Friday, August 31, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Archive
(From June 15, 2007)
I woke up this morning with a Nyquil hangover. Going to bed last night here in Vanleer Tennessee while leading worship for a student camp, I found my sinuses a bit congested and knowing nothing better to do while being miserable with agitated nasal passages, I resorted to taking the green liquid that knocks you out cold for twelve hours or more. When I awoke, it took me a moment or so to orientate myself within the spinning room, fight back the groggy cobwebs in my mind and slip into a realm of consciousness, and even then, it took nearly a minute or two for the occasion to hit me. And all of a sudden, in the musty confines of a staff housing complex, my mind connected the dots and I realized, “Jason, you’re TWENTY FIVE years old today!” Now I guess most people would shrug it off as just another birthday, but for some reason, this one stands out to me. It’s more than just 25… it's 5 years from 30 and half way to 50! I can remember having friends who were 25 and thinking to myself how good it felt to not be that old, and then I can think back to aunts and uncles turning 30 and it completely weirds me out to think in five short years, I’ll be that age. However, as I’ve walked through the activities of today, I’ve thought about all that’s happened in the past 365 days and I must say, the “Year Of 24" was a good one.
Concerning music, I have stayed busier than ever. I’m writing more than I’ve ever written, getting more publishing and artist attention than I’ve ever gotten, and performing on stages I never thought I’d sing from. I have the opportunity to play on a regular basis with some of Nashville’s finest musicians, and I have the honor to call them all friends.
Just last week, I met up with three of the guys from the band for pizza at a little parlor in Franklin Tennessee and as we sat around the table talking and laughing for three hours, it hit me that just four years ago, I moved to Nashville knowing no one and would have never imagined how quickly I would find myself surrounded by a community of people I treasure so much. Who'd have known a Florida boy could find his place in Tennessee?
The year of 24 also brought many surprises in the world of family. Last November, I became an uncle with the birth of Lily Cox, my brother and his wife’s first little girl. She is absolutely beautiful and I must use this occasion to make it known, I never thought something so precious and adorable could come from my big brother who growing up was the bane of my existence. To this day, my body bears the marks of his brutal ways and I still cringe at the thought of concrete stairs and slip-n-slides. I can always thank him for my first introduction to stitches. Yet, I digress.
Thinking I was designated to play the role of younger brother my entire life, I was completely surprised when several months ago, my parents informed my brother and I that they were adopting a little girl. I can’t tell you how excited I was. Her name is Brittany and my Mom met her through a mentoring program. After my Dad inquired about her, they both decided they’d pursue the adoption and everything fell perfectly into place. Brittany is a beautiful and unbelievably intelligent eleven year old girl. When I went down this past April to meet her for the first time, I was stunned at how open and unguarded she was.
She’s so funny and loving and I can’t wait to play the part of the older brother. Maybe I’ll give her some stitches of her own, or be sitting on the front porch wielding a shot gun when she goes on her first date.
Being 24 brought many life changing moments, but probably the biggest of all was asking Lena Hood to be my wife. I remember living in Jacksonville and thinking, “I bet Mrs. Cox is up there at Belmont University right now just waiting for me to come find her.” and sure enough she was! Here I am, four months from wedding bells and I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with this girl, born in Alabama, raised in Georgia, now Tennessean. Who’d thought, I’d marry a girl born in Alabama??? I still ponder that one. I always took a liking to brunettes growing up, and God showed me favor when he brought the most gorgeous brunette girl I’ve ever laid eyes on into my life.
Lena is an amazing girl. She’s so loving, kind, and warmhearted, and I’m humbled to think that out of everyone in the world, she chose to spend the rest of her life with me. I’m beyond grateful! There’s no one else I’d rather have standing beside me in life than her. In the words of my good friend Cody Deese, Lena is “the wind beneath my wings.” or did he steal that from Whitney Houston?
So... 24. Uncle, big brother, and soon to be husband. Can’t wait to see what happens with 25. Maybe I’ll sky dive, write a book, take up the art of finger painting, or make a CD using nothing but a jaw harp and kazoo. No matter what, I’m sure God will leave me scratching my head when it’s all said and done. He’s been unbelievably good to me and I can’t thank him enough for the blessings. Every day I’m amazed at his faithfulness and unfailing love.
Hope you’re all having a great June 15th!
