So here’s the new site:

codylthomas.com

Go check it out!

• Getting up at 5:30am was horrible! I got into bed after midnight and couldn’t sleep well all night. Then, I had to drive up to Bessemer City, NC for early morning worship practice. I can’t wait to go to sleep tonight!
• Practice and worship up at First Wesleyan Church in Bessemer City went great this morning. The band is awesome! They are some great guys and really talented musicians! Ward, thanks for the opportunity to lead worship up there! It was fun!
• It’s been a good week overall! I had 5 different people offer to put my name in for open church positions. Some were people who were leaving their current position and wanted to recommend me to replace them; a couple were senior pastors who wanted me to put in my resumé for a position at their own church; and another was someone who wanted to recommend me for a position he heard about. Good things might be happening!
• Speaking of those positions, there is one position in particular that Kindel and I are leaning more towards. It would be a great opportunity for serving and seeing life change (in us and others).
• I’m beginning to really enjoy twitter. HOWEVER, it would be REALLY awesome if more people would give it a shot! If you’re still curious about twitter, check out this video explaining twitter in plain English.
• The SWU ministry teams started heading out to camps this weekend. I spent one night doing a Q&A time with a bunch of them. Hanging out with them made me want to jump in a van and go with them. I definitely miss traveling! Those were some of the best times of my life!
• I’m working on building my own blog through WordPress.org and getting my own domain. Stay tuned for more details!
• Practice for camp is on Tuesday! All week will be spent preparing for two straight weeks of camp! SWEET!
• I’ve been sick all night. Stomach sick too. Not fun. I think it’s over though. I’m going to attempt to eat now.

Goal: 175 lbs

Last week: 241.5 lbs

This week:

242 lbs!

I’m sick and tired of this! It’s time for war! Here’s the link back to the Ragamuffin Top Challenge.

That’s definitely the truth!

Did you make the list?

• I’m driving up to Bessemer City later today to practice with the worship band at First Wesleyan Church for Sunday morning.  On Sunday, I’m filling in for Jon Ward as the worship leader for the contemporary service.  I’m excited about the opportunity!  I’m a little nervous about working with musicians that I’ve never met or played with before, but I’m sure it will be fun.
• In the last two days, I’ve had three people tell me about open (or soon-to-be open) positions at churches that they are leaving or know the person leaving and said they would put in my name as a highly recommended candidate for the position.  That’s a lot to pray about as I’m searching for mine (and Kindel’s) next step in life and ministry.
• Even with those positions being somewhat open to me, I am still seeking God to see about the possible church planting opportunities.
• Discerning God’s will is hard when all the options in front of you are good options and all of them have the possibility of amazing ministry things happening (lives changing, people meeting Jesus, etc.).  Sometimes I wonder if I should be so worried about picking the “right one” when God is not (at least so far) narrowing the scope to only one.  Maybe that means that God will be with me and allow me the opportunity to minister in His name no matter which path I take in job selection.  Just some thoughts.
• Kindel is under a lot of emotional stress right now because of some hard situations.  It is even adding stress to our own relationship.  It makes things more difficult for both of us.  I’m praying that the situation will continue to get better.  She can’t continue to deal with this major emotional stress, hurt and frustration.  It’s wearing her out.  Please keep her in your prayers.  Pray for me as well.  Pray that I will be there for her whenever she needs it.  Pray that I will comfort her, encourage her, and hold her up when she has nothing left.
• I’ve had some struggles with the worship situation for camps.  Tanner, who plays electric guitar, had to recently back out of playing at SC high school camp (which was horrible news because he is amazing!).  So, now I’m begging a guy to come down and play guitar in his place during that camp.  I REALLY hope this guy can do it!
• I ate like a pig today.  I just munched on food all day.  I definitely can’t do that again anytime soon!
• I sold my old Dell laptop on eBay today.  It doesn’t work anymore, so I sold it for $150 to someone for parts.  All I could do with it is make it into an expensive doorstop, so I’m glad I sold it!  I also have another nine listings on eBay right now.  I hope to make a little more money from those too.  I’ve got to pay the bills.
• I’m really glad Kindel is blogging now!  It’s neat to see her thoughts written out.  Most of the time, I have already heard her say most of the stuff she writes about, but it’s nice to see it written too.  You can check out her link on my sidebar.
• I wish more people would give twitter a shot.  It’s good for keeping up with people’s daily lives without all the other junk that facebook and myspace get cluttered with.  You can even change your twitter status or direct message other people through texting on your cell phone.
• I really hate waiting on life!  I wish I knew what our next step was going to be.  I really wish I knew where I would be working after camps are over.  I wish I knew where I would be living in a couple months.  Right now, I have camps coming up soon and then I have no clue what I’ll be doing or where I’ll be living in a couple months.  I hate that.  I want to have some stability in work and where I’m living.  I want to know I plan to be there more than a few months.  I want to know I have a paycheck coming in.  I want to have a routine.  I want to be a part of a strong ministry and church.
• Maybe I’m starting to get tired.  Now that I’ve sorted out my thoughts through writing, my mind will stop spinning.

Goodnight readers!

Also, I joined in the “Ragamuffin Top” weight loss accountability/challenge. As part of this, I have to make a long-term measurable goal (like “run a marathon in 26 weeks” or “lose 40 pounds”) and I have to post a picture or video of my weigh-in each Saturday. Well, I was gone this weekend. So I took the picture this morning.

Unfortunately, I gained from last week. 241.5. Boo.

Starting Weight: 240

Long-term Goal: 175 (by May 2009)

Standing on a ladder on an ever-moving, floating boat dock for 8-9 hours makes me really sick…like, seasick.  Needless to say, that causes problems for working on a lake shore five days a week.

Well, at least I made one day’s pay this week.

Off to find a new job.

Speaking of jobs:

• I’m filling in as worship leader for Jon at Bessemer City this Sunday while he’s off speaking at a camp.  I’ll go up Wednesday for practice and Sunday for service.  I’m excited!
• SC camps are less than two weeks away!  I’m stoked about worship!  It’s sort of hard to find a job when you need to ask off for two weeks…and those weeks are two weeks away!
• NC West camp starts a week after SC camps are done!
• Kindel and I are still praying over a couple possible openings with joining a church plant team.  We are praying for God’s direction in it all.  If He leads us that way, that could mean some major decisions being made in the next couple months!

Why I Am Excited:

• PAYCHECK!!!
• Get to work with my hands and build stuff
• Get to learn a new skill that will be useful for life
• Lose some weight doing manual labor in the sun 40-50 hours a week
• Get to work on the shore of a lake everyday

Why I Am Anxious:

• It’s going to be HARD labor
• I’ll have less time to do other things (spend time with Kindel, plan worship for camps, etc.)
• I’ve never done construction before
• I’m going to be BEYOND exhausted every night for the first couple weeks until I get used to it
• The language barrier with a couple of the guys will be hard.  I hope to pick up a lot of Spanish.

How I Plan to Grow Through This:

• Interacting with different people–these guys aren’t the usual guys I would hang with
• Learn Spanish
• Learn valuable carpentry skills
• Lose a ton of weight

Pray for me!  I’ll let you know how it went!

Yes, I will be starting Monday morning working for Harding Waterfront. I will be on a crew building boat docks, ramps, stairs, etc. Each day I will work on the shores of Lake Keowee and Lake Hartwell. If I’ll be doing manual labor, I might as well have good scenery while I’m doing it! From Monday through Friday, I’ll be spending all morning and afternoon on the lake shore!

I’ve never done construction before, nor have I done carpentry. So, I’ll have to learn fast. I’ll be working alongside three guys who have been doing this stuff for a long time. If I decide to stick with this for at least a couple months, Pete (the owner) wants me to be the on-site leader. I guess that all depends if God calls me elsewhere or not. I’m just following Him one step at a time.

Well, Kindel and I are leaving tomorrow for Paul’s wedding and rehearsal. It should be a good weekend of seeing lots of friends.

• ScribeFire – This is an add-on for Firefox that allows you to write on your blog without going to the website. This is very helpful when you are copying text from a web page or copying links.

