tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76970052106792913252024-03-12T20:15:28.048-07:00living.in.tuneLife is a song. The greatest song ever. I am learning to play in tune. Learning to listen, learning to keep focused on the composer at work. GOD. These are the notes on my page of music helping me to live life in tune.living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-22011601421960454182010-06-27T22:01:00.000-07:002010-06-27T22:10:40.120-07:00Confused...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Well</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">definitely</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">haven</span>'t <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">been</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">thing</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">in</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">while</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">but</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">really</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">good</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">friend</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">of</span> mine <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">told</span> me I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">should</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">get</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">back</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">into</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">blogging</span>, so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">here</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">am</span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">guess</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">will</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">just</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">start</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">back</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">up</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">something</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">short</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">it</span>'s <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">heart</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">right</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">now</span>.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">There</span> are so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">things</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">wish</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">could</span> be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">am</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">not</span>,<br />So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">things</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">wish</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">could</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">have</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">but</span> I don't.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">desires</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">want</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">fulfill</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">but</span> I can't.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">dreams</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">but</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">they</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">won</span>'t <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">all</span> come <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">true</span>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">heart</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">for</span> so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">things</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">may</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">never</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">accomplish</span>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">where</span> do I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">go</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">from</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">here</span>? I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">have</span> no idea.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">But</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">will</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">continue</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">put</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">one</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">foot</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">front</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">other</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">let</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">God</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">reveal</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">steps</span>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">In</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_99">end</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">see</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_101">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">life</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_103">looking</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_104">something</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_105">like</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_106">this</span>:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_107">There</span> are so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_108">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_109">things</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_110">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_111">was</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_112">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_113">never</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_114">saw</span>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_115">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_116">things</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_117">had</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_118">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_119">never</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_120">thought</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_121">had</span>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_122">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_123">desires</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_124">fulfilled</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_125">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_126">didn</span>'t <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_127">even</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_128">notice</span>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_129">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_130">dreams</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_131">came</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_132">true</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_133">that</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_134">forgot</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_135">about</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_136">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_137">ones</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_138">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_139">didn</span>'t.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_140">Accomplished</span> so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_141">many</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_142">things</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_143">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_144">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_145">heart</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_146">couldn</span>'t <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_147">even</span> imagine.