About the Song Series: "First Snow" - *To Be Released Friday, November 25th*

It's a magical moment.  You wake up, cozy in your bed, and you sense a mysterious hush...even the morning quiet is muffled by something...but what?  A tinge of hope wells up inside and you wonder, "Is this what I think it is?"  You look out the window and low and behold, overnight, your world has become a fantastical winter wonderland!!! 
"It's snowing.  IT'S SNOWING!!" you say as you trip out of bed, and it doesn't matter a bit who's listening.  It may seem like just another day to some, but for you, this is YOUR day!  You smile a silly smile all day long and saying "Hi!" to people you've never met before.  Every store you walk into is met with a friendly conversation about the weather and it just seems like the world is on your side. 

......

It's a magical moment. You wake up to a mysterious sense of anticipation for the day...something different, quite wonderful...but what?  Then you picture their beautiful face and a surge of happiness runs through your body.  You wonder, "Is this what I think it is?"   You look out the window and the sky seems clear and bright, far as the eye can see.  It seems overnight, your world has become a fantastical wonderland!!!
"I'm in love....I'M IN LOVE!!" you say as you trip out of bed, and you don't care a bit who knows it!  It may seem like just another day to some, but for you, this is YOUR day!  You smile a silly smile all day long and say "Hi!" to people you've never met before!  You speak with giddy inflections to your voice you didn't have in you to convey before and it just seems the world is on your side.



Fellow snowbirds and lovebirds, "First Snow" is OUR song!  It's a fun and flirty comparison between being in love and the first snow and it's just cute as a button!  It's a happy attempt to put words and a tune to the feeling of being in love at Christmastime; though I venture to say, there's nothing quite like it, and there are no words or tunes sugary enough to describe it.  To put it most simply, what "First Snow" means to say is: Merry Christmastime to you, Lovebirds -- LOVE ON!

About the Song Series: "First Christmas Away From Home" *To Be Released Friday, November 25th*

Public Service Announcement: tsfSAD, a photo by zebra.paperclip on Flickr.

September 2001, I flew out to work at the Shelter City Youth Hostel in Amsterdam, Holland. It was something I'd wanted to do for some time - go and share the love of Jesus in practical ways smack-dab in the middle of "the red light district." (Why is another story.)
I was 19, and to put it simply, wasn't prepared for a lot of what I experienced there. I spent way more than my fair share of time in the tiny library on the landing, praying overwhelmed prayers.
The library was decorated with Christmas lights, which I took great comfort in from my first day on, because Christmas lights meant Christmas, and Christmas meant a time of peace, comfort, and safety in the arms of my dad, my mom, my family...


I spent my first Christmas season away from home at the Shelter. And I remember praying often leading-up-to and after Thanksgiving that Jesus would reveal to me how He could empathize with what I was feeling, being so far from all that was familiar - everything and everyone I knew at Christmastime.

This prayer got the sweetest answer. It changed the way I look at Christmas, and the great measure of Christ's love for us:Christmas Day was Jesus' very first day away from home. A place he would not return to for 33 years.
In the name of Love, Jesus stepped out from under the Perfect Light of heaven and all He ever knew. He left the safe arms of His Father and ever-glorious swelling songs of the angels...
And He was born into our dark world under a quiet sky, to people He did not know.
His sacrifice of love that first Christmas night was beyond measure. And, He did it perfectly...
....
For anyone spending a Christmas away from home: a soldier; a student; a missionary...or maybe, someone who is missing someone precious this Holiday season, Jesus empathizes with this heartache so intimately. He loves us. He is with us...we are never alone..."Immanuel."
He loves you.
He is with you.
You are never alone...
"Immanuel."

Grateful - November Newsletter

GRATEFUL

It's November, time to give thanks where thanks is due; it's time to write and thank all of YOU! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

We consider it an honor and privilege to sing along with you wherever you may be when you put in our CD. Whether you're driving somewhere and need a song of hope, laying in bed and need a song of comfort, or you're havin' a crumby day and you just need to sing a song at the top of your lungs, we can't think of a more awesome place to be than with you when you're at your "realest." Keep on keepin' on and singin' on! Thanks for letting us keep on and sing on with you!

GO TELL! - CHRISTMAS ALBUM

The last couple of months, we've been working on a Christmas album that we haven't named yet (if you know us, this comes as no surprise)! Jon Skaggs (Producer/Manager) called in August and asked if we were up for making a Christmas album, and after we exclaimed "I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!" and some other Elf quotes, he took it to mean, "yes."

