Words

So i have been working on a song with Davey for months now. Actually we worked on it a few months ago... and didn't really pick it back up till yesterday.

the chorus came to me one sunday morning when i was setting out Elements signs... and has left my head since.

I am excited because we are going to teach it to element this sunday... and as i was doing my studying (actually i am supposed to be writing my message right now) i came across this verse.

That pretty much has nailed me... that pretty much was the song God gave us.

I don't like to read into the words... or super impose scripture that was meant for someone else over me... but God's word is alive, and active... and i pray that this is his word for us.

as far as the song... well you'll have to come on sunday to hear it :^)

Isaiah 49:8-26 (The Message)

^8-12God also says:

"When the time's ripe, I answer you.
When victory's due, I help you.
I form you and use you
to reconnect the people with me,
To put the land in order,
to resettle families on the ruined properties.
I tell prisoners, 'Come on out. You're free!'
and those huddled in fear, 'It's all right. It's safe now.'
There'll be foodstands along all the roads,
picnics on all the hills—
Nobody hungry, nobody thirsty,
shade from the sun, shelter from the wind,
For the Compassionate One guides them,
takes them to the best springs.
I'll make all my mountains into roads,
turn them into a superhighway.
Look: These coming from far countries,
and those, out of the north,
These streaming in from the west,
and those from all the way down the Nile!"

¹³Heavens, raise the roof! Earth, wake the dead!
Mountains, send up cheers!
God has comforted his people.
He has tenderly nursed his beaten-up, beaten-down people.

¹⁴But Zion said, "I don't get it. God has left me.
My Master has forgotten I even exist."

^15-18"Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,
walk away from the baby she bore?
But even if mothers forget,
I'd never forget you—never.
Look, I've written your names on the backs of my hands.
The walls you're rebuilding are never out of my sight.
Your builders are faster than your wreckers.
The demolition crews are gone for good.
Look up, look around, look well!
See them all gathering, coming to you?
As sure as I am the living God"—God's Decree—
"you're going to put them on like so much jewelry,
you're going to use them to dress up like a bride.

^19-21"And your ruined land?
Your devastated, decimated land?
Filled with more people than you know what to do with!
And your barbarian enemies, a fading memory.
The children born in your exile will be saying,
'It's getting too crowded here. I need more room.'
And you'll say to yourself,
'Where on earth did these children come from?
I lost everything, had nothing, was exiled and penniless.
So who reared these children?
How did these children get here?'"

^22-23The Master, God, says:

"Look! I signal to the nations,
I raise my flag to summon the people.
Here they'll come: women carrying your little boys in their arms,
men carrying your little girls on their shoulders.
Kings will be your babysitters,
princesses will be your nursemaids.
They'll offer to do all your drudge work—
scrub your floors, do your laundry.
You'll know then that I am God.
No one who hopes in me ever regrets it."

^24-26Can plunder be retrieved from a giant,
prisoners of war gotten back from a tyrant?
But God says, "Even if a giant grips the plunder
and a tyrant holds my people prisoner,
I'm the one who's on your side,
defending your cause, rescuing your children.
And your enemies, crazed and desperate, will turn on themselves,
killing each other in a frenzy of self-destruction.
Then everyone will know that I, God,
have saved you—I, the Mighty One of Jacob."

BGV's

So tonight Jill and i cashed in one of our christmas gift cards, and took the family to Outback. Serious... you can't really go wrong with out back.

Anns was doing great eating macaroni and cheese, and we had a great dinner with a well behaved toddler.

On the way home i switched on some music... and i put on the We Are Element Cd, because

Anns loves it.

Little did i know, but half way home after multiple rounds of applause from the car seat... i hear the tiniest little backgrounds vocals... and yes, my daughter was singing the song that i wrote.

Talk about a highlight of the day... i was just thinking as we were driving... "well at least my kids can listen to this and know that there day was cool... even if it was only for a little while"... and then i hear her singing.

Talk about warming my heart!

TOP CHEF 7

So, i have been thinking about doing this for quite some time... and after some prayer, and not so subtle nudging... i am going to apply for TOP Chef season 7.

