Fall Playlist

A few days ago, my friend Candice blogged a list of wonderful songs for the fall season. She inspired me to make my own list.

For the past 4 years, I have made a mix every summer and listen to it all summer long. When I read her post I thought, "Why not every season?"...SO, the plan is to make a compilation every season from now on.

I have to admit that I stole some artist and/or song ideas from Candice...what can I say? If you have good taste, people want to copy you. And if anyone has good taste/style, it's Candice!


So here it is:

Neon...John Mayer
The City...Milosh
How We Operate...Gomez
Waiting Line...Zero 7
Walnut Tree...Keane
I Don't Trust Myself...John Mayer
Nowhere Warm...Kate Havnevik
Strange and Beautiful...Aqualung
Somersault...Zero 7
I Drive Alone...Esthero
Chasing Cars...Snow Patrol
Against All Odds...Postal Service
Hopeless...Train
Colors...Amos Lee
Cannonball...Damien Rice
How to Save a Life...The Fray
Nos Da Cariad...David Gray
Let Go...Frou Frou
Grace....Kate Havnevik
The Scientist...Coldplay

I have a silly habit of thinking about my life like a movie. Sometimes I hear a song and think...that song should be on the soundtrack to my life. These are just a few of those songs.

"Unashamed"

Here are the lyrics to a song that really spoke to me this morning.


"Unashamed"
by Starfield

I have not much to offer You,
Not near what you deserve
But still I come because Your cross
has placed in me my worth

I kow I'm weak,
I know I'm unworthy
to call upon Your name
But because of grace,
because of Your mercy,
I stand here unashamed

Oh, Christ, My King of sympathy
Whose wounds secure my peace
Your grace extends to call me friend
Your mercy sets me free

I know I'm weak,
I know I'm unworthy
to call upon Your name
But because of grace,
because of Your mercy,
I stand here unashamed

I can't explain this kind of love
I'm humbled and amazed
that You'd come down from heaven's heights
and greet me face to face

I know I'm weak,
I know I'm unworthy
to call upon Your name
But because of grace,
because of Your mercy
I stand here unashamed

Here I am,
at Your feet
In my brokeness complete

The Mudpie

The Mudpie
Originally uploaded by random thoughts photography.

This photo of mine was chosen to be in the Schmap Chattanooga Guide. I had never heard of this before, but apparently several cities have this sort of online map and listing of places to be.

I think it's kind of neat to have one of my pictures chosen for something like this, even though there was no benefit to me, it's still pretty cool.

They did however, provide me with a link that I have put on my sidebar that allows my readers to download the Schmap guides...check 'em out, they're kind of cool!

Weekend Update...

Yellow Jacket
Originally uploaded by random thoughts photography.

This is a picture from my weekend in North Carolina with Jes.

Check out the rest of them here. There are only a few and most are from our trip to visit the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro.

I had such an amazing time with Jes and her parents. I was so much looking forward to being able to spend some more time with Jes' parents and get to know them a little bit better. They are such amazing people, and I have been amazed at how willingly they accept me and have really been encouraging of our relationship. I really feel like I have a second home now in North Carolina.

This weekend, we had such a wonderful time enjoying each other and just some simple things together. We played tennis, went running, went to the Zoo, had some wonderful meals, played Catch Phrase, watched a movie, and just enjoyed being able to be together.

Today was such a great day, despite my major Jes withdrawls. I have such a renewed sense of thankfulness and joy and a strong trust in God.

A year ago, this weekend, I came home and decided to transfer from Southern Wesleyan. It is such a huge blessing to be able to look back on the past year and so clearly see God's hand guiding me to where I am now. I have never been one to appreciate the procees that leads to a result...I'm a huge instant gratification person. BUT, God has given me such a huge thankfulness for the process and the season of growth that He has brought me through in the past year. He is so good. His ways are higher than our ways, and even when I don't understand and the process is hard, I trust that He has a purpose and a plan. I trust that He has a purpose for every season, every trial, every hardship, every good day and every hard day.

ROAD TRIP!

Today's the big day...I am leaving in a few short hours to visit Jes for the weekend. I'm beyond excited.

On my way out of town I'm going to splurge and buy two....maybe three CD's for my road trip.

John Mayer and the Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack are definites.

Beyonce' and Justin are maybes.

I'll post about the music and my trip when I get back.

