Freeing My Mind

My wife is a walking encyclopedia of random information. Not Wikipedia type information, more like 100 Fun Facts You Might Wanna Know type information. Pretty much any sentence that begins with, “They say…”, is her specialty. Her most recent fact obsession is that your taste buds change every seven years. Since I don’t feel like doing my own research on the matter, I’ll simply take Lori’s word for it. In fact, I find that not only do my taste buds seems to change in some way every 7 years or so, it seems that my taste in most anything changes during that amount of time. Take music for instance: As a child, I was surrounded my strictly Contemporary Christian Music. Early Stephen Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Degarmo & Key and of course Carman could often be heard coming from our mini-van tape deck. Case in point:

As you might can tell, this phase didn’t last very long. At least not until my Columbia House 10 CDs for a penny deal ran out.

Another childhood phase originated in the form of a movie. Well, not “a” movie, but rather “the” movie. “Back to the Future” solidified my belief that Michael J. Fox was the raddest guy on the planet. It also introduced me to “The Power of Love”. Not in a weird way, but in a Huey Lewis and the News type way. That Christmas I received a Pocket Rocker. With my brand new rocker was a single mini-tape which contained two songs, one one on each side. Side A: The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” and on Side B: Huey Lewis and the News “The Power of Love”. My childhood was complete.

Like most young Mississippi natives, middle-school and early high-school centered around country music. To this day, one might could find my wife and I stopping the dial on a country station during a long drive from Mississippi. It’s interesting to note that we can still sing most every song. My favorite country musician was and always will be, George Strait. In fact, I liked George Strait so much that I got a Jeep Wrangler and personalized the license plate with STR8 HED. No, I’m not kidding.  I don’t have many high-school memories that do not involve George Strait’s box set as the soundtrack.

My late high-school years, as well as my short-lived college years were mostly fueled by illegal substances. As with most people who venture into the world of drugs, my musical tastes quickly changed. Jam bands and even 1960’s rock & roll became my forte.  My favorite band was Widespread Panic. I not only listened to these guys, I followed their every move. I could even go as far as to tell you what their set lists were during an entire month of touring. I really can’t listen to these guys anymore, but I would have to say that their musical ability was incredible.

At the age of 20, I had an encounter with God that changed everything. Musically, I locked myself away from most anything other than worship music. I quickly found that music is what helped me connect to God. It was easy for me to enter the spirit through music inspired by God. The first book I ever read after my conversion experience was entitled, “No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green“. I know the full title because that book is within arms reach even now. In fact, I would say that the inspiration of Keith Green in my life means more today then it did even then. Between two of my favorite musical people, Keith Green and Jason Upton, my early days of growing and learning were packed with inspirational sounds.

In January of 2006, I was coaxed into attending a concert in Vancouver, BC. This one night changed my life. I mean that sincerely. God birthed in me a brand new perspective on music and began a journey within me that I wasn’t expecting. Some friends of mine wanted me to go see this group that I had never heard of and I really wasn’t into going. I was content with Keith and Jason and really didn’t want to pollute myself. As I sat through the opening act sulking, I was half expecting to fall asleep and half expecting to need to perform deliverance on half the people around me. During the intermission before the main act, I thought about sneaking out a side door when suddenly I heard this sound. I looked down onto the stage to see where the sound was coming from. Although only a few lights shone from the platform, the band had taken stage. I was perplexed. There was something familiar about that sound. In fact there was something godly on it. I was confused. Had I somehow stumbled into a time or worship? Or could God actually rest on what some would call “secular” sounds? I set in awe through the entire show. I even looked at Lori and said, “Can you feel that?”. That band was Coldplay.

Which really brings  me to the present. My musical tastes are so varied now that it’s difficult to nail down. I fall back on some old favorites often and I find new favorites through great sites such as Last.FM. Recently I came across a young girl doing an acoustic cover of a Lady GaGa song. I must preface this by saying that I am not a Lady GaGa fan to say the least. In fact when I happen to get one of her songs in my head I’ll usually tune into children’s television in order to replace it with Barney or the Backyardigans. I have to say, this girl does this song a favor. She’s got something special and I though I would share this gem that I found with you. Her name is Juliana Daily. If your tastes haven’t changed in a while, give something new a try. Be inspired.

I just picked up The White Album, from the newly remastered Beatles collection. I was inspired through the recent release of The Beatles: Rock Band. Due to the lofty price tag, I decided not to pick up the game just yet and instead to give Ringo and the crew another shot at winning me over. I have to admit, to the chagrin of most music aficionados, that I have never been much of a Beatles fan. When I was 12 years old my brother, Chris, introduced me to band after picking up Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band through one of those 12 CDs for a penny “deals”. As a 12 year old, I can’t say that I had the best ear for music, but I definitely made a go of it. During this time I also learned to play my first and only song on the guitar, “Yellow Submarine”. On another note, the Beatles song “With a Little Help From My Friends” (which, as sung by Joe Cocker, filled my childhood on a weekly basis before each airing of The Wonder Years) was also the class song of my 2000 high school senior class, although probably more for the phrase “I get high with a little help from my friends” than on its musical merit alone. During my college years, I picked up a couple of albums and gave it another shot. No go. I should also mention that what has come to be our ministry’s quasi catch-phrase, “all you need is love”, was also inspired by a Beatles song of the same name. Not because I was personally inspired by the group, but rather due to a message that I preached concerning the Jesus movement of the 1960’s.  Although not as entrenched in Beatles culture as previous generations, I can’t say that I’m new to the iconic foursome. Still, I don’t get it. I get that it’s good music, but I don’t get the hysteria that surrounds them to this day. Before you say that I just had to be there, I’ll cite my love for Frank Sinatra and the popular phrase that Beatles music is tagged with, “timeless”.  Oh well, I guess Beatles or no Beatles, ob la di ob la da.

