I Cry Every Time I watch This, Go Figure

Paint

Here are some before and after pics from the job I bid and did.

Sometimes Crying Is Long Overdue.

Well I had almost a complete public meltdown while leading worship last Sunday. I was singing a song that I wrote about four years ago and I think the words and the message finally hit me. And I realized that just because I write a song that exuberates a surrender and an overtaking of my life by the Holy Spirit doesn't necessarily mean that that's where I am at the moment. But it has everything with where I desire to be. Sure we can go all day singing things like "I lay it all down for You" or "You complete me" or even "I will praise You". The point is that we remain aware of our current state before the Lord and that we are honest with Him about the condition of our hearts. I personally don't make the best decisions all of the time with my head but my heart is really what is crying out. Thats why it is a battle in the mind. The war rages on in our heads, do this do that, don't do this or that. I believe it is why God has chosen to look at our hearts. Davids heart was tremendously in love with the things of God. But his mind often led him to make bad decisions. In learning how to become a community I hope that I can remember this so I don't become offended when someone I know makes a bad choice. Can I look at their heart first? I can't wait until the day that my mind is actually and willingly able to follow suit behind my heart, if that makes sense.

Madi Is Starting Kindergarten

Well one of my little girls is growing up fast. Madi is starting kindergarten in 2 days. Time really flies. She was really shy at her orientation and we are all nervous about her getting on the bus for the first time. I hope she adjusts well. She's growing up too fast.

I Really Don't Do This Enough

It has been a long time. Between all that has been going on, it's been really hard to keep up with this site. I know I've said many times that I want to update as often as possible. And I've said that mostly to myself. But I apologize to those who actually come to this thing to see whats going on with me. In a nutshell I have been really busy. Probably busier than I've ever been before. I am at the point of slowing down and am on the other side of craziness. Between the church changing locations (which is an ordeal all on it's own), trying to get a cd finally accomplished, trying to pay bills, and trying to be a good Husband and Dad to a family of six, man I am wiped. It's getting close to that time when I need to take inventory and decide on the things that I really need to think about vs. things I don't. Yes folks once again it's time to simplify. I can slowly feel my health deteriorate. As a diabetic (which I think somewhere I forgot in my mind how big of an issue this is for my body) You are real susceptible to leg amputations if you do not take care of yourself. They say if your lags start to tingle or become numb that this is a sign. Now in my mind at this point, I cannot tell the difference between abnormal numbness or just sore legs from standing most of the day. Now I'm noticing that even if I sit most of the day there is still awkward numbness. This is caused by bad blood flow due to being over weight and a smoker. I know, I know the smoking thing and yes I am a moron. I have however decreased my smoking by about half and am on my way to finally quitting. I now smoke about five a day which by most smokers standards. Doesn't compare to the pack and a half to two packs a day. Nevertheless, does not justify my actions. the truth of the matter is that I am addicted to it. And I am praying for strength and I want my God to intervene. Ugggg. Not trying to bring anyone down but these are just some things I'm going through and now is not the time to unload. All in all, most of my work in changing locations is done. Now it's time to just try and get comfortable in a new environment. I still kinda feel like I'm in a strangers church and that they asked me to lead worship for a few Sundays. It's been about a month now and I'm just starting to realize that this is our new home. The place is so big. As always I'll end with...Anyway, here are some recent pics and vids and I'll try to post more sooner..Maybe if I ever get an office computer.

P.S. The cake is one that Erin made out of snack cakes for a wedding. She's trying to get in the biz.