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That's just what came out of my heart and mind. I am feeling a lot of things I really can't describe or explain, maybe in time I will be able to put them to music and sing my feelings in a song. But for now, I am going to do my best to walk with God, and enjoy the journey.</span></span></div>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-4762997261396834222009-07-07T03:10:00.000-07:002009-07-07T03:25:42.619-07:00Salvation<span style="font-size:85%;">It's been awhile since I have written a song. But today I was in the mood so I wrote a new song. It's obviously written to be played for in a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">deathcore</span>/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">metalcore</span> scene but the lyrics I believe are powerful in and of themselves. So...here it goes.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><u>Salvation<br /></u></strong>Living in a world that is not worthy of such men, we are sons of the King resurrected never to die again.We are immortal though we offer our lives as living sacrifices. We storm the gates of hell with power untold. Breaking all bonds with a message of hope, setting free the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">oppressed</span> with a message of love. We are more than mere mortals we are of royal blood(X2) You cannot defeat and army not afraid to die. We wage war with weapons unknown. Love for hate, submission for violence, we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">annihilate</span> strongholds. With weapons of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">righteousness</span> we defeat strongholds. We are an army that never sleeps, a force that never rests. A royal priesthood <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">heirs</span> in a kingdom of light. We have overcome the world, never to return as slaves. We are more than mere mortals we are of royal blood(X2)</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">--Darin </span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-84691146606977145842009-06-09T02:47:00.000-07:002009-06-14T03:23:36.778-07:00Latest installment in the Darin Chronicles...or something like that.<p><strong><u><span style="font-size:130%;">Whelp, here it goes...</span></u></strong></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, I really don't know what I have planned to say or how to say it. I can't seem to get to sleep and I feel like I need to get something off my chest or try to make something up. So here is what's been going on in my life. If you remember my first and second posts you will know that I am an imperfect person trying to live in tune with the life God has got for me. Sometimes it seems to be easier than others and right now it's really HARD. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I seem to be in a valley, I seem to be doing it wrong no matter how hard I try or what I try to get out of this slump. I psyche myself up with a good prayer or some awesome worship music and then I get out into the real world and fall flat on my face. Then I come back to God ask for forgiveness and start the process all over again. To be honest it is stressful and at times purely depressing. 2 Peter 2:19 says that people are enslaved to whatever defeats them and lately my past has been defeating me. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Let's go back to what I said earlier. I am an imperfect person. My past is littered with sin, and trash. I have made plenty of bad decisions and will continue to do so. I am starting to learn something that I wish I never had to learn, but that is that your past catches up to you. Because of the decisions in my life earlier, my mind is constantly flooded with memories from the past that I wish I didn' have. Thoughts and emotions that I thought were "fun" or "innocent" back then are now haunting me day in and day out. The worst part is that I don't know if it will ever be the same. I don't know if my thoughts will ever be pure, or Holy again. I should probably pray more for it but I never seem to remember to do that. I need to pray more than I should.</span> </p><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><u>Death is the first step</u></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">I think about the life of Jesus sometimes. I would say often, but that would be a lie. Remember: I am not where I need to be. But, I am on my way to get there. Back to Jesus. Jesus was always doing and saying things that didn't quite fit people's expectations of Jesus or what they thought he should be doing and saying, and he wasn't. One of the craziest things I think he says comes in Luke 9.</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">After feeding 5000 men, and telling his apostles that their leader, (Himself), is going to be killed, he says that if anyone wants to follow Him then they have to die first. If they want to find life, they have to lose theirs first. (vs. 23). The crazy thing is that Jesus says, "If ANYONE..." that includes us.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">I think that we forget that he says that and I know that I do for sure. It's what I am struggling with. The reason I seem to be in my rut is the fact that I can't get over myself. I don't trust God enough to die to my wants and desires and I don't think that the life God offers is "fun" enough. It's definitely a faith test and we are always taking the test. So, death is the first step in following Jesus.</span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13;"></span></p><p><strong><u><span style="font-size:130%;">Are we willing...?</span></u></strong></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">This is what I have been reading and thinking a lot about lately. Our willingness I believe plays a huge role in our effectiveness of the Gospel and in our lives of service to God and his people. Do we really believe that God is the only one who can provide our deepest desires and quench our thirsty souls.(John 4). Are we willing to to give up pursuing what we think is the fulfillment of our desires and pursue the heart of God at all costs knowing that in the end we find true fulfillment in Him and the abundant life that he offers. I love John 10:10. <em>A thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that you may have life and have it in abundance.</em> Satan has many, many ways to deceive us. He makes us think we can do it ourselves. He allows us to believe we are in control and that we can provide our wants and desires in life, only to find ourselves broken, depressed and unsatisfied.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Daniel chapter 3 is a great story of willingness in my opinion. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are pretty high up in the Babylon empire. They from earlier events were placed into the king's service and were well respected. But they are placed in a challenge. King Nebuchadnezzer, or Chad as I like to call him, had a golden image made. It was huge. And he made the decree that whoever didn't bow down to worship the image would be thrown into the furnace and burned away. Well, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faced with a decision to make. Were they going to look out for their own lives and bow down, or were they trusting and willing enough to forfeit their lives for God knowing he is the ultimate redeemer and fulfiller of life. Well, we all know the story. They are saved from an angel of the LORD and God is ultimately glorified in the end. But here is the point.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Willingness is what made them effective. They were up against, All of babylon when they opposed the decree of king Chad. Yet they were willing to sacrifice their lives for God. I want to live a life like that. I pray that I can have a willing heart (Psalm 51), and that I am trusting enough to give up everything I know to be right and true, to follow Christ. I want to be willing to let God fulfill me hearts desires and passions in the way he knows is best. So that is my prayer for all who read this....and some others. That we open our hearts and ears to listen to what God wants to give us and teach us and for us to be willing to drop everything and listen to what he says.