My wife, Kelli, commented a couple of years ago that she and I never have dates that require us to dress up and feel sophisticated. So, I planned a date to the symphony. A couple of our friends volunteered to baby-sit for us, so off we went to eat a fancy dinner at a French restaurant, enjoy the symphony, and then finish up with a fattening dessert. Our dinner was great, although I was disappointed when I ordered what I thought was a fancy French dish and it turned out to be a beef kabob. We made it to the symphony right on time and took our seats. The music began and despite the fact that they did not choose any Lynyrd Skynyrd covers, we were really enjoying it. We thought it was just great until we looked down at our watches and noticed that the symphony was actually going to last much longer than we expected. During intermission, we used the restroom and on the way back into the symphony auditorium, Kelli and I both looked at each other very seriously and said, “So, I guess if we go back in, then we won’t have time to get dessert afterwards.” We were in a pickle. We had to choose between returning for the second half of the symphony or run out of there like a couple of rednecks and go get dessert. Of course, even though I had paid a lot of money for the symphony tickets, the choice was clear. We fled the auditorium and drove to the nearest restaurant with yummy desserts. We ordered a giant brownie covered in ice cream. While we waited for it to come out, we drank coffee and laughed and talked like it was our first date again. What a great night. We had chosen to leave something good: the symphony, for something better: a giant brownie and quality couple conversation.

In a sense, that’s exactly what Shepherd Blind has decided to do. We are choosing to retire something good so that we can more fully enjoy even better gifts that God has given us.

I know that our decision lacks the drama that accompanies most bands when they decide to call it quits, but if you want to make it more dramatic when you tell your friends, here are some ideas for you:

-Shepherd Blind broke up after a huge court case over Potato Chip royalties.
-Shepherd Blind decided to call it quits when Nathan Spencer legally changed his name to Ticklish Reuben.
-A scandal involving a certain campground in Floydada revealed that Shepherd Blind had actually planned to overthrow the camp administration and turn the facility into a stunt course for golf carts.

In order to celebrate the time of ministry under the name Shepherd Blind, we are throwing a farewell bash on February 29th at The Heights Fellowship in Lubbock. In order to make this a really special night, we also invited two friends to join us. Nathan Lewis’s band, Hollis OK, will be opening up around 7pm. RyZe, formerly of Clean Addiction and flaming hot due to his recent success with Crank that Crabtree, will take the stage after Hollis OK, and Shepherd Blind will finish us up by playing 9 years worth of our absolute favorite songs. This will be your last chance to get your hands on Shepherd Blind merchandise, and if all goes as planned, it will be the last time that we perform Potato Chip. We hope to have lots of fun, so bring your friends and spend the night with us.

Finally, although we are officially retiring the name Shepherd Blind, you aren’t quite done with us yet. In fact, some combination of Shepherd Blind members will continue to book events under my last name, “Archer.” I would have liked to have used the name, “The Jim Bob Archer Band,” but my West Texas double first name just makes me laugh too hard to do that. We’ll give you more details on those things on February 29th. Thanks for taking time read this long blog. We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate moving on from good to better.

Still Loving You and Jesus a Bunchy, Bunchy,

Jim Archer and Shepherd Blind

05.15.07
Rubiks Cube
Seems like everytime I deal with one of my many flaws, I am immediately confronted with a new one. It's kinda like when you're trying to solve a Rubik's Cube and you think you've finally got it figured out. You twist it just right and the red side is finished. Then you turn it over expecting to give yourself a pat on the back only to find that in the process of completing the red side, you've jacked up every other side. Then you go through that same thing again over and over. Kinda makes you just want to give up.

So, at one time in my life, I felt like conquering lust was the key to solving my Rubik's Cube, so I worked on it and worked on it and worked on it and finally felt like I had it together, only to flip the Cube over to find my next big problem....Selfishness. So, I worked on it only to find out that behind Selfishness, I had to deal with vanity. Just seems like God won't let me stop discovering my flaws. Max Lucado wrote that God loves us so much that he won't leave us the way that we are. He wants to make us just like Jesus, and that means that we will constantly be in this state of puzzling.

