Day 9

Today has been an invigorating day- I feel like I could take on the world right now. I don't even think I'm going to need those extra troops that I previously blogged about, which is a pretty good thing. You see, my auxiliary troops have umm, how should I say this... left my side. It seems that while the situation was nice and safe, they were willing to lay down their lives but as soon as the real threat of war set in, they ran. Perhaps I should have listened to my good friend Mr. Machiavelli and used only native soldiers. Oh well.

Day 8

I'm surrounded- I'm not sure how much longer I can hold these guys off. Andrew and Kelly have both already infiltrated my seemingly impenetrable barricade and now Josh and Bert are both threatening to strike. I thought I could handle their attack, but now I'm not quite sure. I guess I can rest in the fact that if I go down, I'll go down in a blaze of glory. I haven't given up, I'm just preparing myself for the worst- defeat by the rest of JMB. So, on that note, I'll leave you now with some words of wisdome from The Band: "All good things must end. Like three heroes in a story, let's go out like we came in- in a blaze of glory." Until tomorrow...

Days 6 and 7

Sorry about no update from yesterday's battles. It was a pretty busy day. Josh called to give me some pretty lengthy threats- I expect his initial attack any minute now. Am I worried? Not a bit. To quote the great Stonewall Jackson once said, "Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave." I've been pretty busy trying to balance this war with my finals; but, I just finished my one test for the day and I should be free to gaurd my blog. Keep checking for updates.

Day 5

I can't believe this! I was told that we would have a truce for Sunday's since everyone should be spending time at church and with their families. But, it seems that the drummer has decided to pop in his head and do some posting around here. Things are getting pretty serious- my fortress has already been penetrated by Andrew and Kelly so the only two left are Josh and Bert. I have a feeling that Josh will try to post any day now. I haven't seen or heard from Bert so far throughout the war... maybe he's planning an air attack...? I'm not sure how much longer I can hold 'em back guys. This war may be coming to an end and I may not be victorious. Remember me.

The Drummer Checks In

Well, well, well. I don't post here for a while, and it seems Derek's trying to take over the place. Not so fast! As he mentioned earlier - yes, I have my own blog, and I've been fairly busy with my full-time and part-time jobs lately. So, I'll give my best attempt to update our faithful fans with what I've been doing. For JMB, I've worked on the first mix of our live DVD (and CD?) recording. After gathering some input from the band, I'm now moving into the editing stage and mix #2. Since I operate a recording business on the side, I've yet to be able to do this due to other concerts and projects I've been working on (sorry guys!). I should be able to start mix #2 this week. My job as a graphic artist is keeping me busy, as well. It's our busy time of the year, and I've taken on more responsibility lately. The good thing is, it makes the day go by fast. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to meet the keyboard player from MercyMe, Jim Bryson. I do work for a lady that went to high school with him, and she was able to introduce him to me before their concert at Rupp Arena. Not only did I get to meet him, but he also took my roommate and me on stage to check out his setup. While on stage, I also checked out the drums (of course). Jim's a super nice guy. Hopefully, I'll get the meet the rest of the guys the next time they come close. So... there you go. That's what's been going on with the drummer. How 'bout the rest of the band (besides Kelly, who already posted). Down with the revolution! - Andrew

Day 4

I just got word of an ambush that is supposed to happen some time later tonight. If the rest of JMB thinks they can out-smart me, well... they're wrong. We just received another truckload of ammunition and rations that should last us a few more weeks. Did you hear that guys? Weeks! Do you feel like giving up yet? I'll tell ya, if you can't stand the heat... get out of my kitchen. I got a nice casserole in the oven- a casserole of extreme pain and humiliation. I also got some nice sides simmering on the stove- tasty defeat and some delicious, buttered anguish.

Day 3

Today has gone rather swimmingly. You may have noticed that ol' Josh got in to comment on a previous post but I'm not threatened at all. It's not like he broke my barrier, he merely threw in a comment, almost like making a phone call into the blog, or sending a letter. His comment is not his presence and I will not be defeated. I'm still keeping a close eye on this blog and no one has tried to get by me today... still scared I suppose. However, the moment they do try to enter, I have an entire army to help me. Some fellow bloggers out there have discovered my little situation over here and have promised their support in my time of need. These are some serious bloggers and I'm glad to have them on my side. Viva la revolucion!

Day 2

Today is going better than yesterday, so far no one has broken through the gate. I've decided to leave my post at the gate and instead hide in a nearby trench that I've prepared for the occasion. Hopefully my absense will lure in my opponents and I will be ready with a sneak attack as they approach. On a slightly happier note, this is one comfortable trench. I've got some nice pillows and blankets down here, as well as a generator and a tv. Hey, it's going to be a long day, I need someway to pass the time. If I can just stay alert I should be able to fight off any attacks they may have. My only hope for winning this war is if they attempt to enter one at a time- if they band together, there's no way I can fight them all off. As of right now, it doesn't seem as if they are conspiring against me. I'll keep you updated. Stay the course.

