Revisiting

Edison Glass - Starlight

7/20 It's been a while.

I’ve been using my friends computer while I stay at his place until I find wireless somewhere or go into the studio, which I didnt need to do today. All I did yesterday was back stuff up and he’s been working on taking out a chunk of the wall so my services weren’t needed today. I did what I normally do on my days off: explore.

I needed to buy some shoes for the wedding I’m singing at so I went to the giant Macy’s a few blocks down, then I found a farmer’s market with live music, and another cool fountain (instead of Minnesota being the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” it should be the “Land of Really Cool Fountains”)… then came back and thought someone was breaking into the window (which would be highly unlikely seeing as I am on the 16th floor), but realized it was just hail. I ate a ton of carbs for dinner, and while I’m not proud of this, went to the tanning bed that this apartment complex has… I know, I’m sorry.

Walter the cat has been keeping me company; he seems to really like my red boots, but who can blame him.

Things I am learning:

I have way more posessions then someone my age needs.

When it comes to difficult situations, I am realizing that I may not handle them with the amount of grace that I should be. I’m not saying that there is a standard or anything, but ultimate love, the love that I have been shown and want to show to others is difficult sometimes… no matter who it is, they are loved by the One who made them, but sometimes I don’t treat them like they are. I am deeply sorry for that. I pray that I can always see others, see everyday through His eyes. I am re-reading Praise Habit by David Crowder. It is such an amazing description of how praise should be habitual, how in my everyday situations, and in my difficult situations, I see His beauty and priase Him with my life. I want that so desperatly.

Welp, I’m going to enjoy the sunset over the city from the window and probably eat more carbs. Blessings on this beautiful evening.

…Sometimes our awareness of who we are, in light of who He is, is so present and vivid that we become expolsions of rescue…”

-David Crowder from Praise Habit

I really do update my tumblr much more often, so please check there.

Day 9

I haven’t been feeling very good lately. I am not getting any less sleep then I did during the school year, and I am not eating anything abnormal. Perhaps it’s my lack of caffeine in the mornings, I ran out of ice tea a few days ago. Maybe you can see it in my blood-shot eyeball. Oh well.
Today I did some work on the vocals of this one blues-y cover of a Lucinda Williams song which sounded really awesome. I really like how Protools 8 looks, the darker colors are so much easier to stare at for hours. I was thinking of bouncing a quick and dirty unfinished version for my self, I enjoyed it that much.
I then checked out the coffee shop a few doors down form the studio to pick up something sweet for after dinner, and as I was crossing the road, I got honked at. It couldn’t have been to like, hit on me since I looked a hot-mess, and it wasn’t because I was in his way… maybe he was just horn-happy…?

Later in the day, we set up the drum set and mic’d it for tomorrow’s session. I played with a fun plug-in for the guitar.
After I got home, ate and Thekla and I went for a walk around the lake. It’s a cool night so it was nice to get out and enjoy it. After catching up with a friend, here I am tumblr-ing.
Here are the lyrics to that Lucinda Williams song, World Without Tears… I like them.

If we lived in a world withought tears,
How would bruises find
The face to lie upon?
How would scars find skin
To etch themselves into?
How would broken find the bones?

If we lived in a world without tears,
How would heartbeats
Know when to stop?
How owuld blood know
Which body to flow outside of?
How would bullets find the guns?

If we lived in a wold without tears,
How would misery know
Which back door to walk through?
How would trouble know
Which mind to live inside of?
How would sorrow find a home?

If we lived in a world without tears,
How would bruises find
The face to lie upon?
How would scars find skin
To etch themselves into?
How would broken find the bones?
How would broken find the bones?

Anyways, hope everyone is doing well and thanks to those people that I’ve caught up with these last few days. I miss you all.

Day 7-and pictures.

Here are some pictures from my time in the city so far.

Windsor Drive. Good stuff.


The view from the hot-seat in the studio.


My housemates made us dinner.


Lake Como right by my house.


The studio does sound for these guys, Mel's Diner.


My Favorite Highway, I helped them out film some goofy stuff for their website. (Pat and Bobby).


Will.


Dave.


Will.


Pat.




I had a wonderful weekend. I really enjoy pleasant people to be around and I’m so blessed to have them in my life. Saturday night I was spoiled by my housemates in that they made a huge dinner for everyone and then we all played cards after.

Yesterday morning I checked out John Piper’s church with Natalie and Bob. I liked it but I don’t think it is a fit for me personally. There are a few on the list still that I need to check out, but at least I got to see what it was all about. I had a relaxing afternoon at home, cut my hair, ate a bunch, caught up with some friends from home, etc.

