No Post Thursday...

Hey, everybody...

For a few months, I've been thinking about moving my more "worship-related" posts to some sort of other blog. A lot of you know that shortly before http://www.worshipnotes.com/ went away, we tried it in a blog format.

It didn't go so well...not a lot of readers or comments. So, we shut it down.

And now it's back. I'm gonna' play around with it some more - I'll be posting at the worshipnotes blog every Thursday. I'm excited - got some exciting ideas, some folks interested in contributing articles and such, etc.

At this point, we're not firing up the .com or .org to route folks to the blog. So, for now, you'll just have to type it in (or add it in your blog-reader, which I highly recommend!)

So...check it out.

Dozens Hurt After B.C. Church Floor Collapses

A woman remains in hospital with serious head injuries after the floor of a B.C. church collapsed, plunging dozens of people several metres into the basement.

The unidentified 42-year-old woman, currently being treated at Vancouver General Hospital, is one of three people seriously hurt in the accident. Another woman was treated for a fractured leg and released Saturday, while a third victim suffered a fractured hand. More than 35 others escaped with minor injuries, including 15-year-old Bethany Bois.

"It kind of felt like a trampoline, like I was just jumping and jumping, and then all of a sudden I felt like it was all in slow motion," she told CTV British Columbia.

"I hit a whole bunch of (speakers) and a whole bunch fell on me, and then a whole bunch of people came after me and some were on top of me."

At least 1,000 people, mostly teenagers, were at Abbotsford Central Heights Church Friday night for a concert. The accident happened during the third song by Christian rock band Starfield, just after 9 p.m.

Eyewitnesses at the concert say a lighting system above the stage fell on a group of concert-goers, who then crashed through the floor. Witness Connor Madden said Starfield frontman Tim Neufeld told the crowd to stop jumping up and down just before the collapse.

"The main singer of the band, I don't know if he saw it happening or something, maybe he saw the thing swinging down and about to fall on the people, but he told them to stop jumping," he said.
Abbotsford police Const. Roger Gosal told CTV.ca on Saturday that slightly more than 30 were treated at the scene. Of those, approximately 22 were taken to area hospitals, including the three victims with serious injuries.

Gosal said access to the church has been restricted.
"There's going to be engineers that will be attending at the church to do an assessment of the structure," he said.

The church was built in the 1980s. According to the church's head pastor, Chris Douglas, the building's main worship hall has a capacity of 1,300 or 1,400 people.

"It was not up to capacity at the time," he said.

Link

Big Deal Coming Up...

Hey gang!

Next Saturday, May 10th, we're doing a new thing with our Remnant ministry.

We're calling it Worship and Word. It's a service of song and scripture - the idea is to have one continuous flow of worship and the Word in a service.

We've moved this particular event to Saturday, bumped up the time and lined up a nursery for folks w/ kids who want to come.

I've got my setlist done (see list on right) and I'm super duper excited.

Now...if I can just get some folks to come.

Best Of Both Worlds...

That is an iPod with Zune headphones.

Blake got me all jazzed about the Zune headphones, so I ordered a pair last week.

They came in today and they are amazing! Great sound, magnetic backs that keep the buds together when not in use, cloth cabling to prevent tangles, even a cool carrying case that I'm never going to use.

I even used them with an Aviom mixer for rehearsal in Nacogdoches Monday night and they worked great! (The headphones, that is...Avioms are for losers.)

500 points to anybody who can name that album cover...

Monday Fun...

I had a rehearsal Monday night for the Hunt the Spot event I'm doing for FBC here in town. The practice was in Nacogdoches (right next door to Lufkin,) and I figured it would be a long one.

Usually when I have music or church related stuff at night, I try to cut out of work early and be at home for awhile. So, I left the church around 3:30 to get home.

As I was walkign to my car and admiring what a beautiful day it was, I had a brilliant idea. Something Jonah and I usually do when Summer comes every year. We hadn't done it yet, as summer's not "officially" here yet, but Monday was just too perfect...


WATERGUN BATTLE!

It was great. And then, as we were winding down, Finley came out and played on the swingset. Here are a few pictures that perfectly capture the afternoon!

Okay, okay...that picture of Kristen isn't from the WATERGUN BATTLE.

But she looks super hot and I can't stop staring at it.

RSB - I am...

Over the next few months, I'm gonna' be talking A LOT about the Robbie Seay Band. Now just because they're awesome, but because it looks like they'll be at our church for a big event we're doing.

