Poems & Dust - "Dirty Words" JAPAN EDITION

I tweeted about this and posted on Facebook, but here's another notice.  If you like great lyrics put to killer beats, I would recommend PND's "Dirty Words". The album is only $5 here.

This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.



You can actually sample the whole thing at their bandcamp page and then purchase it there too.

Who are you listening to that I should know about?  Lemme know.

Love supporting talented independent artist.

Thanks for stopping by.

Da-Bike experiment

This is me super tired, but trying to look cool and not tired. (failed on both counts)
Also the seat on this bike really hurt my butt. But I got a new one after that as you'll read.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to ride my bike to work.

I thought it was a good idea.

My legs sometimes tell me otherwise.

Now there are a number of reasons why I did this.  One is because I don't want the rail to be built here (just being honest)...and I figure if I'm gonna ask someone to not drive their car and catch bus or ride bike, I better do it myself.  So here we are.

4 weeks into the trial.  I've biked at least once a week (Wed)...sometimes twice (Wed, Thurs) if I'm feeling ambitious.

Now the first time I tried it...I seriously was doubting my ability to ride 10 miles w/o quiting or getting hit by a car.  But you know what? Neither of those things have happened!!! (and haven't YET!...crossing my fingers).

Now one might think, "Hey Jared, you must be some kinda ultra fit person to do that kind of stuff."
(I said might...)

And I would respond, "Why thank you for thinking that, but not really.  I love to eat pizza, candy, and all kinds of other stuff full of delicious sugary magic!  My doctor says I have borderline high blood pressure.  I have had gout.  I have a little bit of asthma...and I weigh about 226lbs.  So not as ultra fit as you might imagine."

So anyway, back to riding bike. It does take some courage to bike on the road WITH CARS!!!  But so long as you ride straight and be courteous to drivers, they won't really bother you.  (Actually I could just be so tired that I don't even notice people trying to bother me.  Anyway in either case, there is no bothering to notice!)

OK, so for the positive things about this experiment: 1) I made it to work  2) I made it home from work  3) It is getting easier  4)umm nothing I can think of...yet.

The negatives? None. Na. Just kidding. It does take me longer to get to the office.  But I'm just starting this bike thing and I imagine as I get into better shape and figure out the best route to work I'll shave minutes off the travel time. I also did get a flat tire cause I ran over a branch w/ a HUGE thorn.  I don't have a repair kit (which I should buy). And I don't "really" know how to change my tire...but hey! That's what YouTube is for, right?

What else should I talk about? Bike stuff/equipment!

So I have a helmet.  A BIG ONE...made by Bell.  They call it the XLV. (DON'T LAUGH) (OK LAUGH but not too much please).  I need a big helmet cause...you guessed it I have a big head.  What I also have purchased is a new seat...some kind of gel thing. It has been like night and day w/ this new one.  If you are considering riding bike, I would definitely recommend a good seat.  Here's the one I got...I think. Another thing you should get are lights.  I have something like these.  I think they work pretty good.  Also another thing I decided to get were some sleeves...CAUSE I WAS GETTING BURNT! They're something like this. They also have been a great purchase IMO.

When deciding to ride bike, I never realized how much stuff...extra stuff you need.  But it's been good.  Nothing really spectacular in this post.  It could be though that I am so exhausted from riding, that I can't formulate my thoughts properly and therefore can't write a better blog post. Hmm.

Anyway, that's all for now.  I have really good story about biking that happened to me like 15? no...MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO!!!! Oh My Lord I am getting old.  But come back for that.  It involves me, riding bike, & poop! C'mon add poop to a story and it is like a MILLION TIMES better than w/o right?!?!?! Anyway that's all for now.

P.S. Gonna go to Alaska (w/ my family and a team from church) in a couple days to help out w/ a camp!  Pretty excited about that. 

...OH and have fun biking!...and support your local bike shops.

All For Love (DEMO)

So here's the newest song I have.  I really tried to write a song that convicts the heart...BUT it somehow ended up very happy and singsongy at the end.  I guess that's just the kind of person I am.  Also, I really need help/tips on recording...cause this is just...not good.  Or if I could find someone to sing my songs!!!???!?!?! That'd be good, too. I think really it's just that I need a church/congregation.  I really am uncomfortable singing by myself.  Anyway, to God be the glory.  

All For Love

Broken for me
The crown of thorns & nails in Your feet
& hands flow blood
All for love


You took my place upon the cross
You died the death that I deserve
You paid the ransom for me
Once and for all
for love
All for love


So I will sing
& I will praise You
& so I will worship You
with all my heart
And I will live
Giving You everything
for You gave everything
& You held nothing back
for love 

Spoken words...

