Posts (page 2)

Half way there! I left this morning to play a show in New Mexico. It really hasn't been that bad because I have not had to drive yet. (YA!) But I think my time is in the morning & that means I have to drive through TX. But anyway we made it half way here in Shreveport LA. Just so everyone knows the van that we ride in smells like a boys locker room it is horrible. We even try to clean it out all the time and still it smells like horse hockey. If gas would go down we might be able to break out the bus. As I road today I listen to:
Artists                                        Album Title
Kerli                                         Love Is Dead
Bebo Norman                            Brittany (New Single)
Bradon Heath                            Give Me Your Eyes (New Single)
Erin McCarley                           Pony (it's Ok) (New Single)
Above the Golden State             Above the Golden State   
Francesca Battistelli                  My Paper Heart
Hillsong                                    This Is Our God
My Favorite Highway                 How To Call A Bluff
I-Pod Shuffle
Just to name a few.

A friend of my Wil Martin recommended the album How To Call A Bluff by My Favorite High Way. Sometimes our taste don't match but this hit the nail on the head. So far the lyrics and the songs are amazing so thanks Wil for the recommendation. Well like I said we just got into our hotel in LA, not California and it's 2:35am here so that means its about 3:35am back home. Speaking of which I miss my baby boy and my wife. I'll see you both soon ;)
So Goodnight all sleep well get ready for the drive tomorrow.

MY MOST MEMORABLE  MOMENT OF THE DAY:  Aaron's (Drummer)  comments on  life and the lack of not listing He always  is not listening to conversations then will hear the last part of the conversation and jump in and repeat exactly what we just said. it's very funny in person. He also said that it would only take 5 to 6 times to fill up with gas on the way out to New Mexico. He's crazy I said it would take at least 18 times. We get right under 6 miles to the gallon, yeah so... THAT BLOWS!

Chasen Callahan

To start out this week I will say what a great weekend I had. As everyone knows Clint (bassist) and his wife are having twins and by the way they are doing better but please continue to pray for their family. Any who he will be taking sometime to take care of his family. With that being said I hired a new bassist by the name of Phil Snowden. Sometimes you never know what your getting until it gets here and thats sorda how this came about. He's from New York but lives in Nashville. I called and asked if he was interested and he said yes so he came down and spent the last 3 days with my family. We clicked right off the bat. He is the most down to earth kind of guy you will meet. His heart and vision are exactly what I've been looking for because Clint was a very visionary person so lets just say those shows are hard to fill. Phil will be with us for a while so I hope every one likes "Snowden" he's an incrediable bassist.
Today was great for a Monday.  Although I am sad about leaving my little boy and my wife for a few days to head to New Mexico. I will wake up and meet the boys from the band at 9am and drive 11hrs tomorrow. Besides that I had a great Monday. On the way home today me and my son was in the car of course we had the music cranked and he loves a little bit rock & roll and some Hillsong. I just got the new Hillsong album "This Is Our God" today. The first song called "Your Name High" has a really cool hook at the front of the song like Coldplay stuff. I turned it up & look in the baby mirror  to see this picture as the song was playing. 

I thought it was funny. If you notice his arm looks like he's throwing up a rock fist. He really did as soon as the song came on. His arm slowly went to that position when the song started. That was a great moment for me today. Another way of God showing me the little things & how He is showing my son has a great ear for great music.
Well I got a long night of packing and maybe a little writing if I play my cards right. (Songs)

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THE DAY:  Hearing my son say "Hey" to me today. I know he has no clue what that means but he really said hey today, it's great.

Ok so the other day I cracked on the great - I mean the most ridiculous & inconsistent really expensive Charter Communications in one of my blogs. Well it just so happens that the president of that company loves my music and he called. Thats right he called to let me know that he has been watching me and my career grow for last year praying for me etc... he also said that he keeps up with my blogs and it gives a lot of help with his walk with Christ. Man I have to say that I would have felt like a big pile of CRAP if that was true. (hahahah)
But really Charter came out today to fix the problem I've been having with my cable. So they sent out a guy by the name of David i think. He was awesome (word for the past 3 days) He gave me so much stuff for my TV that they should of gave me to begin with. When it comes to HDTV I'm not the most knowledgeable person. So I asked about why the picture didn't look like an HD picture on the HD channels. Here was his response, Well i found one of your problems. If you have an HDTV you have to have HD cables to hook up to the tv. Radio Shacks $9.99 red & white cables wont cut it. My response, OOOOOH that explains it. But I will give a great big clap well ok two claps for Davids professionalism he was really helpful. Hopefully I wont have any more problems or get any of those messages that say "we apologize for the inconvenience BUT OUR NETWORK SUCKS."

