Toby Baxley

We Sing Hallelujah | New Album

2012-02-01T09:47:00.000-06:00

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I am excited to share this project with you. I finished it late last fall. If you would like a copy, you can download it immediately in a variety of formats from my Bandcamp page. If you would like a physical copy, you can order it from the MY MUSIC tab above. This page is provided by CD Baby. Alternatively, you can CONTACT ME and let me know how many copies you would like. I can take credit cards via telephone or you can pay via paypal.

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://tobybaxley.bandcamp.com/album/we-sing-hallelujah"&amp;gt;We Sing Hallelujah by Toby Baxley&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

Acquired Taste | Jeremy Clay Price

2011-09-30T10:05:00.001-05:00

I'd love for you to check out this project that I produced, mixed, and mastered for my friend, Jeremy Price. Jeremy is a friend from college days. He and his Wife, Jen, are missionaries in South Africa. They're currently on sabbatical in Texas and Jeremy contacted me about helping him produce an album. This was a special project for both of us. Jeremy and I played in a worship band together when we were first getting started with worship leading. I hope you enjoy.

Acquired Taste by jeremy clay price

Kickstarter Video

2011-09-01T09:59:00.000-05:00

Hey, friends! I could really use your help getting my worship project finished. I have been recording as many tracks as I can in my home studio. I'm at a stopping point with what I can do myself before getting other folks involved. Those folks need to be paid and that's why I started this Kickstarter campaign.

Please watch the video and consider pledging your support to my album. I need your support to get drums and electric guitars recorded, the project mastered and manufactured.

There are some fun incentives for pledging at different levels. In addition to your financial support. I would really appreciate you sharing about the project through your email lists and social networks.

Thank you so much!

Pet Peeves

2011-07-20T11:28:00.000-05:00

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They're only pets if you feed them.

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[Guest Post] Let My Words Be Few

2011-07-15T04:00:00.002-05:00

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This is a guest post by my friend, Robert Locklear. Robert is the Minister of Worship and Music at Christian Church of Clarendon Hills (Illinois). Check out Robert's blog and follow him on Twitter.

In Judges 11 there is a story that, if you're not prepared, will catch you off guard. You read it and just hope for a Hollywood ending. You even pray for an Abrahamic ending! "Let there be a scapegoat".

You know there is trouble as soon as our protagonist, Jephthah, utters the words:

"If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering" (Judges 11:30-31).

Image: tungphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

With your mind's eye you don't read that and imagine a dog running out of the house. Nor do you see a goat or a sheep or a lamb. You see a beloved member of the household: an elder, a spouse, a child. What would make Jephthah make such an oath? What would compel him to keep it?

There is a beautiful song by Matt Redman called "Let My Words Be Few" and I couldn't help but think of it as I read this story today. Our words are important not just to each other but to God himself. Scripture is chock-full of passages about keeping your word. The psalmists regularly remind God of his promises to his people. The proverbs are full of wise counsel to listen much and speak little.

Sometimes in worship, I think we make our words many and don't add much meaning or heart behind them. What if we sang a lyric like "I will worship no one but You, Jesus" and go out and covet our neighbors property or brag at length about our new car or whatever it may be instead of letting the theme of our life be Christ? What if we sing a lyric like "Let me serve the poor and give hope to the hopeless" and then go out and snub everyone that crosses our path?

Our words, while often many, should keep their meaning for they are promises and declarations that only have meaning when backed by our actions. Let our words be few and let them count as we live up to the declarations we make.

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[Review] The Introvert Advantage

2011-07-14T04:00:00.001-05:00

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I first mentioned The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World (Kindle Ed. | Paperback) in a previous post and, as promised here is my review of the book.

I used to think something was wrong with me.

Why do I have trouble making small talk? Why am I hesitant to answer the phone and then almost paralyzed when faced with the need to return a call? Why do I avoid conflict like the plague?

As it turns out, I'm a very normal, run-of-the-mill introvert. The reason I always felt like something was wrong with me is the fact that introverts are outnumbered by a margin of three to one. Ours is an extroverted culture, so introversion is perceived through the lens of extroversion and many misconceptions have formed.

The Introvert Advantage is a pleasing mix between a self-help book and a psychology text. It is loaded with scientific explanations and case studies that explain how and why the introverted temperament is determined as much or more by physiology as it is by psychology. Introverts have longer neurotransmitter pathways and are more sensitive to the mood chemicals dopamine and serotonin. As a result, introverts do not require as much external stimulation for internal shots of happiness (known as Hap Hits) and can actually get overstimulated, resulting in system shutdown.

After the scientific evidence for introversion is presented, the author--Dr. Marti Laney--shifts into self-help mode as she gives "Innies" practical advice on navigating life in a world that is made for extroverts. Some of the topics include:

Relationships and dating
Parenthood
Parties and socializing
The Day Job

She also gives very helpful insight on creating a life that is based on your introversion, but not hindered by it. Those topics include:

Personal pacing - being OK with the need to take a break
Priorities - being OK with saying "No"
Nurturing your nature - establishing a peaceful environment at work and at home
Letting your light shine - strategies for success when you are forced to "extrovert"

Overall, I found this book to be very insightful and helpful.

I don't get as frustrated with myself anymore when I pause in the middle of a sentence when I can't think of a word.
I don't feel guilty for not wanting to get out of bed in the morning (moving requires a great deal of thought and negotiation for innies).
I see myself as an asset in meetings, even if my contribution isn't until after the fact when I've had a chance to process the information.

The book is quite long, but I highly recommend it. I hope that, after reading it, you will start to think of your introversion as a blessing instead of a curse. I'm coming around.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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This Is Love

2011-07-13T04:00:00.003-05:00

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I will be spending the next few days preparing to perform the wedding ceremony for my Sister-in-law, Laura, and her fiancé, Matthew.

Image: kongsky / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I will, no doubt, draw from my previous writings on the subject of marriage: Three Easy Steps to a Happy Marriage (Part 1 | Part 2). However, the bride and groom have asked me to focus my sermon on a passage in 1 John 4.

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

I won't go into a bunch of detail yet and spoil the surprise. Here are the big message points I want to convey in my homily:

Love = Serve. If I say I love you, but I don't serve you, then I don't really love you. I only like the way you make me feel. The Greek word for love in this passage is Agape. Agape is self-sacrificing love. It is the love with which God loves us. It is the love that caused him to send his Son as an atoning sacrifice for us.
Our Agape Love Points to a Greater Love. When we give of ourselves in love, we point to a greater love--the love of God. Earthly marriage is a shadow of a greater marriage between God and man.

What if you were preaching this sermon? What would you tell the young couple? Don't hold back.

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Dear Church (Part 2): How to Choose Songs

2011-07-12T04:00:00.003-05:00

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This is Part 2 of a __-part series called "Dear Church".

Turn Down the Noise: Establishing Quiet Moments in Our Services
How to Choose Songs: A Biblical Precedent

I am not going to lie to you. Planning worship is hard. So many elements have to fit together just right to create a music set that takes a congregant on a journey into an awareness of God's presence.

I always laugh (and sometimes cringe) when someone talks about a worship leader "leading them into God's presence" or "leading them to the throne". No one has that ability. Bob Kauflin, in his book Worship Matters [affiliate link] states that the only thing that mitigates the presence of God is the blood of Christ. All that I, as a worship leader, can do is lead someone into an awareness of God's presence and provide a voice to (a) celebrate who He is and what He has done, and (b) respond with their hearts.

I always felt aimless in my approach to planning songs for congregational singing until I heard a sermon by David Dykes at Green Acres Baptist in Tyler, TX, in which he outlined a theology of worship planning that I have tried to implement ever since.

Colossians 3:16 (NIV) Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Let the message of Christ...

This phrase literally means "Let the message about Christ..." Christian worship should be rooted in and founded on the Gospel. Our basis of approaching the throne of God is the blood of Christ, shed for us on the cross. We would do well to remember this and keep the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the heart of our worship.

Dwell among you richly...

As worship leaders, we must lead our people to treasure the Word of God. The Scriptures tell God's story of redemption from the beginning of time. Have you ever noticed that you can remember lyrics of songs you heard many years ago? We would do well to remember this and choose music that helps the people we lead to treasure (hide) the Word in their hearts.

As you teach and admonish one another...

There is just as much value in horizontal (to each other) expressions of worship and praise as in vertical (to God). In the horizontal expressions, we remind ourselves and our friends of who God is and what He has done. As worship leaders, we would do well to give our people a voice to remind one another of the Gospel and encourage one another to view our lives--our joy and struggles--through the lens of the Gospel.

With psalms...

The psalms are songs to God and about God. They cover a vast range of topics, from the greatness and majesty of God, to the importance of singing. From honesty with God in hard times to assurance of God's unfailing love. There is a wide range of emotion expressed in the psalms: Joy, sorrow, fear, pain, confidence, dependence. It is in the psalms that we see that are free to be honest with God about our feelings and not feel the need to "put on a happy face". King David, who is remembered as a man after God's own heart, was one of the biggest complainers in the Bible. He was honest with God and God honored him for it. We would do well to lead our people in honesty and authenticity, and let them know that it is okay to be honest with God. He can handle it.

Psalms are not always easy to sing. There are some great songs in the church's quiver that use psalms as the text. A few weeks ago, I adapted and set Psalm 100 to music. Click here to see the video. There are other creative ways to incorporate the psalms into the service of worship. The point is not that you have to sing the psalms. The point here is that there needs to be an element from the psalms in our services.

Hymns...
Hymns are the Church's rich heritage of time-honored doctrine, set to music. Many of the Church's greatest expressions of faith and trust are found in hymns. Hymns are generally more poetic in their lyric, which requires an extra measure of thought in their singing in order to understand their meaning. Hymns often tell of the greatness of God, but many times are Gospel-centric; telling the story of redemption through Jesus Christ. Many hymns, through several stanzas, tell the entire story of Christian doctrine, from the fall of man, to the satisfaction of God's wrath by Jesus on the cross, to Christ's promised second coming. Hymns add an important richness and depth to our services. We would do well not to forsake them in more modern settings. Many ancient hymn texts have been set to more modern music with great success. Even the original music can be modernized with more contemporary rhythms. (Note: Be careful not to go overboard with syncopation when modernizing hymn tunes. It can be a bit cheesy and hard for a congregation to follow.)

And songs from the Spirit...

The capitalization of the word "Spirit" in this translation implies God's Holy Spirit. He puts a song in our heart when we turn our attention and affection towards Him. We can, in turn, encourage one another with those songs. Other translations use the phrase "spiritual songs" which might imply any song from our spirit as a song of affection or response. These songs do not follow rigid musical forms. They are more free-flowing and spontaneous. As worship leaders, we would do well to allow time in our services and gently lead our people to sing from their spirits as the Spirit gives a song. These can be very beautiful and meaningful times in our worship meetings. It may sound chaotic to some, but God hears every part.

In conclusion, I like to think about these elements as legs of a stool. I would submit that they are of equal importance to the strength of a church's worship expression. You wouldn't want one of the legs to be longer or shorter than the others or the stool wouldn't be a comfortable and useful piece of furniture.

Over to you. How do you approach the planning of songs for your congregation? Have you considered the Colossians 3:16 approach?

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Dear Church (Part 1): Turn Down The Noise

2011-07-11T03:59:00.004-05:00

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This is Part 1 of a __-part series called "Dear Church"

Turn Down the Noise: Establishing Quiet Moments in Our Services
How to Choose Songs: A Biblical Precedent

I love loud music as much as anyone. As a songwriter and audio engineer, I deal with loud music and sounds all the time. It is a scientific fact that loud music sounds better. Our ears are better able to hear certain frequencies at louder volumes.

That's not what this post is about. I'm not talking about volume. I'm talking about noise. You see? In the ever-popular "seeker-driven" church music style, we have adopted the patterns of the world's media culture.

Flashy graphics and lights. Over-produced and over-compressed music. Worship teams who resemble the cast of American Idol more than the reflect the congregation they serve.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here's the deal. I am a Christian Creative; a songwriter and a worship leader. I write contemporary worship songs that I hope get sung in every church from here to Timbuktu (or Timbukthree, whichever is farther). The songs I write are usually written with guitars and drums in mind. I love the Church and I love church music. I've seen video, lights, drama, and other creative elements used very effectively in worship.

There is a danger in being creative for creativity's sake. Creativity is a great tool to share the Gospel, but it can be a terrible god if we choose to idolize it. When we pursue creativity as an end unto itself, we end up creating noise through which our real message cannot be perceived and processed.

Here are three ways to cut the noise for more effectiveness:

More substance to go along with the style. Songs that celebrate the Gospel, what God has done for us in Christ. Fewer "God is awesome and he's my buddy" songs. Fewer self-centered songs that exalt our response to God.
More clear and simple explanations of the Gospel. The Word is alive. Speak the Word clearly rather than cleverly. Let the Holy Spirit bring conviction of sin and be prepared to answer questions. We don't convince anyone to come to Jesus. That's beyond our job description.
More time for quiet reflection and prayer. Services should include contrasts between loud praise and quiet reflection. Scripture refers to the temple as a house of prayer. The great movements in the early church occurred during times when the apostles had gathered for prayer. This was a priority to Jesus and it should be a priority to us, whether introverted or extroverted.

