Young Living April Promotions

Every month, Young Living has a promotion where you can earn free products.  This month your order can earn you a classic Young Living favorite, as well as an exotic oil you may have never tried before!

During April, order 300 PV and earn a free Deep Relief™ roll-on and 5-ml Ravintsara essential oil, as well as a $20 enrollment coupon and an AŸRŸT® Day Activator!

Order 250 PV and receive the free Deep Relief roll-on and Ravintsara essential oil, plus the free $20 enrollment coupon.  Retail Value: $85.13

 

Order 190 PV and receive the free Deep Relief roll-on and Ravintsara essential oil.  Retail Value: $65.13

Reach any of these PV minimums in a single order during April and earn great products and shareable rewards!
 

Deep Relief:Featuring Wintergreen, Peppermint, Idaho Balsam Fir, Helichrysum, and other essential oils, Deep Relief is a member-favorite blend, loved for its ability to soothe away tension and invigorate the mind. A convenient, mess-free roll-on, Deep Relief can easily be rolled onto the neck, wrists, or anywhere else it is needed.

Ravintsara: Ravintsara is an exotic essential oil with a camphor-like aroma and high eucalyptol content. Held in high regard in Madagascan folk medicine, it can be used to support an overall sense of well-being.

$20 Enrollment Coupon: This transferrable enrollment coupon is an ideal tool for sharing Young Living and bringing new energy to your organization. Look for a discount code on your qualifying 300 PV or 250 PV order invoice, which you may then give to an enrolling member. To redeem the code, the enrolling member must sign up and enter the coupon code at checkout. This unique benefit makes it easier than ever to share Young Living!

ART Day Activator: Light, water-based, and ideal for every skin type, ART Day Activator is an advanced daily moisturizer infused with Sandalwood and Frankincense essential oils to restore the skin. This versatile moisturizer works all day long to rejuvenate skin under sunscreen, makeup, or on its own. Use 2–4 pumps daily on face and neck to give your complexion a smooth, glowing appearance.

 

For more information: http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/opportunity/Promotions/april-promotion

 

Essential Oils General Information + How We are Using Them

What are essential oils?

Basically, essential oils are derived from plants, and are excellent for aiding the body heal itself.  They were made at creation.   No chemicals.  They can be diffused/inhaled, applied topically, or taken internally.  (Note: Don't ever take any that you buy off the shelf in a store, as they can make you very sick.)  Each essential oil has certain properties that can help with different issues.  People have been using essential oils since creation throughout the world.  They kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses, combat insect bites, and combating illness, as well as stimulate tissue and nerve regeneration.  They can also help with mood, lift spirits, etc.


What makes Young Living essential oils different from others?

Young Living essential oils are therapeutic-grade oils that are safe to take internally. You cannot do that with the other oils on the market, as they have synthetic additives in them that can make you very sick. Young Living only uses the first distillation of the oils; these are the purest form of the oils. There are never any additives in them.

Young Living has a high standard of commitment to providing only therapeutic-quality essential oils. Unfortunately, the essential oil industry is almost completely unregulated and manufacturers are able to label their oils as “100% pure” if only a certain percentage of the oil is the real deal.  The truth is that essential oils from many manufacturers are adulterated and cut with chemicals made in a laboratory in order to keep the cost down.  The production of true therapeutic-quality essential oils can be labor-intensive and expensive (for instance, it takes several tons of Bulgarian rose petals to produce 1 oz. of pure rose essential oil). Young Living Essential Oils are cold-distilled — a more lengthy and painstaking process than extraction with high heat or chemicals, which is unfortunately the norm in the essential oil industry. The results in therapeutic-value, however, speak for themselves!  Therapeutic-quality essential oils are extremely concentrated, and a little bit goes a long way to provide powerful results for your health, healing, and personal care/household needs.


How are we using them?