The band blog had a pretty cool post the other day and I decided to give it a try. Robbie actually said he got the idea from his wife, but he didn't link her, so I can't send any of you to her blog.

i am: excited to do some worship gigs
i think: too much
i know: my family loves me
i want: a new car
i have: everything i need
i wish: somebody would just walk up and give me a new guitar
i hate: details
i miss: the West Wing
i fear: snakes, and the dentist
i feel: pretty good
i hear: Jonah watching tv, Finley rummaging in my closet and Kristen getting ready
i smell: nothing, really
i crave: some time on the treadmill
i search: for blog ideas
i wonder: if Paul Baloche has heard my CD
i regret: not putting "My Savior" on the CD
i love: Fridays
i ache: when i'm sore
i care: about loving my family and taking care of them
i always: stay up too late
i am not: really looking forward to the election
i believe: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
i dance: to worship songs
i sing: all the time
i don't always: think things through
i fight: fair
i write: songs and blogs
i win: very seldom
i lose: a lot
i never: get up early on purpose
i confuse: my worship team at church
i listen: to too much Baloche
i can usually be found: blogging
i am scared: not that often
i need: Diet Pepsi. No, seriously...can somebody get me one, like STAT?
i am happy about: my life

HT: RSB

If you've got the time, follow Robbie's lead. (And be sure and link back to his blog w/ the old "HT." Let's send some love to the RSB)

Thank You, John Simmons...

I was originally gonna' call this post something like, "The Next Chocolate Rain," because of it's infectious rhythm and melody. And then I realized that might not be the best title for this video.


What sort of sick mind would find this and send it to me?










This guy.

Love This...

Jenkees...

Jenkees gets his Hillsong-United-Rhodes-Slow-Jam on toward the end. Watch it all the way through.

And did he get that hat from Jinx?

Charlie Wilson's War

Kristen and I watched Charlie Wilson's War on Friday night. I read the book awhile back and loved it. We never were able to make it out to the theater to see this one, but we've been trying and trying to find a open night to watch it together.

Tom Hanks is so good in this picture. As somebody who's seen Charlie Wilson in lots of different capacities over the years, I can say that Hanks nailed the character. I'm not one of those guys who thinks Tom Hanks is the best actor in the history of film, but he really did an amazing job in this one.

As much as it pains my wife to hear this, I'm not really a Julia Roberts fan. Her role was kinda' non-existent in my mind.

I AM one of those guys that thinks that Phillip Seymour-Hoffman is one of the best actors in the history of film. This guy amazes me. The role of Gust Avrakatos is a pretty tough needle to thread, but Hoffman does it. Plus, he's a portly gentlemen and you all know I like to see big brothers out there making good in Hollywood.

The movie did a good job of following the book for the most part. Certainly, movies are never as good as their bookish-beginnings, but the movie was still pretty true.

Until the end.

If you haven't read the book or know much about what happened, Congressman Charlie Wilson covertly smuggled weapons to the "mujahideen" in Afghanistan who were engaged in a war with the Soviet Union. It was all very Cold War and a big deal in Washington once the Afghani fighters began knocking Hind helicopters out of the sky.

The problem is that Wilson's effort essentially armed and trained the folks who would eventually fly jet planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The book goes into great detail as to how Wilson's armament and encouragement trickled down to those with anti-American sentiments and speaks openly about why we heard so very little about Wilson in the months immediately following 9/11.

The movie tries to fix that - it tries to paint Wilson in a better light, tries to make him the ultimate hero by showcasing his desire to stay in Afghanistan, educating the children of the mujahideen on America and freedom and such.

That might have happened in reality, but I think it's a departure from the book. That bugged me. I was content to see events unfold as they did. I don't need somebody to go off the text just to make sure I know who the hero is. I think folks are smart enough to recognize the flawed protagonist and to realize that life is rarely as "Cinderella" as the movies would have us believe.

If you're gonna' see it, be prepared to hear some creative cursing. There's also a little bit of nudity in the first ten minutes. (I wasn't prepared for that...)

If you've read the book, I think you'd dig it. If you're not familiar with the whole Charlie Wilson thing, I think you might find it boring.

However, he does mention Lufkin and Nacogdoches and there's a picture of the meeting room at Crown Colony, which is here in Lufkin.

Anybody else see it? Anybody like it?

My Friday (and a little bit of Thursday...)

