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HUGE Project Update!

I know it has been some time since a substantial recording update. Hannah and I have been working hard at Starbucks over the last few months to get by while we wait for answers and direction. It has been a time where our faith has been tested, and we wondered whether or not we were really headed in the right direction. At the same time, it has been a wonderful opportunity to help us regain our focus, and be reminded of the whole reason we are pursuing this: people. While this time has been difficult, it has been invaluable, and we feel much better prepared for the next steps and what is to come.

With that said, I am excited to share what exactly is to come! This last week we have had some incredible answers to prayer. We now have everything needed to finish the project, plus the addition of lots of help on the business end. (Help with setting up a tour, financial guidance, etc).

One week from today I will head back to the studio with Lendell to begin finishing everything. We will spend the time up until Christmas working each day. After Christmas, we will tie up the loose ends, and in early January head down to Lifeword Studios for a week of mixing. Once the mixing is completed, we will send off the final version for mastering, and then send that off with the album artwork to be replicated. This should put the CD in our hands sometime in February!

Instead of being focused on how hard the last six months have been, we are grateful for all of the lessons that we have and are learning. Had we completed everything in early May, we would not have had the opportunity to work with everyone that we have. Plus, these six months have allowed me to really listen over everything and improve. I know when this is all done, it will be so rewarding, and a great story.

None of this would have been possible without the support of you! This project is much bigger than Hannah, Lendell, and myself. You are all a part of it, and we are so thankful for your prayer, support, and sticking with us even though this has taken substantially longer than we had originally anticipated. We are also thankful to those of you who have helped provide advice, and affirmation. It has meant so much to Hannah and I that so many people care, and feel we truly are following the Lord’s leading. Look forward to continual updates as we finish this out. We can certainly use quite a bit of prayer, as this will definitely be the busiest month of the project, but we are so excited to finish it. Thank you for being such an integral part of this, we are so thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just thought I would write a quick post before going into work. Hannah and I will be joining some friends this evening for Thanksgiving dinner. I hope that all of you are having a wonderful day and safe travel.

Last night I received the final rough cut of All For You. I have it attached to this post for you to listen to. So please keep in mind there is still a lot yet to do. However, I think it really shows where the project can go and is headed. Thanks for all of you love and support this year, it means so much!

A fun day

Friday’s session was a lot of fun. It was great to jump back in after being away from the project for a little while. As mentioned in my last post, we specifically worked on “All For You”. This is the first song we have ever tried to do even a partial mix on, and the results really have astounded us. I have to admit, I never thought this project would sound as well as it does already, and it is not even mixed or mastered! It is really coming together! Unfortunately I don’t quite have the song ready to share, as we need to tweak a few things in the mix. However, I should have it in the next few days, and I think you will really enjoy it. 

I’m still here!

Hello everyone, long time no talkie! Truthfully there has not been much to talk about… However, I hope for that to change soon. Hannah and I have been busy working full time hours at Starbucks while we figure out how to complete the album. This will be the last big push to finish everything, which means delivery of the album. There is still a lot to figure out, so your prayers will be much appreciated.

I will be heading back in the studio to finish an early mix of All For You, with a full band, and a full orchestral arrangement. I am very excited, because I think this will help give a feel for where we wish the rest of the project to head. I will be posting this song sometime over the weekend, so make sure to come back by to check it out. Look forward to sharing more soon.

Meeting Steve Ballmer

This weekend I had a show in Rock Island, Illinois. It went very well, and I had a lot of fun! Thank you all for showing up, I had a great time!

Today (technically yesterday now), October 10th, was my first day back on the job at Starbucks. The evening was pretty slow, which was nice for getting back into the swing of things. Around 8:00 PM I was vacuuming out the espresso machine, when I saw a customer walk in. I did a double take, as he looked JUST LIKE Steve Ballmer. For those of you who may not know, Steve Ballmer is now the acting CEO of Microsoft. (Or very close, I cannot remember). I went over to my register, and asked how his day was. Then I said, “You really look like someone familiar…” He said, “Now who would that be”. I responded, “I would have to say you look like Steve Ballmer”. Then he said, “Then you would be correct”.

In case you did not know, I am a huge nerd. I watch documentaries about the history of computing in my free time, and Steve Ballmer has been in my top 10 list of who I would love to meet. I primarily use a Macintosh as my main computer, but that does not mean I hate Microsoft. They have done some incredible things, and are such an amazing company…

Anywho, because of this, and because of my studies on the history of computing, I said, “I am a huge fan”. He stopped and said, “Thanks! That sure means a lot”. I then asked him what brought him to Northwest Arkansas. His response? “Take a guess” I said, “Well, I think I have an idea but…” He responded, “I am here for a Wal-Mart presentation tomorrow”. I hope that his latte and 3 pastries helped him to have a better evening. Sure was cool to meet one of the most influential people in the computer industry, and that he was patient as I fumbled at my register. What a cool day.

Busy Life

These last few weeks have been really, really busy. For instance, yesterday I woke up at 3 AM to work from 4:30 to 10:30, came home for a few hours, and then worked 7PM to 11:50PM. Working this hard is helping give me even more motivation to get the CD done. We don’t know how yet, but are doing what we need to in the meantime to get by.

I can definitely say this has been one of the most difficult months of my life, but it feels good to be at the end. We didn’t know how we would get through, but then we got our jobs.

