Lessons from NBA Champions

Tonight, the LA Lakers won the 2010 NBA Championship. I first want to congratulate the Lakers and the Celtics who both fought to the end. It was truly a championship series. Tracy was going for the Celtics and I was rooting for the Lakers. We were a house divided today.

I've been thinking of NBA Champions and other individuals who are at the top of their game. There is one thing that they all have in common. They work harder than most others in their field.

I'm starting to realize that success often comes to those that will work harder and do what others are unwilling to do. That's actually a good realization because I can choose to work hard in the music business. It's not the easiest thing for me because I'm an artist and I like to work when I'm "inspired".

Having a full-time job, a wife and three children doesn't leave me much time to work on my music. However, if I'm going to be a champion in the Christian music arena, I must make the time to do what I gotta do, write and record.

However, tonight, I'm going to reflect on the awesome victory the LA Lakers achieved. And hopefully sleep in my own bed.

My daughter Kayla's blog...

My 9 year old daughter Kayla actually sings on one of my songs. I call her my secret weapon! She's a great singer and is absolutely beautiful (Dad's unbiased opinion). Audiences can't resist her and we sing a song titled "I Look Like My Father." The song talks about taking on the characteristics of Christ but the interplay between me and Kayla adds a special element to the song.

Last week we did a show and I asked Kayla to sing with me on stage. This would be her second time singing with me but this time it was a much bigger stage and a much bigger audience. There were even TV cameras for live video streaming over the Internet (no pressure).

Kayla did a marvelous job. She started singing her part at the right time, remembered all of her words, and sang on key. The only thing she could have done better was to relax a little and let some of that dynamic personality shine through.

A few days later during our singing group rehearsal, I asked Kayla to join us as we rehearsed our song. Tracy and I tried to coach her to loosen up a little and even get a little sassy with it.

A few nights passed and Kayla saw me starting this blog about my music. Always wanting to do something productive, Kayla ran and grabbed her Mom's iPhone. Ten minutes later she said to me, "Dad, I've started a blog..." She handed me the iPhone and this is what she wrote, verbatim:

Lil Singer

hi my Name is Kayla and I sing with my dad. The song we both sing together is I look like my father. My dad said every time I perform I get twenty dollars. I really am nerves each time i perform because its the dramatic sean my dad does. I get butterflys in my stomach and when he calls me ip I see the audience and I get a llitle nerves but when I get use to it I like to sing the song. My last performance was at Stronghold Christan Church. I had lots of fun and I got lots of support from friends and family and people I didn't even know. My sister video taped the whole performance. She said I looked so nerves and scared and then when I looked back at the video I had to agree with her. My mom and dad said I have to move a little but when they showed me what things I should do I said no thanks and i lost my intrests in the things they were tryin to show me. That's it for today, love you God bless you.

OK, so now I feel like Joe Jackson.

Keep us in your prayers.

Vincent