Let's start a revolution. Let's carve out space for silence and reflection in our services. God still speaks. Are we listening?

What are some ways that your church is creating space for reflection? Is this something you could do better? Leave a comment and let me know.

Click here to read Part 2: "How To Choose Songs"

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Laminin (re-post)

2011-07-10T03:59:00.001-05:00

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I first posted this a few years ago. Since only my Mom read my blog back then, I thought I would repost this. I hope it gets your Sunday morning off to a great start.

I saw this first on one of my friends' Facebook pages. It is the most incredible thing I've seen in a while. I certainly wasn't prepared for this. It's fairly long so I would suggest pressing play, then pause and let the video load for a while.

If you can't see the video in your RSS reader or email, click here.

Shared Items from Google Reader

2011-07-09T04:00:00.001-05:00

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Another blogger did this and gave me the idea. I am going to do a better job of keeping up with this list. I really didn't see the point of it at first. Now that I know what I can do with my shared items from Google Reader, I'll use it to let you know what I'm reading. Enjoy!

If you can't see the box below, click here for a web version.

On Loss

2011-07-08T04:00:00.004-05:00

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We thought we were going to be holding a new baby today.

We thought we would be welcoming our third child into the world today.

Instead, we're left wondering what might have been.

Was it a boy or a girl? Garrett says boy. Vivian says girl. (Of course.)

I suppose it will be a while before we find out.

Could we? Should we?

We struggled with whether or not to have another child. There was this deep wondering in both of us. Wondering whether it was a good idea.

What about our finances.

We just sold our baby furniture.

I thought I heard the Lord speak clearly to me that children are a blessing and that he would take care of us. It seemed now that if we kept putting it off, we may be treading in disobedient waters. At the very least, we could be missing out on the blessing of another child.

So we trusted.

Everything was going fine. There was no sign that anything was awry. We looked forward to the first visit with the doctor. We went to the first appointment with much excitement.

"Take a look at this," the Doctor said.

We both knew the ultrasound didn't look right. There is supposed to be a well-formed sack. Ours was misshapen.

Also, the heartbeat was faint. It was there, but it was faint.

"Come back in two weeks and we'll check again."

Two weeks felt like two years as we played the guessing game and tried to explain away what we saw in the first appointment.

Maybe our dates are wrong. What if we had a false positive the month before.

The dates weren't wrong. We went back for the second appointment with little expectation. Melissa knew it was over. The ultrasound just confirmed that feeling.

No heartbeat. No circulation. No electrical impulse. No life.

"I'm so so sorry."

The Problem With Statistics

Fifty percent of all women have a miscarriage. One out of every three pregnancies ends in miscarriage. We're statistically normal. Oh, how I wanted to be below average!

For a long time, I leaned on that statistic for comfort. I leaned on statistics and theology like a crutch. The problem is that Jesus didn't want to me lean on statistics or good theology. He wanted me to fall into him.

To take this loss personally. To grieve. To mourn.

It is in grieving and mourning that the strength of His comfort is made apparent. Real. Tangible.

It is in grieving and mourning that I lose interest in trivial things and set my heart on God. Nothing on earth can compare to His love.

Treasure In Heaven. Tears On Earth.

I know now what it means to have treasure stored up in Heaven. I thought it was just about money, but I treasure my children more than any amount of wealth. Jesus is right. My heart is where my treasure lies. For now, I miss the hands I don't get to hold, the feet I don't get to tickle, the lips that I won't feel pressed against mine, and the voice that I don't get to hear say, "I love you, Daddy."

The Scripture says that Heaven is a place where Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes. Will. That's a future promise. Right now, all of our joy and happiness is salted with tears. There will come a day when we see Jesus face to face and--if we're related to him through grace by faith--our joy will be complete. So we wait.

We hope.

We love.

Epilogue

My friends, I didn't write this today to make you feel sorry for my family and me. I don't want that at all. We have two other wonderful children whom we adore. I just wanted to put words to my struggle. If you're statistically average, this may be your struggle, too. If that is the case, I hope you find encouragement in these words. More than that, I pray you find encouragement in Christ. This faith in Christ is not a 50/50 deal. When he died on the cross with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he did not say, "I did my part. Now you do yours."

He said, "It is finished."

He went all the way for you. Reach out in faith and grab hold to Jesus. Nothing else can satisfy the deepest longing of your soul.

Nothing.

==========

If this has resonated in your spirit, please don't write it off or try to explain it away. Please contact me or leave a comment here. I won't publish it if you ask me not to, but I would love to hear from you and encourage you more specifically if you request.

Image: Marcus74id / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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How To Defeat Discouragement

2011-07-07T12:18:00.001-05:00

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Do you get discouraged? I'm sure you don't, but I sure do. I get discouraged when I feel like I'm pulled in too many directions to be really good at any one thing. I feel the crushing weight of discouragement when I feel like nothing I try to do gets any traction; when my career, my music, or my life feels like it's stuck in the muck.

Image: graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I read a quote a couple of days ago on Twitter that stuck with me. I want to share that with you today as one of the steps to dealing with discouragement as well as expand on that with a couple more points that I hope are helpful to you.

1. Narrow your audience down to ONE. Yes, that's right. I said it. Narrow your audience down to ONE. With so many voices speaking to our hearts and minds about what we should and shouldn't do, where we should and shouldn't go, what we should or shouldn't say, there is only one voice we need to listen to. There is only one direction we should look for answers. Look up.Listen to the voice of your Heavenly Father.

2. Realize that your Heavenly Father is fully pleased with you. I threw out this thought on Facebook a couple of weeks ago and it started a great discussion. What I want you to know is this: If you are in Christ, you are a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come. Christ took the weight of your sin and shame upon himself when he died on the cross. Did you hear that?

He took your sin.

All of your sin.

Every sin.

Yes. Even that one.

He absorbed the full weight of God's wrath and punishment for your sin; past, present, and future. Not only that, he clothed you in his righteousness so that when the Father looks at you, he sees Jesus.

You're not guilty anymore.

This is more than acquittal.

This is not a cosmic legal loophole.

This is more than reasonable doubt.

You are declared innocent.

You are declared righteous.

You're no longer a sinner who sometimes does good.

You're now a saint who sometimes stumbles.

3. Be thankful. I discussed in a previous post how thankfulness is the gateway to blessing and evangelism. My friends, we have so much to be thankful for. We were wretched sinners, yet the Father is fully pleased with us in Christ. That is a reason to celebrate and a weapon with which to kill discouragement.

Proverbs 15:15 (NLT) says:

For the despondent, every day brings trouble;
for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.

Be encouraged today, brother. Rejoice today, sister. Your audience of ONE is giving you a standing ovation and cheering, "Bravo!"

Over to you. If you've read this far, you've overheard me preaching to myself. Has any of this resonated with you? Please comment and let's encourage one another further.

Between Called and Crowned

2011-07-06T04:00:00.003-05:00

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Are you on hold? Do you feel like you've been called, gifted, or maybe even "anointed" to do something something but the pieces just haven't fallen into place for that to happen? Maybe you're working for a company and are more qualified for a position that someone else is doing. Maybe you're gifted in worship leading, but the opportunities to grow your ministry haven't opened up.

Image: Master isolated images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whatever your situation, I would like to discuss with you some observations from the life of King David in the Bible. He was a young boy when he was anointed as king of Israel. Israel's King Saul had turned his back on God, so God removed the kingdom from his lineage and established it with Jesse's family line. Although David had been anointed as king, he did not assume the crown for several years.

In a previous post, we looked at how God refined Joseph's character and how you should hone your craft and character in obscurity before setting out in public service. In this post, we have some clear examples of what not to do in the time "between called and crowned."

Don't assume your calling is because of you. Two examples to support this are (a) Samuel assumed that the anointing would go to one of Jesse's older sons. They were bigger, stronger, better-looking, and more accomplished. David was the youngest and had assumed the role of shepherd. In one of the most quoted verses of the Scriptures, the LORD tells the priest, "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” We know from other passages of scripture that David was a "man after God's own heart." Don't assume your calling has to do with how good you are or how good you look. God calls those He calls because of things that man cannot see. The LORD looks at the heart.
(b) David did not slay Goliath until after he was anointed. When I read of David's anointing, I flipped back in my Bible thinking I had missed the story of how David killed Goliath in the famous, albeit short-lived battle. In my humanity, I assumed that David's anointing was due to him proving himself before the Lord. Looking back at my previous point, it is obvious that God was not concerned with David's list of accomplishments. In fact, the scripture says that the Spirit of God descended on David upon his anointing. God equipped David with the strength he needed to kill Goliath.
Be humble. It's not about you.
Don't dishonor those in authority. The Bible says that King Saul became plagued with a tormenting spirit and was extremely jealous of David. In fact Saul tried to kill David on numerous occasions. David had been serving in the King's court as a musician, but after the attempts on his life, he fled from Saul and hid from him. On two separate occasions, David had the opportunity to kill Saul and ascend the throne, but he refrained. On one specific occasion, while David was hiding in a cave, Saul came in to relieve himself. David crept up on him and cut of a corner of his robe. He was convicted in his heart and spared the king's life. His men did not understand this, but he told them, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD."
By honoring the king and not killing him when he had the chance, the LORD honored him at the proper time. If you're living between called and crowned, don't sully your character by dishonoring someone in the position you want, or those in authority over you. At the proper time, you will be honored if you show honor.
Don't quit your day job. Backtracking a bit in David's story to the time when he was anointed as king, we see that after he was anointed, he went back to work. This must have been extremely difficult. Jon Acuff, the author of Quitter (Hardcover | Kindle Ed.) calls this the "reverse Superman". David went from what had to have been a euphoric high of having the priest of the LORD pour oil on his head and declaring him the next King of Israel, to the dysphoric low of having to go back to the pasture to tend the smelly sheep. Back he went, though, and not only that. He became excellent as a shepherd. The scripture says that when a lion or bear tried to carry off one of his father's sheep, David chased the animal down and struck it and rescued the sheep. [Strong reference to Christ here...]
Those aren't the actions of someone who is just "phoning in" their day job or biding their time until their time comes. David was excellent at his day job when he was between called and crowned. You be excellent, too.

If you're stuck in a job you don't like and things don't seem to be changing, I hope you'll take a few lessons from our brother, David.

Be humble. Don't assume your calling is about you.

Be honorable. Don't dishonor authority or someone with the position you want.

Be excellent. Don't quit your day job.

What about you? Are you in-between called and crowned? How is this resonating with you today? I'd love to hear from you.

Honor Thy Mother-in-Law (Part 2)

2011-07-05T04:00:00.002-05:00

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In yesterday's post, we discussed the importance of honoring your spouse's parents.

If your spouse is emotionally healthy, honoring his or her parents may be a pathway to even stronger relationship between you, your spouse, and his or her parents.
If your spouse is not emotionally healthy or is healthy in spite of his or her parents, honoring them may be a pathway to healing.

In today's post I want to discuss some practical ways to foster a better relationship with your spouse's parents. These tips are also helpful for any relationship. Take a look:

Adjust your expectations. Chances are more than likely that your spouse grew up in a completely different kind of household than you did. Just as you have to get rid of inflated expectations in order to have a happy marriage, you have to rid yourself of inflated expectations that your spouse's family will immediately be accepting and welcoming of you into the family. Adjust your expectations and be happy.
Adjust your approach. Your family may sweep their feelings under the rug, while her family airs their grievances like a hobby. Your family may be jovial, while your spouse's family is more serious. No matter your thoughts about your spouse's family, in order to foster a "working relationship" you have to adjust your approach to the side of your spouse's family. You can seek some common ground here and there will likely be some. For the most part, however, you will need to adjust your approach and be happy.
Earn the right to be heard. There's an old saying "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." This is definitely true when trying to get your spouse's family to come around to your way of thinking. The key to affecting change in any relationship is the relationship itself. You have to invest the time and love and honor without the expectation of change in order for real change to occur slowly. You and your spouse's family will be better off for it in the long term.

I can personally attest to how this has proven true in my own life. My Mother-in-law, whom I love very much, is caring and sensitive. I'm caring and sensitive, too, but about different things. I'm also very jovial and sarcastic. There have been numerous occasions where my joking and sarcasm has hurt, so I have had to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Over time, as I've adjusted my approach, I have earned the right to "dish". She's even started to "dish back" which is fun.

Romans 12:18 says:

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Obviously, your issues with your in-laws may be more serious than earning the right to joke around with them. I hope these steps above are helpful to affecting change in any of the relationships in your life. There's likely change that needs to happen on both sides of the relationship for true and lasting change to occur.

Honor is the key. Honor thy Mother-in-law.

Has anything above resonated with you? Am I way off? Please leave a comment and let's discuss further. I ain't skeered! Are you?

