Yes Sir! ... They Get It

So for the past several years, I've been a fan of this band, Mae. I love their stuff... incredible music, great melodies, great songwriting. The last record of theirs I bought was nearly two years ago, "Singularity". Loved this record!!! You should check them out ... thank me later.

So anyway, the other night I was driving down the road late, I picked up my iPod and tried to find something to listen to. Sometimes, searching the music library gives me that "57 channels and nothings on" kind of feeling. I reached the "M's" and saw, Mae. Pulled up the first track on the "Singularity" album and let it play, I was quickly reminded why I enjoyed this band so much.

Yesterday morning, I pulled up ye ole iTunes music store to see what they had new. I ran across two separate ep's they released, one entitled "{m}orning" and the other "{a}fternoon". I purchased {m}orning for $6.99 on iTunes ... it's not bad. This morning, as I sipped my morning energy juice, I decided to go to their website (www.whatismae.com) and see what was happening in their world. That's when I saw it ... and just about spilled my coffee all over myself.

I'll quickly explain what they are doing and I will also post a link to their mission statement on the website. Starting in January '09, without the aid of a record label, the band released one track at the beginning of each month for download. For a $1 donation you could have the track. What really excited me was that all the profits from these albums would go directly into humanitarian groups.

I knew it!!! I knew I wasn't crazy!!! If Mae can do it ... why can't I. Since January 1, 2009, Mae has raised nearly $65,000.00. This excites me greatly ... I love the idea that capitalism is being used to help the helpless instead of feeding our own (in many cases, not all) greed.

Although the project I am working on will not be a high budget, big sound, production ... I am encouraged greatly by what I've seen today.

Here is the link to the full story ... please take a minute to read:

www.whatismae.com/index.php/introduction

~~update~~

I'll be in the studio again tonight, feverishly trying to finish tracking. I hoping to have everything finished and mixed by the 18th of this month. As soon as everything is mixed it will be ready for download, available at www.jimodomonline.com. If you would like to wait on the cd, I hope to have it back by the first or second week of May.

God Bless.... Jim

June creeps up on me...

Hello my friends!! Hope everything is going well for everybody. It's been a while since my last post (apologies), it's been crazy lately. I feel like I've been going all over the place. It's all good!

Just wanted to give you guys some updates on the 'goings on' in my world. India gets closer by the day now and I feel as if the trip is going to sneak up on me. So needless to say, I'm feeling the crunch with fund-raising and such. The good news, I have all my Visa stuff taken care of, woohoo! So now all I need is money!

The cd is coming along, very slowly, but I think it will turn out ok. Half way through the recording, I've decided to scale the whole project back considerably. Instead of using the tracks we've done with the full band, I "think" I am just going to do 4 of 5 live cuts with just me and the acoustic (might not even record to a click track.. so it will have a very 'live' feel). Not only will this get things finished much quicker, but it will allow me to go back later this summer and really take my time and do the tracks right, then take them to either Memphis or Nashville to mix them.

This whole project has really opened my eyes and taught me some stuff about myself. I won't bore you with all the details, but one thing I've learned is that when it comes to my songwriting, there is a fine line between 'brilliance' and 'total crap'... hehe, that's actually painfully true! I've also had MAJOR revelations about songwriting in general, finding how to thrive in my giftings and not force anything.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that one reason we have a lot of Christian music that isn't creative... and to be honest... sounds pretty lame, is the fact that we as artist (who are Christians) feel this need to force songs. Force?? Follow me here, for a long time when I would sit down to write, I felt this pressure to write a song that was blatantly about Jesus and/or a worship song. For several years now I can't tell you the number of times I've sat down with my guitar and after an hour just put the stupid thing down because I was sooo frustrated that I couldn't get anything out. Then, a couple of months ago, it hit me ... I felt God, only for a moment, but that moment was all it took to change me. God spoke to me, this is all he said, "Jim, I gifted you with music, I want you to be you". I quickly responded... thank you, heck yes, I can handle that. Since that moment, songs are flowing out of me.

Mostly, these songs deal with everything from faith to relationships. I've even began to wonder if this will be a "Christian" album (whatever that means). The fact is, I'm a believer, Jesus is everything to me... to the point of obsession. So, that aspect of my life can't help but come out in my music. Having said that, my true heart's desire is to write music that encourages people, both believer and non-believer.

A non-believer might not understand words as, "faith comes alive in the asking", but they will understand, "take your time walking out that door". And who knows, some random person might hear one of these songs and check out my blog or come by this store to say hello, or meet me playing in a coffee shop or club somewhere .... and no doubt they will hear about Jesus. And what if... what if, that random person comes to Jesus. Man, it will all be worth it. I figure if God can use a donkey to speak, he can use a song about a 'break-up'. And if it offends you that I'm not writing a worship album and/or a "just as i am" record.... sorry ... you'll make it just fine. Pleasing folks like you doesn't interest me any longer... living in the gifting God has given me and seeking out the lost with love is what interests me. I think about it all day/everyday. And, if any of that sounds harsh .... I apologize (sort of, hehe).

So anyway, that's the skinny on Jim right now. Please shoot me a message on facebook or an email if you have any questions.

Also, if you would like to help support me with my trip to India or the cd, that would be amazing. Words can't describe how awesome that is and how much it helps.

Thanks.... God Bless...

