You And Me

Anyone who knows Carole-Marie and I knows that we’re at least a little different. You know, she’s a sporty cowgirl who listens to country music and I’m an artsy poet who plays guitar. With any relationship it’s inevitable that people are going to be different (it’d be pretty boring if everyone were the same). Carole-Marie and I had a conversation last week where we talked about our differences. We talked about how the cowgirl in her and the artist in me feel sort of neglected in our relationship. So we decided to spend the rest of the summer getting to know the “different” sides of each other. The parts of each other that we don’t know as well because we don’t relate as well. This is a song I wrote reflecting on the conversation we had.

Click here to download song.

You And Me

You ride horses
And I write songs.
You like to dance,
I’d rather sing along.

But, you and I
Stand side by side
As we explore
This thing called life.

—

You’re so outgoing
While I sit back and watch.
You like to play those crazy games,
I’d rather sit and talk.

But, you and I
Are hand in hand
As we stretch ourselves out
And explore new and different lands.

—

And I know we’re different people,
And I know we’re still so young,
And I know that there’s so many things
That we haven’t done.

But, no matter how much it may seem
That we are far apart,
We’re here together
And we’re holding one another’s hearts.

—

You love Jesus
And so do I.
We’ll worship together
As we sing by and by.

We’ve had some amazing times
These 14 months or so.
And I know that we’re going to have
So many more.

—

I’m ready to change.
I’m ready to grow.
I’m ready to hold you tight
And never let go.

I’m ready to learn.
I’m ready to see.
I wanna know you so much more.
I’m ready to be

—

Not so different people
Who have grown, grown, grown, grown,
Who have done so much together
That we’ve come to know

That no matter how much it may seem
That we are far apart,
We’re here together
And we’re holding one another’s hearts.

Eat Yer Greens!

I’ve been realizing a lot of things about my personality lately. One thing is that all my life I’ve pretty much been like a kid who wouldn’t eat his greens. There’s a couple reasons why a kid won’t eat his greens. One would be that maybe his parents never made him eat them, or never even ate any themselves. Another reason would be that perhaps the kid was just stubborn and refused to try new foods or any foods that fit into a particular category (e.g. greens). My problem comes from a little bit of both of these.

I’ve never been a sporty kid. I’ve always fallen more into the “artsy” category. But I don’t know whether that was because I actually disliked the sporty things or because I just wanted to be in the “artsy” category. Like a kid who will only eat hamburgers and french fries and no greens, I refused to take part in the sporty stuff. Then there was always the random kid who ate his burger with lettuce that always frustrated me. You know, the guy who played football, played baseball, and played the guitar. This sort of thing frustrated me because I had been living in the idea that the two were mutually exclusive. A person couldn’t do both and I had simply chosen the one that I preferred. But, this idea, it turns out, is completely ridiculous. This is one of those things in life that simply isn’t an either/or decision, but rather a both/and kind of thing.

Another scene I’ve never fit into is the whole cowboy, country, go get ‘em kind of scene. This is ridiculous because I’ve lived in Texas all my life. I blame my parents for this one. I have Carole-Marie to thank for bringing me into the light though. She gave me some country music recently and it’s kind of like the first time I ever tried sweet tea. Until this past year I had never experienced it and then I took a sip of this absolutely wondrous drink and can hardly stop drinking it.

So, now I’m here poking my fork at the greens on my plate. I’ve been jogging every morning for the past week and jammin’ to country music when I drive around town. I don’t know if you’ve ever refused to eat your greens, but you really shouldn’t. You should try them. Come on, try them at least once or twice. Maybe you actually don’t like them, but you won’t be mature until you’ve at least tried them.

Summer Jams

Hi everyone. My blog has been somewhat lonely lately. Mostly because I’ve been neglecting it.

Here’s the deal: My summer has started to become boring. But, you can help. I need some stuff to do in all my spare time. So, I was thinking maybe it would be fun to record some music. I haven’t been writing tons of music lately, so why not cover stuff? Do you see where this is going yet?