Honor Thy Mother-in-Law (Part 1)

2011-07-04T04:00:00.009-05:00

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Do not persuade me to leave you
or go back and not follow you
For wherever you go, I will go,
and wherever you live, I will live;
your people will be my people,
and your God will be my God.
Where you die, I will die,
and there I will be buried.
May the LORD do this to me,
and even more,
if anything but death separates you and me.
Ruth 1:16-17

This passage is often quoted in tears at a wedding. It is a beautifully-poetic promise of lifelong loyalty. If you did not know the story of Ruth, you would assume that she was speaking to her husband. However, she actually spoke these words to her Mother-in-law, Naomi.

Years before, Naomi moved with her husband, Elimelech, and two sons from Judah to Moab in search for food. While in Moab, her husband died and her two sons grew up and married Moabite women. Within about 10 years, her sons also died, leaving Naomi with her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi decided to move back to her people in Judah because she had heard that the famine there had ended and there was food again. As she and her two daughters-in-law prepared to move to Judah, she strongly advised the girls to move back to their mothers' homes. After weeping loudly and embracing her Mother-in-law, Orpah turned back and went to her mother's home but Ruth clung to Naomi.

She stayed.

Naomi said, "Go home."

Ruth said, "You are my home."

I want to take a look today at the importance of loyalty and honor to your spouse's parents and give you a few key things to think about as perhaps some practical ways to help. A large part of what you love or don't love about your spouse was shaped by his or her parents. If your spouse is emotionally healthy, thank them for the part they played in that. If your spouse is unhealthy because of unhealthy patterns in their upbringing, honor and loyalty could be a pathway to healing.

We'll visit some practical steps to establishing a good relationship with your Mother-in-Law in a later post. In the space I have left today, my Wife's birthday, I would like to honor my Mother-in-Law.

Jeanne Karen Harrison Bruner Bodholdt, I can't fully put in to words what it means to have you in my life. I want to thank you for the legacy of hard work, loyalty, responsibility, faith, hope, and love that you have instilled in your children and now your grandchildren. You scrimped when times were lean; lovingly making clothes for yourself and your children. You even made a beautiful wedding dress for Melissa. I'll never forget that dress or the way she looked when I first saw her in it just over 13 years ago.

You've been incredibly generous in the not-so-lean times. You and Stan kept Melissa and me afloat in the early days and years of our marriage, especially when we moved away to Nashville and were struggling to make ends meet.

I am proud of your heart to heal the sick. You don't just treat their bodies, you reach out in the love of the Lord to touch their hearts. Your heart of service took you half-way around the world and you made a lifelong impact on people we may never meet this side of eternity. People enjoy you deeply when you're with them, miss you deeply when you're not, and love you deeply always.

That's certainly true of your crew here in Texas.

I'm so glad that Mark found you a couple of years ago. While he'll never replace Stan in our hearts, he is a treasured addition to our lives. I'm glad he gets to come visit so often and look forward to the years ahead.

So today, on Melissa's Birthday, I just want to say thank you for who you are and what you've done.

You've definitely raised a wonderful girl with whom I am blessed to spend the rest of my life.

CLICK HERE to read the follow-up post.

How to Use RSS

2011-07-02T07:23:00.001-05:00

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If you read more than one blog per day, you might benefit from using an RSS reader, like Google Reader.

In this video blog, I briefly explain RSS, show you several ways to subscribe to a blog's RSS feed, and demonstrate some other fun and helpful other features of RSS.

If you can't view the video in your RSS feed or email, click here.

The links used in this post:

http://www.boxoh.com
http://www.monster.com
http://www.churchjobs.net
http://travel.travelocity.com/feeds/Subscription.do
http://www.youversion.com

Jump in on this discussion. How do you use RSS? Do you have any questions? Leave them as a comment here and I will respond.

[Song Demo] Rend The Heavens - Re-post

2011-07-01T08:12:00.004-05:00

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I'm convicted that we need revival.

I'm convicted that the key to revival is not a few catchy songs. It is the people of God coming together in brokenness and praying for mercy and forgiveness and for God to restore the years the locusts have eaten. The lost will see and hear and know there is a God and fall down before Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

"Rend the Heavens" by Toby Baxley
© Copyright 2008 Toby Baxley (admin. by www.praisecharts.com)

Video Blogging 011

2011-07-01T03:59:00.001-05:00

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The sub-title of this post is:

"Why I Put Video On My Blog And You Probably Should Too."

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Let's talk about video blogging (a/k/a vlogging...sounds painful). You may have noticed my smiling face on a few of my previous posts:

I recently took up blogging again with a commitment to take it more seriously than I had in the past. As a part of this, I decided to make video blogging a regular part of my blog diet. Perhaps you should, too. Here's why I am doing it:

To externalize more. As I have stated in a recent post, I am an introvert. I internalize almost everything. I have great, deep, spiritual, practical, funny conversations with myself in the shower. I tend to think that most people do. My problem is that I never do anything about it except to file it away in case it is needed. I'm not an expert at many things, but some of the thoughts and ideas I have may appeal to and benefit a wider audience than my wife's shampoo collection. The written word can accomplish this to a certain point, but...
Video is a multi-sensory way to express ideas. While I am an introvert, I am also an aural learner. I can remember things that people have said more than I remember things that I've read. [I'm also a poet, but wasn't aware.]

[That was a joke.]

Sometimes, video is a better way to communicate new ideas. In my videos, I've tried to incorporate visual, aural, and textual (sub-titles) in order to communicate my ideas more effectively. I hope it is something you've noticed without really 'noticing'.
I need to get over myself. There's a great line from The King of Queens where Doug has bought his wife, Carrie, Lasik surgery for her birthday. Just before he helps her take the bandages off her eyes, he says, "Hey, listen, since you're gonna be seeing clear from now on, I feel I should warn you... I'm a little overweight." While this is certainly true of me, I think the bigger reality is that not very many people like (a) how they look in pictures or video, and (b) the sound of their recorded voice. There's something about our mirrors and the sounds in our heads that lie to us. I decided that I needed to just get over both of those things and make more videos. If you went to a therapist and said you were afraid of water, they wouldn't tell you to stay away from water, would they? No! They would gently expose you to water in small, yet increasing amounts until you were no longer afraid. That is essentially what I am doing to myself by making more videos for my blog. It is exposure therapy for myself so I can get over myself, stop hiding, and externalize more.

There is a great quote from Bull Durham that is on my Facebook page. Crash Davis, played by Kevin Costner, says toward the end,

"The world is made for those who aren't cursed with self-awareness."

Get over yourself.

Stop hiding.

Make some videos.

Put 'em on your blog.

You probably have more to say than you realize.

[There I go talking to myself again.]

Open Letter from Sweetsleep.org

2011-06-30T03:59:00.002-05:00

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Hello, old and new Bed Blog Friends.

Last year, Sweet Sleep provided 10,000 beds (compared to 1,000 in 2009). You were a vital part of making that happen. I am so thankful for your sharing these opportunities with your readers. Now, we have a tremendous challenge before us. One of our teams will be working to provide 96 beds to an orphanage near the capital city of Kampala. Another team will be working in the northern area of Gulu. You’ll recall that northern Uganda is rebuilding after 22 years of rebel attacks from the LRA. Resettling the 750,000 orphans in IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps is a challenge Sweet Sleep has boldly taken on. Last year our partners (World Vision, American Refugee Committee and The Child Probation Office—think Child Protective Services) collectively anticipated resettling 750 children from the camps to their tribal villages. Because of our provision of beds, life-saving mosquito nets and Bibles, more than 2,000 came forward to be returned to their homes. This is quite a miracle!

Our partnerships have grown, as has the need. Our team anticipated providing 500 beds next month to orphans in Gulu. Several weeks ago our Gulu staff, Jennifer, came to us with a request from our partners. They needed more than 4,300 beds. Knowing we could not provide this need, we prayed over the situation as we examined it and settled on 991 beds. This is a huge, huge challenge.

Sadly, this is a challenge we likely will not be able to provide for. I have to be honest here and tell you that our giving has not kept up with the number of beds we have provided. At this point, it will be a great challenge to provide the 500 we had originally planned. God has wired my heart to care for the orphan, so I have lived in great faith for these last 8 years of our ministry. It seems unimaginable to me that we would not meet this need, but we won’t---without you.

Please consider posting this opportunity and ask your readers to likewise consider providing a bed for an orphan in Gulu. We will literally be taking each gift and immediately turning it into life-saving beds that will take these orphaned children from the IDP camps and into their home villages where they will be watched and cared for by their tribal families. We need each and every person to do this. I know it sounds cheesy to say, but literally---no gift is too small ($8 buys a mosquito net) and no gift is too big (there are 750,000 children to place into new homes in northern Uganda alone).

$8 provides a mosquito net

$10 provides a Bible

$50 provides an entire bed in northern Uganda

$50,000 provides for all 1,000 children

Anyone who provides for 10 orphans with a gift of $500 will get a free short-sleeve Sweet Sleep T-shirt.

Checks can be made to Sweet Sleep with a note for “Gulu” in the memo line. Our mailing address is PO Box 40486, Nashville, TN 37204. Online gifts can be made at www.sweetsleep.org/donate and please note “Gulu” in the comments box. If your gift is $500 or more, please be sure to include your T-shirt size in the comment box.

I say this all the time, but I’m really just a voice for the forgotten children of the world. Here’s a letter from a sweet child in Uganda who received a Sweet Sleep bed:

Hello friends,

I have greeted you in the name of Jesus Christ. The main reason of me writing this letter is to appreciate you of what you did for me by providing me with bed sheets, bed, mosquito net, blanket and a mattress. Let me tell you this, that I slept well yesterday night and for me thought I was in heaven and even I didn’t want to wake up because the bed was very sweet to sleep in. But mostly, I want to thank God who gave you that heart of loving others. May he bless you in everything you do.

From yours faithfully,
Joan

You are now a voice as well. And when we put our voices together it is beautiful. Thank you.

Talk soon,

Jen

PS. Know another blog author? Feel free to share this with your fellow blog friends and ask them to join with you in our Bed Blog! Each person who posts this their blog will get a magazine bead necklace made by widows from the very first orphanage we provided beds to in Uganda. Sweet Sleep purchases these beads from the widows, giving them not just a job, but also pride in knowing they are helping to provide for their country’s children. Just be sure to tag Sweet Sleep in the post on Facebook (@SweetSleep) or Twitter (@SweetSleep) or send us a link to your blog (info@sweetsleep.org) so we’re aware of it and we’ll get in touch with you for your favorite color beads!

Jennifer Gash, President and Founder

Sweet Sleep -- a bed for every head

P.O. Box 40486, Nashville, TN 37204-9998

T: 615.730.7671 F: 615.750.2789

www.sweetsleep.org

http://www.twitter.com/jengash

www.sweetsleep.org

In 2010, Sweet Sleep changed the lives of nearly 10,000 orphans around the world through the provision of beds, life-saving mosquito nets and Bibles. Read about our work and find your role at www.sweetsleep.org

I (Toby) do not receive any financial compensation for my endorsement of this company. Jen Gash is my friend and I support her vision and work.

Let's Talk About Your Rest Ethic

2011-06-29T03:59:00.003-05:00

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A lot has been said about rest. I'm sure you could walk into a bookstore or surf Amazon and find a plethora of books on the subject. The problem is that hardly anyone rests. Why is that? I would submit to you that in the age of technology where information is coming at you 24 hours a day at the speed of thought, there is pressure to try to keep up with it. There is pressure to not be "out of the loop".

Image: anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do you remember mail? They call it snail mail now. Too slow.
Do you remember inter-office memos at work? Too slow.
Do you remember the fax machine? Too slow.
Do you remember email? Too slow.
Do you remember text messages? Too slow.
Do you remember IM/Skype? Too slow.

Do you remember picking up the phone and calling someone?

What if your call goes to voicemail?

You don't leave a voicemail.

You try another number or you keep calling your party's cell phone until they answer.

Too slow.

Where does it end? Microchips in our heads that allow us to connect at the thought-level with anyone in our contacts so we can speak directly into their brain? The amount of information and pressure coming down the pike is overwhelming and shows no sign of [s l o w i n g d o w n] anytime soon. How do you deal with it so you don't implode?

Remember that you're expendable to all but a few people. I know that sounds really harsh, but if you're married or part of some kind of family, they need you more than the rest of the world does. They need you more than your company does. If you were to die under the stress of your life, your company would hire someone to replace you; probably within a week or so. However, your family would never (ever) be able to replace you.
Turn it off. I have a hard time with this. I don't watch the news. I don't read the news. I read Facebook and Twitter all the time though. It's like an addiction. Now that I'm writing [almost] everyday, I check my stats to see if anyone is actually reading. This may be a problem for you, too. What are we going to do? Could I suggest that we have one hour a day and one day a week that we don't plug in to the outside? Maybe a "cell-phone-free" dinner and Saturday (or whatever your day off happens to be)? My wife is soooo going to call me on this hypocrisy. Turn it off. Shut it down. Relax.
Enjoy the real rest purchased for you. The Bible has quite a lot to say about rest. In fact, I would submit that the issue of rest is one of the most important themes of the Bible. Read these quick passages and see what I mean:
Isaiah 30:15
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
     in quietness and trust is your strength.

