Frodo, Do You Remember The Shire, It'll Be Spring Soon

I woke up this morning...well afternoon, and noticed there was something quite middle earth about me. When I looked in the mirror I felt I was coming straight out of the shire. In my quest to grow my hair longer I have fallen into a trap of serious hobbit head. Take a look for yourselves :)

Frodo's Haircut

Funny Jokes

Q: How many guitarists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Twenty. One to change the bulb and nineteen to say, "Not bad, but I could've done better".
Q: How many bluegrass musicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Two. One to screw it in, and one to complain that it's electrified.
Q: How many bass players does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Only one - but the guitarist has to show him first.
Q: How many bass players does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. The piano player can do that with his left hand.
Q: What did the drummer get on his I.Q. test?
A: Drool.

It Was Fun To Do FonDue...Hardy Har Har

Tonight Erin and I had a Fondue dinner with our friends Kris and Jean along with Bruce and Linda. It was interesting and something new for dinner. Erin and I have noticed that our dinners are much to repetitive and it is time to try new things (within reason ie. sushi, cow tongue, etc.) The menue looked like this.

Appetizer:
Dank Stinky Fondue Cheese with Very excellent Bread

Dinner:
Brocolli, Zuccini, Potatoes, Mushrooms, Onions, Chicken, Beef Tips and Shrimp all dipped (or not) in a luscious Beer Batter and fried in Peanut Oil. Then you would have your choice of delectable dipping sauces like Ranch, Honey Mustard, Cocktail, Horseradish, Dill, and Barbeque.

Dessert:
Strawberries, Cherries, Bannanas, Marshmellows and Pound Cake dipped in hot melted Chocalate.

It was quite the feast. We will probably do it once a year because the preparation is insane. Anyway I am glad for friends and family to share time with. Theres nothing quite like good humor, stories, food and good music to make your day seem better.

Living Like Jesus

My quest to live like Jesus often boggles me. I want to live out what I so desperatley know to be true, but in my wickedness and confusion I seem to say and do the exact opposite. I know that I am at the mercy of Gods love and am only accountable to the revelation in which I've received. So why is it so hard to love others how we want to be loved. Unconditional is defined as:
Without conditions or limitations; absolute: demanded unconditional surrender.Or: not contingent; not determined or influenced by someone or something else.

Rich Mullins says this about Gods love

"If you've ever known the love of God, you know it's nothing but reckless and it's nothing but raging. Sometimes it hurts to be loved, and if it doesn't hurt it's probably not love, may be infatuation. I think a lot of American people are infatuated with God, but we don't really love Him, and they don't really let Him love them. Being loved by God is one of the most painful things in the world, it's also the only thing that can bring us salvation and it's like everything else that is really wonderful, there's a little bit of pain in it, little bit of hurt."

Suffering? Ahh O.k. makes sense now right.....for you maybe....not me. You see, I long to join in the suffering of my great King. I do, because to join in this type of suffering means I get to experience life like Jesus, and in return I grow closer to loving like Him. Which is by far the one thing I need revelation of. Not only do I want to love like Him, I want to live like Him. Hang out with whom He hung with and also fight against what He fought against. This is by far my most relenting quest to date. It just might consume me. Jesus is the vision. Jesus is my cure.

Warning, This Quote Might Make You Green

Words Of Wisdom

My Space? Only Cause I Can Post Music

Hey everyone. I recently started a "My Space" account so I can post music from my first CD. I will also post new music as it comes. It's a pretty cool site in that aspect, but when it comes to blogging, I gotta give it up to blogger. I will be deciding soon on whether or not to get my own actual site. The only thing that is stopping me thus far is learning html and how to actually build one. I want a site that will include a blog as well as songs and pics. I would like to post pics without actually having to write about then. Plus have a news page for upcoming shows and worship times. It would also be cool to have a forum for bible study and stuff. Anyway gotta run. Oh yeah check out the my space page

Multimedia Mullett / Scored It

Well my google search led me to find a mullet site. It's kind of ripping my idea to take pictures of random peoples mulletts and create a fun coffee table book for all to enjoy the fashion style of the mullett. I will begin my quest next week. I'f you would like to go with me then let me know. I go hunting in the begining of next week. Hopefully I will have taken at least 20 different types of mulletts. Wish me luck

HipShaw Thoughts / Do You Really Know Me

Hipshaw thoughts are thoughts that kind of come off the cuff. Tonight will be filled with the most random and dispersed thoughts I've had over a month. They are not in order of importance.