The past several years, Martin and I have really started looking at what goes into our bodies, and we are trying to make a conscious effort to know exactly what we are consuming.  We are moving away from commercially-processed/packaged foods, and buying local.  Since we have started doing that, we are trying to get away from chemical-laden products and are currently looking at alternatives to standard shampoos, body washes, toothpastes, etc.  A friend of mine shared Young Living essential oils with me, and we added them to our daily routine. We have been using the oils for other "problems" that pop up: headache, nausea, stomach bug, fever, etc.,  all which have been fixed with the essential oils.  Martin and I ready don’t like using medicine if we don’t have to, and are really enjoying using the essential oils instead.  We haven't used any over-the-counter medication since we started using essential oils.   We have started using Young Living essential oils on a daily basis instead of reaching for medicine (in many cases, the OTC medicine can do more harm than good).  

The other night when I got migraine visuals, I wanted to use the essential oils instead of popping Tylenol, which can eventually damage your liver.  There are several oils that are suggested for migraines.  They are basil, copaiba, eucalyptus, German chamomile, helichrysum, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, and wintergreen.  There are also several blends suggested, of which I had PanAway on hand.  I took the oils I had with me, rosemary and basil, internally in a capsule, and diffused Panaway, and put peppermint on my temples and at the base of my brain stem on the back of my neck.  After the visuals went away, the migraine headache never surfaced.

We have also decided to start using the essential oils to aid with weight loss, Martin's back issues, and mom was having some issues she needed to deal with asap. For weight loss, we take one drop of lemon, grapefruit, and one drop of peppermint in extra virgin olive oil internally 3x a day.  These oils work as healthy appetite suppressant, and Martin lost 5 lbs. the first week he was on them.  For the first time in quite a while, he is no longer hungry between meals and eats less at meal times.  In addition, I put peace and calming or lavender on the soles of the kids feet each night before bedtime, and they are all sleeping much better.  

When I started feeling sick the other week like I was coming down with the flu, I took the "flu bomb" which is thieves, basil, and frankincense every 2 hours, put thieves on the soles of my feet, and diffused it through out the day and evening.  I was all better when I woke up Sun am.  Thieves is an oil blend that will kill viruses in the air, and there are laboratory tests that prove the "kill rate."

Martin has been having back spasms and we have been treating it with basil, rosemary, and peppermint.  Basil is an antispasmodic, rosemary helps relax the muscles, and peppermint drives it deep, and feels like icy hot.  It is amazing to see how fast it works and how he goes from pain to instant relief.



What are some common uses for essential oils?

If there is something you want me to look up, I can let you know what oils are recommended. The following are the oils that you get in the wholesale starter kit and what they can help (these are also available to retail customers as well):

Purification is:

great for supporting the body to heal from insect bites, cuts and scrapes, coughs and bronchitis, viral infections, sore throat

perfect blend for killing odors and cleansing the air

work as a natural insecticide

great for household cleaning

Frankincense is:

great for supporting the body to heal from illnesses of cold, flu, pneumonia, bacterial and viral infection

skin-healing properties

support of respiratory function

promotes relaxation 

Used for cancer treatment

Cuts and scrapes

Scars and stretch marks

Skin rejuvenation

Umbilical cord care

Warts and skin tags

Concentration

Immune System

Blisters

Insect Bites

Depression

Brittle Nails

Stretch Marks

Cysts

Skin Health

Warts

Breast Health

Healthy Maintenance

Skin Tags

Chest Congestion

Lemon is:

great for supporting the body to detox, coughs, immune support

relieves heartburn

eases stress and anxiety

effective against parasites

healthy treatment of acne

Refreshing drink

Urinary tract infections

Peppermint is:

Great for relieving headaches and stomachaches

Constipation

Other aches and pains

Relieves nausea

Helps with alertness and focus

Reduces fevers

Increases oxygen absorption

Keeping away insects and spiders.

Insect stings

Congestion or allergies

Mental clarity and alertness

Turning Posterior baby

Refreshing drink

Breath freshener

PanAway is:

Ideal for muscle and bone pain

Helpful for backaches

Reduces headache pain

Relieves arthritis pain

Growing pains

Congestion

Valor® is:

great for backaches, anti-viral and anti-bacterial

“chiropractor in a bottle”

helps with back and hip related issues

Reduces those with hyperactivity

effective against insomnia

Stress relief

Child bearing (Labor)

Stage fright

Perfume

Thieves® is:

Great for supporting the body to heal from illnesses-viral and bacterial, anti-mold and anti-fungal

Helpful for dental issues

Kills mold spores

Canker sores

Household cleaning

Peace & Calming® is:

great for relaxation and better sleep-great for wound up kids

helps with insomnia and anxiety

Fights depression

supports the nervous system

Bad dreams

Good in bath products

Lavender is:

great for sleep

cuts and scrapes

soothes and heals burns

supports a sense of calm...

anti-inflammatory properties

natural antiseptic

Allergies

Reduces stress

Fungal infections

Insect bites

dry or chapped skin

Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a cotton ball and place it in closets and drawers to scent linens and repel moths and insects.

minimize the appearance of scar tissue

deodorize and freshen your laundry

minimize seasonal discomforts.

