Happy first week of December. A few new musician followers this week. I hope my sharing your music will get word out about your music. Please take time to listen/share/purchase the song I wrote with the wonderful Lily Messer and Ceylon Wise at the bottom of this page. Thanks for the follows.
Treasure Map by Katie Stump –
Searching For You by Sol Knopf – I used his song My Baby Girl for Kayhla’s Wedding post and it is the song I walked her down the aisle to.
Man On Fire by Zigg Madison –
Crimson (cover) by Daira Curran –
Come On Jesus by Tray Michaels –
That Day Is Coming by Collingsworth Family –
Some new music from non-followers and followers I have been listening to recently :
All Kinds Of Crazy by Codie Prevost –
All The Way To Texas by Coffey Anderson – how I have never heard of this guy is beyond me, amazing songs
Always Right by Sim Balkey –
Anchor by J Crum –
All My Life by Electric Light Orchestra –
Anthem of the Unwanted by New Years Day –
Army by Ellie Goulding –
Backroads Life by Charlie Farley –
Beautiful Life by Nick Fradiani –
Breathe by The Brilliance –
All This For Me by Janice Gaines –
Be Like Jesus by Deitrick Haddon –
Believer by Capital Kings –
and our song:
I Question You by Lily Messer –
Now on i tunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943
This is a story of a snowflake. A unique and one of a kind snowflake. All snowflakes are made that way by their creator.
The snowflake in our story was filled with joy. He loved being a one of a kind snowflake. He has his own personality and demeanor. He truly enjoyed being a snowflake.
When it was his time to go and fall to the ground he was ready. He remembered everything he had been taught. He remembered how much he was loved. The most important of these was to spread the word of love. To teach others what a true, sincere, and unique kind of love looks like.
As he was falling to the ground he looked around at all of the other snowflakes. He could see they all were different than him, but they all had the same smile that he did. They were all so happy to finally being on their way to fulfill their destiny.
Then they all hit the ground and stopped. They were all piling on top of each other. Many were not happy. They started to complain. How easily they forgot the joy they had just a few minutes ago.
Some of the angry snowflakes were getting so angry that they were starting to melt. Their anger was also affecting other snowflakes around them because they started to get angry also. Even the ones that were not getting angry were being affected because they started to melt also. They were unable to get themselves out of the situation they were in. They needed help.
Meanwhile, other snowflakes saw what was going on and turned their hearts away from the snowflakes that needed help. Their hearts grew so cold that they started to turn to ice. As their icy hearts expanded, they affected other snowflakes around them. The snowflakes that were filled with joy a few minutes ago were now filled with icy hearts and turning other joy filled hearts to ice also. They needed help.
Our snowflake saw all that was going on and remembered what he was taught. He started talking about their creator and his love for them. He talked about the joy that should be in their hearts. The joy they had just a few minutes ago. He reminded them how they all felt just a few minutes ago and not to let their circumstance affect how they feel.
They should be joyful. Look at the children coming out to play. All with smiles on their faces. Look at how happy we have made them. All by just being who we were created to be.
Oh, how the snowflakes loved the children. It was a love with no end. They loved to hear the giggles and to see all the smiles. They even loved to hear the joys of screams as the children rode their sleds over them. It reminded our snowflake about how much the creator loved him. He remembered how much he loved talking and laughing with the creator. He remembered everything he was taught and he knew changes were coming.
Warmer weather will come and our snowflakes circumstances changed again. Our snowflake and his friends changed from unique snowflakes to drops of rain but their purpose was still the same. They will nourish the earth and provide the people with water to drink and water to grow their food. This is what we they were made to do.
They enjoyed many things in their lives, especially the children, but they each knew that they were brought here for a purpose. Sometimes they found themselves in unbearable situations but those that remembered their purpose never faulted. They stayed strong when others grumbled. They loved when others hated. Some had to change from snow to rain to fulfill their purpose but they did so with love. They knew that not all people would listen to them when they were snowflakes. Not all people cared for the snow. They had to adapt to the world around them and changed to rain so that others would hear the message of love, taught to them by their creator.
