andy white

This Poor Neglected Blog

2009-08-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

After many years of faithful posting to this blog, I'm afraid I've really neglected it lately. Good news is, there is still hope! Please follow the latest at these two places...

FACEBOOK...Mostly Family and Friends: http://www.facebook.com/andywhite7

GOOD TIMES GUITAR BLOG: http://www.goodtimesguitar.com/blog

So...bookmark these two pages and you'll find all the latest!

Abby's Sixth Party

2009-06-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

Abby had her sixth birthday party yesterday...hard to believe. I love this girl so much.

Go see all the pix HERE.

Good Times Guitar Jedi & Dot Com!

2009-05-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

It's official. I have a "real" website for Good Times Guitar! Thanks Chris Mundell for building a great site!

I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to my buddy Scott Anderson for taking time out of his busy schedule to draw this illustration EXACTLY how I wanted it. If you'd like to order a t-shirt, go to the Good Times Shop!

80's Party!!

2009-04-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ange and I decided to have an 80's party with our homegroup buddies. Rox & Matt even came from SJ! It was a blast. You can see all the totally gross pictures from our 80's party HERE!!

Grandparent's Day

2009-04-28T12:42:00.001-07:00

Wow, I have been a terrible blogger lately. I need to remember this blog that I used to update so faithfully! I blame Facebook.

So Abby had a wonderful Grandparent's Day on Friday. Thanks Gramma Rachel for coming down to give her such a special day! More pix HERE.

Good Friday Skit

2009-04-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

I wrote this skit for our school's Good Friday chapel. My 3rd grade class did a great job performing it. We were sad our "Jesus" was sick...I was his understudy.

Directed by Andy White and Tricia Van Peursem.
Video by Kristi Sestak.

Third Sings at Elmo Luncheon

2009-03-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

My Third Grade class sang at the El Montecito School luncheon today. They rocked!

Special thanks to Jill Vaccaro for the photos and video!

Old Abby Clips

2009-03-07T23:10:00.001-08:00

Here's some funny old clips I found of Abby being funny...and Rox laughing!

2009-02-24T23:42:00.000-08:00

I just added a bunch of pix of my kids in this Facebook album.

Click here to see a bunch more Abby & Aaron pix!

The Gospel According to Aaron

2009-02-22T22:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks Kjaere, our wonderful babysitter, for capturing this video! (and for teaching him scripture). I think he has the passion part down!

John 3:16 from Kjaere Friestad on Vimeo.

Music Lessons with Abby

2009-02-17T23:21:00.000-08:00

Abby worked on a bunch of instruments today at Good Times Studio!

Abby's Making a Melody

2009-02-15T14:48:00.000-08:00

Abby shared her "Making a Melody in My Heart" song that she learned at church today. Turn up your volume...it's kinda soft. You can hear Aaron helping in the background...

Pastor the Reverend Karl

2009-02-10T10:36:00.001-08:00

I've helped cyber-Pastor Karl with some recordings. It has been a blessing for me to be a part of Karl's ministry to the interwebs. Be sure to watch his video and check out his home on the netweb.

Home Sick

2009-02-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

I'm sick at home today. Aaron cheers me up though!

Aaron Sings Alleluia

2009-01-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

This is pretty old. It has been on my desktop a long time and I'm finally remembering to share it..

More Soccer Pix!

2009-01-14T21:46:00.000-08:00

I forgot my camera today. However, thanks to Kristi Sestak, I have more great soccer pix up HERE.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PICTURES!

Pebble Beach Homegroup Trip

2009-01-12T00:15:00.000-08:00

We took a little homegroup trip to Pebble Beach. We all got babysitters for our kids so it was incredibly relaxing! :)

Go see ALL of the pix HERE.

Might as Well...

Soccer Time for Abby

2009-01-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

Abby started a 6-week soccer sesh at school. She loved it and can't wait to go back next week! Since she didn't have an actual soccer jersey, she thought her recent hand-me-down NFL jersey would be pretty close!

As I was helping her get her cleats and shin guards on, she started to get excited and said, "Wow Daddy, this is going to look really cute!" Go see more cute pictures HERE.

There's big kids at soccer too! Thankfully, Elie is one of 'em!

Thanks to Matt & Rox for the new camera lens!! None of these pix would have been worth looking at without it. You guys rule!

Abby in the Nutcracker

2008-12-20T21:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008. Abby on her tippy-toes with her hands high. Prepare for cuteness.

Side note: Men in tights should be illegal. I'm just saying...

Cindy Lou Who

2008-12-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

Along with her fellow Beach Stars gymnastics buddies, Abby sang a solo in the Carpinteria Christmas Parade! They put on a quick drama of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Abby was Cindy Lou Who.

She really belted it in front of a ton of people. We weren't sure she'd have the guts to do it, but she came through! Obviously, Angela and I were prouder than bees are of their honey!

Some pix by Tad Wagner.

Christmas Tree 2008

2008-12-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

We got our tree on Saturday. It was quite entertaining with the kiddos! They even had a petting zoo and pony rides!

I've put a bunch of pix up on Flickr and Facebook. Check 'em out!

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-06T00:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a video and photo collage of our Thanksgiving fun with the Lundgaards! Hopefully I'll get to the Disneyland stuff next...