</span><br /></p><p></p>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-49565826261949494472009-05-19T02:26:00.000-07:002009-05-19T02:55:48.456-07:00Winds of change...<u><span style="font-size:130%;">Well, this is new!</span></u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, this is new. I am posting twice in one week. Could this be a new Darin? I am hoping so. The rest of my post should clue you in on what today had in store.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><u><span style="font-size:130%;">The change.</span></u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I have just finished reading a really good book called "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Flahsbang</span>". It's a humorous that takes stories from the author's life that he ties into deep spiritual truths that are humbling, and though provoking. Reading through the book, I was touched and moved, and encouraged to do some soul searching and evaluating in my life. I have reached some decisions in my life that we all know about ourselves, but I am- while I have the motivation- going to try and do somethings about it. A lot of the things I do, and don't want to do, or don't know that I am doing, I don't even know how to go about changing, or what to change. But I am praying for change. I am praying that I can learn to let go of my death grip of the world and told let go and follow Jesus. I don't know where that will take me. I do know where I am going to start, and starting I have. Other things, I don't know about yet, but with prayer and reading of THE word, and meditation, I believe God will reveal to me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Basically it all boils down to this. Life is a journey in which we grow and are formed into the likeness of Christ. At this point in my life, I feel as though I am static, not moving or growing, and I want to change that. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><u>What changes can be made?</u></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">When I really started to think and throw things around in my mind, I thought of the Jewish people. In history the Jewish culture was and is a very tangible and "real life" culture. In the Bible when God would give them a truth or a command, there was a physical tangible thing in which reminded them of God and the things he did for them. The Jews rocks, and tabernacles and trees, and altars everything they had a deeper spiritual truth behind it.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I said all of that to say this: I am making some physical changes in my life to remind me of the spiritual changes that I am hoping take place in my "REAL" life. Some of the changes, are dramatic big changes and some of them aren't. And I am not changing everything, just some things. But the things I am changing are to remind me to grow and to always make a habit of, or to take things out of my life that don't need to be there. I am not sure how things are going to go, but I am going to try none the less.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><u><span style="font-size:130%;">My apologies...</span></u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I am in deed sorry if that you thought this post would be deep and meaningful and informative of THE word and how you could grow. Or maybe me thinking this is arrogant in the first place, and in that case...I am also sorry.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">But maybe to salvage what validity this post has, I leave you with this: Change! We are all clay in the hands of a loving creator. He wants to mold us and to shape us into beautiful and useful tools for his kingdom and if we harden up and never let him mold us we become useless and brittle. We break and eventually die. So, strive for growth, and maturity. Remember there is ALWAYS room for growth. But also remember, we won't ever get it right and we are always in need of his grace.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Love you all I hope that this was worth reading.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">John 16:33</span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-2537105177457180842009-05-17T04:26:00.000-07:002009-05-17T05:06:29.071-07:00To be determined...<u>Well hello there!</u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">It's been quite a while since I have blogged, and for that I apologize. I write this more for myself than I write for the reader, because I can't sleep and because, I don't really have any readers. If I had any, this post would still be for me. However, since some people may read this, I am glad you are reading this and maybe through the grace of God you can learn something from it. Who knows?</span><br /><br /><u>What's up in my world...</u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Wow, has God turned my life upside down since the last time I wrote anything. I am no longer in Eastern Europe. In fact I have been home and left since then. I now life in the beautiful country of New Zealand. What an amazing place to be serving God. As I write this I see very clearly that I am not a very good writer and I apologize for those of you who are still with me up to this point. Let's get started, shall we?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Right now I am in what seems like "Limbo" God has called me to do some crazy and big things but at the same time I feel as though I have no direction to what I need to be doing. I really feel like Abraham (Gen. 12), not because I am some huge giant in the faith, or because I have done some great feat, but because God has called me to pick up and leave the things I have known as comfort and sent me to a place I don't know about. I don't know when I will get there, how I will get there, or where it is that I am going. All I know is that I am going. It's freeing to live a life completely dependent on God but at the same time it's so hard a challenging. There are days where I want to give up and live for myself. I want to know where I will end up and how I am going to get there. I want to know if I will marry, and who she is. There are a lot of things that I WANT to know but God never tells me. And sometimes that really bothers me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I have been reading quite a bit lately and these books that I am reading talk a lot about character development and the journey in my spiritual life. It's one of those things I have always heard but never really understood. I may never fully understand, but I am getting a clearer picture as time goes on. Character development takes time, pressure, experience, trials- so many things that mean it's going to hurt and you won't understand till later on in life, if ever. So much has happened lately to help develop my character, or so I hope, and it's not been so happy. Some of my relationships have gone bad, my living situations aren't always the greatest, lack of financial support, and a lot of my future seems so up in the air. I have no idea where to go, or what to do and that weighs heavily on my heart lately.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I feel as though this is where faith becomes real. Living as a disciple of Jesus isn't always easy. You are forced to make choices in lots of situations that aren't always comfortable. Do I <em>really</em> believe that Jesus is who he says he is and that my life is truly redemptive? Is the stress and heartache I am dealing with worth it? To go through and say "yes" to these questions is what I believe faith is. Faith is where we make decisions based on less than all that facts that go against what our simple human wisdom says to do.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I love how the Bible mentions several times the word "walk" </span><span style="font-size:85%;">(Gen. 3:8; 1 Kings 2:4; Micah 6:8; Romans 4:12; </span><span style="font-size:85%;">1 John 1:5-7...)</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Walking is slow, but it has direction and it has purpose. And I am learning that walking with God is all we can do. There are so many things I love about the Bible. I love them so much I get distracted thinking about them. Check this: (Psalm 119:105) says that God's word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. Wow, how crazy is that. We aren't shown much in front of us just enough to know for sure that when we walk with God the ground under our feet is solid enough to stand on. