Man…

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Can Any Southpaws Help This Guy Out?

Brilliant.
(click to enlarge)

“Hi. I am fairly new to learning guitar. I have been playing acoustic for a while. I think I am ready for an electric guitar. My mom says I can’t have one because I am left handed and they don’t make left handed amps. I don’t believe her. If you have a left handed amp that you could sell, please let me know so I can tell her. Please don’t tell me just to play upside down into a right handed amp like Jimi Hendrix. I’m not nearly that good yet. Thanks, KM”

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I Sometimes Wonder…

I sometimes wonder if my dreams and aspirations for my life are actually my dreams and aspirations and not just another scheme I conjured up to make people like me or impress friends and strangers.

I think that I sincerely feel this pull on my life in certain directions but I have to question it when I hear the voices in my head desperately search for approval and acceptance in accomplishing those things.

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Church, It’s About Time We Wake Up And Examine Ourselves, No?

“Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” 1 John 4:20

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Someday Soon

I’ve meant to move this blog to my domain for some time now but I just haven’t gotten around to it. In the meantime, it’ll still be “somedaysoon.wordpress.com”.

I like the phrase “someday soon.” I wrote a song a long time ago called “Someday Maybe” about things in my life and how I wanted the best but wasn’t sure if it’d come about. I realized soon after that this was not exactly as optimistic as I had meant to be. Maybe it was honest about how I felt but it lacked the sentiment I wanted. So I changed it to “Someday Soon”. I liked that a lot better.

I’ve since scrapped any meaning I originally had with the phrase and I’ve promoted it to stand for a bigger picture in my life. For me, it stands for hope.

Things may look awful and terrible right now but I’ll hang on because someday soon it will all be right.

I have every reason to quit because nothing is going in my favor but I won’t because someday soon I will have results I can be proud of.

I like what Leonard Cohen wrote in his song ‘Anthem’, “There is a crack, a crack in everything – that’s how the light gets in.”

There is reason to hope. No matter how desperate my situation may be, there is reason to hope.

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Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea,
Yet never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
-Emily Dickinson

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Seriously Though, Are You Ready For Some Football?

I know much of the country will spend Sunday evening around the TV watching what is likely the biggest sporting event of the year (sorry, Winter Olympics). It’s Superbowl time and people are excited. Friends will come over, pizza and wings will be consumed, commercials will be savored. Most football fans have their support loyally placed behind their team of choice, either the Colts or the Saints (see? I learned that much), and are ready to cheer them on to victory.

Some people watch for the love of the game. Some watch for the love of the commercials. Others watch for the halftime show. And some watch because everyone else is watching. That’s usually me.

I’m curious, though. Is there anyone out here who doesn’t plan on watching the Superbowl? I know it’s not unusual to miss sporting events you care nothing about, but with an event that seems to draw more casual viewers than any other, I wonder if anyone has already decided they aren’t going to waste time with the game this year.

I think I’m leaning that way. I enjoy a good game as much as the next person, sure. But I’m so detached from football. I know Peyton Manning is a monster of a QB and I know the Saints have had an amazing season but that’s about it. I have no connection. I’m also pretty lame.

So, I may see what else tomorrow evening holds for me aside from the game. Anyone wanna grab some pizza and wings and join me?

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Sounds For My Soul (Present Favorites), Pt. IX

This is more an addendum to my last Sounds For My Soul post. I stated that I’m not the biggest fan of modern worship music and, while that’s true, I failed to mention my love of gospel music (or at least the small amount I’ve been exposed to). There have been more than a few times where I’ve been taken aback by the excellent musicianship of a group of gospel musicians. I’m talking about grooves, licks and chords that make me stop and laugh because I have no other way to respond to its awesomeness.

Everyone knows Fred and Israel who are both sickeningly talented. (Do you have Israel’s Power of One album? It’s too good to pass up.) Tye Tribbett is ever-growing in popularity. His music is excellent and creative and he seems to have more energy than can be safely contained in one human being.

There are a lot of others I’ve heard and like and tons more whom I know nothing about and have yet to discover. One step in my musical education is the discovery of my new favorite radio station here in Houston. 92.1 FM is home to a decent mix of gospel music, a station I never knew existed until last December. I’ll try my best not to forget you, Top 40 station.

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A long time ago, during my undergrad years, I had the opportunity to play a little with a gospel worship group on campus – Souls A’Fire. It was some of the more challenging music I’ve played but it was oh so fun (and at times quite frustrating, but that was just a rehearsal thing). Because I play guitar, I had the luxury of various playing options during songs, my favorite of which was knowing I was sucking and simply deadening my strings and strumming a rhythm with some wah. It sounded cool enough and it kept me from just standing around like an idiot.

Today’s Sounds For My Soul is one of my favorite songs that we played with Souls A’Fire. It’s one of my go-to songs to get myself awake on any given day. Maybe a jammin’, energetic song to get your February off to a rockin’ start, too.

This is an old tune from Deitrick Haddon‘s album Chain Breaker. And still one of my favorites.

http://www.joshuapthomas.com/06AnybodyHere.mp3″

Source: Download Here (but you didn’t hear that from me)

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Previous entries of SFMS:

Pt. I
Pt. II
Pt. III
Pt. IV
Pt. V
Pt. VI
Pt. VII
Pt. VIII

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