Zephaniah 3:17
For the Lord your God is living among you.
     He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
   With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Matthew 11:28-29
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

My friends, the call of Christ and the Gospel is not about rules or advice. The call of Christ and the Gospel is about rest.

When the work of creation was done, God said, "It is finished." Then, He rested.

When the work of salvation was done, Jesus said, "It is finished." Now we can rest.

Rest from the inflated expectations that we place on ourselves and others.

Rest from the need to try to earn our salvation.

Rest from doubt and fear that you don't measure up to others.

From the outside, the Gospel looks painfully narrow, but when you're yoked with Jesus, you'll be led to a green pasture, beside quiet waters where you can find rest.

Do you need rest?

You can have it in Jesus.

Fully bought and paid for.

Yoke up with him.

Find rest for your soul.

[Video] New Song - Let Us Fix Our Eyes

2011-06-28T03:59:00.004-05:00

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Here is a new original song for worship. I wrote the lyric based on a passage in Hebrews 12. It is a short song, so I used it in the place of a spoken exhortation or scripture reading between songs. Hope you enjoy!

If the video does not appear in your email or RSS reader, click here.

LET US FIX OUR EYES by Toby Baxley
© 2011 Toby Baxley (adm. by PraiseCharts Publishing, Inc.)

For a limited time, download the lead sheet, chord chart, and MP3 of the song from the video. If you do not see a box below, click here.

Why Twelve Stones?

2011-06-27T03:59:00.004-05:00

Joshua 4:19-24 "The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped at Gilgal on the eastern limits of Jericho. Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan, and he said to the Israelites, "When your children ask their fathers in the future, 'What is the meaning of these stones?' you should tell your children, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over. This is so that all the people of the earth may know that the LORD's hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God."

I have a picture on my desk that always makes me smile.

It’s a picture of my wife, Melissa, and me in a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It’s really nothing more than just a snapshot, but what it represents is absolutely revolutionary in my young family’s life.

At the time the picture was taken, Melissa and I had been married for four years and two months and were celebrating a “second honeymoon”. We were celebrating the miracle that God performed in our lives by healing Melissa from Fibromyalgia Syndrome, a chronic pain syndrome that she had experienced for the majority of our married life. She had been on powerful and very addictive pain medications for several years. The result was a dulling of her pain, but also a dulling of her emotions and senses. Through a series of events, God performed a work of healing in Melissa’s body and she was able to completely and quickly wean herself from those medications. As a result, the sparkle returned to her eyes and her smile. Through that experience, I also learned a valuable lesson in how to truly love my wife “in sickness and in health.”

The picture on my desk is the first of many pictures that gives evidence of that miracle. I keep it out as a visual reminder of God’s faithfulness and His power. If and when our children or anyone ask, I am always ready to give an account of that faithfulness and power that brought us through a very dark time in our lives.

Take a look around today. Do you have any souvenirs from your journey with God thus far? It may be a picture or a trinket. It may even be a scar or a limp. Whatever it is, always be ready to tell your story about the faithfulness and power of God.

Thank you, Father, for portraits of grace in our lives, for images and reminders of our journey with you. May we always be ready to tell our story.

Top Ten Myths About Introverts

2011-06-25T05:00:00.006-05:00

I am an introvert! There is no mistaking that. I recently stumbled upon this top ten list of myths about introverts and thought I would share it with you. The original blog post is from carlkingcreative.com so I want to give credit where credit is due. I also picked up the book that he recommends called The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World (Kindle Ed. | Paperback). I have not read this yet. When I do, I will give you a full report. In the meantime, take a look at the following list of introvert myths.

Image Credit: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

Three Easy Steps To A Happy Marriage (Part 2)

2011-06-24T07:01:00.004-05:00

In yesterday's post, I wrote about how it was possible to have a happy marriage on two conditions.

You release your spouse from the responsibility of making you happy.
You stop pursuing happiness and find your identity and satisfaction in a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.

Today, as promised, I would like to share with you three points of a wedding homily that I have to preach to myself almost daily.

Choose to love. You must choose to love daily. In our western culture of individualism, we have seen the erosion of agape (self-sacrificing) love in favor of eros (self-gratifying) love. Agape love is action that, over time and in the context of marriage, leads to eros love. If a relationship starts with eros, that love will surely ebb and flow. The problem is that without the solid foundation of agape love (service), the relationship cannot withstand the ups and downs of eros love (feeling). As married people, we are to serve our spouses. One of my favorite preachers, Tim Keller, says, "Love is an action first and a feeling second. If you love people, eventually you'll come to like them." Another way to put this is "fake it 'til you make it." Love is a choice. Love is a verb. Choose to love.
Fight fair and fight for. There will surely be times when you and your spouse do not see eye-to-eye on an issue and you will [gasp] fight. That's what I hear anyway. I believe that fighting is actually healthy for a growing relationship. It helps to create a culture of reconciliation in your home (more on this topic in a later post, I'm sure). The problem with the way most couples fight is that they make it personal. If you mention your spouse's Mom or other family member in a fight as a means to injure, you're probably guilty of this. I love what Martin Luther King said about non-violent resistance because it translates so well in to marital argument. He said, "The goal is not to defeat or humiliate the opponent but rather to win him or her over to understanding new ways to create cooperation and community." You have to know what you're really fighting about and attack the issue rather than your husband or wife. Unity in marriage is worth fighting for and you have to dispense with a lot of individualistic garbage in order to get there. Imagine fighting side-by-side with your spouse instead of face-to-face because you're not fighting against each other. You're fighting alongside each other against an issue that needs to be defeated for the cooperation and community of your marriage.
Keep your eyes open. Your spiritual eyes that is. There is an enemy that seeks to destroy your marriage. He is the enemy of every soul. He will tempt you to be selfish, to lie, to cheat. He will tempt you to do anything to erode the solid foundation of agape love your marriage is built upon. You must be aware of these temptations at all times. They start small and if you don't nip them when they're small, they'll continue to grow until your relationship has spun out of control. One of the most powerful songs of late is "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns. Look up the lyrics sometime. One line that is so simple yet so powerful is "Families never crumble in a day." It's a slow fade. Keep your spiritual eyes open and guard your heart and your relationship.

Friends, marriage is a picture of Christ's relationship with the Church. He loved her and died to redeem her. We must die to ourselves and show our spouses self-sacrificing (agape) love.

Happiness is not the point of marriage.

Holiness is.

Pursue holiness.

The happiness will follow.

Over to you. Anything you would add to this list? I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment. Let's keep the discussion going.

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Three Easy Steps To A Happy Marriage (Part 1)

2011-06-23T07:05:00.004-05:00

The title of the post was just ridiculous enough to get you to come over here. Wasn't it? Sorry about that. The truth is that a happy marriage is not a worthy goal. To search for--to chase after--a happy marriage is to guarantee that you will never find it.

A happy marriage is not the goal.

My wife, Melissa, and I just celebrated 13 years of marriage on the 6th of this month (June 2011, if you're reading this from the future). I always like to say that it's been the eight happiest years of my life. The first 5 years of our marriage, I couldn't say that we were happy. The reason for this is that we (OK, maybe just I) had an unreasonable expectation of what my wife could do for me. I thought that she could make me happy. Boy, was I wrong! Make no mistake about it. Melissa is a wonderful woman--a great wife and mother--but, even with all of her excellent qualities, she did not and does not possess the power to make me happy.

That's not her job.

In the homily delivered at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Bishop of London said:

“As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This, is to load our partner with too great a burden.”

When I mistakenly believed that my happiness was in my wife's hands, I saw her as either the catalyst or the obstacle to my happiness. That is an unfair expectation to place on anyone. I placed a responsibility on her shoulders that God alone can bear.

Friends it isn't until we find our ultimate satisfaction in God, through faith in Jesus Christ, that we can cease trying to find satisfaction in our earthly relationships and enjoy them without the unfair and inflated expectations that we have placed on them.

Psalm 37:4 says, "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Seek happiness and you will surely miss it. Seek the LORD, and you'll find both.

Tomorrow, I will lay out my "three easy steps" in a wedding homily that I preach to myself every day.

Your turn. Have you placed unfair and inflated expectations on the relations in your life? Are you placing expectations on others that only God can fulfill?

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Click here to read part 2 of this article.

Four Reasons To Be Like a Child

2011-06-22T05:00:00.001-05:00

Matthew 18:3 "I assure you," [Jesus] said, "unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus' disciples had been arguing about who among them would be the greatest in the kingdom. It's so easy to look at them and scoff at their silliness. Don't we do the same thing, though? Don't we judge our lives and the lives of others in the church by how much we've done for the kingdom? It's especially easy for those of us in public ministry to look at our accomplishments and think that Jesus has a special place reserved for us because of all we did for him.

Jesus turns this argument on its head when he says, "Unless you're like a child, you won't even ENTER the kingdom." The magnitude of this saying of Jesus bears investigation into the qualities of children that Jesus loves and how we should pray for grace to exhibit those qualities in our own lives.

Let's take a look at four qualities:

Children are dependent. Especially when they are young, children are dependent on their parents for everything: feeding, protecting, wiping dirty mouths and bottoms, tying shoes, buckling carseats. As they get older, their dependency changes but doesn't really diminish. It goes from physical dependence to healthy emotional inter-dependence (not to be confused with an unhealthy patterns of co-dependence). The truth is that children are never fully independent emotionally from the ones who cared for them when they were physically dependent for their every need. There's a whole other post there, but I will leave that to the experts.
Children are expectant. I'm just going to say it. My daughter, Vivi, has more faith than I do. Of course, her faith is more related to ice cream than it is to God's provision or blessing. If she asks for me to stop for ice cream, she is 100% certain that I will stop. So much so, that she will thank me in advance for the ice cream that I have not yet, but surely will buy for her. This touches my heart so much that she's almost always right. Unless it's horribly inconvenient or we've already had some sort of a treat that day, I will almost always stop for ice cream. How can I not? I believe this kind of faith touches our Father's heart deeply. The Gospel writer, Mark, recorded the words of Jesus when he said, "I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for--believe that you have received them, and you will have them." Our Heavenly Father loves and rewards this type of expectancy. What are you believing God for today with that much expectancy? (I am asking myself that same question.)
Children are obedient. Unless there are deeper issues of discipline that I will not delve into here, children will do as they are told. For a child, "Because I said so..." is a valid argument when they ask, "Why?" Since children are innocently self-centered, they receive joy from pleasing their parents so they (generally) do as they're told. As they get older and their worldview becomes larger, they'll require more of a "big picture" reason to obey. I believe that Jesus is telling us in the Matthew 18 passage that he values this type of obedience because the Father knows the "big picture" and that for us to truly be joyful in him, we just need to obey.
Children are forgiving. Confession time! I am not always the best Dad. I have messed up on many occasions. The most humbling thing I've had to do as a Dad is to confess my mistakes to my kids. Without hesitation, their response is always, "It's OK, Daddy." I am crying at my computer just thinking about those times of sweet forgiveness and reconciliation. Sometimes I'll confess "lesser mistakes" just to hear those sweet words, "I forgive you." Hearing those words from my children reminds me that I am forgiven by my Heavenly Father. Jesus said that if we don't forgive others, we won't be forgiven. While I believe that's true, I also believe that it is a description rather than a prescription. If we are unable to forgive others, it is likely because we do not know the sweet relief of having been forgiven ourselves. What wretched creatures we are! Yet the Father sent His Son to absorb the full weight of punishment for our sin and clothe us in His righteousness. There is no one who has sinned against us more than we have sinned against Holy God, yet he forgives us. There is no reason not to forgive others. Take your hands off their throats (emotionally) and let them go. The only one choking is you.

This is a lot to take in. Let's discuss this further. What have I missed? What other childlike qualities do you think Jesus values?

[Video] New Song - Behold The Lamb

2011-06-21T04:02:00.001-05:00

Here is a new song I wrote back in January. I'm glad to share it with you. Take a look:

Behold The Lamb by Toby Baxley
© Copyright 2011 Toby Baxley (admin. by PraiseCharts Publishing, Inc.)

CLICK HERE to download the MP3 and sheet music. The first 15 commenters will receive a download link via email to download the music for free.

Who Is Fighting For You? [Blog Re-mix]

2011-06-20T04:01:00.002-05:00

This is a guest post I originally wrote for another blog. I thought I would share it here for you.

Exodus 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

What a pep talk!
Every one of the Israelites at the Red Sea that day had been born in captivity in Egypt. They had heard grand stories of the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they certainly didn’t know Him for themselves. The Lord had been seemingly silent for the past four hundred and thirty years. It’s no wonder that they stood at the edge of the Red Sea with the Egyptians hot on their tails and cried out to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (Exodus 14:11-12 NIV) Of course it’s easy to look at that situation with the benefit of having read the rest of the chapter and say how ridiculous the cries of the Israelites were. It just showed the extent to which they truly did not know God or His mighty power. On the other side of the sea, however, when they saw what theLord had done, the Bible says they “feared the Lord and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:31 HCSB)

Fast forward to our day and time. What are the battles that you are facing? Maybe it is persecution at work or school because of your faith. Maybe it is sickness, disease, or death. Whatever in your life is presenting itself as a Red Sea in front of you or Pharaoh and his army chasing you down from behind, the Lord will fight for you. And where is your place of service in the battle? Your fighting position is on your knees before Him in stillness and quiet. It is there that you will be fitted with the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the evil one.