We are beyond excited to share this homemade-as-apple-pie Christmas collection with you. There will be two originals on this record, along with six traditional favorites! Tyler Hilton of "One Tree Hill" and "Walk The Line" is the (amazing, gritty-voiced) featured vocalist you'll soon hear on our original duet, "First Christmas (Away From Home)". Our family is also featured in several tunes, creating a "home for Christmas" feel for you and yours all season long.

Pre-sales for our album start next week, so please share the news and check our facebook page regularly for special previews and details!

GRANDPA

You may not have met our Grandpa Ray, but if you had, he would have taken your hand in his and said, "I'm Ray, but you just call me Grandpa."

Grandpa lived a simple life, but he leaves with us memories of a larger-than-life man of faith. We owe him a debt of gratitude for inspiring so much of what we do as The Wicks. He exemplified in every way what it means to Light Up The Dark. Thank you, Grandpa. We love you, love you, love you, and we'll meet you at the river when we're home.

GOIN' THROUGH DOORS

Back in January, we made a simple decision to walk through the open doors. Some opportunities have taken us further along the journey than others; some seem to be more of a chance to smile and wave at the world on the other side.

Our Kickstarter campaign is just another one of those open doors. If you've felt lead to give and haven't gotten 'round to it, please do! There's still time! 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewicks If not, we'd so appreciate your prayers for that next open door! Sincere thanks...

...Stay Warm and Keep Those Lamps Burnin' Bright!

With Love, -The Wicks

It all comes back to You - EP Release, 7.01.11 - 7.04.11

Truth be told, when all the noise is through, it all comes back to You:

To You who made the water, 

And You who made the sky, 

And You who made the sunshine's rays dance before my eyes. 

And to You, I ask my questions to, when I wonder, "Why?"  

When I'm alone and my day is through, 

no matter what has been and is to come...

It all comes back to You.

I love You...Thank You. -Your Little Pauline

About-the-Song Series, track 2: "I'm Free"

I'm Free is a really fun way to say some really true things about I once was, and who I am now.  

The truth about me is this:
I was being played by a puppet master with dark intentions.  I walked a path well traveled, paved by the prince of the power of the air.  I could not control my dark thoughts and feelings...and I couldn't help but act on them somehow, whether in the light or in the dark.  I was prone to greed, jealousy, rage, pride, lust, strife, depression, uncontrollable up-and-downs - MISERY!  And I could not pull myself together.  I was desperate; destitute.


But now!  Because of my Jesus, RICH and GENEROUS in His mercy toward me, I have been given new life!  A new chance!  A million-trillion new chances!  I have received sweet release from the bondage and chains of who I was!
And guess what?  It's a GIFT.  It's free!  I don't have to earn it, I don't have to work for it, I don't have an insurmountable debt over my head that I have to pay back.  It's FREE.  I'm FREE - PERIOD.  
And guess what again?  The same offer goes for you: You want it? You got it.
Now come on!  That's somethin' worth singin' about!!!

About-the-song Series, track 6: "Dear Me"

Tamalpais Glory - Marin County, California, a photo by PatrickSmithPhotography on Flickr.

I once heard it said: "life is a series of deaths and resurrections." I like that.
I mentioned this to a friend of mine as we talked about the ups and downs of life (once again, at a coffee shop).
"During our 'Up' seasons, we really should write ourselves a little time capsule or something. Something to remind ourselves when we're in the valleys that it really is going to get better," we decided.
"Dear Me" was born from that short conversation. The song is an open letter, written from oneself during a mountaintop season of life, to oneself during a season when things aren't coming up roses.
Let's face it, "valley" seasons are rough. They're lonely. They're hard for anyone else to understand. They're just plain hard!! I mean, David didn't call it "the valley of the shadow of death" for no reason! During these dark times, it can become harder and harder to remember what it's like to wake up feeling genuinely hopeful. What it feels like to be genuinely at peace with who you are. To feel assured that you're on the right path. These are testing times - sometimes by God's leading, sometimes by our own less-than-awesome decisions...
The beautiful thing about our faith is that, either way - whether we don't know why in the world we're going through this, or maybe we know exactly why - we have a Redeemer who is in the business of taking these seasons and turning them into, what we look back on as some of the most profound, amazing experiences of our lives. During the valleys, we grow; we get stronger; we learn. We become better versions of ourselves in ways we never would have dreamed possible!
And then, maybe just when we've conditioned ourselves not to expect the sun to shine again, and we've learned to be content and grateful, whether we ever see another spring day...
....Here it comes...just over the mountain: the sunrise. And you begin to feel it's warmth on your face. The clouds fade away to blue; the flowers begin to bloom. A new spring has sprung, and it's better than ever before. New life has been created all around you, and best of all, in you.