Seriously if you haven't seen the show, one of the best displays of new culinary talent that is on TV. As soon as Chris get back in town we are going to shoot our 5 min audition video, and i am just finishing the 28 page application.

who knows, might make it on there... wouldn't that be crazy! So send out your prayers, if this is supposed to happen, than lets do it. If not, well... we will just have to see!

have you checked out my Chefs blog Lately?

a word

My mornings start out like most mornings, i wake up to Annsley's voice over the baby monitor saying "Daggy... 'ere are you" like clock work at 7:15am. I get her out of bed with he 52 million blankets (her newest obsession), fix her breakfast (this morning "blue" cinnamon toast... which is not blue at all... don't ask... i don't know), i hop in the shower, eat, dress, go to work.

Each morning over the last year and a half i have been making it a practice to pray over my family on my way to work... this means i dont turn on 620 WDAE, or my latest audio book... but i pray for the things of God to fill us, protect us, and against the things or schemes of the enemy.

The last couple of days i have been feeling this closeness to God in my car... i don't know why... but i do.

this morning i made my way to Mike and Emily's new house to meet with them for their wedding which is this saturday. After an hour of good conversation, a cinnamon bagel, and a good cup of coffee...Mike, Emily, our good friends Joey and Niki and myself took the time to pray for this weekend.

Which is a HUGE story... Mike and Emily got divorced almost 2 years ago... and God took something horribly broken and has reshaped it into something so beautifully broken. As we were praying i couldn't help remember all the conversations, tears, questions, prayers that God used to lead them to this place of redemption.

I am so honored that i got to be apart of this morning... to see friends... to laugh, cry (yes i am a crier) to pray with people who are choosing to live a different way... the way of Love, of forgiveness given and received, of suffering and sacrifice, of second place, of Joy and sorrow intermingled, of purpose, of confidence and questions, of mystery and hope... people who are choosing to follow the way of Jesus.

After this celebration, Niki said she felt that God was speaking a word over me... She said "thoroughbred". Which in my mind has huge thoughts attached to it... not just my love of horses (which she has no clue about).

So i am asking God today to speak to this word... what does this mean... i am praying for the promises that God gave my family will come to be, and i am filled with an overwhelming richness today.

How did this not make the top 3

So i am a little bummed, a couple of months ago Davey and I were given the info about the St.Pete Song Contest from Chris and Charity here at Element.

The basic idea was to write a song that would become the official Song of St. Petersburg. This song could be used in advertising, commercials, websites... So when we began the writing process we decided it would be best to write it with those avenues in mind.

After a week of tweaking... i got to say we were both pretty pumped about it. It has a great hook, it have the commercial relevance that we were going for, and a ton of energy.

"This is my City"

so today they announced the top 3... and as i bet you can imagine... we did not make it.

Now granted this whole recording was done on our Mac, with no external mics... so the recording in Ok...

I guess i am more bummed that it was passed over for 3 songs that sound alike (classic island rock) and that will continue to describe it as a sleep beach town, instead of a burgeoning art, music, and sports community.

All in All, i wish them the best... We spoke with some people from the office during the competition who were incredibly helpful and who has such a great sense of welcoming.

but any city's out there who want a killer new tune to use for their marketing... just let us know.

New Bumper

Hey guys, here is the Killer Bumper that Chris and Melody made for our new series "Utopia", if you would like it... just ask and there are many more cool videos that we are doing for this series.

I freaking love EPIC series!!!

wow...

So, i am not gonna lie... i google my name. Don't act so surprised you know you do it do. What came up today was a blast from the past. Besides the fact that my cheeks we significantly more chubby... i came across a video of a song i wrote about Jill and I... and i wrote it for my sisters wedding almost 5 years ago.

I was having coffee this morning with one of our element guys, he was sharing about some of the HUGE painful things that are going on in their marriage... and i feel like most our generation has not been taught how 2 become 1.

Sadly we learn it out the hard way, or hurt the very one who is supposed to be completing us, to the point of no return.

When i heard this song (which i haven't sung since... to be honest i completely forgot that i even wrote it), i had HUGE amounts of memories, some good, some painful, some still in process of our first couple years of marriage.

If i only knew then what i know now, right.

If you can look past the cheeks, and the pour audio recording... i think this song might speak to you like it spoke to me again.