I want you to leave a comment on this blog post of a song that you would like for me to cover. Any song at all. Leave the name of the song and the artist. If it’s an obscure song then it’d be nice for you to send a recording of it to me (drewdixonmusic@gmail.com).

Got it? Ready. Set. Go!

I Shook Hands With Satan

A thick and dreadful darkness came over me when I shook hands with Satan.

He had a firm grip and his hand was warm. For a moment I looked into his eyes and nodded my head. It was then that my heart began to pound and my breathing became shallow. I let go and began to fall backwards, but his grip remained firm. Just before loosing consciousness I felt my hand jerked from his grip.

When I awoke, I looked down at my hand. I remembered the warmth of Satan’s hand, but what I didn’t realize was the burning, devouring fire in his grip. What my eyes beheld as I saw my hand was hardly a hand at all, but rather a blistering piece of burning flesh.

I turned my head and saw a man. He looked very plain with simple brown hair, and dull brown eyes. He asked me if I was alright and I told him that I wasn’t sure. The truth is, I was terrified, but I didn’t want to admit it. His boring eyes looked concerned. He must have seen something in my face because he said, “Don’t be afraid. It’ll be alright.”

I asked this man who he was, but he didn’t answer. Instead he asked me a question, “Do you want to be healed?”

In that moment I thought that, perhaps, I had met this man before, though I knew not where. He reached out his hand to help me up, but I knew that I could not grip him with the appendage at my wrist. So I gave him my other hand, but he withdrew and said, “Do not be afraid. Do you want to be healed?” I hesitated for a moment. He extended his hand toward me again.

I lifted my arm and as I began to reach I no longer saw burning flesh, but instead a hand, my skin without blemish. I put my hand in his and he lifted me up. As I rose from the ground he was no longer a plain looking man. His face shone with radiance. It was this glowing face that I recognized, for it was those shining hands that had rescued me from Satan.

I stood by His side and He embraced me. His beautiful, caring eyes looked straight into mine and he spoke these words to me:

“I love you. Your faith has made you well. Let us walk together, so that you may sin no more.”

Records Awaiting

Since my last blog entry, apparently the trend of recording music has caught on. Tons of my favorite artists are in the studio recording new albums right now. I’m so excited. I think you should be excited too.

David Crowder*Band
David Ramirez
Jenny and Tyler
Mat Kearney
Phil Wickham
Shawn McDonald
Switchfoot

These are among some of the artists with albums coming out in ‘09. I’m so excited for all the wonderful new music that is to come. Check out those artists give them a listen They’re all really good.

Recording Is Fun

So, I’ve been recording lately. Especially since I got this new mic and it’s been a great deal of fun! The new mic makes recording anything really easy (and it sounds great!) and I’ve been experimenting with GarageBand a whole lot. It’s been so much fun!

Here’s the low down on the new stuff I’ve recorded.

A Rockin’ Song: I wanted to make a stereotypical “rocker” song. This isn’t meant to be musically innovative — just a rockin’ song.
Fly Us Away (Blues): A lot of you have heard the bluesy version of Fly Us Away — here’s a recording of it finally.
Fly Us Away (Rap): I got bored and decided to turn Fly Us Away into a rap. This song is pretty freakin’ versatile. I can do anything with it and it works.

Hope you like ‘em!

Podcasting!

As you know from my last entry I recently acquired a new mic to record with. The recording of music was the primary purpose of this purchase. However, there was a secondary reason: Greg and I wanted to do a podcast. Greg is the one who suggested the idea, but after hearing the idea I was excited about the prospect of such an endeavor. So, Sunday afternoon we sat down, figured out how we wanted the podcast to go, and hit record.

The podcast is similar to a talk show in that it is simply a collection of discussions between Greg and myself. We titled the podcast after this aspect of it. The podcast is called Repartee: A Colloquial Discourse. First I will explain the subtitle. Most of you have heard of a “colloquial expression,” meaning an expression that is used in informal, everyday language. And the word discourse implies a formal discussion. So the subtitle basically means, “An Informal, Formal Discussion.” Although this phrase seems to contradict, we thought it seemed appropriate, because although the discussions are pretty much off the top of our heads (informal) we have planned what we will talk about, and set the time of the discussion (formal). As for the main title, repartee is a conversation full of quick and witty replies, which often seems to characterize us quite well.