Facebook Info

2008-11-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

I decided I needed to update my Facebook info since so many old friends are finding me...

I am Andy. My shoe size is 9.5. I am happily married to Angela in a small SoCal Beach town. I love my daughter Abby (5) and my son Aaron (2) more than words can explain. I can't wake up unless I shower and drink coffee. It's a bit pathetic but God loves me anyway. I lead worship at SBCC which is humbling and challenging yet often very rewarding. I teach third graders every day at Elmo. It's a difficult yet highly rewarding job. Every day goes by quickly and I drive home in my old Saturn feeling like my time was well spent. I'm thankful for soda, especially Coke. I started my own guitar teaching business about seven years ago. I've helped somewhere around 100 kids and adults learn to rock. I love music so I try to help others love it too. It's called "Good Times Guitar" and my friends wear the t-shirts too. My Mom and Dad have loved me for 34 years and I love them back. It's very cool and I hope my kids love me when they're 34. I don't have an iPhone yet. God deserves more of my attention. I have always been friends with my sister and I love her family. My wife got me hooked on coffee, beer and spicy food. I regret not drinking coffee during my college years. I would have learned more. I have the world's best friends. I like deep, authentic conversations. I eat too much grease. My daughter and I have recently taken up boogie boarding together. The ocean is healing to my soul because I feel God's nearness when I'm in it. I want to become a better person than I am today. Let's do lunch.

What did I forget?

Abby Diptych #2

2008-11-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

Having fun with these...thanks Greg Lawler!

Abby Diptych

2008-11-02T20:52:00.000-08:00

Abby and I went on a nature hike today down by the bluffs. We had a great time as we wandered our way down the trail and onto the beach. I had fun snapping lots of photos and thought these two would make a good diptych. :)

October 31 Fun

2008-11-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks Papa Ron for snapping this one!

Aaron was Bob the Builder. This helmet stayed on all of 2 seconds...

Abby was Olivia the Jockey by day...

...and a Princess by night!

Bob the Builder is NOTHING without his trusty sippy cup!

It was fun to have Papa Ron join the fun last night!

Coolest third grade class in the west!

Peace out!
Willy Wonka

Lawler's Diptych Action

2008-10-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

My buddy Greg Lawler over at Zinkwazi.com, is one smart fella. He invented a Photoshop "action" for making a photo Diptych as easy as pie. While I have no idea how he did such a thing, it was fun to use! Here's my first dip into his Diptych action...

Drum Movie

2008-10-25T17:27:00.001-07:00

As promised...enjoy!

Little Drummer

2008-10-23T23:09:00.000-07:00

So, I added an electronic drum kit to Good Times Studio! I've been wanting to have a set to bang on for a long time but have waited for a good ebay deal to come around. Getting the chance to play whenever I feel inclined is great fun. What I didn't expect was Aaron's absolute obsession with playing 'em! He wants to groove every single chance he gets! I know what's gonna happen...he's gonna be drumming circles around his old man by age 6!

Look at that form!

Yesterday, I had an impromptu lesson with groove master, Dave Granada! He was stoked on the sound of my fakey Roland drums. ;)

Pork Pie drum throne in honor of Matt Steele...

Coming soon...a video of Aaron on the kit!

Aaron is Two!

2008-10-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

My little buddy Aaron turned two this weekend. He had a "Bob the Builder Gymnastics" party. (Obviously Bob still needs to get his heart rate up too, right?!) It was fun to see Aaron smile and have so much fun. Here's a few pictures from his party...you can see a bunch more on my FACEBOOK.

Cute Aaron with disturbing expression on Dad in background...

Blowing out the candles...

Lil' Birthday Monkey...

Tully's Birthday

2008-10-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

Tully had a pirate party at Padaro to celebrate his fourth birthday.

I put a ton of cute kid pix from the party HERE on Facebook.

BBQ Fun

2008-10-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Elmo had a 50th anniversary last Friday night. It was crazy fun...Dixieland band, cotton candy, popcorn, games, singing, inspiring speeches. It was like a potluck of good times!

Thanks to Karen & Matt Yonally for sending us a couple good pix from the evening.

Here's a great pic from Peter Trabucco...

My Buddy Matt Steele

2008-10-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Matt left us two years ago. I remember so many good times together. One day we will hang out again...

Funny Politics

2008-09-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

Photo by Greg Lawler.

You won't find a lot of political wisdom on this blog...however, if you want to laugh, go see a HILARIOUS political video from Senator Mundell right HERE.

Don't forget to vote "thumbs up" for him so he wins a free trip to New York!

Here's the video...

My Kids

2008-09-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple snapshots from this week...

Surf's Up

2008-09-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

Abby and I have been on a major Boogie Boarding trend lately. We drug the whole family to the fun on Saturday.

Gramma was there too and we got to celebrate her birthday! More pix HERE.

Apple Farm Field Trip

2008-09-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

Our school took its annual field trip to the Apple Farm in Solvang today. Basically the whole school spends the entire day picking apples and playing at the park. What's not to love?!

The trip allowed me to actually get some time to mess around with our new camera...I had a blast shooting pix of the students. I posted about 50 on my Facebook. You can see them all HERE.

Here's a few of my best shots...I like our camera. :)

Serious Kiddos

2008-09-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes they're very serious. I love 'em then too. They're pretty cute when they're thinking...

