Ben Chilcote

I’m movin’ out

Ben Chilcote — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:57:10 +0000

Benchilcote.com is moving! As Billy Joel said, I’m movin’ out. I recently signed on with a webhost and am taking a significant step by migrating this website to a self-hosted service. I started this site on Blogger.com, then moved to wordpress.com. But it’s now time to end my free ride and get serious! Thanks to music sales, I have enough cash to pay for my first year of hosting and after prayer and thought I’m going for it.

This site will still remain for awhile (maybe forever?) but I’m going to attempt to move everything. Could be a complete disaster. That’s why I’m sharing this with you. There may be some down time during the move. In fact, if you haven’t yet, now would be a great time to sign up for my email list. This way I’m sure not to lose you in the shuffle!

See you on the other side!

Premeditated Ignorance

Ben Chilcote — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 03:01:37 +0000

When our oldest child was a toddler, my wife and I were baby bodyguards – never more than a leap away from rescue if she were approaching something potentially harmful. My wife still has that instinct (she’s a mom). I, however, have become a bit slower in my response time. Our 3^rd child is now a toddler and if he is approaching something potentially harmful or messy, I first observe, assess, play out the possible outcomes in my mind, and THEN determine it’s worth getting up for.

Every now and then I pretended not to hear my kids speaking out of line or see them acting out of line. This way I figure I cannot be held accountable for correcting them. For example, if I leave the room at just the right time, I can plead ignorance when asked “Did you know the baby was in the cupboard?!”

You could call it pre-meditated ignorance. You can’t be held accountable for what you didn’t know, right? And as long as you are NOT in the right place at the right time, you may experience this bliss of ignorance (for a brief time).

I have been faced with a challenging reality in my life. In my church experience, I have not been held accountable. How many sermons have I sat through, books have I read, prayers have I prayed, without being held accountable for the action steps I was compelled (or commanded!) to take? When I go to church on Sunday morning and sit through a sermon and jot down some notes (assuming my notes are action steps, not interesting info points), who asks me later how I am doing on those things I wrote down? What consequence do I face if I fail to address problems in my life that God brings to my attention?

How many small group sessions or Bible studies have I sat through without anyone asking me “What are you going to do about it?” And then making me feel like I BETTER do something about it.

I find myself premeditating my ignorance. If I never tell anyone what I think I should do, I don’t have to be accountable to take that step. If I pretend I don’t hear God (or willingly plug my ears to Him) I don’t have to be held accountable to a command I never heard. I think that’s probably a dangerous way to live.

I may premeditate my ignorance in order to dodge accountability. But in the end, I will have to give an account for every deed and every word that came from us. At times I think I am clever when I dodge accountability. But I will one day find out it was not dodged, merely delayed. Accountability is inevitable. I would be wise to take advantage of it now while it still has an opportunity to influence positive change in my life.

Musical Influences – Part 6 – Romeo and Juliet

Ben Chilcote — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:43:33 +0000

This is part of a series of blog posts written to share songs, bands and musical experiences that have shaped me as a musician and artist.

I can’t really tell you whether or not we were on the cutting edge in the early 80s. To this day, whenever I get the opportunity, I boast in the fact that we had a Commodore 64. Dad knew a guy at church who gave us a bunch of games on floppy disks and my brothers and I were in heaven. One of the many games was a space ship shooter game called Saxion. The game had some pretty boss background music.

Fast forward ahead a few years . I can’t say where or when, but I heard the music from the game that I had loved so much. I had the opportunity to look up and somehow figured out where it was from. The library had it on vinyl and it was Romeo and Juliet ballet by Prokofiev. I dropped the needle to the correct track and I HAD FOUND IT. It was the music from the video game. But this was the London Symphony Orchestra so it was many times better.

The first video is the song from the game. That is followed by one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve heard.

Mighty Is The Power of the Cross by Chris Tomlin

Ben Chilcote — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 05:00:59 +0000

Mighty Is The Power Of The Cross
Chris Tomlin | Jesse Reeves | Shawn Craig

What can take a dying man
And raise him up to life again
What can heal a wounded soul
What can make us white as snow
What can fill the emptiness
What can mend our brokenness
Brokenness

Mighty awesome wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is the power of the cross

What restores our faith in God
What reveals the Father’s love
What can lead the wayward home
What can melt a heart of stone
What can free the guilty ones
What can save and overcome
Overcome

Mighty awesome wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is the power of the cross

It’s a miracle to me
It’s a miracle to me
And it’s still a mystery
And it’s still a mystery
It’s a miracle to me
The power of God
For those who believe

Mighty awesome wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is the power of the cross

