Narrow Road

So I got a call yesterday from Brad Isch--Senior Pastor at Narrow Road Church. It turns out that we have a mutual friend (a guy named Brian Blackburn), who recommended me to help them out this week, leading in worship. I'm looking forward to checking out Narrow Road--another young church plant (I think they're less than 2 years old). I'm told it's in Newark (never been there, but I've heard that there are roads there and stuff).

Being a part of Journey Church has been AMAZING for me...one of my favorite things, that I never would have "voted" for originally, is having services at 4:30 in the afternoon on Sundays. I LOVE IT. It enables me to have a quiet Sunday morning home with my family most mornings (I've become quite the breakfast cooking mad-man). It also enables me to do things like this at Narrow Road on occasion (I've also been other places on Sunday mornings, helping out here and there, as needed). It's become a GREAT practice for me in the area of "kingdom mindedness".

Pray for me and the community of believers at Narrow Road, that the weekend will be one where the Spirit of God is at work, breathing peace and healing on those present.

American Idol Update (girls)

OK--finally getting the DVR set to play last night's show. Here we go...

Carly--obviously could be a total superstar. She has a pretty seamless range, as a "belter". I don't like her song choice at all, and she should have chosen to not keep pounding the "high note"--it makes it not seem so special, when you do it over and over. Safe as can be this week, though.
Syesha--Baby cry thing was not necessary in the interview. It made me a little scared of her. For real. She's pretty good, but not good enough to get by with a song that boring. Not so hot.

Brooke--Nice guitar, and she plays it not too bad. Not a bad song choice. I like her better behind an instrument. Last week, she had no idea what to do with herself, etc. She belongs behind a guitar or piano. She probably bailed herself out from last week.

Ramiele--I've always thought her voice is better than she looks like it would be...until this time. Not so good, really. Kind of lame song (but the bass player had a blast).

Kristy--Nice sturgeon! Wow! She's starting to annoy me, though. She's playing the "I think I'm a hottie" card too much, and that bugs me. She's not that good of a singer, really...we'll see. Really doesn't seem comfortable on the stage to me.

Amanda--Harley rider. I used to like that song, but she kind of killed it a bit for me. The dancing bits were not good, and her vocals were just not good at all, really. Pitch problems abound. I liked her before. Not nearly as much now.

Alaina--She has serious food issues. Not a good song choice. She goes sharp constantly, and it's really annoying. I think she has hearing problems a little bit. For real. I've found that good singers go sharp a lot when they can't hear the tonal center of where they're supposed to be--it helps them pick their voice out of the mix, and stay really close to the right note (just a little sharp). Generally, I don't like her much.

Alexandrea--I can't possibly hear that song and think anything but Peter Cetera. It was probably a better performance than it felt like, but it didn't feel that good to me. She should have done a different song, for sure, I think. I'm not impressed. She also gives horrible answers (with Ryan). REALLY uncomfortable.

Kady--She seems pretty cocky to me--"I can sing anything" attitude. Maybe she can sing it all, but she totally defines "jack of all trades, master of none" concept. She's a perfect versatile studio vocal, but NOT a superstar.

Asia'h--Cheerleader. Just like Paula used to be. How cute. Her mistake in the beginning was SO obvious, because she smiled at herself. Not good. It definitely turned out better than I thought it would. It wasn't that bad, but I certainly wasn't blown away.

Generally, not at all impressed with the girls tonight. The best was Carly, by far. After that, there are at least 4 or 5 who could go home. My guess of the 2 going home are Alaina and Kady, but more of them deserve to.

We'll see tonight.

It's Not What You Think

When I was a kid (like 5 or so), I had an evil uncle. Well, not really EVIL, necessarily, but he did a few things that were just plain wrong. Funny, but wrong. He was 10 years older than me, and I was the perfect target. Like the day (he has conveniently forgotten all about this) that he and his buddies got a halloween face kit, and put make-up cuts and scars all over my face. Upon completion of his masterpiece, he sent me down the street to a dear older lady, whose name shall remain anonymous (I don't want a law suit here), to ask her for money, which she willingly doled out rather quickly.

It seems that Morgen has taken a lesson from Uncle Troy, as we found her with Jen's lipstick in hand, looking like THIS! It's not exactly like she's starving for attention or anything, being the cutest little girl in the Milky Way Galaxy. Next will be the heat up the thermometer to 108 with a lamp trick...sheesh!

American Idol Update (guys)

OK...blogging live, while I watch American Idol (from my DVR, actually)

Michael--chose too big of a song for himself. He's still really good. I actually love the song, but not for him...maybe if he'd taken it a couple steps lower or something....

Jason--I think he really is who he appears to be on the stage. Not too bad. I like him still.

Luke--I just don't think he's good enough for this show. His voice is just a little annoying to me. (Jennifer thinks he looks a little like Orlando Bloom)

Robbie--gross song (although very well known, of course). I don't like him much at all, but he did better this week than last week.