During the past couple of days I've been...captured by stories told by poets of Passion for Christ Movement (P4CM).  They have challenged me, given me new perspective, they have brought things to light which I rarely thought of or considered.  Through their experiences and words, they have helped me to see more, feel more, understand more...

hope they do the same for you...

Here are some that moved me.
(To God be the glory)

Ready or Not by Janette...ikz & Ezekiel

"I will wait for you" by Official P4CM Poet JANETTE...IKZ

Identity Crisis of a Misfit by Ezekiel

Only the Good Die Young

P4CM Presents I Promised I Wouldn't Tell! by Featured RHETORIC Poet J"O" Speaks

Need a pair of glasses? Try Warby Parker.

A while back a friend let me know about this company. 
Now that it's about time to get my eyes rechecked, they kinda came back to mind. 

So if you haven't heard, this is Warby Parker.  And with a name like that how could you forget it? 

Check them out when you need a pair of new glasses or shades (men or women).  You'd be helping yourself AND someone else who could really use it.

Something about worship & anointing

This past Sunday we went to church at SRM Kona. If you're in Kona on a Sunday, go check them out for sure.  But it was a good day.  God showed me stuff about worship and I guess wanted me to see/understand/experience something about anointing.

Now for me, anointing is a funny word.  I understand/understood it to be when God's blessing or God's hand is on someone for a certain task.  But it kinda always meant: skillful.  I though that was the church word for skillful:  Anointed.

Oh, that person was an anointed speaker...means that person gave a great message.

Just fill in the blank for ministry...worship leader, guitar player, singer, children's worker, etc.

But last Sunday during worship at SRM, there was an anointing I believe.  Not necessarily on the whole team, I would say...but at least one, for sure.  My father-in-law.  It was weird because I have been to this church so many times before and have experienced their worship and church and only once have I ever felt something similar.  The one time before was when Jimmy Bohol lead a song.  Kind of a husky bigger guy, broad shoulders, dark skin, hair slicked back, huge smile.  Didn't really have the best voice but he had a nice voice.  The thing about it was he had cancer.  He was dying.  Yet he lead on stage with passion and praised the Lord with all that he had.  You would never know he had cancer or that he would die soon by watching him praise the LORD.

I thought to myself, "Wow, that is worship."

...I cried a little that day because I saw a man who loved the Lord so much and I saw myself who needs to love so much more.

So this past Sunday, nearly the same thing.

My father in law was just doing his thing...playing bass.  But every time I turned my eyes to him, something between my heart and throat started to well up. So I would turn away...and it would go away.  Till finally, I just locked in on him...and just like that, tears started to flow.  It wasn't that I was blown away with his musicianship (which I was cause he's really really good), it wasn't that I was suddenly convicted of some major sin in my life (which I probably should have been), the song that they were playing has been played many times before, but it was more that he was just "in his own world", giving glory to God.

That is what my eyes saw.  That is what my heart felt.

Anointing, I don't believe is just so we can say, "Wow, that person is really great or anointed at what they do," or "Look how God anointed them!"

It's has to be about, that person really loves God. Then somehow when God infuses them with his spirit for that time or season...something happens...something affects us...deep in our soul and somehow we are closer to God.

To God be the glory.

What does anointed mean to you?

Song time - Oh My Soul (the rewrite)

I've heard it preached/taught before that David was commanding his soul to praise God (in Psalm 103:1NASB).  That despite the hardships and difficulties we encounter (or bring upon ourselves), God is worthy to be praised and we need to remind ourselves of that...we need to sometimes command our soul to praise the Lord.

So here is the 3rd re-write of this song.  I think it is finished...
(Also I kinda messed up while singing it, but I'm too lazy to fix it up...and it doesn't sound THAT bad.)

Anyways...here we go again.

Oh My Soul

Oh my soul

Oh my soul

Oh my soul

Praise the Lord

He is good, He is good

and His love forever endures

He is peace, He is peace

Comfort for all who are in need

He is hope, He is hope

Like the dawn comes our Savior

He is God, He is God

Glorious, Sing my soul

sing now

Holy is the Lord

Holy is the Lord

Let everything within me

respond to all my eyes see

through the veil of faith and the living Word

Holy Spirit come let me see the hope

That I have in You

You alone are worthy to be praised

Forevermore

Hallelujah Hallelujah