Silly Kiddos

2008-09-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

I have silly kids. I love 'em.

Day 2...

2008-09-03T23:12:00.000-07:00

I'm stoked to get to take Abby to school some mornings! Who wouldn't want this view from their desk before school starts?!

Elie and Abby ended up at Old Navy at the same time last week so they bought matching shirts! Pretty cute, eh?

Having good buddies that are older makes school even more relaxing!

I let Aaron take the wheel tonight. He really liked it...

Angela almost walked right into this guy tonight but her spidey senses saved her!

Abby's in Kindergarten!

2008-09-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed by how she's grown so quickly...

I'm amazed by how confidently she swung into things today...

Angela has a bunch more about Abby's first day HERE.

New Cam, New School Year...

2008-09-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

Our 5 year old Canon point-and-shoot started acting really funky this weekend. So, we decided we needed to get something reliable before school starts. This was my first shot with our new Nikon D40. I'm excited about the potential for better pictures!

Abby starts Kindergarten at my school tomorrow! I can't believe it!

We still had time for some waves today...

Aaron's happy about all the new fun too!

More new pix on my FLICKR page. I'll keep stashing pix there...

Stoked

2008-08-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

Abby and I scored some wetsuits at the Channel Islands sale this week. We're mainly stoked to not be cold after a long boogie boarding sesh...

We ARE having a lot of fun in the water too! She's getting pretty brave with the waves...even starting catching lil baby ones by herself yesterday.

Water Whiteys

2008-08-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

We've been running to the water quite a bit here at the end of summer. In the last week, we've been to two Elmo Swim parties. One for Abby's Kindergarten class and one for my incoming third grade class. Abby is like a fish now, darting all through the water without any pleas for assistance. (Don't worry Gramma, we still keep a close eye on her!) Aaron has been loosening up as I hold him and splash around the pool.

Up next...Boogie Boarding! We bought Abby a board and a rashguard today. I'm shopping for some gear myself so I think I'll have some beach pix to share soon.

Thanks to Kristi Sestak, a talented parent with a rockin' camera, for sharing this pic of Aaron and I in the H2O...

Honey on My Lips

2008-08-21T23:22:00.000-07:00

Check out this "sweet" post from our rad-i-cool babysitter, Kjaere! Click HERE.

Abby the Artist, Aaron the Builder

2008-08-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

Ange has been back to work for over a week so I'm logging lots of fun with the kids. I'm trying to snap some pix while I'm at it. Abby loves to do art. Here's a recent creation...

"My really good art..."

She's proud of her work!

Aaron is really into Bob the Builder...well, at least the song! Here he is watching the intro and playing the theme song with Bob. He usually only lasts a few minutes into the show, then he's off to the next thing!

Nine Years

2008-08-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

Angela and I have hit the nine year mark and I love her more than ever. We've had some great talks this week about how we are 100% enthusiastically committed to each other. She loves me through the highs and lows of life like no one can. I'm a very blessed man.

BONUS: She makes cute kids.

DOUBLE BONUS: She looks cute with a tele!

Zoo & Studio

2008-08-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Brad for the spontaneous "Dad & kids" trip to the zoo. Good Times. Speaking of good times...

We spent a few days cleaning, painting and revamping Good Times Studio. Ange did a GREAT job on the painting! Here's a couple sneak peaks...

Here's my new workstation. Thank you Craigslist for the half price desk!

Here's the bold and unexpected dark blue wall. Hopefully it inspires some bold musical approaches!

Here Comes the Sun

2008-07-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Clark landed a feature article in the Santa Maria Sun. Read it HERE.

Good Times Hoodies!

2008-07-29T12:05:00.001-07:00

The new Good Times hoodies are in! Special thanks to my friend Curt Crawshaw at Foundation Press Screen Printing for a job well done!

If you ordered one, I'll be getting it to you ASAP. If you didn't, I bet you are bummed! ;) (Okay, I may have a few extras...)

New Clark Song

2008-07-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Despite my hard drive woes, we are rising above! Clark has just finished a new beauty of a song, "Strawberry Silhouette". Go HERE and take a listen!

Keep an eye on this page. Clark will soon be releasing a collaborative EP with Le Petit Protest (which is an amazing band from Lompoc).

I love how this song turned out. I've always known that this song was pretty special. Gabe hit a homerun when he penned this one! Thankfully, Tad Wagner helped us in the end with a few tasty overdubs! Enjoy the tune...

Back From San Jose

2008-07-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

We're back from a chalk-full-of-fun trip to San Jose. We basically thought of every possible (and reasonably priced) fun thing we could do with the four cousins and did it! Beach Boardwalk, Swimming, Parks, Chuck E. Cheese, backyard BBQs...the list goes on. The best part was a truckload of hours with family together. I'm very thankful for an extended amount of time to simply hang out and catch up.

Here's a video highlight reel of some of my favorite pix from the trip. You can also see and download hi-rez copies on my FLICKR page if you fancy...

Thank You TV

2008-07-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

It is very difficult for me to ever get all four of these cute cousins to look in the same direction at the same time. Thank you TV.

Dad's 60th Birthday Party

2008-07-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

My Dad just had his 60th birthday party on Saturday. Here's some highlights...

Getting Goofy with Aaron

2008-07-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's fun to be silly with my little buddy!

