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Saturday, 21 November 2009

  • The Best Thing in the World*...

    Aside from the barrage of pharisaeical comments that'll come from the religious and non-religious alike... all that aside... I have to say...

    From what I've observed... married life is seriously awesome...

    For a man to love a woman in such a way that honors, values, cherishes, and loves her... there is not one thing that trumps that...

    When a husband and wife team up together and are involved in the same things roughly... it's like this mingled union of beauty that just makes me wonder what married life would be like...

    What the heck do I mean?  Here... lemme tell you...

    I help to lead worship on Wednesdays... which means our full rehearsals are fixed to be Tuesdays.  Well... we have installed a new lyric display program for our system which will make everything seamless and frankly very compact which will make for the use of it to be very streamlined as far as programming of everything goes... makes things go smoother.  Well, all of the lyrical content and displays as well as backgrounds of graphics and moving loops will be inputted, locked, and done during our rehearsal times...

    The wife of my worship leader... who is quite frankly a phenomenal woman no less who spares so expense to provide an air of humor, wit, sharp-tongued rhetoric that lightens not only the mood but everything else.  But she's also an amazing woman of character and depth too.  And I find it an honor to call her friend as well.  At any rate, she'll be the one running this program entirely as well as be the point person to train the up and coming users to utilize this program.

    Anyways... she'll be in on our Tuesday practices from now.  This makes me smile and gets me to my point.  My WL's wife will be in the room.  For me... this is encouraging because in some ethereal and divine way, she's also there for him which makes him want to do better (albeit on an extremely low and subconscious level).  It's as if while she's doing her work... she's cheering him on and even by being there... he leads worship better knowing in again, some ethereal way that his bride is giving him encouragment while she's typing, editing, and programming.  For her and him to work together like this makes the night feel rather full and thus encouraging...

    How does this affect me?

    It encourages me in that my future bride and I will sort of be like that in some way shape or form... for her to be in the room w/ me will make me do better in such a way that'll encourage me to do better.  The power of a woman is in that... to build up their men or tear them to peices.  And for a good woman to be a good woman worth marrying... she'll be the kind that encourages and respects... nothing short of a woman of integrity, strength and honor.  Something every man needs in life...

    Sure single life has its benefits.  Go anywhere... do anything... impulsivness w/o any horizontal retribution for the most part...

    But married life has it's advantages just as well... companionship... conversation... someone warm to come home to... someone beautiful to see every night... someone to be there no matter what... who wouldn't want that?!

    Sounds to me like though singlehood is indeed a good place... married life seems to be the best thing in the world*...

     

    *- Now if you're under the belief that you're not supposed to be married.  This doesn't apply to you.  If you don't believe you're to be married and you are aware of it, know it, and are pursuing that, then that is simply awesome.  Don't change and don't listen to this entry.  You're in pursuit of something grand.  This entry is coming from a guy who knows he's bound to be married unless Jesus comes back... so, stay the course people who are under the belief that you're not to be married... stay the course, you're on the right track...

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

  • Would you follow Jesus...?

    As some of you know... there is a movie about to be released shortly.  In a few days in fact.  The stir-craze that's been in anticipation since last year's phenomenal hit.  And there is more to come as far as I'm aware of and nothing short of total excitment, I'm in anticipation of what's to come.

    Yes... we and by we, I mean I, are talking about the latest installment of the Twilight movie series.  The latest one is New Moon taken directly from the sleeper hit books of the same name.

    And really... I don't give a rip about anyone else's opinions on the matter... I read the books and was thoroughly enthused by them.  And the movie was decent to be sure in my honest opinion.  But in regards to this new release, I'm kinda geeked about how the producers will interpret some of the visual effects and what not surrounding the movie.

    But with the release of the books and the movies... I'm surprised that rather than looking at this from a conversational standpoint on where to insert Jesus... the church as a whole is doing an outstanding job of shunning, disowning, and discrediting this as an opportunity to do something more optimistic than complain about it...

    Earlier today I read a blog from one of my former pastors who planted a church here in Michigan.  I once respected him and his authority, but after his blog, I really can't say I can fully agree with his hermeneutic, exegesis, or even his pastoral authority on this matter.  The blog was basically his stringent conviction-based opinion while moralizing Jesus as a front to put forward his own personal opinion on the release of New Moon.  Almost in not entirely a Pharisaeical rant...