1. I laugh at Owen Wilsons Jokes.
2. Quato is the prophet in the movie Total Recall.
3. I Think I made up the word hipshaw.
4. Earier I was baffeled by my ability to blatently rely on grace.
5. I don't want to be the christian I hate.
6. Somtimes I like to watch horror movies. I don't know why
7. The enemy saying, you don't have a voice at voice.
8. I remember the show "caroline in the city" and I used to watch it every night.
9. I watch Conan Obrien.
10. My house needs more plants.
11. chodepeas.
12. I so need gas.
13. shrimp scampi.
14. This is the best house I've ever lived in.
15. I'm the worlds greatest sinner.
16. I need prayer.
17. I wish I had a Harley.
18. I like the Walflowers and Dinosaur Jr.
19. One More HipShaw
20. Luk 5:20 Impressed by their bold belief, he said, "Friend, I forgive your sins."

Warning Signs Of A Religious Spirit

Recently I stumbled upon something Rick Joyner had wrote that was entitled "Warning Signs Of A Religious Spirit". It was very interesting and insightful. Not only did I recognize the signs in myself. It also led me to think about what I am involved in. You see, my desire is to be as close to God as I can. I realize I am further away than what I want to be. I also am aware that I can't compare my walk to anyone elses. It is unbenificial for me to look at someone elses life and make that the standard of my spiritual journey. I need to do what God wants me to. In reading this I was surprised at my own tendencies of judgement. But I also believe that there is no one who has never thought these thoughts....NO ONE. It is an awakening. Let God deal with the wicked and unjust.

Ecc 3:14-17 I've also concluded that whatever God does, that's the way it's going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God's done it and that's it. That's so we'll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear. Whatever was, is. Whatever will be, is. That's how it always is with God. I took another good look at what's going on: The very place of judgment--corrupt! The place of righteousness--corrupt! I said to myself, "God will judge righteous and wicked." There's a right time for every thing, every deed--and there's no getting around it. (The Message of course)

Now I know that most of everything that Rick Joyner says is credible. And I do know he is right on most of the time. But when you read this ask God to reveal it in your own heart and separate the wheat from the chaff. Ask God to reveal to you what is truth, not Rick Joyner. Remember God sees you the same. A lovable son or daughter.

Warning Signs Of A Religious Spirit:

1. Tend to see your primary mission as tearing down what you think is wrong.
2. The inability to take a rebuke, especially from those you judge less-spiritual.
3. A philosophy that will not listen to other people, only to God.
4. Overwhelming guilt that you can never measure up to God's standard.
5. The tendency to see more of what is wrong with people and other churches, than what is right with them.
6. The belief that you have been appointed to "fix" everyone else.
7. A leadership style that is bossy, overbearing, and intolerant of the failures of others.
8. A sense that you are closer to God than other people or that your life/ministry is more pleasing to God than other's.
9. The belief that you are on the "cutting edge" of what God is doing.
10. A mechanical prayer life.
11. Constantly doing things so that people will notice.
12. The tendency to be suspicious of or oppose new movements in other churches.
13. The inability to join or endorse anything you deem is not "perfect".
14. The belief that you discover deep new meanings in Scripture that nobody else has seen before.
15, If while reading these warning signs, you were thinking of how they apply to someone else, you may have a serious problem with religious spirit.

Ouch right, if this is what the religious spirit does, I'd say we all need to evaluate our conversations with God and others. Remember this though and it might help. You are responsible with what God has given you. No more, no less. What God has given you is what's in His word. Everything is to be tested by scripture and prayed after for understanding. I was once told by a leader that I shouldn't look so grumpy on Sunday because I lead worship. I said "I'm not going to lie about my life cause it's Sunday". He responded with "Well if your not going to be happy then maybe you shouldn't lead" Be transparent? Yeah right!

God Loves Bikers

Today I helped a friend lead worship at a church meeting called "Bikers at the Crossing" which was a group of Harley Bikers that meet twice a month at a coffeehouse (The Crossing)to worship and hear a message. The speaker was a guy named Patrick whom I met in jail when I spent time in there serving an unkown warrant for a speeding ticket and driving without a license in 1996 or something. Anyway, Patrick was in the jail with me and was then known by the jailees as "preacher man". It was good to hear Patrick speak and his message was good too. He talked about being faithful to the end and the church of Philadelphia in Rev. 3. Good stuff. It was good to go to another church and be a part of what God is doing in our region and in the lives of others. Glenn Sharp was there to which was surprising to see Glenn in a church full of bikers. Isn't God great like that :)