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I don't know a whole lot about anything, but I do know that the pain is worth it. I do know that fighting a battle that seems pointless, isn't. I know that there is reason for what we go through. I know there is a God who loves us, and has a plan for our lives, but it takes time, and hurt. We are being renewed everyday, we are being molded into who we were made to be.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><u>So what's next?</u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">What's next? I don't know. That is yet to be determined.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">God I thank you for late nights where I can't sleep. I thank you for these times that I can dig into your word and look into myself to see where my heart is and see if I am walking with you. God, I pray for those around me. I pray that I can be transparent so that the people around me can see you. Help me to continue to live for you, and live the life you have created me to live. I pray for direction, but I am learning to be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">okay</span> to take it a step at a time. LORD give me the strength to rest in you and the desire to run t you when it hurts and nothing makes sense. You are a good God, and I thank you for everything.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> AMEN</span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-53626605971670376262009-01-27T13:44:00.000-08:002009-01-27T15:24:39.074-08:00The LORD, the LORD<u><strong>My Apologies:</strong></u><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I am not very consistent with posting but what the hey, I am young and undisciplined. So, here is what's been on my heart lately.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><strong><u>My Condition:</u></strong><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Well my condition in life is not unlike everyone else's as stated in Romans 3:23, "<em>For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." </em>That's the truth. I am still sinning. It's funny to me sometimes how pathetic I really am. I fight, and I fight, and I make little to no progress. And after the day is over, I journal and pray asking for forgiveness and I go to sleep. I wake up and repeat the same process over again. I am sure there are Bible scholars and very spiritual and awesome Christians out there who, although don't have it all figured out, are further along than I am. They could tell me my problem and what I need to fix it and to grow. But, I am growing. I am walking and I am working to become the man of God I was called to be. I make a lot of mistakes, and I sin and I fall, but...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><strong><u>God's Grace:</u></strong><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">God's grace is more than enough. This is where the title of my Blog comes into play. I was reading in Exodus, and I was reading the part where God reveals his glory to Moses. And what God says about himself, is something that has brought me a lot of peace and a lot of comfort these past few days. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>"And He passed in front of Moses proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickeness, rebellion and sin..." --Exodus 34:6-7</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Man, that has been helping me a lot. I don't know deep spiritual truths and I don't have strong theology, but I do sin, and feel pain and guilt. I don't understand everything about the Bible, but I do know that God is infinitely patient with me. God is full of grace and mercy and even when I am in my lowest of lows, and neck deep in my sin, He loves me with a love that will never end. I thank God, with all that I am, for his grace. I thank God because he sees me as his child. What an awesome feeling.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I have been struggling with thoughts, and actions, and just being human. I needed to share this with people. I wanted to share what's been helping me. I don't understand everything, but what God has blessed me with I will use to encourage others. Go with God, and live free in his comforting arms, endless grace, limitless love, and infinite patience.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-20168794708134955772008-12-14T06:24:00.000-08:002008-12-14T07:06:48.926-08:00The Art and Deception of Being Busy<span style="font-size:85%;">I had a conversation with a brother today, and I left pretty discouraged. I left feeling like I was not doing enough, and that the way to be happier is to do more, and that I need to be like other people who were busier. I got the impression that doing more, being involved with more things is the way to redeem people; and that "prospective" Christians- I hate that term- are only reached through programs and activities. I walked away hurt and discouraged. I walked away feeling like the people I have helped, the brothers in the body I have spent time with was all for nothing. I felt that my idea of discipleship and encouragement was not up to par with a program that brings people to a building and teaches people earthly knowledge with just a sprinkle of true life in Jesus on top. I was deeply crushed and hurt. But it made me think to myself how much this happens all the time. So, it led me to write my thoughts on "The Art and Deception of Being Busy"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Art and Deception of Being Busy<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span><br />There is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which me must be saved. (Acts 4:12) There are no programs, institutions, clubs, or seminars that result in salvation. Neither for ourselves, nor for those who are lost. The art of and deception of being busy is plaguing people with the idea that being busy saves and redeems God's people. Or that doing lots of activities brings happiness to those who are depressed, or comfort to those that are hurting. Jesus did not start Weight Watchers not did he teach English. He lived and taught Discipleship, Love, and that there is a remedy to the terminal illness of sin, and that He was it. (John 14:6)<br /> <br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The art of and deception of being busy. Lots of classes and hours of service do not save and they do not redeem people. They in and of themselves, are not wrong, nor are they bad. However, when we get Discipleship and true service confused with being busy, the Devil has won. The Devil loves people who work all the time. The Devil loves it when we are too busy to help the family of God and those who are truly seeking and are in need. The Devil loves busy people. Busy people forget the peace, rest, and comfort found in, and ONLY in the Lord.<br /> <br />Do serve, and do teach. Do encourage, and do help, but don't be busy. Be redemptive and humble. Don't have hidden agendas or ulterior motives. Be transparent and be open. Be supportive, but don't be busy.<br /> <br />1 Timothy 1:5-6 says, " Now the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion." The message of the Gospel is only for good, but as you can see, there were people who wanted to be BUSY rather than redemptive. And Paul warns against it.<br /><br />The Enemies of Jesus, or Pharisees, were the best at being busy. Pharisees prayed loud prayers, in the open. They gave lots of money in the presence of others to show off. They held banquets, knowing that they would be invited to many others, and they made sure they taught people how to keep God's law. The Pharisees, were very busy people. They made Jesus sick. In Matthew 23 Jesus Rebukes them and their religious hypocrisy. They were looking BUSY for the people to see, but they were nothing but busy. Empty, and fruitless. We are called to not be busy, but to be fruitful and redemptive. We are called to relationship with God and his people.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The art of and deception of being busy. Joy and peace are not found in tasks, but in the bosom of our Lord. Rest is found in the words and heart of Jesus. Matthew 11:28-29 show that Jesus offers rest, and that we only find that rest when we take on the work of his will, and not being busy. Only true devotion to the Lord and submission to his will, will we find peace and rest. *Note: I am the worst of the worst in this area, I do not pretend to be an expert. I am just sharing with what I am learning and struggling with. I am not perfect.