No TAKERS and Great weekend...

Alright, I see no takers for the Bassist, So let me tell you... James Jamerson. Jamerson was the Bassist for Motown, he pretty much played on every record for every Motown artist in the starting phases. Now on to something else, Today (actually the 28th) marked my fathers 65th birthday. We had a small family gathering, all my brothers and sister came into town and we gave my dad the best party we could. The biggest surprise for me was a great friend from long ago, that I haven't seen in a long time, came by to join in. It was truly great on all accounts. and not to mention DB and I had fun cutting up all weekend... that's where the picture came from... Great.

Yeah... you got that one, so here's another...

Alright... you got that last one... Carter Beauford from Dave Matthews Band... Now here's another one... This man, Single-handedly, Changed the way Bass Guitar is played... his impeccable timing, and style has influenced the style of every Bass Player, even if you don't know it...

Can you name this drummer...

Quite possibly the most talented man on the kit ever...

And now the explaination for yesterday's post...

I was really surprised, only one person confronted me on it... (reality check) I guess not too many people read this thing!!! Anywho, The statement when plainly read says, "God don't let me lean on your grace" but that is just it, You have nothing else to lean on, but his grace... The meaning behind what I'm saying is "God don't let me excuse my actions with the the blanket statement (God forgives)"... you copy now? The truth is we will never achieve a level where we don't need God's grace in our lives, daily, however we shouldn't turn a blind eye to our blatant wrongdoings and then just saying, "God forgives"... although we are "in good hands"... this ain't Allstate. God's grace isn't license or "insurance" to do what we want and say, "Yeah... God forgives". Something I think is all to present in most of our lives. Kevin hit the nail on the head last night in accountability, and this is the Jonathan interpretation, you can't understand the depth of god's grace, until you understand the depth of your sin. Something that I think I should reflect on...

part of my prayer last night...

"God, Let your Grace be present in my life... but not a crutch I lean on"

Weekend of "Rediculi"

All I can say is... Those who know... Know.

An ode to my good friend Cory Carter

Most of you know that I served in the US Army... During my tenure of service, I met thousands of people... Literally. Not one person from that 6+ years of my life stands out quite like Cory. You may have read Jason's Blog about "Gunny G", I am here to say, Cory is all that and more. When I first was assigned to the White House Communications Agency as a newly promoted Specialist, most people's opinion of a 20 year old "kid" was less than desirable... The one person I found to be not only a mentor, but friend I would give my life for was Staff Sergeant Carter. As I in processed at the personnel shop he was one of the first people I was introduced to, and the shocking part was, everyone else there was treating me like a somewhat second class citizen, save Cory. I want to say someone was trying to give me the business, and he quickly came to my defense. Over my 4 years there, it became quite evident that I was not every one's favorite person, and I guess knowing my regs to quickly rebut every ones corrections of me did not help matters... when it came time for me to get promoted, it wasn't the people that I worked with or even for who helped me, It was Cory. Cory worked in a completely different section altogether, and could have very easily told me to get MY leadership to help me... But like a true Non-Commissioned Officer, he gladly took me under his wing, mentoring me in the disciplines necessary to be a successful NCO myself. my time for shining never really came while I was on active duty, it came after that... in civilian life. Most of my characteristics and trademark sayings were developed by or with Cory. I say all that to say this... To my dear friend, a man I look up to, thank you from the bottom of my heart... a man who saw potential in a junior troop and chipped away the rough edges, until I became who I am professionally. granted there was a lot on the behalf of my parents, but that is the responsibility of a parent, when someone who is not in that role assumes it, they become immeasurable in their worth. Cory Carter may never have a fanfare ticker-tape parade in his honor, but I can say the the difference he made in the life of Jonathan Burke will NEVER be forgotten... I hope to one day be that man to someone else.

I'm back and better than ever!!!