Perspective

A couple days ago I fell asleep siting up on my couch. Needless to say that I woke up with the worst kink in my neck and shoulder that I've ever felt. I hope it will go away soon. I have been writing songs lately and have learned to embrace the frustrations of writing worship music. I mean anyone can write a congragational worship song. I'm talking about a song that grips the listener. I have learned that my worship in this season is more reverent than rejoicing. I would like to find the joy in worship, so I can actually say "there's no other place I'd rather be" because when it comes down to it, it's not true. So I don't want to write a song of false statements just because they sound good to the church. What I've found is that preparation through prayer is the way to go. Because it sets my spirit in the right place to convey my true emotion towards God. So at the time when I write, my statement is true "there's no other place I'd rather be". I did however through this process write a new song called "I believe" which is a song about choosing faith instead of circumstance. It says something along the lines of "even when I can't see, when Your right in front of me, I believe". Faith is simply believing Jesus is who He says He is, regardless of evidence. Choosing to worship regardless of what we are going through or where we are. Saying "I believe You are the Christ"

Feels Like Home

Well I said I would post a pic of the home studio so here it is. We'll see how long it will stay clean. Maybe once I get on it, I can post some sample stuff through the telephone from audioblog. It may sound rough but it might be fun.

The Corner Of My Bedroom

Caution, Home Recording In Process

Well I decided to start recording again. Right now I am concentrating on writing new songs and recording them as I go. The result will hopefully conclude in a positive experience, digging deeper into the beauty and majesty of Jesus. I am, at the moment, reconfiguring my laptop into the home internet machine and my home computer into the recording machine. Lots of moving programs around, getting rid of useless stuff, blah, blah, blah. Later, I will take a pic of my new home operation so you can see it in all it's glory (yeah right). I am eager to get started. Eventually I will colaberate with other musicians in order to complete the cd. This time I want to do it right as far as packaging and distribution. As far as the live cd goes. I want to package it right one day. It was only 2 years since the recording of that cd (10.31.03) but it feels like decades. I've gotten such a good response from it that I want to eventually redesign the whole thing (lyrics on the insert...uh...an actual insert). Josh Petrillo gave it the album of the year in 2004. Anyway, I will mostly be focused on making this cd a worship cd, since my heart has been engulfed in worship for the past 2 years. I relized something while cleaning my daughters room today. It seemed the more I dug in, the messier it got. When I said that statement to myself I paused. Wow, "the deeper I go, the messier it gets" I thought. Worship is not about being proper or singing the right song or wearing the right clothes (not in conjuntion with the levites in old testament). But it's a filthy, knock down, zealous, fight. And the deeper we go, the messier it gets. You see, the flesh wants to do everything it can to kill our God given desire to worship Him. So in the midst of it, all this junk comes up, emotional and physical. But here is a thought to ponder. When it gets real messy, I mean, REAL messy, think of this. It's got to be tainted before it's purified. Yes my friends we are all on a journey (not the band) to purification. Chances are we will be, to the last breath. So when it gets dirty..........rest easy

Columbus (John Ruebens Home Town)

Well I finally got around to posting some of the pictures from my Columbus weekend. It was really fun and exciting. I always love working with John and enjoy playing his music. A new Cd is in the works and hopefully God will orchestrate me being able to collaberate with John once again. I met a lot of nice people in Columbus and once again I saw God doing things outside of Elkhart which is always a fresh reminder on how I need to destroy that mindset of the "christian bubble". Anyway, when critisized about selling beer in a christian establishment Franky simply replied "Some people enjoy having a beer when they eat a burrito". Does anyone at all believe that alcolhol does not make you an alcolholic. The reason you drink does.

Johns New CD "Desert Days" And His T-Shirt. The Lower Line Says "Folk For The Soul"

This Is The Vineyard Church We Played At

This Was Our Stage Setup At The Vineyard. I Was On The Left

John Talkin To Some Folks

John's Flyer

The Store Front Of Frankie's. Notice The CBN Sign. "Christian Buisness Network" Lol

Inside Frankie's (That's Franky On The Left)

The House We Stayed At. It Was Emaculate

Musician 4 Hire

Well right now I'm in Easton Ohio (half our from Columbus) at a Panera Bread with my friend John Lee who is playing tonight in Columbus at Franky's Coffeehouse. We are discussing tour dates and promotion. Right now I am playing various instruments with John for his live shows. I played alot of the instruments and helped with arrangments on Johns CD "Desert Days" so it seemed natural I play the live stuff to. John is lining up dates to play and if all goes well I'll be busy with that often, doing gigs in Bloomington, Indy and Chicago. Basically a four hour radius. I have a great time doing this because it is a chance to do what I love doing, glorifying God through music. John's songs are more reflective and offer the soulution of Christ not as the answer to struggle but the rock in the midst of struggle. Well got to go now, on my way to Grove City. I'll post full pictures of the trip later.