Like the snowflake, we are a community all made by our creator with one purpose and we will fulfill that purpose one way or the other. We each have our own unique blend of personalities, demeanor, and gifts. We also have to learn to adapt to our situations. What we talk about God to someone today might not work with the person we meet tomorrow. We have to speak love in a language our recipients want to hear. Do not judge, only love. We need to keep doing what we were put here by our creator to do and let Him, through us, open the eyes and hearts of those around us.
I wrote these lyrics when I was going through a difficult time. Everyone seemed to be telling me to just forget it, it won’t happen again, why can’t you just drop it etc etc. Even though I was doing my best, things would still happen and remind me and everything would come up again. It was like I was watching a scary movie and every time I got past the part that made me jump, someone would hit rewind.
It also reminds me of this time of year. As you know I am an introvert and this time of year always makes me anxious. I get thrown out of my routines. Christmas parties and Christmas shopping and the crowds of people and just the busyness of the season gets to me. I am trying to do better at just taking a few deep breaths and remember the real reason for the season, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born. It was just a few years ago I couldn’t have said that. I am a work in progress, one that I know will always have improvements to make.
Anyway, here are the lyrics. If anyone wants to put music to it and make it a song, feel free to contact me to collaborate.
I’m Not Superman
You made me who I am
They think I’m superman
These feelings I conceal
I don’t know how to feel
They say I am strong, that I am strong
I hide my thoughts that I don’t belong, don’t belong
A few new musician followers this week. I hope my sharing your music will get word out about your music. Please take time to listen/share/purchase the song I wrote with the wonderful Lily Messer and Ceylon Wise at the bottom of this page. Thanks for the follows.
Brand New Day by Boiling Point –
I Can Lean On You by Moses Benjamin –
Broken Down Angel by Julie C Myers –
Tuesday Morning Groove by Mason Maphey Project –
Some non-followers I have listened to recently.
How Many Chances by Little Texas –
Ghost Town by Winery Dogs –
Girl Of The World by Dar Williams –
Grace That Won’t Let Go by Gateway Worship –
I Got The Boy by Jana Kramer –
I Had A Vision by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell –
If You Can Hear Me by Ben Rector –
Invisible by 5 Seconds Of Summer –
Looking Down From The Edge by BlessTheFall –
Love Is by Rod Stewart –
Love On The Line by Hillsong Worship –
The Man I Was by Lucer0 –
Messin’ With Jesus by Chris Janson (feat Tim Mcgraw) –
and our song:
I Question You by Lily Messer –
Now on i tunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943
What a difference a year makes. Last year I was done Christmas shopping at this time, this year I have not started.
Here are some pics from November 17, 2014 : cold and 5 inches of snow.
versus Novemeber 17, 2015 : 60 degrees and running outside in shorts and t-shirt, at least I did. Wife was cold and ran with jacket.
Who knows what next year will bring. Maybe I will still be writing these posts, maybe I won’t. Maybe I will be running full strength (Marathon, 1/2 Marathon races), maybe I won’t. Maybe I will be alive, maybe I won’t. I do not know the future, only God does so whatever He has in store for me, I will be along for the ride.
I am thankful for the warm weather we have had for so long this fall. However, I recognize the destruction El Nino is causing with floods in the south and droughts around the world. Billions of dollars in damage world wide.
Do I look obese to you? We had to renew our life insurance policies and because life insurance companies determine your risks by BMI, which is a joke, I am considered obese and have to pay higher rates. I am 6′ 220 lbs. Here is a pic of Adrian Peterson, running back for Minnesota Vikings who is 6’1″ 220 lbs. (Yes I know I don’t look like that but he is someone that would also have to pay higher rates for life insurance based on BMI. ) BMI does not provide actual information on body composition (i.e. the proportions of muscle, bone, fat, and other tissues that make up a person’s total body weight), and may not be the most appropriate indicator to determine health status for certain groups of people, yet that is what insurance companies use for everyone.