About-the-Song Series, track 7: Man of Sorrows

I too had my share of tears..., a photo by AnnuskA - AnnA Theodora on Flickr.

A friend of mine announced to me and others one Sunday afternoon that his/her parents were getting divorced. The words came out so matter-of-factly, the same way you might say, "I like pizza," or "can you pass the remote?" To be honest, the lack of emotion impacted me even more strongly than the news of the divorce did. I burst into tears. It was really strange! Why was I crying when my friend wasn't at all?
I sat down to write a song the next day and found myself so distracted by the lingering sense of grief I'd been feeling since I heard the news from my friend. What was going on???
It was the haunting sense of numb. The sense that my friend had grown so used to functioning amongst the broken pieces (like so many of us are) that it just didn't seem like he/she should make it a big deal. Or maybe my friend just didn't "have time" to cry? Caught in the race to build a life & future the way we like to do at break-neck speeds. So much pressure to keep it all together; no time for falling apart.
There at the antique store/coffee shop, I wrote a prayer for my friend, then began reading around our inspiration chapter, Isaiah 61, and found Isaiah 53.
"Man of Sorrows" was born on this day. It's a song written to be a safe, quiet island for those in need of an escape; an excuse, if just for 5 minutes, to cry their tears with someone who understands...

About-the-Song Series, track 3: "Your Year."

Vintage 1972 Calendar Towel, a photo by Niesz Vintage Fabric on Flickr.

Ever get sick'n'tired of bein' sick'n'tired? Me too.
I've personally spent waay too much of my journey being mystified. Mystified that I was supposed to have peace - but I didn't feel peaceful. Mystified that I was supposed to have joy - but didn't feel joyful. I was getting tossed and turned by whatever my day held - on good days I was happy, on bad days I was sad. Up, down, up, down. Big waves of darkness, hopelessness, anxiety, powerlessness, and fear kept washing over me, eroding my faith in life and God a little more each time. I was failing. I was falling, and I was quickly falling out of love with Life.
I finally got fed up enough with surrendering myself to the waves of life to cry for help. And I got it.  God gave me some new keys:
Peace is MINE. I don't have to ask for it - I HAVE it. When I don't feel peaceful, I tell my feelings to shut up: I have all the peace that Jesus had on earth because He lives inside me.
Courage is MINE. When I feel afraid, I tell my feelings, "guess what? I haven't been given the spirit of fear, but the spirit of power and a sound mind. Bu-bye now."
Freedom from guilt/shame/people pleasing is MINE. When I feel bummed or disappointed in myself or think I may have let someone down, I tell my feelings, "I've been set free from guilt, shame and law through the cross. Thank you for trying, but don't mind coming back again."
Victory is MINE (Cor. 2:14-16); Hope is MINE (1 Peter 1:3-7); Love is MINE (Romans 8:38-39); Joy is MINE (John 15:11).

The power we have to calm those life-waves is beyond words, so I'm gonna sing about it instead. "Your Year" is the celebration tune you listen to when you're ready to GET OVER IT and MOVE ON WITH HOPE - No. Matter. What. It. Takes. It's filled with resolve and a happy reminder that peace is yours! Joy is yours! A powerful life is YOURS! There's a beautiful life that's yours to have any day you want it! The past is past - THIS is the year you've been waiting for! So get after it - and shake some tailfeathers!

About-the-Song Series, Track 4: "Dreamless Friend."

My Junior Year of college, my friend and I would walk down to the river and talk about our life dreams: ones that still seemed possible and ones that were dying.  It was a season of head-on collisions between our girlhood hopes and day-to-day realities.  

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," we would remind one another, and "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came that you may have life, and have it to the full."  

My friend and I fought for each other's dreams that year.  We prayed for each other; cheered for good news with each other; tug-of-warred for each other when thoughts like doubt, disappointment and discouragement had a grip.

What I've learned is, our dreams don't often come to pass the way we envisioned they would or with the timing we expected.  Because of the unpredictable, uncontrollable nature of life, our dreams can become blurry. At times it can actually seem easier and less painful to let go of hope than to hold on to it. 

"Dreamless Friend" is written for this season of life and the message is simple: DON'T LET GO! Our dreams are meant to be fought for; cried for; held onto without surrender. In seasons we're tempted to give up, instead it's time to go "home," be still, and allow God to restore us and renew our vision. If we don't let go, He will be faithful to complete every good dream He planted in us to dream.  

About-the-Song Series, Track 1: "Woe."