Hey,Hey,Hey

Well the bass parts are done, now the focus begins on guitar overdubs. This is the funnest part for me. This is a time where the creative juices start to flow. The layering everything together starts to happen about this time. Then, all that would be left is the vocals which can be tedious. Then the final mix. Ahhhh, we are so close. After it is all mixed I want to place the Cd in a couple of good artists hands, and let them listen to it. I want the art on the Cd to represent what is inside, on the Cd. I don't want some cheesy picture of me staring off into the sunset, or better yet, leaning up on a building wall in the city somewhere. Those cover shots have been done over a hundred times. I really want good solid God ordained art on the cover. Which leads me to the best transition of all. My friend Ryan is not only a dear brother, but a phenomenal artist. Not only is he an artist he is a musician and muralist as well. I can't wait to get this Cd in Ryan's hands to see what God comes up with. I am a little scared though as I know Ryan will not pour on the fluff as to what he thinks about the music on the Cd (be gentle bro). Anyway, Here is some of Ryan's art. Remember that these murals are on flat walls. The one in the big auditorium is at Morning Star where Ryan goes to church in North Carolina. Check these out.

Almost Done WIth The Bass

I went to my Dads today to record more tracks on the bass. I'm using a Fender Jazz bass that is way scratched up with stickers everywhere. When I play it I feel like Krist Novoselic(for those who don't know, He was the bassist for Nirvana). It just made me feel real punk rock, like I wanted to play bass with a pick. Anyway, I'll take some pics and share em' with ya. So far I've got bass down on:

If I Fall
Ran Away
Comin' Home
Remain
Thunder In Me

We still have:

I Believe
You Are Good
You Alone
I'm Alive
Sacrifice

I go back on Wednesday to finish the rest. Thus far it has gone smooth, after I lay all the bass down we can start concentrating on the production of the song. Vocals will be the last thing to record which will be the hardest. More later.

Shalom Ya'll

Sigh***

Well my Internet is up and running again (I must say at a cost $$) and I am now able to update. I had a great time with my family at Cedar Point and I was able to ride a coaster that shoots you 120 mph up a vertical 420 ft track. It was quite the rush. If I ever go to Cedar Point again it will be in the beginning of June. We didn't have to wait any longer than 30-40 minutes to get on a ride. Some, you could just walk right on and only have to wait for the next car to come. We rode all but 3 and some twice. So it was a lot of fun. Next week it's back in the studio for a couple of days to lay down bass tracks for the rest of the songs. I hope it goes smoothly. I'm gonna try to get a Cd of what we've done this far so I can start to listen to these songs more often. Just to see if any ideas come. Next week, I also embark on the journey of a road that was once traveled. And this time, I intend to clear the path.

"But the prodigal did not stay way, There was a destiny he had to keep. And I may have gave my mind a dirty day. But tonight I've got floors to sweep" - Don Chaffer

The Story Of My Life

Does anyone struggle with this as much as I do. Gas is now 3.99 a gallon and I haven't seen a half tank in months it seems. Oh well, I still have my motorcycle and I suppose we could get everyone to ride bikes to the grocery store.

That's A Wrap

Well, Mike, Neil, My Dad and me finished recording the necessary parts in Neil's basement. So far all of the songs now for sure have the drum parts recorded. Now it is a matter of adding other instruments, vocals and other what-nots. It feels good to have it done and I can't wait till it all starts to come together. Mt next post I'll talk a little about the concept of the album and list the final songs. Until then, enjoy this vid.

Neils Basement

Some Of My Fam

Here is an old picture I found with me, my brother and my sister. This is one of the few photos (maybe the only one) in existence with all of us together. I like to keep it around cause my wife says I'm hot.....in a dirty hippy kinda way. Hey, she sought me out.

Recording Session 4 / Bringin' The Bass

Well I was off to my Dads today to lay down some bass tracks for as many songs as I could. I was able to record on "Thunder In Me" and "If I Fall". Those are the longest songs thus far so later I hope to get some more done. Last Monday we laid the tracks for "I'm Alive" and "You Alone". It went real smooth and I can't wait to get the bass and vocals down on those. We are six songs in the mix so we need to record at least six more, I would hope, to have a full cd. Here are the lyrics for "I'm Alive and "You Alone".