Drats

It seems that Kelly noticed I was away at church and snuck in to do some posting. I'll have to be more careful from now on. I guess his "cruise" was just a decoy to lead me into a false sense of security. Tomorrow, I will be victorious. It's ok a lose a small battle (or in this case a short battle) but when all is said and done, this war (and blog) will be mine.

What yonder lurks?

Well it had actually been a while since I had even looked on here. I happened upon D's challenge to the other band members and since I'm not on a cruise at this moment (as much as I would love to be) I thought I would give a little fight here. As a thirty-one year old married mailman/musician...not much goes on in my day to day life. I had a conversation with Josh the other day about his new blog and he suggested that I should start one of my own. Trust me......there's not much to know. I will admit....I am probably the most boring member of The Josh Martin Band. However if I were to start a blog this is pretty much how it would go: Got out of bed this morning.....Thank you Lord! Went to work at the Post Office today......Thank you Lord? Spent most of the day trying to out run dogs...... Delivered some mail in the process...... Went home from work......Thank you Lord!!!! Kissed the wife.......Thank you Lord!!!!!!! Decided to eat cereal instead of a real meal again..... Spent some time reading the Word.......THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!!! Hit the couch for Deal or No Deal or whatever reality show is on...... Fell Asleep on the couch not too long after sitting down...Thank you Lord! Hit the bed........Thank you Lord!!!!! and........... .......... .......... REPEAT Wow......as I look at that....it is pretty depressing....maybe I should challenge myself to shake it up a little. But not tonight.....there is a good show coming on and I need to get off of here and find the couch. God Bless!!!!!! Kelly

Day 1

Whew, that was a close call. For a second I thought that my opponents had somehow locked me out of the blog... I was just putting in the wrong username- no biggie. Day 1 has gone rather smoothly, as I suspected. I've set up camp near the gate since that's the most vulnerable section- the high walls and barbed wire make it pretty impossible to get in anywhere else. So far, no one has opposed me but I expected that to change as the word gets out and my opponents realize what I've done with their blog. The way I see it, I only have to worry about a few of them and the rest will fall right into place. Doug is already out of the way since he's not a contributor to this blog so that means I've got Josh, Andrew, Kelly, and Bert still on my radar. Andrew has his own blog, so he may not put up much of a fight at first. He's also been pretty busy with work so that should keep him fairly distracted. Kelly, it seems, is always on a cruise- no big stuggle there. Josh just started a new blog, a new job a few months ago, and he's usually busy with church matters. He's a big guy, but I think I can take him when the time comes. But that still leaves Bert. Bert's the sneaky one (I'm sure you all remember our little KGBme incident last year). If anyone is going to give me problems, it's Bert. I'll have to be on my toes for this one. Over and out.

New World Order

Alright, this is now my blog. If the rest of the band is just going to abandon it then I'm going to take over. What exactly does this mean? Who knows? But, I'm declaring war on the other contributors to this blog. If they want to keep a part of it for themselves then they're going to have to fight me for it. It's a New World Order baby, and I'm not giving up without a fight. Sounds a little excessive? Maybe so, but you gotta fight for what you believe in.

Viva la revolucion!

Still Breathing

Hey guys, it's been a little quiet on here since the DVD and I'm here to reassure you that we're still alive. The DVD process is going well and we're trying to work out all of the audio issues. I think JMB is going to try and get together within the next few weeks to finish it up and take a look at the video and perhaps record some extra footage (maybe some interviews?). On another note- where is everyone? I've had the last 3 posts on this blog, and this isn't even my primary blog. Has the rest of the band abandoned the blog? Come on guys! Blog!

Thanks

I wanted to take this time to say thanks to all of you who came to our concert on Saturday- it was such a fun night. As I type this I'm listening to the first mix of the audio recording and I can already tell that this project is going to turn out great. Keep your eyes on the website for a release date and come see us at our upcoming gigs. I can't wait to see you there!

The Big Day

Well, that time is upon us. We've been anticipating and preparing for this moment since the beginning of the year and it's finally here. Tomorrow is the big day for our DVD recording. (7 PM at Cedarmore). I just wanted to throw out one more invite while I had the chance. Chances are, if you're at this blog, then you got here through our website- but if you haven't seen the website in the past few days, go check it out! (7 PM at Cedarmore). Andrew's got directions on there coming from all directions so no one has any excuse for getting lost. We're all extremely excited about this opportunity... a little freaked out, but still very excited. (7 PM at Cedarmore) We've got one final dress rehearsal tonight where we will work out all of the non-music stuff (lights, words on screens) and try to mesh it together with the music stuff. Sure, it'll be a late, hectic night, but when we're done we will be completely prepared for the real deal on Saturday. (7 PM at Cedarmore) Ok, so probably not completely prepared... but can anyone really be completely prepared for anything? Anyway, it's going to be a great night of worship and hopefully a great night of music. We're still going to give away an iPod (8 gig nano, I'm pretty sure... don't know about color) so come one come all. I can't wait to see you. (7 PM at Cedarmore) Oh, and I almost forgot- the concert is at 7:00 PM at Cedarmore.

Youth Ministry?