(photo credit Muscle & Fitness Magazine)
For me to be the “ideal weight” for my height I am told to weigh 180 lbs for BMI. I would be so skinny, and I would not have much muscle on me. I weighed myself on our Iron Man scale and of my 220 lbs, 182 of it is muscle, but yet I am obese. In reality, I would probably be not as healthy as I am now but I could pay lower insurance rates. Something needs to be changed in the insurance game.
Watched this documentary this past weekend. Batkid Begins. It brought a tear to my eye because of all the people that came out to support him. It lets me think we do have some humanity in us yet. Make a Wish Foundation is a great organization that helps children experience a wish that they want.
One last thought, I am not usually political and I pray for the victims of Paris, and all the other terrorists attacks our world has seen. Remember not all Muslims are bad or good. Not all Americans are bad or good. Not all Jews are bad or good. Not all…. you get the point.
I walked by him at least twice a day. More often than not it was closer to six times a day. He was always in the same spot, always wearing the same clothes and always staring down at the ground.
Anytime that I would walk by and I had some change I would drop it in his hat. He would never look up. He never said thank you. As a matter of fact, I never heard him say anything. I was usually on the go or on my phone or talking to my co-workers so I might not have heard him if he did, but I really don’t think he did.
After a few weeks of dropping change, I decided to do an experiment. I started off dropping one dollar bills in his hat. When he didn’t react I started dropping fives. Then I would drop a ten spot here and there. Nothing, no reaction from this guy. He didn’t even look up to see what I looked like.
I even got my co-workers involved. I had them start giving whatever they had on them to this guy. They all reported back the same thing that I experienced. No acknowledgement that we even existed. No thank you. Nothing. We had to be giving him enough to pay for rent somewhere. Or at least buy some new clothes.
Many months passed. It was getting close to Thanksgiving. I had a really good year financially. Even got myself a promotion. Life was good. I was doing some early Christmas shopping and decided I would buy this guy a winter coat. I even put a hundred dollars in the pocket. I put the jacket down beside him on my way to work. Again, no acknowledgement.
I had enough. I was finally going to talk to this guy. I was going to ask him what his problem was. Why couldn’t he even say thanks. Why couldn’t he at least look up and give me a nod at least. Give me something man. I have been giving to you for over six months now.
As luck would have it though I was tied up in important meetings all day. I had to have lunch catered because I couldn’t get out of the office. When I left that day he wasn’t there. For the first time in as long as I can remember he wasn’t there.
The next morning he wasn’t there either. Same thing at lunch. Same thing on my way home. The entire week was the same. He was no where to be found.
The next week a lady came into my office. She asked for me by name. How did she know my name? Anyway, turns out she was the sister of this man. She told me how Jim, her brother, that was the guys name, had cancer and it took a turn for the worse. He passed away last week. He left a note for her to give to me. I asked how she knew about me. She said it was all in the note.
She also told me more about his story. One night Jim, his wife and kids went out to eat and on their way home they were hit by a drunk driver. Jim was the only one that survived. He never recovered. He never talked again. She never learned if it was trauma from the accident or by choice. Jim just checked out of this world.
I couldn’t believe what I heard. How come I never talked to him? Was I too lost in my own world to reach out to him? Did I think I was better than him? This was another human being and all I did was threw money at him. I didn’t even try to get to know him.
After his sister left I went to my office and opened the letter.
Dear Rob,
I know your name because I listened when you walked by me. I know you are married and have four girls. Congrats on your promotion by the way. I know all of this from listening to you talk on your cell phone. By listening to you talk to your co-workers.
I wanted to thank you for all you gave me. I wanted you to know that I listened because I cared about you. I listened waiting for you to say something to me. I listened, and waited for you to acknowledge me.
I would give you everything you gave me back to you if you would’ve said a single word to me. I would rather have had a friendship with you than your money. I wished you would’ve got to know me. I wasn’t always this way.
I heard you talk about God to your co-workers as you were leaving the building. I heard you thank Jesus when you got your promotion. I heard you talk about hope and faith to your wife in one of your talks. I would’ve liked to know more about God but you didn’t share him with me.