I'm Alive:

Your right, I know better than this
To be doing the things that I’ve been
Truth, I know it comes from Your lips
And the lie is in willful sin

All my life I’ve been running in my head
In their eyes I am the walking dead but I am alive

Now I lay before Your mighty throne
In hope that You would cleanse me
Bound, by this lust and wickedness
I am Yours to be made free

All my life I’ve been running in my head
In their eyes I am the walking dead but I am alive

I know that I have turned away from You
And at times, I’m even angry
Here I am so helpless and alone
You are my hope and my day spring

All my life I’ve been running in my head
In their eyes I am the walking dead but I am alive


You Alone:

King of Kings, to You I bow
Before Your Mighty Throne
Lord of Lord I lift my voice
To You and You alone

Hallelujah

Also check out the pics from my Dads home studio and catch a sneek peek of "I Believe" on my mini player (to the right). Keep in mind that there are no vacals on the track and it is a rough mix down.

Vocals

Now I am perfectly aware that I do not posses the best vocals on the planet and actually far from. My voice is an "accuired taste"(my friend Jason made this comment back when we were in a band a 17 years old) and since this comment I've come to know it's truth. I have had people come to me and say that they love my voice and I've also have had people close to me say it's really bad. Nevertheless, I enjoy singing and I try to do it with as much emotion that I possibly can. Who wants to hear someone sing when their heart is just not into it. Last week I went to Mikes house to lay down vocals for the song "If I fall" and "Thunder in me". It was a lot of fun and surprisingly relaxed. I did a couple of takes and it seemed we had em for the most part. I will go later next week to redo any parts I missed and to lay down tracks for the other songs. Here are some pics from Mikes

Recording Session 3

Last Monday I found myself in Neils basement recording a song I wrote about 2 years ago originally called "Falling In Love" and then referred to as "Falling"(to many mushy things sometimes and I don't want to seem like I have Jesus is my boyfriend syndrome) into now being called "If I Fall". The song is a two part song so the second half needed a name. So in essence the song is now called "If I fall(Draw me Away)". Let's hear it for the two part song name. Iknow, Iknow......lame. Anyway, this song is really meaningful to me as it represents my ongoing struggle with honesty before God and myself. I have never actually got to hear the song as I heard it in my head until Monday. It has a nice flow and completely expresses the emotion of the lyrics musically if that makes sense. We had to record the song in two different segments as there are two different time signatures in the song. We did about five takes of each part and will sort it out later. The lyrics are as follows

If I fall(Draw me Away)

These days are getting shorter, and the nights are so long
When it seems that every choice I make, just turns out all wrong
But through everything that I have gained, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You, to carry my cross

If I fall let it be, that I'm falling in love with You

All that You are, is all that I need
A Healer, a Saviour and a Lover, King of Kings
The higher I lift You, the lower I go
Now that I've found You, I will never let You go

If I fall let it be, that I'm falling in love with You

Take my life, only You remain
Draw me away, kiss me again

Draw me away, draw me away, draw me away


It should be interesting once this recording is complete because there are a lot of things to get in place. Instrument parts, vocals, soloists, choirs, samples, you know, parts. It's becoming a full time job if I really ever plan on getting this done. I NEED PRAYER!!

*all lyrics are subject to change during the recording process*

Check this out for a really cool recording session

Explaining The Lyrics Part 1

Well I called this part one because I'm sure I might need to explain others along the way. There has been some thought on whether the line in the song You are Good is an acceptable thought that makes sense, so let me explain. The line in question is "Your love endures me". Let me start with the definition of endures.

endure:
v. tr.
1. To carry on through, despite hardships; undergo: endure an Arctic winter.
2. To bear with tolerance: "We seek the truth, and will endure the consequences" (Charles Seymour).

v. intr.
1. To continue in existence; last: buildings that have endured for centuries.
2. To suffer patiently without yielding.

