The Box

Look for God and you will surely find God.  It's a principal Christan's live by.  Unfortunately it is more times than not put in an unfair, unrealistic, and illogical box.  This box is an ugly thing, a cruel thing.  It is something that some Christan's hide behind to justify behaviors like, boycotting businesses, writing people off, and sometimes even avoiding entire areas of their city all in the name of righteousness and holiness.

So what is this box?  Simply put, it is the thoughts and actions that say, "Look for God and you will surely find God but only as long as your opinions and views on life line up exactly with ours."  It says you can say or do A, B, or C but cannot say or do X, Y, or Z.  It's "our way or the highway to hell..."  Some Christians have tried to put God in this box;  they've tried to make it seem like God waits until you get your life together and get all the answers before He allows you to even start looking for Him.  The bible teaches that we should,

 "Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with - even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently."  Romans 14:1 (The Message)

It also teaches people to be so open with each other that we confess our sins, our weaknesses to each other.  But this is rarely done because we've created a box that says "Get right this very second and agree with our opinions or you're not welcome in God's house."  So instead of being themselves the few who do enter churches often put on this mask and pretend like everything is okay.  Instead of having freedom to openly discuss the things that they struggle with or disagree with or things they're unsure on they bottle it all up, causing themselves stress, frustration, and sometimes even depression.  Meanwhile outside the church "walls" it feels far more freeing, accepting, and understanding.  Maybe you were raised in a Christan home. Maybe you were taught from a young age what is and isn't right.  That's awesome if that's how you grew up but other people aren't you (And on a side-note that doesn't exempt you from seeking God as well and truly making a decision for yourself).
 

I'm not making excuses for people's wrong behavior.  And yes, Jesus Christ did tell people to "Go and sin no more."  But realize this: Jesus was regularly found eating with sinners and visiting them at their houses.  Do you really think while there He was constantly pointing out everything wrong they were doing?  Do you think He was sitting there on a couch with a picket sign that said turn or burn?

What I think it boils down to is people are so focused on the wrong things.  Instead of focusing over a person truly finding the peace of God in their life, they're worried about them behaving correctly.  Instead of being focused on showing people that there's real love in the world, they're focused on trying to find (out of context) bible verses that prove they have a right to judge others.  Instead of being focused on the fact that God wants to welcome all, they're worried what their church looks like to other Christians.  This box that says people have to get "it" (whatever that is anyway) right away has to be done away with.  Someone once said, "It's impossible to look upon the glory of God and leave unchanged."  I believe that to be true.  But I can speak from experience that sometimes that change can take a very long time... and sometimes unexpectedly we find that it is ourselves that need to change.  Don't rob others of the journey they need to go on.  Just help them along the way.

Look for God and you will surely find God PERIOD...  No box.

Whats "Good" Mean Anyway?

What makes a "good" musician?  Some say it is the talent or skill they possess.  They say the more complicated the piece the better musician they are.  Some add the criteria of how fast one can play to measure of what makes a good musician.  Time and again I've heard statements like, "They're an ok musician... but all they play is the basic stuff so they're not very good."  So is that the measuring stick?  The ability to play a complicated piece means you're a good musician and if you don't play that complicated piece you're "ok" at best a.k.a. you suck?  I personally don't believe in that measuring stick.

$300 million.  That is probably more money than I will ever make in my lifetime (Though I can hope right!?)  That's the estimated net worth of one musician.  He was the drummer of one of the most successful bands ever.  They're known world wide and even though their last album was released over 40 years ago they are still beloved by millions today.  The band I'm speaking of is The Beatles and their drummer, that $300 million dollar drummer, is Ringo Starr.  Like them or not you cannot deny that they were a huge band.  Record sales don't lie.  So why do I bring him up?  If you listen to the drums on any Beatles tune you won't hear this complicated drum piece.  You won't hear a double bass pedal that's so fast it sounds inhuman.  What you'll hear is a steady beat provided by Mr. Starr.  Some would say you'll hear a "simple" beat.  I've heard people say that he isn't a very good drummer.  To them I'd say he has 300 million reasons proving them wrong but whatever...

I love complicated arrangements in music.  I also love simple songs.  I don't think one is better than the other at all.  To me it's all about the individual songs and even what band is playing them.  I think you're a good musician when you play your music well.  Whatever voice, story, lyric, or lick you bring to the table just be yourself.  Complicated and fast doesn't mean you're good.  Simple and basic doesn't mean you're bad.  Being true to who you are and excelling at that... To me that means you're a good musician.