Father, I thank you that you are not a god who is aloof and disengaged from us, but that you are God who is in our world and in our lives, fighting for us every day, whether we realize it or not.

[Video] Psalm 47

2011-06-18T04:02:00.001-05:00

Here is a video that I produced for my church a few months ago. My son, Garrett, is the narrator and I programmed the synth. Hope you enjoy!

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If you would like to download this for use in your church, here is a direct link to download it in standard- or high-definition.

[Video] Zoom H2 Handy Recorder Product Review

2011-06-17T04:01:00.003-05:00

Here is a review of a very versatile little gadget that I find myself using almost daily. The Zoom H2 Handy Recorder is a great device. Enjoy the video.

Click here if the video does not play in your RSS reader or email.

Purchase a Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder for yourself here.

Don't Seek The Spotlight

2011-06-16T07:01:00.001-05:00

^{Psalm 105:19} Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.

Have you had a dream of what God was going to do in your life? Something you felt sure he was calling you to accomplish? Has the waiting seemed like it will never end? Have you felt forgotten by God?

This verse reached up and grabbed me by the throat this morning. If you recall, Joseph was Israel's (formerly Jacob) favorite son. He had a dream that his brothers and father would bow down to him one day. His brothers didn't like that too much so they threw him in a well and sold him into slavery. He ended up in Egypt in the house of Potiphar, and Egyptian official. God granted Joseph favor with Potiphar and was put in charge of everything in Potiphar's house. When Joseph refused the sexual advances by Potiphar's wife, she falsely accused him of attacking her and he ended up in prison. Once again, God granted Joseph favor with the jailer and Joseph was put in charge of the prison in which he was incarcerated. After "some time", Joseph was released from prison when Pharaoh had a troubling dream and it was revealed that Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream to mean that Egypt was on the brink of a severe famine after seven years of abundance. Joseph was put in charge of all of Egypt and was tasked with the responsibility to prepare an entire country for seven years of drought and famine.

You can read the rest from Genesis Chapter 41 to the end of the book.

I recently read the book Quitter by Jon Acuff (Hardcover | Kindle Ed.). At one point in this book, he basically says to treasure anonymity, where you can make your mistakes and hone your craft in private. I'd like to build on this idea and give a few more observations from the story of Joseph:

Don't seek the spotlight. Aside from growing in your craft and making your mistakes in anonymity, it is important that you grow in your relationship with Christ "in the secret".
Do good when no one is watching. Another way to put this is "do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.
Development of character is accomplished in obscurity. Revelation of character is accomplished in public. Public ministry is like a microscope. Eventually, every nook and cranny of your character will be exposed under the light. It is better to develop your character and kill your sin in private before that happens.

Public ministry of any kind should be like the tip of an iceberg. Only about ten percent of an iceberg is apparent above the water. The other 90 percent is below. Our lives should reflect that as well. Our ten percent public ministry is deepened and crafted by the 90 percent that we invest in secret.

Don't seek the spotlight. When the time is right, the spotlight will seek you.

[Video] New Song - Shout With Joy

2011-06-15T13:40:00.002-05:00

Stay Focused While Leading Worship

2011-06-14T04:01:00.002-05:00

Due to the rise of popularity in "worship music" as a radio genre, leading worship has been romanticized to the point that we expect it to be a completely sublime arena experience, where we as leaders are transported from our solid human form into a vapor floating around in the heavenly places, only to condense back into solid form after "worship" is over, metaphorically speaking, of course. While that might happen sometimes, more often here in the real world, it is like spinning plates while riding a unicycle. We're usually just trying to keep our balance while keeping all of the elements of worship from crashing to the floor.

Obviously, the larger a program gets, the more elements we have to complicate the worship experience: congregation, pastor, tech, singers, choir, band, banners, dancers, etc., etc. On top of all this, we still have to be sensitive to God and the movement of the Holy Spirit or we'll miss the point altogether. With all of these things going on, the natural tendency is to let our focus shift each time something happens that requires our attention: a singer or player is out of tune, the drummer is rushing, or the graphics person is on the wrong slide. A former pastor of mine once said, "No matter how hard we try to keep him out, Murphy always finds a way show up."

Not all complications are bad, however. There can be some exceptional musical, visual, or even technical moments that, if we're not careful, can also distract our focus from the sublime worship experience we desire.

In my experience, there is no way to avoid being distracted by elements that vie for our attention. After all, we are human beings entrusted with divine responsibility. In order to stay "centered", however, we must:

Understand that leading worship is a service unto the Lord. The needs of the corporate body are more important than our own worship experience. Worship leadership is a priestly (ministry to God), pastoral (caring and shepherding people), and prophetic role (communicating God's truths to people). We, as worship leaders, sometimes have to set aside our own notions and desires in order to serve our pastor and our local congregation.
Understand that the weekly service should not be our first and last encounter with God for the week. Our daily time in personal worship should be the map we use to lead the people of God to the throne of God. When that personal time is lacking, we can easily find ourselves groping around in the dark, looking for the door to the throne room, all the while tripping over the trappings of worship, but not really worshiping.

Obviously, we have all experienced those times when God has blessed our worship in spite of our lack of preparation. However, we should try to error on the side of preparation, both musically and spiritually, as if it were possible to error in that direction. Our attitude should be like that of David when he said, "I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." (2 Sam 24:24)

The Miracle of Thankfulness

2011-06-13T13:34:00.002-05:00

^Luke9:16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. ¹⁷ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Have you ever been reading a passage of scripture that you've read a hundred times before and had a phrase jump out at you like you'd never seen it before? That happened to me a couple of months ago as I read this passage. Here is the phrase that stopped me in my tracks:

"He gave thanks..."

Here are a couple of observations that I would like you to consider today:

Thankfulness is the gateway to blessing. I don't presume to know how Jesus fed the 5,000 that day. God can do anything He wants, any way He wants, at any time He wants. According to Scripture, Jesus (the Word) was with God and was God in the beginning. He was there when the worlds were formed. He was there when a garden sprang up in Eden. It was he who sowed the seeds that became the fruits, vegetables, and grains that sustained life until the Fall of Man. It was he who filled the sea with all kinds of fish. All that is to say that Jesus could have created loaves of bread and fish out of nothing. After all, He had done it before. I don't think the phrase, "He gave thanks," is carelessly in the passage. I believe that God wants us to see that the gateway for His blessing is a heart of gratitude. The secret to opening yourself to the abundance of God is being content and thankful for what you have.
I'm not talking about praying a blessing over each meal. Admittedly, I'm not always good about this. What I'm talking about here is cultivating an overall attitude of thankfulness for the abundant blessings already poured out on you.
Thankfulness is the gateway to evangelism. I love the phrase in the above passage, "They all ate and were satisfied." This may seem like a stretch, but I believe that when we, as believers in Christ show a deep appreciation for the love and grace we've been shown, the spiritually hungry will eat of the goodness of God and be satisfied in Him. When we are not grateful for the gospel that transforms us, we are likely to argue and fight with one another over petty issues. This is like preparing a plate of bitter weeds for a hungry person who really needs the delicious and nutritious food of the gospel.

Question: How can your life and the lives of others around you be transformed by cultivating an attitude of thankfulness?

May our attitude be like that of the Psalmist who cried out in Psalm 9, "I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High."

Inspiring Story

2011-06-11T04:01:00.003-05:00

To tell you the truth, this is beautiful.

Go In the Strength You Have

2011-06-10T07:45:00.002-05:00

Judges 6:14 The Lord turned to [Gideon] and said, "Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?"

This verse jumped off the page to me as I was reading the scriptures a couple of days ago. It seems so relevant to where I am in my journey right now. That may seem like a stretch to say, but bear with me.

Israel was under the oppression of the Midianites. The Lord appeared to a man named Gideon, the youngest brother in a family from the half-tribe of Manasseh. If you recall, Manasseh and his brother, Ephraim, were born to Joseph and Asenath--his Egyptian wife--while Joseph was overseer of all Egypt. Once Joseph and his Father and brothers were reunited, Jacob (or Israel) blessed Manasseh and Ephraim and adopted them as his own sons and they made up two halves of the tribe of Joseph. All that to say, it would seem that those from the tribe of Manasseh had a bit of an inferiority issue and thought of themselves as being part of a lesser tribe. Obviously, God saw things differently. He called Gideon--a young 'un from a "lesser tribe"--to deliver his people from the oppression of Midian.

I would encourage you to go and read the entire account from Judges 6. Here are a couple of my observations from this passage.

God is not concerned with outward appearance. We see this clearly from 1 Samuel 16, where the LORD says to Samuel, "The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." You may be from a "lesser tribe" by human standards. You maybe young, old, short, tall, thick, or thin. Those are outward appearances that God does not consider when he prompts us to do something for the Kingdom. He looks at the heart.
God equips us as we go. This is a very important truth to understand. When the LORD told Gideon, "Go in the strength you have," He was essentially saying, "I will give you strength and wisdom on a 'need-to-have' basis." Did you notice that Gideon was not a trained warrior? Scripture does not indicate that he received any training. In fact, God culled down Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300. Gideon and his army, only equipped with rams' horns and lanterns, received just enough strength at just the right time. They were able to chase the Midianites out of Israel, eventually killing those who did not kill themselves or each other in the confusion.

Oswald Chambers writes in My Utmost for His Highest, "God does not grant us overcoming life. He grants us life as we overcome." (paraphrased; emphasis mine) I don't know about you, but I've seen this proven true in my life over and over. I've already shared with you in an earlier post about how God has given me strength and clarity of focus in the early morning hours when I've gotten out of bed to meet with him, even though I am not a morning person. Another occasion comes to mind when I think on this passage.

Earlier this year, I had an opportunity to attend a songwriting workshop in Nashville. Despite receiving a lot of positive feedback on my music, I still struggle with doubt and insecurity regarding my abilities in this area. I joked about having to fight a lot of demons just to register for the conference. Then when I got the confirmation that I would have a one-on-one critique session, I almost backed out all together. Even the night before the workshop and the next morning, I was so gripped with doubt and fear that I almost drove past the exit for the church where the workshop was to be held. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I knew I wasn't going there.

Looking back, I can see clearly that God gave me "just enough grace" to take the next step.

We went to Nashville instead of backing out and staying home.
I got in the car the next morning and turned the ignition.
I didn't drive past the exit, but drove straight to the event.
I got out of the car and went and picked up my registration.

Now that it is over, I am so glad that, by God's grace, I took each of those next steps. I re-connected face-to-face with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. I went to my one-on-one critique and got some great affirmation of my writing. I feel like I'm a better writer and better person for having gone "in the strength I had" and trusting God for just enough grace to take the next step.

Question: In what areas of your life do you need "just enough grace" to take the next step? He's faithful.

Amazing, But I'm Not Sure Why

2011-06-09T06:58:00.003-05:00

I may ramble a bit here, but I would like to tell you what has me fired up these last couple of days. I just finished the book, Quitter, by Jon Acuff. If you recall, Jon is the writer of a couple of other books, most notably Stuff Christians Like. The point of Quitter is basically, "Don't quit your day job." I, like many, falsely believed the lie that in order to pursue my dream of being a songwriter/recording artist, I would have to quit my steady, full-time job and live on faith and ramen noodles to make my dream come true. In fact, other leadership authors have basically said the same thing. The most clear message I had in my head was "leap and the net will appear". That may be the case, but I think that message is incomplete. It should go something like "leap at the right time and the net will appear" or "build a net, then climb the ladder and leap." Anyway, I told you I might ramble.

My whole way of thinking about my "day job" has been transformed by this book. I used to think of it as an obstacle to my dream. Now I think of it as a springboard. There is one thing, though, that I have had to adjust. I have had to start getting up e-a-r-l-y in the morning to read and write and pray and "hustle" if I want to close the gap between my day job and my dream job.

I am not a morning person.

At all.

Those two sentences deserved their own paragraphs.

As soon as I made the commitment to start getting up at 5am to get out to my office/studio for some creative time, I started second-guessing myself and setting my alarm for 6. Why do I do that? I'll probably do it again tomorrow, knowing me. However, it seems like God had other plans. The first night, I woke up from a frightening dream at precisely 5am. I got up and worked my "dream job" and had a great time. I got several song ideas and several blog ideas as well; mostly devotional writing, which I don't really like to read, but I like to write. So weird!

The second day (today), I once again had my alarm set for 6am. Garrett came in at 4:30am after he had awoken and was scared about something. I let him get in bed between Melissa and me and tried to settle down for another 90 minutes of sleep. He was restless though, so I made him go back to his room and, at 5am, I came out here to write. Once again, God was faithful to meet me in my quiet time and spoke some new words into my life, and pen, and guitar. You get the idea.