Last fall, Kristen and the kids and I moved into my parent's house. (Not with my parents...they moved to a new place.)

So, we rent this big log home out in the country now. (The house I pretty much grew up in.)

On Thursday morning, my Dad had some exterminators come by the house to spray for bugs - summer in the country, you know...

I held off going into work so I could be home when they showed up. They began spraying around the house and after fifteen minutes or so, they knocked at the door.

"Can you come out here?" The head-exterminator asked.

"Uh, sure," I say.

"You've got a visitor."

So, I step outside. They walk me to one of the side porches, where a small snake is peeking out from a small hole at one of the corners of the house. He was in the attic.

I'm terrified of snakes. Terrified. Terrified.

I call work to tell them I'm gonna' be late, then call my grandfather, who is an expert at assassinating evil reptiles. Within minutes, he's at my house with an extremely long garden hoe.

But as soon as we get close, he crawls back in the house.

A hour or so later, we spot him again. But he spotted us and crawled back in.

So, on Friday morning, my Dad comes, crawls into the attic with a head lamp, a pistol and a bag full of mothballs. Eventually, me and the family leave for a day of Friday fun. My dad keeps saying, "He'll get out of there. Don't worry, that will get him out."

A few hours later, we get home. I'm heading to unlock the front door, Kristen and Jonah are behind me and Finley is waiting in the car for somebody to carry her in. I put the key in, look up, and there he is.

I yell for Kristen and Jonah to get back and I get the shovel. I look at this guy for a few minutes and then suddenly, he starts crawling back in. That's when Todd springs into action.

I gave a lightning fast chop with the shovel.

And he crawls back in.

A few minutes later, we see that the dude is still hiding up by the door. My dad and I load up some "rat shot" in a small .22 and run the barrel in and shoot him.

He's still there, but not moving.

We drag him out to find that he died of a lightning-fast-shovel-chop courtesy of yours truly.

The .22 just added insult to injury, I guess.

And here is the vile creature who turned our lives upside down for two days.

Dove Awards Update...

New Artist of the Year: Brandon Heath (beat Mandisa!)
Performance: Natalie Grant (duet w/ Wynnona)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Chris Tomlin (I think there were better singers in the category, but this award tends to be more of a "best Christian male solo artist" type of thing and Chris is definitely up there.)
Performance: Trinitee 5-7 (did a Zydeco thing. Kristen loved their dresses.)
Commercial: http://www.christianflowernetowork.com/ (Struck me as funny)
Female Vocalist Of the Year: Natalie Grant
Performance: Casting Crowns, "East To West."
Performance: Clark Sisters...absolutely amazing.
Group of the Year: Casting Crowns (I think there were better groups in the category...)
Performance: Compassionart - new songwriting/recording effort started by Martin Smith of Delirious. New song by MWS, Israel Houghton, Paul Baloche, Christy Nockels, SCC and Chris Tomlin. Song was good. (I didn't enjoy that much the first go around, but caught it on a re-run and gave it a better listen. I think the recorded version will probably be pretty good.)
Performance: David Crowder Band (Without a doubt, the most creative stage performance of the night. They did "Everything Glorious" and did some great stuff with the stage...check it out.)
Song of the Year: "East to West," Casting Crowns. (Disagree big time with this one...)
Performance: Switchfoot. (This was odd - I like Switchfoot, but Jon Foreman never sounds
quite as good live to me. Who does, though? He did this weird walking down the aisle on the first verse. Probably was cool in real life.)
Performance: Marvin Sapp. (O golly. This was amazing. This was church right there at the Dove Awards.)
Best Short Form Video: "Boomin," by TobyMac.
Career Award(?): They recognized Michael W. Smith. Amy Grant and MWS at the piano singing some. Then they brough Mandisa, Chris Sligh(sp?) and Phil Stacey(sp?) sang some songs. Mandisa is pure gold.
Artist of the Year: TobyMac. (His acceptance speech was really pretty cool.)
Southern Gospel Finale: Ricky Scaggs and The Whites; The Hoppers, Easters and New River; The Isaacs, Charlie Daniels and Mac Powell. I was raised listening to Southern Gospel and I won't lie - I loved this thing. (Excpet for Charlie Daniels and Mac Powell? What the heck? They're sharing the stage with Ricky Scaggs and the Isaacs? Mac Powell has always sounded like Travis Tritt to me, though. Maybe GMA felt the same way.)

