An unusual post

Hello readers.  I haven't forgotten you.  Things are just busy right now.

Two things I just want to throw out there.

Check out The Hawk in Paris.  No, not the jazz album by Coleman Hawkins.  (I had to edit this because I mistakenly was thinking this album was a free jazz album by Ornette Coleman.  My apologies for the confusion.  Moving on.)

The Hawk in Paris is a new band that just put out an EP.  They consist of Dan Haseltine, Matt Bronleewe and Jeremy Bose.

Dan Haseltine is the longtime vocalist and accordion player for a little group of artistic geniuses called Jars of Clay.

Matt Bronleewe was the first guitarist for Jars of Clay.  He left to complete his studies at college, then went on to write and produce after the band released their first album (you remember Flood, right?).  He has since co-written and produced with Plumb, Chris Tomlin, Steven Curtis Chapman, Leeland, and Natalie Imbruglia, among others.

Jeremy Bose lived down the hall and knew the Jars guys in college.  He went on to produce and write as well.  He has worked with acts like Plumb, Joy Williams (before her interesting work with The Civil Wars), David Archuleta, St. Lola in the Fields and Uncle Kracker, among others.

You can preview the whole EP, called His + Hers, on Relevant Magazine's website via The Drop.  Or you can visit noisetrade.com/thehawkinparis and dowload a free sample.

The music is lush synth/piano driven pop with amazing lyrics.  You shouldn't be surprised.  If Dan Haseltine is involved, you're going to hear a high quality, artistic product.

The second music recommendation I want to make is Over the Ocean.  Their debut album, Paper House, took a few months and several listens to really grow on me.   But once it grew on me, it really grew.

I don't know much about the band (yet) but it's obvious they are influenced by John Mark McMillan and Bob Dylan, which is fine by me.  But they also show influence from Sigur Ros, Radiohead and... well, I can't place my finger on it.

Lyrically, I either prefer an artist that takes some thinking and listening to figure out what they're saying (Jars of Clay, Josh Garrels, Future of Forestry), or a band that isn't so poetic but says what they say with some originality (John Mark McMillan, Aaron Krause, David Crowder Band).  Over the Ocean falls into that second camp.

Some of their best lines:

"Come with me and meet the one who makes the night like day, Bow before Him and adore this King who bears our shame." Everything Will Change

"I know you are looking for things that are pure.  I know I'm filthy, You're making me clean."  The Rich, The Poor

"Build Your Kingdom as mine crumbles, Mercy will cover up my shame." Build Your Kingdom

"You raise me, while you're raising the dead.  Yeah, You raise me, while you're healing my pride.  Can you heal my pride?" While You're Raising the Dead.


They aren't afraid to let a song strectch out and be what it needs to be.  Some songs are 3 to 4 minutes, the title track is almost 7, Raising the Dead is 6... but none of them get boring.


Well, anyway... I don't normally recommend music, but this is too good to pass up.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Sheesh...

So I reread my post from a few days ago.  Sheesh, what a baby.

Those of you who go to my church and happened to be there last night, the Pastor’s message really hit home with me.

Those of you who missed it, or don’t go to my church, he preached from Exodus 3.  God is telling Moses to tell the Israelites His message and Moses replies “Who am I…”  You should go read it for yourself.

Pastor Shawn talked about how we place our identity in our popularity, position (whether at work, family or whatever) and our performance when really, we should look for our identity in God.  God will never fail, and those things will.  Popularity fades, we could get fired from our job, we fail to peform.  God’s response to Moses in the passage above says it best: “I will be with you.”

So, yes I get it God.  I shouldn’t whine when I’m feeling down about myself.  I am very blessed to have my family, my job and everything else you have seen fit to give me.  Instead, I will look to you.

Isn’t it great how God uses something you don’t see coming to teach you something?

How quickly time passes...

Wow.  I had intentions to blog again right after the last one and it took me ten days!  Yikes!

Anyway, I blogged about getting some lab work done in the last blog.  I got them done and surprise!  There is something wrong with me: me.  My kidney, liver and thyroid levels were normal.  My HDL (good) cholesterol was low and my triglycerides (bad cholesterol) was high.

At least I don't need medication.

But this is still disappointing.  I mean, really?  Can't I do anything right?  Grr...

It's been a tough ten days.  I feel like I'm just a total failure.  I'm no good as a husband, I'm no good as a dad, my health is in shambles because I don't know how to take care of myself, I suck at my job... ugh.

Sorry to be a Donnie Downer, but really?  Blah.  What a crappy post, right?  Sorry.

I'm back!!!

So I haven't blogged in a long time and I have so much to say.  But I'll try to control myself.

Since I blogged last, I got gout, we went to Michigan for a week (which I may blog about in a few days) and the accreditation survey showed up at work, which means I worked almost 40 hours in 3 days.  I took today off to meet with my new doc for a gout follow up and to get some advice about not being able to lose weight.

Which brings us back to this blog.  She recommends Weight Watchers... but before I begin she wants to do some blood work next Tuesday to make sure "everything is putting out or taking in what it should be."  So we'll see what happens and maybe I can get back on track blogging several times a week.

As far as the gout, she was surprised that Urgent Care only gave me 3 days worth of meds.  It should be 10 days worth, which is what she prescribed.  My new doc is pretty cool too.  It was casual Friday in the office and she wore a MIZZOU shirt.  Gotta love a doctor who's a real person.

But anyway, another thing happened recently.  Brandy and I were watching Soul Surfer, which is really good, in case you're interested.

But in one of the parts, they quote Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

They really focused on the first part - "I can do all things..."  But it struck me, as never before, that the focus of that verse is the second part - "through Him who strengthens me."

God is the focus of that verse, not Paul, or me, or even you (sorry!).  God is.  I have resolved that my focus will not be on what I can do anymore, but on what He wants to do through me.  It may be a struggle because I am very self centered and prideful, but I am also a work in progress.

Written while listening to:
There is a Fountain by Enfield
Our Great God by Enfield
Rolling in the Deep by Adele
Set Your Sails by Future of Forestry
The Valley Song by Jars of Clay