<br /><br />Don't let being busy determine your thinking. Don't be so task oriented you look over those who are truly in need. Don't be so distracted with programs and clubs that you forge to live the abundant life Jesus came to give.(John 10:10) Open your eyes, escape, and see through THE ART AND DECEPTION OF BEING BUSY.<br /><br /> -- Darin Thompson<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> <br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-23921771265323016362008-12-12T12:22:00.000-08:002008-12-12T12:33:31.831-08:00Hmm...<span style="font-size:85%;">Dear world, (at least those who read this thing)<br /><br />I realized something today. I talk too much. I really, really hate it. I sometimes think I have something important to say, or something intelligent to share with the world. I am starting to realize that that usually is not true. I can accept this. I get a lot of comments from the people around me, most of them seem to be negative. I sometimes feel ignored or attacked. That may be true, I seriously, seriously feel that way sometimes. But maybe they have a point. I talk all the time, but never really say anything. So, I don't think I am going to talk much anymore. I seriously don't have anything good to say. Just filler to keep me busy.<br /><br />I would like to think I could keep it up...we'll see. I think I seriously may try to live out the old time bit of wisdom, speak when spoken to. Sure that may be something parents say to get their kids to shut-up and pretend that those are polite manners, but I think I am going to try and live it out...For awhile at least. I will continue to write thoughts, and listen to music and things like that, but I just don't feel like talking anymore. Maybe I will learn something. I hope.<br /><br />God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.<br /><br />I leave you all with this verse that stuck out to me today.<br /><br />"By your endurance gain your lives."<br /> - Luke 21:19<br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-50123287513660269222008-11-10T02:27:00.001-08:002008-11-10T02:27:51.777-08:00Faith...is the victory that overcomes the world?<span style="font-size:85%;">So, today the team was cleaning up the "garden" and the parking lot today. We were picking up trash obviously. And it wasn't like a cool, youth group project where there are 30 zealous kids, singing and laughing and making it a grand ole' time. I was by myself most of the time, and it left me with a lot of time to think about life and my decisions in life. FAITH was a big thing that came to mind.<br /><br />I was thinking about what Faith really looked like, and how it played out in my life. In case you didn't know this about me, I tend to take things to the extreme or say bold things, that may be offensive or "off color". But while I was picking up trash I had this thought:<br /><br />"What in the world am I doing. I am cleaning up trash in a Godless country, in FAITH, and hope that some spiritual deity in the great cosmos is going to make sense out of all of this seemingly insignificant task, some where in some point in time."<br /><br />Then it only expanded from there. Where does my faith come from? Then I realized, it came from a book. Words on a page, are guiding my life. Or at least I try to let them guide me. Everything in my life is because of words on a page in a most significant order.<br /><br />These words say there is a God who created everything around me. They tell me that he crushed nations, and he lifted them up. That from the beginning of time, he had a plan in motion to bring about relationship with peons. Little "grasshoppers" and this God, says he is going to send his son to wipe away sin from the earth so that we can enter in a pure and undefiled relationship with the this God, that gives and takes away. He also Tests, but doesn't tempt, He forgives and forgets sin, but knows everything at the same time. He knows the outcome of the world, yet we still have free will.<br /><br />I know the historicity and credibility of the Bible, but still, FAITH requires you to take that step and let words on a page be a guide for your life.<br /><br />I guess you could say that I was struggling with my faith, but I think I am slowly realizing more and more what it is. Sometimes Faith doesn't make any sense at all, and you are left stranded guessing and worrying. But Faith says I have grace. Needless to say, I will never run out of things to think about and ponder.<br /><br />What does your faith look like? What is it telling you?<br /><br />My faith is a mystery, and it is revealed to my a little everyday. My faith is a victory that will overcome the world. Will yours?</span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-90192447463991112692008-11-01T16:24:00.000-07:002008-11-01T16:51:17.642-07:00An open book..<span style="font-size:85%;">Sorry for the next however long this becomes. This is a complete rant of how I "feel" at the moment.<br /><br />I hate where I am. I don't want God as much as I want, I want to live for myself. I Hate living on the mission Field. I hate being away from my family. My heart hurts for many people and many things. I want so much out of life and I feel that is passing away in front on my eyes while I sit here and feel useless and wasteful. I don't have the courage or the strength or the motivation to change. I don't want to change. I enjoy where I am, and hate it at the same time. My life is such a paradox.<br /><br />I am depressed, but joyful. hateful but thankful. confused but I know what I am doing. Lost, but found. Blind, but I see. I know what to do, but I don't do it. I want to complain. I want to do something else. I want to be home. I want to play music, I want to cry, and laugh. I want to be right with God, but I don't want to feel guilty for sin. I want to be with the girl of my dreams. I want to be where I want to be without the pain and growth, right now. I don't want to fear, I don't want to hurt, I don't want to doubt. I want to shout, and run. I want what I want, and I want it now. This post is so depressing and negative, but I have to say it. I can't hold it in.<br /><br />I need to cry, but I can't. I need to repent, but I don't know how. I want my arm to quit twitching, but it won't. I want to worship, but I feel trapped. I want connection with God and the power to overcome sin, but I don't know how to get it. I want to have the faith I see on stage. I want to feel as though I have everything together. I want to have a huge faith. I want God to fit in my box. I want God to do what I want him to do, the way I want it done. I want my way to be effective. I want my way to be the best way. I want people to cater to my needs. I want to surf, and to play footbag. I want to play the drums in a band. I want my life to be a living sacrifice to the Lord. But I want it on my terms. I want to be humble, but I don't want it to hurt. I want to be submissive but I don't want to serve.<br /><br />What is my problem, where have I gone wrong. I can't put my finger on it. I hate the lame simply answers to my problems. I only hate them because I know that they are the truth. I want to have my bad attitude and expect things to be good for me. I want a negative outlook and then things to be positive. I want, I want I want.<br /><br />What a pathetic loser, I have become. Stuck in sin. Sometimes I care, and sometimes I don't. My prayers are cold, my faith is weak. My walk is more of a stumble. I am not growing, I am not maturing. I am dying and I can feel it. I hear the message, but I don't apply. I love the story, but don't want to be in it. I want praise from men, and I want all the Glory. I want to be on the throne, and I want my crown. How weak I am. Am I ranting? Am I just flying off the handle and don't mean anything I say? Who knows. Am I going crazy? What a wretch I am. I am definitely not strong. People doubt if I will make it here. I doubt myself. Maybe I won't make it. Maybe I will quit. I don't want to, but at the same time I do. I will continue to wake up every morning and put my feet in my shoes and walk. I will fall, and hate, I will sin and cry. I will be confused and I will sin. I will want, and I will curse. I will judge, and I will mock. I will be a hypocrite and I will criticize. I will expect things to be done a certain way, and I will be upset when they don't work out. God if you are there, hear my pray. Fix my broken spirit. Lift me up in my day of trouble.