Anesthesia is a song I wrote to a friend [J.C.] at Belhaven. I think it was the 1997-8 year. Anyway, she knew it was for her … and she doesn’t need any now. Anesthesia Perhaps your way is rougher than you hoped for and Lonely is the only person knocking at your door. If you [...]
We’ve had a Bible study at our house ever other Wednesday night this year, and last night was the last one. I was tuning my guitar before we got started and had this idea. Not much, but it’s a beginning. I called myself on the phone and left a message so as not to forget [...]
Here’s another ruined hymn. Sir Isaac Watts – the hymn writer I most often harass – published this one in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1709. My brother is singing harmony with me in the video below. I happened to make this arrangement during a summer in Scandinavia. Not All the Blood of Beasts Not all [...]
In 1997, I returned to Scandinavia for the second time. For part of the trip, I stayed with David, a friend from college who lives in Siljansnäs, Sweden, south of Mora on Lake Siljan1. We spent most of the time memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism, discussing ancient red buildings and walking in silence. It was [...]
Scott Simon, of NPR’s Weekend Edition, was onto something in 2005 when he interviewed The Innocence Mission [Karen Peris, Don Peris, Mike Bitts] about their album, Now the Day Is Over. My kids fall asleep to it almost every night. I’ll sing the songs to them often, too. I even heard my son singing “Stay [...]
I’ve set Map of Humanity as my desktop background at work for a while. I reminds me to ask myself, “Where do you want to live today, Brock?” I tend to pine for the top left.
Bullfight is my newest song. I wrote it last night over the course of 30 minutes or so. It felt more like discovery or archeology than creativity. Haven’t learned how to play it yet, but I’ll post a rough podcast track once I have one. Bullfight i was fine till you pulled that curtain down [...]
Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness, Pierce the clouds of sinful night; Come, O source of sweetest gladness, Breathe your life and spread your light. Loving Spirit, God of peace, Great distributor of grace, Rest upon this congregation; Hear, O hear our supplication. From that height which knows no measure, As a gracious shower descend; Bringing [...]
O Thou that hear’st when sinners cry, Though all my crimes before Thee lie, Behold them not with angry look, But blot their mem’ry from Thy book. Create my nature pure within, And form my soul averse to sin: Let Thy good Spirit ne’er depart, Nor hide Thy presence from my heart. I cannot live [...]
After my Christian, Choctaw, Missional talk, I wound up playing two Rich Mullins covers at the small Choctaw Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The two Rich Mullins songs are “Calling Out Your Name” and “The Howling”. I totally butchered them. Sorry Rich. The song played at the end – “How You Love Me” – is [...]