Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Song for Haitian Relief Efforts

Let’s use music for something other than our own joy. Let’s use it to speak truth and encourage others and care for the widows and the orphans.

Let’s use it to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

I’ve written a song called “Have we Become Silent”. It is based on a Martin Luther King Jr. quote that says “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”. It’s been a favorite quote of mine for a while and it encourages me to use my music as a tool for something other than my own catharsis or employment. On Wednesday I’ll be recording the song and will make it available for anyone that donates to Direct Relief International’s disaster relief efforts for Haiti through my fundraising page.

100% of funds will go to Direct Relief International and will be directed towards relief efforts in Haiti if you type in “Haiti Earthquake Relief” on the donation page. Upon making a donation, I will email you an mp3 of file within 2-3 days.

Thanks for joining me in using music for the good of the kingdom.

Song Lyrics:

Have we Become Silent

Faith without works isn't alive

Because living hurts

And the worst thing that we feel

Is the numb that comes when there's nothing to heal

We begin to die the day

We become silent about things that matter

We begin to die the day

We become silent have we become silent

We were fearfully made

To stand up for injustice and to fight for our faith

Look how we atrophy

Weakened by our laziness and now we can’t breath cuz

We begin to die the day

We become silent about things that matter

We begin to die the day

We become silent have we become silent

The warning sign came with a slight discontentment

We quickly quelled the pain with our pills

Happiness addictions and fear of confrontation

Are the reason that we lying so still

We begin to die the day

We become silent about things that matter

We begin to die the day

We become silent have we become silent

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Song & Story


Upon returning from Nashville I was talking with my former co-worker, Bob Ralph, and we decided that Bluebird Café rocks. It is a small, unassuming bar/restaurant in Nashville that brings in veterans and newcomers in the songwriting business and the restaurant serves as a sort-of listening room for patrons. The musicians sit in-the-round, talk about their songs, and then perform them. The night I attended I got to hear the guy that wrote the one hit wonder “This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world…” and then the song Garth Brooks made famous, “Thunder Rolls”.

Since Bob and I decided that Bluebird Café rocks, and that Denton’s talent is just shy of what Nashville has to offer, we started our own event called Song & Story that models the very thing that Bluebird Café puts on. The 2nd Monday of every month at The Hydrant in Denton, TX you will find 4 songwriters sitting in a circle with their guitars or keyboards and sometimes a harmonica or tambourine in tow. Some of the songwriters are in local bands, others acoustic performers, and some are singer/songwriters.

Tonight I got to hear a great round of music at Song & Story from Josh Mauk, Elise Petroski, Ronnie Fauss, Vanessa Peters, and MC Hansen. I loved the variety in background that the musicians brought to the table. Josh shared a song that he wrote as a worship leader for Kids’ Village, while Ronnie told a story of witnessing the tragic death of a loved one when he was a child, Elise shared a song about young love, MC talked about how we should cut Judas some slack because we’ve all got a little Judas in us and Vanessa sang about how she tried to “make it” in Austin and couldn’t quite carve out her niche.

Song & Story has been a great venue to bring together songwriters and folks that just like to hear good music and have a cup of coffee with friends. I have enjoyed watching the interaction between the musicians that perform, and getting to see the bonds that form between them as they share their songs and stories for 2 hours together. Every month The Hydrant is packed with people there to hear the great music, so now I need to figure out what is next. Maybe a compilation CD? A podcast? T-shirts? Let me know if you have any ideas or requests so that we can grow this event .

Monday, January 4, 2010

Blogging on the Regular


This is the first of my regular blog series for 2010! I’ll be updating once a week and the topics will vary. My hope is to alternate between a. How God is moving in my own life and b. What God is doing in my neighborhood, Denton, and the world.

I don’t want to ever get used to the little miracles that happen every day. This blog will force me to take notice, and will hopefully inspire you, too.

Wanting Wisdom

After hearing lots of great things about Mark Driscoll, I started listening to some of his sermons on podcast, particularly a series on Proverbs. Proverbs is part of the “wisdom literature” in the Bible. I’d always thought I was someone who sought wisdom, but God so graciously revealed to me that I have been a fool for a while. There is a difference between sin and folly. It is may not be a sin to ride a motorcycle in the rain, but it is folly (silly Bella Swan). It may not be sin for an 18-year-old freshman in college to get a credit card, but it is folly. See the difference? While I have been striving to press into Christ and put to death the sin that he revealed to me, I had been making life more difficult all the while by living in folly. My prayer for the New Year is that I won’t be turned off by things like planning, budgeting, setting goals, seeking counsel, and self discipline. In the past I had seen those as limitations and barriers to living life to the fullest, but now I see that abandoning those things is just foolishness. A few verses to ponder…

There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25

Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed. Proverbs 15: 22

A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless. Proverbs 14:16

Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored. Proverbs 13:18

Forsake your folly and live, and proceed in the way of understanding. Proverbs 9:6

“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest”- your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6: 10-11

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23