On The Plane

I haven't written any new entries recently because I've been super busy! Imagine that, a father of six being busy. This time I'm actually busy writing songs in the studio for my upcoming worship album. I have basically locked myself in the studio with Will Reagan, Brandon Hampton and Andrea Reagan for the past week. We have been sifting through choruses from our Tuesday night worship nights. This was only made possible thanks to the diligent efforts of Lucas who has recorded every Tuesday for the past year. We have also been going through songs I have written in the past and have even written new songs spontaneously in the studio! 

Every Time I have recorded an album in the past, it has proven to be a journey. Sometimes its a very exciting and fulfilling journey, while other times are difficult and draining. With this album being primarily a worship album I am approaching It very different from my last album. My heart is to stay true to an intimate encounter with the Lord while still having tons of fun! 

It seems that for the most part we have limited our worship experience to be very intense and serious. Which, don't get me wrong, I love intensely intimate moments in worship. However, from the perspective of a husband and father,  if I limit my intimacy with my wife and children to only serious and intense moments I am doing them a great disservice. I become a stick in the mud! My kids would be like; loosen up dad! 

I feel like sometimes this approach to worship comes from our view of who God is. If you don't know him as a fun, loving father, but instead only serious,  you will limit yourself to how you draw near to him. God tells us that eternal pleasures are at his right hand! I'll even go as far to say that God created us for pleasure! 

As a father I want to tickle, carpet-wrestle, and dance in the kitchen with my kids more then anything else! I do all the other stuff like feed, clean, and provide for my children because it must be done, and it's important. However, the joy of losing an hour or two chasing kids through the house with a creepy ski mask from Will Reagan, a Christmas gift, is priceless! It not only brings pure pleasure to my heart but it fills my children with confidence and security and acceptance like no other way can. It's the joy of just being a child and being fully accepted by your father. Also, as a father, I fully take on the responsibility of loving my children through their weaknesses and disciplining them, but it's so we can get back to having fun, and pursue our dreams! 

My wife and I have a saying in our home; the purpose of discipline is so we can all just have a good time. We train our kids to understand that the reason we want them to obey is so we are able to trust them. We want to be able to trust that if we go to the beach they will listen and not run off and drown in the ocean. And once we trust them they are given more freedoms to enjoy fun things in life. Like going to birthday parties or break dance lessons with a friend. Or going to the ice cream shop with KK, one of their nanna's. The truth is as parents,  if we can trust our children to be obedient then we are free to lavish the gifts of life upon them. This is what our Heavenly Father desires to do for us.

My desire with this album is to have, in addition to serious moments, some of those joyous moments. Moments of just dancing around like a child in the kitchen and being chased around by our wild and crazy dad. Right now I have no idea what to expect from this album, but I'm having tons of fun following the Spirit! 

I'm at this very moment on a plane headed to California to lead worship in Victorville Ca at The Gate Church and then to Pasadena to lead for the Wilder Conference. I am super excited! In addition I am meeting up with Brock Human and Charles Jones in LA to work on more songs! God is awesome and in control of this album! I would appreciate your prayers during this season of creativity! And my wife would appreciate your prayers during her week of being a single parent!

Uh oh, it's time to power off electronic devises and the stuardist is heading my way! Don't want to wreck the plane! Peace!