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.  Enter the sound of a "Hell's bell."  Then, "WOE" ushers in a weeping steel guitar, symbols and snake-like tambourine.
"Woe" is a song of vengeance.  It's angry.  It's sassy.  It's sarcastic.  It's written to our One True Enemy on behalf of all who live by Grace.
....
I get angry sometimes!  Frustrated, full of attitude and umph!  Sometimes at myself. Sometimes at other people. Sometimes at God. Sometimes I don't know why! It's tiring!
I asked God one day, "Why did you create this emotion?  I don't always like it!"  
...But, it must not be all bad!?  I mean, He created it for some good reason.  Even though showing anger is mostly taboo, God got angry sometimes, and Jesus was never short of smart one-liners when it was necessary (if you don't know him, you should; you'd really like him).
My question changed to: "How do I take this emotion of anger and use it for good instead of destroying my life and the lives of  the people around me?  How do I be angry, and at the same time, be anchored in humility toward You, my Faithful Friend, and toward others?"
A paradigm shift happened. "Woe" is my answer.  Can't wait for you to hear it!!!    

"6 + One"

We're calling our EP "6 + One."  We had a list going, but when this one came up, we threw the list away.  Reasons vary from deep to shallow. 

Here they are in no order:

 

• Isaiah 61 is where the inspiration for our album came from (see previous post, "Song-spiration").
• We love the number 7!
• We met on July 7th, 2007, we got married 2 years from the day (a Tuesday, so, hardcore), and we're planning on eventually naming one of our kids Seven.  Yes, it's true.
• There are 6 original songs on this album, plus 1 original interlude by Jon Skaggs: 7 tracks total.
• In scripture, 6 is the number of man, 1 is the number of God and beginnings, and 7 symbolizes completeness - the union of earth and heaven.

It's perfect!  How many more reasons do you need?!  
Oh "6 + One" you say?  Funny.  Reeal funny.

A Shout to The "Sound Board"

Sound board, a photo by Adam James Photography © on Flickr.

I had my song-spiration. Now all I had to do was start writing!

After the first day, I felt a bit humbled. "Hmm..wonder how I figured I was s'posed to know what matters to someone besides me if I planned on doing this myself?"
And after the second day, I felt lonely. "Boy...sure wish I had someone to share THIS cool thought with..."
Third day, I was stuck.

Stuck? I couldn't be stuck! "Work it out, P. What'cha gonna do?"

I sent out an email asking five friends and trusted acquaintances to offer feedback on my stuff - lyrics and melodies. I knew I was asking a lot (cause only I knew exactly how regularly I'd write them - just about every day). Each of these folks is the kind not to make commitments unless they can follow through. I gave them a way out and hoped for just one heartfelt "Yes."

To my surprise, they were all on board! I'd found myself one heavy-duty Sound Board!!

My Sound Board is made up of guys and gals, young and mature, and they span the state: a professionally trained vocal coach in Seattle; a local experienced musician, worship director and music store owner; a vocalist from Spokane with extensive musical lineage; a retired gospel recording artist with wisdom; and a special friend who just has that knack of knowing a song is gonna be a hit before it plays on the radio.

You've gotta know, I couldn't have written the songs for this album without my Sound Board. So for them, I want to make sure I give a shout out: "Thank you. Thank you! THANK you!! THANK YOU!!!"

Sweet Song-spiration

In January, I found a note at my folks house that I'd written when I was maybe 10 or 11.  It said:

"If I could invent a color of my very own, I would call it 'Jordan' (my middle name) so that my name would seem pretty.  It would be the most wonderful, graceful, glorious, peace-making color in the world.  It would be kind, yet 'sufistacated'.  Peaceful looking, yet powerful looking...I would be a purple, blue-green color...

I'LL WRITE THIS LATER!!!"  

It made me laugh!  No one was twisting my arm to write about what color I would invent!  When I read it again, though, I realized that, more than describing a color, I was trying to communicate the kind of person I wanted to be.  Then I realized, I still wanted to be that kind of person.  Heck, I still wanted to be that color!  I'd just put purple highlights in my hair!

I thought I'd found a helpful little clue leading me toward more solid song inspiration.  I decided I'd start paying closer attention to those more timeless bits of my character and roll those into my songwriting ideas (profound, I know).   

Days later, an old note I'd made from Isaiah 61 fell out of my Bible, so I read it again:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me 

• to bring good news to the afflicted;
• He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
• to proclaim liberty to the captives, 
• and freedom to the prisoners.
• To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
• and the day of vengeance of our God;
• to comfort all who mourn

...giving them beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of gladness instead of mourning, 

the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. 

So they will be called oaks of righteousness, 

the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."  

