(It's OK to) Give Small, Pass It On

Well, 2 days have past since we started the GoFundMe page. In that time, we've nearly raised $1000! Almost halfway to our $2000 goal.

As I check the page from time to time or am updated by an email from GoFundMe, I am blessed, thankful, and in awe of the support and generosity shown by all of you. Up to this point most of the contributions have been pretty big (or what I would consider big), like $100 - $200. To you friends, thank you. 

For you others, I know if it were me, might feel pressure to give that way too...but might not be able to...so here's another way...hence the blog title "Give Small, Pass It On".

The short explanation is if you would like to give to the project, $10 is a good number...even $5 is good. But after you donate, pass it on. Here's one way to do that on FB or Twitter...

1. Copy and Paste the GoFundMe link on your Facebook and/or Twitter page:

www.gofundme.com/jaredsrecording

2. If you want, add a short note about why you're supporting this project. Example: Jared is nice and I like his song. That's why I'm supporting this project! 

3. If you really want to, add #PassItOn to the end of your post along with #JaredsRecording

The "Pass It On" part comes from my elementary days. Maybe you're old enough...I mean, maybe we went to elementary school around the same time...or...ummm...anyway, back to my story. As lunch would finish up, before we could go to recess, we'd have to be dismissed by a teacher. When a few kids noticed that a table had gotten dismissed, you would always hear them telling the others to be quiet and "be good" so the teacher would dismiss our table. Now if you remember, cafeteria tables were long and rectangular so most times you would hear the signal, which would be whispered (usually) starting from the aisle and ending at the wall, "Be quiet...pass it on." 

 So friends, consider this our aisle...

www.gofundme.com/jaredsrecording #PassItOn #JaredsRecording #100isGreatBut10isGoodToo

If you aren't able to part w/ a few bucks at this time, I totally understand. But you could like my music page. That's free...

Help this Kid...

Hey friends,

So I've decided to go ahead and try to record a single. If you'd like to support this project, click here and you'll be taken to my GoFundMe page.

I'm looking to raise money to record a worship song I wrote entitled, For You So Loved. Money raised will go toward...
- studio recording, mixing and mastering,
- distribution via CD Baby, iTunes, Google Play and other digital outlets,
- website development, and
- promotion of song via website and social media.

Hoping to raise enough funds by the end of March 2016.

A little bit about this project...and myself. To be honest, I've been back and forth about doing something like this for a while. Basically, what it boils down to is the excitement of creating and producing something of my very own, versus the fear of complete and total failure.  The latter has won most days. Recently, a few friends have asked me about some of my songs and it got me thinking, that although trying to do something like this could end up being a huge fail...what if it doesn't?

If we can make this happen, it will be incredible. Any amount of donation is appreciated. If you can't donate to the project, a share on FB, Twitter, or any social media platform is just as good. If you can do both, that would be amazing!

If the response to this project is good, I hope to record more songs in the future.

Thanks again for stopping by.

Also, that is me pictured above...way way way back in the day.
(Picture credit: My mom)

Cry It Out

(Wrote this on the flight from Anchorage to Honolulu while my wife gave me a break from carrying our son.)

Sometimes we just need to cry it out.

We are flying back to Hawaii from Alaska today and my son is crying. He wants to get up and walk around. But I can't let him cause we are flying. Because I'm not giving in, he's throwing a fit in the plane and there's not much I can do about it except let him cry it out.

I wonder if that's not true of God and us as well. God is trying to take us somewhere and we want to get up and move and do our own thing, but the best thing for us to do is sit it out. And because we might not like it, the only thing "we can do" is cry it out as well.

Take a minute

It's good to just take a minute and appreciate where we are and how good we have it. Not to disregard the problems that exist in our lives, but more like just take a break once in a while. I think it's good for the soul.

What Is Good Art?

What is good art? To me, it is something that makes you or helps you to feel. It helps you to feel something that might be hidden away...deep in your soul. But what one person might consider to be good and meaningful, another person might think it to be rather ordinary. Both are right.

As a musician I struggle with the opinions of others. Or maybe more accurately, I struggle with what I think others opinions might be. But I've come to the conclusion that right now, as long as the art or music that I can share helps some, then it is worth it for me to keep on making or creating. At the same time there's something to be said about learning and improving so that what I share can or would want to be received by more.

To God be the glory.

Josh Garrels "Home"

Give this album a listen. It's definitely worth your time. If you deem it worthy, click on that link for a free download! AND if you really like it, leave a tip so Josh can make some more incredible music.




(Also for your enjoyment, here's the album trailer.)

Verne, Adina, & their story

Last post, I shared about Verne & Adina...

a little bit about their story...

and how it affected me.

This past Sunday, we were so blessed to have them share. If you weren't able to be at our Easter Service, you can watch the video right here.


The Best is Yet to Come // Verne & Adina's Story from Rhoades Productions on Vimeo.

Hoping and praying that you are encouraged by their faith & perseverance.

Peace