Top 10 Reasons Why Summer Rules

2008-07-07T23:18:00.000-07:00

SIDE NOTE: I posted tons of pix on my FLICKR page. Check 'em out!

10. We finally got an Odyssey! We're super stoked on our 2005 ride!

9. Abby's 5th Birthday!

8. Sailing with my Dad on his 60th! Can't wait for his BIG party on Saturday!!

7. More Family Time! We get to hang in San Jose for a week! :)

6. Slow Mornings. I love hanging with these munchkins for breakfast!

5. Wrestling with Aaron. We like to get dirty and rough house!

4. Movies! There's more time for watching some good flix...and then wearing the matching jammies!

3. Beach fireworks with Abby!

2. Water fun...beach, pool, you-name-it, we love it!

1. Tons of BBQ's! I love to Q it up...especially with Abby and Aaron's camaraderie!

REMEMBER: I posted tons of pix on my FLICKR page. Don't miss 'em!

Guitar Improv

2008-07-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a little improv jam on guitar from Abby. Just found this...it's actually from about 8 months ago. I thought it was worth posting. Enjoy!

Super Swimmer!

2008-07-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

Abby swam the entire length of the pool at swim lessons today! Check out her award. I thought she might be able to do it after a few weeks of lessons but she managed to pull it off on the first week! Impressive, eh?!

Side Job

2008-06-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Since school is out, I gotta keep putting food on the table! Hey, it could be worse...I could be dealing drugs!

Keep in mind, my talented brother-in-law, Matt, works for eBay, so I like to support my peeps whenever I can, ya know?! Since I have some extra Coldplay tickets, I had a little fun with listing 'em on eBay!

My listing is HERE.

I have a mic for sale HERE.

Bowl Night

2008-06-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Angela and I had a great time at the Bowl last night. As you can see, we had pretty sweet tickets. Is that six freckles of seven? If only we were closer! Anywho, DCFC sounds much better at the Bowl than the nose bleeds at the Arlington. I'm glad I gave them another chance. Also, the opening band, Rogue Wave was amazing. I need to get their newest album!

photos by Kjaere.

Sorry for the lack of blogging. My daughter turned 5 and my Dad turned 60 but you'd never know it from this blog! I will get back to it. I had a hard drive take a dive, so my time has been sucked up with putting out that fire. :(

Glad to be a Dad

2008-06-15T23:38:00.000-07:00

My cute kids love to BBQ with me so they got me a personalized apron for Father's Day! It was one of those days that's pretty tough to beat.

Abby sure loves her brother. I think the feeling is mutual! (Aaron's not a big fan of holding still, but he tolerated Abby's arm around him in this chair while I snapped away at the cute cuddles)

Tyler and I played about 20 songs last night at a Fundraiser event for Elmo. He played SO well. I can't believe he's only in 5th grade! We had a great time!

Beach Boys

2008-06-11T23:25:00.001-07:00

Aaron and I had lots of fun this past weekend, including his first BIKE RIDE with me! Go to my FLIKR page to see all the fun pix!

Extravaganza!

2008-06-11T22:58:00.001-07:00

Abby sang her heart out tonight while her Daddy was busy setting up mics and playing guitar. Man, I just love this girl...

Photo by Dave Sommers.

Time to Hit the Kit!

2008-06-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to boost my drum chops, I've arranged for a "Guitar-Drum" trade this summer with a Carp family. Good Times!

The only question is, will I be able to keep up with Aaron? Aaron usually only focuses on his activities for about 10 seconds. Baby A.D.D. I suppose. However, he played Nolan's drum kit for a half hour! If it wasn't for Uncle Matt's pancakes, Aaron would have gladly kept rocking!

I've added a bunch of pix on my FLIKR page.

Jingle Boys

2008-05-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

My song writing group with Chris Mundell and Matt Knoles has reached a new level. Perhaps an all time low?! I'm not sure. Either way, I hope our selling out makes you laugh. We wrote two jingles for a "group" audition. If we get forwarded, there's a chance you'll see our three mugs on a nationally televised reality TV show. I will say this...it was quite fun to be a part of a Chris Mundell video production!

"Sherry's Cherry Gum"

"Friendship Air"

Good Times Guitar, Talent Show '08

2008-05-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

It's been another great year for Good Times Guitar! I'm so incredibly proud of all the hard work my students have put into their music. Most of all, I'm excited that they are smiling and having fun with music...that's the way it should be!

Enjoy this year's talent show movie (and all the white people clapping...sounds more like a rainstorm than a beat!).

Watch the 2007 video HERE.

Watch the 2006 video HERE.

Happy Birthday Sistah!

2008-05-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

I have a cool sister. She has cool kids and a cool husband. She also has a cool family. She has a cool brother. She's good at making cool art. She has also made shopping a cool art form. I'm thankful for all her coolness. Happy birthday sistah!

Four vs. Two

2008-05-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

Usually, Ange and I feel like we're two-on-two with the kiddos. Tonight, thanks to the Morgan kids coming over to play, we felt like we had four-on-two! We hope they'll be back next Tuesday!

Talk about polite, helpful and fun...wowzees! Elie and Myles are tops!

Miracles

2008-05-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

"KJ, my hand's not sticky anymore, it's a miracle!"

"Do you know what a miracle is, Abby?"