I am very excited about the show next weekend in Rock Island. It will be fun to be playing again. A few months ago when we planned it, I had hoped that Grandpa Kratzer could come, but I am thankful I got to see him twice recently. Speaking of him, both Hannah and I were able to make it to the funeral. We have been having a myriad of car problems, and the family came together to help us fly out. It was a beautiful reflection of the life of such a well respected and Godly man. I will leave you with our last pictures together.

The peaceful passing of Ernest Kratzer

Last night I planned to stay up until I heard the news about my grandfather. By 7:00 AM I was wiped, and figured I would grab a bit of sleep. I got a call at 9:00 AM from my mother. Ernest Kratzer passed at 8:30 AM on September 10, 2007. It is a bittersweet occasion. His wife, my grandmother, died a year ago. He has been ready to go ever since.

I remember being a child and so fascinated by his amazing train setup. Hopefully in the next day or two I can locate a picture of this. Anyways, when I was a child, him and grandma had a mobile home. They also had a shed about half the size of the mobile home that housed their train setup. When I would visit, we would go out and see it.

Grandpa also loved fish (and fishing). According to my mother, they had a basement full of fish tanks and fish growing up!

Grandpa was not a rich man by the world’s standards, but that does not say much. Well, perhaps it does, but in a different way. Ernest’s treasures were where it really counted; in the next life.

When my mother was in her late high school years, my grandparents agreed to be the foster home for two children; Holly and Alan Burnett. As it turns out, they are now a part of the family, just as much as us who are direct descendant.

Ernest Kratzer lived a full life touching others. Even yesterday, I heard that he was quoted as saying, “I am keeping all of you up!” His humor stayed intact to the very end, and he went peacefully at 8:30 yesterday morning.

I have been asked to play at the funeral, and while it seemed impossible to make the trip a few days ago, it looks like it will be possible now.

Hannah and I will leave tomorrow (Tuesday) around 12 in the morning, and make the 12 hour trip to Rock Island. Please be praying for us, as we currently do not have reliable transportation. I have been asked to play at the funeral service, and will be sharing “Great Is The Lord”.

Unfortunately along with everything else, we just found out that the alternator in our second vehicle, the one I drive (a 1990 Honda Civic) is bad. Turns out that Auto Zone gave us a faulty one to replace our old one…. So we will need to make the trip in our Sidekick. Please be praying for us, we need it.

And on top of everything else, it appears that I am coming down with a severe cold. I just hope that by Thursday morning I will be able/ready to sing.

Thanks for the prayers. I am sorry to turn the end of this post towards our needs, but we definitely need the prayer. I have been joking with my new co-workers at Starbucks that I should write a job called “How not to start a job”.

God has blessed us beyond comprehension. Hannah and I just began new jobs, and we will be allowed to leave for a couple of days to attend this funeral. We are blessed so much.

Thanks again for the prayers. We love and appreciate every one of you.

Last Words

I just got off the phone with my Grandfather, almost definitely for the last time. I don’t know the whole situation yet, but apparently he has been in increasingly more pain. Due to what, I am not sure. So him and the family had to make a decision; whether to artificially prolong his life using a ventilator he has been on, or to let him go peacefully in the next few hours. They have chosen the latter.

I was put on speakerphone, and the phone was put beside his ear. I said,

“Grandpa, I have been thinking back to all of the wonderful memories we have had together. Specifically, I remember the first time we went fishing early in the morning, one day before kindergarden, and instead of catching anything, I fell in the lake! I am thankful for all of the memories, and for what an incredible role model you have been and are to us all, and most importantly for your spiritual leadership. I love you a lot.”

“I love you too”—were the last words I heard. If there had been more time I would have said, “See you soon”. But I was thinking it, and that is the most encouraging thing. He is ready to go and to see the Lord. He has been anxiously awaiting for the last few years, and he is almost there. I am sad, but so excited for him.

Thanksgiving will be different without his joking and picking on us, and different without him saying the prayer of thanks for the meal. But we will be remembering all of the special memories, something a lot of people do not have with their grandparents, and I am thankful.

Thank you for your prayers in this time, I love you all very very much.

Starbucks and Grandpa

Yesterday was my first day of work at Starbucks, and I think I am really going to enjoy it. My new coworkers all seem great, as well as the management. I am just beginning the training courses, so it will be a little while before I am “let loose”, which I am thankful for. There definitely is quite a bit to learn.

On another note, I received a phone call this morning from my mother. Last night she called as well to let me know that my grandfather had been taken to the hospital for a serious case of pneumonia. This morning she found out that he had suffered a heart attack as well. At his age, there is no safe way to operate. He is my last remaining grandparent, and I am thankful for the time we have had, and so thankful he lived to see me married and to begin pursuing my career.

I was also very blessed to be able to see him twice this summer. So I feel at peace with what happens. Of course that does not make it easy, but I am feeling thankful in the midst of sadness. Please be praying for my family during this time, and that if/when something happens I will be able to make a trip out there. Having just begun this job, finances are especially tight, which will make leaving more difficult. But this is all in His hands. Thank you for your prayers.

The Album Cover Shoot

As planned, the photo shoot took place yesterday for the album cover. We got a lot of good stuff, and I am excited to see how it all turned out. A good friend of mine, Brandon Benefield, tagged along and took a few pictures of Matt and Meghan of Aus10 Photography taking pictures of me. I believe they are self explanatory, so enjoy these pictures of, well, pictures!

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