Alright... the BLOG-STRIKE is over!!! I waited two weeks, now I'm back in action... with tales of "Rediculi" that can only be expereinced in "The Life and Times of Jonathan P. Burke"... Wow, so much has happened since the the two week sign off I will just have to say, I guess you missed out on some goodies, but oh well, and truthfully, I don't know that you "Missed out". Most all things have been positive, maybe there is some negative things in that time span, but nothing comes to mind... Kevin Dowker (AKA: The Dowkem Powder) and I have been meeting for accountability and that has really brought me around in several areas of life... I am very grateful to have a friend such as him. plus the Mushroom/Squash thing that he cooks could possibly be the best thing I have eaten in my life. I set up a Face Book account and already, I'm loving it! I have re-connected with several friends from High School, people I haven't seen in 7+ years. It is so cool to me... being able to see them and for them to see me now... Again, Face Book could possibly be the best thing on the Internet. I'm starting school on September 29th and I'm super excited... getting my degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. Also, Damian turned me on to "Cha-Cha" a texting service that you can ask any question to and you will get a response with your answer... it's like the magic 8-ball, but for 2008, and the answers are factual (someone does the research and responds) you never get, "Reply hazy, ask again later". My good friend Bobby is back from the mission field of Indonesia, I'm so glad that he is back. ON to something else, Jason Pelt and I are doing a Weigh down campaign to loose some weight, one of the contingencies for this is to actually post our weight on our blogs... so as much as I say I'm fat, I think it may be true, according to "Cha-Cha" the average 6 foot man should weigh between 160-175lbs... Bobby will be good for eternity. I am at 195lbs... granted that is a drop from my earlier 200lbs and my zenith of obesity at a whopping 220lbs (and the funny about that is that was when I was on active duty, I get out and lose close to 30lbs... go figure). I got 20 lbs to go... let's see how well I manage. Sydney is still hilarious, the other night I made dinner for us and a promise to her that if she ate half of her dinner, I would give her some cookies. she did as she promised and so when I go to the pantry to get the cookies I asked her, "Sydney, do you want one cookie or two?" almost certain that she would opt for two she said something that even shocked me... she paused for a second and then replied, "Well... I was thinking maybe three..." I laughed so hard it made the walls shake! I love how my two year old computed the numerical value of three as being more. she is a flat out riot. I will be putting her in Tap Dancing classes for two reasons, 1) she wants to do it and 2) it will undoubtedly entertain the masses, especially me. I used to tap dance for a little while and I want to do all I can to encourage her "Hammyness" my parents did that for me and I think that I'm a pretty out going person. I have home video after home video of me doing all kinds of "performances". every thing from tap dancing in my bathing suit, to singing "Why'd you come in here looking like that?" by Dolly Parton... I don't care what you think... that song was the JAM in 1989. That doesn't include all the random Karate (but let's be real, thery were Ninja moves, ask Josh about "wild-cat") on video tape... I can look back and laugh now, but then, I was doing for real, I was meaning it too. Then there's me rapping (every white boy goes through that phase, plus late 80's was a hot bed for the rap scene) ahhh... random reflections. the reason I can say that my mom and dad encouraged this is simply due to the fact that they recorded it... not like we were somewhere and they happened to catch it in a glimpse. no, it was straight recorded in the basement or kitchen depending on what my mom had going on. there is even a spot on the video where I fire my mom up because she "Didn't introduce me"... you can validate all of these things through Josh, Bobby, Damian or even ask my mom herself at church... she'll let you know... while I assume I will remain the grand poo-bah of hams in the Burke family, I see a rising potential in my heir... Sydney.

no more blogging for a while...

I know, I post things randomly throughout the day, however some readers, think that's all I do. Well that's kinda true, but I do other stuff too. so here are two things I will do to "remedy" the situation. 1) I will not blog again for two weeks (sorry Jason), and 2) I will read everyone else's, but post no comments... that should give everyone the break from Jonathan Burkedom they need. So with this being my last post til the end of the month, please let me say, SETH KEGLEY is quite possibly THEE single most TALENTED PERSON IT HAS EVER BEEN MY PLEASURE TO ENTERTAIN COMPANY WITH... HE ROCKS MY SOCKS!!!

From an Army Vet, Thanks US Navy...

Long ago, the U.S. Navy had a slogan for selling their service... It's listed below and I think it describes me perfectly...

It's not a Job, It's an Adventure

Social Experiment

We all know that I'm a little "un-couth"... or at least I have been told that... So, you shouldn't be surprised to find out the other day, as I was leaving work (Pentagon), I put my sunglasses on and braced myself to the wall and proceeded to act as if I was blind. I walked down the hallway, blankly staring ahead, I "Struggled" to read the Braile on the signs, and I observed two things... 1) no one really stopped to help me and 2) people would stare like they never saw a blind person before... terrible. It makes me wonder how the blind man that Jesus healed must have felt and what an utter joy it was for him to recieve sight. People realize what they don't have, but want... and people also don't realize what they have... I said all that to say this, if you can afford to help someone, do it...