Play well.  Be well.

Dinner with the Pigs

One of the hardest things I've learned in life is sometimes you have to let people eat dinner with the pigs and not call them out on how nonsensical that is.  To some that entire sentence is nonsensical.  Let me explain what I mean by eating dinner with the pigs.

A long time ago there was this guy named Jesus.  He liked to tell people stories about God and heaven.  People call these stories parables.  On one such occasion Jesus told a story about a son who wanted to leave his family and go experience life or what he thought life was.  So this son goes to his father and demands his inheritance.  Now if one of my children asked me for their inheritance before I had keeled over and died I'd probably laugh at them and make them go to their room and think about how stupid they just were but that's just me.  In the story this sons father does the opposite of what I would do: he gives the son the inheritance.

So now rich with money the son goes off on his journey to experience life and to (I'm not really going to say this.... yes I am... I'm sorry) turn up...  Those of you who get that are probably shaking your head.  Those of you who don't get that be glad you grew up on actual good music instead of the random noises that come out of teenagers iTunes libraries these days!  Anyway...  The son (surprise, surprise) wastes all of his new riches on wild, crazy, party-like-its-1999 living.  Now completely broke, the son gets a job feeding pigs (Jesus telling a crowd of Jews about a guy getting a job feeding pigs probably had more impact on them than it does us.  Just picture the worst job you could possibly ever have).  Eventually he gets so hungry that the food he's feeding the pigs starts to look good.  In a sense he wanted to have dinner with the pigs.

Finally the son comes to his senses and goes back home with the intention of becoming one of his fathers servants because even they were eating better than he was.  When the son got close to home the father ran out to meet him, embraced him, clothed him, put the family ring on him, and threw a freaking epic bar-b-que!  The fathers other son got jealous because he was being a tool but lets talk about that another time.

There are many things you can take from this story Jesus told.  The one thing that I feel is rarely talked about is the fact that this awesome, merciful, loving father let his son... well... make stupid choices!  He let his son waste his money.  He let his son throw stupid pointless parties.  He let his son waste part of his life.  He let his son go eat dinner with the pigs.  What I'm trying to say is sometimes you just need to let people go make that terrible mistake.  Sometimes there is absolutely nothing you can say to that person that will change their mind so why even argue?  Are they walking down a path that is going to lead them straight to the pig farm?  Probably... But maybe that's where they need to go to finally get "it"

It's not fun when you see someone you love start down that path.  It can even physically hurt to hear them talk with their terrible, poorly thought out life choices.  I'm not saying you should never say something.  I'm not saying you should absolutely never try to intervene.  But there are times when you just need to take a step back and say, "Ok.  Go make that mistake if that's what you truly want right now."  What I am saying is sometimes people need to have dinner with the pigs to finally realize what's true, good, and acceptable.  Pray for those people.  Be there for those people.  Don't write them off or judge them from afar.  Be the best friend that you can be.  And when they finally see the light, throw the biggest, most epically epic bar-b-que they've ever seen!


If you'd like to read this story Jesus told you can find it in Luke 15:11-32

Church

"The church isn't a museum for good people.  It's a hospital for the broken." 

I've seen this picture/quote (or one like it) shared a ton on Facebook and Instagram.  Pastors have even quoted it while preaching.  I'm not sure where the quote originated but the usual comments left on the picture are, "Amen!" or "Truth!" or something of that nature.  I understand exactly what this quote is attempting to say and it's a very nice sentiment.  But what if I told you the church is neither of those things?  The church is absolutely not a museum for good people only.  But it is also not a hospital.

First and foremost the church is NOT a building or structure.  When Jesus said to Peter, "Upon this rock (Peter) I will build My church..." He was not referring to a building by any stretch of the imagination.  The church is the body of Christ.  The church is people.  Yet in our American culture, despite us knowing this truth, the way we speak of the church most of the time does not reflect what the church is (us).  Most of the time when speaking about the church people are referring to a building.  Think about it.  How many times have you heard statements like, "It's good to be in the house of the Lord this morning." or "Behave yourselves.  You're in church!" or "I'm not going to church today."  or "The church isn't a museum (building) for good people.  It's a hospital (building) for the broken."

