Home.

Fall break: After two months at Belmont, I've finally come home for a weekend. I was telling everyone before I left, "I'm not quite homesick, but I do miss home." Which is true.

But I've only been here for a couple hours and I'm already telling myself, "I missed the people, not the place." I was absolutely ecstatic to see my family, including both my dog and mom rushing out the garage door, and my sister who wouldn't admit that she really did miss me. I had a good long talk with my mom and dad about politics and my reignited faith at college, yet I realized that because I can better see God in my life, and can better see the places at home that hold bad memories. It frightens me that I can pinpoint exactly where I've sinned.

After a conversation with God, I know what needs to be done. I need to go to these places and put these evils to rest. I want to cast these sins away and progress in my faith, not regress. My past is important to me, but I can't live to my fullest if I don't lay my burdens down. It sounds a bit selfish, but if certain events continue to haunt someone for years after they occurred, peace needs to be made.

This break should be a break for me. I really want to enjoy myself while I'm here. Visit my friends and former teachers, stop at all my favorite records stores, catch up on some sleep, do some homework (gasp!). Father, my intentions are real, and I will submit myself to You.

Barefoot.

The other day, I asked my friend Winston, a songwriting major here, how he goes about writing a song. The brains behind Night Beds, he's written and recorded some pretty impressive tunes (although he won't admit it) and will be releasing them on iTunes within the year. Anyway, he described to me an exercise that he practiced in one of his classes: to think of an idea, place, person, or thing, and write everything you know about it. In his words, "vomit" on the page. And so "Barefoot" was born.

The story behind this: On campus, we have what we call "The Quad," an attractive area of grass and trees situated right in the middle of everything. My friends and I occasionally throw a frisbee or dribble a soccer ball in between classes, and every time I head out there, I kick off my shoes and enjoy what's beneath me (admittedly, this is destroying my feet). But it seems like when I lose my shoes, I lose my stress. The "cliff" bit in the song refers to an actual set of cliff at a nearby lake that Kern showed me to. Jumping off those things is so liberating. My surroundings: the trees, the water, the rocks, are so beautiful, and I really thank God for the nature that He's given us; it's always a retreat for me.

So here's what I "vomited" this evening :-)

Bare, I stand barefoot

The sand and rock and earth between my toes

And there, from where I look

God's wonderful creation lives and grows

Sometimes you gotta strip yourself

Of shoes and futures, worries, wealth

And smell the smell of green here in the air

'Cause what's the thrill in life concrete

Just shed the shield right off your feet

And jump off of a cliff with body bare!

MP3: Night Beds - There Was Enough/Rest

A friendship.

Big update.

So I've been at Belmont for a little over a month now and, truly, I've never felt closer to God. It's pretty amazing how environment can influence your faith. In particular, my resident assistant, Kern, has been such a blessing to me. Not only has he helped me ease into college life, but he invited me to a church called Lifehouse, and the service really shook me. The music, the worship... it was so powerful and joyful. At this point, I am talking out loud to God and I'm proud to call my relationship with Him a friendship.

So amongst all these influences, I've been writing like crazy. I've finished one, and I'm almost finished with two other pieces. This song here is called God in a Box. I was talking about the routine of worship with Kern, and he told me one of his friends said this: "Wouldn't it be great if we didn't try to put God in a Box?" This really stuck with me. And as I reflected on my own experiences, I realized that throughout my youth, I had done just that. As a "Sunday Christian," I was praying to God in a box and not outside of it. So this piece is somewhat biographical, but I think it applies to a lot of people.

"God in a Box"

He said, “I wanna put God, I wanna put our God in a box.

So I can praise Him on Sunday then dry myself out in the week.”

He said, “I wanna put God, I wanna put our God in a box.

And let the preacher pray for me so that I don’t ever have to speak.”

He said, “I wanna put God, I wanna put our God in a box.

So I can tell the world I love Him just to get a load of guilt off my chest.”

He said, “I wanna put God, I wanna put our God in a box.

Then I can take and take and take and take and take whenever fits best.”

But our Lord cannot be contained

Cannot be contained

In separate parts

Oh, our Lord has always remained

Will always remain

In our hearts

He said, “I wanna hold God, I wanna hold our God under locks.