Last night I went to another show at the Triple Rock, it was the Ace Enders tour… but I went to see my buddies in My Favorite Highway. I had no idea they were even touring this area, but I looked online and saw they were coming. It was really good to catch up with them; I’m super excited that they got signed to Virgin and are making their way… They’re really solid guys and I’m happy that they are getting the good things they deserve. We just goofed around in the parking lot during the rest of the show, filming some stuff for their website.. it’s gonna be really funny when it’s all edited. It was their last show on this tour so all the bands went out to eat and I was supposed to meet up with them after but I got really really tired… I don’t know.

It was a good day.

Post 200- Day 5/6

Day.5/6.

I was way too tired last night to update for day 5. so forgive the untimeliness of this post.

I had a wonderful morning and afternoon yesterday since my duties with the studio didn’t start till 6 pm. I found out that I live a block away from Lake Como (see picture above), which has paved bike paths around it and this pavilion with a little cafe and a place to rent boats. For lack of a less-girly phrase, it’s adorable. It’s a beautiful area surrounding it too.

The evening consisted of a hour and a half drive to Rochester, unloading equipment, learning the basics of the board, which is the same one I use for my job as a sound engineer at school, and then just listening to the band play (and watching the drunk middle-aged people dance). It’s was incredibly entertaining and I picked up a few amazing dance moves to add to my repertoire. Yes. We didn’t have to tear down though, which was nice, because the drummer locked his keys in the car and we didn’t get back to the T.cities (my new abbreviation for the twin-cities) till 3:50, putting me in my bed promptly at 4:15. All in a days work though. I love live-sound so I’m happy to be there.

Today, I have the whole day off, and the house mates and I were gonna go to a lake to swim, but it ended up being overcast, which I’m not complaining about. Thekla is making us all a native Greek dinner, and we’re all just gonna hang out together tonight.

I have the day off tomorrow as well and Natalie and Bob are going to take me to John Piper’s church and then My Favorite Highway is playing at the Triple Rock Social Club. We might hang out after that too if they’re not to tired from touring (and being signed to Virgin!!!).

Anyways, have a wonderful day friends. Miss you all.

HAVE YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE WORLD EVER BEEN UPENDED?

That, my friend, is what the life & calling of Jesus should do.

It should “upend” your assumptions about the world. The story of Jesus should push you to see the world differently—because surely Jesus did. It should push you to interact in the world differently—which historical records let us know that Jesus did. It should push you to experience faith & hope in a different way—which we read that Jesus advocated for. It should push you to interpret the future differently (interpret in a way that asks where God’s love is breaking through, not in a “making predictions about the end of the world” kind of way—yuck)—which was the same future that pulled Jesus towards the Cross and Resurrection.

Take this man that Jesus talks to:

Man: Good Teacher (Jesus), what must I do to inherit eternal life?

Jesus: Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”

Man: Teacher, all these things I’ve kept since I was a boy!

Jesus: (with love, according to the author) One thing you’re missing. Go, sell everything you have, and give it to the poor. Then come, follow me.

(The man walks away sad, because he was wealthy & unwilling.)

Assumptions. Upended. See?

Jesus enters his story, then he obliterates everything the man thinks and knows about eternal life, righteousness, and religion.

Eternal life? That starts now. You can’t buy or earn it. It’s slowly breaking into reality and reaching for you. Will you reach back?

Righteousness? You’ve earned nothing. God is good, and only because God is good can it even be a thought on your mind. The only thing possible for you to do is surrender. Ready?

Religion? I am religion. I am the way. Everything that’s not a conduit for the love of God is a hindrance to the love of God. Don’t you see that your faith is in your money (in yourself)?

The man gave Jesus an inch, and he lovingly took a mile.

This is often how God works with us. If you open yourself up, be prepared. God will provide. But odds are that “providence” will look nothing like you expect.

The man learned from Jesus a valuable lesson: God’s providence can often mean less, not more. Your value, your life, upended. Let’s go.

From:
Petey Crowder
http://mrcrowder.com/

Day 3

Day 3 was good. After a slow start getting to the mall, I found that the highways are fairly easy to navigate around. I got home no problem after spending the day at the Mall of America. That place wears a girl out. The drop in temperature to 84 (from 106 yesterday) was heavenly… and the rain… I never thought I would be that happy to stand in the rain. Such a nerd.

I ate dinner with the couple that lives downstairs, Natalie and Bob. They are both incredibly nice, both used to intern with Campus Crusade, and it is really a blessing to have other believers in the house. God answered my prayers for fellowship in the city, starting with them. They go to John Piper’s church, which was on the list of churches I needed to check out in the city, so that’s pretty cool too.

Tomorrow is my first day at the studio. Tonight there is a show that I might want to check out…Windsor Drive is playing. They are from kind of close to my summer home in WI. We’ll see!