• Photobucket – Free image hosting. This site allows you to upload any pictures you want to use on your site. You can also edit the pictures on the site (cropping, coloring, resizing, etc.). You can easily copy the link to your picture and import it into your blog. For me, I’ve found using Photobucket to be easier than using WordPress for my image hosting.
• FeedBurner – This site will help you with your subscribers and RSS feed. FeedBurner provides you with links for people to subscribe to your blog through a reader (such as Google Reader or Bloglines) as well as subscribe through email updates. The site also shows you stats about your subscribers (how many, what they are using, etc.)
• Google Reader – This is the RSS feed reader that I use. You can subscribe to as many blogs and other RSS feeds that you want to. It will show you all new posts from all your subscriptions. This saves you a lot of time from visiting every blog you like to read. This way, it is all in one spot and you can read them only when they update (instead of visiting the blogs regularly just to find that they haven’t even updated!) You can also use iGoogle as your homepage and add Google Reader to that page!
• Site Meter – This site will give you the most in-depth stats about your blog viewers than you could ever imagine. Visitor stats, page view stats, location of viewers, etc.
• Technorati – This site is the site which deals with everything going on in the whole blogosphere. What I have found to be good about Technorati is it allows me to see how many people are linking to my blog and who they are. Those links are what give you your “authority” number and your authority number gives you your Technorati rank. They explain it here. You can click here to claim your blog on Technorati.

Thanks to everyone who read my last post and provided some encouragement, prayers, and affirmation for me and Kindel. You’ll probably never know how powerful your love and care was for us. We are still dealing with the situation (and will be for a long time probably), but we are now doing it knowing that our friends and our parents are supporting us, affirming us, and fighting for us. That has made a world of difference to know we are not doing this alone.

Words hurt.
Accusations hurt.
FALSE accusations hurt.

Over the past week, someone has made some harsh accusations without even knowing me. Calling me lazy. Saying I will be a horrible husband. Saying I won’t provide for Kindel the way I need to. Assuming we don’t keep a pure relationship (CERTAINLY without ANY evidence).

Because of who this came from (and how much I have attempted to gain their respect), this has hurt…deeply. In my head, I know without a doubt that this person’s accusations have no basis, no evidence, and they barely know me. However, despite knowing that… it still hurts.

Because of some people’s life experience, their worldview changes. They have been hurt and they are jaded with life and love. So, they just assume that others will be doomed for the same. These are just some other related thoughts going through my head (as filtered as I can be):

• Just because your marriage sucked doesn’t mean ours (Kindel and I) will.
• Just because your spouse was lazy or horrible doesn’t mean I will be.
• Just because some people can’t go through a relationship without taking their pants off doesn’t mean we are like that. I have too much respect for her
• Just because every one else has left you and hates you doesn’t mean we will, even if we live miles apart.

I’m really trying to not get too angry or cry too many tears through this, but I can’t help it right now. I have been deeply hurt this week multiple times. I have been talked to like a 10 year old kid. I have not been shown an ounce of trust or respect from them and I have given them no reason to not trust or respect me. Even worse, I don’t see an end to this.

I’m a deeply wounded soul this week. I wish it would have been someone who didn’t matter that did this. Then, at least the wounds wouldn’t run so deep. I’m wounded and don’t know what to do. I don’t know what I need. Maybe affirmation. Maybe some love and care. Definitely prayer. I don’t want to wound the other person just to get back at them. That’s not how I need to handle it. However, I feel that this person will still be offended by my (and Kindel’s) decisions no matter what.

Why is it that the most selfish people are the same ones who claim to know God’s will for MY life… just so they can justify their opinions? If God wills that for me (and my soon-to-be-wife), then God will make that clear to us. We are adults.

I’m ranting and in tears. God, mend my wounds and speak to each of our hearts.

Maybe UPS is better…

Update on the rat: We left the two traps out last night and checked them this morning.  Both of them are still set…and not a drop of peanut butter on EITHER of them!!!  We have ourselves a crafty rat!

Next attempt: tying licorice through the hole on it.  He can’t get that off without setting it off!

We found tons of rat poop all over our kitchen counter.  Let’s see if he goes for the peanut butter.

We played three rounds tonight.  I shot a couple people and was shot out in two rounds.  I have a nice welt on my stomach.  How sweet!

Anybody else want in on our games this summer?

9. Emery – The Question – go to original post

8. Angels & Airwaves – We Don’t Need to Whisper - go to original post

7. Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown -go to original post

6. Deas Vail – All the Houses Look the Same – go to original post

5. Incubus – Morning View – go to original post

4. Derek Webb – She Must and Shall Go Free - go to original post

3. Jamie Cullum – Twentysomething - go to original post

2. Thrice – Vheissu – go to original post

1. Mute Math – Mute Math – go to original post

Make sure to check the other 40:

50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11

All on one page.  I can check everything!  Email (Gmail), Google Reader (blogs I read), Twitter, Facebook, my Jott, what’s hot on Digg, and more!  Does anyone else do something different for an effective all-in-one way to check everything?  I’m always looking for something more efficient!

Why It’s Good:

• Short, to-the-point updates about life. You have 140 characters (and ONLY 140 characters) to describe your current life situation. You can use your 140 characters however you wish. Tell the world about your amazing Starbucks creation or what’s weighing on your mind and keeping you up at 2am.
• Keep up on long distance friends between the “catch-up-on-life” phone calls. I don’t always have time for a half hour or hour long phone call to college buddies who I like to keep up with. If they all used twitter, it would be the easiest way to keep up with them on a day-to-day basis between those “catch-up-on-life” phone calls.
• It’s all on one page! By logging in to twitter, I can see everybody’s recent updates…all on one page.  I don’t have to look through different people’s profiles.  I just log in and I can see all the recent updates from everybody that I follow on twitter.
• Can update it quickly, even by texting or Jott on my cell phone.
• No stupid profile junk or applications (like facebook). For my friends that I want to keep in touch with, I don’t need to read a list of their favorite movies and who has “bitten them” in the last week on SuperPoke. I probably know their favorite movies and the other is just lame. All I want is to know what is new in their life…what’s new today.
• Cuts out all the junk…only what’s new in your life…TODAY.

Why It’s Bad:

• Just another social network to get addicted to.  Like I need another one…  Although I think that if most of my friends were on twitter (especially long-distance friends), it would replace the other social networking sites instead of add to them.
• A lot of the stuff I see on other people’s twitter feeds is pointless.  Should I care that you had a good latte this morning?
• It is useful ONLY if a ton of friends are using it.  This means it is pointless right now.  I need friends to join this social experiment to see if it is worthwhile.

So here’s the deal.  I would like to see all my friends (especially those of you who are long-distance friends) to join the experiment on twitter and try it out.  I really do think it could be worth our time.  It cuts out all the junk (like on facebook and myspace) that we really don’t care about and gets down to what we really want to know:  what’s new in your life TODAY?

Anybody ready to jump on board and give a shot?  It’s worth a try!  If you join, click here for my twitter page.

Steven Furtick had a great post here about exploring your personal daily rhythms to become as effective as possible. It’s a good read! I will definitely be doing this whenever I get into a full-time job, especially if I end up in a more creative work environment (worship arts stuff).

Diet Coke and Mentos.  I know it’s old news, but have you ever seen it in super slow-motion from a 1200 fps camera?  You can now.

Would you rather lick your toilet seat or your computer keyboard?  Read this before making your decision.

Click here to find over 100 tips on how to increase gas mileage.

Perry Noble writes about his sermon preparation process.  Interesting read for pastors and speakers.

Tony Morgan wrote about his 7 filters for leadership decisions.

Check out this blog where they used many of Mahatma Gandhi quotes to form Gandhi’s top 10 fundamentals for changing the world.  Powerful!

Perry recently wrote his reflections on not living a life of regrets.

• Awesome is the Lord Most High – Chris Tomlin
• Our God is Love – Lee McDerment
• All – Hillsong United
• Center – Charlie Hall

Saturday Morning:

• Free – Hillsong United
• Marvelous Light – Charlie Hall
• Mighty to Save / The Stand – Hillsong / Hillsong United

Saturday Night:

• I Am Free – Desperation Band
• Our God is Love – Lee McDerment
• Saviour King – Hillsong
• Center – Charlie Hall

What an awesome weekend!  I had an awesome time getting to hang out with all the teens at the weekend retreat, worshiping God and rocking out, of course!  I can’t wait to get to do it for two solid weeks in June for the South Carolina youth camps!  If you are coming to camp this summer and have a song request for camp, comment it on here or send me an email!

However, you can connect your Jott account with other sites and have it send the “jott” to other sites.  So, I decided to connect my Jott account to WordPress and my blog.  So here’s the experiment:  when I am away from my computer, and would like to post something short, I’m going to call Jott.  It will ask me who I want to jott.  I’ll say, “WordPress.”  Then it will beep…and I will speak my next post into existence!

When it posts, it will use the first few words of my message as the title.  It will also be under the category of “Jotting.”  So you will know if the post is from a jott.

I’m not sure how well this will work.  I haven’t used Jott a whole lot yet, so I don’t know how good its transcripts are.  I guess we will find out.  If the transcripts aren’t accurate enough, I’ll stop using it to blog.  I’ll just stick to using it for to-do lists.