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THE DAY: Having lunch with two guys that really love God and love Ministry. Silver & Aaron I love you guys in a none threatening & uncomfortable way. Glad to have you guys apart of everything i'm doing.

IMPORTANT NEWS: Be in some major pray for Clint Hudson's family.(my bass player) His wife and him are having twins in September well thats the part that sucks a little. He took some time off now because his wife was going to Labor mid July and that is a little early. They were able to stop the labor. But this morning they went back into the hospital because she is in labor for the 2nd or the 3rd time in July. Please pray that God will give them peace and let everything be ok with there two new sons Issac and Owen.  love you Clint, Amber, & Jack.

Chasen Callahan

I use to know this guy a long time ago when he just graduated from North Greenville College in Greenville SC. I have to say that dude has changed a lot. He used to be all GQ now he's all Hillsong United very trendy. This guy started a church about 2 years ago in Charlotte NC called elevation church.  A committed team of 60 people put on the first Sunday morning worship experience February 5^th 2006, and watched 121 people attend that first Sunday. Just two short years later Elevation Church is now meeting in two high schools and weekly attendance has topped 4,000. Through God's favor and a relentless pursuit of the vision they have watched over 1,300 people profess faith in Jesus Christ during our second year of ministry. At my church Marathon we did the series called One Pray and this guy, not so GQ from Elevation church posted a message and we watched from our screen in our worship center one Sunday morning. It totally took me by surprise his enthusiasm on uniting churches together.  Thats when I realized that I was a huge fan of Steven Furtick, Pastor of Elevation church.  Seriously he is very dynamic and only at the age of 28 it is amazing how God has moved in his life. He is very relevant and real.

I have posted two links:
Steven Furtick & Elevation Church.
Enjoy.

Chasen Callahan

When it comes time to do a line up for a worship service I am very particular. Everything must flow everything must have a reason to be there. This morning my boys (chasen band) and I led worship at Marathon Church in Greenville  SC my home church.  All week I've been in meetings with Bryan Cox from Marathon talking about the set list and other things but I could not get my head around the set list I had made for Sundays service. It's not that it wasn't a great list but there was something that made my head all off kilter. By Friday i finally called the Media director and told her the changes I made to the set. Normally I don't like changing the line up once it is made. I  believe that if you prayerfully create a worship line up then thats what God had intended on you playing. Not this week it was to different I really cant explain it. It came down to the first service and I was so disappointed in myself for allowing me to let the sleepiness of the 8:30am service interfere with the worship. Once again I was rethinking my thoughts on the worship. To make this long story a little bit shorter I went through all 3 services and just said "well God, I hope you are proud and I hope this is what you had planed." About that time I had a least 5 to 6 couples or family's come up to me and tell me how much they needed that worship movement and how they wanted more of it. One woman gave me a note that was encouraging. I even went to Cracker Barrel for lunch and in Cracker Barrel alone there were 4 family's that came up to my wife & me. One of those people paid for our meal. I was reminded of how special it is to pay it forward and to be in Gods will. I don't know if that person will read this but If they do I want them to know how much that meant to me and my family. I have done that before and trust me God will bless you so much.
I have learned in the 10 years of leading worship to always not make it about the music but make it about preparing hearts for what God has for us through the message and what God has in store for us individually.  Even if that means singing or playing a song that might be a boring song that says Holy, Holy a lot and could be "churchy". But what will make it easier to lead them in a movement through worship.

Set List
Happy Day - Not To Us - Cannons - Love Is Here - God & King - Fire Fall Down (CH) - Jesus Paid It All (CH) - Amazing Grace.

