Juaquin Pheonix and Reese Witherspoon do such an amazing Job. I love this movie, and I love Johnny Cash!
10 hours ago
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
On Making Decisions
Wow, I just read a great statement by George Eldon Ladd in his book "The Gospel of the Kingdom" .
"Life is made up of decisions. The course of every man's life is determined by his decisions. One might say that the difference between the success of two men who are equally talented is determined by the way in which they make decisions. The adequacy of one's decisions, the intelligence with which they are made, and the ability, once a good decision has been made, to rest upon it and to move foward to the next important step will often decide the measure of success or failure. Some people go through life vacillating, wavering, unsure of themselves, never able to say a distinct Yes or No. These are people who never accomplish anything worth while for themselves or their fellow men, but who dissipate life and energy in inner conflict and indecision."
Indeed, we must choose. To waste your life with indecision is simply that, to waste your life. God grant me the mercy to choose wisely and with my whole heart that which will make much of the blazing glory of your cross and will drive those near me to it.
"Life is made up of decisions. The course of every man's life is determined by his decisions. One might say that the difference between the success of two men who are equally talented is determined by the way in which they make decisions. The adequacy of one's decisions, the intelligence with which they are made, and the ability, once a good decision has been made, to rest upon it and to move foward to the next important step will often decide the measure of success or failure. Some people go through life vacillating, wavering, unsure of themselves, never able to say a distinct Yes or No. These are people who never accomplish anything worth while for themselves or their fellow men, but who dissipate life and energy in inner conflict and indecision."
Indeed, we must choose. To waste your life with indecision is simply that, to waste your life. God grant me the mercy to choose wisely and with my whole heart that which will make much of the blazing glory of your cross and will drive those near me to it.
Top Ten Ways to Write Bad Worship Songs
This is a post by I found on Between Two Worlds, but is originally from Worship Matters. I really like this post because I can think of sooooo many worship songs that I would swear do every single one of these things! So I found it more humerus than instructive seeing as I don't write worship songs. Maybe that should be the number ten top way to write a bad worship song "Let Ted do it". The original (and full) post is here, if you want to read the whole thing with the comments and what not that people have posted, plus I want to make sure they get credit for their post!
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In my eleven years as director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries, I’ve reviewed hundreds of worship songs and written a few of my own. Not all of them have been stellar. Actually, very few of them have been. I’ve noticed recurring tendencies that keep weak songs from becoming good or great songs. I’m intimately acquainted with those tendencies in my own songs and I’ve listed my top ten below. While these thoughts are meant for songwriters, most of them apply to leading worship as well.
So if you want to write bad worship songs, follow these simple tips:
1. Aim to write the next worldwide worship hit.
2. Spend all your time working on the music, not the words.
3. Spend all your time working on the words, not the music.
4. Don’t consider the range and capabilities of the average human voice.
5. Never let anyone alter the way God originally gave your song to you.
6. Make sure the majority of your songs talk about what we do and feel rather than who God is and what he’s done.
7. Try to use as many Scriptural phrases as you can, and don’t worry about how they fit together.
8. Cover as many themes as possible.
9. Use phrases and words that are included in 95% of all worship songs.
10. Forget about Jesus and what he accomplished at the cross.
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In my eleven years as director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries, I’ve reviewed hundreds of worship songs and written a few of my own. Not all of them have been stellar. Actually, very few of them have been. I’ve noticed recurring tendencies that keep weak songs from becoming good or great songs. I’m intimately acquainted with those tendencies in my own songs and I’ve listed my top ten below. While these thoughts are meant for songwriters, most of them apply to leading worship as well.
So if you want to write bad worship songs, follow these simple tips:
1. Aim to write the next worldwide worship hit.
2. Spend all your time working on the music, not the words.
3. Spend all your time working on the words, not the music.
4. Don’t consider the range and capabilities of the average human voice.
5. Never let anyone alter the way God originally gave your song to you.
6. Make sure the majority of your songs talk about what we do and feel rather than who God is and what he’s done.
7. Try to use as many Scriptural phrases as you can, and don’t worry about how they fit together.
8. Cover as many themes as possible.
9. Use phrases and words that are included in 95% of all worship songs.
10. Forget about Jesus and what he accomplished at the cross.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
God loves to sharpen
God, indeed has a sense of humor. I had to (got to) preach this past Sunday at my church. It is a huge honor and privilege to share form the word of God. I attempted to encourage our people by describing the depth of our sin, and in turn, the greatness of the Cross. I was excited about the content, but very very disappointed with how I shared it with the congregation. In Gods great humor, and I must assume love, he seems to have pleased himself with the Tulare church asking me to preach for them this Sunday because the pastor there whom I very much admire will be doing ministry in Mexico. Funny how God decided to use the sermon I was most disappointed with myself in, and will soon have me do it again. Ahhgghh! Part of the point of my sermon is how me must cling and hope in the cross to even begin to please God, and here not more then a day after I find myself having to cling desperately to it and begging my God to somehow use me in a way that would please him, and encourage the believes in Tulare. Ironic, isn't it. I suppose, God is teaching me to practice what I preach!!