John Lee's Website

You Gotta Friend In Me

So right now I am sort of doing freelance for work. Working at the restaurant here and for my friend Conan there. I sure would like to find something steady though. As usual both of my cars are going kaput at the same time. We finally got the minivan running solid again (waterpump)and now my station wagon (which I just paid off) is leaking oil from the oilpan, badly (80$ job). Luckily I have a few friends that know cars and are willing to help me. I don't know where I would be without my friends. You know the people who are for you and not against you, the ones you can get way past small talk in a matter of seconds. The ones who watch you fall and are there to help you up even when you didn't heed the warning. And last but not least, the ones who still call you when you haven't "been around" regardless of how busy they are. Wow, kinda sounds like Jesus doesn't it. I want to thank my friends for being like Jesus;)

8th Wonder Of The World

My Mom is in town for the week so we decided to invite my Uncle Brian over with his family and order pizza. We ordered Brunos and it took like two hours for it to get here. When it finally got here we understood why it took so long. This pizza was the biggest I've ever seen. Needless to say we didn't come close to eating it all. We had a blast that night and we were all full. Thanks Brian for contributing to the fullest stomach I've had in months :)

Mom and my Uncle Brian

Rich Inspires Me

I have always been a fan of Rich Mullins ever since I got saved. His lyrics are something I can relate too, not to mention hearing the passion in his voice when he sings. I was blessed enough to get his dvd at the library last week. The dvd includes a 15 to 16 song set live at Studio B. and some excerpts from a 2 day seminar held at Lesea. Through watching this dvd you could tell Rich was a man very fed up with the christian culture and how we use, what I'll call, christian entertainment as one of our main sources of worship. So when we go to these concerts and we expect that the singer or songwriter should lead us into worship, we are really the ones who suffer. There is such a thing as christian entertainment, and guess what, it's not a bad thing. If we all had our priorities straight we wouldn't have to worry about other peoples. God will deal with us and he will set our priorities straight. See we (I believe) as christians (including myself) have this view of what a good christian should look like. So we spend our whole lives trying to live up to that view instead of letting God change us. I love music. Sometimes I don't want to be serious. God knows this about me and I don't think He minds. He wants me to have fun and be happy and enjoy the life and family He's given me. But God also knows I love to worship and He loves to be worshiped. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that, you can worship anywhere. But don't expect others to when you think they should. Worship is between you and Him. It's one of those things that should be done in secret as well as corporate. If your not worshiping in secret, and your waiting for that corporate meeting to worship. You might want to rethink your gameplan.

People Get Ready

I thought this was very interesting concerning the devastation and location of this hurricane. Intrigued by the lawlessness of the people in New Orleans and reading about what they're going through (of course I have know idea) I was wondering what the meaning of Katrina meant and this is what I found.

Katrina is derived from Katherine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KATH-u-rin, KATH-rin
From the Greek name Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name ‘Εκατερινη (Hekaterine), which came from ‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess HECATE; it could be related to Greek αικια (aikia) "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". The Romans associated it with Greek καθαρος (katharos) "pure" and changed their spelling from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this. The name belonged to a 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on the famous Catherine wheel. Another saint by this name was Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic. This name was also borne by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great, and by three of Henry VIII's wives.

In short, what this this name is saying is:

1. It is one of two
2. Torture
3. My consecration of Your name
4. Purity

Breaking it down (and I know this might be a little to out there for people). I should say, Looking through spritual lenses, this could be one of two circumstances that will bring suffering to this nation that God will use to bring consecration to the name of His Son (This could be one of the latter). Through this it will bring purity and humility to those who will embrace it. When I think about this, of course I am grieved that we allow and embrace such disgrace to the Kingdom of God ie. abortion, voodoo, porn (and I know we all sin, I am the biggest of all) but I am also grieved for the lives it will cost. I do know and belive however it is because of the grace of God that He doesn't just call it over yet. He is sounding the trumpets. It's not about what we do, I cannot stress this enough. It's not about how dedicated we are to ministry, no matter how great it seems. It's not even about The House of Prayer, which I belive so much in. What I do know is that when we get to heaven God will not ask us questions like "how many hours were you in my house" He will however let us know whether or not He knew us (Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity). See we can live our whole lives doing, and miss the whole point of just being. Being what you say? Being the son, daughter, wife or husband God created us to be. So whats the answer? What do I need to do you might say. Well, I don't have the answer, but I know who does and if you read all this, you do to. Let's just pray that this isn't just another thing that will fade away like 9/11 a few years ago. Jesus remembers 9/11, all of the abortions, and all of the unrepented sin in America. And He will remember the modern day Sodom and Gamorahs of America. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate America but as a follower of Christ, I am called to love the world, not be of it. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done". Believing that statement also means believing in this one, "Whatever it takes." Whatever it takes to draw us closer to Him. Here is one of the reasons God has me alive.

Madisen, No She Doesn't Wear Glasses

We Are Family

Here are some pictures of my beautiful children. We finally got a camera so we are using it as much as we can. Anyway more later

Raygen

Madisen

Ethan

All Of Em' - A While Ago