Danny--Absolutely can't stand him. Nowhere near as good as he thinks he might be. Screwy, annoying vibrato, and he sings sharp a lot.

David--I liked his vocals a bunch. His BGV's (back ground vocals) were pretty tight, too (unusual for this show, at this point). Great choice for the last chord. Good job. I liked it. I still don't know about him as a performer, though. We'll see.

Jason--BGVs helped him NONE. He sounded better this week--his voice sounded different, somehow. Still not too good. Not NEARLY as bad as what the judges just said, though. I felt bad for him. He seems like a nice guy.

Chikezie--he looked like Carlton from "Fresh Prince of Bel Air". He sounded better tonight than last week, by far. Still not American Idol worthy, in all honesty (comparing him to who has won in the past). I like the origin and meaning of his name. What a nice guy, it seems.

David Cook--He plays his guitar backwards. I didn't like the tone of the Les Paul much, and it was way too out front in the mix. He's not bad. Vocally OK. I'd like to beat him in Scrabble (he'd so go down, in spite of his "word nerd" status).

David Archeluta--Jennifer thinks he's SO cute. He needs a different mic to stop his popping problems (maybe a pop filter). He's VERY good vocally for his age. He really might win. I like the simple arrangement, with a simple song. GREAT choice. GREAT performance. Wether he wins or not, he's going to be HUGE, no matter what. really. Far and away, best of the night.

Going home--Jason (second one) and Luke. Maybe. We'll see.

TITAN

So, I'm selling my truck. My beautiful 2004 Nissan Titan LE with every option possible. I decided that it really had to go, as I'm trying to pinch dollars a bit. Instead, I think I'm going to be a Honda Accord guy...yes, the one with 34 mpg standard transmition. Less insurance, less gas expense, less for TIRES! It's the best economical decision. I hate every second of it deep down inside. I'm gonna miss my truck.

American Idol

Well, last week, my favorite was Michael--the dude from Australia. That still holds true after last night's run of the guys' fight for top 12. If I had to call it at this point, I'd say he's gonna win. I think he's the best. I also liked the young kid...David, and the guy with dreads--Jason I think.

As for girls, I like the rocker girl and Asia'h the best. Oh yeah , the Irish girl too. We'll see what they do tonight....

Winter Wonderland

What a FUN day today, as we broke out the sled for the first time, and dad played "one horse" ...you know, from the song, "Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh...." The song goes on to say something about bobcats with bells or something, then breaks into the part we all know and love, "Jingle all the way!" We definitely had a blast, in spite of the insanely cold wind that blew the VERY powdery snow into our faces every 20 seconds or so. Morgen wasn't so fond of that part...actually she was a little apprehensive about everything, constantly saying, "whoa, whoa, whoa...." (she already knows about horses, I guess).

I love snow. It brings out the kid in me. I even made a snow angel. 2 actually.

Freedom

I've not blogged for a bit...sorry. I'm back.

OK--to the point. Our house church (or "home church", if you prefer) meets Thursday nights in a home in Galloway, OH. We've been meeting for nearly 6 months, I would guess. It's been a great thing for us, that just got better. More real. More messy. More dependent on God.

I've been going through (listening on CD, actually) C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" over the last couple of months, and recently finished "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." In a climactic part of this book, young Eustace Scrubb discovers the lair of a recently deceased dragon. Overtaken by the immense treasure hoarded in the cave, Eustace undergoes a transformation in his sleep, and becomes a dragon himself. After going through some intense soul searching, Eustace comes to a point of seeking freedom from his enchantment, and attempts to remove his dragon shell. He "sheds" his skin a couple of times, but remains a dragon still. In his frustration, he listens to the voice of the great lion, Aslan, who says that Eustace needs his help to truly remove the dragon part of who Eustace had become. Immense pain was to follow for Eustace, as Aslan tore deep into his flesh, peeling off layer after layer, to reveal the boy that was inside the dragon. For Eustace, the transformation was the most painful thing that he'd ever gone through, but still the greatest day of his life, as Aslan rescued him from what he had become.

I feel that God has been doing this to me, personally, for a number of years. He has been taking off layer after layer, the more I surrender completely to him. It has been an extremely painful process, but so incredibly freeing.

"How does this relate to the home church?", you ask. I'm glad you asked. I feel that layers are being peeled off in that group as well, as a church. Our group comes from many backgrounds, where the "church" concept has taken many forms, wearing many different beastly shells. These shells are slowly, and painfully being removed, as we surrender more and more to our King, who is lovingly and ferociously (somehow simultaneous), peeling off layer after layer. We are beginning to understand more of what God has for us, as His church, returning to basic principles of scripture says the "church" is to be.

Freedom. Freedom is the best word to describe what is happening. I can't wait to see what will happen next on the Journey.