Done With Feeling Weighed Down…

Its funny how something in you can feel as if its totally tearing you apart at times, yet for some reason u cant find the energy or heart to get your butt up and change anything. To be totally honest, that’s exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. Why share this with the world wide web? Well, I figure that I’m connected with a load of people who have experience in areas that I do not, and those who have been through and overcome exactly what I’m going through. I’m putting myself out there in hopes that, firstly, the people closest to me will call me out when I’m being an idiot and stepping backwards rather than forwards. Secondly, I’m hoping that those who have more wisdom than I, will every now and then offer that wisdom to me as a tool.
So whats the deal? Well, frankly, I feel like a lazy, overweight slob, and I’m way beyond frustration with myself, and FAR beyond angry with the lies that I’ve let creep in to my head and heart. So, to avoid carrying on with the whining, I want to live healthier. Why? Obviously one part of it is to feel better about me, but not just that. I want to live a long and healthy life! I’m married to the most amazing woman on the planet and I want to be with her for a very long time! We both want to have kids sometime in the future, and I want to be a healthy daddy who sets a healthy example for his kids! My weight isnt affecting my health very much right now, other than feeling fatigued and some back issues, but if I keep going at this rate, it will. And lets face it, what newly married couple wants to be paying big doctor bills because one of them decided he wanted to eat crap and do nothing on his days off. Well thats not gonna be this guy, cuz he is DONE!
So I’m asking all of you to join with me, not just in prayer, but to challenge me! I cant do this alone, believe me I’ve tried, and i do good for a couple weeks and then I get tired for a day and take a break, and then another break and another etc… God created us to be relational beings. We are support beams for each other, and I am confessing to you that by myself i am WAY to weak to accomplish this goal. I need to break out and away from the lies in my head and heart that tell me that I look disgusting, and that people judge me for my weight. This is not who God created me to be, and I’m standing up now, covered in His grace to face my mountain and tell it to crumble!!!
I thank you all in advance for your prayers as i set out on this venture of more life change and invite you to join me if you too are in the same place. The bible tells us we have strength in numbers, and I commit to support you as well! I know I can do this with the help of my brothers and sisters!

Been a while but what ever…

SO!!! Many of you may know that I am no longer a single man, but a very VERY happily married one :). On July 17th I married the love of my life, thus Sarah Pasich became the 2nd person ever to own the name “Sarah Trandum” (the 1st person being my little sister, Sarah). It has been a fast paced past few months as I have been working hard at Affiliated Computer Services to support my bride, and pouring my passion for music and songwriting in to my AMAZING church, Overcomer Covenant Church. There isnt really any other way to sum it up other than saying that God is SO good!!! I actually have to sit back and giggle at myself because I remember sitting at home on nights like these wondering when it would be my turn, sometimes questioning if God was really ever going to send that person my way. Little did I know that I already knew her, and she was living in Federal Way Washington :).

Now I’m sitting at my own dinner table, in a beautiful apartment as my amazing cook of a wife prepares baked salmon with lemon, dill, and a side of my favorite green, asparagus, with some John Pizzarelli playing in the background. I dont know that life could get much better than this. though there has been some big challenges over the past few weeks, God is great and has brought Sarah myself, and the rest of our family through it.

What next you ask? Well, there is some big vision rolling around in my head about some cutting edge creative worship which I hope to present to our team at church. I’ve found myself on many occasions having to grab any type of paper or pencil just to get the ideas down. I genuinely feel that God is pouring out creativity in larger amounts than ever before. He is taking those who have been developing their creativity and dumping even more out!!! So get ready for the wave :).

Anywho, I best be off for now. I just wanted to pop in and start blogging again since its been a while. Keep an eye on the blog as I will be posting from time to time :). Much love to ya!!!

