work is boring

3 albums i am in love with right now:
1) avett brothers - emotionalism
2) mumford & sons - sigh no more
3) saosin - translating the name

3 things i am reading right now:
1) golden buddha - clive cussler
2) the voice (new testament)
3) the people called quakers - d. elton trueblood

3 important events in my life coming up soon:
1) my parents coming into town labor day weekend (this weekend!)
2) my birthday
3) parker side of the family for thanksgiving

3 things i want right now:
1) to be done with work so i can go jog
2) a new job
3) my new glasses

3 things i could do without right now:
1) debt
2) uncertainty
3) fat

ccm

There is something about Contemporary Christian Music (ccm) that has just never sat quite right with me. I don't know that it's even something that I can properly put into words... But it bothers me. I am painting a broad generalization here, as of course there are notable exceptions (a lot of Crowder's stuff, some Tomlin, etcetera). I guess it just doesn't feel... "real" to me. The songs that actually mean something to me are the ones that talk about how life is not easy, but God is there. The songs I can relate to sing about how there is a God out there who loves even a crappy, messed up person like me. I understand that sometimes we just need to praise God and thank Him... But most of my life is spent in the day-to-day mundane, and the garbage that comes along with it. I know some of this cynicism is due to my apparent inability to live with joy, but that's really not who I am. I had a long dissection and diatribe of and about ccm written, but I am going to delete that and just say... I am happy and thankful for honest, real music. Thank God.

my ep

I released my new EP! You can download it (for free) here: http://www.mediafire.com/?vcjnxq3v51btl1w or if you want a hard copy, message me your address. Let me know what you think!

words of my father

these are from a list that my dad gave me years ago. i kept it, and formatted it nicely and gave it to him for father's day two years ago. i still read it now and again, just to keep my head on straight.

Lord

Ups and downs in intensity
Keep worshipping
Be the spiritual head
Pray daily
Always tithe
Know where you stand, don’t buckle… But listen


Love

Do not be unequally yoked
Treat her like an angel
Virginity is the highest gift in marriage
Stay away from situations(before and after marriage)
The little things mean a lot
One time, one woman, no wandering
Love, cuddle, & touch without always expecting sex in return
No barbies


Labor

Like your job because it will affect home and you
Don’t quit when things get difficult… Give it reasonable time
If you need to ask for a raise or increased compensation or promotion, evaluate how you have performed, honestly. If you are satisfied with performance it may be time to move on
Be wise in your choices of changing jobs, promotions, and moves with a company
Loyalty
Integrity
Don’t make $ the #1 object. The higher the income the more stress and less stability


Leisure

Time to relax, not necessarily that which you do for fun
Make it a time you can think/reflect; a brain relax time.
It can be taxing physically
Don’t let it overtake time from real chores or duties


Life

Ebbs and flows of life – enjoy it, each day is valuable
Remember, no matter what happens to you in normal life, “they” can’t kill you.
Do what is best for wife and children, put self aside

recording = done

i spent friday and saturday of last weekend recording with matt davis (who recorded the cgcc band ep) in turlock at denair friends church... i recorded 4 originals, and my own arrangement of how great Thou art. it was exhausting, but it was such a good experience. we spent a total of about 16 hours during those 2 days recording, or setting up/tearing down/working out instrument and vocal parts.
all of my songs turned out better than i thought they would; it's hard because in my head i heard other musical pieces, but actually putting them together became more difficult. i am currently listening to the (unmixed) ep, so that i can go over some mixing details with matt. i am pretty excited to share it with other people, and i hope they can hear the passion i put into it. let me know if you want a copy (digital or physical or both)!

just another song...

The words to the first verse and chorus came to me right when I woke up this morning, and as I was in the shower... Then I finished up the second verse at work.


"I’ve got things roaming my head that I can’t defeat
There’s sickness all around me and the world’s unclean
I’m no better, I’ve got the same disease
Selfishness and greed wrapped in apathy
But I can sense a freedom somewhere near

Lord break these chains ‘cause they’re not of You
They just drag me down and conceal the truth
I want something more that is real
I don’t need this world, I don’t need this grief
I just need You, I need Your arms around me.

There are things I should do and words I should speak
But I feel so useless, Lord I feel so damn weak
What can I possibly do to compete
With a world that’s full of such agony
I need Your strength to set me free"

EDIT: the video

i suck at praying.

I have never felt like I have a very good prayer life. I do it, but not consistently. When someone asks for prayer for something, I tend to hesitate before agreeing; not because I don't want to pray for them, but out of the concern that I will forget or push it aside or something... I don't want to commit to something important like that, and then not even do it. Sooo that's something I am still dealing with.
Anyways, something that I have found myself doing recently is limiting my prayers. Today I was praying in the shower for a couple of things (yeah, I pray in the shower; I have found it's a place I am not distracted by media, electronics, etcetera for a brief period of time). One of the prayer items was a friend's relationship with their father, which has had a ton of struggles in the last couple of years. Another prayer was for a friend who has an opportunity to go on a missions trip to Ethiopia, but only if a seat opens up on the return flight that is currently fully booked.
I began to pray, and started to pray for both of these things... But as I did, I realized that I was praying very specifically, and not very hopefully. I was praying for the first friend that they would be able to interact well with their dad, and that they would possibly be able to see each other and have a positive experience. The other prayer was for my friend to find a seat on the currently full flight. Both solid, acceptable prayers, right?
But why should I stop there? If I really believe that God can do ANYTHING, then why am I asking Him for relatively "small" things? And so, I approached the prayer a little differently after this realization. I prayed for my friend not to just have a good interaction with their dad, but to actually have reconciliation, and for healing for the dad's relationship with the rest of the family. For my other friend, I prayed that not only were they able to go on the trip, but that it would be a life-changing experience for them, and that they would cause great things to happen in God's name while they were there.
I mean, if you're going to pray... Why not pray extravagantly?