Reality Check

I found a new banner pic while rummaging through some more photos from my mission trip to Nicaragua last year. I went before Thanksgiving which was only 3 or 4 months ago but it feels like a whole other lifetime. I said back then that the trip was a ‘life-changing event.’ I rarely bring it up anymore. It’s what I feared the most. Coming back to civilization, to television, to Air conditioning, to Wal-marts and Burger Kings, to traffic, to the mall (I hate the mall), to all the distractions that push that experience further away from reality. It numbs the sorrow and the pain and the joy and the freedom that I felt on that trip. It sucks. Isn’t it funny the pace that life moves? I’m more mortified by all the things that I ‘need’ these days to make the day go by. It’s interesting how those things weren’t even thought of for a week without air and Coca Cola.

I’ve wanted to blog about it for sometime now but I think something would be lost in the writing. It’s my hope to get a video blog up and running with my first installment talking about this trip. Unfortunately, I’m not a Mac guy just yet so that process is a bit more difficult. (I’m assuming you’ve seen the latest Mac v. PC commercial where PC’s getting his webcam ‘installed.’ I love that!)

Ah, I’m back at it again. Now I need a Mac instead of my old Toshiba laptop or a new webcam. I’m not sure my intention of the post. I suppose, it’s a way for me to clear my head of the guilt I’ve been feeling regarding my trip. I did want you to know where the incredibly beautiful pictures that make up my banner come from. I don’t feel any less guilty but you now know that Nicaragua is an insanely beautiful, albeit incredibly poor, but beautiful country!

Thumbs UP/DOWN: New Music Let Down

1. January 30th, 2007 – Nothing released today really impressed me. Katherine McPhee dropped today, ehh. Harry Connick, Jr. put out another one, yeah. Some bonehead country artist released ‘Lips of an Angel’ as if they haven’t overplayed that song to death already! There was Norah Jones but she just puts me to sleep. I might have made a grave miscalculation and missed something. I did pull a 12 hourer today and am beat (maybe I should get that Norah Jones release) but I scoured iTunes and was sorely disappointed. The one glimpse of hope that I did find get’s my Thumb’s Up for the day:

2. Derek Webb. Derek drops 2 CDs today. One is a ‘Sunsets and Sushi’ style, “One Zero Remix,” while the other, “One Zero Acoustic” is just that, acoustic. Both are the same 10 songs that represent Derek’s music as a solo artist. “Remix” features the hands of ‘remix engineer,’ Will Hunt, tweaking Derek’s acoustical masterpieces. I’ve loved this dude since the Caedmon’s Call days. It’s kind of a weak Thumb’s Up b/c fans of Derek’s solo stuff will be familiar with the tunes already. I haven’t had the opportunity to listen to the “Acoustic” CD yet but it appears they too have been ‘re-recorded’ with fresh life (a worthy plus.) But if they too are acoustic, then…eh. But how can you say anything bad about a guy who gave away his last CD in hopes that you would spend your cashola on a worthy cause?! And his lyrics are different and compelling! My weak Thumb’s Up just became a full fledged: Thumb’s Up! To you Derek!

This Day in Music – Guitar Heroes Unite!

This day in music gives you a look at a certain weakness of mine.

So for this past Christmas I said, ‘NO GAMES!’ I always ask for some games for my PS2 or xBox and I usually get them and they’re expensive and I get sucked into them for a month or so and then I realize I could spend my time more creatively and don’t play them again until Christmas rolls around again and I start the trend all over again. ‘NO GAMES’ this year I said! You were fantastic! You listened and I did not get a single game!

Today…I went…and purchased…GUITAR HERO 2!

But it’s not my fault! See, I’m a dual occupationalist! Not only do I lead worship but I’m the Youth Director as well. This is the hottest game now with my high schoolers! We had a game night Sunday and I let them bring their favorite game and we played GH2 the entire time! I caved. I’m weak. NO, I want to stay in touch with my youth and bridge a gap to relate and bond with my students! I want them to know me as mentor and friend. I want to further deepen my coolness and show them that not only do I wear Chuck Taylors but I play Guitar Hero and dag gummit I’m good at it!

I really just flipped out at how awesome it is and had to get it

I am so getting the Flying V wireless guitar too! HAHA.