"Yeah. It's like when Peter looked into Jesus eyes and then he walked on the water."

"That's right."

"Yep because you usually can't do that unless your standing on a surf board anyways."

You can find more fun posts about our kids on Kjaere's blog.

Gym Girl

2008-05-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

Abby rocked at her Beach Stars gymnastics show on Saturday. Thankfully, Tad Wagner was there with his camera! She did an awesome job and left our buttons bursting.

Last year, we gave her a long nap and she showed up a sleepy, grumpy mess! This year, we kept her up all day and she was ready to strut her stuff (and her pony tails). An added bonus was a post-show trip to Foster's Freeze with Mercy and the Torres clan. Good times!

More exciting Tad Wagner pictures from the gym HERE.

New Song: "Fight the Good Fight"

2008-04-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

Joining the Taxi song-writing group has taken me to musical genres I never thought I'd touch with a ten-foot guitar pick! It has been fun to step out of my usual style and try on some others for size. The latest challenge was to write a "Sports-Related" song like you might hear on ESPN and the like. It is quite possibly the loudest, most over-the-topest song I've written.

I started by singing it with a Jovi voice, which did not go so well. So, I believe I some how ended up singing like Joe Walsh. I have a feeling my voice will prevent this song from sounding "commercial" enough to get forwarded, but it was fun to dive into for a couple evenings.

"Fight the Good Fight" can be heard HERE.

Drums provided by Dan Patterson.

Natalie Marie Anderson

2008-04-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

5 lbs, 12 oz

18.5 in.

2:44 p.m.

I had the opportunity to welcome Natalie Marie Anderson into the world today! As far as I can tell, she's the best thing that's ever happened on tax day. She's very beautiful and has a sweet set of parents. Huge congratulations to Scott and Julie!

Want to see more pictures of Baby Natalie? CLICK HERE.

Songspeak: Holding On

2008-04-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Please download a free mp3 of “Holding On” HERE.

This is the second of many articles that will be written by SBCC worship leaders for "The Community News" in an attempt to give some background to the songs we sing. Whether it’s a song that has been written by one of our own worship leaders, or an old hymn, it is hoped that by hearing the stories and Scriptures that have inspired their writing, your understanding and appreciation of these songs will be enhanced, and our collective praise amplified. (by Mike Willbanks)

Songspeak: Holding On
by Andy White

I’d like to share some of the back-story of “Holding On”, a song we have sung several times at SBCC. My hope is that this story will give you greater insight into a song that has become a significant part of my spiritual journey.

HOLDING ON
© 2006

I've been broken, I have been down
I've seen your signs, to you I'm bound
It's not easy, I don't feel strong
Plans fall short as, days feel long

I'm holding on to love, I'm holding on to grace
I'm holding on to you, ‘til I see your face
I hold on to you, I hold on to you
I hold on to you, I hold on to you

I come to you, and you know
What I do not say, what I do not show
I come to you, so I can
Hold on to you, I hold on to you
I hold on to you, I hold on to you

This song evolved during a painful season of life. I became friends with Matt Steele about twelve years ago. Matt and I were in a rock band together. Through the numerous practices and gigs, we came to know one another extremely well and developed a multifaceted, trusting friendship. Our camaraderie went well beyond our attempts to create the best music we could. As our relationship grew tighter, we shared the ups and downs of faith. It was a privilege to have a friend to respect so highly on both a musical and personal level.

When my wife and I first started attending SBCC in 2003, Matt was one of the only close friends we had. I’ll never forget the joy on his face the first time he saw us walk down the aisles. He made us feel like we instantly belonged and bridged me into friendships with his friends—people after God’s heart that I now call “lifelong friends”. In addition, Matt persuaded me to use my musical gifts for worship as soon and often as possible. The profound spiritual and musical imprints he left on my life will forever impact my future.

Sadly, I only had about a decade of Matt’s intense influence on my life. As most of you know, he lost an excruciating battle with brain cancer in October of 2006. Watching my friend slowly die was the most difficult trial I’ve had to face. I desperately wanted to help and encourage him, but often felt like there was little I could do to make a significant difference.

Why would heaven want to take a Godly man in the prime of his life? Wasn’t it obvious that his family needed him? His church needed him? I needed him? As Matt’s life drew to a close, I wrestled with these types of questions.

Thankfully, I did not tackle these difficult uncertainties alone. My church, my friends, my family—we were all seeking insights into the quandary of Matt’s shortened life. What I discovered were two very simple realities that I already knew but had not yet experienced to this degree.

Reality #1: Life is hard.
As tough as it was for me to lose Matt, I knew it was far more agonizing for his immediate family and closest friends. This is one instance of pain in life. We can all name a myriad of struggles, deaths, wars, conflicts, and misfortunes. As much as we’d like to escape challenge, it always seems to be looming. I found comfort in this passage:

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

Reality #2: Heaven is remarkable.
Matt’s life overwhelmingly pointed heavenward. At Matt’s memorial, many shared about the wonder of heaven. This was evident in his time on earth, and also more profoundly now in paradise. Reed mentioned that if Matt had the chance to leave heaven, he would refuse. Matt is seeing and experiencing the unparalleled love of Christ in a way that we can hardly fathom. As I pondered this reality, my enthusiasm for heaven inflated.