Can't believe how blessed I am...

I was talking to Damian until about 12:15 and just talking about how blessed I am... Sincerly, I have to say, It blows my mind. I have a whole rack of friends, my parents still live together, I have a beautiful daughter, My brother and I are the best friends in the world, I have food in the fridge, Money in my pocket, a roof over my head... the list just goes on. I thank God for this every day!!!

This song may make you cry...

Seriously, they don't make them like they used to... if you repeat this out loud, or even reflect on it... well for me... It brought tears to my eyes...


How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocing voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast inJesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Just can't let it go...

I'm not gonna lie, I am absolutely having a love affair with the song, "Sing your praise to the lord"... The best part is everyone I have talked to can't stand it!!! This all started on Sunday afternoon... there was some kids camp and to go along with the slide show, they played that song. That night, amongst friends at Baskin Robins, I shared how much I liked that song... Brittany and Alyssa both looked at me with sheer disgust, but I just couldn't stop singing it... before long, they were singing it, and they were mad at me because i got it stuck in their head... usually nothing stays in my head for more than 12 minutes and I'm off to rambling about something else ridiculous, but it is now Thursday and I'm still "Singing my praise to the Lord"... I want that song played at my funeral (long running joke with Damian, every song in the world is gonna be played at my funeral according to him!!!)

Horrid (continued)

So after relentless hours of tedious work, I decided to "Study for the LSAT" in the bathroom... upon seeing that most of the "reading rooms" were occupied, I had to settle for the one next to my favorite... as I'm reviewing my study guide, I hear a loud and thunderous breath that can only be described as "Snoring"... Some one was dead asleep on the can!!! how does that happen? Baffled at this I cut my study session short and just went back to my desk... that gives a whole new meaning to the rhyme "nap and a... well you get it" another reason why the pentagon rates up there with the strangest places on the earth.

Horrid...

I have the distinct pleasure of being around people that entertain me... not that they even mean to... I am a people watcher... it is so funny to me, don't really know why. What makes that even funnier to the people who are watching me is my sheer shock that is borne on my face at some of them. Take the pentagon for instance... comb-over capital of the world... Dude, you are bald... accept it and move on, that is NOT CUTE!!! I have seriously seen, jeez it has to be up in the hundreds. My favorite thus far has been this older Afro-American dude I have seen a dozen times in the hallway, trying to have a Jerry curl, gold tooth, and a mustache/soul patch combo that is reminiscent of a woolly willy toy, and he had the nerve to have a shirt on that said "when god made me, he was just showing off", I thought they were gonna have to call 9-1-1 to pick me up as I hysterically laughed (Kind of like D.C. Washington) in the hall. Another thing that really grinds my gears is the amount of poor hygiene some of these people practice... seriously, there is so much money that these people make... Take your tail to the barber shop and quit trying to save 8 dollars by cutting your hair with a flowbee... take the shirt that looks like you slept in it the night before you came to work to the dry cleaners... IT'S 99 CENTS!!! I had the "honor" of sitting next to a guy today in a meeting and his breath smelled like summer sausage and hot nickels... and he says, "hold the meeting! gotta get some more coffee!" I was gonna tell him to get a car air freshener to hang off his front tooth while he was down to the seven-eleven... seriously, I have changed diapers that didn't smell that bad. one word describes this... HORRID!!!!

I just got audited... Spiritually...

There are several titles that would fit this blog... but that one "rocked my socks". Yesterday, Kevin made a comment at Bible Study (AKA: B-Stud) about accountability. I got the chance to be "audited" by the Kevin Dowker himself... one word that describes this... Ouch!!! (but in a good way)... I have held to the fact that true friendship is being able to flat call someone out on something, and have them thank you for it. That's what happened tonight with the Dowk... Let me please say... He finessed it a little bit... to make the pill easier to swallow, but after about an hour of that with little to no results he loaded the shotgun and blasted me in the wig... I gotta say, a few things about this method... The best way to get to me, by far. I am really receptive to that method... I don't get subtle hints. Being called out, not on any particular "Sin" but just heading down a path of poor choices that ultimately lead to sin has been most helpful... I feel even more open to discussing "the real issues" with him... seeing the genuineness that comes from him... and hearing him relate bad choices within his own life make you realize that we are just sinners saved by grace and that we all struggle... there is a song by Donnie McClurkin called "we fall down" and one of the lines is "for a saint is just a sinner who fell down... and then got back up". Satan's desire for us to live defeated... defeated in our sin, and short comings, however, Christ offers grace that covers all... so if you fall down, then get back up, and if you need a hand, reach out to a fellow brother (or sister) in Christ.