You may have been confused by the title of this piece. Basically, I'm amazed at the level of creativity and productivity I've experienced by getting up before the roosters (and we have some in our neighborhood). I'm not sure why I'm surprised, though, when God keeps His promise.

I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.

Question for you: Is there something you feel you need to change about your life, or habits, or routine? Maybe "leap and the net will appear" isn't bad advice after all, when it is in the proper context.

In All Fairness, What I DO Like About Facebook

2011-06-08T14:06:00.001-05:00

My last post may have left you thinking that I do not like Facebook. While that is not entirely false, it is not entirely true either. I have serious concerns about the implications of sharing the shiny parts of our lives on an ongoing basis. However, I do not think that FB is all bad. Here is what I do like about Facebook:

Re-connecting with old friends: It is really exciting to find a friend with whom I lost touch years ago. Re-connecting with some friends might bring back happy memories and some sad ones. Either way, staying connected with the past without becoming stuck in it is a great way to keep moving forward.
Facebook is a one-stop overview of my friends' lives: Even given the fact that we do not put our whole, true selves out on FB for public consumption, there are still real, honest pieces of ourselves that we put out there. Facebook is a good way to stay reasonably connected with each other so that if/when we do see each other or speak on the phone, there's not so much catching up to do. I like that. I'm not a fan of catching up. I really like picking up.
Pages: I like the public profiles of television shows I watch, recording artists I listen to, eggs I eat, etc. Some businesses have Facebook-exclusive promotions. Facebook has become a very serious marketing tool. Pretty much anything public that you enjoy is likely to have a Facebook page.
Networking: I have been able to stay in touch with people who have found my music through PraiseCharts and other places. I will often post new music I'm working on and links to download or buy. I have not created a public profile. I figure I'll need to add about 4,500 more friends before Facebook says, "Whoa!"
Photos: I can shoot on-the-go photos with my phone and upload them from pretty much anywhere. Friends and family can view those photos instantly without having to wait for me to get them home, dump them onto my computer, edit them, upload to a photo-sharing site, and email a link. I also enjoy looking at my friends' photos.
Facebook has become a great community resource for asking for favors, recommendations, etc. If you're looking for a good mechanic or need to borrow a pneumatic hammer, chances are good that someone in your network can help you out, often within minutes.

Those are just a few of the reasons I do like Facebook. There you go! Fair and balanced.

What have I missed? What do you like about Facebook?

Why I Haven't Been Blogging (As If You Care)

2011-06-08T07:24:00.005-05:00

Dear Reader (that is singular on purpose):

This was supposed to be my 100th post. Apparently, Blogger counts drafts so this is only number 99. I think Facebook has killed my desire to blog. It's so easy to "micro-blog" in a stream-of-consciousness way that actually sitting down to write out more than 140 characters seems so daunting. I am going to make a commitment to blog every day for the rest of this month. We'll see how it goes. I need the discipline of writing to remember that I am a writer. Hold me to this. Comment on this post if I post no more. Hey, comment anyway. I like hearing from you.

While we're on the subject of Facebook, let me just say that I have a love-hate relationship with it. I'm sure you do too. While it can be great to re-connect with old friends from the past, I have found that most people (myself included) do not put our "real selves" out there on FB. Those who do usually get hidden from peoples' news feeds. There is a natural tendency towards comparing ourselves with others. When others' lives are thrust in our faces on a 24/7 basis, there is much fodder for comparison. That said, I don't see how our lives are any better because of FB. It is a monumental time waster and comparing our non-FB lives (the inward lives we don't share on FB) with the FB lives of others (the outward lives that others share) is extremely dangerous to our sense of contentment and well-being. If one of your FB friends looks to be living a better life than you are, they're probably only giving you half of the story. Be careful not to judge your real life by the standard of someone else's FB life.

Also, Facebook is not a substitute for real relationship. I have friends that I sort of keep up with on FB. There is nothing like sitting down with a friend over coffee or dinner and just sharing from the heart. It's a very spiritual thing that FB will never be able to emulate.

Real relationships--it's what we were made for.

Buy My CD

2010-12-15T12:25:00.000-06:00

Cyber Monday Deal

2010-11-29T11:54:00.001-06:00

Now through the end of the November, download selected tracks from my Christmas album for free. Merry Christmas!

http://www.box.net/shared/xo4yakr6cx

New Song Demo - Worthy - Julie Smith

2010-11-09T17:42:00.001-06:00

Hey, gang!

I just finished mixing a new song that I wrote with Julie Smith. It's called "Worthy" and we're really pleased with how it came out. I love this song and Julie sounds great. I posted a more detailed explanation of the production over at my Song Demo Tips blog if you're interested: http://wp.me/pUCIn-2l

If not, just listen right here and enjoy.

Mark & Jeanne's Wedding - Part 3

2010-07-12T16:16:00.001-05:00

Mark & Jeanne's Wedding - Part 2

2010-07-12T16:15:00.001-05:00

Mark & Jeanne's Wedding - Part 1

2010-07-12T16:09:00.003-05:00

It Is Well With My Soul - Re-Mixed

2010-03-04T12:29:00.003-06:00

Graham Cochrane over at The Recording Revolution re-mixed my recording of "It Is Well (When the Waters Are Calm)". Have a listen:

Jesus Is Alive - New Song Demo

2010-02-27T14:13:00.004-06:00

Hey, reader! Here is a new song that I wrote a couple of weeks ago. I was in San Antonio with Melissa for a conference. I skipped out on all but one of the classes and stayed back at the hotel. I stayed with the intention of writing a new song for Easter. I had read some Scripture and was praying that the Lord would speak a new song into my heart. I specifically heard Him say, "Get a pen and paper." Well, it was something like that, but it was really exciting nonetheless. So anyway, if you really like the song, you can thank Him. If you don't like it, you can blame me. ha!

"Jesus Is Alive"

Words and Music by Toby Baxley

It Is Well (When Waters Are Calm) - New Song Demo

2010-02-27T13:41:00.003-06:00

Here's the follow up to my video from a few days ago where I introduced you to my new melody and arrangement of the favorite hymn "It Is Well With My Soul". I was able to finish the recordings with the help of Julie Smith on background vocals and Nate Dean on electric guitar. If you have any electric guitar recording you need done, Nate is great to work with and really creative. Hope you enjoy!

"It Is Well (When Waters Are Calm)"
Words by Horatio Spafford and Toby Baxley
Music by Toby Baxley
© Copyright 2010 Toby Baxley (admin. by PraiseCharts Publishing, Inc.)

It Is Well With My Soul - Vocal Reference

2010-01-28T23:13:00.004-06:00

Here's a new song I'm working on. I hope to give you a guided tour of my process from taking a song idea to a finished recording. Today, I've recorded a "scratch" vocal. I'll use this to build up the rest of the arrangement and then this performance will be "scratched".

My Home Recording Rig

2010-01-21T09:40:00.002-06:00

Most of you probably don't care about this but I wrote it for a contest I was entering so I thought I would share it here as well:

I record acoustic-guitar-driven pop/folk/rock stuff. It's hard to describe because it doesn't fit into any one genre. I use Cakewalk Sonar HS7 on a Dell Dimension 8600 which is still super fast even though it is about 5 years old. I use an Alesis QS 8.1 mainly to trigger soft synths but I still get some organ sounds out of it that are tasty. My interface is an M-Audio Delta 44 and I use a Pre-Sonus BlueTube dual preamp with AT2020 and MXL990 mics. Guitars: Wechter Pathmaker Deluxe, Seagull CM6+, Squire Classic Vibe Strat. I record electric guitar trax either with a Digitech RP-250 or through my Line6 Gearbox USB interface. I plug the outputs of the two interfaces into a Behringer 6-channel mixer and then out to my new Alesis M1Active 520s that I have sitting on the styrofoam blocks they were shipped in, plus some Auralex foam on top of that.

I won't list all the software plug-ins I use. Here are a few, though:

Cakewalk TTS1 - multi-timbral software sound module
Melodyne UNO - Like Auto-Tune, only better. Every vocal you hear from my studio has been polished in Melodyne
Dimension LE with Garritan Pocket Orchestra - Mostly for cymbal swells but they have some nice organs and basses
Boost11 - Probably THE reason I upgraded to Sonar HS6 two years ago was for this plug-in, which is a final-stage limiter. It makes my mixes so much more tight and balanced. This plug-in is my magic mixing pill. It does for my mixes what steroids did for Mark McGuire, except that I'll never have to explain myself to Congress for using it.

If you read this far and didn't fall asleep, I commend you.

Mvelopes Money Management

2010-01-19T10:20:00.002-06:00

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Sweet Sleep Bed Blog

2009-12-07T11:18:00.004-06:00

Six years ago my friend, Jen Gash, started an organization called Sweet Sleep after seeing the conditions of children’s beds in an Eastern European orphanage. Today, Sweet Sleep provides beds and bedding for orphaned and abandoned children around the world (www.sweetsleep.org). They don’t just give the beds to orphans, they communicate God’s intentional creation of each child and His unconditional, unending love. They celebrate the children by throwing the biggest birthday party in the country. The children are even given Bibles in their own language and prayed with over their new beds. Finally, the children are told that when they lay down at night and pull the cozy new covers up around them, it is God---giving them a hug.

One week from today Jen will leave for Uganda where she’ll spend several weeks in the northern region of Gulu. This region has been in a brutal and senseless war for the last 22 years. A rebel army known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been terrorizing the North, attacking villages during the night. During an attack, LRA soldiers kill anyone they want and force the children of these villages to kill their parents or be killed themselves. The children who are left alive are then kidnapped into the LRA army and forced to become child soldiers. These children have lived through tremendous atrocities.

Recently this war entered into a time of peace. However, there are 1 million people still living in displacement camps in Gulu; three-quarters of those people are children living in child-headed households. These children have lost their parents and their grandparents---two generations of people to protect and care for them, to tell them stories about who they are and who they could be, to teach them stories about God and how to live according to His word.

This Christmas---while Jen is in Uganda, Sweet Sleep hopes to give beds and Bibles to 450 children. If the children can lie in their new beds and know they are loved and protected and, if they can claim a verse they’ve learned which reminds them of this knowledge, they can begin to have little victories over the fear that grips them. That’s when peace and hope and love can slowly come to their little hearts.

But, Sweet Sleep needs our help.

218 more children still need beds ($88 each). Together, you and I can work to change and save lives. Here’s what is still needed, you can determine which opportunity suits you best:
218 mosquito nets. Malaria kills more people in Uganda than HIV/AIDS. Treated nets are $8 each. Mattresses for 218 children so they will be able to sleep up off of the ground for the first time in their lives. Mattresses are $50. Can you imagine not having a blanket to warm you during these chilly nights or sheets to sleep in? 218 more children still need to be able to be warm and snuggly. They can for just $30. Bibles are $10 each. There are 450 households for a total of $4,500.

You can make a gift right now by going to www.sweetsleep.org/donate or you can send your contributions to Sweet Sleep, PO Box 40486, Nashville, TN 37204 with “Gulu” in the special comments box online or in the memo line of your check. All gifts are 100% tax-deductible. If you still need a great idea for a Christmas gift, you can even make this a donation in honor or memory of someone and they’ll receive a card from Sweet Sleep telling about their special gift. You can read more about this at www.sweetsleep.org/givethegift.

Thanks friends…..for changing and saving lives.

Buy a CD and help support Sweet Sleep!

2009-12-07T11:13:00.001-06:00

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://tobybaxley.wufoo.com/forms/z7x4z5/" rel="nofollow" title="Buy a CD!"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Fill out my Wufoo form!&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; $2 from the sale of each CD goes to Sweet Sleep (sweetsleep.org).

"Worship the Newborn King" CDs Available Thursday, 11/12/09

2009-11-09T15:29:00.002-06:00

Please fill out this simple form to order.

(Clicking on the link opens a pop-up form window.)

New song demo - Delight

2009-07-29T15:02:00.005-05:00

Naissance - Antoine DuFour / Tommy Gauthier

2009-06-29T12:53:00.003-05:00

This is possibly my favorite video on YouTube. There's something so simple and beautiful about the acoustic guitar and violin combo and these two truly capture the essence of the instrumentation. What captivates me the most about this video, besides the beautiful melody, is the fiddle performance of Tommy Gauthier. I haven't been able to find out much about him, but I think he's great. He..is..my..biggest..fan. (Sorry I had to throw in a "That Thing You Do" reference.) Enjoy!

Stupid Deal Of The Day! | Musician's Friend

2009-06-18T09:40:00.006-05:00

OK, so I admit that I have rarely (if ever) bought any of Musician's Friend's Stupid Deal of the Day but, I will admit that every day when I get to my office and click on the link, it is almost like Christmas. I really enjoy seeing what goodness Musician's Friend will be trying to unload at rock-bottom prices. I absolutely cannot buy any more gear for a while though. I've already bought (1) a new acoustic guitar, (2) a new pre-amp and microphones, (3) acoustic treatment foam panels for my "man cave", (4) a new electric guitar (thanks to Mom for the birthday money), (5) a multi-effect guitar pedal. I'm sure there's more I've forgotten, but that list is enough to even make me shake my head.

