one can dream…..

I have posted a good portion of blogs in this past year, and through all of these I have not once talked about a guitar, playing guitar, or sweet guitar riffs. Well, I would formally like to invite you to read my first ever guitar blog….I hope you enjoy!

I have been playing guitar since my freshmen year of high school. My brother had purchased one a year or two before me, and basically never played it. So, I would find myself stealing his guitar out of his room and trying to play it. That is when I realized that the love I had for this instrument wasn’t something I would ever be able to shake. I didn’t like it because it was cool, or because it made me look awesome (even though it does! HA!) I realized there was connection that went deeper than I could explain at the time. I got my guitar and really never put it down. From then on, I have grown this deep passion for guitars, music and witty jamming with other musicians.  

I am at the point now where I need more. I need more sounds, I need more equipment, I need more techniques. I am also a point where….I have no money. So, that prohibits any new sound or incredible discovery from happening. I am a full believer that there is new inspiration and an intense amount of new discoveries in every guitar that you hold. I think it is that time for me, but the money issue, or lack thereof, comes in to play. So, I have a “dream” list of some guitars that I would love to have one day, and I would like to share them with the blogger world……

These are my top 5 dream guitars….and with your prayers, and even generous donations (eh! eh!), maybe I will own one of these guitars.

5. Vintage Fender Telecaster Semi-hollow body

4. Fender Mustang….what a sweet guitar!

3. a. Taylor GS-5 or GS-6, best sounding acoustic guitar I have ever played!

    b. Gibson J-model acoustic guitar.

2. White Vintage Fender Jaguar with double humbuckers…..yes!!!! 

1. the best for last….dream of all dream guitars!!!!!

       Gretsch White Falcon w/ Bigsby!!!! Sweet Mother!!!

Well….I hope you have enjoyed my guitar “dream” list as much as I enjoyed making it. It is hard for people to understand why I would need a guitar; one, because they can be so expensive and two, because people just freak if they find out you have more than 2 guitars. Like I said, every individual instrument has its own inspirations and discoveries waiting to be messed with. Just think of it as a mechanic that needs new tools because he can’t fix much of anything with his old tools. Guitars are my tools, it is what God created me to use in order to honor and worship him!

Jluc.

too good to be true….

It’s rare these days to come across something so ridiculous, so mind boggling, and down right deranged that it actually makes you laugh…purely from the absurdness of the object/person/item/etc. that you have discovered. 

Well, a few weeks ago my aunt began telling me about this ridiculous object that I will shortly reveal. She told me about the website and everything. Upon hearing about it I was a mere disbelief…but after actually laying my eyes on this, I knew I had to do one thing…..share it to the blogger world. So, without further delay….here it is!!!!!!!

                                

Oh yea….it definitely is what you think it is! 

A 7 ft. remote control Jesus doll. For all of you avid life size remote controllers out there….you can now move the “Gliding Saviour” around yourself!!!!  

You can read about it yourself here——> http://estore.websitepros.com/1921529/Detail.bok?no=2

 

Enjoy!

JLuc.

with….everything…

I want my life’s prayer to be the lyrics of this song……

Open our eyes 
To see the things that make Your heart cry 
To be the church that You would desire 
Your light to be seen

Break down our pride 
And all the walls we’ve built up inside 
Our earthly crowns and all our desires 

We lay at Your feet

Let hope rise 
And darkness tremble 
In Your holy light 
That every eye will see 
Jesus our God 
Great and mighty to be praised

God of all days 
Glorious in all of Your ways 
Oh the majesty the wonder and grace 

In the light of Your Name

With everything 
With everything 
We will shout for Your glory 
With everything 
With everything 
We will shout forth Your praise

Our hearts they cry 
Be glorified 
Be lifted high above all names 
For You our King 
With everything 
We will shout forth Your praise

 

with everything….with EVERYTHING

JLuc.

Hillsong….

Well, I took a trip. It was the only real vacation I have gotten to go on all year. Me and eight other crazy people piled in to a jam packed van and headed to Houston, Texas to take part in an amazing Hillsong Conference. Well, I must say, It was everything I hoped it would be, and more! It was overflowing with amazing, powerful…..no, it was REAL worship! Just genuine, passionate people there to love God, love people, and also set out to take over the world with God’s love.  