What it is that I'm saying here is that it is the love of God that endures me, my actions, and who I am. It is the reason that I am able to continually come to God despite the fact I continue to fall short on many occasions. If you were to ask the question of "Why does God continue to accept you even though your life may seem contradictory to what God desires. What is the thing that causes Him to endure a relationship with so many hardships". The answer to that question would be, His love. It's His love that causes Him to endure this relationship with me. His love endures me. I hope this makes sense. As a writer I want to get my point across all while maintaining an artistic form in the way that I understand my relationship with Christ to be. Plus the phrase "Your love endures me" flows better than the phrase "Your love will endure me" or "Your love is enduring me". Anyway I hope this explains it.

Recording Session 2

This week we hopefully knocked out two songs. When I say knocked out, I'm referring to nailing the drum parts. Everything else can be overdubbed as needed. We set out to record the song "You are good" and in doing so, it seemed to go pretty smooth. We did maybe five takes and all of them seemed pretty good. Now we can pick and choose which was the best. After that we felt pretty good so we decided to take a run at "Thunder in me". We took two takes and it really sounded good. Hopefully we were able to get those two songs wired in. Here are the lyrics to both songs.

You are Good:

Oh Lord, I am waiting, to hear You speak my name
For Your voice is sweet and Your love endures me

Oh Lord, if You are for me, then who can be against me
Even though I’m weak, You are strong

You are good, You are faithful
I am Yours, You are mine

Thunder in Me:

You thunder in me, shaking me to change
Your burning, what's inside me, only You remain
You were broken beaten, Your blood poured out for me
King of the redeemed, to You we will sing

Worthy You are Worthy Worthy is the Lord

Your beauty defines me , You are all I crave
Jasper, resounding, in Your majesty

Worthy You are Worthy Worthy is the Lord

We are waiting for Your great return
Awaken the watchmen let the incense burn
Gather the people to the House of the Lord
Surely He is coming sound the alarm

Hopefully we can knock out two more next week. Please keep us in your prayers. I also have been working hard on compiling all of my songs together. I went through my books and it seems I have about twenty three completed songs. Now the task is being able to pick the cream of the crop, which is hard to do because I have a personal attachment to them all. I think I might put that job in the hands of someone else. Plus it's interesting to hear the different styles of the songs. There are about three that are straight up bluegrass, as amazing as it may seem. Maybe that comes from all the years of listening to classic bluegrass and fixating on the Grateful Deads music. Just be prepared, this record is gonna contain blues, rock, bluegrass, arena rock, alternative and funk. But trust me, it won't be all over the place as much to sound like a compilation cd or anything. The key is in the placement of the songs. Like I said, keep us in your prayers.

Recording Session 1

Today we got set up in Neils basement to start recording some tracks to the song I Believe. It was a simple set up with just two guitars, keys and drums. The basic point today was to get at least the drums close, if not complete for this track. That way later you can add instruments and even redo some of the guitar parts. I will add bass guitar later when the drums are all tracked. Tomorrow I'm gonna meet with Mike and try to lock in some keyboard/organ parts. Being in the studio is definitely a foot in front of the other type of thing. This album is not about writing the next cool worship song or trying to get my name out there. I've had the vision for some of these songs for a long time so they have developed in my mind for some time now. The point is to try and capture that vision, all while staying true to any kind of anointing that may reside on the song in general. I'm putting my heart out there and letting the listener in on my journey thus far. Like when you put your heart and soul into a painting that is representing who you are. I want this album to represent who I am and what I aspire to be. But not only that, I want it to be something that is a worthy offering to God. So making sure that we are not only playing through the songs but we are worshiping God at the same time. Sounds simple enough but you can get so wrapped up in wanting the song to come off right that you lose your focus on why you wrote the song in the first place. If our hearts are not in the right place while recording the songs then it will definitely sound dry. Oh, I got to play and record with a Martin today and it felt real nice. It was like the Lord was like "I know you really like Martins(the grocery store to, but in this case the guitar) so for your first recording session, I'll let you play this one". And boy was it nice. But in dramatic Eric fashion, I played to hard and broke a string. Ahhhh. Oh well, it's just a string. I want to list the different guitars that are used, you know basses and drums and stuff. It's the musician in me. All in all I feel like I am creating art and I just found the colors that I needed. And I pray that it all goes smooth and that there is purpose in all of it. This is my chance to capture a moment in my life. A diary of sorts. I'm gonna take my camera and try to capture some pictures to show ya'll what the sitch looks like. On that note, here are the lyrics to the first song

