3^rd blog Entry: Conversion a true parable

I am not sure when I got my first radio. As a kid I was fascinated with the world of music and words. I could not afford to by every record I liked. Even as a 14 year old I had diverse taste. I grew up in a world of pop radio, hard rock and country music. I would later come to love a fairly new genre called Contemporary Christian music, and quickly Christian rock. On a radio I could find some of this. In those various stations I found community too. Country fans all listened to a certain station. Christians listened to certain stations. Hard rock fans listened to a great station. Some of those stations still exist, but they do not hold the power they did years ago. The only exception was the Christian station that started while I grew up. (KSBJ – Houston christian station, public supported, link on the right) Did I mention baseball and the last radio mystery nationally produced. I loved baseball on radio, still do. I would listen to CBS radio Mystery Theater. This was the last of a dying breed.( You can find it on the internet archives site, I may link to it later.) Major actors used just their voices to scare you to death.

Some where in the march of time I discovered shortwave radio. “You mean there is more than AM and FM radio. It comes from where.” In those days most every country had a radio outlet. Radio Moscow, the BBC, Radio Cuba, various religious broadcasters, and even just some AM stations that just wanted to be heard around the world. As I learned more then I could listen to Ham Radio operators talk endlessly about their subject. (Why I do not have a license today.) Then scanners came into my life. I could listen to the cops and even halves of phone calls. Digital communications would send even high dollar scanners into the dust bin. I think you know where I am going with this. Fear not, I do still own a tun of radio gear. I am a huge HD radio fan and will write about it later. Later I would go on to volunteer at a Christian radio station and collect a few radios, that I still own. Computers where not too much of contenders. Early on, streaming anything in dial up was not to satisfying. Except the BCC, they just figured it out early. My joy in radio was hearing various formats and information. News from Europe, with their spin. Music from Cuba. (Still awesome, even on shortwave.) As a christian I have all ways been excited about how radio can build faith with music teaching or talk. Radio's power to inform us as voters is just stunning. Yep radio is part new, part ridiculous and part snake oil sales. It all ways has been. Border radio from Mexico is proof of all that. Men sold Goat Gonad implants to solve all male problems. As I write this, I have an old SW receiver simply hooked up to commercial AM loop on top of my PC. It works. Where am I going with this.

Conversion, change. Change to get the same and better joy. Digital has been a lot for radio to adjust to, just ask the US TV folks. Remember I listen to radio to hear what is being said so it can entertain, teach or disciple me.

Oh yeah, this is a parable. Before we came to Christ we tried to get joy from everything, but a loving savior, who died to give us ultimate joy in the arms of God. We looked for joy in people, things, and philosophies. We needed conversion. If you do not know Jesus, you need conversion.

Back to my story. Recently I have discovered all that I was looking for in the radio world, I can easily get in the world of internet. Sound is not so hard, so the gear and the connection does not have to be great. My internet radio was just a little tuner, that cost about 80 dollars. (I”ll blog on internet radio's later.) On a wireless router I get more stations than I ever could on AM, FM, HD FM or SW. Most of those outlets broadcast on the net. Some great stuff is being preserved on the net. 40S and 50s music is being saved on the net, at no charge. Old formats that have long gone away are on the net. I know I have not hit it all. As an avid listener, this is a no brainer. Basic table top radios have been rolled out. Cars are coming. This stuff, for know is a blast. I needed to convert web based radio. I have and this blog is proof.

Conversion has that effect. I changed and now get a tun of more joy from listening to the web versus terrestrial(conventional) radio. Is this important as my salvation? NO WAY. Its a parable, remember. Sadly conversion is mainly preached as going from the disaster and judgment of sin to the happiness of God. That is true, totally true. My Parable is not about that, It may be more real for some folks in experience or need. My parable is going from “ok” to happiness. It like going from “good” to “great.” Many people's lives are not totally ruined by sin. I was converted young. I do not have a drugs and destroyed life story before Christ. But till I totally put my life in Jesus' hands I did not have real joy and meaning. When I finally gave Jesus my whole heart, life was better than it could ever be before I totally trusted God with my whole life. It just makes a lot of since to do something better when it has been shown to you. I wanted variety and quality, conventional radio has some big limits. Right know web based listening is just a better choice.

So is conversion to Christ. How is being spiritually lost doing for you? How is ruined relationships, gnawing doubts about eternity, and the eternal unease going for you. In Christ, all that and more is solved. Time to convert, time to change. Look to Jesus. If you don't know him? Please start a relationship with him. Email me and let me help you. (See link on right.) Some of you need a post conversion, conversion. You really are trusting Christ for eternity, but you are waiting for joy. Seek Christ presence in every area of your life. Seek Him in His Word, seek Him in Prayer, and seek Him in a God honoring Church.

Ok stop here, parable over. Just a few stray thoughts, I understand that Radio people love the joy of the pursuit. Strange signals from strange places. OK. I like this stuff too. But really I am looking to hear what I find and find it again. Don't miss this articles lesson. Conversion is what we all need. When I convert to Christ, I put away a sinful world and come to Christ. (Read, no going back) In the world of radio and communication I went primarily web based. I still own a lot of radio's for one guy. Radio's do fit some situations well. One day, when time allows I will put all this gear in a room and spend time listening to whatever is out there. Someday.

Please, I would love to hear from a reader, about faith or Radio, or both. Scott Talbert

 scotttalbert1963@gmail.com