Creative Tsunami

Without a doubt this has been the most crazy, joy-filled, frustrating, yet peaceful time I have ever walked through in life. There is so much newness springing up all over the place and lemme tell you, I am SO pumped about it!!!
I love songwriting, and singing, and jazz, and performing on stage, but my true passion is the local church. Not big buildings with fancy stage lighting, or stained glass windows, or comfortable seats. The church is the people and God is releasing something totally new and amazing over each and every one! I believe that there has been a wave of creativity barreling towards us.
I don’t know how many of you know very much about oceanography or how the tides work, but it is really a fascinating thing. Take the infamous “tsunami” for instance. Its a wave that is generated by massive movement by the Earths crust. The energy generated by such a force sends super powered waves called “Tsunamis” rocketing towards land. But the image that we see in our heads is not what it looks like right away, in fact if you were out on the ocean as this wave traveled by, you may not even know it was there. It doesnt take shape until it hits land. As the wave approaches the shore, the space between water and land become less as the wave draws nearer. You can kind of think of it as the land pushing the wave up and out (just to simplify it lol). At that point it takes its famous shape and normally would cause the great deals of damage and death that we have seen over the years.
This wave is not one of damage, pain and death, but one of change, renewal, and creation. This wave is one that we need not run from, but run towards!!! God is crashing down all over us with creativity and innovation in the church!!!
Whats so funny is that this movement of creativity is nothing new to Him. Creativity and innovation has been going on in the church for thousands of years! Jesus was SUPER creative and gifted poetically. He knew that Gods word had to be presented in a way that would cause people to think and ask questions. There are huge aspects of Gods word that dont really need much clarification, but questions are good!!! They cause us to grow and learn.
When Jesus spoke to people he used illustrations called parables. These parables often held examples of people, jobs, food, traditions and many other things that were directly connected to the culture and time so when people heard it, they related to it and soaked it in that much more.
Get ready for an outpouring of creativity in your area!!! Look for it!!! Dont just stand around waiting, run towards the wave and jump in head first!!! God wants us to be active in our pursuit of Him!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAINTING FOR!!! He has given you a set of abilities and talents!! Use them!!! Work on your giftings, learn how to use them better. Grow them!!!
Anywho
theres my rant for the day lol. I pray that my words come as encouragement and or a little fuel for your fire :). Love you guys!!!

Almost 10

My last post was pretty much a dumping of my heart. I’ve just hit a breaking point. I’m done with the way I’ve been living life, and its time for change.
Since my last post, I’ve power walked almost 10 miles in total and have set my sites high. Its time to start living healthy every day, and that means getting off my, rather flaby, bum and getting active. Now I dont mean to make myself out to be a couch potato with nothing better to do than watch soaps, and Jerry all day. I actually spend a lot of time being quite productive, but productivity while sitting on my butt isnt going to get me results. I’ve committed myself to physical activity every day. And change is already happening!!! Not so much physically, it takes a bit longer to see results, but emotionally and mentally there is some fantastic and amazing healing going on!!!
Gods desire for our lives is wholeness, not depression, not sickness, not apathy, not laziness!!! His desire for us is a full, exciting, joy filled life!!! as I press in to Him and press forward with a commitment to healthy living, my thought processes are changing. Even though my body is not yet showing the results of my hard work yet, I no longer feel the pressing need to cover up with jackets and sports coats, which I usually wear. When I look in the mirror, I’m not ashamed of the man I see, and I’m energized for the day! this walk is a long and hard one, but…”I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Getting Back on Track.

Well, the 40 day fast ended a while ago, and I’m back to normal life and then some. For a little while I was able to maintain my good eating habits, but the speed of life picked up and easy eating seemed necessary once again. Well friends, I’m DONE! I’m done with feeling like crap after eating something that was quick and easy but not healthy for me. And I’m WAY tired of feeling like a chunk.