Joy is used for:

Depression

Bi-polar

grief

Lowered blood pressure

Anxiety

Stress

Tension

Perfume

Air freshener

Bath scent

Added to massage oil

Stress Away is used to:

induce relaxation

relieve stress

reduce nervous tension

many other uses


I may be interested in a couple of these.  How can you help?

I am a distributor with Young Living, and if you are interested in purchasing some oils, I can help you with that.  Let me know if you have any questions about the oils, or if you want me to look up what oils might help with different issues.

You can become a customer 2 different ways. Retail and wholesale. Retail customers pay full price. Wholesale customers order a starter kit (I got the premium starter kit for $150) and get a 24% discount on orders. The premium kit is the best value for the money. You get a diffuser, the everyday oils kit (which includes Frankincense, lavender, lemon, peppermint, PanAway, Peace & Calming, Purification, Valor, Thieves and Joy,) and some samples of the oils. If you only want to be a customer (wholesale or retail), that is great, or you can be a distributor and sell the oils. The only thing you have to do to keep your wholesale customer status is to order a total of $50 each year.

To order the oils, you can access the website at 

https://www.youngliving.com/signup/?site=US&sponsorid=1560110&enrollerid=1560110

Here is a book that I use all the time that tells what the oils can help with.

http://www.lifesciencepublishers.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=92&product_id=906

If you want to look around at all the different oils go to www.youngliving.com and click on products.

And remember, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with me at marcialmoore@gmail.com. 

I wouldn't change a thing...

Whenever I talk about the kids with Marci, I’ve been noticing that I’ve been saying, “I wouldn’t have them any other way” quite a bit.  All three of them have their strengths and weaknesses in terms of personality, habits, etc.

Take Emma Kate for example.  

She’s the only person in the world that just throws herself on me a few times a day and gives me the biggest hugs one could ever hope for.  She desperately wants to spend time with me, and she’s become a “little mama” to Everett ever since he made his arrival last year.  She’s really sweet; however, she tends to be over-dramatic and is definitely on her own time schedule.  I don’t know how many times I've threatened to leave her somewhere.  Poor Aedan and Everett probably will think her name is “Hurry!” because I’m always telling her to do so.  With that said though, I wouldn't change a thing about her.

Then there's Aedan:

This is the most serious picture I have of him, and he's wearing underwear on his head.  He says something that cracks me up every day.  Love his messy hair.

While Aedan can be a sweetheart, he can get in a really terrible "don't want to" mood where nothing seems to work to make him happy.  For example, he may say he's thirsty.  Here's where the conversation can go awry:

Me:  "Ok brother, we have apple juice, milk, and water.  Which would you like?"

Aedan: "Don't want to!"

"Do you want milk?"

"No!"

"Do you want apple juice?"

"No!"

"Do you want water?"

"No!"

"Are you thirsty?"

"Yes!"

"What do you want to drink?"

"Don't want to!"

Rinse and repeat.

After he's satisfied with something, he can turn around and be a really gentle soul and the nut-head that he is.  Although he may go through the spells that a 3 year old is likely to go through, he's a sweet kid with a big heart.  And I wouldn't change a thing.

Ok, here's the kicker.  Mr. Everett.

Most recently, Everett has been yelling "Daddy!" and running as fast as he can and giving me hugs around my legs.  He has a bright smile, showing off all six teeth in the front of his mouth.  

While he has gotten much happier since starting to walk this past summer, I have dubbed Everett as "EJ McFussy Pants."  This little guy cried more in his first 6 months of life than Emma Kate and Aedan did their first years...combined.  And it wasn't just crying; it was blood-curdling screaming.  Nope, he wasn't hurt, hungry, or needed a diaper change.  Even still, then and now, I can't imagine my life without him.  He's turning out to be such a sweet kid.  I wouldn't change a thing about him.

