7in7: Day 6

I'm a little behind on updating my blog with this whole 7in7 thing. I'm finding the frustration of songwriting isn't really actually writing the song, but gathering the time to actually sit down and do it. As a full time student with a job, and other things I'm incredibly busy. Thus the hardest part of this excercise. Day 6 song is called 40 Days and 40 Nights.

Verse 1
It's a slow waltz
And you dont always get
What you wish for
But I'll be damned if I don't

I'd rather just wander
Into a desert
Than to settle for
Anything less than you

Chorus
Where are you?
Are you looking for me?
I've been looking for you
Where are you?

Verse 2
For 40 days and 40 nights
I've been dream'n up dreams about you
Your so close I can almost feel you
But still so far away

It feels like I'm going crazy
Feels like I'm losing control
But theres peace in knowing
that one day I will see you face to face

Chorus
Where are you?
Are you looking for me?
I've been looking for you
Where are you?

Instrumental diddly doos

Chorus 2
I've found you
Were you looking for me?
I've been looking for you
I've found you

Verse 3
So where do we go from here?
Where can't we go from here?

7in7: Day 5

Threw this together in the midst of studying hebrew. It's not my favorite, but it'll do pig, it'll do... Day 5's song is called: Promises

Verse 1
You don't worry about a thing
don't have a care in this world
i'm jsut your ball and chain
but someones got to way you down

Chorus
Cause you don't keep your promises to me
you just keep on running
don't tell me that you love me
cause your just gunna leave me when the morning comes

Verse 2
they way you move your hips around
everybody can see
you want back on the prowl
but you can't if you have me

Chorus
Cause you don't keepy your promises to me
you just keep on running
don't tell me that you love me
cause your just gunna leave me when the morning comes

Bridge
my father's fall, i hear its call, its wanting me to stay
your looks your charm is lock and key, around your finger you have me
the shine is gone, the new is old, and soon you will go

7in7: Day 4

They the hardest part of breaking a habit is getting over the 3 day hump. Hopefully the habit of writing bad songs is what I am getting farther away from. Here's my song from Day 4: Something of New.

Verse 1
its been a long long time since
these eyes have seen anything worth while
i've been a collector of things
particularly of roses, but none as wild as you seem
i'm not easily surprised, i've been around this block
and i've seen a thing or two
but when it comes to you, its a different kind of story
cause i never know whats coming next

Chorus
i am head over heels
its something of old
but you something of new
i dont know what to say
dont know what to do
dont know how i feel about you
i am out on a limb
this is something of whim
but im curious, im curious for you

Verse 2
the days of old
have had their hold on me for far to long
i've made plenty of mistakes
too many to count, but that don't bother you
every second i get to be around you
is like a fresh new breath
cause these weary bones have finally found
somthing that makes them come alive

Chorus
i am head over heels
its something of old
but you something of new
i dont know what to say
dont know what to do
dont know how i feel about you
i am out on a limb
this is something of whim
but im curious, im curious for you

7in7: Day 3

I've been fighting to stay alive during this exercise. It's much more challenging than I previously had anticipated and even more so as I try play catch up because of my knack for laziness.

This song came out of this state of tiredness and desperation, and in turn came out a little different than I had planned. It's called Rapture Me.

Verse 1
Days like today I have nothing
to give, to bring, to lay at your feet
would your mercy pour out
desperate hearts seek you now

Chorus
wont you come and take us
hand in hand to a place
where pain and sorrow can never reach
and we can dance around your feet
wont you come and rapture me

Verse 2
Every rise and fall
are counting down the days left to walk
its not these deeds that'll get me there
but this heart I have left to share

Chorus
wont you come and take us
hand in hand to a place
where pain and sorrow can never reach
and we can dance around your feet
wont you come and rapture me

Bridge
Take me down to the river side may I drink the water as if it were wine
wash me as white as snow may your blood overflow
may these weary bones anew and your light shine through
like the sun your rescue is sure to come

7in7: Day 2

This sucks. It's one thing to produce one song in a day, then have another few moments to go over it and essentially edit it. But now having to to to this in one day, 7 days in a row. . . its like being drowned in your favorite soft drink. You love it, but so much of it and your dead.

