“You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” (vs 7-8)

I ask for a lot of things. Most of them I want selfishly. Some of them stem from more noble desires. But on the whole, I ask too much for what I don’t need and not enough for what I do need.

Humility. Patience. An open mind. A willing heart.

This psalm speaks of God’s wrath being brought to other nations at the hand of one of his servants (David or Nathan, which one specifically is unclear), but I feel that it can be applied to my life today. I’m not bringing God’s wrath on a nation, or on anyone for that matter, but it is clear to me that God will bless those after his own heart in order to further his kingdom.

I have a lot running through my head, a lot that I am looking to do, but are these things blessed by God or of my own creation? If I am willing, patient, humble — if I seek first the Father — all that I need will be given to me in order to further the kingdom. If God has just promised David (or Nathan) the nations, the ends of the earth, what can he give to me in order to fulfill his will? And more importantly, have I placed myself in a position to receive these things and bring Him glory?

He will give us what we need, that much is clear throughout Scripture (Matt 11). But am I trusting? Waiting? Listening? Am I asking for the tools to bring him glory, or am I asking for the nations…just to ask? Right now I will ask just to remember — to be still and know — so that I may be faithful with little and bring Him glory.

What does a scanner see? I mean, really see? Into the head? Down into the heart? Does a passive infrared scanner like they used to use or a cube-type holo-scanner like they use these days, the latest thing, see into me — into us — clearly or darkly? I hope it does see clearly, because I can’t any longer these days see into myself. I see only murk. Murk outside; murk inside. I hope, for everyone’s sake, the scanners do better. Because if the scanner sees only darkly, the way I myself do, then we are cursed, cursed again and like we have been continually, and we’ll wind up dead this way, knowing very little and getting that little fragment wrong too.

-A Scanner Darkly

I havent posted in a hot minute. I had some things I wanted to post, but never thought about it when I was at my computer. I thought about posting from my phone, but I figured that would take too long. So here is a short post. While I’m thinking about it. From my phone.

January had been a good month: I moved into a new apartment, started dating a killer gal, and finally started playing music again. I’m excited about all 3, but I want to highlight the music. Since Recession broke up (or slowly disappeared from view) I haven’t really written any new material or played out. At all. I play at church and don’t get me wrong, I love it, but I miss playing at some random dive bar for people who only want to half listen. Strange, I know, but playing out is a passion of mine and I want it back. I’ve played a couple little gigs with my buddy Daniel Snoke and I’m actually starting to write again. The plan is to put together a new album.

I want to be involved in as many music projects as I can handle and I want to record a real, honest to goodness album, unlike the little recordings I put on CDs before. Schultzie has offered to help and I’m looking to get kevin in on the fun as well. I want a band, a solo project, a two piece, another band, and like four more projects. I’m addicted. I just find myself lacking the necessary equipment/skill/know-how to do all of that on my own. Unfortunately I can’t beg on the street like a crack addict because no one will drop a digi 003 in my cup, but I’ll find a way to make it happen.

I lack patience. I have much more than I did a few years ago, but I still subscribe to my generation’s “Instant Gratification” mentality. I want my girlfriend to move here. I want recording equipment. I want a new album. I want to make money playing music. I want a lot of things. These things all take time, though, and that is what I must remind myself.

So. If you were one of the lucky few who read this, you now know my feelings for the month of January in the year 2011. If you also happen to be blessed with oodles of cash and you feel like giving it away, first give to charity and the church, then to me. Kthxbai.

Here’s a song I just wrote. It’s a bit repetitious, but that’s kind of what I was going for. It’s called “Once” and the lyrics are below.

did you read the papers, my baby’s coming home
she’s been out traveling for far too long, and I know
that she felt imprisoned inside of these four walls
I tore it down but I’m hoping she still knows

that I loved her once
that I loved her once
I loved her

my thoughts betray me and she is in my room
it’s just amazing, oh, what our minds can do
her glowing image seems trapped inside my walls
but she’s not here and she isn’t trapped at all

but I loved her once
but I loved her once
I loved her

I’ve got a message, I’ve got a deep concern
I hope she’s happy, I hope she’s seen the world
in all our wonder, we’re only dying stars
before we burn out, better show how bright you are

‘cause I loved you once
‘cause I loved you once
I loved you once
I loved you 

I’m stoked that I figured this out and I’m blogging about it so it’ll show up on search engines and hopefully help others like myself!

The android calendar doesn’t give you an option to create an automatic notification for any events on any android device. Different devices/carriers will allow you different options on how to set alarms, but none gives you the option to make them automatic. I’ve found a simple way to make it happen:

1. Make sure your phone’s calendar is syncing with your google calendar account. This is important and it’s a nice back up, too.

2. Log in to your google calendar account. Once you’re in there head to settings > calendar settings and finally click the “calendars” tab in the settings page.

3. Select your calendars. If this is your first time setting up your google calendar, you can create different calendars with which to share and add shared calendars from someone else. Once you’ve got those added you’ll want to select which calendars are visible and being used by clicking the check box next to each respective calendar’s name. If you want to set the default reminders the calendars must be visible.

4. Set the notifications. Next to each calendar name and check box there is a “notifications” link. Click on that and it will prompt you to add a default notification. It brings up “email” at first, but you can select “pop-up” from the drop down menu. If you would rather receive emails, go for it, but the pop-up will add a default alarm to your phone instead. I think it’s safer just in case you’re outside of your coverage area (AT&T users :P). You can then put in whatever amount you want and select minutes/hours/days/weeks from the drop down menu.

Viola! You should have automatic alarms set on your phone next time it syncs with your google calendar. I know it works on my Samsung Galaxy S, but let me know if it doesn’t work on yours and we’ll try something else out (@boejucci)!