Have a great weekend!

Random dates I'm looking forward to...

Grey's Anatomy season premiere.......Thursday, Spetember 21

Gilmore Girls season premiere.......Tuesday, September 26

and most exiting....

I GET TO SEE JES IN 3 DAYS!!!

5 years later...

Since today is the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I thought I would share my memories from that day...

It was my junior year in high school. I was participating in a program called "elementary mentorship" in which a group of students went to the local elementary school 2 or 3 times a week to work in a classroom. I worked with a 1st grade teacher named Susan. Susan and I had already bonded, even though it was still the beginning of the school year.

I can remember that I was helping a student with his reading journal when Susan called me over to her desk. She told me what had happened and we sat behind her desk with a small hand-held radio up to our ears trying to hear the latest updates. This was inbetween the 2nd plane hitting the World Trade Center and the crash into the Pentagon. I remember being very confused and not really realizing what was going on.

The elementary school administration did not allow any television that day and so many of the visual images that people have of the events of that morning I did not see until later.

When I got in the car with a few other students to drive back to our high school, neither one of them had heard about the attacks, so I told them about it. By the time we got back to our school, many teachers were not allowing students to watch the news reports, and so I wasn't able to see anything until that night. My parents were out of town, and I can remember feeling very unsettled.

So many people had such devastating hours that day. If you haven't seen the World Trade Center movie, go see it. It is a great look into the personal lives of two Port Authority officers who were trapped under the rubble and their experience of that day.

Here we are, 5 years later, wrapped up in a war caused to some extent by the events of that day. May we continue to support our country and our troops. No matter your political leaning, on this day, lets all join together in remembrance of what our country lost and the freedom that has been given to us.

What are your memories from that morning?

Random Thought for the day...Just say no to drugs!

Drug Store - Color
Originally uploaded by random thoughts photography.

Transitions

Before my friend Jennifer moved to South Carolina earlier this summer, we made a sort of "demo" CD together of a few songs that we had written, I still haven't heard the CD, and it was meant just as a keepsake because Jenn has been my "singing buddy" since my junior year of high school. She and I have shared lots of fun times working out harmonies, sharing special music, and leading worship together.

Today was the first Sunday of having a new vocalist singing with the band since going through a major transition the past few months. Not only did Jennifer move away, but two other vocalists have stepped down, one several months ago, and one very recently ( who was also our keyboard player!). It has been a major challenge as I have had to really emerge myself into the leadership of the band, which, to be completely honest, is not where I feel most comfortable. For the past several weeks, I have been the only vocalist and also playing either guitar or keyboard during the sets....way out of my comfort zone. I was telling Jes the other day, that I would feel most comfortable being in the background, singing harmony with none of the added responsibility of leadership. But God is not in the business of keeping us where we are most comfortable.

This has all been such a learning experience. I have learned that I rely too much on my own ability and strength. I have learned that God IS faithful and will supply ALL of my needs. I have learned what it means to trust...even when it looks impossible and I am overwhelmed by the situation. I have learned that I am my own biggest distraction. I have had to look and listen past my faults and realize that HE is worthy of my worship NO MATTER WHAT!

Today was one of the first times in a while that I have been able to enter into worship myself during a service. I felt like God was pleased with my worship even though I felt so inadequate and unworthy to be leading worship. It definitely helped having another worshipper standing next to me.

Here are the lyrics to one of the songs that Jenn and I recorded. The Lord constantly uses these words to convict me and draw me closer. Allow the Lord to speak to your heart today. I know I desperately need to hear His voice.

"I Repent"

I repent, I repent
I turn and walk away from all I knew before
I repent, I repent
I'm feeling like a little child once again

You open my eyes to all my sin
You know all my faults, still you call me Your friend
You are all I'll ever need
Only in You am I complete

Set my heart on You
Jesus, set my heart on You

Another Picture from Labor Day Weekend

Jes and Me in front of the fire place
Originally uploaded by random thoughts photography.

Arise and Be Comforted

I added a new song to my myspace profile today. I try to change my song every few days, trying to capture the mood that I am in. I put up Watermark's "Arise and Be Comforted" from their A Grateful People album. The album is a collection of great live worship featuring Nathan and Christy Nockles of Watermark with special appearances by Chris Tomlin, Shane and Shane, and Charlie Hall. It truly is one of the best worship albums I've heard in a while and sadly it will be the last Watermark album. Raw and passionate vocals are found throughout. In my opinon, Christy Nockles has one of the best voices in the Christian music industry and is definitely a gifted worship leader.