Closing Thoughts: It's interesting to me that the most solid, pitch perfect, seemingly sincerest performances came from either Southern Gospel or Black Gospel groups. I'm not saying that CCM is insincere, but there was something different about the performance from these musical styles that seem to be more "fringe" and never played on Christian radio.

I enjoyed watching the show. Wasn't quite as exciting as I had hoped, but there were some pretty cool moments.

By the way, this guy and this gal were actually AT the Dove Awards and have some great perspectives.

Tonight!

Some of you may remember me discovering the Gospel Music Channel on my TV a couple weeks back.

Well, tonight is the Dove Awards and I'm gonna' watch!

I haven't watched a Dove Awards Show in years, but I did notice earlier today that the channel is running a "Best of the Doves" marathon all day today.

Apparently, the Dove show has always been taped and edited down to a suitable format. This year, it's a LIVE broadcast. This morning, I checked out the channel guide and saw that it's scheduled from 7-midnight! Holy moly! I'm hoping that included an immediate re-run or something!

Unfortunately, the Wright laptop is in the shop, so I won't be able to blog the Dove Experience, but I'll try to keep up with how it goes down and update you guys tomorrow. (For those of you who care, which I'm guessing is very few.)

Christian Radio...no, I'm not bitter.

Some of you know that as a teenager, I worked for a Christian radio station. I loved it...I worked long hours for no pay and I adored every aspect of it. And to an extent, I still have a soft spot in my heart for radio.

I say that because I want you to know that I don't hate Christian radio. I know musicians and ministers and lots of folks who DO hate Christian radio, but I'm not one of them.

I listen to it occasionally, though certainly not enough to be considered an expert of any kind. However, I have a proposal for Christian radio - an idea that I think would help them to be better at what they do. Here's what's up...

THE PROBLEM
First off, what's got me thinking this? Almost every Christian radio is "listener-supported." Most often, this means that the stations don't play commercials. They take donations from listeners. Most of us also know that a lot of Christian stations skirt around non-profit regulations by attaching certain donation levels to their public service announcements. For example, if you want your event announced 22 times in a month, you have to donate a certain amount to the station. If you're thinking that sounds like a paid commercial, you're probably right.

But that's not even really the problem I've been noticing.

The problem of late has come from the way in which stations encourage listeners to donate. In the past two months, I've heard three different stations in different markets making pleas for support in the same manner. It sounds something like this:

"Your love-gift/donation/support is changing lives all across East Texas/Houston/the country!"

That station is asking me to support them because what they do is making a spiritual difference in the lives of my neighbors.

I just don't ever hear about it.

How come stations keep telling me that my money is making eternal differences but I never hear testimonials along those lines? I hear lots of taped phone message testimonials, but they usually are telling me that said station has A) Helped them to stop listening to secular music B) Provided safe music for their kids to listen to or C)Has "just the right song" at "just the right time."

Are people giving their lives to God through Christian radio? Maybe...but I never actually hear it. The station keeps telling me it's happening, but I never actually hear anyone testifying to that fact.

THE SOLUTION
I'm not a cynic, but I'm willing to be that the majority of Christian radio listeners are, in fact, Christians. (And women who drive minivans.) Kidding about the women thing...sheesh, who do I think I am, Thad Norvell?

What I don't get is why aren't Christian stations just owning this fact. Why do they keep telling me about winning souls for Jesus? Why aren't they doing interviews with Christ followers who are out there feeding the poor or caring for the elderly? Why aren't these stations showing me all the ways that THEY empower the church to do ministry? How can they be SO focused on the "lost" and say so little about what the church is actually, physically, really doing?

I think Christian radio should change it's sell...instead of telling me that my money is winning souls and never revealing those souls, why not use money to provide resources to the church for actual ministry and then show me that.

You may not believe Christian radio is for Christians. I think it is. And I think they should start getting honest about what they actually do - I don't they should be afraid of saying that their role is to bless the body of Christ and empower that body to do ministry?

Agree? Disagree? Am I making any sense here?