"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4)

Why am I holding on? I believe the enormous blessings that await us far outweigh the difficulties of this life. As painful as earth can be, the promise of heaven is worth holding on to. My friendship with Matt, and the aftermath of his passing, inspired me to hold more tightly to my one and only hope—until I see His face.

Labor while you live, to serve God and do what good you can, and endeavor to improve every dispensation to God’s glory and your own spiritual good, and to God’s glory and your own spiritual good, and be content to do and bear all that God calls you to do in this wilderness, and never expect to find this world anything better than a wilderness. If you lived near us, yet our breath and yours would soon go forth, and we should return to our dust, whither we are all hastening. ‘Tis of infinitely more importance to have the presence of a heavenly Father, and to make progress towards a heavenly home. Let us all take care that we may meet there at last. (Jonathan Edwards Reader p. 312)

Please download a free mp3 of “Holding On” HERE.

Drums by Dan Patterson.
Bass by Brad McCarter.
BGV by Angela White.

Extended Birthday!

2008-04-01T20:34:00.001-07:00

My class threw me a belated birthday bash today! Pretty cool. They wanted to celebrate me last week but it was spring break.

To top it off, Angela showed up at my classroom with the kids! Woohoo!!

Here I am with the "birthday guitar" and my dirt cake. Yum!

Lost Mail

2008-03-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

I think my mail person (not sure if he's a male mail man or a female mail lady) is either A.D.D. or a thief. I'm aware of at least two birthday cards that are M.I.A. :( This makes me S.A.D.

I'd still like to thank my Dad and my sister for sending me birthday cards! (I'm not ignoring my mom, it's just that her's made it). I filed a report on the phone yesterday so we shall see what happens. I have a feeling the female or male mail person is just making honest mistakes. I have received my neighbors' mail three times in the last couple weeks.

I thought we could rely on the USPS. Any one else have mail issues?

Ok, I'll stop complaining because I have a lot to be thankful for...like this video!

Lobsters and Guitars

2008-03-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

I had a great birthday on Tuesday. Angela took me to Red Lobster. The kids enjoyed the tank of live lobsters. I enjoyed a cooked one! Abby had crab legs for the first time. Yum. Then we headed to Aaron's "mecca" across the street, Guitar Center! Check out the video below.

I've also posted some more pix on my FLIKR page.

Easter, Family & Potty

2008-03-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

He is Risen! I can't beat that news, but I can add a little bit....I've got a big batch of pix uploaded to my FLIKR page. Some highlights include cute pix of the kids in their Easter garb, pictures of Aaron pooping on the potty for the first time today, and some fun family photos from our get-together in Templeton last week!

Enjoy the pix HERE!

Here's a few teasers, just in case you don't believe me...

DadGear Diaper Vest

2008-03-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

Since my birthday is coming up, Ange told me to peruse some gift ideas. While searching for sweatshirts, I stumbled upon the DadGear Diaper Vest. Holy crazy ideas Batman! This thing is heinous. I thought that everyone should know...NEVER buy this for me! Seriously, if any of you ever see me wear something like this, flick my ears over and over until I take it off!

You really should go check out the "demo" video HERE. This is NUTS!!

Tar-Tar

2008-03-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

Aaron is currently obsessed with guitars. Every single time we walk by my studio he yells, "Tar-tar" and demands that we play EVERY guitar at least once. He'll point at which one I should play next. I usually hand him my pick and let him strum a few chords--but he always hands it right back and wants to hear me play. It's quite the ego boost! Aaron has now discovered that he can carry this little mini-guitar all by himself...so he takes it with him everywhere he goes. "Tar-tar! Tar-tar!"

While it is encouraging to know he wants to be like me, it is also completely humbling. He's watching my every move. Whatever I do, he will mimic. Whatever I say, he'll repeat. Looks like I'm "on-stage" at all times now. Hopefully I hit the right notes.

photo by Kjaere.

Pastor the Reverend Karl

2008-03-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

If you don't go to SBCC or didn't see this yesterday, you missed a very funny video! How can we ever thank Pastor the Reverend Karl?

Han Solo Tonight

2008-03-03T12:37:00.000-08:00

Angela is at a camp with her class tonight so I will be taking care of the kiddos Han Solo. Should be a fun adventure. We will likely be headed to the border for dinner!

I have to say....I have cute kids. Just take a look!

We got this bike set up for Aaron now that he's Mr. Walker guy...

Another pic from our Cambria trip a couple weeks ago...

Bullet Forwarded!

2008-02-27T23:13:00.000-08:00

Here's an update on my recording of "Bullet the Blue Sky". It was "forwarded" (as opposed to "returned", AKA rejected!) I guess it was screened by the president of the company seeking recordings. We'll see if the company really ends up using it for something. For now, I'm pleased that someone liked it.

In the howling wind...

2008-02-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

The latest TAXI challenge from my song-writing group did not involve me actually writing a song. The challenge was to record a classic "Anti-War" song in a new way. I decided to give U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky" a try. You can check out my slightly Texan acoustic rendition if you'd like...

The song is HERE on my MySpace player.

We'll see if I can get back to finishing a few of the worship songs I'm in the middle of recording! :)

Professor Anderson

2008-02-22T00:45:00.000-08:00

The most recent challenge to my song-writing group with Chris and Knoles was a James Bond-ish spy tune. I came up with a little diddy. In honor of Scott Anderson's birthday, I've decided to call the tune "Professor Anderson"....Check it out HERE.

