"Christian" Lyrics or Chrisitans playing Music...

Yes I have not posted anything in awhile but I felt like writing about this.  About a week ago I was on the website of 'As I Lay Dying' and I wanted to find more about who they were.  I heard that they were "Christian" even though they are a screamo-band.  On their website, Tim Lambesis stated on the band's FAQ, 

"I'm not sure what the difference is between five Christians playing in a band and a Christian band. If you truly believe something, then it should affect every area of your life. All five of us are Christians. I believe that change should start with me first, and as a result, our lyrics do not come across very "preachy." Many of our songs are about life, struggles, mistakes, relationships and other issues that don't fit entirely in the spiritual category. However, all of these topics are written about through my perspective as a christian. (wikipedia.org)

After reading this I thought that this makes perfect sense! We don't just always need artists writing "Christian" lyrics, we need Christians to be playing the music!  The more bands and artists who write like this will attract people from all over and impact many.

What do you think?

-The Drummer.

The Life of a Vikings Fan...

You have a chance to go 9-7 some years but its usually 8-8.

You might make the playoffs but lose in the first round.

You will always be disappointed at the end of the season before the Super Bowl.

And of course... this happens every year.

This is why...

I AM A VIKINGS FAN!

What am I thankful for?

Every year at Thanksgiving my family goes around the table and says what we are thankful for. Usually in the past it has been: friends, family, God, health... you get it. So right now I am thinking... what am I thankful for?

Well this year is different for me; I will not be going home for Thanksgiving this year but I am staying in Texas and spending Thanksgiving with my other "family" (Adam, Heidi, and Matt Pautsch).

So as I look back at the question: "What am I thankful for?"

I am thankful for many things: Jesus dying on the cross for my sins, my family and Hooper, my best friends (Lancette, Ocho, Pautsch, Rahimi, Tim, Osh, BP), Adam and Heidi inviting me over for Thanksgiving, the college friends I have meet so far, LeTourneau University, the talents God has blessed me with... I could go on and on.

Now I want you to think... what are you thankful for?

Tell someone this Thanksgiving holiday that you are thankful for them.

From My View...

I have been drumming for eight years now and I have been playing with bands for four years. Let me tell you - the feeling is unbelievable when you are done with your gig.

Not many people know what it's like to perform in front of hundreds of people. People might think that it is nerve racking... sometimes it is. However, leading or performing is one of the best feelings in the world!

Before I get on stage, the first thing I do is pray to God that he will bless this time I have to lead. I remind myself that it doesn't matter if I mess up because God will always be there to pick me up.

Yes, it's true; most of the time when I go on stage, I am nervous. But as the lights dim and the spotlights shine, I feel as if there is no one else around but me and the band. As I begin to play, everything becomes real to me - the lights, the sounds, the people. I look around at others engaging in this harmony of music. It is a masterpiece, hundreds of people coming together as one huge band screaming their lungs out! This is when most musicians begin to be themselves on stage... where they start jumping around and start engaging the crowd. When everything becomes a little crazy - it ends up being fun for everyone! This is why I become emotional when I play the drums... I get crazy, I hit the drums with a passion - this all makes me wanting to play on forever!

You might not be able to fully understand what I described... but once you experience this for yourself - you will always understand why musicians love performing in front of others as well as being a little crazy. This isn't because they are weird or anything... it's because of their passion for creating music.

Finally, when the music comes to an end... I have to give all the glory to God for the amazing gift he has given me to play and lead with the drums.