So, what's the point of this?

Even with all of these imperfections, I'm still crazy about my kids.  When they mess up, fall down, get scared, etc., it gives me the opportunity to be with them one on one.  It gives me the opportunity to let them know I care, that I love them, and that they can count on me.  Raising kids is a lot of work, but I wouldn't change a thing about them.  I'm crazy about each one of them.

I believe that God views us in much the same way.  It's so easy to focus on ourselves, our own imperfections, and our shortcomings.  While I believe that God wants us to be better and to grow closer to Him each day, He loves us despite our imperfections, much like we love our children.  If we were perfect, there would have been no reason for us to God to send His Son (See John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Psalm 86:15).  We are made in His image...and He wouldn't change a thing.

A year with my Taylor GC8: A Review

It's been a long time since I wrote one of these, but about 6 months ago, I wrote a review of my Taylor GC8 guitar.  Just in case anyone is interested, here goes:

Ok, first of all, I mean no offense with this disclaimer, BUT I think that it’s sort of silly when folks write a full review of a guitar, bass, mandolin, drum set, etc. within a few days of receiving an instrument. To me, this would be like writing an entire book on marriage while on your honeymoon. I realize that folks may be excited, but the enthusiasm may seem to hide any sort of shortcomings, and rightly so. I mean, who wants to dog a new guitar, right? This is why I have chosen to wait almost a year to write my review so I’m not afraid to write about the good, the bad, and the ugly in addition to anything else I can think of.

Granted it’s been almost a year, but I can still remember the excitement I felt as the big brown truck pulled up to my door on Christmas Eve 2010. It was bitterly cold outside that I knew better than to pop open the box immediately, so I waited a few hours before opening the box. I took out the case and set it on the couch for several more hours. I was finally brave enough to crack it open occasionally and look at it. Long story short, I will have to say that the build was flawless. I couldn’t find anything wrong with it anywhere. It was simple and yet stunning. 
When I picked it up and started to play, I was first struck as to how comfortable this little guitar was. I had played one other GC8, and it was just as comfortable as I remember the first one being. Smaller body + a shorter scale make for effortless playing.

When it came to the sound, initially, I was a little less than impressed and somewhat disappointed to be totally honest. So, I just chalked it up to the guitar still being a little cool to the touch, put it back in the case and let it warm up to room temperature before playing again. The warmer it got the better it sounded. Even still, it sounded a little muttled and wasn’t what I was looking for, and the set up wasn’t that great. I had heard multiple times how great Taylors are right out of the box. I’ve played many new Taylors in music stores that I’m sure had nothing but the factory set-up which were great. Mine was just “meh.” So, a word to the wise: If you aren’t terribly impressed with the Taylor factory set-up, it’s ok; I wasn’t either. I just hated that I had to wait until after Christmas to take it to the shop to have it set up. Patience isn’t my strong suit.

The next week I had the action lowered, intonation worked on, and a new set of Elixer Nano PB lights installed. One strum and I knew I had found “the one.” I spent the next few months sitting around the house playing my GC8, either on the couch, in various chairs, etc. I will have to say that comfortable isn’t the word! It sits so nicely in my lap and is a dream to play.

The sound: If I had to describe the way that this sounds, the best word I can come up with is “even.” Across the tonal spectrum, it’s as “even” as a guitar can get in my opinion. There’s a level of clarity that comes with the tone that each string harmonizes extremely well with the next. No strings or frequencies override or overwhelm each other. No duds, no dead spots. It sounds like it came pre-eq’ed! I’ve heard that much of this is due to the new bracing techniques Taylor is using on their GC models. I don’t know what it is, but works for me.