Artist: Mute Math

Genre: Post-Rock/Experimental Rock

Year: 2006

Label: Teleprompt/Warner Bros.

Website: http://www.mutemath.com/

Track list: (Warner Bros. version)

1. Collapse
2. Typical
3. After We Have Left Our Homes
4. Chaos
5. Noticed
6. Plan B
7. Stare at the Sun
8. Obsolete
9. Break the Same
10. You are Mine
11. Control
12. Picture
13. Stall Out
14. Reset

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Paul Meany’s voice!
• Beautiful melodies
• Creative & experimental sounds
• Rhodes Stage Piano…there’s nothing like it!
• Best stage presence & live performance EVER
• Thought-provoking spiritual lyrics
• Amazingly poetic lyrics
• Darren King is a sweet drummer!
• Variety of uses of instruments (yarn mallet on electric guitar, extra sub-sonic kick drum for percussive interludes, orchestral bass on an instrumental, AxeSynth on an instrumental, etc.)
• An amazingly creative backwards music video (yes, they had to learn how to look like they were playing it backwards)!

Check out my previous review of the album.

When we pulled up to the worship center, I just felt like I was at home.  This will be my fourth year that I have played for camps in that worship center.  I love it!  For those who haven’t seen it, it’s a GINORMOUS metal building with open air sides.  That translates to… CRANK IT UP!!!  We can blast the system like crazy in there!  I think the subwoofer cabs might just throw some kid who gets the bright idea to stand right in front of it right off his feet.

The band is awesome too!  Tanner and BG are solid musicians (electric guitar and bass respectively) and are stinkin’ hilarious.  Megan is a great singer, but she’ll only be there Friday night.  Hannah should be able to jump in on Saturday.  Since Steve can’t come this weekend because he has “more important” things to do… like go to his own graduation… we’ve got an awesome replacement.  Lauryl.  Yes, she’s a girl drummer.  And she’s rocking it out!

I just want to drive up there right now and get this party started!  I hope to post again while I’m up there.  They have wireless in the worship center.  Maybe I can get some free time late tonight.  By the way… be on the look out for my NUMBER 1 ALBUM!  It’s coming… maybe late tonight!

Artist: Thrice

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Experimental Rock

Year: 2005

Label: Island

Website: http://www.thrice.net/

Track list:

1. Image of the Invisible
2. Between the End and Where We Lie
3. The Earth Will Shake
4. Atlantic
5. For Miles
6. Hold Fast Hope
7. Music Box
8. Like Moths to Flame
9. Of Dust and Nations
10. Stand and Feel Your Worth
11. Red Sky

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Amazingly poetic lyrics
• Some of the most spiritual lyrics about life EVER across one album
• Experimental and eclectic sounds across the album
• Phenomenal rhythms and drum parts
• Did I mention poetic lyrics like none other!
• The ability to paint pictures just with their music

Artist: Jamie Cullum

Genre: Jazz/Pop

Year: 2003 in UK; 2004 in US

Label: Verve Forecast

Website: http://www.jamiecullum.com/

Track list: (US Version)

1. These Are the Days
2. Twentysomething
3. Wind Cries Mary
4. All at Sea
5. Lover, You Should’ve Come Over
6. Singin’ in the Rain
7. I Get a Kick Out of You
8. Blame It on My Youth
9. High and Dry
10. It’s About Time
11. But for Now
12. I Could Have Danced All Night
13. Next Year, Baby
14. What a Difference a Day Made
15. Frontin’

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• PHENOMENAL jazz pianist
• Sweet arrangements of old songs
• Variety of covers (Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, and tons of early/mid 1900s jazz)
• Amazing originals written by Jamie Cullum
• Sweet piano solos where Cullum “shreds” a piano… is that possible?

Artist: Derek Webb

Genre: Acoustic/Folk

Year: 2003

Label: INO Records

Website: http://derekwebb.musiccitynetworks.com/

Track list:

1. Nobody Loves Me
2. She Must and Shall Go Free
3. Take to the World
4. Nothing (Without You)
5. Lover
6. Wedding Dress
7. Awake My Soul
8. Saint and Sinner
9. Beloved
10. Crooked Deep Down
11. The Church

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Controversial yet powerfully true lyrics
• Great acoustic sound and voice
• Beautiful songwriting by Webb
• Variety of sounds within this “folk” album
• Theme of Christ’s passionate love for His bride, the Church

1. On my iPod: Jon Foreman – Spring EP [3/29]
   
2. It’s official! My crazy news! [4/1] (Yes, April Fools’ Day.)
3. 100 things you MAY not know about me [4/4]
   
4. More about my BIG NEWS [4/1]
   
5. My 50 favorite albums (50-41) [4/6]
6. Technology in Music [4/21]
7. My 50 favorite albums (20-11) (4/15)
8. Happy Birthday Kindel! [4/18]
   
9. Summer Schedule!!! [4/28]
10. My 50 favorite albums (30-21) [4/12]
    

Artist: Incubus

Genre: Alternative Rock/Experimental Rock

Year: 2001

Label: Sony Records

Website: http://www.enjoyincubus.com/

Track list:

1. Nice to Know You
2. Circles
3. Wish You Were Here
4. Just a Phase
5. 11am
6. Blood on the Ground
7. Mexico
8. Warning
9. Echo
10. Have You Ever
11. Are You In?
12. Under My Umbrella
13. Aqueous Transmission

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Eclectic guitar sounds and effects (LOVE IT!!!)
• Some complex song structures
• Sweet rhythms
• Brandon Boyd’s completely unique voice
• Experimental sounds (such as a Chinese pipa)
• They don’t fit very well in a specific genre

This summer, I will have the AWESOME opportunity to lead worship at a weekend youth retreat and three youth camps!!!

• May 9-10 – SC District Youth Retreat – Table Rock Wesleyan Camp
• June 16-20 – SC District Middle School Camp – Table Rock Wesleyan Camp
• June 23-27 – SC District High School Camp – Table Rock Wesleyan Camp
• July 6-11 – NC West District High School Camp – Southern Wesleyan University Campus

I’m so excited about getting to do these events this summer. After three years of doing nine or ten camps each summer with the SWU ministry team, I was sort of bummed that I wouldn’t get to travel again this summer. I won’t get to travel with a team all summer or anything like that, but I at least will get to hang out with crazy teens and lead those crazy teens in some crazy, loving Jesus, rocking out worship! I’m so stoked!

Artist: Deas Vail

Genre: Indie Rock/Piano Rock

Year: 2007

Label: Brave New World

Website: http://www.deasvail.com/

Track list:

1. Standing…
2. Light As Air
3. Surface
4. Rewind
5. Shoreline
6. A Lover’s Charm
7. Follow Sound
8. Anything You Say
9. Shadows and City Lights
10. For Miles to Come
11. Life In These Little Boats
12. This Place is Painted Red
13. …Still
14. Rewind (Radio Single) [Bonus Track]

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Wes Blaylock’s voice and flawless falsetto
• Interesting and unique melodies
• Keys-driven rock that is still powerful, intense, and dynamic
• Cryptic yet great spiritual lyrics

Check out my previous review of All the Houses Look the Same.

Artist: Switchfoot

Genre: Rock/Alternative/Post Grunge

Year: 2003

Label: Columbia/Sony

Website: http://www.switchfoot.com/

Track list:

1. Meant to Live
2. This Is Your Life
3. More Than Fine
4. Ammunition
5. Dare You to Move
6. Redemption
7. The Beautiful Letdown
8. Gone
9. On Fire
10. Adding to the Noise
11. Twenty-Four

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Passionate and honest lyrics
• Great guitar-driven music
• Variety of sounds across the album
• Great chill songs (“On Fire” and “Twenty-Four”)
• Overall, an amazing commentary on life and how we live it