<br /><br />Here is my prayer God:<br /><br />God, I want to love you more than I do.<br />I don't want to sin, but I will, and I will want to when it happens.<br />I am afraid of the end, I am afraid of forever.<br />I doubt the power of your grace, and the journey I am on.<br />I don't talk to you enough nor do I read enough of your word.<br />You know me better than I know myself. You know me in and out.<br />You love it when I rant and rave, because you will be there when I look back and become embarrassed.<br />You love it when I hit wall after wall and realize you are what I am looking for the whole time.<br />You love it when I love you. You love it when I somehow get things right.<br />Lord, you know what I hate, you know where I hate being.<br />God, you know everything about me. Things are either going to change or they won't.<br />I just don't know what to do anymore. I am a "leader" and I am the worst of the worst.<br />I don't know what to say, or how to say, it So I am just going to end it right here...<br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-74416150985158211542008-09-22T14:34:00.000-07:002008-09-22T14:38:10.666-07:00Glass Case of Emotion<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Glass Case of Emotion<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Father God I am trapped<br />I am trapped by my fear of the great unknown<br />Free me from myself Lord, lift me up in my time of need<br />My God be present in my life<br />Bring my the comfort you have promised, heal me from the inside out.<br />You are my light and my salvation<br />I shall not fear<br />I shall not fear<br />You are my strength and my comfort<br />I shall not fear<br />I shall not fear<br />Father God I am trapped, Set me Free!<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-91829061419852378662008-09-15T09:27:00.000-07:002008-09-15T09:34:33.327-07:00We Shall See Landfall<span style="font-size:85%;">I have written another song, I hope you like it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We Shall See Landfall<br /><br /></span>In over our heads we have exhausted all possibilities<br />Our human efforts have proven to be a waste and our earthly wisdom is useless<br />The seas continue to roar and the winds don't cease<br />The Master continues to sleep<br /><br />Don't you care that we are going to die (x3)<br /><br />Peace, Be Still (x3)<br /><br />Why do you fear Oh where is your faith<br />Hear my promise and believe<br />You will see landfall, you will be safe<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-50663298745325624342008-09-13T12:37:00.000-07:002008-09-13T12:50:43.314-07:00Are you there God? It's me.<span style="font-size:85%;">ALONE!<br /><br />Do you like the feeling of being alone? neither do I and that is how I felt just about all day.</span> I think being or feeling alone is a very dark and scary feeling. A feeling that God doesn't want us to feel.<br /><br />I felt truly alone today. I was out, with a band that I met here in Albania. They are some cool guys, but the spirit is not in them. Today, I was alone. I felt Satan's power of the world. I felt his angels in the world, working and hardening hearts and turning people away from their creator. And to be honest, it made me want to curl up and die. I don't think we were created to be alone. Even Jesus knew the necessity of companionship. We see this in The Gospel of Mark 14:32-42.<br /><br />Here we see Jesus facing his impending doom head on. He knows he's about to be betrayed, and he knows he is about to suffer. And he doesn't want to face it alone. So he asks his 3 best and closest friends to be with him and keep watch. Peter, James, and John. But guess what. They fall asleep. How terrible Jesus must have felt. Jesus is facing death and all he wants is his best friends to be with him, and they dessert him because they are a little tired. We know the rest of the story. I don't say that to make light of it, but we do know the story.<br /><br />My emphasis was on the fact that even the king of the world needed companionship and friendship in the spirit. We live in a dark world, don't try and face it alone. Be bold, be courageous, but do it with community, have accountability have friends. Don't be alone.<br /><br />I encourage you to step up to the challenge and create the unity in the spirit. Go out and find the person who is alone, start a group that is all about christian community. Don't wait for it to come to you because it won't. I am telling you this from experience. Companionship is a necessity, and I believe with every aspect of my being that we were meant to be together. So let's live it.<br /><br />God Bless.living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-79674182783950681192008-09-05T12:04:00.000-07:002008-09-05T12:13:46.260-07:00But...<span style="font-size:85%;">We are all guilty of using the word "but". It's part of our human nature. We are beings of condition. We are beings that like things, BUT, if it hurts us or costs us something, we seem to complain or we let it go all together.<br /><br />I have been thinking this quite a bit today and this is my thought. If we made a list of our this or that, BUT we would have a long list and I believe it would look pretty silly and pathetic.<br /><br />I love you, BUT I don't like you.<br />I will help you, BUT I won't enjoy it.<br />I will teach, BUT I know nothing good will come out of it.<br />I know what to do, BUT I can't do it.<br /><br />The list can, and does go on. But, the point of this post was to look at Jesus. These are some of the things I see Jesus and God saying all the time. The list, to me, looks something different.<br /><br />I know that creation will turn and forget me, BUT I will create them anyway.<br />I know they will ignore my laws and commands, BUT I will give them a way to come back to me.<br />I know they will reject me and persecute me, BUT I will go down and die anyway.<br />I know I could turn these stones into bread, BUT man does not live on bread alone.<br />I know I am innocent, BUT I lay my life down so that others may live.<br />I know that I am scared, BUT I am going anyway.<br /><br />But...Nothing is what I have to say for myself. I have no right complaining or arguing about anything. So, let's go out there and be Jesus.<br /><br />I know I am a sinner, BUT I am redeemed. So I am trying to live like it.<br /><br />God Bless.<br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-10205472780337395392008-08-31T13:58:00.000-07:002008-08-31T14:44:46.655-07:00Beauty of Silence<span style="font-size:85%;">There are times that I absolutely despise myself. I hate being prideful and I hate belittling people, and I hate trying to put myself on a pedestal. But guess what, I do it every day. And chances are, you do to.<br /><br />Walking home tonight I was unusually quiet. A friend spoke up and asked me why I was so quiet. My answer was quick and simple. This what I said:<br /><br />" I was thinking about my speech. I was thinking that, if I never belittled someone, or made myself look better than someone, nor did I make fun of someone, I would probably be silent."<br /><br />And I was. I have the hardest time being humble. Many people know that. (Thanks for pointing it out!) My whole life I have ignored the simple saying, " If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." I have always had to say something. I have always had to prove something, or always had to defend myself.<br /><br />I recently looked up the definition of <span style="font-style: italic;">"Humble" </span>and this is what I got.<br /><br />Humble- having or showing a consciousness of one's shortcomings; modest.<br /><br />That's what I lack. I admit that I have faults and tell people I am no good all the time. But I don't act like it. Still deep down I act as though I am the best, and I never mess up. What arrogance. What foolishness. Take it from me. It's a life of misery. It's really pathetic how I sound when at the end of the day, I play the things I have said over in my head. It makes me ill. Please learn from me, be humble.