    Now, without chewing too much into this blog... I'll just basically put his blog into one short little sentence, which is, "If you go see this movie as a Christian, you must not be much of one to begin with."  I'll not provide the link namely because some of you may invade and completely tear him to pieces... or not... whatever... either way, the blog will for all intent and purpose remain nameless...

    But what struck me about this blog was that he was adamant that Jesus wouldn't go see this movie so would you?  Or he as put it, "Would you follow Jesus into this movie?"  and answered with a vehement NO... as if somehow the question he posed was rhetorical...

    And yet what I believe he completely forgot was... JESUS WAS IN THE CULTURE... Jesus hung out in places where the secular met.  You don't think so?  WANNA BET...

    "... and He had to pass through Samaria.  So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given his son Joseph.  Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as He was from His journey, was sitting beside the well.  It was about the sixth hour..."

    IF you know anything about history back in that period in that region, culture usually happens by the well.  It's the place to gather water, namely when the women come and meet and gather water... where all the gossip happens, where news and events are told, where rumors start, where people intersect and mingle.  So where was Jesus?  AT THE FREAKING WELL... so let's continue...

    "A woman from Samaria came to draw water.  Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."  (For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)"

    Recall... Jesus a Jewish man... in Samaria, a region of the Jews called dogs and half-breeds... and this woman from Samaria... likened as a half-breed by the majority of Jewish culture...

    Recall the hour... the sixth hour... that's about noon-ish as some interpret that... all the water drawing is done and over with to avoid the heat of the desert sun... for a woman to come out that late in the day to draw water was common knowledge back then to figure that the woman was morally loose and everyone in town knew it cuz, she had to carry that water jug through town, and go to the well right?

    Follow me for a moment... Jesus... a Jewish Galilean peasent carpenter, strolls right into half-breed town in half-breed worthless region, sitting by a well claimed by non-Jews, and He speaks to Ms. Half-Breed woman and asks for a sip of water to quench His physical thirst due to His long and arduous journey...  This is so uncommon... it's in fact quite scandalous if you add the facts together.  Sound anything like Jesus to you?  Unprecedented, unexpected, mold-less... yea, sounds just like Jesus... being a Jewish man talking to a Samarian woman of all things...

    anyways... the story goes on in which Jesus is in the place where He can insert Himself into the conversation and reveal Himself as the Son of God and the Savior of sins... you can read the story yourself... it's in The Gospel of John chapter 4 verses 1-29...

    HOW THE HECK DOES THIS PERTAIN TO THAT NEW TWILIGHT MOVIE???!!!  GET ON WITH IT...

    relax...

    So for me... as a Christian and an adamant follower of Jesus (to the best of my ability)... how does this story translate into me enjoying Twilight and eagerly awaiting the release of New Moon.

    Well... the friend of mine from church who got me into the books... a group of us went and saw the first one and it was the topic of convos for months...  Not to mention, the advent of the movie had alot of tweener girls in my church clamoring about it and has allowed for many a discussion point and a redemption of what to really be enthralled about which is Jesus...  and now the second movie is on the way and we both got the midnight showing of it.  Which means, we will be in a throng of tweeners awaiting the doors to open so that they can dash to the best spot visually and sonically to fully engage themselves in Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner's performances of the beloved characters... which begs the question in my mind... How can I insert the Son of God into this?  I mean, we're gonna be in line for a few hours and we'll be surrounded by massive amounts of high schoolers hoping and clamoring to get the best seats in the house (though i feel bad since our group will be the one to grab the best seats)... but how can I insert Jesus into this culture where He can provide the answers, bring redemption to lovesick and affection starved teens who find Edward to be all that they want in a man... well Jesus trumps Edward by an infinite longshot... now how do you communicate Christ and show that He's better?  This is my qualm as a youth leader in my local church... and well, I'm kinda following orders of the youth pastor... If I'm to teach youth kids, I need to study youth culture... so... with this movie... i'm just doing my homework right? 

    i know i know i know, get off yourself... relax...

    Anyways... all of that to say... I'm gonna go watch the movie.  I'm gonna enjoy the movie.  I'm gonna wait in line with some friends of mine who are Twilight fans and enjoy their company since we're all friends who have enjoyed Twilight... but more so than anything... I will wait in line and pray for ways to communicate Christ to this little subculture that needs Jesus... and I'll let God sort it out in the end... but it takes a little more than a teen romance flick to gauge my Christianity... I'd like to think Jesus a bit bigger than that... to say the least...