• Electronic loops, sounds and samples – At most shows, there will be loops or samples being played alongside or “underneath” the live music.  To me, I don’t see this as “underhanded,” bad musicianship, or cheating.  The loops, sounds, and electronic additions that play along with a live song are music as well.  All we see at a show is someone hit a button and something happens, or in most cases, you don’t see anything happen.  So we automatically assume that it is no-talent junk.  HOWEVER, we DON’T see the hours that were spent perfecting those loops and/or sounds to enhance the song.  Where to place them, what should it sound like, how long will it be, how will it work with what we are playing, will it overpower it, etc.  Loops and electronic music DO NOT take instrumental talent. Yes, that is correct.  HOWEVER, they DO take extreme creativity, innovation and musical knowledge to write them. We, as concert goers, just don’t get to see all of that.
• Click Tracks – (If you don’t know what that is, click here)  Click tracks are a great use of technology for both live performance and studio recording.  This in-ear metronome can keep the drummer, and everyone else, at a perfect rhythm for the song.  This makes for a tight sound (at least for already good musicians).  Bad musicians will still struggle with a click track.  Any band of some level of professionalism uses in-ear monitors with click tracks.  Many times, their whole performance is already programmed with a click track starting each song and immediately moving to the next song’s tempo.  Mute Math’s shows are pre-programmed like this and so are most other bands’ performances.  Most larger churches with modern worship music use click tracks.  It’s also a must in the studio for recording.
• Guitar Pedals/Tone Shaping – I still remember hearing the stories of how Jimi Hendrix created his own effects because nothing really existed.  How awesome is that!  What if they would have stopped at his pedals and never made any improvements on them?  What if they would have never created new effects that Hendrix didn’t create?  What if they said that his pedals were good enough and and advancement after that would have been bad musicianship?  (You can see the stupidity in my argument, I hope).  Effect units have come a LONG WAY from Hendrix’s sound.  Guitars sound fuller and tubes scream louder.  We have endless creativity for sounds with the right effects put on the guitar.  Sometimes, with effects, the actual playing of the instrument doesn’t need to be phenomenal.  Instead, most of the creativity and uniqueness of the sound comes from the innovative ways of using the effects.

Now, let’s be honest with ourselves again.  If these technologies were usable in the ’60s and ’70s, you better believe that the Beatles, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and all the others would have made FULL USE OF THEM.  Why?  Because these technologies provide yet another avenue for creativity to add to their music!  That’s exactly what those bands were doing in their day: living on the edge of creativity and innovation and doing what others had never done before with music. If the Beatles would have had Pro Tools to record with, I’m sure they would have taken that over rough recording studios of the ’60s.  We already know how widely used synthesizers were back in the ’70s and ’80s.  If today’s electronica and ambient music capabilities would have existed back then, they would have used the electronica era to bring new innovation to their own rock music.  Electronica isn’t just for the techno junkies.  We, as rock guys, have the chance to dabble in its innovation as well!  We, as worship leaders, also have the chance to be innovative with it as well!

Artist: Angels & Airwaves

Genre: Pop Rock/Alternative Rock

Year: 2006

Label: Geffen

Website: http://modlife.com/angelsandairwaves/

Track list:

1. Valkyrie Missile
2. Distraction
3. Do It for Me Now
4. The Adventure
5. A Little’s Enough
6. The War
7. The Gift
8. It Hurts
9. Good Day
10. Start the Machine

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Spiritual and emotional lyrics (although certainly not Christian lyrics)
• Sweet ’80s U2 guitar influences
• Good use of ambient sounds programming (Sorry, “pure” rock guys…it’s the 21 century…get over it…music is better because of technology…not worse.)
• Variety of songs and structures across the album

After reading some online reviews, it seems that a lot of people have bashed Tom and AvA for this album, mostly due to Tom’s musical past (the “let’s run around naked, act like we’re 14, and play horrible pop punk music” Blink-182), Tom’s own cocky comments about AvA (“greatest rock n’ roll revolution”, etc.), and AvA’s heavy use of ambient, electronic music in the midst of their rock sound.

Although this album is certainly not groundbreaking…at all, this is still a great project of powerful music, emotive lyrics, an infectious sound, and a powerful message.

Artist: Emery

Genre: Post Hardcore/Screamo

Year: 2005

Label: Tooth & Nail

Website: www.emerymusic.com

Track list:

Where were you when I was:

1. So Cold I Could See My Breath
2. Playing with Fire
3. Returning the Smile You Have Had from the Start
4. Studying Politics
5. Left with Alibis and Lying Eyes
6. Listening to Freddie Mercury
7. The Weakest
8. Miss Behavin
9. In Between 4th and 2nd Street
10. The Terrible Secret
11. In a Lose, Lose Situation
12. In a Win, Win Situation

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Clever songwriting
• Great use of dynamics
• Variety of movements and sections within songs (not the same progressions over and over again in a song)
• Variety of songs and structures across the album

Personally, I’m not a big fan of the screamo genre.  However, despite some generic and overdone screaming and that this album isn’t groundbreaking, Emery stands out above all the other bands saturating this genre.

Happy birthday to my beautiful fianceé!  She is the best!

Don’t hate me for posting this picture… I like it.

Artist: Jon Foreman

Genre: Acoustic/Folk

Year: 2007

Label: Lowercase People/Credential

Website: www.jonforeman.com

Track list:

1. The Cure for Pain
2. Southbound Train
3. Lord, Save Me from Myself
4. Equally Skilled
5. The Moon is a Magnet

Why It Belongs in My Top 10:

• Great use of a variety of instruments
• Brutally honest lyrics
• First of 4 EP release based around the four seasons

Check out my previous review of Fall EP.

20. Hillsong United – Look to You (2005)

19. Incubus – Make Yourself (1999)

18. Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)

17. Jars of Clay – Jars of Clay (1995)

16. Anberlin – Cities (2007)

15. Creed – My Own Prison (1997)

14. Derek Webb – Mockingbird (2005)

13. Boyz II Men – II (1994)

12. Mute Math – Reset EP (2004)

11. U2 – The Joshua Tree (1987)

Make sure to check out numbers 50-41 and 40-31 and 30-21 of my favorite albums.

30. Jack Johnson – Brushfire Fairytales (2001)

29. Explosions in the Sky – The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (2003)

28. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced (1967)

27. The Fray – How to Save a Life (2005)

26. Chevelle – Wonder What’s Next (2002)

25. Fuel – Something Like Human (2000)

24. Angels & Airwaves – I-Empire (2007)

23. Thrice – The Alchemy Index: Vol. 1 & 2: Fire & Water (2007)

22. Linkin Park – Meteora (2003)

21. The Beatles – 1 (2000) (I couldn’t pick just one Beatles album…so I’m going with their greatest hits!)

Make sure to check out numbers 50-41 and 40-31 of my favorite albums.

For more on the matter, click here.

I love you, Kindel, and can’t wait for many more amazing years!

40. Norah Jones – Come Away With Me (2002)

39. B. B. King & Eric Clapton – Riding with the King (2000)

38. Jack Johnson – On and On (2003)

37. Hoobastank – The Reason (2003)

36. Josh Bales – Underneath the Armor (2006)

35. Lifehouse – No Name Face (2000)

34. Mae – The Everglow (2005)

33. Hoobastank – Hoobastank (2001)

32. Blindside – About a Burning Fire (2004)

31. Coldplay – X&Y (2005)

Click here to view numbers 50-41 of my favorite albums!

• This leader of the human genome project says he’s found God.
• This newest tallest building in the world is under construction, already 2200 feet tall…and growing.
• Apparently, evolutionary scientists do not understand why women have menopause, or said better, why they outlive their fertility.  Quite an… interesting read.
• Ever wanted to see the Mac dock and Exposé with 150 open applications?  Check it out.
• Check out this article on “10 Reasons to Work Out That Have Nothing to Do With a Sexy Bod.”
• Men’s Health put out this article about secrets the restaurant industry doesn’t want you to know.
• Creepy John Hagee has decided to endorse McCain and says that the U.S. should attack Iran to fulfill end-time prophecies…  I can’t stand “end-times” preachers…
• Check out this video of a song at Fellowship Church’s Easter service.  The song was “True Love” by Phil Wickham.  Make sure to watch to the end to see what all the painters do!  It’s awesome!

Lately, Kindel and I have been together quite a lot, but we haven’t been alone much, just the two of us.  Other people are usually around, which is not necessarily a bad thing either.  I don’t want us to seclude ourselves from other people (like some couples tend to do).  However, it can be straining on the relationship when we aren’t getting good quality time alone.  I also think I have been at fault for this as well, as my mind is continually task-oriented, focused on things to get done or what to do tomorrow.  This tends to leave me focused on other things and my computer (emails and such).  It’s also been March Madness.  That didn’t help either (although she said she really enjoyed it as I taught her more about basketball and the tourney).

So, I decided that Sunday would be a good time to fix all that.  I told Kindel that we would spend the day together, just the two of us, at least until 8pm when she had to go on RA duty.  No people.  No computers.  No emails.  No games.  Just me and her.

Our activity: golfing.  Recently, I taught her how to swing and we practiced in my yard for awhile.  She told me she has always wanted to learn how to play and would like to actually play on a golf course someday.  I hadn’t played in about six years and have been itching to do it again.  So, we were off.  We went to a course in Pendleton.  The price was not encouraging, but it was worth it for the afternoon we had.  The game itself was frustrating (since I haven’t played in years and she was learning), but it was so much fun just doing something together.  We had a great time chasing golf balls all over the course.  It really was a good time for us.  I felt like that afternoon got rid of some frustrations that we’ve had that were caused by not having that quality time together.  It reminded me again how much I can not live without her.  She’s the best!  She really liked playing golf too!