Much Love,
Jason
I woke up this morning with a Nyquil hangover. Going to bed last night here in Vanleer Tennessee while leading worship for a student camp, I found my sinuses a bit congested and knowing nothing better to do while being miserable with agitated nasal passages, I resorted to taking the green liquid that knocks you out cold for twelve hours or more. When I awoke, it took me a moment or so to orientate myself within the spinning room, fight back the groggy cobwebs in my mind and slip into a realm of consciousness, and even then, it took nearly a minute or two for the occasion to hit me. And all of a sudden, in the musty confines of a staff housing complex, my mind connected the dots and I realized, “Jason, you’re TWENTY FIVE years old today!” Now I guess most people would shrug it off as just another birthday, but for some reason, this one stands out to me. It’s more than just 25… it's 5 years from 30 and half way to 50! I can remember having friends who were 25 and thinking to myself how good it felt to not be that old, and then I can think back to aunts and uncles turning 30 and it completely weirds me out to think in five short years, I’ll be that age. However, as I’ve walked through the activities of today, I’ve thought about all that’s happened in the past 365 days and I must say, the “Year Of 24" was a good one.
Concerning music, I have stayed busier than ever. I’m writing more than I’ve ever written, getting more publishing and artist attention than I’ve ever gotten, and performing on stages I never thought I’d sing from. I have the opportunity to play on a regular basis with some of Nashville’s finest musicians, and I have the honor to call them all friends.
Just last week, I met up with three of the guys from the band for pizza at a little parlor in Franklin Tennessee and as we sat around the table talking and laughing for three hours, it hit me that just four years ago, I moved to Nashville knowing no one and would have never imagined how quickly I would find myself surrounded by a community of people I treasure so much. Who'd have known a Florida boy could find his place in Tennessee?The year of 24 also brought many surprises in the world of family. Last November, I became an uncle with the birth of Lily Cox, my brother and his wife’s first little girl. She is absolutely beautiful and I must use this occasion to make it known, I never thought something so precious and adorable could come from my big brother who growing up was the bane of my existence. To this day, my body bears the marks of his brutal ways and I still cringe at the thought of concrete stairs and slip-n-slides. I can always thank him for my first introduction to stitches. Yet, I digress.
Thinking I was designated to play the role of younger brother my entire life, I was completely surprised when several months ago, my parents informed my brother and I that they were adopting a little girl. I can’t tell you how excited I was. Her name is Brittany and my Mom met her through a mentoring program. After my Dad inquired about her, they both decided they’d pursue the adoption and everything fell perfectly into place. Brittany is a beautiful and unbelievably intelligent eleven year old girl. When I went down this past April to meet her for the first time, I was stunned at how open and unguarded she was.
She’s so funny and loving and I can’t wait to play the part of the older brother. Maybe I’ll give her some stitches of her own, or be sitting on the front porch wielding a shot gun when she goes on her first date.
Being 24 brought many life changing moments, but probably the biggest of all was asking Lena Hood to be my wife. I remember living in Jacksonville and thinking, “I bet Mrs. Cox is up there at Belmont University right now just waiting for me to come find her.” and sure enough she was! Here I am, four months from wedding bells and I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with this girl, born in Alabama, raised in Georgia, now Tennessean. Who’d thought, I’d marry a girl born in Alabama??? I still ponder that one. I always took a liking to brunettes growing up, and God showed me favor when he brought the most gorgeous brunette girl I’ve ever laid eyes on into my life.
Lena is an amazing girl. She’s so loving, kind, and warmhearted, and I’m humbled to think that out of everyone in the world, she chose to spend the rest of her life with me. I’m beyond grateful! There’s no one else I’d rather have standing beside me in life than her. In the words of my good friend Cody Deese, Lena is “the wind beneath my wings.” or did he steal that from Whitney Houston?
So... 24. Uncle, big brother, and soon to be husband. Can’t wait to see what happens with 25. Maybe I’ll sky dive, write a book, take up the art of finger painting, or make a CD using nothing but a jaw harp and kazoo. No matter what, I’m sure God will leave me scratching my head when it’s all said and done. He’s been unbelievably good to me and I can’t thank him enough for the blessings. Every day I’m amazed at his faithfulness and unfailing love.
Hope you’re all having a great June 15th!
Much Love,
Jason
Archive
(From September 1, 2006)
Speeding After Midnight…
I was reading this morning through the first couple chapters of Ephesians when I ran upon a couple verses that are no stranger to those of us born and raised in the Bible belt. I can recall as a child many times in Sunday school standing in front of a room full of students, awkwardly reciting this passage, from which I would gain a reward wrapped in shiny foil and made from sugary goodness to applaud my effort at both memorizing and reciting this timeless verse. The verse I’m speaking of is Ephesians 2:8-9. For by grace you are saved through faith; and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works, least any man should boast. These words are no doubt, quite imperative and crucial to the theological make up of our faith. And why would I discuss this?
This is Lena. For those of you who don’t know, she is my girl friend! Beautiful isn’t she? I swear, that’s not a picture taken from some random magazine you’d pay $3.99 for while passing through your local Kroger check out line. (Don’t ask why I know the exact price of those magazines!) And if you’re from the south… You can replace Kroger with the following: Publix, Win Dixie, or the really southern, Food Lion.
