A little less complicated

You say you're looking for something a little less complicated? Let me tell you one thing...the times they are changin. Will you ever understand the mistakes you're making?

Old old lyrics from a little song I wrote awhile ago (2007ish).

Playing: Jesus Culture
With: Cassie, Bolt and Gemmi

It's really odd to look at my life and to see where I have ended up. It's hard to believe that I moved to Indiana almost 2 and a half years ago. I am not where I expected to be at this point. I am in a much better place.

I had a position change at work that is a better fit for me and the company. For the time being its enjoyable. It's not what I want I do long term.

I have this feeling that I am made to do something greater. I feel like I am flowing with creativity but don't have enough hours in the day to use it effectively. Why does life get in the way? I understand now what it means to not have time to be in a band.

My Goals for 2013 are to be closer to God and my Wife, to write and record the Nick Lindy band album and to finally finish the Rainy Daze album I've been wanting to finish for almost 8 years now.

That's all for now

The Nick Lindy Band

So I've been wanting to start my own band for a long time now. I was told by one of my favorite professors in college to start my own band. I've considered many genres from Ska to Punk to maybe even a Skillet style band.

Sitting here listening to Reliant K has inspired me to start something. Here are the problems...not sure why style I want to aim for. Also, not sure who would be interested. Instrumentation?

I would love to include Cassie assuming she's into the music I'm writing. At this point I need a reason to write music again. Or rather a reason to write outside of the box a bit. I tend to use the same tricks in most of my songs. Who wants to join?

Working Saturday nights makes it hard to get up on Sunday mornings

But ya know something?  It's completely worth it.  Saturday is my big night at work where I make a good chunk of my money for the week.  I am okay with draggin a bit on Sunday morning.  When I get up for church and start making music it seems to energize me.

We are no closer to the possible position with the Columbia City church other than we have spoken to our Worship Leader and he has been very supportive.  I appreciate how he has helped make worship leaders out of us all.  Just last week we were without him and were still able to lead a service.  It goes on the whole principal of "Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a life time" except in this case we are talking about eternity, not just a lifetime.

Interesting stuff eh?

I really want FUEL to start back up.  If you're reading this then you probably know what I'm talking about.  If not, FUEL is the youth group at Sonrise Church here in Fort Wayne.  We average 110 kids between the ages of 12 to 18.  Cassie and I are youth leaders and have a blast every time we go.

Anyway, gotta get to bed.

New opportunity

Cassie and I are in discussion for a worship leading position in Columbia City. We met with the Pastor and his wife on Saturday for breakfast and felt a great vibe from the meeting. Cassie and I would be Co-worship leaders. She am I would split the duty of leading songs vocally each week. I would work with the instrumentalists and she would work with the vocalists. There also isn't anyone to run sound and tech so I assume the job of training someone to help would be on me.

What does this mean? We would have to leave Sonrise. We would have to leave the first church I have ever felt completely comfortable going to every week. God has been calling me to the Columbia City direction for the past couple of months and I feel that this might be why.

Gotta work...come eat some yummy Italian food!

Strong winds

So we a strong storm here tonight as I was coming home from work.  The sky went black, the winds went crazy and a tree across the street was blown over...which took out a mailbox. 

It's amazing to think of how short we are on this Earth.  That goes for all living things.  A giant tree standing next to a quant little pond in our neighborhood was destroyed by the storm today which in turn blocked the back parking lot.  The complex called in the landscaping company to chop up the tree and haul most of it away.  Within 5 short hours this tree went from "Hi, I'm a happy tree...it sure is nice out here today" to "ouch, that hurt"  to a pile of wood next to a mailbox.  

What to take away from an experience like this....?  Well to be honest, I hadn't really thought much of this tree.  It was a nice tree I suppose.  It's death will not be forgotten.

How can something so big and so magnificent just blend into the background?  There is something odd about the lack of this large tree.  It changes your surroundings, perhaps even the way you perceive your neighborhood.  

Why do we fail to see the beauty in the place we live?  Why do people ask me why I ever left Colorado?  Yes, Colorado is gorgeous.  However,  there is something very charming and down to earth about the midwest.  I love the fact that in just a few short minutes I can be outside of the Fort Wayne city limits in the middle of seemingly endless fields of corn, beans...wheat...(what else do you folks grow 'round here?)

God knows the hairs on your head...he surely know the leaves on the trees.  If God has a plan for us, does he also have a plan for plants too?

  

Workin for the weekend

So I have a new job! I am officially a waiter. It's an interesting occupation. I've worked in customer service and with food before but this brings the two together. It's going to be tough work. The thing I appreciate about it is that if you work hard and treat your customers well, you make tips. So different than working on commission. Can you imagine if someone ordered a pizza and asked for a discount because another chain in town was having a sale?

I am going to be working 35 hours a week and making comparable money to what I was making before. It's really nice to be home more. I am considering finding a job that will give me 10 hours a week. To make a bit more money.

"money can't buy happiness but it sure can pay the rent"

Well, had an inspiring night at praise band practice. Always good to play music with friends.

Cassie said to me today "God gave us the musical talent that we in turn use to glorify Him".

Tattoos hurt

Alright, as I promised here is my tattoo discussion.

If you knew me in Denver, you probably have seen all or most of my tattoos.

If you know me in Fort Wayne, you've probably only see the one on my forearm.

Here's the deal.  I have quite a few tattoos and a few of them might offend people.  No no no, I don't have anything demonic or evil.  The two that I think may offend people the most would be the Buddha on my right shoulder and the no bombs sign on my right leg.

If you read my first post you will know that I had a few years that I considered living a Buddhist lifestyle.  I was 20 and wanted a big tattoo for a number of reasons.

1. I like tattoos
2. To be rebellious
3. To do something different

The "No Bombs" sign in particular interesting.  Those that have spoken up about it to my face have been quite rude.  It's not that I am against our Armed Forces.  Believe me, I'm not.  Both of my Grandfathers served in WWII.  Bapa was even a bombardier.  I have the tattoo because I believe no one should have to drop a bomb to prove a point.  It's not a statement, it's an ideal for the future.  I wish we didn't have to fight about Money, Power, Oil, Boarders...whatever it is countries want to fight about.

I believe that the tattoos I have are a snap shot in time.  The Buddha tattoo on my arm is a snapshot of who I was in my early 20s.

Will this stop me from working for the Church?  Will my visible forearm tattoo drive people away?

Bye for now!