Thursday Night Thoughts

I need to admit here that by no means do I claim to have this figured out. Which is why I went with ‘Thoughts’ in the title. Yes, I was going for some type of alliteration with the title but ‘Thought’s is poignant because that’s exactly what they are: my thoughts. They aren’t my conclusions, my findings, my testaments, nope just my thoughts on how practice went and what, if anything, I learned.

And after last week’s practice I learned that no matter how hard you try to learn everyone else’s part to help instruct them, it can still fall to crap I mean our rehearsal was awe-ful. And I don’t mean ‘full of awe that your falling on the floor because it’s so amazing and incredible that you just can’t believe it.’ No, no, I mean ‘full of awe that your falling on the floor covering your ears in bewilderment and confusion that you just can’t believe it.’

I don’t know what happened. I know I was a bit distracted because I was picking up the electric for the 1st 2 songs and I’m not an electric player by trade. So, I had that going against me but the night just hit a funk after the first song and we couldn’t really recover. Partly because I had 2 of the songs tabbed out in the wrong keys! (I have a tee tiny bit of theory since I play by ear and sometimes that comes back to haunt me.)

But do you know what happened? This morning, to the best of my knowledge, worship happened. (Especially at the 9:00 service You people had it going on!) It came together. We prayed together. We had a good time. I enjoyed playing the Strat! MAN DID I ENJOY IT! And I think God was honored. The songs:

1. My Glorious – Chris Tomliny version
2. All to You – Lincoln Brewster
3. O Praise Him – David Crowder*Band
4. This is Our God – Chris Tomlin version off live in Austin CD
5. Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) – Chris Tomlin

Then after the sermon:  Jesus, Lover of My Soul (It’s All About You) was played to wrap up after communion.

I was feeling a bit confused on how people reacted. I questioned whether my own selfish motives for wanting to play the Strat got in the way of doing what was best for the congregation. But on the way out I had a lady, whom I’d never spoken to before, compliment me on the songs for this morning. It was exactly what I needed. Not because I need to feel good about playing or singing well. But that I need affirmation that I complied to God’s leading and chose songs that led people into His presence. I try to ask that of Him on the Sunday ride home but it looks like He beat me to the punch this morning. Thanks God!

We walk this delicate balance of the technical and the supernatural as Lead Worshipers. I think both are essential. One you plan for and the other you prepare for. One you pour yourself out and the other God fills you up. I’ve got to say, I prayed a prayer after “This is Our God” that was just amazing. Prayer is such an incredible thing. Sometimes I get the feeling like I’m rolling through the motions because I know I should. Man, after that song I knew I wanted to pray and the words that came out were just as wonderful and inspiring as if I were singing a song. At least to me they were. It was thick.

I just wished I hadn’t fouled it up by not taking my capo off for “Amazing Grace” and being a whole step and a half above what the rest of the band had music for! They figured it out though. And guess what…worship still happened.

So now what?

So now what?
What a somber day. It was bloody cold. Four days ago now. Boy, how time flies.
I try to put myself in your shoes. Although I can’t really. No one can.
64 years. He’s all you’ve known. You were just a child when he came into your life. And now he’s gone. So now what?
You were different that day, 4 days ago. You didn’t cry. None that I saw. You put on such a strong front, but how you must be hurting inside. I can see why. What a sweet man you lost.

You were chatty that day, 4 days ago. You spoke about every little detail of the ham sandwiches. No one cared really, about the ham sandwiches. We ate them as to not hurt anyone’s feelings. I don’t even really like ham. But that wasn’t the point was it?

You were lonely that day, 4 days ago. Although there was a room full, a house full even, you felt alone. I could tell. No one can know how you feel. And you won’t tell us, it’s not your style.

We have something in common you and I. We were married on the same day, only different decades. Feb 6th – only 50 years apart – we both became Owens’.

A huge part of my heart aches for you still. How you must wake up every morning, alone. How you must now make one breakfast, instead of two. How you must long for someone to talk to in the morning or late at night. Or how you wish to have someone to watch the Dallas Cowboys play with, although they lost yesterday. How you no longer have someone else’s appointments to remember. Or have to wait on to get ready. Or to have to worry about.

64 years.
So now what?

