Caswell

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Thanks to all the students who worshipped with us this weekend. We’d love to hear some stories of what God did in your lives and in your groups at this I Am Second weekend. I’m posting the songs we did and who really sings them so you can find them.

God Undefeatable will be on the new Austin Stone Worship album coming out December 6. It is also on the new Ross King EP.

Song of Moses will be on the new record by Unhindered and is already on the Dwell CD by Aaron Keyes

Rise and Sing is by Fee.

It was great being with you this weekend. Hope to hear some of your stories.

Todd

7in7 Day Three

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Yesterday was a day of finishing and beginning. I finished two songs that had their birth in prior days. And started a new one. First up was finishing the House of Boxes song from Day one. Then was the major work of the day. Finishing up a song that for now is called Don’t You Think. It’s about Jesus calling his disciples to follow. First verse is about Peter. Second verse is about the rich young ruler. Lots of people don’t realize that, but the rich young ruler received the same “Follow Me” invitation that the rest of the guys did. He was invited to be a disciple. Which makes his walking away even more tragic. And of course, the bridge is about me receiving the same invitation. To follow Him and find more in this life that I had ever imagined.

Then I got about 2/3 of another song knocked out. Right now, it’s called “Faith vs. Works” but I have a feeling someone will eventually make me change the title to “Someone You Love”. It’s looking at the idea of faith and works found in Galatians 2, but setting it in a human relationship. I found it makes it much more clear. For me at least. The first lines are:

I could bring you flowers
That might make you happy
But it doesn’t change the fact that I broke your heart

Basically, just looking into the idea that while I can tip the scales of good vs bad, all the good I do can’t erase one bad thing I’ve done. I have to have faith that she can love me anyway. Her love changes the price of my past, not mine. The same is true with God but to the infinite degree. One mistake keeps me away from Him, and it is His sacrifice, not mine, that can change all of that. The chorus says this:

Nothing I can do can erase what I have done
Nothing I can say could take any pain away
I just have to believe
You look at the villain in me
And you still see someone you love

And it’s a rocker. Which is always fun. Hope your songs are going well. Till tomorrow.

Todd

7in7 Day One

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Well, day one is over and I’m exhausted.  I don’t know if i can take a week of this.  But I have two mostly completed songs and one great guitar part to write over.  I’m really grateful for Andrew Osenga today.  He’s a new friend and incredible musician who really pulled a difficult song out of me today.  Right now it’s called “House of Boxes”.  It starts with packing the truck to move back to Texas, to get married, to become a father.  Andy said he was really interested in what makes people move.  Not necessarily move to a new house, but to move their live into action.  Cool thought.

Second song today was much more planned and purposeful.  Its called “Loved”.  It starts with the idea of breakups and what they do to our idea of ourselves as lovable.  Then we spend the rest of our lives, often in relationships where true love exists, and we are trying to believe someone could love us.  We are trying to break the chains of hopelessness that cause us to be self-destructive and self-defeating. We are learning how to be loved.

Okay, I have to go to sleep.  Or there will be no songs tomorrow.  

Todd

7in7

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Well, here we go. Most of you have never heard of 7in7 and that’s completely understandable. It is a week for songwriters, many of us friends from here in Austin, where everyone writes one song a day for seven days. So, that’s 7 songs in 7 days. 7in7. Today is day one. I’m really looking forward to it. I don’t do a lot of writing on a schedule, so this is going to be a different experience for me. I plan on posting pieces of what I’m working on throughout the week, so stay tuned. You can keep up with some of what is going on through Twitter using the hash tag #7in7. And if there are any songwriters out there, you’re welcome to jump into the journey with us. I’m looking forward to hearing new songs from Aaron Ivey, Miranda Dodson, Chris Collins, and even Chris Martin! (I didn’t even know Coldplay’s singer was from Denver. Okay, so maybe it’s a different Chris Martin, but we can pretend.)

So I’d appreciate your prayers over the next week. Well, I always appreciate your prayers, but over the next week, you can pray specifically for this. We’re about to start work on the next record, so some of these songs could even end up there. Either way, it’s definitely going to be a challenge. I’m looking forward to it. Stay tuned.

Todd

P.S. If anyone has any great song ideas, you can let me know. Just don’t tell the other guys!

Restaurant Reviews: Mama Roux and Madam Mam’s

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I’ve written enough on Promises and Christmas Tour for the timebeing. So I thought I’d share some restaurant info. I also don’t usually review restaurants in my own town for two reasons.

One – The whole point is that we travel a lot and therefore we share the restaurants we find on the road.

Two – I don’t want to give away my secret places at home. Then everyone will start eating there. But I do want these places to succeed. But recently two new restaurants broke through the veil. So here we go…

Mama Roux – this is a new Cajun place on the north edge of Austin on 35. The cajun food is awesome. And cajun is my favorite kind of food, so I’m pretty hard on those places. But the food was great. Gumbo was awesome. But what you have to try is the Tabasco cheesecake. Yes, you read that right. And it’s amazing. You need to try it. I could have eaten 7 of them.

Madam Mam’s – now, I know for most of you Austin folks, you’ve known about Madam Mam’s for quite a while. There is one right by campus. But I live about 10-15 minutes away. And they just opened a new one in the Village on Anderson. We ate there the other day and it’s great. It’s beautiful inside. I usually don’t care about stuff like that but my wife was with me so I noticed. And it’s really nice. But the food is the highlight. Great service, great thai.

So there’s two places for you to check out if you are a local or if you happen to be visiting our town this Christmas season. Just don’t go on the days I’m going. I don’t want to have to wait in line behind you.

Todd