Thursday, June 26, 2008

Movin'

I wanted to share this song with you because I'm in the process of moving and I probably won't be online quite as much as I have been... so I may not be blogging quite as often. I'll try to post something on a regular (or at least semi-regular) basis. Soooo... enjoy this one!

Movin'

Chorus:
Movin', gotta keep movin'
Groovin', stay in the groove (yes)
Movin', gotta keep movin'
Pressing on, striving toward the goal, (yes)

Well every one of us is in a race
And we're running for the prize
It takes time and energy to train
A spiritual exercise
Throw off every weight that slows you down
Take that path that Christ has led
Forget everything that is behind
And just strain toward what's ahead
And just keep on (movin'...)

Well everyday we have to make a choice
Say true to what is right
Overcome everything that's in our way
And fix our eyes on Christ
Just keep pressing on up toward the goal
Where a crown of life you'll find
Well no doubt Christ will be waiting there
When we cross the finish line
And we just keep (movin'...)

Bridge:
Jesus died on the cross
Willing to die for even me
Now he reigns up on high
Don't give up or become weary


Words and music: Ken McAlpin © 1999 Clifty Music (BMI)
Lead: Ken McAlpin (chorus and bridge), All Step Out in Verses

Scriptural Reference:
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Whirlwind Weekend

I'm recovering from a whirlwind of a weekend. Lots of stuff can go down in four days, and did it ever! I have to take this opportunity to thank Rhonda Coleson, our booking agent, for all of her help and support. She's been awesome and we couldn't have made it through this weekend without her. So, the ten peso version of the story is: we went to Little Rock, Dallas, and Searcy, AR, leaving on Friday and returning yesterday. It was a fun trip and we are glad to be back in Nashville.

Now here's the million dollar version!

Friday, June 13th
Zach Wilson and I drive the Acappella van and trailer to Little Rock. The original plan was for us to get there around 6:00 PM and get settled into our housing for the night. Arrangements had been made for our van and trailer to be cleaned and detailed in Little Rock on Saturday while we flew to Dallas. Most of that plan happened the way it was supposed to...except for the van. It broke down again. We were driving down I-40 toward Memphis, not quite an hour out of Nashville, and it just quit running. We had to pull onto the side of the road and start making phone calls. Somehow, the van started again and we got back on the road. There were lots of prayers going up on our behalf, and they worked! We eventually made it to Little Rock around 8:00 and got the van where it needed to be. Zach stayed with our booking agent's sister and her husband, and I stayed with my best friend's brother and his wife. It was great to see them and spend a little time with them. It was a long day, but we got through it and prepared ourselves for Saturday. (by the way, it was also my late brother, Ron's, birthday. He would have been 42.)


Saturday, June 14th

Zach and I flew from Little Rock while Zac George, Allen Brantley, and our newest member, Anthony Lancaster (if that name sounds familiar, it's because he's our boss' son) flew from Nashville to Dallas. We all met there to be inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame. That's an experience I won't forget. We were inducted along with the likes of the Jordanaires (featuring one of my heroes, Ray Walker) who sang for a time with Elvis Presley, the Cathedrals, Lulu Roman from Hee-Haw, songwriter David Meece, the Imperials, Jessy Dixon, the Florida Boys, and many other pioneers in the Christian music world. There were also tributes to Larry Norman (Bebo Norman's dad and the "father of Christian rock music")and Dottie Rambo, one of the greatest gospel music songwriter who ever lived. Both Larry and Dottie died earlier this year, so it was a great night. We were honored and humbled to have been a part of it.

Sunday, June 15th
We flew back to Little Rock and were met at the airport by our freshly cleaned van and trailer, courtesy of Kevin, another brother-in-law of our booking agent. We drove our nice clean van an hour away to Searcy for the first of three concerts at Harding University for Uplift. After we checked into the hotel, Jacob and Laura, who both work for Harding, took us to lunch at the Rib Crib. That's good eatin' right there! We headed back to the auditorium and got our lights and sound set up. It was the first time we had set up lights since October, so the process was a little slower than normal, but we got it done in time. We had some dinner (Brick Oven Pizza) and went to the hotel to get ready for the concert. I finally got to call my dad and wish him a happy father's day. I hope you did too! Anyway, we had our devo time and then a 10:00 PM concert that was electric! The crowd was hyped and we just had a blast. Anthony did great, too, for his first Acappella concert. We took our equipment down and moved it to the back of the stage (because we'll be back again) and went to bed.

Monday, June 16th
We left the hotel at 7:00 AM so we could get Zac back to Nashville for work before 2:00. We got fuel and breakfast and drove about 15 miles down the road to Bald Knob (yes, that is the name of the town) and the van broke down again. This time, it didn't start again. To make a long story short(er), we had the van towed back to Searcy to be repaired, the trailer was towed to an impound lot for safe keeping, we rented a van that was a little bit too small for us and our equipment and luggage, and drove back to Nashville. I managed to get only one speeding ticket, even though I was going the same speed as everybody else. Yeah, that happened. Anyway, we got back to Nashville around 5:30 (no, Zac didn't get to work) and had just enough time to get the van unloaded and take it to the rental place five minutes before it closed (now you understand that if I hadn't been speeding, I wouldn't have gotten the van to the rental place in time and would've been charged over $300 extra. I saved the company some major money!). It was nice, though, because Anthony took me to Stephanie's parents' house just in time for my birthday party! That's what you call a happy birthday!!

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Monday, June 09, 2008

War With Myself

I’m at war with myself
The very thing I want to do
I keep trying to do
But I just can’t seem to do
The things I know You want me to
‘Cause I’m at war with myself

I’m going through a lot of things that make me stumble
Attacking me, beating me, breaking me, keeping me humble
The Word is good, but my sinful nature's taking over
I need a light, can someone help me to recover

All I need is You (all I need is You, all I want is You)
All I want is truth (I’m in search of truth, the truth that only comes from You)
Can I find the faith (can I find the faith to keep me on the straight)
I’m calling out Your name

Chorus:
The very thing I want to do
I keep trying to do
But I just can’t seem to do
The things I know You want me to
‘Cause I’m at war with myself
No matter what I try to do
I keep failing You
But I know that I should do
The things I know You want me to
‘Cause I’m at war with myself

I’m fighting in this battle like a wounded soldier
I don’t think I can bear this burden on my shoulder
The ride is rough, it’s going fast, it’s almost over
I need a hand to get me off this roller coaster

How can I get to You (how can I get to You, I need to get to You)
I still desire truth (I still desire truth, the truth that only comes from You)
I’m desperate for the faith (I’m desperate for the faith to keep me on the straight)
I’m screaming out Your name

When the righteous cry out (when the righteous cry out)
They’ll be set free (be set free)
From the pain in this life (this life)
That brought them to their knees

In the night, a light, the smoke is clearing
The sky is dark, and hot, but I’m not fearing
It’s raging on, but I know that I can win this battle
Eventually, the other side of me will crumble

All I need is You (all I need is You, how can I get to You)
All I want is truth (I still desire truth, the truth that only comes from You)
Can I find the faith (I'm desperate for the faith to keep me on the straight)
I’m crying out Your name

Repeat Chorus (x2)

War


Words and music: Keith Lancaster, Sean Samuel, Nicolas Dunbar and Matt Nunnally © 2003 Anthony K. Music (ASCAP)


Scriptural Reference:

"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." Romans 7:14-20

"For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:4-5

Peace, Love, and Chocolate