Lena and I have been dating for over a year now. We met at Belmont University where we were both music majors. I graduated last December, and she has just started her last year, hoping to graduate in May of 07. The events of last night have come to emphasize and reinforce the scripture I read this morning.
We had met another couple for a late dinner at a local steak house. After eating one amazing ribeye and drinking countless glasses of un-sweet tea, I retired to my car and Lena retired to hers, both heading home. About thirty minutes later, I’m sitting in front of my computer checking emails, when I get a call. It is nearly midnight at this point when I say hello and find a frantic girl friend on the other end of the line. Come to find out, Lena had been doing 47 in a 35. Now this is unusual for her… she is commonly known for going ten or fifteen under the limit. You know… one of those drivers that have a mile of cars lined up single file behind her in the left hand lane of the freeway. Yep, I date her! She’s great, I promise! So anyways, at 22 years old, last night was the first time she’s ever been pulled over. This is where the hysteria sets in.
In Georgia, when you’re pulled over, they run your tag and the computer tells them whether or not you have car insurance. However, in Tennessee, you must have proof of insurance in your car. Either paper work or one of those flimsy laminated cards they send you in the mail. I get a call from Lena, and she’s rapidly discussing how she’s been pulled over, and all I hear in the back ground are papers flying and compartments of cars being furiously open and shut. Lena and I had just watched something somewhere that had talked about people being taken to jail for no proof of insurance, so she was quite upset to say the least. I did my best to tell her everything would be alright, then she told me she was going to call her mom, and then, and I quote “if you don’t hear back from me in thirty minutes, call my phone.” Implying, she’d be handcuffed and taken to jail before she was able to call back. So… we hung up.
About fifteen minutes later, I get a call from Lena. (Thankfully, it wasn’t an unidentified number from a dilapidated state penitentiary some where in the back woods of Tennessee.) Come to find out, during the process of Lena explaining to the officer through tears how she’s a college student, and the norms of running car insurance in Georgia, the police man discovered she was a vocal student at Belmont. It was with this information that he decided to make a deal with her. At midnight, in the middle of a suburban complex, in Music City U.S.A., she stepped out of her car, and into the black sky, and the mouth piece of a police issued walkie talkie, my girl friend, beautiful, sweet, and caring, sang the entire version of Patsy Cline’s “Walking After Midnight” at the top of her voice for residents and the entire Nashville Metro Police Department to hear. I think the police officer was stunned, because I and many other people know; Lena can pull off an almost identical Patsy Cline impersonation.
And while Lena more than likely perfected the performance, I never knew embarrassment could be transferred so well through someone’s voice. When she called me back, through her words, I could see her red face, hands shaking, and knees knocking. While extremely embarrassing, she got out of a speeding ticket, and forwent the luxury of a ride downtown in the back of a caged police car. (Although, I’m still not convinced they arrest people for not having an insurance card.)
All that to say… I am glad that though found in the wrong, without hope, and in need of something far greater than we could ever provide ourselves, God through his Son made a way, and in a true example of love, gave himself and his life, and asked only in return that we trust and believe on and in him. I’m thankful that salvation does not require me to keep a list of all I do well and all I do wrong, or how many times I think a negative thought as opposed to a positive one. Or in this case, stand before millions and sing Willie Nelsons On The Road Again to escape eternal hell. God only asks for a relationship, and in this relationship, I experience his loving kindness on a daily basis.
Go find your insurance card!
Much Love,
Jason
Archive
(From June 30, 2006)
Hello! I hope you’re all having an amazing summer! Mine is going quite well. I guess a lot has happened since the last time I wrote. I have been to England, found out that my brother and his wife are having a baby girl, played a few camps, and celebrated my 24 birthday, which was a blast! For the big “two-four,” my best friend, Justin Allen and I took a little road trip down to Tampa and visited some old friends that I grew up with in Jacksonville. It was great to take three days and do nothing but eat, sleep, and lay beside a pool.Many of you will remember Josh Lyons from Eyes East. He is currently a worship pastor in Tampa, and allowed us to crash his apartment for several days. Somehow, he ended up sleeping on the couch, even though he was the one who had to get up and go to work the next day! (Sorry Josh) Anyhow, we had a great time. England was fun as well. I got to meet so many new people and experience so many cool things. We went to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abby, Stonehenge and much more. The tour took us all over the place and we saw just about every part of the country.
