Dedication Video for our Daughter

The song was written specifically for our girl, Anthem, and recorded by my wife as a demo. It's called "You Could Only Come From Heaven".

Google Wave

I'm never on top of the latest trends.  I still don't have a DVR and, yes, I don't have an iPhone <GASP!>!  Yes, it's true.  I bought Vinyl records until 1990.  I just started blogging in 2008. I've never been ahead of the curve.

But, I am excited to check out the new Google Wave.  Maybe I'll be ahead of the curve on this one.

Joy

I have a couple of guys I meet with on a regular basis. We've been checking in lately with each other with an emotion that we're feeling right then.  The emotion choices are: Fear, Joy, Anger and Sadness.  We have to pick one and explain why.  We get right to the heart of the issues of our lives.  Needless to say, I'm grateful for these guys and the conversations we have usually impact me for hours or days afterwards. 

Today, I felt joy.  When you say 'joy', usually not much more needs to be said after that.  This time the guys asked me why I felt joy?  I said I was joyful because I was happy with the decisions I had been making lately.  I went on to describe that I felt joyful also because I was letting more things go and not putting too much pressure on myself.  I have fewer goals and that's helped me. 

As I thought about it later in the car on the way home, I began to ask myself.  What is real joy? Is it the joy we feel about ourselves?  Or is it the Joy of the Lord, as mentioned in the bible?  What is true joy?  I can't say that I've felt true joy very often.  Rare.  When I do, it's usually full of love, not a care in the world and an overall burdenless or light feeling.  I can say what I'm feeling is on the path to true joy though.  On the way to joy.  I'd rather be on the way to joy than anger, sadness or fear. 

iTunes Reviews Needed

If you're a regular user of iTunes and enjoy Quietime music, would you take a few minutes to write a review at iTunes.  Just click here and you'll be taken directly to one of the Quietime titles.  The more reviews and feedback they get, the more visibility we get for the Quietime brand.  I appreciate this so much!!

Quietime Hymns - Top Instrumental Album in Christian Bookstores this week

Thanks to Lifeway Christian Stores, Quietime Hymns
became the top selling instrumental album of the week in Christian
bookstores for the week ending 9/20/09.  Combined Quietime Hymns and Quietime Devotion, scanned over 320 units in sales, according to CMTA's Nielsen Soundscan.  Quietime Christmas releases this week in stores nationally. 

Quietime Hymns - Top Instrumental Album in Christian Bookstores this week

Thanks to Lifeway Christian Stores, Quietime Hymns became the top selling instrumental album of the week in Christian bookstores for the week ending 9/20/09.  Combined Quietime Hymns and Quietime Devotion, scanned over 320 units in sales, according to CMTA's Nielsen Soundscan.  Quietime Christmas releases this week in stores nationally. 

What's In Your Wallet?

Last night I finally did it.  I took out everything that wasn't necessary from my wallet and only kept the most important stuff.  What I took out was over an inch in height when I stacked it all together!  WOW, no more back pain...and no more Seinfeld, George Costanza jokes!  What's in your wallet?

First Wave

My little girl made her first actual attempt at a wave today.  Anthem is 5 and 1/2 months old.  She was in her Mommy's arms and she looked over at me and smiled/laughed really big like she always does.  Then, she lifted her arm and twisted her wrist back and forth to wave at me.  I wanted to see if it was an accident, so I looked at her again, smiled and waved.  She smiled and did the same waving motion again.  It was so cute.  I did it a third time, this time with her older brother, Kaden's help.  Sure enough, she smiled and waved again.  There you go, another one of Anthem's firsts.  Another Anthem milestone.

Nobody's Got It All Together

Every now and then (almost daily) I need to be reminded that nobody else has it all together - why should I?

NOBODY'S GOT IT ALL TOGETHER
By Jill Phillips and Andy Gullahorn

Working hard to tie up the loose ends

So hard to decide who you let in

Put your best foot forward with a grin

I can see the fear behind your eyes

Wondering if someone will recognize

You’ve grown tired of keeping up the lies

Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause

Nobody’s got it all together

If you want to be like everyone else well

Nobody’s got it all together

I have seen the darkness of my heart

And found a love that taught me its too hard

To walk through life and not let down my guard

What good is it to say please savior come

If there is nothing you need rescue from

Life is something no one has a corner on

Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause

Nobody’s got it all together

If you want to be like everyone else well

Nobody’s got it all together

When the parts that are self righteous

Start to disappear

Every other life is

Just another mirror

And life is way too short to run and hide

Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause

Nobody’s got it all together

If you want to be like everyone else well

Nobody’s got it all together

(c) 2004 Juvintud Music / St. Jerome Music (ASCAP)

I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way

 

Every good marriage has a time of testing and trials...ours is no different. 

"Any Other Way"
Jill Phillips

Do you remember that Monday when

The world fell out beneath our feet

Both surprised that we had been

So close to losing everything

Putting one foot in front of the other

felt like such a long, hard step to take

We thought about moving and starting again

But it was something we could never outrun so we just stayed

I wouldn’t have it any other way

I wouldn’t have it any other way

Gaining back the trust we lost

Was harder than just losing it

But if we wanted change at all

The pain was a prerequisite

So little by little, a piece at a time

We were putting back together what was left of a broken life

It wasn’t quick, it wasn’t easy

But that kind of change isn’t one that happens overnight

I wouldn’t have it any other way

I wouldn’t have it any other way

When we first met, love was a feeling

But making it last, that’s a decision

A good decision

When we watch the kids run through the yard

Sometimes I just can’t help but think

That every bit of what it cost

Was worth it for this family

‘cause I wouldn’t have it any other way

I wouldn’t have it any other way

I wouldn’t have it any other way

Words and Music by Jill Phillips
From "The Good Things" CD

Quietime CDs now at Target.com

This is a bit of a shameless plug.  Quietime CDs are now available at target.com.  They also can be found at area Lifeway Stores, Family Christian Stores and iTunes for download.  Get em now while they're hot!

Anthem's Milestones

Anthem turned 5 months old a couple of weeks ago.  Krissy and I don't plan on having another child - unless a real miracle occurs - and I do mean miracle!  So, we're a bit sentimental about our last child.  We will never again experience our own child's firsts.  Another way of looking at it is that we feel so blessed to be able to go through this experience again that we are appreciating so much more this time around.  We're having so much fun with her.  I rarely find myself complaining or whining about things. 

So that they are recorded forever, I'm planning a new series of our baby's milestones in the next few blogs - complete with video and pictures (if all goes well). 

FIRST SMILE

Anthem smiled early and smiles often - very often.  All I have to do is look at her and she smiles, sometimes she even laughs out loud.  She also loves the boys - she laughs at them all the time.  When she sees Mom she smiles and laughs too, but she mostly says "Mmmmmm".  It's so cute.  Here's a picture of when I knew that she laughed on purpose, not just because she had gas :).  She was about 2 weeks old.  This picture was taken in early April.  That's her Amo's hand next to her.