聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 One of my favorite identity jokes is when a policeman stops Murphy and asks him to identify himself. Murphy looks in the car mirror and says, 鈥淵es, officer; it鈥檚 definitely me!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As I watched the Glen Campbell documentary I鈥檒l Be Me recently I thought about how we live our lives. When we meet the Lord, how will He find us? The answer is, 鈥淚鈥檒l still be me.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But what will I be like then? That question should motivate our lives. If we are not happy with who we are right now, let鈥檚 make some changes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Glen Campbell is an inspiration of a life well lived. At 75, suffering from Alzheimer鈥檚 he is still trying to make people laugh. He鈥檒l hold out his hand to give you something then withdraw it with a smile.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Campbell鈥檚 struggle with Alzheimer鈥檚 has not stopped him from going on a last tour sharing the gift of his life and talent with us. Amazingly the musical area in his brain keeps functioning even as he struggles with simple recognition of loved ones.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In I鈥檒l Be Me Campbell says, 鈥淚 can jump as high, but I can鈥檛 stay up as long鈥� I鈥檝e laughed and I鈥檝e cried. Laughing is more fun.鈥� Upon receiving a 鈥淟ife-time Achievement Award Glen quipped, 鈥淚 ain鈥檛 done yet.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I fell in love in the late 1960鈥檚 when Campbell鈥檚 鈥淕alveston鈥� was on the charts. There were other songs like 鈥淲ichita Lineman鈥� I recall from that era when Glen often topped the Country and Pop Charts, but it was not all glory.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Flagging sales and drug and alcohol problems in the mid seventies still did not stop his career. 鈥淩hinestone Cowboy鈥� soared to the top, and by the mid 1980鈥檚 the born-again Campbell sang inspirational songs like 鈥淎mazing Grace鈥�.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In 鈥淎 Better Place鈥�, 2012, a year after his Alzheimer鈥檚 diagnosis, Campbell sings,
I've tried and I have failed, Lord
I've won and I have lost
I've lived and I have loved, Lord
Sometimes at such a cost
鈥╓ith a sense of gratitude he sings:
One thing I know
The world's been good to me
A better place
Awaits you'll see鈥ㄢ�═hen a line that reflects Glen鈥檚 struggle with Alzheimer鈥檚:
Some days I'm so confused, Lord
My past gets in my way
I need the ones I love, Lord
More and more each day
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The heroic tour I鈥檒l Be Me was all about drawing attention to Alzheimer鈥檚 and getting funding to defeat this disease. An American statistic today says one in three seniors dies of Alzheimer鈥檚 or another form of dementia.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When Campbell performed for Congress, Bill Clinton said, 鈥淭his tour of his [Campbell鈥檚] is saying, 鈥楬ere I am. I鈥檓 going out with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.鈥欌�� Meanwhile Glen鈥檚 wife Kim said, 鈥淕od is with us everyday鈥n our journey.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A Campbell admirer on internet says it best:
Thank you Glen, for your music and testimony of faith. Christians are not promised a life free of trials and suffering. After all, the Bible tells us that in this world we will have suffering. As Christians, our hope in Jesus Christ is the promise of a life lived in victory by faith despite our human sin and frailties. There is indeed a better place awaiting those who have trusted in Jesus. God bless you and your family. (Flay Mohle)