I did a little bit of roadtrip'n this weekend and it's put'n me behind, but I still made sure to gather ideas and basic melodies each day. Here's my song from Day 2: A Ghost Like You

Verse 1
I've never seen a ghost that's looked as good as you
I've never known a heart as cold as yours
I've never loved another like I loved you before
you up and left my heart broke on the floor

Chorus
You will remember
What you could have had
Regrets and misjudgments
Will haunt you
Till the day I die

Verse2
I've opened my eyes to see the world around
I've noticed that there are better things than you
So heed this warning, like a train whistle blowing
That I'm moving on, and nothing's stop'n me

Chorus
You will remember
What you could have had
Regrets and misjudgments
Will haunt you
Till the day I die

7in7: Day 1

Like I had said in my previous posting I'm taking part of a songwriting exercise created by the one and only Aaron Ivey. If you haven't heard of this guy check him out at: http://aaronivey.com/. It's called 7in7 because in the next seven days I'll be writing a brand new COMPLETE song every day.

Today was my first day and though I was terrified to begin this process I found that the past few weeks of focusing on my upcoming show, I have actually, surprisingly been storing up inspiration and ideas to write some diddly doo's.

Last night I had the opportunity to attend Brooke Fraser's Flags Tour at The Parish in downtown Austin. As I was waiting in line I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the amount of people that were hustling and bustling around me. Being from a small town, and raised on a farm the city is almost like another world to me. I do enjoy the city, I enjoy the social atmosphere and community. But I grew up in a place where I knew everyone's name and they knew mine. Where I was able to get up, walk out of my front gate and be in the middle of the woods in mere seconds. These's are the things that inspired my first song HOME.

Verse 1.
What they say is true
This city never sleeps
Nights are wild, the streets are running thick
We only have one choice, but to get out of here quick

Chorus.
Home
I wanna go Home
Where a boy can run
In his fields of green
Home
I wanna go Home

Verse 2.
Easy come easy go
People come, seldom leave
I'll be damned if I get stuck here
Confined to these shades of gray

Chorus.
Home
I wanna go Home
Where a boy can run
In his fields of green
Home
I wanna go Home

Bridge.
Where the meadow larks sing
The stars are on top of you
The skies are wide and blue
The trees they talk to you

Chorus.
Home
I wanna go Home
Where a boy can run
In his fields of green
Home
I wanna go Home

Discernment

I haven't "blogged" in awhile. It probably has alot to do with my past few months back at the University. To give you a quick re-cap; I am incredibly busy with class and organizations, and I've been accepted to go back to Haiti in December. Thus meaning that the majority of the past few weeks have been filled with me attempting to do fund raising to support the cost of my trip. I think my biggest project is a concert I'm putting on next week. There I am actually having merch to sell, a opening band, and putting on a two hour set afterward. Its a little over my head and with the already busy year I'm having I sometimes feel as though I am sinking under the pressure of everything.
I still find myself in the constant control of God. Day to day I feel as if I am in absolute control of my path, and that I'm the only one that can direct, and change what I am, and going to do. But as I continue in my journey, I can not help to notice I have no control. My big question for God this year was, "Where should my ministry be focused?". I love music and teaching the Bible, but I've always have been confused on the fact of which one should I pursue. I've lead worship for a large Southern Baptist church here in central Texas for about a year, and I have also interned at a very large church in the Houston area. But I still have yet to find a decisive sign that is signaling me to one area.
In my search for a sign I've been focusing on music this year. Really trying to understand it and make something of it for once. Every opportunity to play with others, to open for a band, or play on campus I've at least attempted to take hoping that through these exercises and the passion be able to discern some sort of answer. Please don't misunderstand, I know I can't just make my own answer up, God is the only one who can give me that. But that I am constantly looking and hoping for it. Which brings me to some exciting news. Last week I had the chance to hang out and talk to worship leader/songwriter Aaron Ivey, Steven Bush, and Phillip Ellis as they played a House Show at the local college house. Ivey and I had spoken before, since it wasn't his first visit here, but this time we were really able to share alot about something we both have in common. Haiti. It was a blessing to be able to speak with someone that shared a similar passion for ministry and music. Though it was only a fairly brief conversation it was definitely a huge encouragement. I now am taking part in a exercise he's come up with in the past year called "7in7", basically what you do is write 7 complete, and new songs in 7 days. Then on the 8th day you meet up with Ivey and everyone else who is taking part and share a song with the group. I'm really excited about doing this, ecstatic actually even though I know I'm going to write some really really crappy songs in those 7 days.
Not that I'm trying to brown nose my way into a successful artists clique of friends, or trying to show off and impress people by doing this or saying these things. I am merely viewing this as another way of that God is directing me through the discernment of my life's ministry.