© 2004 Ariose Music | PraiseSong Press | worshiptogether.com songs | sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Hosanna (Praise is Rising) by Paul Baloche and Brenton Brown

Ben Chilcote — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 05:00:02 +0000

Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)
Paul Baloche and Brenton Brown

Praise is rising
Eyes are turning to You
We turn to You
Hope is stirring
Hearts are yearning for You
We long for You

‘Cause when we see You
We find strength to face the day
In Your presence
All our fears are washed away
Washed away

Hosanna hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of
Hearts returning to You
We turn to You
In Your Kingdom
Broken lives are made new
You make us new

Hosanna hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus

Here is Our King by David Crowder Band

Ben Chilcote — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 05:00:11 +0000

Here Is Our King
David Crowder

From wherever spring arrives
To heal the ground
From wherever searching comes
The look itself
A trace of what we’re looking for
So be quiet now and wait

The ocean is growing
The tide is coming in
Here it is

Here is our King here is our Love
Here is our God who’s come
To bring us back to Him
He is the One He is Jesus
And He is our King He is our Love
He is our God who’s come
To bring us back to Him
He is the One He is Jesus Jesus

And what was said to the rose
To make it unfold
Was said to me here in my chest
So be quiet now and rest
So be quiet now and rest

The ocean is growing
The tide is coming in
Here it is

Majesty finally here

Hosanna by Brooke Fraser

Ben Chilcote — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 05:00:30 +0000

Hosanna
Brooke Fraser

I see the King of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes yeah

I see His love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing

Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith

I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees
We’re on our knees

Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

Musical Influences – Part 5 – Library A/V Discoveries

Ben Chilcote — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:20:38 +0000

This is part of a series of blog posts written to share songs, bands and musical experiences that have shaped me as a musician and artist.

It seems like during my childhood, I was at the library at least once a month. It was at the library that I would browse through the cassette tape racks and CD shelves looking for new music to discover. I even would look through the records (vinyl). I came across music that I immediately thought “not for me.” But in the process, I discovered some of the most interesting and brilliant artists. I’d like to highlight 2 of the best discoveries I made at the library. Besides the following bands, I also discovered many interesting soundtracks, sound and special effects CDs and some other oddities.

They Might Be Giants

I must have been pretty young but my introduction to They Might Be Giants was on MTV or VH1 (can’t remember) when I saw their music video “Don’t Let’s Start”. It was a catchy tune but didn’t grab me at first. Not long after that, my brother’s friend was somewhat of a fan of this group and through his encouragement, I checked out 2 of their albums from our library on cassette – Lincoln and Flood. This became a favorite of my siblings and I and we would then check these cassettes out over and over. I was a big fan and followed them all the way through High School, purchasing a few of their albums (on CD, by then!) and seeing them in concert. Though they are unconventional, I still maintain they are brilliant in their artistry. TMBG (real fans call them that!) is made up of 2 guys both named John.

Moxy Fruvous

Moxy Fruvous was a complete random grab off the cassette shelf. The album was “Bargainville” and I immediately was a fan. Moxy Fruvous was four culturally aware, mulit-musically talented Canadiens. The unconventional band combined intelligent lyrics with heavy vocals set in rock/folk styles. I would go on to purchase a few of their albums and see the in concert twice – they were awesome live. They have so many good songs but below is one of my favorites.

All The Way My Savior Leads Me by Chris Tomlin

Ben Chilcote — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:40:49 +0000

All The Way My Savior Leads Me
Chris Tomlin | Fanny Jane Crosby | Matt Redman | Robert S. Lowry

All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt
His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me
And cheers each winding path I tread
And gives me grace for ev’ry trial
Feeds me with the living Bread

You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me
O the fullness of His love
O the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood

When my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way

You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

Reaching for You by Lincoln Brewster

Ben Chilcote — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:31:07 +0000

Reaching For You by Lincoln Brewster & Paul Baloche

You created me inside Your great imagination
You’re the One who gave me my first breath
You have overseen my life
And brought me to redemption
And I know that You’re not finished with me yet

I’m reaching for You
I’m singing to You
I’m lifting my hands to praise You
I’m lifting my voice to thank You
I’m reaching for You
Jesus I need You
I’m giving my heart to know You
I’m living my life to serve You
I’m reaching for You

You’re the One who spoke
The word of life to light my darkness
You opened up my eyes ’til I could see
Jesus You have promised
To complete the work You’ve started
Faithful to fulfill Your grace in me

Pour out Your love from Heaven
Fill me until I overflow Lord (’cause) I want more
Reach down Your hands from Heaven
Pull me closer than ever before Lord I want more