We ended the tour by performing for a wedding. It was amazing! The wedding was held in the countryside about two hours south of London in an old Cathedral church built in the fourteenth century. From there, we went to sing for the reception, and it was held in a castle! It was beautiful! The people were so kind and welcoming, and the history of England alone is a phenomenon in itself. From there, I came home, and began going from summer camp to summer camp almost immediately. We’ve had fun leading worship for student groups in Panama City Beach, Ocala, and Atlanta. We’ve seen God do many things, and can’t wait for the summer camps that are ahead! Until next time…
Much Love,
Jason
Archive
(From February 20, 2006)
Hey everybody, hope you're all doing well out there! Just wanted to write a quick note since it’s been a while since I've done so. I hope you're all enjoying 2006. I'm currently enjoying life without school! Never again will I have to figure out the square root of 574 or find the value for x in ab+yx-z=q. Lately, I've been doing quite a bit of song writing. As many of you know, I wrote the song Summer Days on my last CD which is somewhat folk/country flavored. Well... I've been continually writing country music alongside Christian music and just recorded demos last week. Now with this information, I must tell you who I had the absolute privilege to work with!!! Well actually, there were two people. First, the guy who played drums on the session was Will Denton. You may ask, “Who is he?” well.... he’s been Steven Curtis Chapmans drummer for 10 years, and originally being a drummer myself, and a die-hard SCC fan... I have followed everything he’s done! He was such a nice guy and so down to earth! Also, the producer/engineer of the session was non other than Bill Cuomo. Once again... you’re like - WHO IS HE??? Well... I asked the same thing until I walked into his house and saw platinum albums hanging everywhere!
If you’re under 25 you probably don’t know the song, but he toured and wrote with Steve Perry and the band JOURNEY. (His most memorable hit was “Oh Sherry”) Of course, he’s since worked with Kim Carnes, Faith Hill, Barbara Streisand, Don Henley, and the list goes on and on! It was really cool to work under someone with such knowledge and experience. Anyhow, maybe somewhere down the road you’ll get to hear some of the tunes we cut. This past weekend, I went to Florida to be apart of Josh Reavis’s wedding (former drummer for Eyes East). It was a great weekend getting to see everyone again, and the wedding was beautiful. We wish Josh and Sarah best of luck!!! I hope you all are having a great week!
Much Love,
Jason
Archive
(From September 20, 2005)
Once again, another summer has come to an end, and it’s back to school… however – this time is my last. I officially graduate in December and I’m counting down the days!!! We just wrapped up an extremely busy string of months, and are now looking forward to the fall. The summer was packed with camps, retreats, concerts, and conferences and we had a blast doing them all! We kicked off the summer with Powerlife… this was my ninth year (I think) and it was an incredible two weeks. We saw so many students accept Christ. I then had the opportunity to work one on one with students from First Baptist Church of Morristown, we went to New York, D.C., Daytona, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and all places in between. I’m taking donations for oil changes… my poor poor car, it gets no loving! Speaking of Daytona, I have to add this picture because I told Bob Calhoun (Minster of College and Career at North Jax Bapt Church) that this picture was going on the site and sure enough here it is!
And if any of you know Bob, you are laughing right now. We love you Bro. Bob!!!!! With the fall and winter coming up, we are keeping busy. John Roberts (violin/mandolin) will be joining me on many dates, as well as a full band on several others. Also… for you faithful Eyes East fans, you’d be happy to know that Josh Lyons and Cliff Harrison have both recently become engaged! (Yes, I’m rolling my eyes – apparently, I’ll be the last!) Along with the engagements, Anthony Rivers is in the process of being assigned to the mission field. Keep him and his wife in your prayers as they are sent over seas to take the gospel to unbelievers. I hope all is well where you are!
Much Love,
Jason
Once again, another summer has come to an end, and it’s back to school… however – this time is my last. I officially graduate in December and I’m counting down the days!!! We just wrapped up an extremely busy string of months, and are now looking forward to the fall. The summer was packed with camps, retreats, concerts, and conferences and we had a blast doing them all! We kicked off the summer with Powerlife… this was my ninth year (I think) and it was an incredible two weeks. We saw so many students accept Christ. I then had the opportunity to work one on one with students from First Baptist Church of Morristown, we went to New York, D.C., Daytona, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and all places in between. I’m taking donations for oil changes… my poor poor car, it gets no loving! Speaking of Daytona, I have to add this picture because I told Bob Calhoun (Minster of College and Career at North Jax Bapt Church) that this picture was going on the site and sure enough here it is!
And if any of you know Bob, you are laughing right now. We love you Bro. Bob!!!!! With the fall and winter coming up, we are keeping busy. John Roberts (violin/mandolin) will be joining me on many dates, as well as a full band on several others. Also… for you faithful Eyes East fans, you’d be happy to know that Josh Lyons and Cliff Harrison have both recently become engaged! (Yes, I’m rolling my eyes – apparently, I’ll be the last!) Along with the engagements, Anthony Rivers is in the process of being assigned to the mission field. Keep him and his wife in your prayers as they are sent over seas to take the gospel to unbelievers. I hope all is well where you are!
Much Love,
Jason
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)