A Prayer

Read a prayer by Scotty this morning.

So here’s my prayer, gracious Father, I don’t really need to soar like an eagle, as fun as that might be, and I’m not seeking to run like a sprinter or a marathoner. Just walking upright… with a renewed heart, a steady gate and a refreshed sense of your presence, will be enough. I’ll not be greedy, but grateful for daily gospel-bread.

Therefore, my hope is in you, merciful Father, the God who raises the dead. I’ll trust you for all the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical strength I will need to live out the implications of the gospel today. Though I am tired and though I am weary, I do not doubt or question your great and lavish love for me in Jesus. Nothing can separate me from your love. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.

Another show at the Wolf

This Saturday, Jan 16th at 7pm, come and join us for an evening of music at the Lone Wolf Coffeehouse.

Concert at the Lone Wolf - Nov 7

Just finalized it--I'll be playing a little show at the Lone Wolf Coffeehouse November 7th @ 7pm. Some very fine musician friends of mine will be joining me (Jeremy, Kelsey, Ryan, and Jonathan). Come by and bring your friends!

Music

So, here's some of the music I've enjoyed or stumbled upon the past couple weeks:

• The gorgeous choral music of Eric Whitacre--particularly "When David Heard."
  
• The sad music of William Fitzsimmons
• The new Swell Season album
• Free Music I haven't heard (but the Swell Season single is on it).

Whatever my God ordains is right...

Hymns are filled with such a richness and depth. I've been pondering this one recently:

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path:
I know He will not leave me.
I take, content, what He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my Physician sends me.
My God is true; each morn anew
I’ll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather,
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.

-by Samuel Rodigast

A Heli Ride

"This is an awesome thing."

A Day in the Life

Here are some random pictures from my first day back in Skagway.


As I walked to the hiking trail with some friends, I passed my neighbor who was cutting up some dinner: a bear he just shot. I stopped to talk with him and about half way through our conversation I realized that for most of my friends, this wouldn't be a normal occurrence. Ah yes, I am back in Alaska. And I like it!

We made our way up the hiking trail and found ourselves sitting on a large rock looking over the peaceful lake.

We laughed, told stories, and laughed some more while playing the HAHA game. I like my Tennessee friends.


I stopped to catch my breath as I overlooked the beautiful Skagway harbor. Someone told me today that it's the 12th largest cruise ship port in the world! I never would have guessed it, especially on a day like this.


The town was pretty empty this evening. Sometimes it's nice to be a familiar place.


As I unpacked my bags this evening, I smelled a wonderful aroma coming from downstairs. Ryan cooked up a roast and thankfully invited me to join him. Come to find out, the roast was from a mountain goat--that is, a mountain goat from the mountain a few miles down the tracks! Not only that, it was organic, free-range, antibiotic-free, and hormone-free---Whole Foods doesn't even offer that! Rumor has it, the train rulebook now has a new rule: no mountain goats are allowed on passenger trains.... Mmmmm, it was mighty tasty!

It's nice to be back in Alaska.

My Journey North

Some photos I took on my way to Alaska! (Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of the deer, porcupine, 7 dall sheep, or 2 moose that I saw on the way!)

Looking out the window at perhaps my favorite place in the world: the San Juan Islands

The Drive into Skagway:

Caffeine and Nicotine

So I'm adding some videos from a recent coffee house to my myspace. Here's the first installment.

it's about time

How does this always seem to miss mainstream US media? I'm glad to hear the FBI is actually doing something to discourage sex-trafficking.

M&M's

How many M's are in M&M? Two. 

Precisely my point.

pleasantly surprised

so this band wrote me and said "we're better than the picture." I thought to myself "yeah right". But for some reason I decided to give them a try--probably because i saw they were from seattle. as i perused their shabby and cluttered myspace site i tried to convince myself that they were terrible. yet somehow, i couldn't. to be honest, it's not the most creative music, but they are tasteful in their instrumentation and have some solid vocals. i know nothing about them but i enjoyed the listen. 

Weeping for yet on account of the President

A word from John to the President

Wingsuit Jumping in Norway!!!

This is sick!!


wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Simeon Waits

Simeon Waits
by Paul Ranheim

Away in a manger no crib for a bed,
The precious Lord Jesus lays down his sweet head.
But off in the city awaits an old man,
Who wonders when the day his savior will come.

The shepherds draw near to kneel at his feet,
A child they see but a savior the meet.
The wise men are off’ring their gifts to the king,
Still Simeon waits for his savior to see.

Simeon lies awake at night.
Hasn’t slept in 22 years or so.
Wonders when his day will finally come…
He’s lying awake, praying:

Please Father please, remember me and the word you told me,
Oh let me die in peace.
Please let me see Christ the king, wont you let me hold him,
To see the day He’s born, let me live till Christmas morn.

A hope for his people, a hope for his heart
A hope for a light in a world growing dark
Comfort for his people—salvation soon will be
But Simeon waits for the time and the king.

Simeon prays to God each day With every prayer he’s closer to the grave
Closer to the child in Bethlehem… Simeon he waits, praying:

Please Father please, remember me and the word you told me,
Oh let me die in peace.
Please let me see Christ the king, wont you let me hold him
To see the day He’s born, let me live till Christmas morn.

Christmas ended many days ago; there’s still no sign of the baby boy.
Christmas ended many days ago; there’s still no sign of the baby boy.

The shepherds departed, the wise men are gone,
The stable is silent, no visitors will come.
The birthday party’s over, and its been over a week,
Still Simeon waits for a savior to meet.

Mary and Joseph pack their things, And travel to the city and the priest.
Simeon’s eyes are watering watering, watering watering now.
He falls to his knees, singing:

I see, but how can it be, that finally, oh you let me hold him.
Now I can rest in peace.
See, come and see, this is He, this is Christ my savior.
The day this child is born will be known as Christmas morn.
Come and see, this is He, this is Christ my savior,
The day this child is born will be known as Christmas morn.

Copyright 2008 Paul Ranheim Music

An Uncle Again!

Welcome to our world little man!

Musik of my moment

punch brothers 

fiction family 

david mead - i really like this guy's tunes and you can download them for free!

red mountain x-mas

josh groban noel 

so elated's  christmas album (also free)

radical face 

barcelona 

It's about time to revive this

Well, it's been over a year since I made any posts on here. My bad. I'll see if I can start especially since folks are already asking for a pic of my neph. So I'll get on that.

Meet me in St Louie

A lot has changed since I last put something on here (which was about 6 months ago now...oops) so I figure it's time to at least write a brief update. My time in Alaska was wonderful, in fact, it was the best summer in Skagway so far. Why? Well, the weather was a lot better! But I also had friendships grow deeper with those I knew from years prior, and I got to meet some pretty amazing new friends as well. My tour-guiding came to a halt when I took a job as a brakeman (if you don't know what this is, just think of a conductor--it's relatively the same) and I enjoy that position much more. I'm pretty sure I'll be heading up north in the summer for at least the next couple years.

Now I'm living in St Louis, not quite the beauty of Alaska, but a good city none the less. I am enjoying living close to by brother again (which hasn't happened in over a decade!) and playing around with my nephew whenever I get the chance. My classes start in January full time at Covenant Seminary and I'm only getting more excited as time proceeds. For now, I'm enjoying the break, filling my time with writing music and studying Greek.

I could write a book just on God's faithfulness to me over the past 6 months, and another book on all the things He's taught my heart along the way--but this is a brief update and I'll keep it that way for now.