Anyone that has ever been to a conference knows that they go there expecting to get this life change. I am completely guilty of it as well. We expect this power from heaven to change us from just from hearing a few songs sang and some random guys filling the auditorium with scripture. (I even got asked by people if my life was changed or if I felt changed…what is that about?)

This time around I told myself that I wasn’t going expect life change, I was just going to open my ears to what God wanted me to hear, and if what I heard changed me, so be it, if not…I love him anyway.

Well, I went through the conference, I had an amazing time…I worshipped God until I could speak. It was real and gut-wrenching. We were on the way home and I was sitting there just thinking about what they spoke about, loving people that need love, stop yourself from judging people just by first glance, help people, change the world….YOUR world with Christ’s love. I was truly floored that they said that we are ALL different in every way…the only thing every human has in common is the desire to be loved. 

I got back in to civilization of my own life and I started to realize how much all of those words just played through my mind constantly, and I could not escape it. I was judging people as soon as I saw them. I couldn’t stop it. I felt so convicted and worthless as christian. This isn’t what God wants from me….

He wants me to love people, show compassion, fulfill a person’s desire of being loved. God wants that from everyone. If we did that….changing the world would be easy. 

Something so simple and clean cut that was talked about all throughout this conference…hit me so incredibly hard that I still haven’t come close to recovering. I think about it every where I go, in everything I do. 

I cannot escape it. I do not want to escape.

I have never been truly changed from a conference, maybe for a few weeks I’ll be changed from the hype, but that goes away, This conference shook me up and this will stay with me forever.

I will speak this for as long as I can breathe. 

Love people like God loves you….you will change the world!

Jluc.

hanging….

Keeping up with blogging has taken a toll on me….I have the hardest time making a point to write.  It’s not like I don’t have things to ramble, complain, or just write about. I just get, busy….

It doesn’t help that I don’t have many readers…..It’s truly saddening.

I wont let it defeat me, I am not going down without a fight!

Ya know!?!?! FORGET that term, that is a silly phrase! It is  almost accepting the fact that I could fail….If/when I go down I am going to fight until I either succeed or fail miserably. Well, I am here to say, there is no failing here. I know a man has got to fail at some point in his life.  Not blogging! I am going to conquer this mother!

I am not leaving this sleeping giant of a blog site just stay sleeping! 

I am going to wake it up!

make it some waffles and peanut butter…..

give it a good shoulder rub, and send it on its way to GLORY!!!!!

JLuc.

Dangerous….it’s my middle name

I was in church Sunday, where we were completing the OnePrayer series…along with 1,000+ other churches.  I escaped to our conference room to be alone to watched the message that would be delivered by Perry Noble from New Spring Church. At first, he was making my laugh with his intense and ridiculous jokes. Then, somewhere in there I was lost in what he was saying. Just when I thought I was zoning out…I was pulled right back in with his prayer…..I pray that we would be the dangerous church that God wants us to be. I was punched in the face with it…..and I quickly shook that off with a fist pump.  I got overwhelmed with excitement.  That a pastor…in MY church….was saying something like that. 

the definition of dangerous:

dan-ger-ous: full of danger or risk; causing danger; perilous; risky; hazardous; unsafe.

I don’t want to be a part of a church, or start a church that doesn’t do those things. I want to be risky, I want to be unsafe. I don’t want to go in to a sunday service not playing a certain song because I am afraid it will freak people out.  I want to freak people out. Now, I don’t want to do a song or quote a scripture to intentionally spook someone. I want to sing that song or quote that scripture because its REAL! Because it’s what God said.  

Not playing a song because you are worried that it would scare people is just retarded.  There…I said it!  I can’t sit here and let people be deprived of a worshipful, powerful message that someone arranged directly from His word. To me….that is NOT being dangerous. 

Being dangerous is making people squirm. 

Being dangerous is not holding back.

Being dangerous is rocking faces with every bit of it being God’s word…even if it scares people because you are singing about blood, or fire, or anything that aren;t “glory” words. (I’ll explain “glory ” words another time if you don’t know what I am talking about.

Being dangerous….is following what God has planned for you.

Being dangerous is shaking up a city, community, or the world

Being dangerous is preaching and BELIEVING God’s word

Being dangerous is doing something….that get people talking.

Being dangerous…..following God wherever he wants you

So…for every safe person, pastor, worship leader, pastor’s assistant, youth leader, etc…..