Monday, October 13, 2008
A well done video by DG
So many of us fall into this trap so easily, one thing at church, completely different at home.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A Great Poem
I found this poem as I was looking for illustrations for youth group tonight in the Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett. Thought I would share.
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It’s easy to fight when everything’s right,
And you’re mad with thrill and the glory;
It’s easy to cheer when victory’s near,
And wallow in fields that are gory.
It’s a different song when everything’s wrong,
When you’re feeling infernally mortal;
When it’s ten against one, and hope there is none,
Buck up, little soldier, and chortle:
Carry on! Carry on!
There isn’t much punch in your blow.
You are glaring and staring and hitting out blind;
You are muddy and bloody, but never you mind.
Carry on! Carry on!
You haven’t the ghost of a show.
It’s looking like death, but while you’ve a breath,
Carry on, my son! Carry on!
And so in the strife of the battle of life
It’s easy to fight when you’re winning;
It’s easy to slave, and starve and be brave,
When the dawn of success is beginning.
But the man who can meet despair and defeat
With a cheer, there’s the man of God’s choosing;
The man who can fight to Heaven’s own height
Is the man who can fight when he’s losing.
Carry on! Carry on!
Thing never were looming so black.
But show that you haven’t a cowardly streak,
And though you’re unlucky you never are weak.
Carry on! Carry on!
Brace up for another attack.
It’s looking like hell, but – you never tell.
Carry on, old man! Carry on!
There are some who drift out in the desert of doubt
And some who in brutishness wallow;
There are others, I know, who in piety go
Because of a Heaven to follow.
But to labor with zest, and to give of your best,
For the sweetness and joy of the giving;
To help folks along with a hand and a song;
Why, there’s the real sunshine of living.
Carry on! Carry on!
Fight the good fight and true;
Believe in your mission, greet life with a cheer;
There’s big work to do, and that’s why you are here.
Carry on! Carry on!
Let the world be the better for you;
And at last when you die, let this be your cry!
Carry on, my soul! Carry on!
-----
It’s easy to fight when everything’s right,
And you’re mad with thrill and the glory;
It’s easy to cheer when victory’s near,
And wallow in fields that are gory.
It’s a different song when everything’s wrong,
When you’re feeling infernally mortal;
When it’s ten against one, and hope there is none,
Buck up, little soldier, and chortle:
Carry on! Carry on!
There isn’t much punch in your blow.
You are glaring and staring and hitting out blind;
You are muddy and bloody, but never you mind.
Carry on! Carry on!
You haven’t the ghost of a show.
It’s looking like death, but while you’ve a breath,
Carry on, my son! Carry on!
And so in the strife of the battle of life
It’s easy to fight when you’re winning;
It’s easy to slave, and starve and be brave,
When the dawn of success is beginning.
But the man who can meet despair and defeat
With a cheer, there’s the man of God’s choosing;
The man who can fight to Heaven’s own height
Is the man who can fight when he’s losing.
Carry on! Carry on!
Thing never were looming so black.
But show that you haven’t a cowardly streak,
And though you’re unlucky you never are weak.
Carry on! Carry on!
Brace up for another attack.
It’s looking like hell, but – you never tell.
Carry on, old man! Carry on!
There are some who drift out in the desert of doubt
And some who in brutishness wallow;
There are others, I know, who in piety go
Because of a Heaven to follow.
But to labor with zest, and to give of your best,
For the sweetness and joy of the giving;
To help folks along with a hand and a song;
Why, there’s the real sunshine of living.
Carry on! Carry on!
Fight the good fight and true;
Believe in your mission, greet life with a cheer;
There’s big work to do, and that’s why you are here.
Carry on! Carry on!
Let the world be the better for you;
And at last when you die, let this be your cry!
Carry on, my soul! Carry on!
The Lujans Blog!
I just found out the missionaries that we support have a blog! It seems as though it has been a while since they have posted, but it's still pretty cool to be able to see their photos and stuff from the field. If you want to check them out I am following their blog so it should be under my list of blogs I am following.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Go Cart Promo Video
I figured it out! For my millions of readers out there (Mrs. Garver) I simply had encoded my video file at to high a resolution! Anyhow... here is the promo video I made for the massive go-cart championship coming up in a couple of weeks!
If anybody wants to come hang out and race go carts, let me know!!
If anybody wants to come hang out and race go carts, let me know!!
Monday, October 6, 2008
You Tube is Killing Me!
I have built a promo video for this awesome go-cart race we are putting on, but I can't seem to get it to work on you tube. Love design stuff but video kills me! If any of my billions of readers happens to know how to do this let me know!!
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