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A GREAT WEEK END WITH THE ISAACS.............by Carl Bagby

THE ISAACS GOT INTO FORK UNION ON FRIDAY ABOUT 10 AM AFTER DRIVING MOST OF THE NIGHT FROM NASHVILLE. FORK UNION IS A MILITARY ACADEMY LOCATED IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF VIRGINIA. THE SCHOOL THRIVES ON DISCIPLINE AND SCHOLASTICS. MANY ATHLETES PREP FOR COLLEGE HERE. THEY PRESENTLY HAVE 13 GRADUATES PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE NFL. COLONEL FRED HARDY HAS HAD 5 FUTURE OLYMPIANS RUN THROUGH HIS TRACK AND FIELD PROGRAM.

LILY ASKED COLONEL FRED, " WHY US,?" MEANING WHY DID FUMA CHOOSE THE ISAACS TO COME AND PERFORM AT THE SCHOOL. FRED AND I HAD SEEN THE ISAACS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT GRAVES MOUNTAIN IN '03 AND WE WERE SMITTEN WITH THEIR MUSIC. HE WAS THE MAIN IMPETUS BEHIND BRINGING THE ISAACS TO FORK UNION LAST YEAR WITH FUNDS A PARENT HAD GIVEN THE SCHOOL TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THE CADETS AND FACULTY. THAT SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS THE ISAACS. IT’S NO WONDER THE ISAACS WERE BACK FOR A SECOND YEAR.

THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 70S, WITH A WARM GENTLE WIND BLOWING ACROSS CAMPUS AS FRED ESCORTED THE ISAACS TO THE MESS HALL: A FAR CRY FROM THE SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES AND A 9-INCH SNOWSTORM A FEW DAYS EARLIER THAT HAD KNOCKED OUT POWER, PHONES, AND THE HEAT. IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT AT MANY TOUR STOPS, THE LOCAL FOLKS GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO PROVIDE WONDERFUL MEALS FOR THE ISAACS. BUT THEY DO HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO EAT WHAT IS PLACED BEFORE THEM AND SMILE. THE BILL OF FARE AT A MILITARY SCHOOL IS, SHALL WE SAY, SPARTAN.

AFTER LUNCH, COLONEL FRED HAD ARRANGED TO HAVE CADETS HELP THE ISAACS UNLOAD AND SET UP. THEY DO HAVE IT DOWN TO A SCIENCE, WITH MIKES, SPEAKERS, SOUND BOARDS- INSTRUMENTS ALL NEATLY PACKED AWAY IN CRATES THAT THEY WHEEL ABOUT ON DOLLIES. THEN THEY HAVE TO SET IT ALL UP AND DO A SOUND CHECK. THE GIRLS HELP ON THEIR END BY PUTTING UP THE PRODUCTS TABLE. THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKES A COUPLE HOURS. AND AFTER MAKING SPECIAL MUSIC........ALL THIS HAS TO GO BACK INTO THE BOXES AND BE CAREFULLY LOADED BACK ONTO THE TRAILER BEFORE THEY LEAVE FOR THE NEXT STOP.

DINNER AGAIN IN THE MESS HALL BROUGHT COMMANDANT AL. HE, SONYA AND BEN BANTERED BACK AND FORTH WITH PLAYFUL TEASING. THEN THE ARTISTS WENT BACK TO THE BUS TO GET READY FOR THE BIG SHOW. THE ISAACS PLAYED BEFORE A PACKED HOUSE OF 6OO+- ALL THEY COULD FIT INTO THE CHAPEL. WITH COLONEL FRED, AS WITH THE ISAACS, IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY. (SEE PIC) FRED'S WIFE JO, TWO SONS AND A GIRLFRIEND, HIS OLDEST SON, WIFE AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN, AND HIS IN-LAWS WERE ALL THERE. FRIENDS ANDY AND ELLEN CAME IN FROM WARRENTON, AND KIT AND RUSTY FROM VIRGINIA BEACH. THEY WERE PART OF THE ROLLICKING, FOOT-STOMPING FRONT ROW CROWD THAT REALLY GOT INTO THE MUSIC. A FEW BARS INTO THE FIRST SONG, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS AUDIENCE WAS GOING TO BE INTO THE SHOW ALL NIGHT. IT WAS THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC AND PARTICIPATORY ISAACS AUDIENCE I’D EVER SEEN.