Do your community, your city, your WORLD a favor….and grow a pair and be dangerous!

JLuc.

Are You Ready?

I hanging out at my house yesterday, trying to complete the awful and tedious task of trying to find a sweet new wallpaper for my laptop. I couldn’t get satisfied with anything I was coming up with.  I didn’t even like a sweet vintage fender strat on my screen. So I started thinking…..how can I make this silly unimportant thing a deeper deal than it should be? Well, I came up with it.  I want it to be something that has been put on my heart….something that will remind me everyday that I will be a part of it shaking it up.  Something that will get me fired up every time I open my laptop. Something that when I see it I will always say…..big things are going to happen. I searched and searched and searched and I found it……..

The city of Boston skyline

Now….are you ready Boston?

Are you ready World?

Big things are going to happen there….

That city is going to be turned upside down….

Are you ready?????

 

JLuc.

not much…

Are there any bloggers/writers out there that really enjoy writing and want to write something or write about something, but have nothing to write about. I am there. I am currently sitting at my starbucks (the one I work at) and I just got done with a shift manager meeting and the first thing I wanted to do, besides call my girlfriend, was write a deep and captivating blog.  Well, the problem that I am running in to is I have zero material to write about. I don’t have a deep experience that took place in my life. I don’t have a story about my walk with God. I don’t even have a new band/artist to rave about.

 All I wanted to was write….and that’s it.  Something about writing compels me. Sometimes…I even fight it because I am overcome with laziness and the discouragement that what I blog or write about wont speak to people or touch someone. That is the stuff that I feel God has called me to write…..The kind of stuff that you feel when you hear it or read it.  Whether it is going to be in a song, blog, or magazine article I want to move people. I want to write stuff that make people uncomfortable, but at the same time cause them to fire a change in their lives. My next blog….I am going to write something that may down right piss them off….but only because it is truth and they can’t deal with the reality of it.  

Wow….this has probably been one of my best blogs yet….well, maybe not for the reader but for me personally. It started as a blog that I had no idea what I was writing about, to a monumental pep talk blog to get me to just speak some truth and let it out.

All my frustration will land here.

All of my glory moments will land here.

All of my failure stories will crash here.

This is my place….my venting station. 

I have refrained from placing my frustrations, mainly because I don’t want to seem like a whiner….but that is out the window It is time for me to speak out….BE LOUD. Say something! If I don’t nothing will be done. 

I am tired of not speaking up when something that I don’t agree with is going on in the church, at the workplace, or at home. I am done with all of that. 

Get ready for this….I might make you mad. I might make you pump your fist. I might just make you want to punch me…..who knows, but all I know is it’s changing!!!

Don’t worry though….I will stay as far from political hoopla as I can.

 

JLuc.

New Music MONDAY!!!!!

I know that my blogs in the past have read “New Music Tuesday”, in order to attempt to almost mimic those iTunes emails that everyone receives about their latest album releases, free downloads, etc. (Those emails always sucker me in to buying way too much music). I was going to wait until Tuesday to write this email, but the excitement that I have for writing this blog on this particular band and album is incomprehensible!

Coldplay….what an amazing band? They dropped their latest album, Viva La Vida, June 17th to a large (and I mean large) number of fans probably almost expecting an electronic, guitar driven sound, with a huge Fix You type ballad somewhere in between. Well, I am here to say they didn’t deliver that….and I am overwhelmingly pleased to say that! This new album is full of piano driven instrumental sections, inventive and creative guitar riffs, and powerful lyrics that reach great lengths.  At first listen, I was slightly disappointed in the amount instrumental portions of the album, but after listening to the album over and over I realized that these instrumental tracks and sections do not need lyrics….the music speaks for itself.  The album truly hits on all cylinders and because of the total reinvention has caused me to become an even bigger fan of them.  Great move Chris, Guy, Will, and Jonny for changing the game and pulling me in even more in to your musical mystery world!

 

 

JLuc.

Where Have I Been?

Well, it has been a while since my last post…..a long while.  I thought getting a laptop would improve the hiatus between each blog post, but….I was definitely wrong.  The thing that I can’t prevent from getting in the way of blogging is….life. Mostly good things have happened in my recent past, a few little hiccups, but other than that it has been pretty cool.  Obviously, it has been amazing enough to keep me from the blogger world….that’s saying a lot! I will do my very best to keep up with my blogs on a daily/weekly basis. If I don’t….you can personally beat me, if you can find me……HAHAHAHA!!!!  