<br /><br />But it's one thing to know something, and another to realize and apply something. You can't be humble if you talk all the time. Maybe that is an arrogant thing to say. Maybe I am the only one who can't be humble and talk all the time. But I think it is universally true.<br /><br />I think of Jesus. The Bible records him preaching a lot. But I always see him sitting at a well, or in a synagogue. But what about all the times we don't read about Jesus. What about those long walks from place to place with his apostles. I wonder if he were quiet most of the time. I would love to spend time around Jesus and see if he really did talk a lot.<br /><br />The Bible records Moses being the most humble man in the Bible. I wonder how that happened. He spent a lot of time by himself. Running all the way from Egypt to Midian and then being a shepherd for Jethro's sheep. He probably didn't talk much. Spending time in meditation and prayer is probably what he did a lot of his time.<br /><br />I am starting to see a connection. I pray from humility every day. But still I catch myself, or others catch me, slipping up. I add my two cents when it doesn't matter. It's the small things that drive me nuts. A little attack there and a little defense there. What does it matter? What am I trying to defend? Jesus is the only perfect one, and when he had a chance to defend himself, he was silent, like a sheep led to the slaughter. I am becoming silent. I am becoming humble. I am becoming like Jesus.<br /><br />Oh, the beauty of silence.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Humble yourselves before the lord and he will exalt you." </span>James 4:10<br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-29316284468101775542008-08-20T13:20:00.000-07:002008-08-20T13:27:36.889-07:00Unveiling Truth<span style="font-size:85%;">This is another song that I have written. I like to write a lot it seems like. This is just another expression of what's been on my heart here in Albania.<br /><br />Unveiling Truth<br /><br />What is it going to take<br />What needs to be done for you to believe<br />I pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened<br />I hope one day you accept the truth that looms over you<br /><br />If it's evidence you want there is plenty<br />If it's proof you desire open your eyes and see<br />For everyone who asks receives<br />Everyone who seeks finds<br />Kock and the door shall be opened<br /><br />The truth is constant<br />The facts don't change<br />Ignorance is not bliss and you will soon have hell to pay<br />Open your eyes and see<br />Humble yourself and believe<br />Accept the truth and live<br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-68529470660661648492008-08-13T13:03:00.000-07:002008-08-13T13:26:47.208-07:00Bed of RosesThis is just a song I wrote today. Not to long, but when you pause and add breakdowns and sweet riffs, it will make for a pretty good song.<br /><br /><br />Bed of Roses<br /><br />you better wake up<br />time is not on your side<br />wake up and smell the roses<br />for even they will soon die<br />this is not a game<br />He's coming back and he plays for keeps<br />there will be no more chances<br />excuses will not suffice<br /><br />wake up<br />wake up <br />you better wake up<br /><br />brood of vipers<br />you can't escape the end<br />a time is coming when judgment will come<br />you can't run and you can't hide<br />here's you chance the time is ticking<br />the end is near and his justice will be served<br />don't walk away don't turn your back<br /><br />wake up<br />wake up<br />you better wake up!living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-70244559401605235892008-08-08T13:15:00.000-07:002008-08-08T14:20:44.169-07:00Excuse me waiter...More water please?<span style="font-size:85%;">Wow, God blew me away today.<br /><br />We had our evening class at church and the speaker was talking about water. I have heard it all a million times, Jesus is the living water drink and you will never be thirsty again. (It's highlighted in my Bible.) It sounds great and people love to hear it. Today, however, I understand LIVING water a little more than I did yesterday. Here is what I realized.<br /><br /><br />Creation- I am not sure if I understand it fully or not, but my Bible says the in the beginning the world was formless and empty and <span style="font-style: italic;">water </span>covered the whole earth. So we see from the beginning there was <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span>. Before there was life on this earth there was<span style="font-style: italic;"> water</span>. (Genesis 1:2)<br /><br />Garden of Eden- The Bible says it did not rain in the garden, <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span> would come up from the ground and <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span> the plants. From that I get that the plants and everything growing grew right from the source of living <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span>. It did not have to rain for nourishment and growth, the ground was saturated with life. We also read of 4 Rivers that flow through the garden. What purpose did they serve. It gave life of course! From the very beginning, we can see that <span style="font-style: italic;">water </span>gives life. (Genesis 2:10-14)<br /><br />Jacob and the twelve tribes- This is kind of far-fetched and you have to use your imagination but Jacob met those men at the well and because of that found Laban who gave him his wives and eventually through the well, the promise of God to Abraham was fulfilled. (Genesis 29)<br /><br />The Exodus- The Israelites after 430 years of slavery, after seeing the power of God in plagues and in the parting of the Red Sea, which by the way is a body of <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span>. When they forgot all about God his ability to provide they complained. God tells moses to strike a rock. What happens? <span style="font-style: italic;">Water </span>gushes out. First of all you have to picture close to two million people. In numbers it looks something like this: 2,000,000. That's a whole lot of people. This is not some small stream we are getting here. This is a river in the desert. It provided life for a few million people. That is living <span style="font-style: italic;">water.<br /><br /></span> There are many more examples I am sure of <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span> and how important to life. We see them all the time, but we think nothing of it. It's so simple, yet so necessary to life. Let's fastforward some years. I am not a Bible scholar but I would venture to guess somewhere a thousand years passes by, possibly more. Let's take a look at the new Testament...<br /><br />John The Baptist- What was John's mision in life? It was to prepare the war for the Lord. He came baptizing people for their remission of sins. What is a key element to Baptism? Water. (Don't critique my last phrase. I know that water really isn't an element. It is a compound made up of a simple mixture of 2Hydrogen Atoms to 1Oxygen atom. Let's stick to the point at hand.) <span style="font-style: italic;">Water </span>is essential for baptism. How crazy is that? The same thing necessary for life on this earth is the same thing necessary for spiritual life.( *Note* Obviously there are different opinion on the matter at hand. I suggest studying the scriptures for yourself and finding answeres that you may believe to be true. This is what I have come to believe.)<br /><br />And last and obviously not last...<br /><br />JESUS CHRIST- Please turn to John Chapter 4.<br />Here the savior of the world- who has humbled himself more than any one man can grasp (Philippians 2)- sits down at a well and askes a "half-breed" for a drink of <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span>. The Son of Man is thirsty. He asks for <span style="font-style: italic;">water.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>WOW! that's incredible. So simple yet it leads to something powerful and deep. At this point I kinda feel like Jesus is smiling to himself. He knows he is about to blow this lady away and he is having a hard time keeping it in. So he asks her for a drink. You really have to understand the culture of the day to really get this, but she replies, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink of water from me, a Samaritan Woman?"