hard times up north. the uncertainty of pending storms and threatening floods. sand bags carried in the cold to hold back the red river. roofs that look like islands. and for me it feels like a metaphor for the condition of my heart. like my namesake puts it:

"...the waters are come in to my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me...mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."

hey everyone. just got done flying a kite on a cold day in march. i only have 23 hours here in lincoln right now before we head up to the twin cities of MN. the difficulty w/ flying a kite is once it starts nose diving i couldn't figure out how to pull it back up. it's been a couple decades since my last attempt but i will continue trying. target sold me a great kite w/ spiderman on it.

01. My favorite season is summer.

02. Some of my heroes are The Edge, Tim Keller, and Greg Mortenson and a new friend I met in India named Nurendra.

03. I prefer David Letterman to Jay Leno

04. I am trying to read one book a month this year. (except they are all books on cd that i listen to while driving)

05. I really enjoy watching the food channel while playing cards and usually eating cheetos. (puffy cheetos)

06. I prefer stove popped Popcorn which i make myself. Probably my best dish that i cook regularly. i hate kettle cor

1. i am often described as 'irresponsible' and 'forgetful'

2. i once got amnesia on the ski slopes to which i credit some of this forgetfulness, but not the irresponsibility

3. it took me 26 and a half years to try sushi and i wish i hadn't waited that long

4. thai food and indian food are easily my favorite meals, but i also love mexican, italian, and japanese. in fact, my favorite restaurant experiences involve people who don't speak English as their first language.

5. i love team sports, but rock climbing is in my opinion the best sport in existence

1. i get migraine headaches from eating pork (ham, bacon, sausage, bacon bits, pork loin, pulled pork sandwiches, pepperoni.......)

2. i don't know how to spell or punctuate.

3. my favorite color is midnight blue.

4. i have a math degree from university nebraska lincoln. my favorite kind of math is modern algebra (at the height of my math career i could have proven w/ ease that there is an infinite list of prime numbers).

5. i can't read music but i love playing music.

1. my favorite kind of food is by far mexican.

2. i don't like socks that go above my ankles.

3. i like food spicy enough to make my nose run and my eyes water.

4. surfing is the funnest activity i have ever done.

5. i prefer isolated wilderness to big cities.

6. i like to run long distances.

7. driving is enjoyable.

8. i love to work with tools and fix things.

9. i wish i could be a carpenter.

10. i do not enjoy video games.

11. i love to hike and camp where i don't see anybody for days at a time.

We always like to open an album or find song stories and hear a little more about each song than just what is on the disc. So here are the stories along with the lyrics to the new album.

Stand Up

This song reflects the idea that our failures and brokenness seem to have a voice that tells us we're nothing, incapable and worthless. Hopefully the melody will motivate listeners to stand up to such nonsense, realize our worth, and live like we can overcome …because we can. We don't have to remain fallen; we don't have to remain broken - our failures can't hold us down.

happy august 8, 2008 8:08 pm. it's not quite as monumental as y2k but i thought the moment should be recognized. it's a good day to be alive. we're back in our hometown for the evening. i'm working on putting up some 'fan photos' from facebook. people have been capturing some great moments. we had a good time in colorado, utah, nevada and california the past couple weeks. looking forward to seeing everyone at this weeks shows. i'll try to remember to keep this tradition going one year, one month, one day and a minute from this moment. see you soon.

david