1. Ross, Ben and Michael having a computer party. (Sorry, it's so dark.)
2. Me before going to bed Saturday night. I look good, I think.
3. I slept in Hannah's room, which is decorated in High School Musical paraphernalia. So I slept under all of the people from the movie. It was weird.
4. Hannah's bookshelf - you probably can't see it, but that shelf contains The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the Lord of the Rings. One sharp gal...
5. Ross and the band rehearse Sunday morning.
6. Michael Steele on drums.
7. Kids in the "Underground."
8. The Burch's TV where I played a lot of Wii.
9. Lance's guitar where I played of lot G-C-D.
10. Chloe Burch, who seems to be growing up much faster that I thought was humanly possible.
11. Me during the two-hour delay on the runway.
12. The obligatory window seat picture.

update.2

Blogging from my PSP, so this won't be long. I fly out Monday at 12:25. Trip has been good. I'll have some pics and details later in the week. [LANCE & JASON ARE STILL COOL AS CAN BE...]

Update...w/ links galore!

In Maryland now, checking emails and such on Jason's computer. Ross and the band are downstairs running some stuff. Right now, I'm hearing "Just As I Am." I think it's an Integrity song...I like it...sounds different, you know, kinda' old. Kinda' fun to hear Ross, Michael and Ben playing with an electric guitar in the mix. Alex, an old bandmate of Ross, lives somewhere near and is sitting in on electric.

Last night, we all attended LifePoint's Saturday night service and then down to the student ministry "Underground" to eat and hear a rap artist named Victorious. After that, we headed to O'Liordan's, an Irish pub that was very cool - with uncomfortable chairs.

I've taken a few pictures and will throw them on the site as soon as I can. I'm staying at Lance and Amy's house and got a really nice sleep last night. Kinda' weird not actually playing music on this trip...but I'm looking forward to the rare privilege of sitting under worship under Ross and his friends!

Praise Band...

Sorry, guys...I forgot to give props. I found this link through Johnny, who loves all things Praise Band.

Worship Talk...

You know what drives me crazy?

Finding a worship song with amazing melody, arrangement, instrumentation and lyrics that make absolutely no sense.

Seems like a bit of an epidemic...I have no idea if other folks do this, but in all honesty, there have been times in my life where its been very hard to pass on a song that is cool in all the ways except one. I'll admit it - I've done it. I've picked songs because they're so much fun to sing or so memorable or rockin' or whatever, fully knowing that the lyrics are sub-par. I haven't done it in awhile, but it's still hard to find songs that just are strong lyrically as they are musically.

What about you? Ever found yourself loving a worship tune and then realizing the lyrics aren't actually good, or even correct?

Ever wanted to use a song in worship knowing you're putting something out there that's more style than substance?

Thoughts? If something in me loves all the elements in a song except the lyrics, does that still mean it's a good song? How much do lyrics "weigh?"

Uncle Jay...

I don't think you have to be a comic book nerd to add your voice to this one. (But I could be wrong...)

Which one of these guys has consistently created and maintained the best superheroes?









Anybody care to list out all the heroes from each perspective company?

LOVING THIS BLOG...

Dear Michael Jackson,

I regret being the bearer of bad news, but your song, "Man in the Mirror" is no longer considered the perfect song to do a poorly choreographed church dance routine to.

I know, I know, I was surprised too. Even though your song helped the homeless and had the beautiful, "make that change" whisper at the end, there's a better one out there.

I am of course talking about Gloria Estefan's, "Coming out of the dark." Have you heard that?

That song is so perfect for church youth groups that it almost feels like it was genetically engineered in a lab using the essence of Carmen and Sandi Patty. It's that perfect.

Look at the first verse, with what I feel are some pretty awesome dance instructions:"
Why be afraid if I'm not alone" (Hug yourself tightly as if you are by yourself)
"Though life is never easy the rest in unknown" (Move your head back and forth as if confused)
"Up to now for me it's been hands against stone" (Do a kind of mime thing like your hands are against stone)
"Spent each and every moment" (No ideas here, maybe jazz hands?)
"Searching for what to believe" (Put your hands to your eyes as if scanning the horizon)

That's just the first verse. The chorus is even better. And let's be honest, these have been a bumpy couple of years for you. Gloria, however is still out there doing it. She was on American Idol the other night.

Again, sorry to be the one to tell you this. And excuse the C-level quality of this joke, but I tried to warn you:

the rhythm is gonna get you.

HT: Stuff Christians Like

One More Way The Bible Freaks Me Out...

Does the scripture freak anybody else out?

(Judges 11)

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.
34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."
36 "My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."
38 "You may go," he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed.

Or am I just spiritually immature?

Why Do I Do Stuff Like This?

In addition to having some major computer problems, my wife has been in Florida for the past few days. (She kept saying it's a "sabbatical." Should I be concerned?)