After finishing our 18 holes, we decided to get supper at some pizza place in Clemson.  If I remember correctly, I think the name of it was Mellow Mushroom or something like that.

They have really good pepperoni and ham pizza.

Disclaimer: This is NOT a best albums ever list, or a most influential albums list, or anything like that. This is MY current, personal favorite albums. It’s my subjective list. Comments are definitely welcome, but don’t tell me “This album shouldn’t be on there.” It’s my favorite albums…not yours. Otherwise, I would love to hear your own thoughts on the albums, what you think of the albums, or even some of your favorites.

Just don’t tell me I can’t have that album on my list.

Anyways… here’s the starting 10 albums of the list, numbers 50-41.

50. Hootie & the Blowfish – Cracked Rear View (1994)

49. Jimmy Eat World – Jimmy Eat World (originally titled Bleed American) (2001)

48. Linkin Park – Minutes to Midnight (2007)

47. Counting Crows – August and Everything After (1993)

46. Vertical Horizon – Everything You Want (1999)

45. Thousand Foot Krutch – Set It Off (2001)

44. Shane & Shane – Clean (2005)

43. P.O.D. – Satellite (2001)

42. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme (1964)

41. Evanescence – Fallen (2003)

No, I don’t want to be a pirate either.

Yes, I am done with Superpoke.  I deleted it about a month ago.

No, I don’t need to find my own confidence and self-worth from Compare People.

No, I don’t want to know what Family Guy character I would be.

Or what song best describes my life.

Or what person on Lost I am most like.

Why did facebook (the cleaner, uncorrupted solution to the spam-ridden myspace) sell out to the clutter and crap?

This article is a good read on the subject.

Well, not really any progress.  That’s why I’m doing this weekly weigh in.  Now I can see the lack of progress with my eyes and I hope it will make me want to be more disciplined!

1. Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
2. Lived there until I was two. I don’t remember it…obviously.
3. Lived in Asheville, NC from age 2-10
4. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional basketball player. All I can say is: short, fat, white. I had no hope.
5. I went to elementary school with Rashad McCants…but I never knew him.
6. I was interviewed and appeared on the local news on WLOS of Asheville for a third grade school project.
7. My dad was in Operation Desert Storm while I was in 1st grade.
8. My first and only time going to Disney World was when my dad came back from Desert Storm.
9. I am an only child.
10. I was in Cub Scouts until I was 10 (old enough to be in Boy Scouts).
11. I got 14 stitches around the bridge of my nose from falling on metal stairs…at a Cub Scouts meeting.
12. I moved to Salisbury, NC when I was 10.
13. My first CD I owned was the Aladdin soundtrack.
14. I played trumpet for a year in sixth grade band. I dropped it.
15. I tried clarinet…for a week.
16. I was in Boy Scouts.
17. By age 14, I was the rank of Star and already had completed the work to get my Life rank (one rank away from Eagle). However, I quit before getting Life rank. My troop blew.
18. I started going to a Wesleyan Church in 7th grade. I went to Trinity Wesleyan Church in Salisbury, NC.
19. In middle school, I attempted football, wrestling, and tennis. I didn’t like doing any of them.
20. I kept the score/stat book for the guys’ basketball team in middle school. Look, I was a short, fat white kid and I liked basketball. What else could I have done?
21. I used to sneak out my bedroom window to hang out with friends late at night.  My cat gave me away one night when he wouldn’t stop meowing when he saw me in the driveway.  My dad got up and found me gone.  He locked my window and waited for me to come back.  Not a good night.
22. I went to West Rowan High School.
23. On a ninth grade trip to Washington, D.C., I (along with 3 other students who had close family veterans) laid a memorial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honor of my father’s military service.
24. My maternal grandfather died before I was born. My middle name (Lee) was his middle name.
25. My maternal grandmother died in 2003, the week before exams of my first semester of freshman year.
26. My paternal grandfather recently died this past year.
27. My paternal grandmother is still alive.
28. During my sophomore year in high school, I worked at “Office Land,” a local office supply store.
29. That’s where I met Phil, one of my best friends through my life. He started teaching me guitar. He was a sick nasty drummer, too.
30. I went on a missions trip with my youth group to Trinidad during the summer of 2001. I played the lead role of the “Journeyman” in the skit that we performed in public areas.
31. I started playing guitar when I was 16.
32. I took a total of a year of guitar lessons.
33. I worked at Food Lion for two weeks.
34. During my second week there, I went on a lunch break to Jersey Mike’s and got a job there.
35. I worked at Jersey Mike’s through the rest of high school and on breaks through the first half of college.
36. I was a Shift Manager there.
37. In October 2001, one night while working there, I had an accidental incident with homemade brownies that one of my co-workers brought to work.
38. I put my right index finger through one of these meat slicers once while working there.
39. My first car was a gold 1989 Honda Prelude Si.
40. My one and only car accident was 2 weeks after getting my license.
41. I started a youth worship band during my senior year in high school.
42. In high school, I took four years of Latin. The teacher was awesome!
43. I was on the Latin quiz bowl team too. Yes, I am a dork.
44. At the state JCL convention (for Latin Clubs in NC), I was 2nd in the state on the Roman History test my junior year and 1st in the state on the Roman History test my senior year.
45. Our high school’s Latin Club won every year (school with the most overall points).
46. My second (and current) car is a silver 1998 Honda Civic LX.
47. Graduated 9th in my high school class of over 250 people.
48. My first time singing publicly was in February 2004 (freshman year at SWU) at Easley First Wesleyan Church. I played guitar and sang “Revive Me” by Jeremy Camp.
49. From then, I led worship at Easley First for three and a half years.
50. I traveled on SWU’s worship band/ministry team called “The Difference” for three years.
51. I had never been to a church camp until I traveled on the ministry team.
52. In April 2006, I participated in the Global Night Commute in Atlanta (an event by the Invisible Children campaign).
53. I served as a student chaplain at SWU for two years.
54. I purposely cut my hair into a mullet for two days my junior year at SWU.
55. I worked as a work study for Instructional Media (A/V).
56. I once sat in the audience at the filming of Jeopardy College Championship at N.C. State.  I forgot to watch it when it come on TV a month later…and the camera swept right by me at one point before going to a commercial break.
57. Learned to play Ultimate Frisbee at SWU.  I should get back into playing again.
58. I, along with many of my graduating class, handed a marble to Dr. Spittal (President of SWU) as we shook his hand on stage at graduation. It was fun watching him decide what to do with tons of marbles in front of everyone.
59. I’ve been learning piano for a couple years now.
60. I’ve never received a speeding ticket, although I have been pulled a couple times.
61. The farthest north I have been was a Tim Hortons outside of Montreal, Quebec.
62. The farthest south I have been was Trinidad. Farthest south in US was Miami
63. The farthest east I have been was Trinidad. Farthest east in US was Bangor, Maine.
64. The farthest west I have been was Los Angeles, CA.
65. In spring 2005, I adopted Nikiema, a child in Burkina Faso, through Compassion International.
66. I love pecan pie.
67. I love macaroni and cheese.
68. I get 1 or 2 sinus infections every year…guaranteed.
69. Allergic to penicillin
70. And cats.
71. My family has owned five cats through my lifetime (not all at once).
72. My family has adopted two retired racing greyhounds.
73. I had a gerbil once when I was a kid. His name was Gerbie. (I know. I thought it was creative, too.)
74. Have visited 26 states and District of Columbia
75. Have visited 2 Canadian provinces
76. Have backpacked 20 miles of the Foothills Trail
77. Have seen 7 SC waterfalls and many NC waterfalls
78. The most I’ve ever bench pressed was 270 lbs.
79. I’m a UNC Tar Heel fan! Even during the Matt Doherty years.
80. I’ve been to two UNC games at the “Dean Dome.”
81. I’m a Carolina Panther fan…even after this past season!
82. I’m a horrible liar.  I guess that’s a good thing?
83. I like to play golf, even though I’m no good at it.
84. I haven’t played golf since high school.
85. I have had 18 roommates/apartment-mates/house-mates since freshman year in college.
86. I still think ADHD is a load of crap, cop out answer.  I might be wrong.  It’s just what I think.
87. My favorite band is Mute Math.
88. I’ve been to two of their shows (best concerts I’ve ever been to).
89. I met and talked to Paul, Greg, and Roy (3 of the 4 members of Mute Math).
90. I have publicly played these instruments:  acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and djembe.
91. My favorite Disney animated movie is The Lion King.
92. My favorite recent TV series is Heroes.
93. One of my favorite actors is Will Smith.  Wild Wild West never happened…  I SAID IT NEVER HAPPENED!
94. As of recent, I am addicted to Canyon Defense.
95. I love watching lightning (from somewhere relatively safe).
96. I have over 45 GB of podcasts on my computer right now (sermons, worship sets, church planting resources, Biblical studies lectures, etc.).
97. I am practically useless during March Madness.
98. My favorite Starbucks drink is a nonfat Cinnamon Dolce Latte.  It used to be seasonal.  Now it’s year-round.  Praise God!
99. I am watching Family Guy right now.  I’m beginning to not like this show anymore.  It’s humor doesn’t do it for me anymore.  It’s the same gimmick…over and over again.  “You remember that time when…”
100. I am so going to bed now.

