New things abound. Today is my last day at my primary job... don't have another job lined up yet. :whoa: but I know there is something lined up already for me I just have to keep looking for it.

Also some new music is coming down the pipes for real this time. One is nearly ready for mix down and the other is just behind that one. I hope you peeps like them.

Finally- I will be performing a 2 song set this month or in Feb so if anyone is in the Hurst area and wants to come check it out keep an eye out for the event.

Happy New Year everyone!

I find myself in the studio now reviewing the manuals for new software, equipment and diving into the real challenge which is not just using the equipment, but using it well.

I suppose all artists wrestle somewhat with what is in their mind (limitless creativity) against the physical manifestation of their art (limiting canvas).  

The music in my head sounds vastly different than the guitar tracks, vocals, ect. that I actually record. The recorded soundwaves of my art does not sound the same as in my cerebral realm. 

So in comes messing with the sound, mics used, mic placement, all the technical things one can do to achieve ones purpose, only to find on can be stuck there indefinatly.

In the end, I think all artists ultimatly discover what they do well and build upon that strength in their work. I think one has to do that in order not to go mad or become discouraged  when reconciling the fact it is nearly impossible to share with others exactly what you want them to hear/see.

But in the act of discovering and delivering what you do well becomes an art in itself. 
And I think all great artists became great because they didn't limit themselves to the limitless, yet neither totally staying within that which limited them. In some ways, pushing themselves in two different directions which allowed their art to become larger than it would have been otherwise.

Ok I probably just confused everyone who read this but it makes sense to me. :)

Anyway be on the lookout for new material in 2008, begining to appear on Myspace within the month of March.

On Thanksgiving day the Mrs and I took our newborn downtown to prep up for a Saturday Breakfast for feeding the homeless. Knowing businesses were closed in Deep Ellum I wanted to park out front instead of the usual back parking lot.. you know just in case....

So as we are there decorating some homeless guys break into the building from the back and start smashing out a window on the deck to start stealing some of the music equipment and food. At first we heard banging and thought someone was out back banging on the door, but they were already inside. Once Keri saw feet from the upstairs window we grabbed our 3 month old and made our way outside, that was when they saw us and took off running.

It' a little unnerving to think we could have been hurt, its also a little sad that they knew this was a resource for helping the homeless and they were going to pillage it for themselves, but come Saturday we served a hearty breakfast, had music, and gave away door prizes (blankets, gloves, ect) to those who came in. I found myself a bit emotional being in the midst of the experience. Not that I can put it into words fully, but there is something moving about a massive undertaking of serving. It's not glamorus, it's not something that we strive to do every second of the day, but it in essence is an extension of Gods Kingdom.

Happy holidays to everyone!

The other week my 2 year old woke up crying to an apparent bad dream at about 3 in the morning. Dragging myself out of bed to go put him at ease I was wanting to get back in bed ASAP so I wouldn't be worn out for work later. He asked me to lay down with him and I couldn't fit on his tiny bed so I just got on my knees and laid my head on his bed and he rolled over to go to sleep... my mind got to wandering about God coming to our needs when we need Him. Is it ever inconvient for Him? My mind then expressing it's desire to spend more time with God and I realized how simple the solution was... JUST DO IT!  You could call it a "duh" moment,  but it hit me like a load of bricks. Make the time... take the time.

My son was finally back to sleep, and I went to bed to drift back into restful unconscienceness. I thought about a dream I had about my dad. It is the only one I remember having about him since he died. In the dream it was friends and family all together in a room just talking and hanging out. My dad walked into the room with a big smile and his face, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and gave him a standing ovation. Everyone was clapping. He just sat down and looked at me with a very happy smile and never said a word.. in the dream we all knew he was deceased, but were not bothered by him being there.

I don't know what that means, if anything. I usually don't take too much stock in dreams. But it has stuck with me for months.

I drift back to sleep.

God help me make the time, take the time to spend with you more.

 

 

Before our praise band plays @ church we pray to be a participate in the worship service and to not take away from it. Which is a worthy thing to desire, I know I do not want to get up and make everyone think I am such a great musician.

However there seems to be this tendency within people who are wanting to use their talents for God to not do anything over the top because then you are 'exalting yourself' instead of exalting God.

What constitutes exalting oneself?

 If ones desire is to honor God with a creation of something artistic does it stop honoring God at some point if it suddenly has the complexity and technique beyond what others can do?

Is it because we think simplicity is more honoring to God?

Is it because we think it would cause people to not be impressed with God but with the artist?

Is it so we can be secretly proud of how humble we are?

I would think in most trivial matters, including this one, God is mostly concerned with the desire of our hearts. I am wanting to play creativly, but I am wanting to play creativly for God.

Vocalists, artists, musicians, architects, whatever your skill you have been blessed with, what is this tendency to hold back? Does God give a gift only to be particially unwrapped? Does God want potential for mastering and honoring to Him be supressed?

A lot of questions... more questions than answers in this blog.

But I look at creation and see some pretty awesome extremes between and variety within species. God seems to love variety, God loves His creation. A lot of it conjurs wonder and inspiration to the beholder and the one who stops to 'smell the flowers'. Why should our expression then be bland?

This inclination we have once we come to the point in our lives to use our talents to for the Creator, we have to keep it simple.. keep it plain... keep it, dare I say, even boring has been on my mind a lot this week.

Well- I had wanted to reinstall Windows XP on my studio computer because I was experiencing some stutter on Windows 2000 and the awesome installation cd formated and installed XP on my second hard drive.

Yes, the drive that contained all my backup and recordings I have ever done. Yes. They are all gone. Bye bye. Toast. So I am starting over from scratch.

Nice.

Sometimes you can't wait for things to be just right before making commitments.... life is still crazy... things still seem to be barely in control...

But with the loving encouragement of my wife I am making the time to get back in the studio and record some new material.

The goal? To be playing live by the end of this summer and seeing where this ministry can be effective.

The challenges? Basically... everything is fighting me it seems. But I just 'have to show it who's boss' as my grandfather would say. But I figure if I put in 1-2 hours a night, every night, for the next few months I should be able to accomplish that goal in one way or another.

So... hopefully in a few weeks I'll get a couple new tracks up.. some new pictures... and some new updates... and some new friends. Which will be good, I can't believe it's been a year since joining myspace and I basically have the same songs up. Are you guys sick of them yet? Hopefully not! But there will be some new stuff soon enough.... God willing.  :D

A Sort of Homecoming

by u2

and you know its time to go through the sleet and driving snow

across the feilds of morning lights in the distance

and you hunger for the time time to heal desire time

and your earth moves beneath your own dreamland scape

 

on borderland we run

i'll be there, i'll be there tonight

 

the cities walls are all come down we'll dust a smoke screen all around

see faces plowed like fields that once gave no resistance

and we live on the side of the road on the side of the hill as the valley explodes

dislocated, suffucated, the land grows weary of its own

 

on borderland we run

and still we run we run and don't look back

i'll be there i'll there tonight

 

 

the wind will crack in wintertime this bomblast lightning waltz

no spoken words just a scream

tonight we'll build a bridge across the sea and land

see the sky the burning rain she will die and live again tonight

 

and you know its time to go through the sleet and driving snow

across the feilds of mourning lights in the distance

no don't sorrow no don't weep for tonight at last I am coming home

I am coming home

 

 

 

 

Welcome home dad

@}----