Take care,
Jim
All this time I thought he was ungrateful. What I have come to realize is how ungrateful I am. I realize how I take my life, my wife, my children, my friends, my health, my job for granted. I didn’t realize how lucky I am. No longer. I now realize how quickly all that can be taken away from me.
I also came to realize that I don’t share God or my beliefs with anyone outside my circle. I am not spreading the good news of my savior like I should.
For that, I will always be grateful for ungrateful Jim. I only wish I would’ve taken the time to get to know him.
Guilty by Newsboys – I am guilty of not speaking of God enough. I want to be guilty for sharing it.
I just wanted to take a minute and write to you. Not for me, but for you. I don’t need anything today and I am thankful for everything you have done for me. I just wanted to write you to ask how you are.
So God, how are you? I know I would not want to be you. I can’t imagine what you have to go through on a daily basis. Everyone doubting if you really exist. People worshiping you one day then condemning you the next. Everyone destroying this world you made for us to live on. I know I have caused you a lot of headaches. For that I am truly sorry.
How is Heaven God? What a joy it must be to spend your days with all those wonderful people. I know I can’t imagine what it is like to have all those people that believe in you. Most days I can count the people I think believe in me on one hand.
This is harder than I thought it would be. I want you to know that I truly want to know how you are but I keep going back to me. Of course that probably goes back to the introvert in me. I am not good asking questions about other people. It’s not that I don’t care but you know that. Hey God, you can’t complain, you made me this way.
Do you get tired? Do you hurt when you see the evil in this world? Do you get so frustrated with us that you just want to end it all sometimes? I look around at what is around me and what I see on the news and I know if I were you.. I would be like poof, end of the world. Who could blame you? But I know that’s not who you are and I know that you want as many of us to believe in you that you can so you are giving us time to do that. Plus, I know there is a lot of good in this world also. We just don’t see it because it doesn’t sell. What if it did sell though? Hmm, there is an idea God. Help me to figure out a way to sell the good news of this world. The every day heroes that don’t look for recognition. The ones that help the least of us. We can fill of 30 minutes of news easily. Maybe if more people started seeing good on the news, more people would start doing good.
God, who would you want to eat dinner with? Is there that one person in this world that you look at and think this person gets it? Knowing you the way I do you would probably pick the person who is a complete mess. Good luck finding just one of us. We, including myself, are pretty messed up if you ask me.
Do you have a favorite hymn or song? Are you happy that you made us? Do you think it was worth sacrificing your son Jesus for us? Do you go to your room and just cry for us sometimes? Do you like jokes? Have you ever made something then went oops? Like the platypus or naked mole rat or ?
How do you do it all? Would you do things over again if you could? Wait a minute, you could. Don’t answer that. Do you have a favorite place here on earth that you like to visit? How often do you visit? Do you think anyone ever recognizes you? I know there have been times in my life that I thought that was you but then you were gone. Was that you?
Well God, I know you are busy so I will let you go. I pray you are doing well and that you are filled with joy for us. You are truly an amazing, wonderful, loving, caring friend and I don’t know where I would be without you.
P.S. Say hello to my dad and my grandparents and friends that are there with you. Two more questions. Do you pray for me? What do you want me to do today?
Dear Mr. God by The Warren Brothers –
Maintain by Jonathan McReynolds feat Chantae Cann – This wasn’t a song I had planned for today but I heard it this morning and it spoke to me.
In My Room by Thousand Foot Krutch – I know I have included this on several posts but this is a song that just really speaks to me. I included one with lyrics this time. My favorite line “I’ve never prayed so can we just talk” –
(Two of my daughters, note to self : I need some currents of Kelsey and Kirstie)
Parents listen up, especially fathers. You have a vital role in how your children are raised. You can build your children up or tear them down. You can support, encourage, discipline them or you can enable, discourage and belittle them. You can show them how they should be treated and loved or you can leave them with so low esteem they fall for the guys that abuse them.
How do you treat their mother? You can lead them to God or away from God. Do you make time for them? Take them on dates? (Something I have failed at doing if I am honest- the date part, I make time for them.) You will be the standard for how your daughter sees all men in her life. You will be the standard for how your son sees how he should treat women.
