Thursday, January 24, 2008

Meetin' With The Mamas

I have big news.

I am about to get behind a microphone with Boomama and Bigmama for a special song.

Just kidding. For a PODCAST.

Yesssssssssssss. You heard me right. I am going to be a special guest on the next Boocast. And as excited as I have been writing songs this week...I gotta say I have been pretty dadgum excited about hangin' with the Mamas. The Mamas crack me and Angela up. We think they are one hollywood producer away from being their own sitcom. Either that, or one bad hair day away from doing hard time.

Oh, I kid because I love. (See - that's a Mama phrase.)

For real...we have grown slightly addicted to the Mamas, and love their posts. So I am looking forward to talking it up with some American Idol stuff, as well as whatever they want to talk about. I can't wait.

I am behind on my Idol-watching this week, because of our busy week...so I will be checking it out this week, and studying up for the Boocast. It's my goal to overwhelm them with my vast knowledge of all things Idol.

Not really. My real goal is to be the least southern-sounding person speaking.

I think they are taking questions over on their blog, should anyone have questions for me. I already warned them that it's not like I'm Steven Curtis Chapman or something...and all 5 people who might have a question for me can probably get their answers from my blog. But, oh well...I will play along.

We have some other fun stuff to talk about, too...should we run out of question(s).

I think I need my own nickname for this event. Boomama...Bigmama...and...Bodaddy. Or Bodiddy. Or Frydaddy.

Any suggestions?

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Puddles

I am writing today, but I had to take a quick break to tell you a cute Levi story.

I was driving him to school this morning in the rain. I asked him if he likes the rain. He said yes. I told him I liked the rain because it makes things grow...like the flowers, and the grass, and the trees. To which Levi said, "You forgot something."

"What?" I replied.

"Puddles. You forgot puddles. Jumping in puddles."

Hey, everybody...don't forget the puddles today. Go jump in the puddles. If you have kids, take them out and jump in the puddles with them. I have a feeling they will never forget it.

And your shoes will dry.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Survival

Hey, everybody! Thanks SO MUCH for your kind words and prayers for me this week. I felt them. I knew the Lord was carrying me through those tough hours of pretty stressful work. I survived. Thank you, Lord.

I am going to explain what it was I was doing those days, and how it fits into my life and calling...in a post in the next few days.

We had a great weekend. Three basketball games on Saturday. So much fun. This is Levi's first season of "organized" sports. And, as far as "organized" goes for 4 year-olds playing basketball, it's pretty great. Of course, Levi has three main concerns in his basketball experience: his uniform, the snack after the game, and the trophy at the end of the season. His brother has a shelf full of them, and he is salivating at the thought of his first.

He was so cute when he first got his uniform. He could hardly play for looking down at it.

Last night our Sunday School class had game night. We have it once a month. I love it. We played Pit and Nertz. Two of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES. I will take you down in both of those. I am not kidding. Of course, it would be prideful and gloating of me to tell you that I took them down last night. So I won't. I won't tell you I TOOK THEM DOWN. And I won't tell you I doubled Sharon Cates' score in Nertz. I won't tell you that.

Today was a great Sunday, although I had a 100% chance of being disappointed with the AFC representation at the Super Bowl. Please forgive me, Chargers and Patriots fans. We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord. But I don't want to see your team in the Super Bowl. No Titans. No Colts. No happy.

I am happy with the NFC game, though. Packers-Giants is good. I like both teams. I am watching the 4th quarter right now, and my stomach is nervous. Either that or the 6 Panchos fajitas I ate tonight were a little over-the-top. Portions, Travis, portions. Watch your portions.

I think that's all I have to tell tonight. Oh yeah, except for the fact that I think I got tennis elbow playing tennis with my nephew today.

Wii tennis. It's killing me. : >)

One more thing...

This is a conversation I had with Lily Kate on the way home from church tonight:

LK: Dad, this life...
Me: Yes, Lily?
LK: Well, God. You, know...God...never began. Oh my. I don't get it.
Me: Yeah...I know. It's hard to understand. Even for adults like me.
LK: Like, you know...before Adam and Eve were alive...God was WAAAAAY before that. I just don't get it.

I know, baby. It's hard for me to get my mind around, too. But that's God...He's so big. So mysterious and so wonderful at the same time.

