Allow me to start by saying how incredibly stinkin’ fun this weekend was. We played in the Orlando, FL area. We got to play Saturday night at this place called The Holy Land Experience. It was awesome! We didn’t get to see everything because we were busy soundchecking and eating and important stuff like that, but anyway, it’s a Christian Theme Park with a lot of artifacts and replicas of stuff that happened in the Bible. From what we saw, it was incredible. I still need to email them my idea for some rides they need to put in.

Idea #1: The Rapture: Judgement Day- A 2 minute and 42 second suspended rollercoaster with a maximum speed of 74 mph. The ride starts when passengers are immediately taken up hill with a sign towards the top that says “From Life to Death”. At the top of the hill, the coaster immediately jolts left and suddenly down into eternal darkness. Screams are heard and blazes of fire present themselves at the bottom of this hill, while all still contained in an unpredictable darkness as twist and turns seem to jolt the rider into a descension into a very hellish atmosphere. Suddenly, the coaster stops in the darkness while strobe lights pull very real looking faces of tormented souls from the walls and the floor. The coaster begins to pull again, yet this time, up hill and still in the dark and “Satan” speaks to the riders the desires he has for them in this underearth world of evil. Towards the top of this “invisible” hill, we see the first light from outside peeking through. As the coaster slowly exits to outside, large (mechanical) clawed hands come down, with the illusion of trying to pull the rider back down into the eternal pit. Before realizing what is going on, the rider is again, quickly barreling at top speed down the second and highest grade. The atmosphere is bright, and clouds and airplanes fly by as the rider ascends in giant loops and steep curves propelling the ride upward. The final ascension brings the rider towards the brightest light possible, signifying the gates of Heaven. Singing and rejoicing is heard. Angels greet the passengers as they return safely to the entrance. As the passengers exit the ride, a loud “God-like” voice is heard asking the rider: “Which will you choose? The decision is yours”…

Anyway, it’s a work in progress. We’ll see what happens. I also have an idea for a Noah’s Ark water ride/animal exhibit, and a ride called Plagues of Egypt. The Bible is full of puke-inducing machines just waiting to happen!!!

So, long-story made longer, The park is right close to Disney, but I think it could be WAY better than Disney! They are doing an awesome job already and it just started! I can’t wait to see the Holy Land experience 5 years from now. Who knows? Might wanna eat WAY before you go, so as not to lose it all on a Micah-designed, Bible-inspired thrill ride!

We got to play with Mike & Kelly, Aaron & Amanda, and Jason this weekend. It was so much fun. We did individual songs, then the Crabb Family thing. It’s so much fun to jam out and stuff. I believe we stayed onstage for about 50 minutes after the concert Sunday night, just playing. It’s so cool to get together and just do that from time to time. I think the Crabb Band should do a DVD. Just personal opinion. I think musicians would love it, and Heaven knows we would have a blast playing on it! Who knows?

Let me end this ever long blog entry by saying that the Crabb siblings are some of the cruelest individuals I have ever met. I just discovered this weekend that the ones who I thought were so cool and loved their children very much, infact, rather would scare the poop out of them. I have a mask on the bus that Zach and I so lovingly named “Walt”. I bought it at a halloween store and without posting a picture of this mauled-faced man on here, let me say that Walt has real hair, and it’s thin, reddish, and long flowing down to my elbows. Walt is overweight and has a pale, scarred face and is missing his eyebrows. When, I (Micah Todd Schweinsberg), as a grown adult puts this mask on and looks in a mirror, I honestly can’t look at myself for more than like 3 seconds. May I emphasize that I am a GROWN ADULT and the mask sort of frightens me.

So, here’s what happens… From time to time, the kids on the bus get a little rowdy. When spankings, time-outs, and noses in the corner aren’t working too well, Walt decides to come out of the back and “he” instantly gets hungry to eat little kids. Well, sure this frightens the Crabb Revival children. They run and hide and pee their diapers, but…BUT…they tend not to be so “mean” the rest of the day. Psychologically, I’m not sure if it’s messing the kids up or not. I think even Logan had a dream about Walt once and woke up crying. BUT, reguardless of how cruel this seems, we don’t really even have to bring Walt out anymore because if they get out of hand, all you have to say is, “Uh oh! I think I heard someone get up in the back (of the bus)!” Instantly, they all apologize to whoever they had been giving a hard time to, sit on the couch like stones and say, “I’ll be good.” or “I’m a good boy! Tell Walt not to come up here!”