Tumblr

City.Summer.

This will be my main for of posting for the summer... I will still be over here on blogspot every once and a while, but I figured I'd give this a go.

Blessings.

It Does....

I've been reading a new blog, this was from a few weeks back.

IT MATTERS WHERE WE START

Several years ago when I was working a children’s camp in the summer as a Bible Study leader, I began to struggle with what it meant to “lead someone to Christ.”

We had routines ingrained into our heads during our pre-camp training, having information downloaded into our memories about everything from “what to do if a kid wants to give you a hug” to “how to steer the conversation towards ‘acceptance of Jesus’ even if that’s not what they want to talk about.”

We were told to keep it simple, make sure we induced the right words (and wording), and don’t forget to fill out the commitment card afterwards! After all, years down the road those kids could point to that decision card they filled out after committing to follow Jesus as evidence they were truly “saved.” I wonder how many of those cards are wedged in Bibles that haven’t been opened in years?

Aside from all of the problems evident in such a system of getting converts, something else deeply troubled me: We assumed a Judeo-Christian worldview and notion of God.

Not many of these kids, if any at all, were being taught to think critically about the existence of a Creator and his work in the world. We, along with their home church leaders, assumed belief in God was a given. We just needed them to “accept Jesus.”

And when those kids are children, especially those living in churched households, this wasn’t an issue.

But then those kids went to college. And because we cared far more during their childhood (they are the “formative years,” and we are constantly fed statistics about children and young teens being most likely to convert) about making sure they were “saved” and neglected to teach them to think critically about the existence of God, they were in for a rude awakening.

Most of these kids don’t walk away from Jesus. They walk away from a Christian, churchy worldview. And you could argue that they walk away from Jesus in the process, but they ultimately walk away because their understanding of God no longer fits the world in which they live.

When I think about raising Emery, I definitely want her to know Jesus. But I also want her to learn to think for herself, to explore the realities of God and his existence in the world. I want her to know about a Creator who is full of love and hates injustice.

Late in that summer, it struck me that we were getting people to “accept Jesus” who didn’t necessarily understand God. And then I began to wonder if it matter where we started with our teachings on Jesus, Christianity, and salvation.

I think it’s important that we start with God—a multifaceted endeavor to say the least. Not simple facts about God or Bible verses to be drilled into someone’s head, but a process that helps us understand the unfathomable in such a way that orients us towards the proper character, posture, and direction in the world that the Creator is calling us to.

-Petey Crowder
MrCrowder

Apologies

Hello, I know I have not been posting anything of much substance these days, but it's coming soon, I promise. I know that once summer hits, I'll be on here every other day... so don't you fret dear friends...

Promoting the heck out of it.

It's All Here

Here are all the behind the scenes video's in one place so you can see what went into making it. There are a lot, but this is for me as well. (I'm in a few of them actually).

Official Trailer!

The official trailer! Please come see it at Mem Aud this Sunday at 7 pm. We've worked (and are working hard on it) so please come and support!

4:04 AM.

Things are changing... that shifting feeling is coming back and people are getting antsy and... what's the word when you keep remembering old times? Well, that word, when I think of it.

I'm excited for everyone on their journeys. God had big plans.

Studio Time

Trailerpark is really coming along. I've been hearing good things about the progress, and listening to the music they have been recording today, it sounds good. I missed the sitar player unfortunately... but it sounds good. All the people on the audio team are incredibly talented and I'm blessed to be on the team with them. The whole crew is talented. I can't wait to see how all of them are going to use their gifts after their time at Ohio University. I have no doubts in my mind that they are all going to be successful.

Anyways, if you have time, check out the sweet-looking new-ish website here.

Here is the studio currently, with Tim, our composer's hand...

Aww, God is Infinite.

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.

Fun.

Perhaps not in this heat, but any other day this would be so fun.
The clapping is the best. Look how much fun everyone is having!

Right Now...

I am sitting up on college green. It is perfect outside, God made it so beautiful.

One of our traveling-preacher-friends is sitting all by himself up here in his normal spot. He tried yelling at people, saying "I know you can hear me..." but no one listened and now he's not saying anything. The theories hold-true, that if there is no one to listen to them, they won't say anything. Perhaps he'll leave.

I've had so many visitors this week. My friend Jeff, my friend Jim, and my parents left this morning after they made the trip down here for the awards banquet for the scholarships I won for next year. God is a provider. I knew I received one, but not two... such a blessing.

I've been looking for a new chorus,
A different way to say your name, to hear your voice,
I gotta find new chords.
Oh how my new body, it shines...

Somehow your blood made you blind to our divide.
I am all yours.

We will wear compassion,
we will wear it.
And the gates of hell won't stand against it.