So, check out www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid. You might just find the deal of a lifetime!

My Blog Is Boring

2009-06-17T11:03:00.005-05:00

...or so I've been told. Truth is, I've been so busy with stuff lately that I haven't had time to think, much less write. I still don't have much time to let you know what's been going on so I'll bullet point it:

1. Leading worship at a church in Tyler
2. Went to Spain...again!
3. Preparing to go to Central Asia in August
4. Trying to keep my head above water with work
5. Going to Houston next weekend to play some music with my friend, Branon. Debuting our new song "Delight" together for the first time. He's been singing it in his church with a good response.
6. Getting ready for a garage sale so we can purge our house of unneeded stuff. Hope Jeanne and Laura don't notice the stuff that's missing. :)

That's all I can think of at the moment. In the mean time, I want to share some stuff with you that I am really enjoying. This time, it's Andy McKee on YouTube. His song, Rylynn, was my first exposure to his music and it is truly captivating. He really crafts singable melodies even though his songs are instrumental. I think that's the mark of a good melody. Not only that, but I also geek out watching him play his guitar, especially when he plays in all harmonics toward the end of the piece.

I'll be back soon with more of my "favorite things." Enjoy!

(If you're reading this on Facebook, you'll probably have to "view original item" to come over to my blog and view the video.)

Prague's Franz Kafka International Named World's Most Alienating Airport

2009-03-27T11:09:00.004-05:00

I'm glad we're not heading to Prague this summer. (tongue in cheek)

Prague's Franz Kafka International Named World's Most Alienating Airport

Garrett's 5th BD Party

2009-03-05T14:04:00.003-06:00

Here's some footage I shot at Garrett's BD party back in December. Video quality isn't great. I shot it with the video function on my DSLR cam. You get the idea.

Rocky

2009-03-03T11:07:00.004-06:00

My friend, Rocky Green, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, February 25. We went to college together at South Plains. Hanging out with Rocky (and Zach) for those couple of years were instrumental in getting me started as a songwriter. The way Rocky sang about his life in Christ in relevant terms was revolutionary to me. I miss you, Rock! We were only together for a short time, but the memories will last a lifetime.

The Vivian Dictionary

2009-02-19T18:45:00.002-06:00

"Oo my bess when": You're my best friend.
"ham bye oo muhwhen": Can I have a bite of your muffin.
"sane hue mutts": Thank you much.
"Do WOW!": too loud!
"mm choklit moe doffwee": I want chocolate milk and coffee.
"oo dim me wing? I stusty": Can you get me a drink? I'm thirsty.
"Ah wah watts ehwads?": I want to watch Word World.
"Ah wah yew": I Love You
"Ah wah ye dyoo": I love you too.
"Moe moe dime": one more time
"Ah nee do my essosize": I need to do my exercize.
"Nah dis dime": Not this time
"Oo oday": Are you okay? (that was easy)
"Ah nee dell oo see whet": I need to tell you a secret.
"Ah nee doss see bah": I need a Kashi bar.
"nummy in my dummy": Yummy in my tummy (another easy one)
"Hattanna": Hannah Montana
"I ha bah weem": I had a bad dream
"Wan see woe bah": I want a cereal bar
"I hunhwee": I'm hungry
"No says": no thanks
"Stew me suh": excuse me, sir
"stew me. I bupp": excuse me, I burped
"I nee doh botty": I need to go potty.
"I watts Mee Mouths": I watched Mickey Mouse
"I not towerd": I'm not tired.
"I sim uh my butday soot uh my battub": I swim in my birthday suit in my bathtub.
"I wan my sattit on": I want my jacket on.
"Padahmays": pajamas
"oo not weece it": You can not reach it.
"I nee hope": I need help.
"happy esstay yew": Happy Birthday to You!
"Dewwitt": Garrett
"Sawwee": Charlie
"Wammah": Grandma
"Wahwah": Laura
"less": yes
"not let": not yet

The Vivian Dictionary - Foreword

2009-02-17T10:41:00.006-06:00

I am going to be compiling some of Vivian's sayings and translating them for your reading enjoyment and for your reference if you're ever around her and wonder what she is saying. I'm sure it'll take a while and will change daily, but I'll try to keep up.

John Piper tells Barak Obama to "Be Courageous"

2009-01-27T11:36:00.000-06:00

Mommy's Job

2009-01-09T10:19:00.001-06:00

[This is a guest post from my lovely wife, Melissa.]

Yesterday, I picked up Garrett from pre-school on our way to visit a friend who is recovering from a car accident. At our school, you simply drive through and the teacher brings your child to you and buckles them in the car for you. It is a nice opportunity to chat directly with the teacher for just a few minutes, and to be informed of what goes on during the day. We've had some pretty interesting conversations with Mrs. Flournoy in these few brief minutes each day. Some of them involve the reasons Garrett got a "sad stamp" that day, some of them are about something really funny or interesting he did, and he even lost his first tooth at school one day. I can tell by the look on Mrs. Flournoy's face when she starts to walk towards the van if she is going to report something positive, or something that will require discussion and discipline when we got home. This time, though, I couldn't quite read the expression on her face.

She opened the door and put Garrett in, and asked, "Hey girl! Did you get a new job?"

I looked at her quizically and said, "No....why?"

"Well, Garrett was telling me today that you got a job as a doctor at the clinic."

Wow! I was shocked. We had a good laugh as I explained that I have no idea where that came from. I just teach violin part-time. She knows not to believe too much of what he says--most days he pretends to be Buzz Lightyear or a character from "The Incredibles". We have a mutual agreement that she won't believe 50% of what he says about us if we won't believe 50% of he says about pre-school. :)

Well, that was the end of the conversation, but the beginning of our little drive. I was a little puzzled over why Garrett would tell her something like that, so I asked him why he told Mrs. Flournoy that I am a doctor. He said, "I was just pretending, Mommy." I explained that if he was going to pretend like that, he needed to tell Mrs. Flournoy that he was just pretending because sometimes people can't tell and they might think something that isn't right.

So just to be sure everything was clear, I asked him, "What is Mommy's real job, Garrett?" I was really getting at the teaching and playing violin thing, but I wasn't prepared for his answer.

He paused for a moment. Then he said, "To teach me the things that God says."

Wow!

I gasped. I was speechless (for just a second, anyway.) I reached back to his seat and grabbed his hand and said, "You're right son. My most important job is to be your mommy and teach you the things that God says." I tried not to burst into tears. He smiled for a minute and then moved on to something else. But I won't forget that moment. Sometimes in the craziness of everyday life--of breaking up fights between Garrett and Vivian, of putting him in time out over and over and over for the same reasons, of constantly repeating the same reasons that it's not ok to whine/lie/argue/hit/throw toys/climb on the furniture/etc. etc. etc.--, it's easy to think that we're just not getting through. But I guess we are. At least a little bit. And for that, I am grateful.

I Had a Brilliant Idea!

2008-12-02T10:42:00.003-06:00

...and now it's gone. I should have written it down when I had it, but I was half-asleep at the time. That ever happen to you?

It probably wasn't that brilliant after all.

Happy Birthday, Garrett!

2008-12-01T10:51:00.002-06:00

Garrett on day two wishes Garrett on day 1,827 a happy 5th birthday. You can click on the pic to see more from Garrett's first days.

New Song Demo - Jesus, Your Star Is Shining

2008-11-21T19:48:00.004-06:00

I think this is my last new Christmas song until after the first of the year. Some exciting stuff has been happening with my music and I'm looking forward to cranking up again with the writing. Enjoy this new song called "Jesus, Your Star Is Shining".

Jesus, Your Star Is Shining
Words and Music by Toby Baxley

1. Jesus, Your star is shining,
Over the place where you lay;
Once we were walking in darkness,
But now the light of Your love lights the way,
And we worship You, we worship You.

Infant holy, infant lowly,
Born a pauper, yet a king;
We hear Your story, see Your glory,
Join the angel voices and sing,
“Christ, the babe, is Lord of all!”

2. Jesus, Your star is shining,
The skies proclaim Your holy birth,
Once we were walking in sorrow,
But now You’ve shown us our Heavenly worth,
And we worship You, we worship you.

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.”

© 2008 Toby Baxley (admin. by PraiseCharts)

Fun Friday Video

2008-11-21T14:27:00.001-06:00

I saw this video on YouTube and thought it was pretty cool:

They're not perfect, but hey, let's see you do it!

New Song Demo - Rejoice!

2008-11-18T23:01:00.004-06:00

Here's a new Christmas song. It's on the playlist below, but you can listen to it here as well:

Rejoice!
Words and Music by Toby Baxley

Rejoice! He has come to be our Savior.
Rejoice! He has shown us Heaven’s favor.
Rejoice! We will never be the same again.
Rejoice, for the Lord, our God is with us,
Rejoice in our infant King, Christ Jesus;
Rejoice! He has come to free and heal us,
And to take us home forever with Him, Rejoice!

Rejoice, O Israel! Your long night is over,
The morning of redemption has dawned;
Rejoice, O ye people! Emmanuel has come,
And God has made a way through His long-awaited Son.

© 2008 Toby Baxley (admin. by PraiseCharts)

Life Will Never Be the Same

2008-11-15T08:22:00.002-06:00

Like My Flip Flops?

2008-11-10T17:37:00.002-06:00

I have another pair just like this one...somewhere.

Garrett's Last Soccer Game

2008-11-10T16:59:00.002-06:00

Garrett had his last soccer game this past Saturday. Click on the picture to go to the album and flip through the pics to the end of the album.

We're Never Using This Recipe Again!

2008-11-10T16:17:00.004-06:00

This is what happens when you cook chicken for 4 hours at 375°F.

Free Coffee, If You Vote

2008-11-03T16:02:00.002-06:00

A Healthy Perspective About Next Tuesday

2008-10-31T15:13:00.001-05:00

The following is from John Piper, popular author and pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN:

Vivian Reads "Brown Bear"

2008-10-28T10:57:00.001-05:00

Moments

2008-10-25T20:37:00.002-05:00

Every now and then, you get a reminder of just how fast time flies.

The days are long, but the years are short.

Heading home!

2008-10-13T01:59:00.002-05:00

I'm in Madrid right now after a short hop from Malaga. It has been a really great week. I hope to share more details soon.

Spain Day 2

2008-10-08T14:34:00.003-05:00

Today was a great day! I slept for about 12 hours last night. I slept from about 10 last night until about 4:30 this morning. Then I couldn't sleep for a while so I read a few chapters in the new Grisham book Playing for Pizza. I fell back to sleep and finally got up this morning around 11. I felt so European. We played football in the park and then ate lunch around 3. We enjoyed some awesome gelato and came back to Tim & Amber's apartment. I went with Tim to an English-speaking church to teach an English class. It's 9:34 now and I still haven't had dinner. Here are some pictures from today:

Statues atop the Ministry of Agriculture building.

Another shot of the Ministry of Agriculture building, this time without the angry mob of protesters.

The Crystal Palace inside the Parque del Retiro. We played some football and frisbee in the yard across the pond from this place. Not bad!

Supposedly, this is the geographic center of Madrid and Spain.

Laura and Emily enjoying their Gelato. I enjoyed some too! Mine was a cone with a scoop of mint and a scoop of chocolate (that tasted like brownie batter). Yum!

This didgeridoo player was awesome!

I want to stay at this hotel someday.

Random door pic. Would have been better without the poster stuck to it.

Random street pic. I wonder if the locals realize how cool the architecture is. They have awesome architecture and sculptures all around them. I wonder if they take it for granted.

Spain Day 1

2008-10-07T12:53:00.002-05:00

I thought I would share my pics from my first day in Europe. I don't remember what these pictures are but they're pretty nonetheless:

Here is the lovely bed I had waiting for me. Thanks for your hospitality, Tim & Amber. I can't wait to crawl in and sleep for a few hours, maybe a few days.

It's protest season. This is taken outside the Ministry of Agriculture building. Laura says when the weather is nice, there are always people outside protesting something.

This is the front entrance to the Atocha train station. There is a rain forest inside. I'm hoping to go back and take some pictures there.

The Prado Museum

Grand entrance to the Parque del Retiro

Interestingly-manicured trees in the park.

Fountains and pond inside the Parque del Retiro

Laura riding some crazy contraption at the playground

Trying my hand at it...unsuccessfully

The old city gates

The Ministry of Communications building.

Entrance to the Plaza de Mayor

Plaza de Mayor. This reminds me of the place where they shot the movie Vantage Point.

One of many cathedrals

Another cathedral. This one took 300 years to finish. It is beautiful outside, but inside is all art deco, which in this case is quite unsightly. Also, the building is retro-fit with Bose speakers and 32" flat panel screens...presumably for their contemporary service.

Front door to above cathedral

The Royal Palace

As of this writing, I have been up for the last 27 hours. I didn't sleep well the night before I left and only dozed off on the 7-and-a-half hour flight from Miami to Madrid. I'm really tired and I'm going to bed.

