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So here’s my contribution to the Worship Community’s February Songwriting assignment (Psalm 31). If you’re a writer there’s plenty of time to get in on the action!

The intro stinks. No excuses. i just stunk it up.

The lyrics and melody are what I’d like you to focus on. NOT the production or instrumentation! I had some fun with this one. Added in some mandolin and even some autotune on the voice…Yeah I know. But I like doing things to rock the boat a little…so I had to use autotune because it’s the last thing anybody would want combined with an acoustic guitar and mandolin driven song.

Anyways, I chose to use the verses to focus on the negative aspects of the Psalm. The prechorus moves into the “prayer” to God aspect of the song. And the chorus (hopefully) is the payoff. Where the negative tension and prayer are resolved.

Thoughts?

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Lord of My Refuge (Psalm 31) by russhutto

Present Tense (a poem by Jason Lehman)

It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,
The warm days, and the great outdoors.
It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,
The colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.
It was fall, but it was winter I wanted,
The beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.
It was winter, but it was spring I wanted,
The warmth and the blossoming of nature.
I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,
The freedom and respect.
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,
To be mature, and sophisticated.
I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted,
The youth and the free spirit.
I was retired, but it was middle-age I wanted,
The presence of mind without limitations.
My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.

* Jason was 14 when he wrote this poem. It was published in a Dear Abby column, on February 14th 1989.

I first heard it a cre:ate 2010 when Lucy Swindoll recited it. I’ve been inspired this week to reach for my dreams like I’ve never reached before.

Instead of tweeting every amazing and wonderful experience at re:create 2010 this year, I’ve decided to run more of a self-contained liveblog of my week. This way I’m not bombarding twitter or facebook with too much chatter and my friends and followers won’t get annoyed at me. So if you’re really interested in checking out my re:create timeline visit this post often and you’ll see what me and Fred McKinnon and a whole bunch of other fine folks are up to at re:create.

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This week I had the extreme pleasure (and sometimes challenging discomfort) of reading a pre-release copy of Sex, Lies & Religion by Randy Elrod. The book dives head first into the profound mystery of sexual communion and begins by dispelling lies formulated and propagated by religious and cultural thinking and then goes on to explore the beauty revealed by God to us in the created human form and all its mortal and immortal longings. According to Elrod, sex is not just a basic animal instinct. Procreation is not the ultimate goal. God has gifted us with sex as a means to fully know our spouses physically AND spiritually and to paint a wonderful portrait of His love for us, physically AND spiritually.

From the first paragraph to the last, I was challenged by this book. At times I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to race down the pathway of learning about this God-sanctioned spiritual communion shared by two lovers. And then, there were other times that I had to pause to reflect, to dig deeper into the text. I wanted to stop, go back and read again what I had just barreled into. Every word of this book was a genuine challenge to me. There are areas where I feel I already have freedom. And then there are other areas where I know that I could learn and grow in. So, I found myself continuously thinking deeply upon and storing away the wisdom and knowledge in these pages.

An interesting fact, and one in which I won’t divulge too many details, is that I immediately implemented some of the wisdom gleaned in reading this book and my wife definitely took notice (in a good way). The idea that the sexual communion between a husband and wife is sacred is not new to me, but the way Elrod approaches the topic, with a sense of reverence and freedom, is an immediate breath of fresh air to the one who is open to unreligious thinking and conversation.

I recommend this book for every adult (young and old) of dating, courting, marrying and married status and believe that even if one doesn’t agree with every principle in Sex, Lies & Religion it is definitely useful for engaging conversation.

Buy your copy of Sex, Lies & Religion by Randy Elrod today.

I received this book free from cre:ate 2.0 Publishing to read and post a review on my site. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Had the great privilege of leading worship at Providence Worshiping Arts Center in Jesup, Ga today.

It’s been a while since I’ve worshiped there and I always enjoy the warm welcome and the freedom given to just go for it in God.

It was only me on an acoustic this trip, which I REALLY enjoy sometimes, because it gives me the opportunity to really just lead worship without the added responsibility of leading the band and singers as well. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but sometimes it’s nice to just strip everything down and lead from a guitar or piano only.

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