My sister Tara "tagged" me with this. I think I'm doing it right. lol
1. I have the greatest Wife in the world. We have learned to love most things about each other and tolerate the other stuff with a smile!
2. I am a sports nut. Buccaneers, Gators, Celtics, Yankees, and the Minutemen!!!
3. I am extremely lazy. But I'm improving daily!
4. I am a musician.
5. I like to cook.
6. I am, for the most part, a very positive person.
7. I love Italian food!!
I tag ....
My Wife Debbie
My Mom
Jeremiah
My Brother in Law Craig
Toni
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Frustration x 10 = AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
If you have bothered to read my profile you know I'm in the process of writing a worship album. I have learned this is much harder than just writing "songs". At times I think it shouldn't be harder because it isn't hard for me to worship.....BUT.....When writing music that may be used as corporate worship, or by people worshipping in their cars or homes, it needs to make sense to more than just me and God. So just random spontaneous worship rarely works in those situations....although, I guess Jason Upton could disagree.
I am my own worst critic. In some ways that is great, as I rarely get offended when someone else critiques what I have written, because they're not half as critical as I have already been on myself. In other ways it has stifled my creative flow and lead me to doubt myself at every corner(or verse and chorus). Nothing will drive you more crazy than writing a verse and thinking it's great, then listening to it 10 minutes later and saying that just sucks! I so badly want to write these great songs that by people simply singing them, Heaven and earth are moved! When I say that, I'm not saying that out of pride. It's not about me. It is simply about wanting lives impacted, and wanting to be a strong force in impacting the world for the glory of God. Which we were all called to be!
I think this is just the process of God completely moving me out of the way. As I stay in the word and prayer, and continue to receive encouragement from my wife and friends, this will work itself out.
Start a Movement!
- j -
I am my own worst critic. In some ways that is great, as I rarely get offended when someone else critiques what I have written, because they're not half as critical as I have already been on myself. In other ways it has stifled my creative flow and lead me to doubt myself at every corner(or verse and chorus). Nothing will drive you more crazy than writing a verse and thinking it's great, then listening to it 10 minutes later and saying that just sucks! I so badly want to write these great songs that by people simply singing them, Heaven and earth are moved! When I say that, I'm not saying that out of pride. It's not about me. It is simply about wanting lives impacted, and wanting to be a strong force in impacting the world for the glory of God. Which we were all called to be!
I think this is just the process of God completely moving me out of the way. As I stay in the word and prayer, and continue to receive encouragement from my wife and friends, this will work itself out.
Start a Movement!
- j -
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Your Offering: Cultivated or Unkept?
This came to mind today at offering time at church. The pastor was speaking of bringing "your best" offering to God. I began to think about "my offering". We always hear how God wants our Best. We all know the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Abel brought the "best" of his flock. The fatted first born. Cain just brought whatever, nothing special, just whatever he had laying around. The scripture says, God favored Abel because his sacrifice was greater. He had nothing better to give.
As I thought on my offering, I took it beyond the monetary offering I give. That's only a small part of it........What about my gifts, and my time? I am a musician, and I play on the worship team at my church. I am also a Youth Leader in our youth program. These are areas where I feel I am talented. I believe it's more than a coincidence that in Matt 25, when Jesus taught about using what your given to advance the Kingdom, he used a form of money called "talents". In this parable three servants were given talents, not equal portions, but they were all given something. Two of them used what they were given...they excerised their "talents", and doubled it. The other buried his out of fear, and in turn, did not increase himself, or his master. I began to look at myself, and my "talents". How often do I practice? Am I trying to become a better musician(increase my talents), or am I good enough? How often do I stay in the word so that when a teenager comes up to me with a problem, I have a sound biblical answer that will help them with their issue? Or do I know more about the word than they do so that's good enough? If I practice my gifts, excercise them, "Cultivate" them....How much easier will it be to operate in them when called upon? If God deserves my best, then shouldn't I become the best me I can be? Those talents we have buried must be dug up. The talents that have weeds growing up around them....the weeds need to be pulled up allowing room for growth. We have been given these gifts only for them to be given back to God, bigger and better than they were when he gave them to us! I challenge everyone reading this to push forward in your areas of giftings. Never being satisfied. If next week I can be better than I am today, but I'm not, I am not giving my best!
Start a Movement!
- j -
As I thought on my offering, I took it beyond the monetary offering I give. That's only a small part of it........What about my gifts, and my time? I am a musician, and I play on the worship team at my church. I am also a Youth Leader in our youth program. These are areas where I feel I am talented. I believe it's more than a coincidence that in Matt 25, when Jesus taught about using what your given to advance the Kingdom, he used a form of money called "talents". In this parable three servants were given talents, not equal portions, but they were all given something. Two of them used what they were given...they excerised their "talents", and doubled it. The other buried his out of fear, and in turn, did not increase himself, or his master. I began to look at myself, and my "talents". How often do I practice? Am I trying to become a better musician(increase my talents), or am I good enough? How often do I stay in the word so that when a teenager comes up to me with a problem, I have a sound biblical answer that will help them with their issue? Or do I know more about the word than they do so that's good enough? If I practice my gifts, excercise them, "Cultivate" them....How much easier will it be to operate in them when called upon? If God deserves my best, then shouldn't I become the best me I can be? Those talents we have buried must be dug up. The talents that have weeds growing up around them....the weeds need to be pulled up allowing room for growth. We have been given these gifts only for them to be given back to God, bigger and better than they were when he gave them to us! I challenge everyone reading this to push forward in your areas of giftings. Never being satisfied. If next week I can be better than I am today, but I'm not, I am not giving my best!
Start a Movement!
- j -
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Cunundrum of Emotion.
(just a quick thought)
So here I am, contemplating the positive versus the negative of emotions. Some people argue that emotions are just stupid, and useless. That they interfere with cognitive thinking, or factual reasoning. I agree that operating solely under emotion is more than stupid, it is plain dangerous! However, should we become these zombie like Christians who feel nothing. Or better yet, act on nothing we feel. I just "feel" that is not the case. When I see a young person with tears streaming down their face in the thrawls of worship, it moves me. When I see a family struggling financially, and the babies are hungry, it breaks my heart. When I talk to a teenager who is lost my heart screams out, "God help me find a way to reach them! How do I need to change myself that they will see more of you through me?".
I feel it comes down to this. If nothing moves us, there is no spark for change. So then we simply remain content with the status of everything. Every emotion can start the process of change.
Start a Movement!
- j -
So here I am, contemplating the positive versus the negative of emotions. Some people argue that emotions are just stupid, and useless. That they interfere with cognitive thinking, or factual reasoning. I agree that operating solely under emotion is more than stupid, it is plain dangerous! However, should we become these zombie like Christians who feel nothing. Or better yet, act on nothing we feel. I just "feel" that is not the case. When I see a young person with tears streaming down their face in the thrawls of worship, it moves me. When I see a family struggling financially, and the babies are hungry, it breaks my heart. When I talk to a teenager who is lost my heart screams out, "God help me find a way to reach them! How do I need to change myself that they will see more of you through me?".
I feel it comes down to this. If nothing moves us, there is no spark for change. So then we simply remain content with the status of everything. Every emotion can start the process of change.
Start a Movement!
- j -
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