First, visit my blog spot...
www.artisansurfdesigns.blogspot.com
and my myspace music page...
www.myspace.com/davidfalkenau
Let me just set a few things straight for anyone who might decide to read this... I am a family man who loves his wife, kids, and his job (I'm a teacher at a unique family-like private school on the coast of California).
I thank Jesus Christ for the blessings he has bestowed upon me. I know a lot of you out there hear that "christian" label and you think... oh great... here we go... another straight-laced weirdo freak trying to push his religion on me... and I can understand why you might think or feel that way. I was the same way when someone would approach me, trying to push their religion on me or try to tell me how I should or shouldn't live my life. So I don't like to use that "label".
It's like Bono said, "That’s between me and God. But I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep shit. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity. I love the idea of the Sacrificial Lamb. I love the idea that God says: Look, you cretins, there are certain results to the way we are, to selfishness, and there’s mortality as part of your very sinful nature, and let’s face it, you’re not living a very good life, are you? There are consequences to actions. The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven."
He basically says for himself that he doesn't have a problem with Jesus Christ... he has a problem with "Christians" who misrepresent Jesus Christ and push people away from him by judging and name calling and slandering in the name of moral justice. Who are THEY to judge??? Last time I checked, THEY were not GOD. God is and was God last time I checked.
I am half Native American (1/4 Sioux;1/4 Iroquois)and half Caucasian + Hawaiian [or Hapa Haole as my Hawaiian braddahs like to call me (German;Irish;Norwegian;Swedish;French;Hawaiian).
I know that the Native Americans knew what was going on and had a relationship with God. They may have called him the Great Spirit, but it was God whom they were referring to. Go talk to Red Elk, and he will convince you.
Anyway, I just wanted to set the record straight so you know that I am not a "label thrower" and a "name dropper". I AM NOT YOUR JUDGE. God is the judge in my life. If you ask me who I serve, of course I am going to say, "God."
Your decisions are for you to make, not me. Your life is for you to live the way you choose because you were given free-will.
Whether or not you find God at some point in your life is not for me to say or judge upon you.
I just know I found him and I know he is real.
It would take a lot of explaining to get you to really understand why I honestly and truly believe in Jesus Christ, but if you sat long enough to hear all of the craziness and weird "coincidences" as you would call them that have happened in my life leading up to me realizing that "GOD" is for real... and has been trying to get me back on the path he made for me, you'd freak!!!!!!! But that's for me to know and understand.... and for me to share with those of you who care enough to listen... but not for me to preach upon you or push on you... like me, you must either really want it, or you must be at an all time rock-bottom in your life with nowhere else to reach but up, and he's going to pick you up and set you straight on a path you may never have thought you'd be walking on.... and let me tell you.... it's the path I choose to follow... it's been awesome!!!
I'm also a surfboard shaper and hollow wood surfboard fanatic (Thanks to Paul Jensen). I build boards under my own labels (David Falkenau Designs; Falkenau Surfboards; Artisan Surf Designs; and Artisan Hollows).
I've been building boards since the early eighties.
When I was seven, I began taking piano lessons from Herbert A. Anderson. I eventually taught myself how to play by ear, took up guitar, drums, harmonica, bass, got into recording, started to collect Fender Rhodes Pianos, and now I'm a session musician.
I've played piano and Rhodes for quite a few people in the industry, and have played with quite a few bands and Musicians:
Chris Lutz;
Chuck Lymangrover;
Scott Burkhart;
The Mushroom Head Experience;
Steve Krojo;
Aaron Sandock;
Brian Pierce;
Kieth Paraska;
Jeff Harrison;
Jacob Sandock;
Alibabba's Tahini;
Jake Cinnenger;
Kyle Pulk of 16 tons;
The Happy Campers;
Dry Rain;
Aaron Hatton;
Nate Rowe;
George Anagnos;
Doug Lambert;
Brad Swinney;
The Why Store;
Strawberry Larry;
Dr. Tim "Cornbread" Barber;
Beadhead Blonde;
David Eilert;
Dr. Erik Fritzvold;
John;
Chad Brienza a.k.a. Chad Matthews;
Ten Foot Gun;
Mike Sellis;
Aqualino;
Brain Buckit;
Medicine Wheel;
Bull Goose Randall;
Remmy Ziffel;
Strongheavy Revelation;
Lord Rochester's Monkey;
Jake Szott (of Sagtown Hustlers; Surly; Last Drag; Medicine Wheel; Lord Rochester's Monkey);
Halo Complex;
Sons of Thunder;
Chad Cavanaugh;
and Rheanna Downey, to name a few.
So that's who I am... I am just living my life in Southern California trying to use the gifts and talents that I have been blessed with and trying to treat others as I would want to be treated myself.
My music, art, surfing, board building, and teaching are all for me to share with the world, to see that people are treated equally... regardless of race or color or creed... a message for the world to hear about treating others as equals, and as brothers and sisters... this I believe...
I think Bob Marley said it all in two words -- one love.
