Please Keep Your Hands And Feet Inside The Train
I’ve had a weird couple of days. They’ve started out pretty normal, then moved quickly into really exciting and awesome, then both yesterday and today took a sharp turn into really frustrating and stressful. An absolute roller coaster. Have you ever had a days like that? I’m not sure how much I want to get into it on here just yet, but I will say this. I am unabashedly thankful for an amazing, understanding wife and friends with level heads when mine is far from it.
If you’ve been around this blog at all you’ll know I’m a pretty (for lack of a better word) sensitive person when it comes to negativity of any kind. Call it ‘thin skin’ or whatever you like, but I get affected pretty easily by other people’s actions which is not exactly an amazing attribute to have when you’re running a company I don’t think.
Over the past two days, I’ve literally gone from some of the coolest phone conversations with exciting opportunities followed up by some conversations that have left me speechless and, quite frankly, jacked up a little. I’ve gone from major changes in an awesome direction, to major changes in a hurtful direction and back again.
Mostly I’m just processing things, but right now I’m continuing to appreciate Kristin and all that she does for me and our family, appreciate friends that I can call and talk about these struggles and have them let me know it’s not that bad.
So that’s the deal right now. Sorry this is such a lame post, but I just wanted to let you all know where things are at. More to come on some of these more exciting things for sure. That stuff is going to be amazing.
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th of July Weekend
Bart’s family was in town for the 4th of July. Well actually it was the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th of July but who’s counting? I don’t think our kids have ever slept less than they did this weekend. We ended up hanging out every night until some ridiculous hour roasting marshmallows, swimming, talking and hoping one of the kids didn’t wander off in the dark.
Since they were staying with MercyMe’s manager, he was kind enough to let us take over his house for a few days, riding four wheelers, more swimming, and blowing up fireworks. The boys loved it. Bart and I ended up having to clean up some of the firework mess, but that just started an awesome sword fight and then we wandered off. You know how it goes.
And here’s the funny thing. This was one of the first times that we got to hang out as families. The kids instantly clicked and could have played all day and all night. Kristin and I were talking about how weird it was that Bart and I have known each other for years, but as families we were just getting to know each other. Weird dynamic, but we had an absolute blast.
Now to talk them into moving here…
Monthly Fests
So, back in the day, when Kristin and I lived in California and before kids we started a monthly tradition at our house loosely based off of Oktoberfest. Except it was monthly. If I remember correctly it was the second Tuesday of every month. Although I could be completely making that part up. Anyway. If it was January it was ‘Januaryfest’, February, ‘Februaryfest, March, Marchfest… You get the idea. Basically all it was, was a time for our friends to come over and hang out. We’d barbeque some food, and hang out. You know, a monthly excuse to hang out with people.
Well, since we’ve moved out here we haven’t really had a chance to do it. We haven’t had the time. Or really the group of people wanting to do it with us. But here we are. I’m wanting to start up this thing again. The low-key hang out at our house with food and friends appropriately named after each month.
I’m not sure if we’ll have time to fit in a Junefest, but I’ve got my sights on Julyfest. Now, I don’t know details yet, and Kristin and I haven’t even really talked about it all that much, but I think it’d be fun. Who’s in?
Grammy Nods
So check this out. Some friends of mine are up for a couple Grammy’s and I wanted to offer up a little congrats to them. Now, I wasn’t really paying attention when they announced them but I have heard through a bunch of people and then I went and looked for myself.
First up, Billy is nominated for two himself, which is pretty awesome. Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. Not bad huh?
Then the boys in Third Day are up for a few. Best Gospel Performance, Best Gospel Song, and Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album.
The Leeland boys are up for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
And SkörInc‘s own Matthew West is up for Best Gospel Song for “The Motions”.
Anyway, it’s pretty cool to see all these guys up for stuff, and it actually gives me a reason to watch the Grammy’s again.
So here’s a question. What’s your favorite ‘Awards show’ to watch? Grammy’s? Emmy’s? Oscars? Golden Globes?
Ready? Go.
Positive Post Tuesday
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve done a Positive Post Tuesday post. Not because I haven’t been positive, but because I just keep forgetting. Well, yesterday I heard someone talking on the radio and they challenged everyone listening to not say anything negative on their Facebook status and it reminded me about this whole talking positive thing. For those of you that don’t know, it’s easy. All you have to do is write something positive on your blog and link to it in the comments.