Let's keep on entering the mystery.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

I Missed It

Hey everybody! Don't tell me anything about last night's American idol. I had to sing last night (I'm in Atlanta) and I had to Tivo it. Can't wait to watch it.

I would appreciate your prayers for me today. I have a HUGE amount of work to get done today for a project. I am working on a worship musical, and we are recording the tracks tomorrow and Friday. I will spend all day today writing charts. Pray that I will be creative. And diligent.

And pray that I can stay away from A.I. until I am finished.

Have a great day!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Happy Dance

American Idol begins in less than 48 hours.

Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Finally! In A Blogging Mood

Hey, friends!

It's Friday night, and the house is quiet. I just tucked the kids in bed. They went down so easily and sweetly tonight. I won't say that that is a rare thing. But let's just say that it is a blessing when they go straight to their nightly tasks with little resistance. All of them have their music playing and a book in hand. Sweet Jack - he rarely listens to anything but his daddy on his stereo when he goes to sleep. Poor kid...he may be in therapy for that one day. I try to persuade him to listen to somebody - anybody - else. He's pretty determined. The other night I wrestled him down to listening to Mandisa for a change.

Angela is having a night out with a couple of girlfriends...such a RARE event. I am so happy that she went out. They went to a church function at another church in our town. She is going to come home filled up...I'm sure of it.

I had to work a little late, so a couple of friends who are Belmont students came over and stayed with the kids until I got home. They had a great time. They were so at peace, and had their little love tanks filled all night. Pizza, Wii, and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody can do the trick!

I must confess that I have been a little distant and detached from my blogging for a while now. I have loved posting some pictures every now and then. But my brain has been too...I don't know...unmoved by anything my own self has had to say. Ouch. If I am bored with myself, imagine the rest of the internets (to coin a Boomama phrase).

I did think of some funny posts. Like once after Beth did the post about her new Payless shoes and got, like a billion comments, I thought about posting a picture of my new New Balance running shoes to see if I could get the same reaction. : >) Then, I thought about auctioning off our old, used vacuum cleaner after Boomama's freak of nature Oreck give-away response ( : >) again).

Truthfully, I credit my lack of posting to a couple of things. After a really busy fall filled with lots of traveling, I spent most of the holiday at home doing nothing but enjoying being at home. Talk about VEGGING. I became permanently attached to my pajamas over the holidays. I was even going to (the) Kroger in them. Not cool. Needless to say, I was resting, recuperating, and enjoying almost every minute of it.

I have also become mildly obsessed with reading stuff about the election. I know it's early. But I am in that obsessive phase in my relationship with the candidates. I know I will eventually take a chill pill. But these days I have forgone the blogosphere for the "You Decide - osphere." I plan on getting a grip soon.

The only obsession that has trumped my candidate obsession is my love of the NFL. And this post-season has not disappointed. I will spare you my breakdowns, heartaches, victories, and other mindless and pointless details.

GO COLTS.

Now that January has hit, I have begun what will probably the most intense season of working hard that I have ever had. I am working on three projects. I am working on a worship musical for choirs. That will not be time intensive, with the exception of 3 or 4 days. It is pretty easy work for me...and I love doing it. The other two projects are taking over my brain daily and intensely. I am beginning the process of recording two solo records - a Christmas one and a "regular" one. I have had lots of meetings to listen to songs. Lots of meetings trying to write songs. Lots of meetings figuring out the where's, who's, and how much concerning all of the details of recording these projects at the same time. I have to say that it has been exhilarating and I have loved every minute of it. I have been able to write some songs with some of my favorite songwriters of all time.

I will be immersed in these projects for the next couple of months. I would be so blessed if you would pray for us as you think about it. We are excited about these creative days. But we also know that we need the hand of the Lord to guide us as we work, and the hand of the Lord to cover us while we are stretched.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to our Living Proof year to begin the last weekend of February. The praise team and I are picking out a bunch of new songs to do this year. It's time for an overhaul in our worship song repertoire (any suggestions?). I am pumped to get going with that. I love ministering at those events so much.

Enough for now. I hope you all have a great weekend. Three basketball games for us tomorrow. Talk to you soon...

TC

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything



We went to see the premiere of the new VeggieTales movie that will be out in theaters this Friday - "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." It was really great! Everybody take your families to the movie this weekend if you can...and let's support this great Christian and family-friendly flick.