After having my guitar for 3-4 months, it was time to start laying down tracks for my next record. This was going to be the real test. The whole reason I got a GC8 was for recording purposes, and I heard that Taylor GCs were THE guitar to use to record. I’m here to say that recording this guitar was the easiest process that I’ve ever had with ANY guitar. Ever. It sounds remarkably well up against an acoustic bass and a hammered dulcimer. In the mixes you will hear, there is very little (if any) EQ’ing or reverb added. Take a listen to the sound samples. All of these songs feature my GC8.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/martinmoore5

Yet another note about comfort: If you are a studio player who ends up having to hold his/her guitar for hours at a time, this size will not nearly be as uncomfortable as a dreadnought or probably even a grand auditorium-size instrument. I’m used to having to hold a dred for hours, and eventually, I have to put my dred down in between every take while I mix, make adjustments, etc. because eventually, holding a dred gets uncomfortable and my arm starts to ache. With a GC, I was able to record a little, stop and turn towards my laptop to make adjustments and then turn back for another take for the entire project. Probably for the duration of my last project, I’ll be it saved me at least an hour of time being able to do this – in addition, it seems that every time I end up in a situation where I’m taking my guitar off and putting it on the stand, then getting it off the stand to put it on, dings seem to be unavoidable. Granted if you are swinging back and forth between a desk and mikes, you still have to be careful. Nonetheless, no arm aches. Also, the shorter scale allows for lower string tension; therefore, it’s much easier on the fingers over time. I no longer fear barre chords. 

I’ve played live a few times with my GC8. The first couple of times I played live, I was at my church; I played for my wife as she sang solo. The first time, I was mic’ed. It sounded really nice coming through the PA system. The second time I played in our small chapel. I strummed my GC while my wife sang without a mic. Neither her voice nor my guitar over-powered each other. When I’ve played in this type of situation with my Takamine dred, the guitar always seems to overpower the vocalist. But not this one. 

This past Christmas, I actually played with a bluegrass band for a concert with my GC8. During rehearsals (non-mic’ed), my guitar did not seem to overpower anything; it just seemed to blend in. I wasn’t strumming incredibly hard or anything, but it did project remarkably well. Other instruments included fiddle, upright bass, mandolin, and another acoustic guitar player (playing a sloped-shouldered Larrivee). I never took any lead breaks or anything, but I did strum along when the other guitar player did. I thought that it sounded great! With that said, if I found myself playing with a bluegrass group on a more-regular basis, I would probably opt for something larger bodied to play. But for a one-off gig, it did well. Please pardon the analogy, but you know how they say that front-wheel-drive cars do ok in the snow? But, if one was to have to drive through the snow all of the time, then one would need to look at getting a 4WD? This is the way that I see my GC. If I played with a full band A LOT, then I’d probably get something larger. But if I’m only playing with 2-3 others in an acoustic setting, then the GC will do well and you don’t have to feel like you are killing it when you are strumming.

While playing live with these folks, I think everyone was plugged in except me; I was mic’ed. Granted, I only played guitar on about 2-3 tunes (I played other instruments on the other songs). I could hear my guitar just fine with everyone else playing. I think that the frequencies of this guitar lend themselves to being heard through many situations without having to be the loudest, and yet, the tones were not shrill in any way. I’m glad I have the stick-on pickguard after this past weekend.

I let a couple of the other guys in the band give the Taylor a try either before or after the concert. They absolutely LOVED my guitar. They could not put it down once they picked it up. The first thing they talked about was how they loved the slotted headstock. After playing it a while, they loved the neck, comfort, and sound. One said he was going to start saving his money to get himself one.

This guitar seems to blend in well with other instruments without over-riding anything. It’s no banjo killer, but it has a much sweeter sound than a lot of banjo-killers out there. I have a mountain dulcimer student, and when we play together, the instruments blend nicely. 

Conclusion: If I were to change anything, well, I don’t know if I would. It fits the bill for everything, so far. It records amazingly easy, it strums well, and it is a stellar finger-picker. It’s not as loud as larger-bodied guitars, but it can hold its own if needed. The only gripe I have is the case. This is Taylor’s top-of-the-line case, and for some reason it doesn’t line up just right when it closes. Part of the bottom “lip” sticks out further than it should on the top side of the lower bout. It closes shut nicely after the clasp is engaged, but it doesn’t shut all the way until the clasp has been closed. With that said, the case is a nice tight fit. I’ve heard that Taylor will ship me a new case if I would like, but I sorta like the road wear mine’s getting on it. This past year, I’ve had the opportunity to record my guitar in addition to playing in a variety of situations. I know that this is not the cheapest guitar in the world, but to me, the money I spent was well-worth it to have my recording project move as easily as it did. I didn’t have to fight to get a good recorded sound. Playing live was better than expected, and the guitar just blends well with other instruments as well as being a strong solo instrument as well.

