Kansas - I mean Kansai

Today I must return to Tokyo...bittersweet for sure. I've had a really good time making a lot of new friends,reconnecting with old ones, and gaining what feels like a new family in Kobe :)

At the same time, I've gotten a taste of how much I will miss my Tokyo friends when I move back to America, so I will definitely drink in every bit of this last month with them that I can!

Here are some pics from this past couple weeks..







More pics and stories to come...

Sober Me

I can't say I couldn't believe it when I heard, but only because over time I have come to understand the human condition more and more. Still it caught me off guard. Still it sobers me. Still it reminds me of my need for accountability in my relationship with God and others. Still... a senior pastor of a good friend...of a good church? Still...someone I've met? Still...my friends Dad? Still...a teacher and author of how to start and build healthy relationships?

Now... a broken marraige. Now... a broken church... Now...wounded children...shame...guilt...confusion...

Every time I want to ask questions like "how could you?" "Didn't you think about how this would affect your family? your church? your life?" "how could you ignore what you taught and learned and warned against?" but I can't really. I can't because I understand that I am capable of this and more. Beth Moore said it this way, "everyone is capable of doing the thing they swore they would never do," and once again I've seen it proved.

Still we do have to ask, how did this happen? How can we avoid it? It will surely be fatal if we believe it to be inevitable. As I was talking with my friend who was sent on the mission field by this now broken former senior pastor, one big thing came up - accountability - this leader didn't have it. No one was asking the hard questions about life, daily struggles, temptations, and how we are holding up to the general attacks of sin that threaten to destroy us.

This friend and I have been accountability partners since within the first week of my being in Japan, and I value that greatly - especially now. Sure, there are times when its embarrassing, when I have to admit the depravity of my own mind and where I have indulged sin. But it keeps the sin from growing, from blinding our hearts, from calloused scars around our consciences that soon leave us without defense from everything that would seek to destroy us and our life's purpose. It keeps me close to God and growing stronger in who Jesus is in me.

Accountability alone won't protect us, it's not a perfect shield defending us from every poison dart. But it does present the antidote that keeps the poison from spreading to its full intent. So who is holding you accountable? And are you willing to ask your friends the hard, uncomfortable questions? Don't believe the lies, because the people you think would never fall need it the most.

What are your thoughts?

Okayama

This will be a quick post, because its 2 AM, a busy weekend looms ahead of me, and I need to get to sleep. But, here's what the future posts will consist of so that you can keep me accountable.

1. the importance of honesty and accountability
2. my gig I finished up tonight in Okayama
3. uhhh...

yeah... good day!

ADD? Me?

This is me trying to decide what to blog about.



This is Avery. He's here to check out Japan/CAN for a couple weeks. He's an artist and so it's no surprise that he is cool.




I got roadblocked by another bicycle yesterday. It hurt. But his bike got the worst of it. Never a good idea to pull a u-turn without looking behind you...

3 days until I go to the Osaka area! I'm excited!

Sunday was awesome too! God was rocking our world at Jesus Lifehouse, and two of my friends came along for the first time. Good day.

I have a lot of CDs and books that need to get back to America. This is something I realized today.

This post was really random.

How to Play My Songs on Guitar

I promised my bro I would try to tab out my songs sometime, but discovered that its really hard! ...and it takes a lot of time. So today, I made a few instructional videos for how to play the guitar on a few of my songs...and uploaded them to youtube. So in case you're interested...

By Grace I Move (Jamaica)


The Genie Convention


Brave Enough

Sigur Ros and C.S. Lewis = ?

This post is all the fault of my good friend, Johnny Loritsch. I received a package from him last week with a note that stated near the edge of the perforated notebook page these words - "mark, I must share with you two of my favorite things." Enclosed was The Great Divorce by CS Lewis and a CD by Sigur Ros called Takk. What has resulted? I have had an amazing week in communion with my God.

Sigure Ros and C.S. Lewis have one thing in common: they both paint a living portrait in my my mind so great that the colors nearly leave me blind. But I don't even care because my heart is getting a glimpse of the very thing it longs for the most. The thing that is sometimes foolishly competed with by pleasures of earth that in comparison are no more pleasurable than a fleeting dream after one is awakened to the sunlight and music of the real world. Heaven. The place where true love, true longing, true desire - all - is truly satisfied in the bridegroom who has called us His own - Jesus.

Just what you didn't care to know

I found my inner ear...no really. One week ago, I didn't even know it existed, but I was probing around in my ear with a q-tip and angled up a bit and then the q-tip just kept going and going and... well, you get the picture. Indeed, the deep inner ear is the source of wax, and once you find it and take proper care, you will no longer be getting ear wax on your in-ear headphones. Free tip of the day. You can thank me for not posting pictures today.

theothermarkmiller music

tour

Tour Nov. 20, 2007 - 2008
Where will it be? It's largely up to you :)
To help out, email me at theothermarkmiller@gmail.com

Tottori High School Festival Concert

man it's been a long time...sorry guys! Many many times during many days in the past few months I have thought, "wow, that would make a good story - I should blog about it!" But no, I didn't do it. Well, now I'm going to try to do better. So here's some Haiku I wrote after my gig in Tottori at the Japanese high school there. If this doesn't make you stop reading my blog, nothing will :)


This is the story
Of my time in Tottori
Told in Haiku form

Several Haiku
In a rapid succession
With not enough sleep

Twelve hour bus ride
Nap time at a cool venue
Now rehearsal time

Hang out way too late
Sleep a little at hotel
Morning - pouring rain

An amazing hall
Over one thousand people
Now all lights go dark

Hear a single clap
Now it grows pounding harder
Chanting Nishiko

The curtains rising
There I am on a huge stage
Me and my guitar

Jamaica, Sustain
Genie, Brave Enough, CL
Going with Coming

Wow. Haiku is long
When you're telling a story
Look a distraction!