Lately, I found a side of my Rubik's cube that is absolutely kicking my tail. It's Indifference, a complete lack of passion. I'm just in one of those seasons where I feel disconnected with God, and the problem is that I'm just not as worried about it as I should be. I set out in the morning thinking..."I'm not going to turn my radio on today, I'm just going to meditate on God and try to pray." 10 minutes later I realize that I have the radio on and I'm listening to Vanilla Ice. A few nights ago, I really wanted to connect with God so I was planning on studying my Bible. Somewhere in between the thinking and doing I found myself in overtime of a NCAA Football Play Station 2 Game and caring less about stirring my affection for God.

I'm becoming calloused, and that's just leading me to these feelings of indifference and emptiness.

I just want to be passionate and solve this problem of indifference, but I'm beginning to think that if I solve this problem, I'll just have to turn the cube over to find a new, bigger problem waiting for me.

I can only say "Praise Jesus" for paying for my flaws, and "Help Me God" as I try to sort out today's puzzle. I want my passion back.

-Jim

07.24.06
I Love Camp
At the end of every summer,   I’m bummed.   All year we look forward to going to camp,  making new friends,  and worshipping God with our new friends. This summer of camps was amazing.  We got to be part of Camp 41 with Carlsbad,  and PBA absolutely rocked except for the fact that there’s no PDA at Camp PBA.  I already miss our new friends.

Anyway,  I just wanted to say thanks to all those campers who made our lives better by spending their camp with us.  Thanks to the wiry kid who dunked Nathan Lewis in the swimming pool.  Thanks to the girl who smeared mud all over our heads in the river.  Thanks to all of you who wet your pants when you got tickled during Ticklish Reuben.

On the way to almost every camp,  Nathan Spencer always looks at me with his goofy,  sappy look and says,  "I love camp.  It reminds me of what Heaven is going to be like."  Thanks for teaching us a little bit about Heaven.

-Jim

07.24.06
The 8 Minute Date
Tonight I ate dinner in a cheesy hotel restaurant,  and I was captivated by an event that took place.  One side of the restaurant was roped off,  and there were about 12 couples at tables for two.  I quickly figured out that it was some kind of dating game,  so I investigated it a little and found out that it was something called 8 minute dating.  Each person would have an 8 minute date with someone different every 8 minutes.  Every 8 minutes a cheesy lady in the corner of the room would ring a little bell to signal each couple that it was time to move onto their next date.  It was amusing and pathetic at the same time.  I found myself feeling very sorry for the participants.  After 4 dates,  the bell ringer lady announced that it was time for a 15 minute intermission,  and the dating participants all rushed the bar and loaded up with as many drinks as they could possibly pour down their throats,  probably to self medicate them from the pain of this pathetic embarrassment of an event. 

Anyway,  it just made me think of how many of us romance God like an 8 minute date.  We try to shove Him into a block of time similar to the amount of time that it would take to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,  and we kinda touch base with Him.  If we like what He has to say,  we might do it again soon,  but if it starts getting deep,  or if His light shines on some place in our life that we would rather keep covered up,  then "Ding," we’re off to the next date.  It’s a shame that we’ll never really get to know Him that way.  We’ll never really get to know ourselves either because after all,  He’s the author of us.  Eventually,  we’ll rush the bar and self medicate ourselves so that we can live with the person that we’re becoming and die without the Person who wants to become in us.  "Ding."

-Jim

07.24.06
Shower Door
Sometimes when I’m taking a shower and trying to remember if I’ve already washed my hair or not,  my 3 year old daughter will walk into the bathroom and put her hand on the frosted glass shower door.  She won’t say a word,  she’ll just press her hand against the frosted glass and wait until I finally notice.  Then I’ll put down the soap and press my hand up against my side of the frosted glass shower door.  We can’t see each other at all except for our hands.  When my pressed hand appears through the glass,  she giggles and leaves her hand there for a few moments.  Then she’ll just leave without saying anything. 

I read in Exodus about Moses begging to see God’s face,  and God telling Him that he can’t reveal His face to Moses.  God allows Moses to see a glimpse of His back.  I guess we’ll always be hungry for more of God.  We’ll always want to see a little more of His will and know Him more.  If it was up to us,  we would have a handle on God and be experts on God,  but I guess if we could do that,  He wouldn’t really be God,  would He?  So we are captivated with putting our hand on our side of the glass and just waiting until He puts His hand on His side.  In those moments,  we can’t see all of God,  but we are thankful and awestruck and comforted and validated in what He does let us see. 

-Jim