Day One

A quick look at my new quest towards greater discipline in my life.

Nic

Why Do We Listen?

Music is so interesting.  It’s a hard to know why you love a song or an artist.  It also seems that with the overwhelming amount of music, and access to music, we are on a never ending hunt to find the next best thing.  And once we find this next best thing it seems that we leave it behind quicker than ever.   The hunt continues…  Our ADD causes us to turn away from what was so meaningful at one time.

This is not true of all records for sure, but I find that it’s more and more common as our gigantic buffet of music grows and grows.  This makes me ponder the records that have never soured for me.  The ones that when I shuffle through my songs and hear them I think, “that is such a great record.”  It usually has a time warp effect on me.  I remember a period in my life where those songs were always on.  A sort of audio induced deja vu.

So I wonder what makes you love a song or an artist?  What are you listening to and why?  I think it’s good to consider why art is important to you.  It’s so hard to put your finger on.

I’ll get us started:

Favorite Records I will always listen too

1. Jeff Buckley  Grace-Musically masterful and one of the most honest records I have ever heard.  I believe him when he sings

2. Wilco  Sky Blue Sky- Lyrically so poetic and thought provoking.   Guitar playing is insane and challenges me. The tension and release is so good.

3. John Mark McMillian The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down- Few people can combine their emotions, poetry and rock and roll like this dude.

4.  U2   Joshua Tree- Do I really need to say why.  I mean come on it’s freakin u2.  There are too many songs on this record that I see lasting forever.  My kids will be rockin this record when they are older, at least until they realize I like it.

5.  John Scofield A Go Go-  once a year I come back to this record and don’t let it go for a least a month.  It grooves so hard and is musically genius.  It’s jazz that a normal person can understand. If you don’t bob your head listening to this, you might want to check your pulse.

6. Stevie Ray Vaughn    Texas Flood- Everyone wants to know how to play guitar after hearing this record.  It had so much influence on me as a guitar player.  To hear someone who was born to play the guitar, bleed out through his instrument, is an incredible thing.

And lots more: Jimi Hendrix-Blues    Led Zepplin- IV    Elbow-the Seldom Seen Kid    NeedToBreathe-The Outsiders   The Black Keys-Rubber Factory    Radiohead-The Bends   Athlete-Tourist   and many many more

What are you listening to and why? Look through that iTunes list and see what has resonated with you and consider why you connected with it

Thanks for reading

Nic

4-mile Snow Hike Education

I took a 4-mile hike in the snow to the grocery store.  It was peaceful and scary at times as I almost fell several times.  As I walked in the quiet of the morning, I started to think and observe many things so here are the ten things I learned/realized while I froze.

1. Asics running shoes are a poor footwear choice for snow
2. Scarves are great for keeping your face warm when the wind blows until your nose starts to run.
3. People still text while driving, even in the snow.
4. Texting while walking in the snow is also difficult, especially while wearing mittens
5. Salt melts ice and also melts snails, therefore ice is made of snails (Monty Python logic)
6. Three days of a winter storm will make people risk their brand new cars to not stay in their house.
7. Don’t drive a Prius in the snow
8. While walking you will always almost fall on your face when there are many witnesses.
9. I thought a lot about some of my Kenyan friends who have to walk so far for water everyday.  We are a spoiled nation.
10. One person asked me if I needed a ride. One….. I was in sight of my neighborhood on my way home so I declined.  I think we have really lost our sense of community.  I wouldn’t have accepted a ride because I was enjoying the walk but still many cars past and it was cold.  Granted, I did look a bit like a ninja with my scarf over my face but still.

That’s all,  Thanks for reading.  stay warm everybody

nic

Ascend The Hill “Hymns”

Hey People, we are gonna discuss Ascend The Hill’s recent release Hymns below.  Hope you join in the conversation.  Please listen through the entire thing at least twice.  And really listen!  The band allows you to download the whole thing for free at www.comeandlive.com.  Which is awesome but we would love for you to buy it on itunes.  Just comment below on whatever comes to your mind.  Treat it as a piece of art.  Listen carefully and be critical.  But speak in your own language. Don’t feel that you must use musical terms.  You are an expert in what you like.  Let us know how you feel.

God’s Unique Pouring out

There have been many times in my life that I was blessed enough to see the Lord pour out His spirit in truly unique ways in worship. Where I was left in such an awe of who He is, I knew that my view of Him was drastically shifted. One of these times was in Segera, Kenya.   There were no lights, no sound system, no order of when we would play what.  But He was there.  We had a guitar and some willing worshipers, who desperately needed the Lord to show up.