During my vacation I had an interesting dream. I was driving in a car, with a friend as a passenger. I never noticed who this friend was, but I knew he was close to me. I was looking for the right place. What that place was or why I was looking for it, I didn’t know. Finally I stopped on the edge of a field that was parallel to a busy highway. I got out of the car and walked across the field in order to cross the highway. I took a large white erase-board and began writing some of my favorite words of reformation on the board: “All You Need is Love”, “Jesus Didn’t Come to Start a Religion”, “Love Them Out of Sin”, etc. I stood on the edge of the busy highway as cars flashed by me like shooting stars. I quickly became frustrated that no one was noticing the messages. Deciding that my sign was not large enough, I crossed to the opposite side of the highway. Suddenly I saw a large road sign and began painting on the back of it. The message I painted was, “Become Change” in large letters. About this time I noticed voices in the distance. I had an understanding that these were people doing exactly what I was doing, only I was unable to see them, only their sounds.Although, still aware that the cars were passing without much notice of the signs, I was comforted at the thought of others being out there.

While the dream has extraordinary personal meaning to me, I noticed a larger message contained within the allegory. We are living in interesting times. One one hand, we have a state of society and government that is alarming. Between economic perils, poverty, terrorism, disease and even rampant mistrust of Christian ministers and Christianity as a whole, there is reason to be alarmed. On the other hand, I also know with all of my heart, that we are in a time in which God is willing to transform us into the people that we were always meant to be. During times of uncertainty in the world, God will always raise up a people to be the answer to that uncertainty. Myself, as well as other prophetic leaders in America, have recently been sensing even more calamity hanging over our nation. I believe that we have not seen the end of the economic crisis and various other crises. The problem arises, as it is now, when we begin to let fear and worry settle over our lives. Fear suddenly begins to be the underlying affect on our decisions. We begin to act in a frantic manner, without slowing down and taking the time to think through our actions and decisions. Anytime fear shows up, whether it be on a large scale or concerning our personal lives, the root of that fear is never God. The purpose of God revealing incoming disaster, is not for us to simply batten down the hatches and wait it out. It is so that we, the heavenly answers sent into the earth, can be the agents of change that are needed. Obviously when we realize that our current state and our current modus operandi isn’t working, the needed response is not fear, but rather faith in the fact that God has designed us and given us the power to affect the world around. Through heavenly wisdom and supernatural love, we can bring about the needed cultural shift.

I just hope we’re not driving too fast, simply clicking the cruise control and letting the car take us wherever it desires. God’s speaking, but it might not be what we thought it would be. Put on the breaks and look around.

much love to you all

be inspired with a little nostalgia

My first day of stress since the “new” me. Yet another milestone. Let me explain.

Why is it that the going theory among younger (see 20’s & 30’s) music lovers is that once a band gains some semblance of success that band is no longer accepted as “cool”? Case in point, one of my favorite bands, Coldplay.

In 2006 I saw Coldplay live for the first time, in Vancouver. To be honest, I knew that Chris Martin was married to Gwyneth Paltrow, but other than that I couldn’t tell you a single song they sang. I went with Lori and a couple of friends. They pretty much dragged me along. The opening act was Fiona Apple. If your in your late 20’s or early 30’s you might be rumaging through mid to late 90’s memories of a song called “Criminal”. I thought she was pretty out there then, but her opening act that night sealed the deal. This girl was whack. If I had any interest at all in being at the show, that act killed it. As I sat sulking in between acts, I was pretty sure the night wouldn’t get any better. Many times, in the midst of situations and atmospheres that carry a strong spiritual presence, I can sense that presence fairly easy. After Miss Apple’s act I felt a heavyness hanging over the large arena and, at the time, I figured nothing short of a mass destruction of the entire place could lift what I was feeling. Then it happened. It was as if a bomb had gone off and immediately cleansed the lingering atmosphere. It wasn’t a fire alarm clearing the arena or a “prayer” being offered by yours truly, but a sound. A sound that swept through the air amidst the roars of the screaming crowd. It was “Square One”. I didn’t know the song and I didn’t know the band, but I knew the sound. It was cleansing and pure. It might seem that I am being overly dramatic about the whole event, but it was a turning point for me. That night initiated my journey to discover God in some of the most unlikely places.

In 2006, although I was late to the party, it was still perfectly socially acceptable to not only enjoy Coldplay, but to place their bumper sticker over the E-machine logo on the back of your laptop. Not today.  It’s there notority that sank them. Shame on you Coldplay for fulfilling your dreams. We won’t stand for it.

Why do we find it so difficult to watch people fulfill their dreams? Is it that we ourselves feel so void of satisfaction pertaining to our own dreams, that we tend to only stand with people that seem to be on the same pitstop of their dream journey as us? Maybe since the first time we were cut from the basketball team in middle-school, we’ve figured it’s better to just not dream at all. Hey, disappointment can never come to somone who never hopes. Seems to me like a terrible life to live. I’m a card carrying dreamer. The lifestyle has its pros and cons for sure, but a life void of believing for something that you’ve yet to see is a life I don’t want to live.

At times, dreaming causes stress. Not in the actual moment that your dreaming, but in the day to day tasks it takes to accomplish your dreams. So, my milestone. Today was the first stressful day in quite some time. I think I’m learning how to balance the now with the yet-to-be.

And now, my inspiration for today. much love