Incredible. Thank you Mrs. D for sharing this. If this reaches in and touches your heart like it did mine, please show some love either here or at Scoots’ livejournal page. Inspired after the passing of her husband’s grandfather, this just gets me everytime. I can’t read it without feeling for my best friend and yet also remembering my Maw Maw and how she must feel without my Paw Paw.

http://scoots66.livejournal.com/

24: because nothing says ‘Get better’ like Jack Bauer

My apologies faithful readers, it seems the Louisiana ‘winter’ is getting me again. This is not the most flattering climate for singers. The cold day – hot day – cold rainy day – hot rainy day back and forth just kills my sinuses. This week is actually staying cold it seems but it’s been cold/rainy – cold/dry…well now we’re in the cold rainy and my face feels like a cheap plastic Mardi Gras mask.

Last go around it was my right side, now my left side from my teeth up to my eye feels hollow and brittle. It hurts so bad, you can only imagine. The sad thing is that I’m getting used to it I have this nose spray thing that helps, gargling salt water for the post-nasal drip, plenty of Gatoraide and water, and lots of rest.

So I apologize for the lazy day today. The 1 benefit/downside is that I’m now addicted to 24. Rae’s best friend had us TiVo the 4 hour season premiere for her. (I think it was a diabolical plot to get us hooked.) And now I’m hooked. I have Monday’s episode to watch and I’ll be caught up.

I have found some talented photographers and some new blogs, so check out my blogroll and show some love.

Thumbs UP/DOWN: Live from Passion 07, Pt. 1

So your very first day of This Day in Music wouldn’t be complete without an actual music review! Without further adieu:

Passion dropped their first installment of 3 releases from the Passion 07 event today with 2 songs and a message from Francis Chan.

1. Friend of God – Chris Tomlin and Israel Houghton (I think it’s Israel.) Eh, you know Chris has had me jumping the fence lately. I mean you can’t discredit the guy for writing such amazing choruses that somehow are instantaneously familiar and easy to sing along with. This song though is not that. I believe it must be an Israel Houghton song. It’s definitely a change from the typical Passion style. But I don’t think that’s a good thing. The verses are difficult to sing for a congregation and the choruses and bridge are very repetitive. Not for me.

2 . You are God – Charlie Hall. Oh this is what I LOVE about Charlie. It’ll never get to the top of the charts but I really, REALLY dig this tune. Funky beat, interesting melody line, great guitar riffs (maybe a Stulce amp?!?!), and in that ‘prophetic’ lyrical style of writing that I love so much about him. At 7 and 1/2 minutes, it’s long but it’s also live. I LOVE it! Great break down and he really surprises me there at the end! AND one you can do Sunday morning!

It wraps up with Francis Chan, who is incredible. An amazing speaker and I can’t wait to listen to his message all the way through! A good first release I suppose. It’s going for $3.50 which if you’re wanting the message, I think is an appropriate price.  It definitely has me chomping at the bit for the next release especially since it’s got to have a lil Crowder on it

Thursday Night Thoughts

So, I started my first ‘regular’ installment of this blog a few weeks back and have already fallen off the proverbial horse. Being a Lead Worshiper and being a blog about worship, I thought I’d add in my 2 cents debrief of my worship practices that happen on Thursday nights for all you worship leaders (although as I previosly alluded, I prefer the term Lead Worshiper.)

This past Thursday night was great. I’m still settling in from Christmas so no extremely new tunes yet. This week looks like this:

1. Let everything that has breath (I know, I know but it’s topically on point with the sermon.)
2. Our love is loud (I KNOW but it’s fun.)
3. Holy is the Lord
4. Wholly Yours (Do you like what I did here with 3 and 4!!)
5. All creatures of our God and King (2 from DC*B)
6. Word of God speak – ala Kutless

So, it was a good night because it wasn’t anything too surprising. Although we have a couple of the guys who hadn’t played Wholly and Word of God. Let’s discuss knowing parts.

I’m a big fan of replicating the CD as much as possible while still throwing in your own personal tastes and intricacies to enhance the song for your particular worship congregation. But notice that it begins with knowing the CD. I mean this is a song someone was given inspiration for, recorded, produced, and published. They knew what they were doing. Let’s face it though, your typical volunteer musician doesn’t do what I do which is listen to the CD non-stop to learn what’s going on in the song and then rehearse your part with the CD and then by yourself to work out your part. They have a 40 hour a week job, family, dog, paper, favorite TV show, and internet addiction as well playing in my worship team. So I take it upon myself to learn their parts as much as I can. This provides me the ability to direct and encourage the band members in the manner in which I would prefer the song to be played. This may sound tyrannical but hear me out here:

One of the guys had never played Our Love is Loud with us before. So upon first hearing the song, during the verses he was playing a great but syncopated rythm that bounced around and went up high during the progression. After our run through, I asked him to play more driving quarter notes on the low end notes during the verses. This, to me, is essential to keeping the beat because the guitars almost completely drop out and it fills better with the drums and the sparse vocals. Without it, we seemed to loose some momentum there.