The Lord has truly used this song to speak to my heart lately. One night when Jes and I were talking, she felt the Lord urging her to tell me that God was telling me to "arise". It just so happens that God had been singing this song in my spirit all week that week.

I think a very harsh and sad reality is that so often we get bogged down in the mundane and/or trivial aspects of life that we feel too overwhelmed to even seek the face of God. This song speaks to the cry of every human's heart...to be comforted. Also, it so simply expresses the goodness and tender mercies of the Lord.

Arise and Be Comforted

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by Nathan and Christy Nockles

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Arise and be comforted

For the Lord, He is good to the weary

And even the young heart can tire and fall

But He knows them all

For the Lord, He will renew their strength

And they will soar on wings as eagles

And they will run and never grow weary

They will walk and not grow faint

For the Lord, He is good

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

Lift your eyes to the heavens

For the creator is living in you

Come surrender as you are

And know that you’ll never stray too far

Let His power within you heal your heart

Lift your eyes to spacious skies

Let Him chart your way to flight

Spread your wings and fly

For the Lord, He is good

"Survivor" uses racial divisions to gain ratings

I'm not sure if you've heard about it, but the CBS reality TV show, "Survivor" added a new twist this season. They are dividing the tribes into four ethnic groupings - black, white, Asain, and Hispanic. I wrote an article about it for one of my Journalism classes....i'm posting it below. What's your opinion on the whole thing?

“Survivor” divides at home too
by Brett Crisp

RICHMNOND, VA - There is a storm brewing in the Cook Islands of the South Pacific. CBS reality show “Survivor: Cook Islands” fresh with a new twist and already causing quite a stir, is scheduled to hit U.S. airwaves Thursday, September 14.

Starting its 13th season, the reality show cast a more ethnically diverse group of contestants. According to an Associated Press release, the 20 individuals, called castaways on the show, will be divided into four tribes according to ethnicity – Hispanic, black, white, and Asian.

Jeff Probst, host of the show and a main voice in promotions for the new season, recognizes the potential of the new twist.

“It’s very risky business because you’re bringing up a topic that is a hot button,” said Probst to the AP service for young readers.

According to an MSNBC online poll, Probst was right in his prediction that the show is hitting a touchy subject this season. The poll responses are divided nearly equally as to whether the new twist is a good or a bad idea.

VCU’s response to “Survivor” ‘s new racial focus is also divided.

“I think it’s a bad idea, because that’s just racism,” said freshman Jenny Vo.

Senior Nicole Ballou agrees. “We spend so much time trying to be united as a nation and that [the new twist] is going against everything we’ve tried to do,” she said.

Other students are supporting the show’s decision.

“I think it’s a really good idea. The ratings are going to go up,” said sophomore Natascha Williams.

“I don’t think people should read so much into it, it’s just a game,” said senior Chanel Call.

Assistant Professor of Mass Communications, Dr. Lynn Owens agrees with Probst that this is a risky ploy. “It’s going to be tricky business for the producers,” she said.

Owens also thinks that the primary danger in the show’s focus on race is stereotyping.

“It’s going to be difficult not to highlight stereotypes,” said Owens.

With voices on both sides of the coin, the only thing that is certain is that a show that has not been in the spotlight for a while has garnered attention once again. Whether the attention will help or hurt the show is yet to be determined.

Here we go again...

So here's to another attempt to actually write on this thing. It seems that after I no longer had my faithful blogging friend, Candice, around to inspire me to update regularly that I have been a major blogging failure.

This past weekend, my brother Patrick and his wife Jana came home to visit. I found out when they got here that they had started their own blog and this caused me to start thinking about starting to write down some random thoughts once again for the reading pleasure of...well probably no one.

Jes was also here this weekend, as I guess you can tell by the picture. On Sunday, I decided to take her to the University of Richmond campus and walk around. We took a few pics while we were there. Check them out on my Flickr site. The one here was just of us being goofy. For some reason, Jes really likes my dramatic facial expressions!

All in all it was a great weekend. I am very thankful for my family and my incredibly gorgeous girlfriend. The Lord has truly blessed my life.

Look back for updates...hopefully it will stick this time.