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

  • Some realizations...

    I've realized how much I've moved on since that ill-fated day roughly have a year ago...

    I've realized that I'm callused over more than I thought...

    I've realized though that moments arise where I still think about her...

    I've realized though that a sickly tummy-ache isn't a sign from God to break-up...

    I've realized that that kind of thinking makes you slightly psycho and rather immature...

    I've realized how unskilled I am at the guitar...

    I've realized how much more gear I need...

    I've realized that I'm so close to attaining the gear that I currently need...

    I've realized how much I'm into music production and desperately want a recording studio to work in

    I've realized how much I've slacked in my 8 am math classes and really need to buckle down to pass...

    I've realized how much I kinda enjoy composing and songwriting...

    I've realized how much I really need a job and MI isn't providing that...

    I've realized that unless a girl isn't honest, she's not worth it...

    I've realized that unless a guy lives the Bible and has a job isn't worth it...

    I've realized that the church's way of instructing people on dating is really bad

    I've realized that if Christianity is a moralized way of life then it's not Christianity but moralism and that doesn't help anyone...

    I've realized that if Christian dudes would stop complaining and start being brave, it would make the world better...

    I've realized how much time I've really wasted in the past years...

    I've realized how much coddling and enabling many women do to the men in their lives...

    I've realized how much men outside of the church are childish and are consumers which define their masculinity...

    I've realized that my unsung passion is cooking Korean food and I'm getting good at it...

    I've realized that though I'm single and want to be married, it's kind of nice to be alone...

    I've realized that I want to be married so that I can cook dishes for my wife...

    I've realized that the church needs to change their thinking about marriage...

    I've realized marriage as the goal is more about leaving a great legacy than a life dream-killer

    I've realized that the church does a horrible job in communicating the beauty of marriage...

    I've realized that I enjoy playing the guitar...

    I've realized that I enjoy teaching the Bible...

    I've realized that I can't do this life on my own but I do need help with it...

    I've realized that religious thinking never works...

    I've realized that since that ill-fated day my faith in God's plan waned a bit

    I've realized that this past year has been a battle for my soul's trust in God's plan for me....

    I've realized that I'm not done with the struggle and it's getting tiresome...

    I've realized that I've spent the last many weeks getting 6 hours of sleep...

    I've realized that I need a way to carve out space...

    I've realized just how much I wanna go live in Korea...

    I've realized just how much I haven't thought of going to live in Tokyo though still would love to live there...

    I've realized just how much reform is needed in the Korean entertainment industry...

    I've realized how much I enjoy K-pop music more than American Top-40 music...

    I've realized how much I enjoy Korean television more than American TV media...

    I've realized how good The David Crowder* Band's latest release Church Music really is...

    I've realized that the people I associate with is limited and I'm ok with that...

    I've realized that because of the few I associate with will leave me with more room for the wife later...

    I've realized that I'm actually ok with marrying a Korean girl (be that she better be cute) as opposed to just white girls...

    I've realized that I'm ok with whoever I marry really just so long as she meets my standards so to speak...

    I've realized that I belonged in the cowardly area of relationships but now I need to get out of it...

    I've realized that I need to freaking get out of MI in order to find work...

    I've realized that I can't depend on God to provide a full-time ministry job so I gotta look elsewhere for that help...

    I've realized that ultimately that God is Sovereign and in control and whatever goes goes...

    I've realized that people are still gonna be Pharisees with religious answers that don't help...

    I've realized that if you've been brought up to vomit cliches and lived like a religous person, you'll never change...

    I've realized that people who are ignorant of Christianity will remain ignorant until they open their mind to it....

    I've realized that the most judgmental people of all are those who claim to be most open-minded...

    I've realized that everyone has a cause they want to evangelize people with...

    I've realized how uninterested in politics I am mainly because I don't know anything about it to provide good discussion...

    I've realized how badly I want to be married though I'm not really obsessing over it...

    I've realized that for me, God just isn't interesting in my love life and no saying can change that currently...

    I've realized that a religious person would be offended by some of the things I've realized but they can go be a Pharisee somewhere else...

    I've realized that experience never should trump the truth of Scripture...

    I've realized that age is definitely arbitrary the older you get...

    I've realized how much I truly want a Tom Anderson Atom electric guitar...

    I've realized that if I can get people to give me just 3 dollars, I'd be able to get it...