Our team had been serving all around Kenya in different orphanages, helping with chores, singing songs, teaching bible lessons etc.   It had been an incredible time.  There was no question that He was doing something in us and in the people that we were hanging out with.  Traveling on the bus with us was a three year old Kenyan girl named Pinky.  She is a beautiful, sassy little thing that you can’t help but love.  She was with us because her mother was dying of cancer, so our friend Annie who was living in Kenya was watching out for her.   Our team was like a family watching over her.  She became a part of our who we were and what we were doing there.

Toward the end our my time in Kenya we arrived in Segera.  This is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  You look out across the plain and see elephants walking in the distance, grazing cattle and goats all over the place.   It’s how every American pictures Africa.  It’s Wild!

Lying in a hospital bed in a mission in the middle of the most beautiful place on earth, is Pinky’s mom Lucy.   None of us were ready to see her.   We sat at the end of her bed and listened to her speak of how hard it has been.  How she had been in so much pain.  All the while having so much faith that God was watching out for her.

We did worship every night while in Kenya.  So when our devotion time started and we were moving closer to our worship time, I was afraid that we would disturb Lucy, who’s room was separated from us by only one thin door.  Then our leader came to me and said sing it out, she wants to hear us worship.  At that moment there was a shift in my spirit and we began to sing.  The singing turned into shouts of celebration and desperation.   We shouted out “My God’s not dead He’s surely alive” and “Our God is healer awesome in power.”

Then I was informed that Lucy wanted to come out and join us in worship.  As they rolled her into the room in a wheel chair, our team moved to her and laid hands on her and we prayed and worshiped and prayed and worshiped.  It became like a battle.   We were determined to see her healing.  There were moments that I closed my eyes and could see God reaching his hands down to her chair.  We were asking for what we were told was impossible.  The doctors said to make her comfortable because she was gonna die.  Despite that news, we stepped forward in boldness asking for her healing.

The next day Lisa and I had to leave for the states.  The talk amongst our team was that God intervened in that situation.  We don’t know exactly how, but He was all over that room.  About a month later we get news that a doctor comes across Lucy’s chart and believes that they can do something for her.  Where there was no hope, God poured out hope.  I am thankful everyday that I was there to witness and be apart of what happened in that mission.

Please share your stories of what you see God is doing around you.  How is He pouring himself out?  What a unique thing that He lets us be a part of His story.

We are doing a benefit to raise money for Lucy’s treatment on Oct. 8th at Mt. Bethel.   I hope you can come and be a part of what God is doing. Thanks for listening

Nic

The Rarity Of A Truly Great Record

I love finding a great album.   It seems so hard  to find a record that flows well from beginning to end but surprises you at the same time.   This year i have found a few records that have met this greatness in my opinion and one that I think everyone reading this should own.

These are just my humble opinions so feel free to argue.

At the recommendation of a friend of mine, I purchased Need To Breathe’s new record “The Outsiders.”  It is crazy good.   The production quality, lyrics, and unique sounds make it hard for me to turn off.  Bear Rhinehart’s voice has an awesome believability that you only find in people like Jeff Buckley or maybe David Gray.

So check it out and let me know what you think.  You can listen to their songs on their website www.needtobreathe.net .

Nic

Worship Lyrics

Do you want a worship song to make you think?  I feel like so many worship songs say things using the same phrases that we have said in church for so many years.  I’m not saying change the message but do we as writers of worship music have a responsibility to use our art to let the message be heard by new ears or with new perspective.  On the other side you could say that too much poetry in worship just complicates the matter.

There is so much music out there, and so many writers, I just really want to know what you think about this.

Pursuit Video

Worship Log Entry One

This past Sunday morning, I sat in my house eating breakfast about to leave to lead worship at church. It seemed very early, considering the recent time change and everyone else being asleep. It struck me that I was chewing very loudly. Also that the ice maker in my refrigerator seemed very loud. Truly though this was only the perspective of a house with no TV, kid running around, or dog barking. It was just quiet. I thought about how different I saw my house in this environment and sense I was going to lead worship at the time I thought about the importance of our perspective on who God is.

I have met many people who have come to Jesus through great times of tribulation or personal struggle. They seem to really grasp the redemptive nature of God and understand that Christ paying their debt is a big deal. On the other hand I think that many of us who have grown up in the church and have lived lives that maybe aren't quite as hazardous can loose perspective on the sacrifice of Jesus. Sure we love God and want to worship him. But have you ever noticed someone who you know their background, fall at the foot of the cross, with such abandon passion and wonder. What do they know that I don't. I truly believe that they understand redemption better that some of us. We are so caught up in being good that we forget that it took the sacrifice of a savior to buy our freedom.

God is so worthy of our worship and I pray that when I step to his altar and sing to my king that I remember who it is who has saved me. As I sat in my kitchen in the silence, my perspective on the room changed. I could here everything that was happening around me. I think God is calling us to change our perspective on who he is so that we can truly hear what he is saying.

Nic