Click to enlarge pics.

I’m becoming a person that I never thought I’d be – part 1

There are times in adulthood where we have these threshold moments – where we have these little realizations that we are slowly growing older and seeing glimpses of how our upbringing truly shapes who we become, be it good or bad. 

As expressed and explained previously, I grew up without neighbors except for my grandfather.  He lived across the creek from my folks, and a little bridge joined the cow pasture (which was basically our front yard) with his yard.  I used to walk freely back and forth from his house to mine while my friends had to drive across the state (or the country) to visit their grandparents.  It was a lot of fun, except for the one time I forgot to tell my folks that I was heading over for the afternoon.  They were worried sick about where I ended up, and when I returned home, I received a “reminder” to tell them whenever I went somewhere.  Heck, even to this day if I head to Winston-Salem or anywhere else, I still have the urge to let one of them know where I am headed.

Growing up, my grandfather had a garden.  When people ask me how big it was, I always say, “I’m not sure about square footage, but it was definitely big enough to ruin a boy’s Saturday.”  To make things clear, I was not knee deep in dirt every day or every weekend; I’m not going to pretend like I was.  However, I was in it enough to build just a little character and to learn where food comes from.  Besides school lunches, I ate A LOT of what we grew.  I had no idea how good our food was until I got older.  Besides eating at school, 95% of the vegetables we ate, we grew.  I remember how hard my folks worked in the garden with my grandfather – stringing and breaking mess after mess of beans (if you don’t know how much a mess is, you’d know it if you saw it).  I woke up many Saturday mornings to the sound of that spitting whistle on top of the pressure canner. I remember our sinks and countertops being piled with corn cobs; the counter had the cobs that had just been shucked and silked, big pots were cooking the corn, and the sink was full of cooked corn soaking in cool water.  Many, many spring, summer, and fall days and afternoons were spent doing these sorts of things.

My first year out of high school, my grandfather got sick and passed away, and my folks sold his house within a year or so thereafter.  During this time I was in college, my parents were as busy as ever, and my brother was working full time and maybe even out of undergrad and in seminary.  While I missed my grandfather (and still do!), I didn’t miss the work.  I swore up and down that I’d never have a garden, cows, chickens, or anything of that sort.  I’ve always wanted to live in the middle of nowhere, maybe do a little writing here and there, but as far as having a garden and growing my own food, forget it.  No way, no how. 

However, within the past year, something has begun to stir in me.  I have, what I believe to be, a genuine desire to maybe start growing some of our own food.  I never thought that I’d have this desire, but it’s like now that I have three kids, I want them to know what I know.  I want them to experience some of the same things that I did and to appreciate what they eat because they realize the hard work that went into it.  I swore that I’d never even think of doing any sort of work like this again, but I find myself being drawn to it for some reason.  I don’t know if it’s due to watching Food, Inc., one too many times, my general lack of trust with USDA regulations (or lack thereof), or if my 9-10 month stint of eating primarily vegan has messed with my brain, but I’m really wanting to start growing my own food and showing my kids how it’s all done.

 I fantasize about raising my kids the way I was raised because now I see how my upbringing has shaped my appreciation and mindset towards things modern.  More than once I have thought about getting rid of our TV because, in all seriousness, is there anything REALLY worth watching for hours on end?  What a waste of time we dedicate to that box that sits in our living rooms.  We could be listening to music, reading, or actually (gasp!) talking to each other.  I like the idea of spending evenings between supper and bedtime outside, either working or playing.  If we have to be inside, I’d like to be reading together, playing music, cooking, or anything besides sitting in front of some sort of screen.

I feel as if there has been a substantial change in my life in the past 6 months or so, and I’m not sure what it is exactly.  On more than one occasion, I have found myself doing research on farming, bee keeping, organic vegetables, milking cows, wine making, cheese making, soap making, slaughtering chickens (not sure if I can go “there” yet), hormone-free milk and eggs, the health benefits of raw milk, and even what to look for when buying a used tractor.  What the heck is wrong with me?!? 