So I can put Him on a pedestal and advertise the wealth that I’ve gained.”

But wouldn’t it be great, if we didn’t keep our God in a box?

Because I’ve felt Him working through me, and His presence cannot be contained!

Yes, our Lord cannot be contained

Cannot be contained

In separate parts

And our Lord has always remained

Will always remain

In our hearts

So, you can listen to the void

And ignore the sound of God when He knocks.

And you can try to tie Him down

You can try to measure love by the clocks.

But our Lord cannot be contained

We cannot put our God in a box.

November 21 will be the worst day of my life.

Take a long, hard look at this fantastic film poster. Nevermind the fact that the Half Blood Prince is the most powerful and emotional book of the series (yes, I enjoyed this tale more than the Deathly Hallows); take a look at the date.

For someone who has highly anticipated this movie's release, originally scheduled on November 21, 2008, to see this is devastating!

BURBANK, Calif., Aug 14, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that it has moved back the release date of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" to Summer 2009. The sixth installment of the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise will now open day-and-date domestically and in the major international markets on July 17, 2009. The announcement was made by Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros.

Until then, you can suppress your anger and sadness by taking a look at the teaser trailer which actually made it into theaters (I saw it before the Dark Knight). Young Voldemort should be a hit!

Words & Wishes

It'll be similar to Elliott Smith's "Waltz #2." I have the acoustic guitar part written and I think a howling electric guitar would sound great alongside. Like something Explosions in the Sky would play. This song is important to me because it applies to my friends, my family, even myself. Sometimes our words can be cruel and hurtful, but the words and lessons of the Bible will forever be pure.

Lord, I am a witness to hollow and crooked tongues

These wishes and words

Your nouns and your verbs

Are the oxygen for my failing lungs

Remind me, your words we believe

Remind me, your words that relieve

Remind me, your words

Abused and forgotten

Remind me how beautiful they sound

And how praises are heaven bound

Lord, love and Your Name

Now so casual, in debauched talk

The devil will leech at once holy speech

Do they know God is shelter, our rock?

Remind them, your words we believe

Remind them, your words that relieve

Remind them, your words

Abused and forgotten

Remind them how beautiful they sound

And how good news is spread around

Like a flag, under your wondrous presence I stand

Giving praises and run-on phrases that you easily comprehend

And when my prayers weaken like the blade of a blunt knife

You still hear me

Kind and unwearied

The shade of your favorite color coming to life

To confess is so seeming

Perched on pedestals with sins we commit

We chatter while we pray, deaf to what our hearts say

And weighted by wrongs that don't sit

Will we act upon what we admit?

Remind us, the unfailing love

Remind us, the innocent blood

Remind us, your son

Risen, almighty

Remind us on unstable ground

Where your words and your wishes are found

Michael Phelps, you're an animal!

It's almost 1:00 am on Sunday night/Monday morning. And in the last few hours i've competed in a scavenger hunt, dined with my lovely grandparents, witnessed the American mens swim team win 4x100 freestyle relay (beating the French by .07, i might add), and, most recently, come to realize that my website (of which I've owned and operated since June 2005) is hopelessly dead. This death was a slow one, spanning over a year, yet I wasn't unaware of its demise. And it occurred, not because there was nothing exciting in my life, but, simply, because there was no music!

Despite how dramatic that sounds, it's somewhat true. I've been composing on the guitar, practicing the piano, and writing pieces; sparsely. But what I haven't been doing is recording. Of course, I could blame this on work, school preparations, or even the shift I made from Sonar to Logic (still getting used to it by the way). The truth is, that for some reason, I've become a little apathetic about audio engineering. Unfortunately for me, I'm entering college as an audio engineering major...

I'll never stop being inspired by the production of music; I'm just getting a little restless at home. But... the change of scenery I've been craving has come just in time! 11 days from now, I'll be moving down to Nashville to become a bruin at Belmont University and I want to immerse myself in all that 'The Music City' has to offer; learn some things, meet new people, and, rather sooner than later, revive my website!

So for the folks who like a good nutshell, my website hasn't been update since Christmas '06 because I haven't recorded anything new. This blog caught me at a pretty cool time in my life though. I'm ready for an adventure.

Hi, I'm Sam Newcomer and Michael Phelps, you're an animal!