dude…

i love music. its no secret. anyone who knows me knows that sooner or later you’re going to have to talk music with me…alot. sorry. its just the rules. one of GOD’s great gifts to us was the ability to make music.

with that being said, last night star and i saw an up and coming band, Thriving Ivory. you may have seen them on Vh1 recently. they’re generating a buzz. my little ava loves them. she claps when she hears their songs or sees the video. star loves them. so there we were in the nova, front row center, jamming. and they sounded amazing. to use the cliche “just like the cd”. but yes, i swept up in the music. just like three nights ago at counting crows. its good to see a new band being able to do that. so check them out www.thrivingivory.com and get some of their music. you’ll love it. i promise.

i do want to mention one of the opening acts too. a little songbird named morgan epstein. she’s a youngster, a piano player and a songwriter. she was so nervous last night, especially with all of her friends in the front going bananas. but she pulled through. the reason I mention her is that she’s also rasing money for factor v. i don’t know much about it but i do know its a hereditary thing that causes blood clots, which can be awfully scary. probably scarier than performing for 30 people there last night. send her some love and prayers at www.morganepstein.com.

so tell me some bands i need know!

i love music. always have.

i have not been a fan of christian music. it always seemed never to fit what i was looking for or seemed honestly so bubble gum that it never appealed to me.

so i overlooked it completely, discounting every good word about any artist i have ever heard. honestly, i looked at christian artists as people compromising between their beliefs and wanting to make money, trying to hold onto credibility and still seem cool.

you can be christian and cool i hear you say. and you may be right. its easy to seem that way when you are a musician or an artist. but average people will be shunned for holding onto CHRIST.

that being said, lately GOD has been speaking to me.

i struggle alot. not because i lack faith, but because i have so much pride and so many other excuses.

so i was working the other night, paperwork and what not, when i put on the leeland songs on my ipod. i put them there because i was supposed to, along with a bunch of other christian music, because after all, that’s what i say i am right?

the sound of melodies floored me. i had heard it before but this was the first time i had really listened to it.

so i played another song and then another. then i switched artists. it felt like GOD was pouring words of love into me with each song. i landed on chris rice, untitled hymn (come to jesus). and i lost it. it was the first time i have been wrecked by a song in a long time.

so now all i can seem to hum is leeland, chris rice, or chris tomlin. all i want to play on my guitar is sweet songs of worship. everyday is full of surprises. how great is our GOD?

Sometimes I get in these streaks where I sleep only 3-4 hours a pop and get up. I have no reason why. I have plenty of time alloted for sleeping, I just find myself awake and doing stuff.

My mind stays to active.

Today I read in "So You Wanna Follow Christ" by Charles Swindoll about simplicity and taking those things out of your life that only add more stress. Not every space has to be filled in your planner despite what my job tells me. So I am have vowed to myself to start weeding out what I do not need and hold on to the truly valuable.

First things first — putting God first. I don’t do this enough. I don’t read my bible enough. I certainly don’t pray enough. I realized today that I give God only my free moments when I am ready instead of offering the best and first of everything.

God has humbled me so much today that I cannot begin to paint it with words.

My faith has fallen short.

I learned a lesson about faith today.

My girl, Ava, is my wife reincarnate. She’s fearless, inquisitive, and wonderfully focused when she wants something. She climbed our stairs while my wife was cleaning up from dinner.

Ava fell down everyone of them.

Its hard for me to be thousands of miles away from her and not be able to pick her up and have to read about this in an email.

I have faith in my wife because, no offense to the other mothers, she is the ninja of all mothers out there. But ultimately, I have to have faith in God to protect them because from here….my hands are tied.

God comes first, faith comes first and must be complete. Some of you are saying "Duh Adam, gosh!". Sorry , Im a little headstrong….

God bless all of you on this Sunday….