That being said, Walt has HAD a great impact on the behavior of the children. I think he has been an effective tool in discipline…until this weekend. For some reason (and I think it’s just because I didn’t have to pack quite as much in my bag for the weekend), I brought the Walt mask. I put it on, just to scare Jason when he came through the door of the bus, and when he saw it, He kind of spazzed, then laughed and said, “You’ve GOT to wear this over to our bus!!”, so he drug me over to walk up on his bus and scare his kids (who were being ever so good and sweet, by the way), just to in turn tell them to “Go give Walt a hug bye!” before their confused stares turned to blood-curdling screams. The screams were followed by the parents (Jason, Shellye, Aaron, Amanda, Terah, and Kristi) bursting in laughter at their frightened children. I’ve never seen such cruelty!! Especially when little Eli had to be peeled off the roof and Amanda puts on “Walt” and starts asking Eli for a hug…. Not right, I tell you! Downright mean!!!

For everyone who thinks I am serious, you are WAY too serious! The Crabb Kids would never hurt anyone, especially their own children. This was just so funny that I had to share it. And don’t worry, I scared PLENTY of the parents with my mask. Amanda Crabb almost fell down the bus stairs when she saw me at the door. Haha. Payback! You never know where Walt will show up! You may just see him sitting down at the drums sometime! Be prepared! And for heaven sakes, BE GOOOOD!!!

Much love to all!
-Micah

I just wanted to post what I believe to be the best pic from Zach’s wedding…

We’re on our way to a new revolution. We’re bringing back the yo-yo! What all started as an impulse Dollar Store purchase of a $1 yo-yo has now formed into a swarm of mass “yo-yoing” on the bus. I must admit, it’s the most entertaining thing ever. We’re even into the spring and ball-bearing loaded yo-yos that allow it to sleep for nearly a minute or so, allowing us to do practically any trick you can think of. I must say Jed is quite the pro, as he is with balloon animals. Seems like Jed went back in time to some 1920’s carnivals and learned a bunch of meticulous skills from the masters themselves. Or, maybe Jed grew up in China. We still don’t know, but I believe he could kill a raven with a spitball…or his Yomega.

Things have been really fun on the road lately. Seems like all the kids are getting funnier. Charlee’s getting to the age where he is starting to talk pretty good. Logan’s at the age where he throws his developing personality at you (which I find to be a riot). And Hannah is, well, just growing up. When I think of all the kids growing up, it makes me sad. I remember when I first started playing for the Crabb’s, they were infants. Some were born after I joined. Now, some are going to school. Am I that old??? It happens, I guess. I remember Logan lying in his car seat on the bus and just staring at me with his toothless head, trying to figure me out. Just last week, I was joking around with him and I said, “Get out of town, boy!”. He immediately scrunched his brow, pointed at me with that tiny finger and said boldly, “I will NOT get out of town!…I live in Nashville!!” *sigh*.

I’ve been digging a lot of old school music stuff lately. My iPod is plagued with it, but I hardly ever dig out those diamonds that seem hidden in the midst of all the processed, over-produced, “artists by album production and not live performance”. But I’ve been digging George Strait, The Hinsons, Restless Heart, MidSouth, and just really good-feeling music. Nothin’s better than driving out through the country in spring or early fall with the windows down on your truck and just feel-good music jamming in the background. I more and more love music that creates a mood. Music that haunts your mind days after you’ve heard the actual song. That stuff is cool. It inspires me. One day, I want to be able to create that way. To put the listener in a scene in time. I pray for it!

We have seen great things happen lately in concert. Recently, our concert was stopped when the Pastor of the church we were at came up and laid hands on Adam and began to pray for something Adam’s been feeling in his spirit for a long time. It was so cool. I am so excited about this ministry. Seems like everywhere we go, people feel our hearts and our desires and specifically call out the same things as to the future of Crabb Revival. That only confirms good stuff. I believe it. I know that God is going to do great things here. He always has, and I knew He would from the start. But I’m looking for new surprises in the future! I feel it.

Question for everyone: What’s “fun” about fun-size candy bars? I mean, what’s fun about a fraction of a candy bar?! Oh, and the Buckeyes are going to be in the National Championship again. Almost forgot!

God bless until we meet again,
Micah