We will wear compassion,
We will wear it,
And the gates of hell, they won't stand against it.

Gates
As Cities Burn

Depending.

Growing older does put a different spin on life. Relationships with people as friends turn into things completely different then how I saw them as a child. I miss that on occasion. My entire life, well... from when I had an actual personality, I have been a relational person. Deeply sensitive to other people, what they are feeling, how they treat others and them-self, etc... and while it worked as an adolescent, I am finding it is becoming more and more difficult to devote time and energy into people who may not view friendships, or perhaps our friendship the same way. I like being able to give myself to that, allow people in, there is a connection, a sharing, and when Jesus is involved, there is so much deep fellowship with others that can happen, allowing both parties to grow in Him and in the friendship.
I like being like that with people, but perhaps it's too much. Perhaps boundaries must be drawn with how much people should be let in, and how much of me I invest in others. Perhaps I need to surround myself with more people who will not take what I have given them and not care. Perhaps I need to protect my heart with friendships too.
How do I do that? How do I change what has been an intrinsic part of how I relate to others? What are the steps I need to take to stay protected and not break every time there is evidence of not-caring from the other party? It hurts twice as much when our friendship was based around Jesus, there can be a lot of confusion... do I pray for strength? Wisdom? That God send me more fellowship with people who truly love Him? That he remains my only strength? All of the above?
Not to sound self-pitying. I am asking for other's knowledge on the subject.

God is good and I need to depend on Him. Hearts are going to be broken, but He is here to heal them.

It's That Time Again

The leaves are finally on the trees, people's faces are brighter (and tanner), and the familiar shouting of the various traveling preachers can be heard across campus. It's springtime in Athens again.

Every spring, for about a two week period, there are various traveling preachers that come and spew hatred and hellfire as they stand in the most beautiful area of campus, where there is a lot of foot-traffic and lots of wary ears to hear. It's an interesting juxtaposition, looking at the beauty of this world, the intense green of the trees and grass, the constant smell of lilac all over the greens, that was lovingly made by a God who loves us enough to make all that for us, being pocked with people shouting about a fictional god of hate and smite. It's a shame that those shouting can't point to that as proof of His love instead of point to a few verses in the Bible out of context proving that everyone is going to burn in hell.

Why did Jesus die? As I recall, in John is says 'For God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever belives in him shall NOT perish but have ETERNAL life.' (Emphasis added by me). Thats is such a joyful message! In my experience, people don't respond to positively to being personally insulted, being threatened, being looked at as less-then-human, when in reality, God IS Love (1 John 4:16), there is hope, and we are all equals because we are all loved children of God who have equally messed-up hearts. There is only one judge (James 4:12); there is only One who is perfect. It's the way it is.

My heart is broken for those who shout hatred because they are missing an integral important part of Jesus' message; that there is an ultimate love that can encompass your heart until there are internal changes, one of which is being able to see other as God sees them, as He created them, with Love, among other things. There is a peace that cannot be described, there is Joy and so many other beautiful words that burst open in your heart when you truly live for that Love.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to judge them. I admire their gumption. Being able to share is an important part of living this Love, but it needs to come from a place of openness and vulnerability and it needs to come without judgement, and should be a natural flow of everyday life, personality, and relations. That is what I have found anyway.

In Velvet Elvis, Bell compares Christian spirituality to a trampoline. He says there are people who want to make it into a brick-world, 'brikianity', solid walls, enclosed, cut-off, etc...and that needs defending when attacked. He talks about how Christian spirituality needs to be more like a trampoline, bending and stretching to fit to the current reality, and then he goes on to say that

"...you rarely defend a trampoline. You invite people to jump on it with you. I am far more interested in jumping than I am in arguing about whose trampoline is better. You rarely defend the things you love. You enjoy them and tell others about them and invite others to enjoy them with you."

Talking about beliefs is important, but it needs to spawn out of a place of love and a desire for others to experience what you experience. Its like the post I posted last year by David Crowder, if you have some time, please look it over, it is quite fabulous. 'O Praise Him'

I have come to appreciate when the traveling preachers come. I find that it is much easier to talk to people about the real way Jesus lived because everyone knows that what these people shout is not reality. I pray that, one day, I can have the gumption these preachers do, and I pray that the real peace of God floods over their hearts and opens their eyes to a life of love that is so liberating.

"And the, when we're broken and helpless as babies once again, we find ourselves being tenderly held and released into a new softness and gentleness and trust, where we can be free and loving once more, and truly, resiliently strong, no longer rigid. Paradoxically, the more we allow our walls to be broken, the more we find how little we really needed them. The more we die, the more alive we become. The more we trust, the less reason we have to be fearful."

Molly Wolf