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF HALF THE DAY:
ONE:
Our good friends Leslie and Jeff Mousa live in the Pittsburgh area. Jeff had to stay at home in Pittsburgh but Leslie got to come down and visit us for a little bit so she had lunch with us today. They just had a beautiful daughter named Cadence and she is a doll-baby. She's also only 10 days older than our son.  It was nice talking to her and catching up on what's going in their lives. SIDE NOTE; if Jeff or Leslie read this I think you should come back to the Greenville area friends, you are missed.
TWO:
The people who told me their stories about how they needed the worship today and how God is using me to effect peoples lives everyday. Sorry that might of been a little "churchy." but it was one of my most memorable moments of half the day.

I hope your not reading this blog because of the title. Here's the deal, we have the great - I mean the most ridiculous & inconsistent really expensive Charter Communications for our television cable. 9 times out of 10 when we try to watch a movie on demand it says "we apologize for the inconvenience BUT OUR NETWORK SUCKS." Needless to say we cant watch any of our movies, kid shows, games, and of course  our Fabulous Fit Moms 30 min workout program. Here lately I've been on this Cookie diet. I don't think it's working so I told my wife that I would workout with her tonight at home. Well because of the lack of communication with Charter i could'nt work out with my wife to Fabulous fit moms. I guess I will have to wait till it gets fixed, bummer huh.
Now I know what your thinking where can I find this Fabulous Fit Moms fitness workout program. Well if you sign up for the great - I mean the most ridiculous & inconsistent really expensive Charter Communications service in a city near you. Go to your on demand option, choose sports & fitness and its like the second choice. When you see the message pop up on your screen that says "we apologize for the inconvenience BUT OUR NETWORK SUCKS." just start yelling, screaming and don't bother calling charter because Donna, Marie, & Joey who work for Charter won't help you. Yes thats right I went through three people just get a confirmation that they do suck as a corporation but they will give me free DVR service for a month. Oh thank you Charter for that great gift of $15. You know that also would be good if I had a DVR that worked. GRRRRRR!!!!!!!
This is totally messing up my Fabulous Fit Mom exercise routine.

Chasen Flipping Callahan

I hope your not reading this blog because of the title. Here's the deal, we have the great - I mean the most ridiculous & inconsistent really expensive Charter Communications for our television cable. 9 times out of 10 when we try to watch a movie on demand it says "we apologize for the inconvenience BUT OUR NETWORK SUCKS." Needless to say we cant watch any of our movies, kid shows, games, and of course  our Fabulous Fit Moms 30 min workout program. Here lately I've been on this Cookie diet. I don't think it's working so I told my wife that I would workout with her tonight at home. Well because of the lack of communication with Charter i could'nt work out with my wife to Fabulous fit moms. I guess I will have to wait till it gets fixed, bummer huh.
Now I know what your thinking where can I find this Fabulous Fit Moms fitness workout program. Well if you sign up for the great - I mean the most ridiculous & inconsistent really expensive Charter Communications service in a city near you. Go to your on demand option, choose sports & fitness and its like the second choice. When you see the message pop up on your screen that says "we apologize for the inconvenience BUT OUR NETWORK SUCKS." just start yelling, screaming and don't bother calling charter because Donna, Marie, & Joey who work for Charter won't help you. Yes thats right I went through three people just get a confirmation that they do suck as a corporation but they will give me free DVR service for a month. Oh thank you Charter for that great gift of $15. You know that also would be good if I had a DVR that worked. GRRRRRR!!!!!!!
This is totally messing up my Fabulous Fit Mom exercise routine.

Chasen Flipping Callahan

Hello friends, have you ever just listen to a song or album and it change your mood? The world could fall on you and the right song or the right melody lifts it off of you. Tonight it happened to me again. As usual Tuesday's are what I like to call music day. I focus everything on new music on Tuesdays. Tuesday's are also when all the new CD's come out so  yes I buy new music & not steal it off of these stupid websites. (you know who you are) SIDE NOTE: Support your fellow friends that make the music you like don't take it for free, 99 cents is nothing. The music industry is struggling as it is so SUPPORT!!!!
Tonight as I was buying new music and as it was lifting the world off my shoulders I found a new and upcoming band and worship leader "Above The Golden State". The whole album is worth buying. It's a lot like Weezer, Jon Forman, and Santus Reel.
Not only is the music great but their from Portland OR not to far from where I grew up a little and spent my summers. Hope everyone is doing well and staying close to Gods Direction for your life.
Well short & sweet is not so bad. (I'm talking about the blog tonight)

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THE DAY: Casey (wife) went to work for a little bit today. It ended up being pretty much the whole day, Which is fine. E & I spent a lot of him & daddy time today. His pre-laugh and his big smile just melts my heart.