So, Dearest, Sweet Readership — I implore you to give this podcast a listen! You can either subcribe to it on iTunes or with an RSS feed by using the links below. Just check it out, give it a listen, and let me know what you think.

Negative Love

I recently got a new mic and I’ve been testing it out. In doing so I was just playing around and found a fun little groove on the guitar and thought I’d record something with it. Because I don’t have any new lyrics as of late, I borrowed some from good ole John Donne. This is one of my favorite poems by him and so I thought it would work well to record something with it. I’m diggin’ the quality of the mic and am leaning strongly towards keeping this one. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

Negative Love
by John Donne

I never stoop’d so low, as they
Which on an eye, cheek, lip, can prey ;
Seldom to them which soar no higher
Than virtue, or the mind to admire.
For sense and understanding may
Know what gives fuel to their fire ;
My love, though silly, is more brave ;
For may I miss, whene’er I crave,
If I know yet what I would have.

If that be simply perfectest,
Which can by no way be express’d
But negatives, my love is so.
To all, which all love, I say no.
If any who deciphers best,
What we know not—ourselves—can know,
Let him teach me that nothing. This
As yet my ease and comfort is,
Though I speed not, I cannot miss.

Pause.

Pause.

Your portion of peace
is about to be paid.

Pause.

These minutes of madness
musn’t be made.

Pause.

The sound of solitude–
a soothing solace.

Pause.

Peace will soon settle
if you will simply…

Pause.

Thoughts on New Years or (an Everchanging World with a Neverchanging God)

2008 was a year of change.

No, I’m not talking about political slogans.

But it was a year of change. For me.

2008 is the year that I went from high school to college, from status of a minor to a legal adult, from living with my mom to living with my friend, from fleeting romance to enduring love. It was a year of change for me. Many great changes are yet to come in my life, but changes such as I have experienced this year are few through life — at least as I imagine it.

I think the biggest thing I learned in 2008 is that I rely on circumstances to define me. When I left for college, everything around me changed and I felt as if the ground had dropped out beneath me. This means I wasn’t standing on the right thing. I learned that I need to push toward living as David did, “Yahweh is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.” (Psalm 18:2) I stood on my circumstances (being a senior in school, a leader in church, an actor on stage, etc.), but what I need is to stand on the LORD. He must be the One that defines me. He must be the One “in whom I take refuge.” In Him and nothing else.

This is another thing I’ve learned this year. Note that we take refuge in God, not Him in us. Often times a person will say that they want God to be in their life, but that’s not what the psalm says. We mustn’t try putting God into our life. I assure if this “god” can fit comfortably inside of your life he is not Yahweh. Yahweh God is far too big to fit nicely inside of a person’s life. We must put our life in Him. We must take refuge in Him. He is the fortress which we stand inside of. You may not see it, but the difference is God being included versus God being exalted. It is God being part (finite) versus God being all (infinite). Yahweh is a limitless God and it is in Him that we must put ourselves.

So, after the midnight celebration, after the fireworks, after the sparkling cider I sat down and started thinking about how much has changed for me this past year. I began to think about how much is always changing. Whether it be gas prices, age, maturity, society, culture, situations, people — anything. Stuff is always changing. Everywhere. All over.

Then, I opened up my bible. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. I just thought that reading scripture would be a good way to spend the first few hours of 2009. I was flipping through and got to Psalm 136. A psalm about  how God is unchanging. A psalm about how His love has, does, and will endure forever. I present you with this psalm now and hope that no matter what changes you may face in 2009 you will know that Yahweh’s love endures forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.

who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.

who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.

who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.

the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.

and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.

with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

to him who divided the Red Sea in two
His love endures forever.

and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.

but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

to him who led his people through the desert,
His love endures forever.

who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.

and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.

Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.

and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.

and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.

an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.

to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.

and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.

and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.