In our vocabulary the church has shifted from the people to the building.  I believe this is absolutely harmful to believers.  First, it makes "church" something you attend instead of the truth, something you are!  It also says to the person, "This building is important." instead of "You are important!"  I realize some will think I'm getting too worked up over a technicality but, am I?  I know of people who attended "church" most of their lives who are JUST NOW understanding the church is them not a place we go on Sundays.  A church building is not the house of the Lord or some special place.  You are the house of the Lord!  You are that special place!  But so many don't feel that for many reasons; one being, in my opinion, the fact that we are always calling a building the church instead of calling the people the church.  I hope you can see what I'm trying to say here.

Like I said of the above quote, it's a nice sentiment.  But it's still not truth.

  

Nothing Wasted

Nothing Wasted is the name of my bands (Waiting Here) first full length album.  We've been together since 2010 (with a few members coming and going).  I still remember the night myself, Brian (Bass Player), and Dave (Keyboard) got together and officially formed the band.  I wasn't 100% sure what the future held for us three but I was very excited.  This wasn't my first time forming a band but it was the first time I helped form a band centered around my own personal music/songs.  (The first band I ever helped form was a metal band called Miserable State... I only have a few pleasant memories from that time oi).  Another reason I was so excited was Brian, Dave, and I had just got back from a missions trip to New Orleans where we lead worship.  The three of us had never played together until then and things just clicked.  God was over every service we lead so I was excited that our band was going to do the same thing where ever we went to play.

Oh some of the names we came up with were absolutely terrible.  Eventually we settled on Waiting Here.  The suggestion actually came from my wife.  One of my absolute favorite songs is Miracle Maker by Delirious.  The opening lyric to that song is, "I'm waiting here for my life to change..."  No other line of words could fit my life (testimony) better than those.  I was 100% convinced of the name after reading Isaiah 40:31, "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength;  They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."
I'll admit that I had some "head-in-the-clouds" moments early on.  I was convinced that we'll record a demo, someone in the music biz will hear it, we'll get a giant record deal and all that will happen in just a few short months.  One of my all time favorite movies is "That Thing You Do" so I totally thought, "Yeah.  Overnight success could really happen."  I laugh now but I really did think that in the beginning.  Eventually reality hit me at our first "real" gig.  We were told that there could be anywhere from 300 to 500 people showing up and we get to headline the whole thing!  We had just recorded our first demo (please tell me no one has that eek!) when we got the call for this gig so we were PUMPED!  "We just got our demo done and are already play a show for 500 people?! YEAH BUDDY!"  I thought...  I remember being frustrated with Dave that he was only able to make 100 demos we could sell (he was up til 4am the day we were leaving making them).  Doesn't he know that now 400 people are going to be mad that they can't get a demo?!  Long story short: absolutely no one came to that show!  The only people that were there had to be there because they were working it in one capacity or another.  This is so funny to me now and I love that it happened the way it happened.    We've had a few members come and go (all drummers... go figure).  We got a little more rock added to our band when my brother Chris started playing electric guitar for us.  It is a true honor to have him as a band-mate.  He was definitely a missing puzzle piece that perfectly fit in to place in our music.    Finally after a few years of gigging, a second demo, and hundreds of slices of pizza (if you're in a band you know what I mean), we met this awesome bro and producer, Mike Ryan.  We learned a TON as we recorded at BigChair studio.  I don't think I've ever grown that much in that short amount of time ever in my life.  The entire Ryan family are amazing people.  It took us longer than we expected but after a little over a year, we had our album finished.  Nothing Wasted.  The name came from Romans 8:28 and the fact that we have songs that are praising our mighty God but also songs that talk of real life struggle.  And in real life when it comes to good things, bad things, and everything in between, none of it is wasted with God.  I will never forget sitting in my office placing the order of our first set of albums.  It was business as usual.  Upload tracks?  Check.  Upload artwork?  Check.  Read terms and agree?  Check.  Reconfirm everything?  Check.  Type in credit card info?  Check.  Place order and ball like a baby?  Check.  You read that right.  The instant I clicked 'Place Order' I was floored with a flood of emotion.  I immediately started crying.  I'm talking ugly face, salty sting-your-eyes tears crying!  I was not expecting to get so emotional over it.  It just all of a sudden clicked in my head: the dream you've been dreaming about since you were a small child, you're living it out right now!    No, our hard work isn't over.  In many ways it's just begun.  But let me tell you, when you are living a dream of yours / working towards making it your complete reality, there is no better feeling.  So let this encourage you to not only dream but work towards that dream!  You can make it happen!  And through all the good things that happen, all the bad things that happen, and everything in between, remember this:  there's nothing wasted with God!