I’ve decided that I am leaving to spend the next six months hiking the Applachian Trail.  Brady and I are going to do it together.  Starting in Georgia, we plan to head out next Saturday, April 12.  This way I can still spend April 11 here (one year anniversary for me and Kindel).

I’m so excited!  This is going to be even crazier than doing the Foothills Trail like we did last year!

1. My new, crazy Final Four prediction (3/23)
   
2. Blogging Tips & Etiquette (3/21)
3. That nasty D-word…DISCIPLINE (3/11)
   
4. New blog banner (3/16)
   
5. In honor of 3000 views… (3/27) (Made the Top 10 in only 4 days! It’s a good read!)
6. Some days I miss the road… (3/22)
7. Blast from the past (3/22)
8. Taking my own advice… (3/22)
   
9. Physical disciplines (3/12)
10. God of love and… holy war? (3/14)
    

Here are the rules:

• When tagged, place on your blog the name of the person that tagged you and their URL.
• Write 7 random facts about yourself.
• Name 7 bloggers that you are tagging to do the same thing on their own blog.

I would write my 7 random facts.  HOWEVER, I am currently undertaking a similar post about myself, titled “50 things people MAY not know about me.”  So, you will just have to wait for my 7 things (well… 50 things).  It’s coming soon in the next few days!

Well, here’s the seven bloggers I’m tagging in this game:  Andy, Benji, Donnahoo, Christi Neff, Thad, Vicky, and Dr. Witherington.

The San Diego rock band frontman is at it again! Spring is here and hope is in the air! After the melancholy themes of the November release of Fall and the January release of Winter, the Spring EP is definitely a breath of fresh air thematically. In going with the seasonal theme, Foreman has focused this album on taking the listener out of sadness and melancholy into hope and new life.

The album begins quite light-heartedly with a quick, polka-esque first track entitled “March (A Prelude for Spring)”, incorporating a small horn section, a “bouncy” melody, and a female voice backing Foreman. He moves into “Love Isn’t Made,” using some strings, drums, bells, and his own wife and her sister for backing vocals. This track is definitely one of the stronger works on the album.

“In My Arms” comes in next. This romantic ballad filled with bells gives the lighter feel of spring while the lyrics of missing someone still have quite a melancholy tone. “Baptize My Mind” fits in perfectly with the spring theme of the season’s growth as a prayer of renewal. However, at times, the song’s music is somewhat cheesy, trying to sound too “cheery” with flutes and chimes. Although, at this point, the listener can begin to see the progression of the album from melancholy lyrics into a prayer of renewal, all leading up to the final two tracks, including the focal point of the EP in “Your Love is Strong.”

“Your Love is Strong” is a beautiful rendition of Matthew 6:9-13 and 6:25-34, the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus’ command to not worry respectively. I see this track as the focal point and climax of the whole theme of renewal, rebirth, and new life of spring. This is a track of moving music with beautiful lyrics and a powerful declaration of God’s love in the chorus. This track almost feels as though it is the whole point of the album.

Foreman ends the album with “Revenge,” a stripped down version of the track as it appeared on Switchfoot’s Oh! Gravity b-side. This track brings the whole album back down to a more poignant end, but is a good addition in light of the album’s release only days after the Easter season (especially Good Friday).

Some elements of the previous EPs are still present in this one. Foreman still hits home with powerful, brutally honest lyrics of life and love. He still adds an eclectic group of instruments to the tracks, providing many different sounds and feels to the album. Along with Fall and Winter, Spring is definitely another album on my recommendation list.

Genre/Style: Acoustic/Folk

Discography:
Fall EP, November 27, 2007 [Lowercase People/Credential]
Winter EP, January 15, 2008 [Lowercase People/Credential]
Spring EP, March 25, 2008 [Lowercase People/Credential]
Summer EP, projected May 27, 2008 [Lowercase People/Credential]

Website:
www.jonforeman.com

What I Like Most:

• Use of variety of instruments
• Brutally honest and poetic lyrics
• Unique seasonal theme for each EP

I didn’t do a review of Winter EP (although I should have…it was good!), but here’s my past review of Fall EP

Also, here’s the other two reviews I have done on here:

Mute Math – Mute Math
Deas Vail – All the Houses Look the Same

• This blind kid uses echolocation to walk, rollerblade, and even play video games
• An elephant paints a self portrait
• Speedo debuts a new swimsuit that has already broken world records
• Sad day for MacBooks… MacBook Air “pwned” in 2 minutes in hacker competition
• Perry had a great blog post about 15 signs that a church lacks vision. Really good! This goes for churches, church leaders, and some of it can even be applied on an individual level.
• Speaking about individual level, Perry had another great post on questions he is asking himself (minus a couple inside joke questions). Good questions…well, except the Twitter question. I’m not asking the Twitter question. I’m just not sold on it at all.
• Buddy Rampey had a good post about some issues that will be brought up for revision at General Conference. (It’s probably only interesting to Wesleyans.)

Have fun!!!

Check out past “wi-finds” posts here and here.

That’s all for now!

Well, no loss this week. I cheated a couple times, eating late at night and such. This next week I will do better!

In honor of hitting 3000 views, I will write a list of 100 reasons why I am madly in love with Kindel! (These are in no particular order…just as I think of them.)

1. She is in love with Jesus.
2. She wants to serve Jesus passionately.
3. She loves people…many times more than I do.
4. She loves music.
5. She knows more about music than I do.
6. She teaches me more about music.
7. She appreciates music that I like.
8. She buys me tickets to see Mute Math!!!
9. She likes Mute Math!!!
10. She can rock on the piano.
11. She is beautiful.
12. She likes to cook!
13. She likes to clean!
14. She can cook macaroni and cheese!!!
15. She loves barbecue.
16. She likes to listen or read my random thoughts and ideas (that must take a special person!).
17. She doesn’t think I’m crazy.
18. She’s weird.
19. She likes my weirdness.
20. She gives good back massages.
21. She cares about people.
22. She doesn’t mind losing at board games.
23. She loves kids.
24. She wants kids.
25. She is gorgeous!
26. She loves Cheerwine!
27. She likes watching House.
28. She likes watching Heroes!!!
29. She likes to see Christopher Branch…especially on a first date!
30. Even when she is not dressed up and doesn’t have on make-up, she is still hot!
31. She is okay with me going to Huddle House to hang out with the guys.
32. She wants me to go have time with the guys.
33. She sometimes makes me go have time with the guys.
34. She doesn’t mind watching March Madness all day with me.
35. She doesn’t mind learning all the rules of basketball as we watch the games.
36. She loves my parents.
37. She is willing to learn how to play golf.
38. She will throw the frisbee with me.
39. She has a big heart.
40. She has a heart to reach people.
41. She has a heart to love people.
42. She has a heart to see people find the love of Jesus.
43. She understands the call of God on my life to be a part of church planting.
44. She is willing to partner with me as we take the risk of church planting someday.
45. She is willing to be POOR as we church plant someday.
46. Did I mention she is beautiful?
47. She has no student loan debt!!! … so far.
48. She encourages me in everything that I do.
49. She is truly behind me in all that I do.
50. She believes in me.
51. She buys me Cheerwine.
52. She wants to be barefoot in the kitchen.
53. She can sing…beautifully!
54. She has quirky OCD behaviors (deep down…I really do like them).
55. She likes coffee.
56. She likes Starbucks!
57. She likes to read.
58. She sometimes likes my church/ministry philosophy books.
59. She respects herself.
60. Did I mention how gorgeous she is?
61. She reads my blog!
62. She laughs when I tickle her.
63. She can put up a good tickle fight…even if I always win.
64. She is always willing to help me out.
65. She is always willing to listen to what I have to say.
66. She is smart.
67. She has really good thoughts on stuff.
68. She challenges me to be a better person.
69. She challenges me to be a better man.
70. She smells good.
71. She loves Chinese food!
72. She can rock on timpani!
73. She eats her M&Ms one color at a time.
74. Did I mention I like her weirdness?
75. She picked me!
76. She is okay living the rest of her life with me.
77. She is willing to bear my children.
78. She is sentimental.
79. She’s pretty cool.
80. She woos me with Cheerwine.
81. She has crazy music major friends.
82. She still likes me after traveling together on a ministry team for a whole summer.
83. She is burdened for loving people.
84. She will play piano for me.
85. She likes to hear me play music and sing.
86. She is open and honest with me.
87. She scratches the back of my neck.
88. She is selfless.
89. She is giving.
90. Did I mention she can cook?
91. What about the fact that she enjoys to clean?
92. She isn’t high maintenance!
93. She continually shows me how to truly care for and love another person.
94. She overlooks my imperfections.
95. She is madly in love with Jesus.
96. She is madly in love with the Gospel.
97. She is madly in love with reaching people with the Gospel.
98. She is madly in love with me, despite my imperfections.
99. She is willing to come alongside me to give our lives to living out those loves.
100. Did I mention that she is beautiful? …inside and out!