In reality though, I really don’t think that this is going to happen until little Everett is old enough to be a little more independent (my little man’s just a few months old).  Everett, Aedan, and Emma Kate take up most of our time, but as they get older, they won’t need us for every little thing.  When the time comes, I think Marci and I will move to somewhere more remote where we can try out some of these things.  It would be so much fun to do this and write about these new ventures including our victories and our mistakes along the way which I’m sure there will be plenty of both.

We are praying for God’s timing in all of this.  We are very happy where we are now, but we will not likely live in our little neighborhood for a terribly long time.  I’m very thankful for our little home, and it’s not a bad place in the least bit.  While it’s a great house and super-efficient, I really don’t feel like it’s the place that our kids will “come home” to whenever they are off at college, or when Aedan and Everett bring home their significant others. (It’s already decided that Emma Kate will stay with me forever and never marry until I’m dead and gone, and for the record, I do own firearms should a young lad decide to try me.  I’m only kidding!  Sort of.)

As far as a timeline for all of this happening, I’m not really sure.  I’d like to wait until we get our basement finished and also wait until the kids are fairly independent.  If the door opens for us to do this sooner than later, I’m fine with it.  If not, then that’s ok too.  For all that are interested, I’ll keep you posted.

I plan to write another blog soon with basically the same heading, but this time discussing my slow, yet drastic, shift in musical focus in recent years. 

We are too busy! A change in perspective...

We are too dang busy, that's for sure.  I found this today, and I thought I would share it.  Do you remember the whole "Give us this day, our DAILY bread" verse?  I think this may be what was meant by this. Enjoy! -Martin An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked, "How long does it take to catch them?" The Mexican replied: "Only a little while". The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life." The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise." The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15-20 years." "But what then?" The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions." "Millions.. Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

How should the arts be used in church?

This is a response to Matthew Eades’ post on Facebook.  He stated “Has the church lost its footing in the art world? Is this the way to get it back?”

Matthew then posted the following link:

 http://www.creationswap.com/article/6532

Instead of trying to get everything crammed into a little Facebook response box, I thought this would be a good opportunity to blog because I’m very interested in the subject of the arts in church and where it should fit.  

To start, here is a quote from Vince Lombardi which will help to prove my point: “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”

In addition, I do not believe that the church should regain its footing by trying to be shocking; I believe that the church should regain its footing in the arts by striving for excellence.

Overall, I believe that the church should be THE leading, driving force in the arts and not followers (where we currently are).  In other words, WE should be the ones creating original compositions, films/videos, choreography, etc. which should be head and shoulders above anything else produced in Nashville or Hollywood.  We have been followers for way too long.  The Christian music industry (as a whole) has been churning out second-rate music for many years by its own doing.  Sure, there are some bright spots out there (I’m not naming names), but for the most part, almost every Christian band has a secular counterpart.  It’s been set up this way because this is a safe business model.  For example, let’s say there’s a band called “Big Awesome” who is currently charting top 40 on Billboard and making major dollars through record sales.  The CCM industry will quickly churn out 1, 2, or 3 bands that sound like just like “Big Awesome”...only these bands will have “spiritual” lyrics.  Once “Big Awesome” breaks up, those Christian bands will then fade into obscurity or join other bands that are already on the road, emulating another band.  Once the CCM machine has made a little bit of cash off of these bands, it will be on the look-out for the next “Big Awesome” to emulate and the cycle starts over.  While this is a safe business model to follow, it makes Christian music a laughing stock…and with my head hung low, I’m with them most of the time.  As a matter of fact, I don’t listen to a lot of popular Christian music anymore.  Why?  Because, in all honesty, most of it’s not that good.  There are some bright spots out there, but they are few and far between.  The Bible, on the other hand, is an excellent read, and I suggest it to anyone. 

Please keep in mind that it should not be this way.  As a matter of fact, this should be the other way around.  Music (and the arts as a whole) should be soooo good inside the church that outside artists would want to emulate the excellence seeping its way from the church doors into the community and surrounding areas.  Here’s the thing: we can’t rely on the industry to help us along the way.  This must start at a grass-roots level that begins with the individual and the decision to strive for perfection in the arts within the church, and maybe in our pursuit of perfection, we can catch excellence.