Resolutions

I tend to do them every year. They're never really "you must do this or else." I have found that tends to fail. I prefer to have loose goals. Don't hit it by the end of the year? At least you tried and learned.

One thing that I always forget to do is write them down in a place I will look a lot. 3 months from now my list of goals will be different due to losing the list and having to re-write... maybe I should make that a resolution... not losing my resolutions!

This year most of my resolutions are
professional or hobby related. Becoming a better audio producer, video editor/director/camera man, guitarist. It's actually a long list. Good thing I have 12 months.

And after almost $300 in windshield wiper repair, I'm tempted to take an automotive repair course.... stupid freezing rain.

What about you? What are you resolving to do this year?

Wrapping

It's one of my favorite parts of pre-Christmas prep. Throw some Christmas tunes on the radio (LIFE is non-stop Christmas now... just sayin...), grab some tape and pick out some nice paper. Then, get wrapping.

It's really too bad I'm terrible at it.

O.K, not terrible... just not great.

I used to be really bad. It was more of a ball of paper with a gift in it when I was a kid. Now it's a box with suspiciously rounded edges.

This year I discovered double sided wrapping paper. I'm not kidding! It's really a thing! I'm way more excited about this then I should be. I probably need a hobby...

Winter

I love fall. It's my favorite season. However, a close second is winter. If I had it my way we would go from 5 months of fall to 5 months of winter with a month or two of summer, just to shake things up a bit. Skip spring all together. Blech.

Why do I love winter?

The snow.

Shoveling? Love it! Driving in a white out? Awesome! 3 foot drifts? Face plant time!

I probably sound pretty crazy right about now. Maybe I am. But there's just too much to love! Sweaters and jeans are great, throw in a bowl of soup on a cold winter night then wrap it up with tea and a book. That's the life!

As previously mentioned, I enjoy winter driving. That's the statement that confuses the most people. Soooo I figure to up the word count of this blog, I'll explain!

Driving can get boring and stale (especially using the same roads over and over). Having snow cascading in front of you while you do it makes it picturesque and forces you to pay more attention!

The only thing I don't like is having other people on the road. Other people drive scary. Really scary....

And slush. I hate slush.

Otherwise, winter is awesome!

Into The Silent Night

Every year there's one album that becomes that year's "Definitive Christmas Album." It's the one I listen too driving home from work, my go to for Christmas inspiration and the one that I wish I had written all the songs for.

In the past it's been Down Here's "How Many Kings" and Jars of Clay's "Christmas Songs". Not to mention Future of Forestry's "Advent Christmas Collection" (Which just seems to be a constant favourite with me).

This year, it's for King and Country's Into The Silent Night.

Love it.

In the past, I've had a lot of love to give these guys. They sure aren't giving me any reasons to stop yet either!

In fact the only thing I don't like about Into The Silent Night is the length. It's only 4 songs long (plus a live version of Baby Boy).

By the time the ep is over... it's just getting started! Where's the Christmas LP? Oh well. Whatever. At least we get 4 songs of awesome.

Baby Boy and Into The Silent Night are my favourites, but Angels We Have Heard On High is a great imagining and Little Drummer Boy is enjoyable (making Little Drummer Boy enjoyable isn't the easiest thing to do either!)

For me, well worth the 5 bucks!

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Time

Is one of my favourite times of the year. It's awesome! Bright, colourful and the music has it's on special charm to it too.

There's only one thing that bugs me about it. People discussing it.

Every year beginning in November, the conversation begins. Should we be celebrating? Isn't it pagan? Santa!

It's starting to fell like beating a dead horse. Most of the stuff that is worth saying has been said. The internet is loaded with articles about the subject... Can't we leave it at that? Maybe I'm just a fan boy...

For me the lights, trees, bells, green, red, songs, tinsel, holly, turkey and gifts aren't distractions. They're reminders.

Reminders of what we are getting ready for on the 25th of December. The celebration of the birth of Jesus, but that's not where it ends. He was born to die.
Think about that!
It's like a pre-Easter celebration. What happens in a peaceful manger culminates at Calvary and concludes with the resurrection. It's this awesome (and life changing) series of events that all begin... with Christmas.

At least, that's how I feel about it.

Happy Christmas!

Operation Christmas Child

I really love this ministry.

There are a lot of great causes out there to contribute too. More than I will ever likely be able to get around to. That being said, I can honestly say that OCC is the most fun to give to.

Going around from store to store, hunting deals on stuff you imagine someone else would like. Trying to get a theme together for the appropriate age. Figuring out if you would have liked this thing when you were 5. It's great!

It's also helping an important cause.

One thing we take for granted in North America is gift giving. Not excessive "look how much I got" just simple "hey, I got you something special." There are families all over the world that never have received anything. Ziltch. Hard to wrap my head around that one. Operation Christmas Child aims to fix that. Plus, they present the gospel at the same time! Bonus!

This year I'm challenging myself to pack a shoebox every month. Call it an early New Year's Resolution. That way when November 2014 hits next year, I'll have a nice big stack ready to go.

If you've never given to OCC before, maybe you want to take the challenge too. Or, just pack one come November. Either way, it's great to imagine the look(s) on the kids faces when they get their new -- insert gift here ---

2013 Covenant Awards

I don't think I've been this excited for an awards show in a long time. Yes, the Doves (and Nashville) were awesome. But the Covenants were a bit more personal for me.

Mostly cause I was presenting 6. It was a blast. The thrill of knowing you will make someone's night... but not knowing who! I also got to use a teleprompter. That was cool. I've always wondered how easy it would be to use. I kinda want one now. You don't have to move your eyes to scroll the page, it does it for you!

The other thrill was Anthem for Today. Since first meeting them in January, I've been on an adventure or two with the guys. 

The Covenants definitely proved to be another. Not only were they nominated for 3 awards, they won one! It was Modern Rock Song of the Year for Inside Out. 

It was cool seeing Prosper and GPM (Air Raid Alumni) walk away with two! Dan Bremnes also managed to grab a couple.

All in all, it was a great night in Burlington!