http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/ Hammster Blog Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:30:16 PST http://www.blogdrive.com Copyright 2006. Music Christianity Music http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/54.html Tue, 31 Jan 2006 01:30:08 GMT What's the first thing that goes through your mind when you get up in the morning? I start bargining with myself for at least another 30 min. of shut eye. Then I start talking myself out of using a vacation day and going back to bed. Maybe I'm sick today? No I'm not sick. Then finally, I drag myself out of bed wondering why I couldn't have been a professional singer after all? Oh that's right, I didn't want to be on the road and go broke. At least I could sleap-in or maybe sleap on the bus. Blah, blah, blah. I make it to work, and at some point I'm with it and start digging what I'm... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=54 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/53.html Thu, 15 Dec 2005 19:54:37 GMT Recently there has been quite a bit of press coverage on new wrinkle in the "culture war". That is retailers and companies removing Christ from the Christmas season. The biggest offense noted is that retailers are using the word "holiday" instead of "Christmas" for everything associated with the season. Holiday shops and Holiday trees have replaced Christmas shops and Christmas trees. This has spurred a number of organizations to cry for boycotts and to pressure retailers to put Christ back in Christmas. At first I started getting a little worked up about this. I admit it. Then... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=53 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/52.html Tue, 08 Nov 2005 17:05:27 GMT I'm driving around in my car with Sojourn's newest recording. I should say, that I have a CD copy of what will be the new CD. It should be available soon, and pre-orders are going to be open in about a week. I feel like I've grown up as a musician doing this project. I mean from a child to a man (so to speak). The lyrics feel different, and the music feels different. Releasing a new CD with Sojourn is always an opportunity to take a look at where I've been since the last CD. I've become less afraid of failure and less desperate to impress people with my successes. I've... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=52 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/51.html Thu, 03 Nov 2005 15:26:17 GMT “Blue Like Jazz” – part 2 I am posting some of the ideas I’m reading in the Donald Miller book “Blue Like Jazz”. I am curious to hear your thoughts on these concepts: Early in the book, Donald brings up the practice of calling God, “Father”. Donald proposes the idea that our American culture has done a fairly good job of degrading the definition of “Father”, and that there may be many who are now turned off by the term. As a result of broken families or other unpleasant scenarios, the idea of a “Father” no longer holds a positive reflection. Now, although I would stand... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=51 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/50.html Wed, 19 Oct 2005 21:56:00 GMT I’m currently reading through Donald Miller’s book “Blue Like Jazz”. In the book, Donald’s primary point appears to be the issue of American Christian self-addiction. His contention is that our entire “Christian” foundation is based upon what we can get for ourselves and how it makes us feel. Our focus is inward, rather than outward. When considering the current “fad” of “Praise & Worship” and the pursuit of a meaningful “experience” with God, I can see where Donald is coming from. This also spills into our approach to politics and culture. Many Christians want to... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=50 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/49.html Thu, 13 Oct 2005 11:24:03 GMT There is an account in the Bible about a young Israelite named Joseph. He was one of 12 brothers born to Jacob. This account takes place a long time ago in ancient Egypt. Joseph, for a variety of reasons, was hated by most of his brothers. They sold him into slavery. I have to imagine that as a young man he was frightened and upset. However, what the Bible records is that while a slave in nobelman's house, he served faithfully. God blessed Joseph and his owner. By the way, I'm not endorsing slavery. His owner was the captain of Pharoh's guard in the Nation of Egypt. Because he... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=49 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/48.html Fri, 30 Sep 2005 18:06:43 GMT This summer there was a shooting right in front of my house. This week the neighbors across the street from us were burglarized. The teenage son came home after school while the burglery was in progress. The thieves pointed a gun at him and escaped. The stole guns and other things. At first I responded with fear, but that is changing. Something else I thought about. In the last 18 months there has been killer tsunami that took the lives of over 100,000 souls in Asia. Non-stop killing and violence in Israel, Palestine, Iraq and other parts of the world. In America there have... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=48 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/47.html Tue, 27 Sep 2005 23:16:07 GMT What makes a Christian? What does it take to be one? The Baseline is found in the Bible in Genesis 15:6. It says that the man Abraham believed God, and God counted that as righteousness. Later in the New Testament portion of the Bible, Abraham is mentioned again as a man of faith. God was asking Abraham to believe in God's promise even though he saw no immediate tangible evidence. Abraham said yes to God, and acted on that belief. This is important, because it's really easy to say, "I believe in God". Most everybody believes there is a God. Satan believes in God, and he is big... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=47 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/46.html Sat, 24 Sep 2005 13:32:18 GMT A while back, Tim Hamm, had posted to the blog the question, "What makes you a Christian?" That's been on my mind for a while, because so often there are a million answers to that question. Sometimes we use special church words that don't necessarily make sense to the average person. Is there a formula? Are there certain steps that each person must experience in order to be considered a Christian? The first question really is who cares? Is it something everybody or anybody needs? I have to go back to the source for these questions. The Bible. I know that there are lots of... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=46 http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/archive/45.html Mon, 19 Sep 2005 01:59:05 GMT For those of you who have been following my journey to the drug trial, I quit the study. After two weeks on the test medication (not a placebo) I had some side effects with which I wasnt' willing to live. Other than the side effects, the medication worked nicely. It's called Lyrica (Pregablin). I probably could have done with about half the dose. I slept throug the night, had far less pain, and for the most part could concentrate. It's possible that had I stayed on the medication, the side effects would have tapered off. I have learned a very valuable lesson from this. Having... (more) http://sojourn.blogdrive.com/comments?id=45