<br />Then Jesus starts: " If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, "Give Me a drink," you would ask Him, and he would give you living <span style="font-style: italic;">water."<br /></span>They continue back and forth about physicial <span style="font-style: italic;">water </span>and drawing it of a well. But Jesus cuts in again, and says that people who drink that <span style="font-style: italic;">water </span>become thirsty again and they have to come back and get more <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span>. Now, Jesus let's her really have it. He talks about the living <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span> that he gives, that He is.<br /><br />Of course that lady's life changes for ever when she realizes that she is talking to the Messiah, and she runs away and tells the whole city. ( I think) But that is so key to life. Right here we see the I AM in the flesh telling us that true life is a wellspring of <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span> flowing out of us giving life to those around us.<br /><br />Today, <span style="font-style: italic;">water </span>is a big thing in the world. Helping people get clean water to drink, just to survive. There are people dying every second almost, because they don't have clean water to drink. The most simple of concepts and we fail to see it everyday. "NO WATER=NO LIFE"<br />So please, let's drink together the living <span style="font-style: italic;">water</span> of the Lord. Let's share in the abundance of the well that never goes dry.<br /><br />I really like the song "All Who are Thirsty" I have included them at the end of this blog. Sorry so long once again. But deal with is. You didn't have to read this far. I love you all, and I am praying.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span id="intelliTXT">All who are thirsty<br />All who are weak<br />Come to the fountain<br />Dip your heart in the stream of life<br />Let the pain and the sorrow<br />Be washed away<br />In the waves of his mercy<br />As deep cries out to deep (we sing)<br /><br />Come Lord Jesus come<br /><br /><br />Holy Spirit come<br /><br /><br />As deep cries out to deep<br /><br />"All Who are Thirsty by: Kutless"<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-61045363746818765272008-08-02T06:42:00.000-07:002008-08-02T07:27:31.409-07:00Living In Tune!<span style="font-size:78%;">Greetings,<br /><br />Well, now is the time I will explain my new perspective on life and how I view God.<br /><br />LIVING IN TUNE!<br /><br />Like I said earlier, I am not a theologian. I am not clever nor do I understand deep truths hidden in the Bible. But I do on the other hand understand music. I love it. I feel it. I need it. In my life I feel a connection to God through music. I see God reveal himself in melodies, and in harmony. I see God and feel his presence in hardcore breakdowns, and blast beats. I can sense him in scales and rudiments.<br /><br />I had been fighting internally with my faith, and decisions I have made in my life time. I sometimes question my decision to come to AIM and move away from comforts and securities and of course music. I don't know why I said no to playing music and a possible career, or at least an interest in pursuing one and saying yes to leaving for the God I serve.<br /><br />Then it hit me. The story of God is a beautifully composed and written piece of music. God knows how it is to sound, and how knows how he wants it to be played. The composer knows his music better than the musicians. Musicians sometimes have ideas they think are good, and things they think should add, but in the end, God's is better. In truly coming to grips with this, I also realized, that my life in an instrument in the song.<br /><br />I sometimes think that I know what's best, or what would sound best. So, I play it. I go ahead and play that trill, or hold out on a hold a little too long, or I add an accidental where it doesn't belong. Sometimes it probably sounds good, and others like to hear it, but other times, it's way off key and it's repulsive. So, that's why my new out look on life is living in tune. I know I will always sound best if I play what God has written. I will be exactly right, when I play what God has written.<br /><br />There are a few very simple, but very important rules in playing music composed parts for many people:<br /><br />Listen- Listening is key in playing music. You are not the only musician. We are surrounded by musicians. Playing in and out of tune we need to discern what is the song of the Lord and we need to listen to others that are playing our song. We need to listen and we need to adjust ourselves to the music. We need to always remember to listen. When we listen we know and feel what to play. And in the end, we will learn to play in tune more often and easier.<br /><br />Keep time- This is also very important. Let's face it, you won't play all the notes right every time. You will come to a run or a scale that is unfamiliar. Don't stop. When you hits those wrong notes, don't give up and quit. Keep the beat. keep playing the song, you will get it next time.<br /><br />Always Watch the Conductor! - This is THE most important thing in all of playing music. The music is in front of us, but the director knows how to make the notes on the page come alive. you can play all the notes "right" and still sound bad. God is the one who makes the music a story. God is speaking to us through music. Ht knows when to cut and to rest. He knows when to slow it down and to build up for a dramatic bridge or chorus or refrain. You will miss all of the artistry of music if you have your nose stuck on the paper and not keeping your eyes on the one who wrote the music.<br /><br />Sorry, this was so long, but I had a lot to say. This is how I see life. This is how I am trying to live. I don't understand a lot of things, but I do understand how music goes together and the impact it can have on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">someone's</span> life. I am playing music everyday of my life. God has written a wonderful song, and I am LIVING IN TUNE!</span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697005210679291325.post-25950198937402394872008-08-01T03:47:00.000-07:002008-08-01T04:10:51.115-07:00A little about myself.<span style="font-size:78%;">Well, I finally caved and got a blog!<br /><br />Since this is my first blog I will say a little about myself.<br /><br />I am:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Broken</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Beat up</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Confused</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Lost</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Worried</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Sinful</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Reborn</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-Saved</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-In need of a Savior</span></li><li><span style="font-size:78%;">-In need of Grace</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:78%;"> That about sums the real me up. I love music and in my next blog, I will explain the title of my blog. But I needed to let you all know these things about myself. I am not good at anything. I don't have wisdom, I am not good at thinking of deep spiritual things to say. I don't read my Bible enough, I take my salvation for granted, and I try to do to much, when Jesus just asks for all I have to give him.<br /><br /> If there were a line for grace, I would be the first one in line. I am sinful and broken, but God is good and his son has risen. Therefore, I am a new creation. I am on a journey, and I serve a great God.<br /><br />I play music, and I really believe that is how I best share God with others. But, I have put that off for a little over a year to learn more of God and to experience him on a more intimate level by moving to Durres, Albania as a missionary-still broken, and still in need of grace.<br /><br />I have a lot to say, but most of it doesn't amount to anything. My only goal is to worship God and do my best to lead others to the cross where I found true life, and where I found forgiveness.<br /><br /><br />"A theif comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance."<br />John 10:10<br /><br /></span>living.in.tunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14264235882021746487noreply@blogger.com1