A man whom I highly respect has recently spoken out against youth ministry as a ministry within the local church. He is in favor of family ministries as opposed to segregation of those families into different groups. What do you guys think? I am a youth minister so I have some concerns about these comments. But I always want the bible to be my rule for life and especially for ministry. Just so you know, I am not looking to resign anytime soon but I have some questions for you. So here are my questions for you guys. Can a biblical case be made for youth ministry? Should we have seperate ministries for men, women, children, youth, etc..., or should we minister to folks as a whole body without segregation? If this was the mainline thought pattern it would greatly affect the JMB. Obviously, the JMB should not be the focal point of this issue but I would be curious for your thoughts. Answer any of those questions you want. What think ye?

Derek's New Place Of The Bloggings

Hey guys, I've decided to move my blog over to wordpress- check it out. http://derekhughes.wordpress.com

My top 5 JMB songs.....

It's a little weird to rank songs that you have written but here goes.... 5. "One True Healer".......Although we don't do this song much anymore, it is still one of my favorite songs. I very much dislike the way I sound on that song but there is a meaning there that I hope that those who hear it will understand. All of us are looking for something to "heal" us. We're all broken by the affects of sin. Sin has broken everything. There is only one true healing that we will ever experience. And it is only found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 4. "Clumsy Believer"..........This is a relatively new one and has not yet been recorded officially. But it really spells out how I feel sometimes. Plus it has a line from on of my favorite hymns, "Come thou fount of every blessing". 3. "Mexico Breeze"......No, that is not the name of the latest military operation, it is one of my favorites. Mexico will always hold a special place in my heart and that song is very nostalgic for me. 2. "Get up to a high mountain"..........I love this song. This is my favorite song all around. You are probably thinking, "why is it #2 then?" Well, I'm glad you asked because #1 right now is............... 1. "Christ is our Life"..........This is a new song for us. We haven't played it out yet but will hopefully do that this weekend. I normally wouldn't rank a new song at #1 but I think this song has really captured what has been going on in my life in the last few months. I struggle with idolizing things. And you do too, even if you don't think so. Most sins are double doses of problems. Here is what I mean by that; Greed has the power to keep you from knowing that you are greedy. Idols have the power to keep you from knowing you have idols. We struggle with things and we know that we do, but there are sins hidden deep within us that have become so much of our normal day life, that we don't even have a clue to their affect on us. The only way we can see this is to have the gospel break our hearts just like it did when we where first saved. I will be posting more about this song in a full length post but until then, this is my list of songs, be that as it may. Now that I have done my list, I guess we are just waiting for the rest of the guys................

Andrew's Top 5 JMB Songs

Ok...here's mine (in no particular order): 1. Not So Easily Pleased - Personally, it's a fun song to play. Not to take anything away from the lyrics (which are great), but I really enjoy the song once we get to the solos at the end - fun times. 2. Get Up to a High Mountain - I think lyrically and musically, it's one of our more powerful songs. I know Josh is a big fan of Third Day, and this is our one song that I think could pass for a Third Day song. 3. Learning More Everyday - From a listening standpoint, I love it when everything kicks in after the first few vocal lines. Other than that, it's another uptempo song that's fun to play. 4. Wonderful Cross - This is my favorite worship song. I think my favorite version of this done by the David Crowder Band. Next favorite is the JMB version. 5. Sweet Embrace (new version...) - Our new version of this song is pretty cool. Brandenburg has been the only crowd to hear it so far. The rest of you will have to come see us soon to hear it! ;-) honorable mention: Folsom Prison Blues - Josh is right - we'd make one heckuva country band!

My 5 Favorite JMB Songs

Hey guys, since the playlist thing didn't go over too well, we'll try something a little different. I get asked all the time, "Derek, what's your favorite Josh Martin Band songs?"... ok, so I don't really get asked, but I'm sure someone's thinking it... ok, so they probably aren't, but I'm still going to ask for you. So, what are my five favorite JMB songs? 5) Working Out My Day (Josh Martin Band)- I know it's an old one, but that song is fun to play. Wow, we haven't played that in a loooong time. 4) What Part Of Go (Not So Easily Pleased)- This used to be one of my least favorites but as you can see I'm liking it more and more each time we play it. It's provides lots of opportunities to feed off of each other in our concerts. 3) Wonderful Cross (no version released yet)- Although we haven't recorded this yet for an album (it'll hopefully be on the DVD) it's still going to make the list. The Wonderful Cross is one of my favorite worship songs and I think our version could stand against any other version that's out. Also, The Wonderous Cross was my grandpa's favorite hymn, so this song has some special meaning to me. 2) Wrap Me In Your Cross (Not So Easily Pleased)- This is a very close second. I think it contains some of the best lyrics that Josh has ever written. 1) I Am (Not So Easily Pleased)- Hands down, my absolute favorite JMB song. This song conveys a feeling that we all go through- Where is God in the times that I don't feel saved? The intro and end of song are so much fun to play- I love digging-in on the low D and C. Now it's time for the rest of the band to post their top 5... hopefully.