O to Grace how great a debtor...

This is the opening line (On the third verse) to my favorite hymn, actually one of my favorite hymns... Be thou my vision is my favorite... anyway, last night after everyone left the scene, I had the chance to pray and reflect on not only my personal issues/struggles but having listened to others issues/struggles, God kept bringing this song back to my mind, and what began as somewhat solemn, down-trodden prayer morphed into to praise... praise to a God that has shown so much mercy and grace.... If you have not heard the song "Come thou fount" you have truly missed out... I found myself singing it in my head this morning and just can't get it out (some would say that's better than the Amy Grant song I couldn't shut up about) So, I encourage you to read the lyrics below and even make them your song to God as well... let the words saturate your heart and become real to you, as they have to me...


Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer; Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

Great weekend to follow up with terrible thursday...

Well... as this weekend drew to a close, I have to say it was bittersweet. The bitter parts: Bobby-O, Zach, and Stacy left for Indonesia... it's only bitter in the fact that they will be out of my life for 10 days (Selfish). Colby and Annie are officially out of town. This morning I heard something on the radio that reminded me of Colby, I wish he had a phone so I could have called and left it as a message... (I heard total eclipse of the heart)... and I found out some disturbing info about my daughter's living situation... I may be making a mountain out of a mole hill on that one, it's definitely not the first choice of mine. I have to rest in the fact that Christ is ultimately in control and he will protect her in all situations, and it reminds me that I don't have the control over my life, let alone Sydney's, therefore the charge is: "Trust him"... something I think is hard to do, not just for me, but for all of us. The sweet parts: I did get to spend time with Bobby-O and Ben... Good quality time. I also got to spend a sizable amount of time with some "old friends" and get to reconnect with them, that was really uplifting. Now let's talk about the best part of the weekend... SBC 3-on3... Kevin Dowker put on a spectacular event that drew in the remaining funds needed for the Indonesia Missions Trip... Hat's off to Kevin "The Dowkum Powder" Dowker... Great event! Finally, I got to see my Nephew who is serving our country in the Marine Corps (OOH-RAH) before he "goes down range" to Protect and Defend. I am soliciting your prayers not just for Matthew, but all military members... My Gramps had a bumper sticker on his truck that simply stated, "If you love your Freedom, Thank a VET"... I know I read that sticker a thousand times and i will say that it played a part in my call to service, I was glad to be a part of the best Army in the world... in closing, this weekend has been great, I look forward to what lies ahead...

It's time for saying good bye...

First off, that title is a reference to a song from the greatest movie of all times... the Muppets take Manhattan... now let me tell you the story... I fear that it is time for me to part with one of my favorite possessions... I have had since 1986. Not only is it a "possession" but it has been a comfort that I have had a 22 year attachment to... I'm talking about my pillow...yeah the one I sleep with. It this was given to me by my Nana when I was 4 and I have slept with it everyday since... that's roughly 8,030 nights of bliss... however, I think it's time to lay it to rest (no pun intended)... this pillow has been everywhere I have... Be that staying the night at a friends house for the first time as a kid, my honeymoon, basic training (I had to hide it behind the three drawers in my wall locker), I had it in the field in the army, and when i traveled at my last assignment, it was a first item packed. this pillow has served me well for 22 years, I have an attachment to it as it reminds me of my childhood. To give you a little insight, this thing is ragged.... it probably has 1/4 of the feathers left in it, it has been ripped several times, to which I gladly stitched the wounds, it has more scars than Frankenstein. It got so bad that i had to "double bag" it with two pillow cases, then a third for good measure... this morning when i adjusted my pillow, she gave way to the 22 years of abuse and tore completely in two... I contemplated collecting the feathers back up and attempting to "put humpty back together again" but it's like the dog dying with cancer, just put the thing down... you are just delaying the inevitable... so here's to you my trusty friend, there will be no replacement for you, you are to me as the meteor was to Joe dirt... you will be missed... (for all you readers, I am dead serious)