JLuc.

Life….yea….

So, I have spent a lot of time in the last few weeks figuring out what I want to do with my life.  I mean, I know that I want to be in the music world…..that’s a given. I know that I definitely want to do what God has for me….but that is very unclear to me right now. I know that I will be heading to Boston one day….but in the mean time what do I do until then, besides pray for that movement. I want to grow as a person, as a musician, as a man, and as a christ follower. I have thought about a few things I could do….and feel free to give your input….

Idea 1–Continue with school until I get my associate degree and continue with basically everything that I am doing now…..

Idea 2–Drop out of school, work more at Starbucks, save money up….move out and stay in Augusta until the Boston door swings open…..

Idea 3–Transfer to ASU and become a Creative Writing major with a minor in classical guitar…..

Idea 4–Move to Atlanta with a friend and work at Starbucks. And try to make it in the world there…..

Idea 5–Quit school, and move to Nashville and try to make it in the music business….

Idea 6–Just wait around for God to tell me what he wants me to do, and work towards that….

Please….give me your input. Also, the last idea could be a part of one or some of the other ideas….but hopefully this is showing how confused I am right now…..

JLuc.

 

Its been a long time coming……

I am FINALLY a mac owner. I have just purchased my very first macbook.  Let me tell you, I don’t think I can contain myself. For, probably, 4 years now I have tried and tried and tried to get a mac….but for various reasons I just couldn’t get one. Well, NO MORE!!! It is here, and I am pumped! things are going to change for me. Sounds silly….but trust me……things will change!

JLuc.

I’m tra_pped in this bo_dy and I can_t get out…..

yea, so I am going to see Radiohead on May 9th in Charlotte, NC.  I am stoked beyond reason, so I just wanted to dedicate a blog to the level of stoke that I am at. I don’t really have much else to say except…..YEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!! JLuc. 

new music….

Well, It has been a while since I have posted a blog about music….well, it has been a while since I have posted a blog period.  I figured I would post a blog about some music I have been listening to lately. I’ll get right to it….Justin Nozuka. A guy from born in New York, grew up in Vancouver.  This guy has an unreal voice, so much soul oozes out of his singing that my mouth seriously dropped the first time I heard him. Sounds like Jason Mraz but with a lot more emotion and passion in singing (no offense Mr. A-Z). I definitely recommend his music for anyone who like a late night cruise around town, or u just love to sing along to some soulful music.  JLuc. 

I don’t even know what to title this….

I really don’t even know where to begin.  These words will be uttered many times in the next few times and for many many…..many years……This past Thursday was just a horrible day, where we had such a tragic loss…..Cindy Lytle was lost in a car accident Thursday morning.  It’s hard to even categorize and come up with words to show how saddened I am for the loss and for the pain I feel for the Lytle family.  Cindy was such a great person…..full of life, always quick on her feet with witty jokes, never stopped making me laugh, the exact person that you would want to pass by and say hey to when walking in to a church….or anywhere for that matter.  She had a passion for worship that just spoke volumes to me….she was sold out for christ.  I hate that it took this tragic event to realize what an enormous impact she made on my life.  It was such a huge honor and pleasure to share the stage with her, and that keyboard just wont be the same.  Heaven defintely got 189% more awesome…..and it just makes me more anxious and excited to get there! Cindy….I know you definitely are not looking down on us, because let’s be honest….why would you when you are way too busy rockin’ out with the big man! But I do want to say that you made a huge impact on my life and my walk with christ.  Your heart for God and passion for worship and people has been and will continue to be an enormous inspiration me.  I love you, and will always remember you….so I can be prepared to jam with you in heaven!JLuc. 

Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg 7…..MAX!