I was also challenged to write a country song. "Her Hand" was the result which you can also hear right HERE on my myspace player.

Underneath the Butter?!

2008-02-19T10:01:00.000-08:00

Uncle Jack always leads us in his famous gibberish song, "Aba Neezer" after holiday dinners. It's a good laugh for all involved. Let's just say you have to be there! Abby has grown to love the song and decided to put her own twist on the tune.

Cambria Get-a-Way

2008-02-18T22:56:00.000-08:00

We spent a few days in Cambria for some family fun! Thank you Jill for setting us up with a great place. It was very good for us to just kick back and soak up some fun.

In addition to this cute picture of the kids at the Cambria house, I have a bunch more pictures from the trip HERE.

Love is All You Need

2008-02-14T22:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everybody. After enjoying our heart-shaped Rusty's pizza, Abby and I decided to sing a classic "love" song. Enjoy the video...

Cousin Buds

2008-02-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

I have tons of pictures of Abby and Nolan having fun together. I decided to put them all together in this collage. Abby keeps asking us, "When can we see Nolan again?" We're trying to find a free weekend...being busy can be stinky.

Click on image to ENLARGE.

A Country Song?

2008-02-11T10:30:00.001-08:00

Chris Mundell and I are in a song-writing group. The group challenged me to write a country song. So I did. Chris hammed it up with some Nashvillish vocals. I'd love to hear some feedback, especially if you actually listen to country music! Head on over to his site to take a listen....

Also, I'd like to say sorry for the lack of posts in 2008. I promise to get back into it!

White Christmas 2007

2007-12-25T16:03:00.001-08:00

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2007

A fun-filled family reunion in beautiful Boulder, CO.
Inspiring and chaotic weekly meetings with our homegroup buddies.
Seeing our two cute kids laugh together. (tough to beat!)
Experiencing the thrill of Disneyland through a toddler's lens.
Andy produced the "Our Emmanuel" Christmas CD for SBCC before December.
Angela wrote and/or recorded several new under-appreciated songs.
Abby was practically a mermaid at her 3 weeks of swim lessons.
Aaron learned new important words like Mommy, Daddy, love and MORE!
Andy was generously gifted a Chris Tomlin signed guitar by his class.
Angela is doing a great job at her new 5th/6th grade teaching position.
Abby started her second year of pre-school and is loving it!
Aaron learned to crawl faster than Lightning McQueen.
Andy keeps this blog up-to-date so come back all year for more updates!

We have many things to be thankful for. Above all, we are grateful for the love and grace of Jesus this Christmas. His unending mercy is a cherished mystery. Also, we have the world’s best family and friends. (That’s you!) The love and investment you all have made is unmatched. Our church and weekly home group has been a tremendous encouragement.

Andy and Angela are both teachers and are rewarded by this challenging charge. Andy also teaches over 20 students with “Good Times Guitar” and continues recording side projects in his home studio. Angela has grown significantly with writing superb songs and preparing magnificent meals. One family highlight was an awesome family reunion this summer in Boulder, Colorado.

ABBY UPDATE

Abby is loving life. Yes, she frequently claims she is a “princess” and she adores pink. Pink clothes, pink CD’s, pink ponies...ANYTHING girly and pink. But there’s a rich depth to be found beyond the surface with Abby. She is a deep, spiritual thinker, a true friend to all around, a gifted artist and a passionate singer. She loves to please her parents and her wonderful teachers at school. She talks a mile a minute and she’s sweeter than strawberries.

AARON UPDATE

Aaron is ALL boy. The little guy has been grunting since day one! He is super sweet too though. He loves to giggle, crawl, sing, use sign language and most of all...EAT! Twiggy as he may be, this little man can CHOW! He is a tremendous blessing and each day gets better!

DADDY DAYS

2007-12-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

"Daddy Days" with Abby are the best! Check out the note she made me today! Three more work days, then 14 Daddy Days. Woopee!

Ian & Jeremy Singing!

2007-12-15T21:52:00.000-08:00

The McCarters brought over their whole clan tonight for some dinner and singing. Oh yes, it was good times. We managed to get the twins into my studio for a bit of singing! If you think you're up for ten minutes of cuteness, take a listen to their beautiful singing! Just CLICK HERE and listen in!

Also, we took Abby and Aaron to the snow today. Well, not snow in the mountains...the kind that you have to drive far to get to. Instead, we went to the snow that was ten minutes away at the Natural History Museum in SB! We snapped a few pix of the fun while we were there...

Abby takes a break from chuckin' snow balls at me...

A rare photo of all four of us...

Even Santa loves Natural History!

This event included face painting too! Pretty hip museum!

Annual Clark Christmas Song

2007-12-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

CLARK has recorded our annual Christmas song. We should have an entire album by 2015 for sure! Please feel free to download this year's song, "We Three Kings."

The song is RIGHT HERE.

Last year's song was "Drummer Boy." It can be found HERE.

Elfin' Fun

2007-12-05T19:50:00.001-08:00

Our friend Jill made us this hilarious dancing elf e-card. The groovin' card was SO elfin' hysterical, it had us all rolling on the floor laughing! So, I decided to make one with all of the cousins. You've gotta go check out Abby, Aaron, Nolan and Gwen doing the elf boogie. CLICK HERE!

