UO

I have been using the word 'epic' to describe what the show was like October 30th, 2008 at Bogart's in Cincinnati, but I'm not sure that does it justice.

It's always been difficult for me to describe emotions, feelings, important events, and the like without tripping over my words... but you'll just have to trust me about this one.

The pictures don't really do it all justice either, but getting a good shot was kind of difficult whilst trying to stay standing amidst the crowd, pits, and what have you.

I had been looking forward to the show for the entire quarter... especially recently with accounting and all that 'tough stuff' that I have been working my way through at school; being there just made it all worth while. Seeing them play live was amazing, yes. Watching the crowd react was also awesome, but at one point during the set, Spencer (vocals) let the crowd know that the reason they were on that stage was because of Jesus. At one point he said "You can take this with you when you leave, or you can leave it at the door..." and someone behind me yelled "I'm gonna take it with me!" and everyone cheered. From that point on, I could feel the holy spirit in there with everyone, as cheesy as it sounds... and even though most people in there didn't realize it, but the musicians on that stage were completely glorifying the Lord by using the gifts they had been blessed with to point out that the One who created us has the ability to save us from our 'dead-end cycle." A bit after, they played their song Too Whom It May Concern.. there was something deeper there then the crowd might have realized..

So hold your head up high and know, it's not the end of the road.
Walk down this beaten path before you pack your things and head home.
At the end of the road, you'll fins what you've been longing for.

I know 'cause my feet have the scars to show
I was lost with vague direction and no place to call home.

It's time for you to press on
This is not your war
Set you sights to the North and press on
This is not your escape
Wash away what they thought of you
Because in this place, we're all as good as dead end cycle.

Behind the mask you'll find yourself alone
It's not the end of the road for you.

To me, those lyrics completely sum up the human condition. We constantly feel like we are walking this difficult path. Our feet do have scars, but it isn't the end of the road. We weren't made to walk this Earth, it's all temporary because the 'North' is where we are supposed to be, it's where we are striving to go, and when we do all the scars will be gone.

I knew what those lyrics meant before seeing the song performed live, but seeing how the people there reacted to this message of hope that these musicians were bringing to them just made everything fit again for me. If I can be a part of spreading this message of hope to people, to a scene where the outlook on life is so incredibly dismal, then all this stuff here at school, the accounting, the hoops that I am jumping through, will be completely and totally worth while, one-hundred-fold.
This is what my soul longs to do.

Lord, I can not event try to describe the feeling of peace I have knowing that you have a plan for me, for all of this. I can't begin to describe what I feel when there is music. I can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for all of this; this life, this love, everything. You know my thoughts. It is so good.

Without a vision,
the people perish.
Proverbs 29:18