It's All Good

I have a great life. Everything always works out and it is because of everyone of my friends and family. I could have spent the weekend freaking out about certain things but I knew everything would be fine. The last month has been hectic during school and I got through it and couldn't be happier. I have never had this feeling to end a semester. I could get used to it. Thank you all. With Love, Ian.

The Good Life by Valencia

Top Albums of 2011

Top albums of 2011

I chose to do 15 albums this year because there were not 10 that I could choose from. The top choices have been clear since they have been released but it's the middle of the pack down that was so hard to decide on. So here are my top albums from this great year in music.

15. Born This Way by Lady Gaga

14. Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes

13. When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes by Yellowcard

12. Simple Math by Manchester Orchestra

11. The Reckoning by NEEDTOBREATHE

10. Torches by Foster The People

9. Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay

8. Young The Giant by Young The Giant

7. Ad Astra Per Aspera by Abandon Kansas

6. Neighborhoods by Blink 182

5. 21 by Adele

4. The King Is Dead by The Decemberists

3. Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

2. Bon Iver by Bon Iver

1. Economy by John Mark McMillan

Here are my runner ups: El Camino by The Black Keys, Ashes and Fire by Ryan Adams, Something Like This by Ben Rector, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care by Explosions In The Sky, Ghosts Upon The Earth by Gungor, Early In The Morning by James Vincent McMorrow, The Great Awakening by Leeland, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming by M83, Odd Soul by MuteMath, Patterns by Run Kid Run, Vice Verses by Switchfoot.

I'm guessing that "El Camino" will jump up this list quickly but it just came out and I have been listening to most of these albums for six months at least. The top 7 albums stood out so much to me and I haven't stopped listening to them all year long. Every artist there has broken the mold on their sound and progressed so much as an artist. It's been nuts to see how an artist like Bon Iver has changed from "For Emma, Forever Ago" to "Bon Iver." Even "Mylo Xyloto" completely blew me away by the direction Coldplay took it. It was honestly one of the best years in music in a long time. It will be hard to beat but next year I will see a new Killers and David Crowder *Band album, along with many others. I am looking forward to it.

What Do You Hide?

I took this from Donald Miller's blog. He's one of my favorite authors and always has insightful things to write about. You can check out his blog here. He wrote this in response to the recent sex scandal at Penn State as well as some other things.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland 2011

Last year I made a playlist that I listen to while I walk around campus in the winter time. It's comprised of songs that must have a specific feel. Most of the songs have an echo or ambient sound to them. Every year it changes and grows so I thought that I would give you a top 10 list of the new songs on this year's Winter Breezes Playlist. Without further adu....

10. All The Bright Lights - Chest of Drawers

9. NEEDTOBREATHE - A Place Only You Can Go

8. James Vincent McMorrow - We Don't Eat

7. John Mark McMillan - Murdered Son

*I couldn't find the album version so here is his acoustic performance

6. All The Bright Lights - Still Beating

5. James Vincint McMorrow - Hear the Noise That Moves So Soft and Low

4. Ryan Adams - I Love You But I Don't Know What to Say

3. Mae - Seasons i, ii, and iii

2. Ryan Adams - Lucky Now

1. Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Piano Solo)

Thanks Giving

There are always things in this life to be thankful for. The one problem I have about the holiday of Thanksgiving is that people name all these things they are thankful for. Some do it each day of November until Thanksgiving. My problem is this: why be thankful on just this day? How often do you hear people talk about how thankful they are for their family in the middle of March? They are probably thankful every day, so why make it a point to tell the whole world on a random day in November? Don't get me wrong, I think people should express their thanks to people and I enjoy it when people mention me as someone they are thankful for. I just wish these expressions were made more often.

Psalm 95: 1-2

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD

Let us should aloud to the Rock of our salvation

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

Restless

I've been laying in bed now for quite some time trying to fall asleep but it hasn't happened. I find that many nights I lay in bed and feel restless. Do you ever feel that way? I've always been that way I think, fidgety at night time when I'm trying to sleep. I always have thoughts and ideas going round and round up there and I wish it wouldn't happen. I would rather just lay down and fall asleep.

Lately I have noticed just how restless I have become. It seems that no matter what happens I cannot just be calm about things. I am always trying to figure out answers to the questions that I have and it isn't a good thing. I wouldn't say that it causes stress but it does cause a lot of sleepless nights or a lot of wasted time. I need to become better at just relaxing and not worrying about things out of my control. I don't need to answer every question or even to ask most of them. All I should do is worry about things and relationships that I can control because that is what should be important. I shouldn't worry about where I will find love, what I will do this summer, what people think of me. None of it matters.

Thursday at Challenge one of the girls shared a story before the song "Divine Invitation" was played that just spoke to exactly what I have been talking about. It was just amazing how she could have been speaking face to face with me at that moment. The song was just what I needed to hear this week because I think this break from school will be a perfect time to work on the restlessness I feel.

"We are all here to find the place where our restless souls will be free."

Grammar

Love is better when used as a verb, instead of an adjective.