Thanks to all my faithful readers! I hope you enjoy reading as I write about this crazy journey of life.

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
// Joshua 3:5

I read those words yesterday as I read through the book of Joshua for my Old Testament class at Asbury.  As I read across those words, I prayed that this would be true in my life that day.  I prayed, “I set myself apart for Your use.  Would You do amazing things in my life tomorrow?”

Well, God lived up to that prayer!  This morning, I met in Greenville with Jason Malone, pastor of Summit Church (launched in fall 2007).  I first heard of Jason through Buddy Rampey‘s blog when Jason came to speak to a ton of Wesleyan pastors at a Growing Pastors event.  I emailed Jason a couple weeks ago to tell him briefly about my current life situation and asked if we could meet sometime.  I was hoping to spend some time with someone who could possibly speak some wisdom and direction into my life.  I also am passionate about church planting, reaching people far from God, and the need for both in Greenville County.  So, I thought Jason would be an awesome guy to chat with.

I was right!  We met at Bruegger’s Bagels this morning at 10am.  I had the chance to tell him a little more of a detailed story of who I was, where I’ve been since graduating, feeling God’s leading to leave seminary, my passion for music, worship, church planting, and my all-consuming questions of what God has in store for me to do right now.  Jason is a guy who has been through those questions before in life as God led him on a two-year journey which culminated in church planting in Greenville.  He knows the frustrations of having all those questions and having to wait on those answers.  Jason encouraged me a lot as I continue through answering my questions, reminding me to enjoy the journey and learn from it as much as possible.

Jason also told me about Summit and their philosophy of ministry as they are attempting it.  I really love their model of church.  Their model is probably the most kingdom-minded I have ever heard of (which is AWESOME!).  He told me about one Sunday in which they had the whole congregation split up into groups with each group attending another church in the area, worshiping with that church, praying for their pastors, and handing them a check…no strings attached…no stealing members…no agenda.  That is so…crazy!  I love it!  These guys definitely have a passion to reach everyone in their area with the Gospel, no matter what it takes.  Here’s a couple “almost verbatim” quotes from the conversation that stuck out to me most (sorry, Jason, if I mess some of these up):

• A church should never feel so important that if Paul were to have written a letter to the churches in their city that they would assume it would be addressed to their church specifically.  (I know of some churches that might fit that category!)
• We believe that all the money that comes to us is not ours!  That money goes back out on mission.
• The Church in Europe is pretty much dead.  The Church in America is almost dead for that matter.  The Church in China has grown from barely a million to many millions in only recent years, yet their Church is not highly programmed; in fact, it’s all “underground” in house churches.  (Those of us leading in the American Church should take some notes!)
• Our God is a God on mission.  God has, for whatever reason, chosen to use His Church as the vessel for that mission.  We are His church.  So, we MUST live on mission.  (That couldn’t be any farther from my own heartbeat!)

There is tons more I could write.  I’ll sum it up with this statement:  Nothing has made my mind start rolling that spastically in a LONG time… at least since I was Dr. Witherington‘s class last semester.  It was a great meeting!  He suggested a book for me to pick up and to even keep meeting some.  I’m hoping to visit Summit next Sunday morning to check out their worship service.

Jason, if you end up reading this, thank you again so much for giving me some of your time.  My mind hasn’t stopped rolling since I left.  You’ve helped light to flame the spark that was still in my heart for people, planting, and living out the mission.  I ordered the book today!  If you can, I would love to keep meeting!  I want to continue this conversation and see where God leads it…and us through it!

Just as Joshua said:  I am set apart for You.  Do amazing things tomorrow!  Rock my world tomorrow!

10. 1 Kings 6:1-38 – Solomon has the temple built.

9. 2 Kings 23:1-25 - Josiah lays the smack down on Israel and brings the country back to worshiping Yahweh.

8. Judges 16:23-30 - Samson brings down the Philistine temple with his bare hands and without having eyes, killing thousands (more than he had killed during the rest of his life).

7. 1 Kings 17:7-24 - Elijah brings a widow and her son never-ending flour and oil, and even better, raises her son from the dead!

6. Joshua 10:9-14 – God makes the sun stand still (well, keeps the Earth from moving, I guess).

5. Joshua 6:15-20 – The Israelites circle Jericho on the seventh day, scream at the top of their lungs, and God brings down the walls of Jericho.

4. 2 Kings 2:1-12 – Chariot of fire, horses of fire, and a whirlwind express to heaven for Elijah. That had to have been crazy!

3. 1 Samuel 17 – David spanks Goliath!

2. I Kings 19:9-13 - The Lord appears to Elijah (and there is some crazy junk too).

1. I Kings 18:16-40 – Elijah went “toe to toe” with the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and God sends down some sick nasty fire from heaven!

What would your list look like? What other OT history books scenes would be on your top ten?

Coming up next… ten scenes from the OT writings.

Make sure to check out my Top 10 list from the Torah.

North Carolina – 108
Arkansas – 77

That’s all I’m going to say about it…

for now…

• (1) North Carolina – Obviously! They are the only high seed PLAYING LIKE A HIGH SEED!!! As I write this, Carolina is SPANKING Arkansas by 25… and it’s HALFTIME!!!
• (10) Davidson – That’s right. Davidson.
• (8) Mississippi State – They are down by only 3 to Memphis right now! If Memphis plays like all the other high seeds, Memphis will still blow it!
• (12) Western Kentucky – Are you kidding me? No, I am not. Honestly, I just want to see it happen.

Look at the high seeds so far:

(2) Duke loses to (7) West Virginia???
(1) UCLA barely pulls out a tied game against (9) Texas A&M… with only 9 seconds left!!!
(2) Texas almost loses to (7) MIAMI?!?! Now, I’m an ACC fan, but…Miami?!?!
(2) Tennessee wins by only a few points against (7) Butler?!?!
(1) Memphis is about to be down to (8) Mississippi State!!! Are you kidding me? I’m calling it!

These teams are bound to lose soon if they can barely win against these teams!!!

Now let’s look at North Carolina so far:

1st round:
North Carolina – 113
Mount St. Mary’s – 74

2nd round:
North Carolina – 51
Arkansas – 26
(It’s only halftime!!!)

GO HEELS!

I stepped out of my house today a little after noon to get the mail.  Right when I stepped off the porch into the sunlight, I had this incredible feeling that I was actually stepping out of my SWU apartment in the early morning of mid-July, ready to pack the trailer, hit the road, and head to another camp with the ministry team.  It was so weird.  The sun was shining brightly.  It was around 70 degrees with a mild breeze.  I even wore my flip-flops for the first time in weeks.  All of that combined took me back to the early morning times of packing the van and trailer to go to camps.

After having traveled three years as part of the SWU worship band and feeling the beginning of warm weather today, it’s sort of hard knowing I won’t be on the road all summer.  On the same note, it’s quite relieving to know that I won’t be on the road all summer.  And this summer… I will NOT be traveling.  How did ONE planned summer of travel turn into three?!?!

It really is a bittersweet symphony.

So… what ha’ happened was…

This was my sophomore year at SWU and these were my apartment-mates.  One night, we were beyond bored and wanted to do something completely different.  One of the guys spoke up about an ad he saw in the front of Wal-Mart about really cheap portraits.  That suggestion was all we needed and this picture was the result (well, minus the words and graphics on top).