Two girls shout Maku
Hear much clapping and laughter
Hope they read lyrics

Youth Speaker speaks words
Wow that was good poetry
What was that, uso?

Gingham plays and rocks
Everyone comes back on stage
Huge bunch of flowers

Students rush the stage
I'm in a daze, in a daze
So much attention

Hand pushes my back
Run along stage giving fives
Weird but really fun

Learned to play rugby
In the Japanese desert
I have muscle cramps

To after party
Lots of good conversation
Fall asleep on floor

Walk back to hotel
Write Haiku at 3 AM
Well now it is 4

Go home tomorrow
How do I deserve all this
Life with God is good.



We actually ended up staying a couple more days, which was good, but it was definitely good to get back to my friends and church in Tokyo too. Had a lot of fun making new friends/getting to know the guys from Gingham (the other band that played at the school festival). They have a new myspace page, so go help them out and be their friend :) http://www.myspace.com/ginghamplace

By the way, if you haven't heard anything I've written this year, I posted 3 acoustic versions on www.myspace.com/theothermarkmiller
If you're my friend on facebook, you can download them on my profile page :)

FREE CD DOWNLOAD

No, not mine...but I did sing webground vocals on it, and it's SICK! It was done by my friend Andrew Osenga and you can download it for free http://www.andrewosenga.com/blog/
If you have it in your pocket to donate a few bucks to him, go for it, otherwise just simply enjoy it. The song I sang webground vocals on is the last one, "Swing Wide the Glimmering Gates." Enjoy it!

And the winner is...

First ... make sure to check out the bottom of this post for some important information - thank you. And without further ado and after much deliberation - the winner of the "make up my life story contest" is ... Tim Garrison! This is my life story according to Tim (don't ask my family if it's true, they will lie to you):


http://www.ilike.com/artist/emerging/theothermarkmiller
Just click on the artist bio to read it.

Someone should make a movie about me...and pay me royalties. Ok, enough of that.

So, while you are at ilike.com, be a friend and add me to your facebook profile under music :) Once you install the ilike profile, it will automatically post your "favorite" music under ilike. 9 of you have already graciously added me as Mark Miller, and rightly so, for it is my name, and I am grateful to you. But my profile is as theothermarkmiller, so if you could add me as that too, that would be sweet! You should be able to add my music soon and hear it online...

And if you want to help me with more shameless self promotion, go to itunes and leave a review of my album, Threshold, there! If you don't own the album, you can buy it there too :) Illinois folks, you can buy a hard copy of Threshold at Berean Bookstores as well.

If you go leave a review on itunes and/or add me to your facebook "favorite" music profile, send me an email at theothermarkmiller@gmail.com, and then I will send you an mp3 of some stuff I am and will be working on soon, and YOU will get to hear it and have it first...don't look at the screen like that.

Also...if you happen to be a graphic designer and want to help me out with some promo stuff :D, like you need something to work on for class or just feel like being nice, let me know :)

Thanks! You guys rock at life!

-Mark

The "Make Up My Life Story" Contest

I hate writing bios, with a passion - almost as much as chewing on raw horse or stapling my hand to the wall. Yet, I need a bio...

So, what do you think, do you feel creative? How would you like to write my bio? You can make up anything about me, it doesn't have to be real, but if it is imagined, make it so fully awesome that its clearly not true :)

If I pick your bio to use, I will give you my CD for free, or if you already have it, I'll email you some demo stuff I've been working on. Of course, if you feel so inspired to write a real bio and an imaginary one about my undercover ninja monkey protection work for the CIA or whatever - and I use them, I can send you my CD and demo stuff.

-you know what? If your submission entertains me, even if I don't use it, I will still email you a new song :)

What do you think? Are you up for it?

Upcoming concerts in Tokyo

Hey all! Just letting you know that my friends Jeremy and Cameron are coming to Tokyo in less than a week! Most of you probably don't know who they are, and that's ok, but if you live in Tokyo, and miss out on meeting them and their music...well you are doing yourself a great disfavor. So...please come listen to us play together around Tokyo!

We have two solo shows, one at the Rock Factory, Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 PM!!! Note the time change, because we initially thought it was 8, and if I talked to you before, that's what I told you.

www.rock-factory.net

Second show is at the Kick Back Cafe, Saturday, March 24 at 7:00 PM!

www.kickbackcafe.jp

Both shows are free, so it would be great to see you all there - and go ahead and bring your friends while you are at it. We'll be doing original songs plus a couple Shane & Shane covers.
Any questions, send me a message!