So where to start. It’s been insanely busy these past few months and from my end that’s a totally positive thing. Finishing out the year with Billy was great. I still talk to those guys regularly and it’s awesome to go from one organization of good people to another organization of good people and there’s no weirdness or feeling of abandonment or anything like that. Just smooth transitions and we’re all still friends. The MercyMe tour is off to the races and it seems like it’s going well. It’s awesome to be out with the Fee guys too, though we still need to get our flag football on before they leave.
Another amazingly positive thing is the way Kristin and the boys have handled this whole last few months. I don’t know how she does it but somehow Kristin keeps on top of all the home stuff while I’m out running around like a maniac. I don’t know many other people that could handle that and she does it gracefully.
So in a nutshell, I guess this Positive Post Tuesday is about work, friends and family. Now let’s hear yours. Write about something or someone on your blog and throw the link in the comments.
Full Court?
About six years ago I had a group of guys that would get together every week or so and play basketball. We’d sometimes to a full court thing, sometimes half depending on the number of guys that showed up. It was never really an organized thing, but it was really fun when a bunch of guys showed up and we could make it a real game. We’d play for a few hours and then all hang out or grab dinner or something after. Like I said. That was about six years ago.
Well last night I got a text from my buddy Josh letting me know that a group of guys were getting together to play. I’ve been wanting to start playing again ever since we have moved here but haven’t found out where people were playing. So last night I decided to give it a shot.
Now it’s been literally about four years since I have even tried to play an organized game of basketball and I get there only to find out that this is full-court, five on five, real deal basketball. With guys that are used to doing this every week. And me without my oxygen tank. Two straight hours, five games, more running than I have done in years, more jumping than I have done in years, more running into sweaty men than I have done in years, and today I can barely walk.
I had a great time though and can’t wait till next week. I just hope I get the feeling back in the bottoms of my feet by then. Turns out taking six years off of doing something like that can really make it hard to get back into it.
What’s something you used to love to do, but haven’t done in years? What’s stopped you from doing it?
So You Know
This is more of an ‘Update’ style post, but I have several things I want to tell you all about and I figured rather than writing a couple short posts about these things I would consolidate them into one. Now, that doesn’t mean that you get to ignore any of these things. In fact, I’m encouraging you to take the time to check out all of these things individually and help support some of these peeps.
- First up, my good friend Joe has started a blog. Joe goes to my church and I have played music with him several times (when I’m able to actually go). Joe’s got some great insight and some great thoughts over there on his blog and he’s an amazing guy so make sure to stop by and tell him hello.
- Next up is something my buddy Will is working on. It’s called the Lambscroft Benefit Concert and Dinner. If you are in the Nashville area, May 30th at 6:30PM is a benefit concert and dinner supporting Lamscroft.
“Lambscroft’s mission is to bring poor, spiritually bankrupt and/or financially destitute into a safe environment.. offering immediate shelter, while entering earnestly into learning skills necessary for the restoration of their entire being. This will be done by closely observing the teachings of Jesus…and its personal actualization into everyday challenges and opportunities.”
Check out Lamscroft.org for more details.
- Next up is a missions trip that a long time, SkörInc supporter and has been involved in things from the beginning. Sarah Lagana and a team of others are headed to the Philippines for 8 days at the end of June. They have a Facebook page created and I’d encourage you to go check out what they are doing and give them any support you can.
- One more thing that we’ve got going that’s pretty cool, at least to me, is that our friends over at Michael Smith & Associates have launched their brand new online store. Now, this is pretty cool to me for a couple reasons. One. To my knowledge there aren’t many managers out there selling things on their web sites. I love seeing a manager jump on board with something that is a little outside the box and give it a go. That to me is exciting. Second. I think Mike has a great mind for this business and I’m excited to see where things go from here. So head over there and check out his store and what he’s got to offer.
Well I think that’s it folks. A quick little update here so you know about some cool things going on. I’m in South Carolina today and hope to sneak away for some lunch with the one and only Jason Bradford, whom I have never met but for some reason have gone though the last year or so of my life thinking he lived down the street from me. Turns out, he lives in South Carolina and we are hanging out today. And I think there will be sea food involved. And speaking of sea food. What’s your favorite sea food? Ready? Go.