Ok, I added one more. Here's more FAMILY BOOGIE!

Abby Talk

2007-11-29T08:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun email from our awesome babysitter, Kjaere.

Home from School car conversation:
(Abby going about a million miles a minute)

Abby: (Your Grace is enough playing) "I know this song! I went to a Rock n Roll concert and they played this song and it was AWESOME! Do you know who sings this song, KJ?"

Me: "Yep, Chris Tomlin"

Abby: (astounded) "How do you know that?"

Me: "I'm very smart."

Abby: "Well, Chris Tomlin gave MY Daddy a new guitar."

....... walking to the house, juggling Aaron, papers, and talking to Abby who's holding Advent candle thingy she made:

Abby: "Can I go to Heaven and talk to Jesus, Kj?"

Me: "Um, what do you want to tell Him?"

Abby: "I want to tell Him that this candle is for Him... Do you think He knows this candles is His?"

Gosh... got to love your kid ;-)

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-25T21:45:00.000-08:00

GOOD NEWS!!

The "Our Emmanuel" Christmas CD's are here! They actually arrived in the mail two days before Thanksgiving. Phew! You can buy them at SBCC on Sunday's or online.

We had a good time in Templeton this weekend! Here's some pictures of the fun...

Even though they aren't smiling, Aaron & Gwen are pretty cute!

Here's a picture of the very first Thanksgiving...ok, not really!

Abby loves Gramma Rachel & Papa Ron!

Good Times with the cousins!

I was gifted a Chris Tomlin Signed Guitar!

2007-11-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

What an amazing gift! I received a big surprise at the Evening of Thanksgiving on Saturday night. The parents of my class gave me a beautiful, brand new Epiphone guitar, signed by my favorite worship song-writer, Chris Tomlin!

I have to tell you the whole story! I have actually been wanting a second acoustic guitar for about two years, but I’m afraid diapers have taken the priority in our budget. I love my Taylor, but it has been quite burdensome to take it back and forth between home and school constantly.

When I arrived at the Evening of Thanksgiving on Saturday night, I realized that I had completely forgotten I was supposed to bring my guitar for a special song. I saw the beautiful Chris Tomlin guitar on the auction table and pondered the idea of borrowing it from the highest bidder. However, I quickly decided that it was far too special and I had no business borrowing such a unique instrument from the fortunate winner. (Little did I know, that blessed individual would be me!) I raced home to get my guitar. However, I did not end up needing it! After Brent Reichard presented the Tomlin guitar on behalf of the third grade parents, I KNEW I could play it!

This Guitar Will Go to Good Use!
I am thrilled to have this guitar! I have been researching guitars and this Epiphone AJ-200 is EXACTLY the one I’ve had my eye on! Can you believe that? God amazes me! It’s new home will be my classroom at El Montecito School. My class was thrilled to see the guitar this morning. We sang “Your Grace is Enough” for the first of many times! I will use this guitar every day for worship with my class and every week at chapel. You will probably also see this guitar being used at SBCC and at special school events like the Christmas program and Extravaganza. I'm sure I will record with it and play it with bands. Lastly, it will also be used to teach others how to lead in worship. I am so grateful for this generous and thoughtful gift. Thank you so much!

Come Little Baby

2007-11-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

This post is for everyone from SBCC that is is helping with Kathleen's "Come Little Baby" song. The song is on the "Our Emmanuel" album due out by Thanksgiving. You can hear the song if you click HERE. (allow a few seconds for loading...)

Here's the lyrics:

COME LITTLE BABY
By Kathleen Sieck

VERSE 1
Little Jesus, precious Savior
Holy Son of God on high
We will sing your praise forever
Our Emmanuel

VERSE 2
Alleluia, Alleluia
Child of light and greatness come
Cleansing us from worldly sorrows
Come Lord Jesus Come

CHORUS
Come, Oh little baby come
Come, Our precious Savior Come
We will sing your praise forever
Our Emmanuel (END: repeat “Our Emmanuel”)

Repeat Verse 1
Verse 1 + Chorus (2x)

Two Songs at Good Times Studio MySpace!

2007-11-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

You can listen to two full songs from the Our Emmanuel Christmas album! Just head on over to the newly remodeled Good Times Studio MySpace page. You can pre-order the album online at that page or right here. Remember, they make dandy Christmas gifts and ALL the proceeds go to a great charity, IJM.

Scroll down and click "Buy Now" to order...
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Chris Tomlin Concert

2007-11-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

Abby had a blast at her first "rock n' roll" concert. At first she was mesmerized by the lights and volume...by the third song, she was dancing and singing! Half of Elmo was at the show. It was fun to hang with friends...here we are with Jaime, Jill, Elie and Dawn.

We had amazing seats. Turns out the third row of the County Bowl is about 10 yards from the stage and about 5 yards from a rack of bass thumping sub-woofers. From now on, Abby will expect all concerts to be viewed from the third row! It was a great time of worship. Abby's best comment was, "Daddy, this is WAY better than the music at church!"

Major props to Kjaere for watching Aaron for us even though she watches him every day! Here's a insanely cute picture of the buddy the next day....

More concert pix on my FLIKR page.