Beforehand, I would have no idea what any instrument other than my own is doing in any particular song. Then I’d find myself asking why the song sounded so thin? Maybe its the bass player, maybe its the guitarist not using delay or picking instead of powerchords, or the keyboardist picking out a part that the guitarist is already playing and she should be using big fat pads instead? Who knows. But you definitely WON’T know unless you’re familiar enough with the song.

I believe knowing parts is essential. If you don’t have all the musicians that the original artist used to record or just plain want to do it your own way then it’s still of utmost importance to know which direction you’re heading and how you want to get there. I know my bass player knows how to play his bass better than I could ever instruct him. But looking at the whole picture instead of one instrument allows me to instruct the band to hopefully achieve a greater over all sound.

And you know what the big pay off is? When we’re discussing parts and the direction and who’s to play where, and one of the band members has a suggestion that’s just crazy off the wall incredible and even I didn’t see it coming! What a great thing to have happen. It doesn’t always, which is why I prepare, but when it does it’s such a huge success and a wonderful thing. So encourage ideas from your band. Don’t be afraid to take ownership of how the song should sound as a whole. Definitely give direction to your team. I think people want to be led. It lets them know they aren’t showing up and wasting their time but showing up to someone who has prayed, prepared, and come excited to worship with them.

This Day in Music – David Crowder fans eat your heart out!

So today starts a new trend on the Worship City blog: This day in music!

We all know that new CDs drop on Tuesdays and so why not have Tuesdays celebrate all things music related? Thursday Night Thoughts from last week will finally come out today. But now for this week’s This Day in Music – David Crowder fans eat your heart out!

I haven’t always been the excitable, charming, ADD leader of worship you see before you on Sunday mornings. There was a time when I was an excitable, spastic, nervous lead singer of a rock ‘n roll band. In those days there was a band that I set my sights to become like: Forty Day Fast. They were a local band from here, Baton Rouge, that played the gigs I wanted to play, had accomplished CD releases, had the stage presence I wished I had, and actually toured! As fate would have it though, our bands were not destined for greatness and eventually both disbanded. BUT as fate, or the good Lord above, would have it, the church that I now lead worship is the same church that the drummer for Forty Day Fast has been drumming for a few years now!

Now fate, or our Heavenly Guide, may be leading Bubba Fong to Austin, TX. It was this discussion that brought up stories of “the good ole’ days” after last week’s practice. It was told that there was a gig that Forty Day played at a college festival type event in Texas. An all day event that had incredible bands from all over playing and tearing it up for the Christian fraternity of the college. An event that happened to also have a band by the name of the David Crowder*Band.

Now, I cannot tell a lie. The facts unfolded as such: There was a stage. There was the David Crowder*Band who played late in the afternoon because no doubt they had to get back to their lovely home in Waco, Tx. There was another band who went on afterwards that happened to be the closing act of the night. That band was: FORTY DAY FAST.

SO, it is my humble declaration that I share the stage 2x a month with Bubba Fong who shared the stage with the David Crowder*Band who happened to open for Forty Day Fast (and if I didn’t mention: Bubba Fong!)(which by theory of Relative Proximity and Timelessness Traveling by Association, opened for me!)

This has been your very first tongue-and-cheeck Day in Music!

Best Game Ever?!?!

I mean was Sunday not the best day for football ever??? Well, I don’t really know because I’m foolishly unaware of significant sports events. BUT I was dumfounded by the amazing games that unfolded before me as I watched Da Bears topple the Saints and then the incredible, miraculous overthrow that the Colts took over the Patriots. I’m not a good enough writer to write about things I don’t know so I’ll direct you to 2 articles that I enjoyed this morning:

Top 10 Thoughts From Sunday’s Games This one is especially near and dear to my heart due to the #4 thought!

3 Little Words: Best Game Ever? I don’t know but it’s the reason I’ll be watching more football next season!

Finally, the best dang commercial! My Mom loves Peyton Manning and this commercial is hysterical…if…if you like 6′5″, 230 lb quarterbacks with a lazer, rocket arm. HA!