Have a great Thursday.
A Couple Days With Renstrom’s
I knew I liked Daniel when I talked to him on the phone the first time. For whatever reason we ended up sort of just ‘hitting it off’ and have been friends for almost two years now I think. Well, this week Daniel and his wife came in to town for the Andrew Peterson, ‘Behold The Lamb of God’ show at the Ryman and were brave enough to stay with us at our house for a couple days.
Daniel and his wife came in Thursday evening and we grabbed some dinner with them, some friends of theirs, my parents, and Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. Okay, well we didn’t actually have dinner with Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, but they were at the table next to us and most likely wish that they were at our table because it was clearly cooler. After dinner we were blown away by Andrew Peterson and friends and their Christmas extravaganza. Kristin reminded me that this may not have been the forth year that we have gone, and it might be the third since we have only lived here three years, but I’m still convinced that I’ve seen it four times.
Yesterday was a pretty chill day. We all hung out at our house for the first half of the day giving kids naps and really getting to know each other. Daniel and I had only met in person, one other time and our wives had never met, so it was cool to get to know them better. We officially like them now, and have made it our mission to get them to move here from Raleigh. After naps and all we went into downtown Franklin and met up with Randy for dinner and dessert and some walking around. The weather was nice enough to warm up for us and our walking so nobody froze to death, and then we just came back to our house for tea and more talking.
Here’s the thing about people that you first meet and you end up spending most of the time talking. In my experience, some of the best friends that we have are people that we can sit and talk with for hours. There aren’t many people that we do that with but for some reason Daniel and his wife fell into that category over the last couple days. Hopefully they had fun and didn’t leave today thinking we are weirdos or anything like that. Oh yeah, and if you haven’t heard me talk about Daniel here on the blog yet, you must be new and you must buy his record. Seriously. Go now. Buy it. Buy lots and give them to people you like.
So that’s the update from here. Hope everyone is ready for Christmas. We’ve got some crazy news from the SkörInc camp that I am really excited about, but I will save that for another post. Enjoy your weekend.
My Friend Randy Miller
Most of you know that about a year ago I was on tour with Phil and David Crowder. Well, the band that opened for the tour, and the band that I shared a bus with for 2 months was a band called The Myriad. It was a short tour, but in that time I got to know the guys really well and they became good friends. Randy, their drummer, was no exception. He’s an amazing guy and quite possibly one of the nicest people I have ever met. I wrote it then and I will say it again. One of the things that stuck out to me the most about Randy was his passion for his family. He was constantly talking about how much he was in love with his kids and wife. They even came out to the tour for a while and he was completely wrapped up in them.
Well yesterday I received some of the saddest news I have ever heard in a long time. I got this email from Steven, their guitar player and I am urging anyone who can help to do so.
Friends and family,
As some of you may have heard, our band mate Randy Miller had a tumor removed from his upper torso near his shoulder on Friday. Initial analysis has come back that the tumor is cancerous. The specific type is still being determined and we will keep you all informed as we know more. We ask for your support and prayers for Randy, his wife Kristyn, and children Connor and Gillian during this time.
There are immediate and ongoing financial needs for the Miller family. For this reason, a fund has been set up through The Stirring, a non-profit organization in Redding, CA. There are a few different ways you can send tax deductible donations to the family. One is online at www.thestirring.org . Located to the bottom right of the main page you will see “ONLINE GIVING”. If you click on this link you will be directed to a secure page where you can set up an onlinegiving account. Once the account is set up you will see the “RANDY MILLER FUND” and be able to send secure, tax deductible donations to the family through this organization. Tax deductible donations can also be sent in the form of a check to:
The Stirring
RE: Randy Miller
3468 Bechelli Lane Suite E
Redding, CA 96002Please specify “Randy Miller Fund” in the check memo. Any financial support you can give in order to help the Miller’s through this difficult time is appreciated.
Now, I know for a fact that musicians are not covered with the greatest medical insurance in the world and I know that’s something that needs to be dealt with. Now I know there are plenty of people on here that are able to help, and I encourage you to take some time to think about if there is anything you can do to help. If nothing else, your prayers would be greatly appreciated.
Congratulations Are In Order
Congratulations to Phil and Mallory. They were married on Saturday. Sorry ladies, he’s taken… and by someone who’s perfect for him.