Jeremy's Myspace
Our band page - The James Dickerman Band - and, yes, we know that no one in our band is named James Dickerman

Lead Me On

My laptop sits perpetually on my desk or table, always within earshot of where I am, tirelessly playing song after song from itunes (interspersed with the occasional Ravi Zacharias talk). So this album from my friend Chris Mason comes on, and I hear it as I walk from my bedroom to my bathroom to shave. Well, to continue on with this incredibly long lead in to my point, my shower in my bathroom has a leak that drips continuously, and I'm not mechanically inclined enough to fix it.

As I walked in, my music/rhythmic oriented mind immediately tuned in to an unusual occurance, my shower was dripping in perfect time on the beat to my afformentioned friends song! Craziness. Two totally unrelated things coming together to make harmony.

Then I realized - I have seen this before. No, not specifically a shower dropping water to the time of itunes, but to a much larger scale. I've seen it in the way that God shapes my path. Following after God, sometimes it seems like a step is disjointed from the rest, going down a different path or maybe taking a side trip...but no...each seemingly random thing has a purpose - an expected end - an incredible story that only God sees and that He Himself has written! My mind is completely blown everytime with how He weaves things right under my nose and I never see it coming. And let me tell you, no one is a better writer than He is! True story... ;)

So much of my life is still a question. I don't even know what I'm doing after this year, shoot, I don't even know what all will happen THIS year, but it's all good. I'm learning to trust more and more, waiting on God in a state of dependency. This is where I want to be. One step at a time, Lord - lead me on.

Dirty Bird

So...I was on my way to Paul's this morning, happily riding my bike, when I heard this plash (plop and splash mixed together into one). Looking to my left with buildings blurring as I rode by, a gargantious green blob came into focus on my shoulder...I don't know what they feed Japanse birds, but it doesn't digest well apparently. yeah, so that's the story. Anyways, it reminded me of this...




I wonder if Nissan makes bikes...

Wrong Way Down a One Way Tunnel

I love Japan...

I love Japan...

I love Japan...

No really...I do...

I even love it when I get on the train going the wrong direction...

I even love it when that directionally challenged hunk of steel happens to be the last train of the night...

Yup...even then...cause now I get to experience the 24 hour internet cafe of Japan with two of my good friends here...which is why I'm typing at 2:42 AM instead of sleeping...good times...

I love Japan :)

Life Soundtrack - Too Many Miracles

This is for my friends...

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool..

Opening Credits: “Stupid Kid” Caedmon's Call (hmmmm....)
Waking Up: “Giving it Over” Newsboys
First Day At School: “Clumsy” Chris Rice ("I get so clumsy, I get so foolish, I get so stupid..." I think we are finding a theme here...)
Falling In Love: “One Year” Sidewalk Slam ("Your heartbeat's against mine
Hold close now don't let go.
Your love does things to me
I don't think you'll ever know.

This song does no justice of how i truly feel
Your hand in mine, mine in yours
Don't fear i'm always here.

This year i shared my life with the one girl of my dreams
My God thank you, this blessing has deeply changed my life", sweet, to far it isn't true yet, but I did have it on shuffle...promise)
Fight Song: “Old Enough” Michael W. Smith ("In the passion your heart is abused")
Breaking Up: “Called To Love” theothermarkmiller (hey, that's me!)
Prom: “Your Praise Goes On” Chris Rice
Life's OK: “Because of Who You Are” FFH ("I trust you Lord, cause you hold the world in place")
Mental Breakdown: some random unnamed classical song from the Norton Scores
Driving: “Only You” FFH
Flashback: “Smellin' Coffee” Chris Rice
Getting Back Together: “Watch Me Go” Go Fish ("I've waited all of my life, here I am...")
Wedding: “La Primavera, Le Quattro Stagioni (Spring, from the 4 Seasons)" Antonio Vivaldi
Birth of a Child: “Psalm 13” Shane & Shane ("How Long oh Lord, will you forget me...)
Final Battle: “Walk By Faith” Jeremy Camp
Death Scene: “Piano Concerto in G major, L 453, 2nd Movement” Mozart
Funeral Song: “Symphonie Fantastique, Fourth Movement, March to the Scaffold” Berlioz
(So I guess I encounter death by hanging)
End Credits: “Too Many Miracles" Ben Glover ("Too many miracles to hide, Too many broken brought to life, Too many lives are being changed, Too many are made to cross the lie, Too many hearts have been set free, Too many wanderers retrieved, Too many reasons to believe..." Wow...that's cool)

Well, that was amusing...

And Now My Exit Song: "Goodnight Love Song" Sooner Or Later

Passion and Pain

Everyone go here quick! Passion is uploading each main session from their conference in Atlanta but is only leaving each session up for 24 hours! Check it out, it's so worth it:)

Passion 07 main session feed

And in case you are the type of person who finds laughter in pain, you can catch these two clips of me trying to learn how to snowboard last week.

http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=5GhG78-jUZ8
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=BuNpd8idTqE