I’m going to be totally open with you guys, as I feel that this is a HUGE issue in our day and age and needs to be addressed in as many ways as necessary.
In high school, I was a weight lifter, in fact I was pretty good at it. By the end of my time in the weight room I was maxing out at 250lbs on the bench press and 630lbs on the box squat. I was good at it and loved it, but alas, life took turns and shifts and now I’m over weight. I have tried time and time again to lose weight and time and time again I’ve failed and felt horrible for it. But I’m SO DONE letting that take ownership in my life!!! God did NOT design me to walk defeated by my stomach! I was created an over-comer and this mountain is no where near as big as it puffs itself up to be!!! The other aspect of this whole thing, probably the hardest part, is the lie that has been burned into my brain. This false image of myself has been beaten in to my skull and now it rears its ugly head every single day reminding me that I haven’t been able to beat it yet, why should today be any different. All I have to say to that is ITS A NEW DAY!!! God’s desire for me is wholeness!!! His desire for YOU is wholeness!!! That knot in your gut, the little voice in the back of your mind, that sick feeling when you look in the mirror, I can relate to every single one, and let me tell you, THEY ARE LIES!!!!
I’m entering in to a season of newness. Newness of thinking, eating, living, walking, praying, worshiping, newness of everything. I’m posting this blog entry for the simple fact that I know YOU all will know what I’ve set out to do and that fact will help keep me in check :). I challenge each and every one of you to refresh some area of your life, weather it be dusting the very top shelf on the book case, where nobody can really see anyway, or maybe completely changing the way you eat and live. I challenge those of you who are in the same shoes as I am to join me in revamping our thought process and get healthy!!! I’ll be honest, this is going to be a real challenge for me, and I may need some advice from those of you who are already living healthily.
I put a steak in the ground right here, right now!!! I will not settle for apathy in my life!!!!

“Lush” Has Hit The Web!

!Be sure to check out CD Baby and iTunes and grab your copy of my new single, “Lush”. My producers let me know just recently that it has officially been posted on a handful of sites, the 2 most prominent ones being CD Baby and iTunes. Its good stuff kids!!! Good stuff!!!
Also,
life as I know it is changing pretty quickly. My fiance and I are getting more and more excited as we draw ever closer to our big day!!! My love for this amazing young woman is growing every day and I am absolutely blown away that I get to share my life with her!!!
In other news, I’ve also begun working on a small, very simply, worship project consisting of a handful of my original worship songs written specifically for the church. These recordings will be rough and very minimalistic, but absolutely full of passion. The EP will be called “Shift”. I feel that the word “Shift” perfectly illustrates the stage of life I have entered, as all my priorities, goals, and focus change. I’ve never been more happy and full of joy than right now!!

I Found “Scorched Pods”

I love this!!! What a great way to pass time when you cant sleep at night! Check this out!!!

http://www.officegamespot.com/freegames/scorched_pods.htm

Enjoy!!!

Beans, Greens, and Other Things.

Its almost the end of week two of the 40 day fast and I am still fired up and pressing forward. I cant say that it hasnt been a challenge because lets face it, who really wants to give up their favorite foods.
“Oh I do mister Zach!” Well little Timmy, you need to be kicked in the face.
Eating right is so much harder when your body is so used to eating so many things that arent really that great for you. Its harder because the sugar that your used to taking in on a daily basis is now almost completely gone from your diet. Sure you get some from fresh fruits, but other than that, nothing. Its the same for coffee. OH how I miss that first steaming hot cup O joe in the morning. And I dont know about you, but I’m a flavor guy. Not to much, I still want to taste the coffee, but just enough to give it a delightful twist of creme brule or french vanilla. But in saying all that, I have never felt healthier! I’m planning on continuing this as a lifestyle, though coffee will probably be reintroduced into my daily diet ;).

The music has been going great as well. We have continued moving forward doing many shows each month, some acoustic, some with full band. The guys and I played at Columbia City Theater last night in Seattle. It was a benefit to raise more funds for Haiti. What a fantastic opportunity to not only help raise money for such a great cause, but also bring people a little joy. i guess lately I’ve just sensed that, for some reason, peoples spirits have been down a bit. My purpose for writing music is to bring joy to peoples hearts, minds and bodies. I think that last night was a huge success because all the artists that played did a fantastic job of lifting peoples spirits! Should any of you who played last night read this, you all are awesome and a huge blessing to so many people.

Next on the roster, another benefit show at Forza Coffee Company in Tacoma :). Be there!!!

Day 1 of 40.

Today marks the beginning of a 40 day fast, so for the next 40 days i will only be eating fruits and veggies. I’m joining my home church in a rather long fast, but I am in expectation of great things!!! There is something changing in the atmosphere, and God is ready to do something amazing!!!

My prayer for today,
“I will go where you go, I will say what you say, I will pray what you pray, I will sing what you sing. Bring on the rain God! i want to get lost in your presence!!!”

The best hat ever.

HA!!! There are simply no words!!!