Anyway, those two events have prevented me from blogging. It's just as well - not that much cool has happened to me. (Although a funny thing did happen w/ the Paul Baloche deal...more later.)

Typically, Friday nights are "movie night" for the Wright family. We usually rent a movie for the kids and one for Kristen and I (that we end up never watching.) So, the kids rented Alvin and the Chipmunks and I rented Michael Clayton.

We had a picnic in the living room, watching Alvin and crew then had some ice cream. Finley went to bed around 8 and Jonah finally fell asleep around 9:30. So I head downstairs, trying to decide what to do. I decided against the treadmill as it would prevent me hearing if my children were to fall from their beds, choke in the night or be attacked by vipers.

The movie! So I pop on the TV and start getting ready to see if George Clooney's legal thriller is all it's cracked up to be. But before I do, I decided to check this independent film channel we get. It usually a 50/50 mix of really great movies and really horrible ones, so I try to check it out often. While surfing, I realize that it's free-movie-weekend or something. None of the good channels mind you - but some lame movie channels showing a bunch of old, not too exciting stuff that might still entice us into signing up for their products.

I surf through to see what they've got and I come across this:

I watched the whole thing. The whole thing.

Should I be concerned?

HOOKUPS...

Most of you know that I like Paul Baloche.

Okay, okay...who are we kidding? I love Paul Baloche.

Shortly after the record came out, I asked Paul's assistant if I could mail one to Paul as a thank you for all that his music has meant to me over the years.

Frank says to send it, so I do.

Now, I imagine that Paul receives lots of CDs in the mail, most of them "unsolicited," so I was cool if they didn't have time to listen to it.

Last week, Casting Crowns, Leeland and John Waller came to Nacogdoches (this gross little city next to Lufkin.) I get a text on the night of the concert from my good buddy Clay Walker. The text reads:

i'm with paul baloche right now

I try to text him back to see what in the heck is going on and find out that Paul is at the concert in Nacogdoches. Beyond that, I can't really figure out what's going on.

The next morning, I call Clay. It goes something like this:

TODD
What the heck?

CLAY
Dude, he was at the Casting Crowns concert. He and Mark Hall are like best friends.
...
It was so cool man,

TODD
So, did you -

CLAY
He's a little guy!

TODD
Right, so were you able to ask him -

CLAY
But fit! Boy, he is a fit guy!

TODD
Good...so, did you guys happen to talk about -

CLAY
He thought it was so cool that I was from Mineola...you know, I from there and that's his neck of the woods...

TODD
Clay...

CLAY
I mean, this is PAUL BALOCHE! The guy who writes so many songs that my church sings!

TODD
But, Clay -

CLAY
It was awesome.

TODD
Clay, Clay, Clay, Clay...
Tell me you asked him if he got the CD...tell me you talked about it.

CLAY
Um. No, I didn't.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, if you don't mind...please email Clay at clay@fbclufkin.org and leave him a very rude comment about betrayal or the true nature of friendship or some such meanness.

Then we'll all feel better.

(By the way, there is a silver lining to this story...but it will have to wait...)

Another Worship Theory O' Mine...

Remember way back when....when it seemed like every worship band in the world wanted to be U2?

Well, that's changed.

I think they all want to be Coldplay now.

But then again, is there really any difference in the 2?

Uncle Jay...

An Admission...

A couple of admissions...

1. I like award shows.
2. I grew up on Contemporary Christian Music.

Now, you can say what you want contemporary Christian music or the music industry in general as it relates to faith....but when I was 13-years old, I wanted to be a CCM star.

And while I will NOT admit exactly how long I nursed ambitions to be at the top of the CHR charts, I will admit that I loved...






Yes, I loved the Dove Awards.

While other kids were listening to secular radio and watching MTV while their parents were out of the house, I was waiting on the Dove Awards.

And I thought it was over...I thought I was done. I thought I was better.

Then, two days ago, a new channel pops up on our TV, thanks to the fine folks at DISHnetwork: THE GOSPEL MUSIC CHANNEL.

And guess what they're showing live on April 23rd?

I can't promise I'll be okay...I can't promise that I won't spend two hours glued to the TV on that night...and I can't promise that I won't rush out and buy the trendiest clothes I can find and start choreographing my stage show...

Pray for me, saints.

Drums...

HT: Double3

Jonah and Todd Are In...

Jenkees...