We gave the picture to Brady later on and he decided to make this picture and put it up on the screens at the beginning of chapel.  Ironically, none of us were doing anything in chapel that day.

How random.

I’ve decided to start posting my weight loss progress on here. Each Friday morning, I’m going to weigh in and post it on here. I’ll post my progress in a bar graph each week, showing all the past weeks as well. I hope this will push me to keep losing weight! So, here is the first week’s Friday “weigh in.”

Here’s a list of some tips and etiquette concerns that I have learned about blogging:

• Be short.  If every post is an essay, no one is going to keep reading.  Sometimes is okay, but not all the time!
• Use lists.  People will read lists before they will ever read a paragraph of the same length.
• Post regularly!  If you post every week or two, people are going to stop checking up on your blog.  Try to post something every day.
• Make use of your draft function.  If you get a good idea for a post but don’t have time to write the whole thing, type a couple notes and then save it as a draft.  You can come back to it later and you won’t have forgotten about your post idea.
• Don’t bash people.  No place is the right place for it, but public blogging is certainly not the place for it.  If you have criticism towards a friend, don’t hide behind passive-aggression and a computer screen to say it.  That’s pitiful.  If you have criticism about a ministry leader, don’t post it.  I haven’t always lived up to this (see posts on Joel Osteen).  Part of me wants to say I shouldn’t have posted those, but the other part of me says that it is different because I’m not just criticizing his ministry–I’m calling out the fact that he’s warping the Gospel into a message of health and wealth.  I’m still not sure what to do about those posts.
• Build other people up!  Encouragement and honoring other people is part of our job as Christ-followers.  Make it a habit to talk someone else up on your blog.
• Don’t sell yourself.  Speaking of talking people up, don’t use your blog to talk yourself up.  It’s okay to share about your successes, but share your weaknesses, problems, shortcomings, etc.
• Be vulnerable.  This goes with the last one.
• Write about your passions.  People don’t want to read something that is half-hearted.  Be passionate.  Passion is powerful.
• Share the link love.  When you write, link to other pages and other blogs.  Make use of your blogroll too.
• Know why you blog.  Why do you blog?  What’s your mission or purpose?  Maybe you have a few.  For me, when I blog, I want to make an impact on people’s day.  I want to change how they think about something.  Blogging is also very therapeutic for me as well, allowing me to gather my thoughts, get them in order, and put them down somewhere.  It’s almost like a life journal for me.
• Know your audience.  Who’s reading your blog?  Who do you want to read your blog?  Make sure to appeal to them.
• Comment on other people’s blogs.  Blogging is a large intellectual community.  If you expect people to comment on your posts, you should take time to read other’s posts and comment on them.
• Check your spelling and grammar.  Period.
• Write about fun stuff too.  All work and no play makes for a boring blog.  Every post doesn’t have to be profound.
• Everything you write will be read.  You should know the implications of that.
• Be YOU!

Tony Morgan, chief strategic officer at NewSpring, has written about blogging.  Here’s a link to that post.  Also, he just recently did a breakout session on “blogging in the ministry world” at Unleash, the pastors’ conference at NewSpring.  Here’s the outline from that session.  Tony has shaped a lot of my own views on blogging.

Awesome stuff in the blogworld:

• Tony’s post (from awhile back) about the current situation of modern worship music.
• Lee McDerment‘s worship album, A Matchlight in the Dark, hit iTunes on “new music Tuesday” and you HAVE to check it out!
• Steven Furtick had a powerful post about representing Jesus through everything in his lifestyle. That’s a nice punch to the face!
• I’m tired of hearing about Britney Spears in the news, but this is a great “open letter” to Britney by Tim Stevens. Check it out.

Sweet videos:

• What do you get when grocery store workers have too much free time?  Check out this video to find out!
• Check out this vocalist.  By the way…that’s a guy!  And what’s up with the Grim Reaper outfits?
• You thought the first guy sang high?  Check out this guy as he goes for the world’s highest note for a male vocalist.  He says he’s not a castrato either…at least he says he’s not.

Have fun!

Good times.

Thanks to all of you again!  I hope I’m giving you something worthwhile every now and then!

God of This City :: Chris Tomlin
Ocean Wide :: The Afters
I Need You :: Josh Bales
Bohemian Rhapsody :: Queen
Accidentally in Love :: Counting Crows
A Long December :: Counting Crows
One Love :: Bob Marley
So What :: Miles Davis
Freddie Freeloader :: Miles Davis
‘Round Midnight :: John Coltrane & Miles Davis
In a Sentimental Mood :: Duke Ellington & John Coltrane

By the way, brackets just came out!!!  Carolina took a #1 seed…obviously!  My 86-84 prediction for the Carolina/Clemson game today wasn’t too far off (86-81).  I guess I just gave Clemson more credit than I should have… I hope to post my bracket up here at some point.  I love March Madness!!!

Also, I Am Legend is coming out on TUESDAY!!!  Widescreen 2-disc Special Edition!!!  I might just go to Wal-Mart right at midnight Tuesday morning!

North Carolina – 86
Clemson – 84

Did you really think I would predict Clemson to win?  I’m biased, remember?

Go Heels!

The Torah (also known as the Pentateuch) consists of the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Some crazy junk happened in those books, so here it goes:

10. Exodus 16 – The first morning the Israelites woke up to the ground covered in manna.

9. Exodus 32 – Moses came down Mount Sinai, after receiving the Ten Commandments, only to find the Israelites worshiping the golden calf they made, and Moses breaks the stone tablets out of anger.

8. Genesis 45 – Joseph, ruler over all Egypt, reveals to his brothers that he is really Joseph.

7. Numbers 22:21-35 – Balaam’s talking jack… donkey.

6. Genesis 7:1-8:19 – Noah and his family on the ark as God flooded the earth. That ark had to reek of dung…

5. Exodus 3 – Moses has an encounter with God, appearing to him as a burning bush.

4. Genesis 19:23-28 – God rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah (I don’t really care to see people getting destroyed. I would just like to see what burning sulfur raining down from the sky would look like).

3. Exodus 33:7-11 – Focusing more on verse 11, it says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.” That would be the sweetest thing ever!

2. Exodus 13:17-14:31 – With the Egyptians hot on the Israelites’ trail, the Israelites are cornered between them and the Red Sea (most likely Reed Sea), but Moses lifts up his staff towards the sea and God parts the sea and dry ground appears all night long for the Israelites to walk across.

1. Genesis 2:19-25 - Adam first saw Eve.

What would your list look like? What other Torah scenes would be on your top ten?

Coming soon… ten scenes from the OT history books! Some crazy junk happened in there!

As I read through the Torah and the corresponding pages of Collins and House, the most prevalent reason that I kept seeing for Yahweh to order holy war was that Yahweh wanted to go as far as was necessary to keep Israel “holy” and “set apart.”
Throughout Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, we see that Yahweh’s heart was to see Israel become a completely set apart and unique nation that was totally surrendered to Yahweh, looking nothing like the surrounding nations. This seems to be a focal point of Leviticus and the law. It also seems that Yahweh would stop at nothing to make sure they had the best situation for living up to those standards. Therefore, Yahweh ordered the annihilation of surrounding peoples that could jeopardize His holy people. Yahweh’s request is extreme, but, knowing the result of the incarnation of Jesus, I propose that Yahweh knew the severity of the need for Israel’s separation and continuation.
Despite the fact that I can not reconcile Yahweh’s holy war on Canaan and the surrounding peoples with my own theology of sacrificial love towards God and all people, Yahweh is still undeniably sovereign and He holds the right to do as He pleases. This is evidenced in what Collins brings up about the Midianite women. Moses was allowed to marry a Midianite woman, but the other Israelite men offended Yahweh by having relations with Midianite women. Collins brings up the point that the author “wants to make it clear that the precedent of Moses does not apply to anyone else” (83). This also shows that Yahweh is not required to give the same treatment to all people. Instead, Yahweh can give what He wants to whom He wants for the furtherance of His purposes.

Post any thoughts you have.  I really have no idea how to truly reconcile my view of a loving God and a God who asks His people to wipe out cities, slaughtering men, women, and children.  This response is the best summary I can make for trying to reconcile that.  I would really love to hear your ideas.

Most of starting this up will be self-advertising.  I’ll also be spending some time making ads to put in local places (coffee shops, Clemson University, SWU, etc.).  I’ll also be contacting music teachers at local grade schools and youth pastors who might have teens who want to learn.

So, if you (or anyone you know) would like to learn how to play guitar, and live in the Clemson/Pickens area, send me an email!

Carolina’s first game of the ACC tourney is starting.  See ya later!

Find out here.

That built-in MacBook microphone isn’t so bad…

I’m excited about summer!