New Song Demo - Worship the Newborn King

2008-10-02T23:57:00.001-05:00

New Song Demo - Come To My Heart

2008-09-29T21:50:00.003-05:00

I would like to share another new song with you. This is a song of praise/commitment for the Christmas season. It is based on the old hymn "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne". I hope you enjoy!

"Come To My Heart"
Words by Emily Elliott and Toby Baxley
Music by Toby Baxley
© Copyright 2008 Toby Baxley

Vivian Dancing

2008-09-18T16:38:00.001-05:00

Garrett's First Soccer Practice

2008-09-11T11:05:00.004-05:00

I'll just let the video speak for itself.

New Song Added to My Playlist

2008-09-10T10:52:00.000-05:00

Please enjoy a new song of praise for the Christmas season. Scroll to the bottom of the page to hear "Let Heaven and Nature Sing" on My Playlist. Facebook friends: My Playlist is under my "boxes" tab.

Spain, Here I Come!

2008-08-19T13:27:00.002-05:00

ATTENTION FACEBOOK FRIENDS: Please click "view original" to go to my blog and see the whole story.

I have some exciting news to share. Yesterday afternoon, I was asked to be the worship leader for a missionary men's retreat in Malaga, Spain. I am really excited about this opportunity. When I was first presented with the opportunity, I was told that the coordinator was looking for someone who had been broken and had experienced a deeper relationship with God as a result. This immediately interested me and I knew that I was going to be the one to do this. It's rare that I'm ever so confident about anything.

I contacted the coordinator and he said that he had already asked someone else and was waiting for a response. Somehow, this did not phase me. Somehow, I knew that it would not work out for this other guy to go and I would get the call. I am approaching this situation with much "fear and trembling" because it is obvious that God has ordained it for me to go. I don't know what He has in store, but it is either something that I am a perfect fit for, or something that is a perfect fit for me. Maybe both...

I need your help to make this happen. The organization is going to cover my expenses while I am in-country but they have asked me to raise my own support for a plane ticket (about $1000). I have missed out on missions opportunities before because I have been too afraid to ask my friends and family for help. If you would like to help support me on this trip, I can give you my address where you can send a check. Any overage will be used for incidentals and then any extra will be used to support other missions.

Just leave a comment and let me know (a) how much you can contribute, and (b) your email address. I will not post your comments if they contain this info. They'll just be used for my own record keeping.

Thank you for your help with this.

Breakfast

2008-08-13T13:40:00.000-05:00

Garrett has become very interested in storytelling, especially since Aunt Laura was here, telling her fractured versions of "The Three Little Pigs" and "Goldilocks & The Three Bears". He has become specifically interested in hearing the stories from the Bible. I have to admit that when I recount some of the parts of the Great Story, I feel so connected to the ancient church and even the people of God before the time of Christ, since that is how the scriptures were handed down through the ages: storytelling.

He loves the story of Paul and Silas in prison and always asks for the front part of the story (Paul's [Saul at the time] meeting with Christ on the road to Damascus). Recently I started going through the Gospel of Matthew with him and we started talking about Jesus' baptism and how he went out into the wilderness to be tested. We talked about fasting and what it means (simply in technical terms). He said, "That means no breakfast, lunch or dinner?" We talked about what Jesus might have eaten after the fast was over and I thought I would give Garrett a little linguistics lesson. I told him that the word "breakfast" literally means to break a fast and that after we eat dinner, our body doesn't eat for a long time through the night.

Well I decided to quiz him because he's gotten into the habit of pretending he's listening and right there with you and then you ask him something about it and he just says, "I dunno." So I asked, "What's it called when you don't eat for a long time? Is it called slowing?"

"Nope," Garrett said, "It is fasting." So far, so good.

"And what's it called when you eat again after fasting?"

"Oatmeal."

Lesson over. Can't stop laughing.

So, my faithful reader, never skip your oatmeal. It's the most important "meal" of the day.

New Song Demo - I Stand In Awe

2008-06-24T21:03:00.013-05:00

Garrett's Songs

2008-06-24T15:47:00.004-05:00

I have tried several times to publish this little recording, but my former MP3 hosting service wouldn't stream it for some reason. I've changed hosts now and it should be working. These were some of Garrett's favorite songs from this past year at pre-school. He sings them all the time. Hope you enjoy:

Three Easy Steps To A Happy Marriage (Part 2)

2008-06-24T07:02:00.000-05:00

In yesterday's post, I wrote about how it was possible to have a happy marriage on two conditions.

You release your spouse from the responsibility of making you happy.
You stop pursuing happiness and find your identity and satisfaction in a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.

Today, as promised, I would like to share with you three points of a wedding homily that I have to preach to myself almost daily.

Choose to love. You must choose to love daily. In our western culture of individualism, we have seen the erosion of agape (self-sacrificing) love in favor of eros (self-gratifying) love. Agape love is action that, over time and in the context of marriage, leads to eros love. If a relationship starts with eros, that love will surely ebb and flow. The problem is that without the solid foundation of agape love (service), the relationship cannot withstand the ups and downs of eros love (feeling). As married people, we are to serve our spouses. One of my favorite preachers, Tim Keller, says, "Love is an action first and a feeling second. If you love people, eventually you'll come to like them." Another way to put this is "fake it 'til you make it." Love is a choice. Love is a verb. Choose to love.
Fight fair and fight for. There will surely be times when you and your spouse do not see eye-to-eye on an issue and you will [gasp] fight. That's what I hear anyway. I believe that fighting is actually healthy for a growing relationship. It helps to create a culture of reconciliation in your home (more on this topic in a later post, I'm sure). The problem with the way most couples fight is that they make it personal. If you mention your spouse's Mom or other family member in a fight as a means to injure, you're probably guilty of this. I love what Martin Luther King said about non-violent resistance because it translates so well in to marital argument. He said, "The goal is not to defeat or humiliate the opponent but rather to win him or her over to understanding new ways to create cooperation and community." You have to know what you're really fighting about and attack the issue rather than your husband or wife. Unity in marriage is worth fighting for and you have to dispense with a lot of individualistic garbage in order to get there. Imagine fighting side-by-side with your spouse instead of face-to-face because you're not fighting against each other. You're fighting alongside each other against an issue that needs to be defeated for the cooperation and community of your marriage.
Keep your eyes open. Your spiritual eyes that is. There is an enemy that seeks to destroy your marriage. He is the enemy of every soul. He will tempt you to be selfish, to lie, to cheat. He will tempt you to do anything to erode the solid foundation of agape love your marriage is built upon. You must be aware of these temptations at all times. They start small and if you don't nip them when they're small, they'll continue to grow until your relationship has spun out of control. One of the most powerful songs of late is "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns. Look up the lyrics sometime. One line that is so simple yet so powerful is "Families never crumble in a day." It's a slow fade. Keep your spiritual eyes open and guard your heart and your relationship.

Mineola Ink

2008-06-21T23:59:00.003-05:00

We're starting our own show on TLC. It's a spin-off from Miami Ink and LA Ink. We are going to call our show Mineola Ink. It will star Garrett, whose stage name is Stanley "G". Here are some concept shots that we'll use in creating our show:

He's quite a genius in the medium of happy faces.

ANTS!

2008-06-21T16:35:00.004-05:00

[WARNING: THIS POST IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART OR WEAK OF STOMACH!]

June 15, 2008 Fathers Day: We had our first trip to the Emergency Room with Vivian. We were at our friend's house to spend some time relaxing and fellowshipping. Garrett and his BFF, Dawson, ran off to play in the dirt pile. Keep in mind that this is one of the last few places on earth where a kid can be a kid. The boys run and play and dig in the dirt and then we hose them off and bring them in for a scrub. There is usually an inch of dirt in the bottom of the tub after their bath.

Vivian usually stays in with the grown-ups while the boys run off and fight bad guys or whatever it is that little superheroes do. This time, though, Vivian decided that she was going to go run with the big boys. No big deal. We really didn't even think anything of it because this place is uber kid friendly.

Well, two lots over from this house wasn't so kid friendly. After a while, the boys came running in huffing and puffing and tell us that Vivian has gotten into an ant bed. We knew it couldn't be close to the house because our friend, Lee, has spent many hours and many dollars ensuring that his yard is ant free. Melissa went out to check on things and saw that Vivian was in a yard about 250' away from our friends' house and she was frozen in her scared little tracks with her right foot right in a fire ant bed.

Melissa ran back to the house swatting ants off of Vivian. Melissa got bit about 10-20 times, but when all was said and done, it was estimated that Vivian got about 200 bites. We took her to the emergency room to make sure she didn't have a serious reaction, other than just the redness right around the bites. Thankfully, there was not a systemic reaction and we were released with a prescription for an oral steroid and instructions for keeping her comfy. Here are some pictures:

Vivian didn't seem to mind at all. All she has ever said is, "Boo-boo HOT!"

Happy Fathers Day to me!

This is from a couple of days later when the bites started to blister. Quite freaky!

We'll be following them more closely next time, but the boys know (they've always known) to stay in the yard and not wander off.

Vivian's First Unofficial Haircut

2008-06-21T16:19:00.003-05:00

Let me start this post by saying that I itch.

Constantly.

Since we moved to East Texas, I have a constant itchy rash. That is important information because one day after work, I came home (across the yard) for dinner. Before dinner, I had the bright idea to take some Benadryl. Now, not only am I itchy, I am now drunk on antihistamine. I have a low tolerance for chemistry.

I can't see straight.

I can't walk straight.

I need to go lay down on the couch.

I pass out. Dead to the world. Melissa comes in to check on me while the kids are off playing in one of their bedrooms. All of a sudden, she can't hear them. That is never a good thing unless it is the middle of the night or the middle of the afternoon nap. She goes through the house looking for them and finds them in our master bathroom. Vivian is sitting on the toilet seat with little hairs all around her.

Her big brother had given her a "haircut", except that he used my electric shaver. Not only had he done this, he also put some makeup on her. Not makeup, though, but fingernail polish.

Bright.

Red.

Fingernail polish.

I didn't wake up until the kids were in bed; partly due to the drugs, and partly due to my overwhelming desire not to get in the middle of the h*** that was breaking loose in the rest of the house. Here are a few pictures:

Lakehouse Progress

2008-06-21T15:58:00.003-05:00

It has been a while since all the lakehouse drama. The kids confessed and we have them working for us to repair the damages. We haven't worked with them in a few weeks but we're going to kick it back into high gear pretty soon. Here are some pictures from the first couple of days:

The wall was completely repaired. William, the boys' dad, found more paneling in the attic and did a fantastic job. Excellent craftsmanship!

They cleaned the paint stripper off the floor and swept up the glass. They scrubbed the floor with hand sponges and brushes. That was not our idea. It was their parents'. It's amazing looking at this picture because, since it was taken, there has been a new tile floor installed as well as new drywall. In just a few days, a new water heater, cabinets, countertops, and appliances will be installed. The cabinets and walls will get some fresh paint and the place is really going to sparkle.

Not much to say about this, except that the window was fixed and the room is clean.

The microwave was replaced. It looks pretty much like the old one, except without the crow bar gauge in the front panel.

There's my boy watching a movie.

I [heart] SuddenLink

2008-06-21T13:37:00.005-05:00

I know it's a little weird to be warm and fuzzy about one's cable/internet company, but I have to tell you that I really appreciate SuddenLink. First of all (and most of all, I suppose), whenever I call technical support or sales, I get to speak to someone who is relatively nearby. I spoke to Devin last night because our internet was downloading very slowly (almost dial-up speed). She re-set our modem and it kicked back up to the maximum that our modem could handle (1.5 Mb/s). She also told me that our service package was 8 Mb/s but that our older modem couldn't handle the speed. I went out last night and bought a new Surfboard modem and called Suddenlink again today. Keith helped me get it connected and I'm now screaming through the internet at 8.3 Mb/s. Both of these tech folks had a bit of a drawl/twang which always makes me feel more "at home".

I'm not making a commentary here on US industries outsourcing sales and service overseas. My appreciation for SuddenLink Communications is enough of a commentary on its own.

New Song Demo - Lift Your Praise Higher

2008-06-20T12:06:00.004-05:00

Here's a new song I would like to share with you. My friend Branon and I were talking about the issue of praise. He shared a story with me about a pastor friend of his who was confronted on this issue by some visitors from somewhere in Africa (Uganda, I think). They told him that Americans do not know how to praise because we do not have an earthly king. We elect our leadership and can vote them in or out based on the desire of the people. The visitor told the pastor that in his country, people would stand outside the castle walls and shout the praise of the king, hoping that the king would hear and invite them in and ask what he could do for them. Basically, they hope to gain the king's favor by flattery. Contrast that with our Heavenly Father and King, who is Lord and sovereign over the entire universe. We cannot earn his favor, yet he loves us and invites us into his presence.

I was so moved by that story that I had to write this song. I had a verse and a chorus within a day and a complete song within two days. It went from an idea to this demo in six days. Tomorrow, I think I'll have a rest.

Toby Baxley

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