I immediately remembered reading this for the first time.  I read it at a corner cafe, eyes wide, because I felt like I was reading something that...well, I might as well have written in my prayer journal!  "Bring good news to the afflicted?  Proclaim liberty and freedom to captives?!  Bind up the brokenhearted?!  Comfort those who mourn...?...That's what I want to do!  This is ME!"
 

"Hmm...I wonder..."  I counted the number of things Isaiah listed.  I'd found a theme for each song on our album.  Sweet song-spiration!

"Whoooooo's Jonny?!"

I don't know how to put this...but, Jon Skaggs is a pretty big deal.  He has many leather-bound books and his apartment smells of rich mahogany.  And, he's producing our album.

Okay, the first two things aren't true.  But he is a pretty big deal. Along with producing our CD, he's currently the third man in a waiting-to-release, 3-man band called "Arrows to Athens." The other two men in the band? David Hodges and Steve Miller.  You're gonna wanna check out those links, friends.

Speaking of artists to check out, here are some of the others Jon has worked with/for:

Lance Beaumont, Nichole Nordeman, Tyler Hilton, Warren Barfield, Bethany Dillon, Brandon Heath, Josh Hoge, Chris Sligh, Casting Crowns, Meredith Andrews, Aaron Shust, The Afters, Kerrie Roberts, Billy and Cindy Foote, Matt Papa, Josh Bates, Andrew Carlton, Jason Walker, Jeff Johnson Band, Shane and Shane, Matt Wertz, Anthem Lights, Dropknee, Joel Johns, Jourdan Burkes, The Black Bonnets, April Geesbreght, Tim Bach, Flying Machine, Caleb Carruth, Noel Johnston, Forty Days, John Carlson, Rodrigo Rodriguez, Moriah/Life of Riley, Tin Roof Riot, Tom Hemby, Tim Ward Band, Sean McCurley, Five Stone Canvas, Pherigo, Joey Wright, Union, Justin Cofield Band, Quentin Hope, Mark Philpot, Jordan Critz, Destination Known, The Continental Singers, Jeff Berry Band, Jared Wood

And now, "The Wicks".  

This one's for you, Jon.  If you like it, you can take it.  If you don't, send it right back.

Point A. to Point L.A.

How did we get from Point A. in January to Point L.A. in early March?  Simple! 


Two years ago, I auditioned for a show called "Gospel Dream" and made top 30, flew down to Nashville to sing n'that.
Two months later, Jedidiah and I got married.
One month after that, Jedidiah got on a flight to Dallas for an Advocare conference and en-route, met Jon Skaggs.


Jedidiah's call from the airport went something like this:


"BABE!  You'll never guess who I sat with on the plane! A musician! Jon just got off tour with (a well-known CCM artist) in Alaska! I told him you were chosen top 30 for Gospel Dream by (a well-known CCM producer) and he gave me his card! He said to call him if we ever wanted to do something and he'd see what he could do!"


From that point on, Jon's biz card stayed close to Jedidiah's chest through two moves and two local attempts at forming a band.  He was just waiting for the right time to use it.  

January 2011, Jedidiah calls Jon.  Jon remembers Jedidiah.  Jedidiah sends some of our music samples and we're in L.A. six weeks later!


Point A. in January to Point L.A. in March?  All it took was a 2-year, on-and-off flight from SeaTac to LAX with layovers in Nashville, Dallas, Cashmere, Marriage, Band-land, and a minor train wreck in life-ville!  Like I said - it was simple! ;)

  

The Wicks

Candlehand, a photo by .Bradi. on Flickr.

I got a job on New Year's Day.

Manesseh and Carlos came over for a New Year's weekend getaway and we tripped right onto the topic of music. I could go into details, but the short of it is, I got a woopin' from my friends for not using my voice and writing to full capacity.

"Today is the day, Pauline! From now on, you treat this as your job! You get up in the morning and you write, you sing, you record your melodies. You do whatever it takes to make this happen!"

May sound strange, but I said, "Okay," and it's what I've been doing since, and it's what I plan on doing for a long time.

...

The past 3 years have been fairly dismal in regards to career. When you get laid off from a marketing firm, it's one thing. When you then get laid off from Curves...it's another. One must pause and consider, "What is it exactly that I am supposed to do with my life?"

I started asking the Lord this question for months afterward. Clean my house, pray and ask. Have a yard sale, pray and ask. Volunteer, pray and ask. Serve house guests, pray and ask. I was weary of pouring my passion into things that didn't last. I told The Lord I wasn't going to commit to another job until I knew it was one He wanted me to pursue. And He was gonna have to make it drop-it-on-my-head obvious.

New Years came, and He dropped it on my head.

I got a job. It's called, "The Wicks."