Flowing Juices

Well, There is a song writing clinic at our church this coming Saturday. I am excited for it. Harold Forbis is coming down from one of our sister churches. He is the author of many worship songs that are out there. We are going to be working on how to write worship songs as a group. I am always up for a new learning experience. I have been writing a lot more lately. I have been inspired to write songs about life, kids and my desire to be a better Christian. I have the ability to come up with good riffs and chord progressions. I gravitate toward my friend Joe for lyrical support. We have written some good stuff in the past. Someday, someone will hear them and maybe be touched by them. I also aspire to market some songs to the music biz. It would be great to be able to write a few hit tunes and make royalties off of them for years to come. I mean, the guy who wrote "Hey Hey We're the Monkey's" is a millionare! Why not? I can do that. hehe. My dream however is to make a living while making music. Not likely, but most dreams are not. I look forward to what new songs come from this clinic. I am hopeful that we as a church will be able to express the call and purpose of God without having to use borrowed worship songs. Bring on the prophetic songs! Bring on the new day without crutches! -DJ

A powerful message

This past Sunday, Scott Squires gave a message that I will not soon forget. He titled it "Hunger and Hope, Keys to productive Faith". As I sat there listening, I began to question my own hunger. In fact, God had spoken to me before the sermon during worship practice saying - Are you as hungry as the deer that pants for water? Are you even remotely desperate enough to say that you are hungry at all?
We have been being challenged to get into the word and learn it, understand it and keep it in us at our church. I have always had trouble maintaining a steady reading habit. I mean any kind of reading... It is not that I cannot read, I just do not enjoy it. I will often commit to a reading schedule, it will last a couple of weeks, then it fades away. I put bibles all around me. I have one in my car, my truck, my van, even on my phone and of course on my laptop. The internet provides free versions all over the place, esword is a downloadable bible program that costs you nothing! Still, I read only a few verses a week. There is no real good excuse, I am not looking for one. I am simply being real.
Scott spoke about "encounter moments". He explained that what God does is plays tag with us. We gather in meetings, listen to worship songs, praise and a good message, and maybe God , through these emotional experiences will tag us. This tag causes us to chase Him down in the word. I have to say that I have been tagged. I am seeking Him out right now. I am looking for Him. I am in the word. I am committing to finding Him there. I know He will play tag with me as long as I continue to play it with Him. - DJ

Back in Bidness

Well, the summer trips have come to a close and the real world has come knocking. I found out that AMR has filled the schedule in Linn Co. to keep from having to pay overtime. So that means that I will be set at 48 hours a week. It is a mixed blessing. While I wil enjoy the time off, the pay checks will be getting ever smaller. I am very resourceful though. I have many business ideas and have implemented several already. I repo cars as you know, I do sound for bands, DJ and now am getting into the property reclamation business. It should be good I think. Looking forward to getting that aspect of my business off the ground. Along with my eBay adventures, I think we will be OK. God provides in many ways. He provided me with business opportunities! Till next time - DJ

Ahhh!

Been in Oregon all week on vacation. it has been wonderful. I never knew that this state was so beautiful. We went to the beach and had to wear jackets and made sandcastles in 60 mph winds. it was nuts! The Pacific coastal waters this far north are quite fridgid. We just put out feet in.
We ate some good food, we also went to Mt. Hood. It is a beautiful pile of rock I must say. Not quite as majestic as the Rockies, but stunning none the less. We also could see Mt. St. Helens. We traveled into Washington state as well. We ate chinese food in Vancouver and came back. It counts though. We've been there!
We fly home tomorrow. Looking forward to getting home. Gotta few repos waiting on me to do them, so Tuesday will NOT be relaxing. More like insane running! Gotta go. Gotta play Settlers of Catan again. Great game! - DJ