LILY TOLD ALL ABOUT HER PERSONAL JOURNEY FROM THE DEATH CAMPS OF EASTERN EUROPE TO A JEWISH GIRL SINGING GOSPEL MUSIC. SHE RELATED HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS FOR A JEWISH GIRL RAISED IN THE JEWISH TRADITION TO FIND JESUS IN A SMALL COUNTRY CHURCH AND FORSAKE ALL FOR HER BELIEFS. SHE TOLD THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS LIBERATING HER MOTHER AND FATHER AND THE IMPORTANCE TO OUR WONDERFUL COUNTRY OF THOSE WHO SERVE IN UNIFORM. SHE RELATED HOW, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THESE SOLDIERS LIBERATING HER PARENTS SHE WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE TODAY. THIS WAS AN ESPECIALLY POWERFUL MESSAGE HEAR AT FUMA, A MILITARY SCHOOL WITH A LONGSTANDING MILITARY TRADITION. THEN SONYA STEPPED ONE STEP DOWN OFF THE STAGE AND BEGAN THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER. BECKY STEPPED DOWN BEHIND HER AND BEGAN HER HARMONY, AND THEN BEN FOLLOWED. WHAT AN AWESOME, POWERFUL MOMENT! THIS AUDIENCE, WITH MANY CADETS AND RETIRED MILITARY, STOOD WITH HAND -OVER -CHEST AT RAPPED ATTENTION, IN DEEP REVERENCE. THERE WAS MANY A MOIST CHEEK. I DO KNOW THAT SINGING THIS PATRIOTIC SONG IS DIFFICULT. NO ONE - - NO ONE BRINGS THIS NATIONAL ANTHEM OFF LIKE THE ISAACS.

COMMANDANT AL WOULD GET HIS TURN. SONYA INVITED HIM UP ON STAGE TO DO THE BROTHER /SISTER PART SOLO OF "IF THAT DON'T MAKE YA. WANT TO." I CAN TELL YOU THE ISAACS GREATLY ENJOYED THIS PART. CHECK OUT THE PICS. THE AUDIENCE..........THE CADETS WERE RAUCOUS.

FUEL FOR THE TANK: I DIDN'T GET TO RELATE THIS TO THE ISAACS. A GOOD FRIEND OF OURS, WHO IS A FINANCIAL ADVISOR, HAS NATURALLY HAD A TOUGH YEAR EMOTIONALLY IN THIS CURRENT MARKET. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE SHEER JOY ON HIS AND HIS WIFE'S FACES. FOR THIS MAGICAL EVENING, THE DEPRESSION MELTED AWAY. I ALSO MET HEATH AND ALICE FROM BUCKINGHAM COUNTY. HEATH HAD BEEN INJURED RECENTLY AND WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR. THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THE ISAACS BEFORE BUT HAD BEEN LISTENING TO THEIR CDS. THEY HAD COME EARLY TO GET A GOOD SEAT. LILY HAD INSISTED I TAKE AN EXTRA DVD WHEN I TRIED TO MAKE A DIESEL DONATION. I MARCHED RIGHT BACK DOWN TO MY SEAT AND GAVE THEM THE DVD. THE ISAACS TOUCHED THESE PEOPLE VERY DEEPLY THIS NIGHT. I KNOW TOO THAT THE MESSAGE THE ISAACS HAD FOR THESE YOUNG IMPRESSIONABLE CADETS WAS REAL AND WELL-RECEIVED.

EVEN THOUGH THE ISAACS HAD MANY MILES TO GO TO BE READY FOR THEIR NEXT STOP IN GRANITE FALLS, NC, THEY BACKED THE BUS DOWN THE ROAD AND SHARED SOME QUALITY TIME WITH COLONEL FRED AND HIS FAMILY. FRED'S FOUR-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON WAS STARSTRUCK, AND SONYA, YOU HAVE A NEW ADMIRER.

LISA HILDRETH TOLD US ABOUT THE ISAACS IN GRANITE FALLS, NC ON SATURDAY. SONYA ASKED LISA AND WADE TO STAND AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND CONTRIBUTIONS WITH THE WEBSITE AND OTHER MATTERS. SHE RECOGNIZED GINA BLACK AND DAVID CARMACK AND HIS FAMILY FOR THE SUPPORT THEY LEND THE ISAACS ON THE ROAD. ALL THESE GOOD FOLKS PLAY A ROLE IN PERPETUATING AND EXPANDING THE ISAACS MINISTRY.

GOD BLESS THE ISAACS, THEIR MUSIC, MESSAGE, THEIR MINISTRY, THEIR HEART AND SOUL.