Trust is a hard thing to grasp. Why trust anyone. Why say something confidential knowing that it may leak out. How do you know you can trust someone. I have struggled with trust for a long time not as bad as others but just enough to write a blog about. Yesterday I had some meetings that I really needed Gods direction on. I found my self becoming this pin ball that just bounced around from idea to idea. I really could'nt get my head around it. I've been praying about these meetings ever since I found out about them. As I sit through the first meeting I find vision and a plan, as I sit through the second meeting I began to create a plan and a vision or goal. In both meetings I was at the mercy of God. Which way are you going to take me, how will I know? The first meeting we talked about how, right when you trust someone and think they understand your vision or your plan and they leave or begin to fade the opposite way. Needless to say you learn to trust someone and then they stab you in the back or let you down.
In both meetings this is what I learned, trust is a very delicate thing. It' not necessarily a safe place for most people like myself. Although trust is very wish washy the main thing I heard in these meetings was God saying trust me I haven't let you down have I, trust me. I'll be honest The moment I felt that I had no doubt's or disbelief that He would follow through.
In conclusion I find myself always able to trust God in everything I do. He is the only one that has never let me down. He is the one that I can stand on and the one that keeps me up. When we are sensitive to His voice we never have to worry about if the decisions that we make are the right ones. If we feel that we are doing what God has truly, truly called us to do then we have to trust God that He will lead us and guide us through this place we are in our life.

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THE DAY: I ate lunch at a place called Copper River grill or restaurant today.  They have these croissants with some kind of sweet sauce on them. Wow seriously I ate about 3 of them and thats only because the other folks that I was with wanted some. I could probable could eat at least 4 (haha) I really could have eaten the whole plate of those things. SIDE NOTE they come with your salad but what we did was we got a whole plate of them for an appetizer and the ones that came with the salad. So good! The next time you go to Copper River don't forget the croissants.

Chasen Callahan  

Today was a great day. Woke up got to church on time and it was a great service. We've been doing the series One Prayer. I really think it got a lot of people thinking about their individual churches. I know it got me thinking about my church. Two things that get my panties in a bunch is churches who've got everything but thats not enough so they take it from another church or they have to over do every church just to prove the point their the biggest church. Another thing is what I like to call a confused church goer. Let me explain the confused church goer. The confused church goer is a signal or a group of "believers" that are not happy with their church and say that they need to be at a place thats spiritually more deeper so they start or move to another church. As I heard from the pastor from Elevation church in Charlotte NC say this morning, God doesn't need a bunch baby's doing his work in the church. If you are older than 5 years of age and you still need to be fed by the high chair I don't think your going to get it any where. (that is paraphrased) Either way I think it's time that we need a revival with church. Not a traditional revival but one that makes all churches unite. I'm reminded of the song from Leeland "We need to wake up wake up".

This is totally my opinion, I'm not bitter just fed up with what people call church. We are the body of Christ and we are the church.

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THE DAY:

This afternoon my lovely bride and I went to see Batman, The Dark Night. Like I said in the last blog I am a huge fan of Batman. As I sit there in front of the big screen I was in awe of this movie, it was so good. The Joker played by the great Heath Ledger was so convincing I even loved how they through in Two Face and how he was so realistic. Christian Bale played Batman again I think he is my favorite Batman of all Batman's. I was telling my wife that Christian has popped up and become one great actor. He even landed the role in the new but old film, Terminator coming out summer of 2009. Batman is a must see in my opinion. It was so good Silver even text me and told me it was Amazing, and off the record he is a hard man to please when it comes to movies. If it has blood, gore or lots of cursing and bad humor thats more his type. This movie has a lot of action but not much cursing and or gore. So thanks Batman for giving silver and I a movie we can both talk about in one peace.