Mandolinless

It's been awhile since I even thought about writing a blog, but here I am to put out there what I'm thinking. The thing I've been thinking about most is the fact that after 10 years of playing I currently don't have a mandolin to play. For that matter other than a kids guitar and a wonky fiddle I don't have any instrument to play. This to me is a hard thing as I have had something to play since Jr high. It is lonely not having an instrument friend around. I sold my instrument and equipment so we could buy a house and did it by choice, yet it's still tough. It is one of those times I wish that I was good enough for an endorsement or have someone give me an instrument. Winning the lottery would be nice or even a generous donation would be a miracle. If nothing else though it's giving me time to reflect. I know that I have to keep making music somehow. I'm thinking of ways to do it bigger and better. I'm thinking of how I can make music for myself and hope others will like it, if not at least I can be proud. We still haven't closed on the house so it's possible I sold my custom Holst for naught. Hoping though that it was worth it. I'm hoping too that soon I will be back here reporting a music rebeginning. It would even be better to report that I'm endorsing a brand or that someone made a generous donation. Either way I will be back!

Earn Online Money From Home

I've been search online to find a way to make money online. I've been out of wohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrk for the most part for 6+ years. With the exception of a temp job here and there. The job market is rough, especially for someone like me in his 40's. So my focus of late has been trying to find something online to earn some money.

There are so many different offers out there. It's hard to separate the good from the bad. The scams from the legitimate offers. I have fallen for a few, that luckily had money back guarantees. I'm the type of person though that see's it can be done with the correct knowledge so I keep looking.

In my searching I have found one site that presents some honest ways to earn online. That site is Earn Online Money From Home. Go check it out and see some of the ways to make some money online. I will let you know if I find the one that works!

My New Website

After years of thinking about a website and then listing all the reasons I shouldn't, this time I decided to go for it. I decided to put up a website for my music. If for nothing else but to satisfy my own desire and to be able to say I have a website, and when I'm older I remember when I had a website.

With the prices of hosting and the cost of domains, it really is a good time to try it out. Not only that the web design software that is available is easy to use. My hosting service has several available from easy to advanced. It only took me minutes to get my site up and running.

One concern I had was a store to digitally sell my music. That concern was addressed by a friend of mine Ken Bonfield, who mentioned Nimbit. Nimbit has 3 plans http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifavailhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifable. The free plan allows you to sell your digital albums and gives you a store. This is the plan I choose for now. I can always choose to upgrade to the Indie or Pro account, both of which have more services available.

Overall I'm glad I went ahead and put up a website. There is still that side of me that wonders why I spent the money on it knowing that very few people follow my music. I'm thinking maybe it was my poor man's mid-life crisis. I can't afford the sports car or the really nice mandolin so this is my splurge. Then again it could be that I really have nothing to loose by doing it, and if I get a few new fans or sell a book or album here and there all the better.

Here is the link to my site Terry Lewis, Mandolinist

Saying Goodbye To A Good Friend

Due to some financial challenges and a new baby on the way I decided to sell off one of my Holst mandolins. It is a blonde Holst with tortoise binding, cocobolo and ebony accents with curly maple around the fretboard. Top is red spruce and back is red maple, with Tone bar bracing.

This mandolin was my first small shop builder mandolin. A real beauty. Not only in looks but also in tone and playability. It inspired me to new height in playing and music. Not just another mandolin in my search for the best, but one of the best.

As much as I really hate to see it go it is going to it's new home in NY, where I hope the new owner appreciates how special it is. I hope too that more people will be exposed to Steve Holst's work. He builds playable work of art.

Links For My Music/Videos

I thought I would post links to where my music/videos can be found.

www.myspace.com/terrymlewis

www.youtube.com/mandoswinger

www.soundclick.com/terrylewis

Christmas music can be found at www.soundclick.com/terrymlewis

Bass recordings at www.soundclick.com/tmlewis

Hope you enjoy!

nailed to the cross

Download Terry Lewis - Nailed To The Cross

Seek and Save

As a Christian we are to bring glory to God and spread his Kingdom. It's all for God even if we want to believe that life is about us. Here are some things to consider, and how to be saved and have eternal life:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

To be saved and added to God's Kingdom you must follow these steps:

FAITH – Romans 10:17
HEARING THE WORD OF GOD – Listening to the Word being taught or
careful study of the Bible.
BELIEVE – Mark 16:16
REPENT – Luke 13:5
CONFESS – Matthew 10:32-33
BE BAPTISED – John 3:5
SAVED – 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:41, Romans 6:3-4

Ultimately it is up to us to decide one way or the other how to live, and how to spend eternity. I know I for one would like to see Satan's face, I do in my mind, when he asks God's permission to tempt, or put hardships on me, and I still hold strong to God, and Satan once again through me has brought the Glory to God! That is what happened when Christ was given as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and Christ rose from the dead. Satan thought he won, by getting the people to crucify the Lord. In turn Satan scored the winning point for God and brought Glory to him! Try it to see what life is like with a little less evil in it!