I have begun to realize some of my best thinking, laughing, blogging, at times weeping has been past the hours of 11 p.m.   No matter how little sleep I get….I will still stay up to listen to music, watch Conan, or blog….sometimes all three at the same time!!!!!I have discovered more new music, made up more new guitar chord progressions, and amazed myself on how peculiar I really am in the late hours of the night than any other part of the day. Late nights are good for the soul, not necessarity of the immune system but who needs that? I get a lot of guiance from God in these illuminous times…..He is always there, but God knows me best…..he knows these are the hours that I am made for so he punches me in the face in these times. Yea, thats right….God, gives me a left and right hand hook to the face.(he is God he doesn’t favor one hand so he just hits you with both….)What I am trying to say is, I used to get mad at myself for staying up so late and never getting sleep.  Just recently I have learned that this is me, I am owning up to the fact that I will never catch up on sleep.I don’t really know where to go from here, I love late nights! So much dicovery, conviction, and entertainment goes on during these hours.  My sleep suffers for it, but I would trade for the world…….most nights…JLuc. 

one thing to say….

I really only have one thing to say right now, and that is…….

When it comes to music, sleep is overrated…..

I love my guitar!

AND

my guitar loves me!

JLuc.

new music….

I am a musician….yea I know.  In being a musician, everyone assumes that I listen to all kinds of music.  Well, I am here to say that, they are completely right. Think about it….I post blogs on the music I have been listening to lately.  Well, I keep my iPod consistently filling with new music. Some I like and can’t get enough of, others are short memories in my mind.  A few months ago I made an extremely late iTunes purchases of Hillsong United’s latest album, All of the Above.  Well, i couldn’t playing this album, everytime I got in my car, everytime I went to my room.  I would come up with excuses to listen to this album over anything else.  Turn the clock 3 weeks…..I made another iTunes purchase, I bought Radiohead’s new album, In Rainbows, as well as Hillsong’s 2006 album, United We Stand (I had this album but it was a copy and it got ruined).  I have listened to In Rainbows often and really like it, but I honestly believe I have listened to both Hillsong albums every single day since the purchases.  All I can say is, music moves people.  I get moved by music, all kinds of music and describe how I feel when music hits me.  But there is very few words I can describe to explain the true emotion and intimacy that is put in to these songs.  United We Stand is a live album that shows the true worship that just oozes out of all of these members of that band.  They are real! I have seen them live and they have such a presence and anointing of God.  This is the best example of what using your gift and calling that God gave you to your best ability is.  Truly two very amazing albums, with catchy guitar lick, sweet drum fills, incredible bass lines, and most importantly true and raw lyrics that at one moment kick you in the mouth and at the other moment makes you want to shout to rooftops, or make you want to blow out the windows of your car…wherever you are at.  I strongly encourage anyone reading to buy these albums, they have honestly changed my life, and helped me see the vision God has for me, and helped me understand His purpose for us in this world……Become United! JLuc.

it’s a apple world…..windows is just misreable in it…

If you know me, you know that I have an unhinging obsession with Apple.  All they do constantly makes my love for that company grow even greater.  Their latest splash was the introduction of the Macbook Air.  This laptop is the smallest one ever.  0.76 inches thin when closed. 13inch screen.  Unreal wireless capability.  I could go on for days on how cool this machine is.  All I have to say with that is….they are just showing off.  Even better, is the fact that with their growing popularity they are still rocking it out more than ever!  Usually a company will have some popularity and will get lazy, or cocky and faulter, not this company.  They truly have a grasp on innovation.   Well, I was on the internet today, watching past keynotes from Steve Jobs.  Where he was talking about making the safari browser more popular than ever.  Enter….Safari on Window. You have got to be kidding me.  This browser is supposed to run faster than Internet Explorer and Firefox, in every area.  Well, me being a little skeptical, I went and downloaded Safari to see if it really was better.  Literally FIVE minutes later it was my default browser and Firefox was removed from my computer.  All I need to say is…..apple is taking over and windows has nothing for it.JLuc. 

my latest obsession…

I have been through a lot in the past days and months.  One thing that I have discovered is my appetite.  Now, I know what you probably doing at this moment….you are probably throwing together this short list of foods or snacks to guess what food or snack I am talking about.  Well, I will definitely inform you that this has nothing to with food.  my latest obsession is…God and my hunger for more.  Never in my life have I been dried up and just thirsted for more of him.  Through this time I have felt convicted, emotionally exhausted, liberated, and even physically drained.  I don’t know how to explain my “epiphany” moment, but just one day I realized why I was feeling this way.

I want more of YOU God.

I even want all that I can handle….

I have been trying to grow closer to him, take on anything that he has planned for me in the short future and as well as the long term.  I don’t really have much more to say on this, the only thing I want to do is live it all out for him.  Sell out…for him.  Rock out with him. BE with him…..

JLuc