true.
I am just overwhelmed by his heart, his willingness to let the Spirit flow through him to create such wonderful stories and music – to give to us.
Harry – Philippians 1:3! Your Sister, still in the field, TeresaMaria