Jim

trpt8@aol.com

www.facebook.com/jimodom78 ... twitter: @JimOdium

address: 1703 Sandra Lee Dr. Jasper, AL 35504

Can I be honest... If you don't mind

So.... if you've read any of my posts since I've ventured into the world of "the blog", one thing you've probably noticed is my tendency to be brutally honest. Sometimes I question whether that is a good thing or not ... that has yet to be determined. This post will be no different, although I will say this, I'm a little reluctant with this post because I normally have trouble conveying feelings correctly. Not sure if it's a defense mechanism I use to protect myself or if it's a problem with explaining what is on my brain.

With an attempt to be as transparent as possible along with the therapeutic process of honesty and writing, I'm going to be honest with some things. ~~nothing terrible and juicy... so don't get your hopes up~~

By now, most folks that know me have heard about the opportunity I've been given to spend a few weeks in India this summer. It was an incredible experience and process of:

1. beginning to hear God's voice

2. actually hearing His voice

3. seeing the opportunity for India open up

4. begin the process of trying an avenue of fund-raising that hopefully becomes a continual means to fund mission

There is one thing that I didn't take into account ... Spiritual attack. (which in hindsight, I should have expected it and it definitely shouldn't surprise me)

I'm not the type of person that thinks that every situation in life is either a "blessing" or "that ole devil is on my back", sometimes life is just life... it happens. I'm definitely not the type of person that goes around looking for the devil under every rock. But, I am well aware that we live in a spiritual world, and the warfare it creates is unavoidable for the believer. Spiritual warfare exists whether we like it or not.

Having said that, from the moment I decided to devote a part of my life to go into a foreign mission for a time and especially since I've started blogging/talking about it, I have been attacked every step of the way. To be completely honest, at times it feels as if Hell itself has unleashed an attack on me. Everything from issues with my home, my car, job, relationships, struggles and insecurities; it seems there has been no let up. If this is part of the process that God has me in, so be it, He will surely bring me through. This whole process has shown me areas where I fail to handle attack correctly and it has also shown me that there is no substitute for prayer and communion with God.

At any rate, I share a bit of my heart in hopes that some will feel a burden to keep me in their prayers. I desperately need it at this point in my life.

One thing that has just blown me away, is there are those that have offered up words of encouragement at the most amazing times. People I haven't seen in ages have sent me messages of encouragement, they will never understand what that means to me and how I will treasure their words for the rest of my life.

I have held on to this scripture ...

Matthew 6:25-26

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Grace and Peace ... I love you guys ...

~~Side Note~~

We began the tracking on the ep I am recording this past Saturday night @ Gintown Studios. It went great, got tons accomplished on the first song. I will admit, working on a project that I've done the majority of the writing and all of the vocals is completely out of my comfort zone, to be honest makes me feel weird. But, I think it will turn out good... we aren't trying to record a earth shattering record that changes the way you look at music... we're just trying to put out some quality stuff for people to listen to... and hopefully raise some cash.

Updates... Reasons for the new website

To say that the last couple of weeks have been crazy, would be a severe understatement. Since my last post, a major door has been opened for me, one that excites me greatly ... that's not to say that I don't have my moments of "nervous".

A couple of weeks ago after church I was sitting at lunch next to Kris Broadhead (pastor, friend, all around rockin dude), I began to share my heart with him about what God was showing me (going on a short term "missional" adventure this year, if you haven't read earlier posts). It wasn't one of those moments where I could feel God in the conversation... it was a normal conversation between friends. As soon as I gave him a chance to speak, he said, "You know... Kyle and some guys are going to India in June for like 3 weeks or something like that". My jaw dropped, it was like a light had be switched on, immediately followed by, "CAN I GO???" ...

So, long story short, I'll be going to Pune, India from June 7 (my b-day) until June 24.

It's almost a bit overwhelming to be honest. Not so much the fact that I'll be spending 2 1/2 weeks outside the U.S. and not so much that I'll be in India for that long, because I know God wants me to do this and there is peace in that. It just feels like I have so much to do, fund-raising to say the least. And let's just be honest, I do not like asking people for money ... and to be even more honest, you probably don't like to be hit up for money all the time. Soooo, I want to come up with different ways of fund-raising...

The first thing I'm going to do is record an album ... actually more of an ep (instead of being a 10 song record it will more than likely be a 3 to 5 song project). The album will be a few songs that I've written over the past couple of years, songs I have never taken into the studio. It will not be a big "nashville" production ... very laid back kind of deal. I'm so blessed that I just happen to be friends with incredible musicians who have offered their services to help me with this project.

What makes this project different from other artists?? This music will be at no charge ... you'll be able to download it for free. The only thing I ask is that you make a donation for the music ... i.e. help me go to India. Now, here is what makes what I'm doing a little more that just "help little Jimmy go to India". After I've raised the money for India, any moneys that come in will still go directly to missions.

I'm a dreamer, always have been and I hope that never changes ... God made me a dreamer ...

I dream of a time when my music builds wells for people that have no means to get clean water ... feeds a child ... serves ...

James 1:27 (New International Version)

²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

I'll be updating via this website:

Recording dates, release date, general info ... so keep visiting the site.

You can also message me via Facebook or email me if you have any questions and/or would like to make a donation ...

jim@jimodomonline.com

www.facebook.com/jimodom78

Twitter: @JimOdium

Thank you guys SO much for the encouragement I've already received ... Your hearts for what I'm doing gives me strength and a daily renewing sense of purpose .... To God be the Glory

Till next time...