    I've realized that one person doesn't need to do it all, but that many people can do little...

    I've realized just how much K-pop I have on my iPod...

    I've realized that a Macbook Pro 15in would make music life much smoother...

    I've realized just how much I truly love Apple computers...

    I've realized I've got a thing for software based recording...

    I've realized just how much of a gearhead I am...

    I've realized just how much I truly enjoy synth/electronic/pop/rock just Owl City or The David Crowder* Band

    I've realized how much I truly wanna love a woman to call my wife...

    I've realized that I'm not as self-sufficient as I want to...

    I've realized just how much I want to become a father...

    I've realized that whenever I look at pictures of kids, I tend to get misty-eyed at the thought of being a dad...

    I've realized that I'm not there yet and that's what's so heartrending because I want to be...

    I've realized that I've been wondering if I'm not doing enough...

    I've realized that there may be more realizations to come...

Tuesday, 03 November 2009

  • Lyrics that have moved me lately...

    Oh please tears stay, where you are made
    Do not fall, do not fall
    Something greater, is on the way
    Just hang on, try to hang on

    The love of angels becomes the love of men
    Oh heavenly light, takes on earth and skin
    - The Veil by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

    I forget the last time I felt brave
    I just recall an insecurity
    As it came down like a tidal wave
    And sorrow swept over me
    Then I was given grace and love
    I was blind but now I can see
    Cuz I found a new hope from above
    And courage swept over me

    It hurts just to wake up, where ever you're wearing thin
    Alone on the outside, so tired of looking in
    The end is uncertain, and I've never been so afriad
    But I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope
    And that makes me feel brave.
    - Tidal Wave by Owl City from the album Ocean Eyes

    Shine Your light so I can see You
    Pull me up I need to be near You
    Hold me, I need to feel love
    Can You overcome this heart, that's overcome
    - SMS (Shine) by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

    Oh happiness, there's grace enough for us and the whole human race
    - Oh Happiness by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

    And heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss
    And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
    I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

    He loves us, oh how He loves
    - He Loves Us by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

    You are stronger, You are stronger
    Sin is broken, You have saved me
    It is written, Christ is risen
    Jesus You are Lord of all
    - Stronger by Hillsong from the album This Is Our God

    I'd like to make myself believe
    That planet earth turns slowly
    It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
    'cuz everything is never as it seems
    - Fireflies by Owl City from the album Ocean Eyes

Saturday, 24 October 2009

  • The Expanded gear list...

    I've done a gear list of what I want in the past... but it's expanded...

    this may seem like a pointless list, but it's what I'm aiming for... slowly... read if you want... move on if you'd like...

     

    1 Tom Anderson Atom electric guitar
    2 Tom Anderson Crowdster Acoustic electric guitar
    1 Tom Anderson Hollow Drop Top Classic electric guitar
    1 Tom Anderson Hollow T Classic electric guitar
    1 Taylor 614ce acoustic guitar
    1 Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar
    1 Breedlove AD25 acoustic guitar
    1 Martin 000-28EC
    1 Vox AC30CC
    1 Matchless DC30
    1 Orange AD30
    1 PedalTrain Pedalboard Pro
    1 Keeley Compressor
    1 Keeley Katana
    1 Boss DD20
    1 Boss PS5
    1 BBE Sonic Stomp
    1 Electro-Harmonix Micro POG
    2 JuiceBox power supply
    1Apple Macbook Pro 15in
    1 Pro Tools
    1 Ableton Live 9
    1 Propellerhead Reason 5
    1 Apple Logic Studio
    1 Toft ATB32
    1 Blue Bottle mic
    8 Shure KSM 141 Stereo pair
    6 Shure SM57
    20 Shure SM58
    1 Open Labs MiKO
    4 Event Opal studio monitors
    4 DynaudioAcoustics BM 5A
    2 DynaudioAcoustic BM 9S
    2 Presonus Central Station
    1 Presonus Monitor Station
    3 Presonus ADL600
    2 Presonus DigiMAX 96k
    1 Moog Little Phatty Stage II
    1 Moog Voyager Performer
    1 Yamaha MOTIF XS8
    1 Yamaha CP70
    1 Nord Electro 3-61
    1 AKAI XR20
    1 Roland MV-8800

     

    that's about it for now... if someone wants to start giving to this fund... lemme know...

    hehehehe...

leadworshipper82

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    • Name: Eugene
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    • Member Since: 6/28/2008

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