I Believe:

I believe, You are who You say
I believe, Your the Truth, the Life, the Way
I believe, You didn't die in vain, I believe

I believe, my sins are washed away
I believe, You've taken all my shame
I believe, Your healings’ for today, I believe

Though the trials by fire, burn me deeper everyday
Even when I can’t see, when Your right in front of me
I believe,

I believe, You've risen from the grave
I believe, Your coming back again
I believe, That all will be made clean, I believe

Though the trials by fire, burn me deeper everyday
Even when I can’t see, when Your right in front of me
I believe,

I believe in You Jesus, I believe Your the Son of Man
I believe in You Jesus, Lion and the Lamb

In the times when I feel like, I will never become free
All I do is remember, when You first said You love me, I believe

I believe in You Jesus, I believe Your the Son of Man
I believe in You Jesus, Lion and the Lamb

*Yes, I do say I believe 21 times in this song but that's the point.

Back In The Studio

Well my Dad has lined up some studio time for me in the basement of Neil Kyle. Yes, Mike and Neil will be helping me on this project as well as my Dad. This is good because I feel the Kyles get a good sense of my musical style from our little stint with Jubal Forest. I will be recording some old and some new, eventually creating a good sounding studio Cd. So far this is where I'm going with the song selection

I Believe
Thunder In Me (Worthy)
You Alone (King of Kings)
My Everything
You are Good
Falling

Here are some that I would like to do if possible, to round out a full album
Arise O Lord
Remain
Capture Me

Plus I have some that I'm currently writing which I hope to have done during this time. Also a lot of the songs need to be reworked in places and lyric tightened up a little. It's all part of the process but I'm looking forward to it. We are meeting this Monday so I'll be sure to post, not only to journal the experience for myself but to let you all in on the process. Which it is a long one. Please keep me in your prayers. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time and with the right people. So God is definitely lining it up.

Steve Thompson For President

My friend Ryan called me up and told me to check this out. He regularly attends MorningStar and told me that the video people there decided to have some fun with editing. He said they ran it at the church and everyone got a kick out of it. I thought it was hilarious, especially the Rick Joyner parts. Leonard had me cracking up to.

Jeez

I woke up this morning to find that the wind had blown in such a correct manner to catch the tarp covering my motorcycle. Needless to say, the wind knocked it over. When I looked out my front window I was kinda in disbelief. Luckily there were only a few minor scratches. I decided to put the bike on my back porch so the wind could not catch a full gust, strong enough to knock over a motorcycle anyway. I haven't posted in a long time and I don't feel bad about it. Usually I do, but this time I don't. I've been really trying to understand where God wants us to go, as a worship team and congregation. Our Sunday mornings have been good (with a few snags here and there, musically). People seem to be drawing closer to God and there is an excitement and a refreshing that comes along with it. But more about that in another post. This one is just to catch up. My friends "The Scheids" are coming home in late May and I am eager to hang and seek and play music with my friend Kris again. Plus having Jean and the kids back makes for an exciting summer for me, my wife and family. I'm looking forward to the warm weather this year like never before. I'm just ready to open the windows and really enjoy spring. I sure by the time it gets really hot I will long for fall. But, that's why I live here. The changing of the seasons is awesome. But the older I get, the more I long for a consistent temperature. You know, like 77 - 87 degrees, all year around. Well I'm gonna bail now. The day is full of things to do and places to rest.