Hey you techy & creative folks who read this: Got any good suggestions for how to make it better?  My initial next steps are fixing the About page, changing some of the category names on the menu so they make more sense, and retagging/recategorizing a whole load of posts I wrote before I even knew what tags were.

(credit where credit is due: thanks to Jcrocker for the great Chicago skyline photo I blended into the header graphic)

This Sunday we’re starting a sermon series on stewardship called “the world is Mine”.  To go along with that series, I reworked the hymn “This Is My Father’s World.”  I liked the feel of Aaron Niequist‘s version, but I wanted a different chord structure for the song (his structure is more traditional).  The lyrics are a beautiful reminder of the already-and-not-yet-ness of God’s Kingdom, recognizing that in our present reality the “wrong seems oft’ so strong” and simultaneously looking forward to the day when “Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heav’n be one”.  As such, I felt like it needed to move between minor and major, keeping that tension in play musically as it does lyrically.  I also wanted to add a joyful crescendo at the end–a celebratory response to God’s reign.

For my friends who have been asking to hear the new guitar (a Larrivee OMV-10)–here’s your first chance.  Even with cheap mics, I think it sounds pretty good.  Now if I could just get a vocal mic that makes me happy… ;)  (I love the Shure Beta 87C I use for live vocals, but recording is kind of a different animal.)

Anyway, before I keep blabbing, here’s the recording:

…and here is a chord chart (PDF).