Do you work 70 hours a week and have children say my dad never was there for me? When you get home what is the first thing you do? I try, and sometimes I fail, to first kiss my wife, their mom, so they can see the love their parents have. Then I ask our one daughter who is still at home about her day. Ask her what she wants to do. Play football, watch tv, play games, whatever it is I try to do. We wrestle ( I am Triple D- Doctor Death Daddy and Kylie is El Cupachabra) and I teach her self defense and what to do when attacked from behind, all while she thinks we are just play fighting. Yes, I just got home and yes, I have stuff to do but what could be more important?
I am for you daughters, and I will always be here for you. No matter what roads we go down or if we get lost, we will find our way together. I am sorry for the times I let you down but I love you more than anything in this world.
As a father, you are a teacher, provider, coach, protector, playmate, role-model, etc etc. It is a big responsibility. One you can not do on your own. You need help from our one true Father in Heaven. No matter how good or how bad a father I am there is one Father who will not let you down.
He is always there for you and for your children. Here is another article from the Loop that I wanted to share. If you listen to the songs at the bottom do you want to be like the first set (before and including Good Good Father) or the last set of songs.
I Am With You On This Road
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
My daughter, you are no mistake. I made you with intention, I made you with your face in my mind, your voice in my ears. I made you with a name and with grace and with gifts only yours—your gifts my very gift to you.
You are not made with a pressure to perform, with an expectation to achieve. You are not made with a heaviness to bear around your neck, a weight to carry, a weariness of long days one after another.
I know the way with Me can feel hard. I know this road feels long. I am with you on the road, my dear. I am with you on this road.
Take steps now, where you can no longer see. Reach your hand out now, for I long to grab yours and hold tight. Lift those shoulders now; let me take that burden you carry.
Can you see me taking it? Can you see my hands upon your shoulders, the weight being lifted off? Can you feel shackles being cut? Can you feel the things you can’t, with your eyes, see?
I am for you, my child. And I do not ask you to go places where I will not be. Only go where I am. Even though you can’t see the next steps, I do. And I go ahead, and I know when the path is clear.
Just follow Me, my daughter. I know this road, this one marked out for you. You have choices about where to go, whether to turn right or to turn left. But ask Me where I am. And trust I give you recognition for the One who made you, for the One who designed your heart, for the One who knows His daughter and the details of the road, for her, ahead.
This is a story about a turkey. However, this was not an ordinary turkey. This turkey did not want to be a turkey. He wanted to be an eagle.
He often thought to himself, “self, I do not like myself. Self, this is one boring life I live.” Day after day he would trot around the yard with all his turkey friends gobbling gobbling and gobbling. He would eat all the food that was given to him and he would watch himself getting fatter and fatter.
He would look to the sky and see the eagles flying around. Soaring above the trees. “So beautiful,” he thought. “I want to be like that. I want to be majestic. I want to be an icon. I want people to look at me with awe. I want to be a national symbol and for people to look at with me with thanksgiving in their hearts.”
As much as he flapped his wings he could not get off the ground. It wasn’t that he did not practice, because he did. Some days that was all he did. He would run around the yard flapping his wings, never to get more than a foot or so off the ground. “God, why would you give me wings but not let me fly very well? Why would you let me see the eagles soar but not let me join them?”
Many of his less ambitious friends would talk behind his back. “Who does he think he is?” “Look at that fool trying to fly like an eagle!” “Doesn’t he realize he will never be anything other than what he is?”
Many days and months passed by and nothing ever changed for the turkey. Every day it was the same thing. Wake up, eat, walk around the yard, eat, try to fly. Every day he would ask the same questions. “Why God why? I want to be more than this. I want people to look at me in awe and be thankful that I am here. I want people to love me.”
Soon the weather started to get colder. Many days people would come and grab some of his friends and he would never see them again. The turkey continued to eat and grew bigger and bigger. One day a family came and walked around the yard looking for the perfect turkey. They found one in the turkey of our story.
The father looked at his family and said, “This turkey is beautiful. He will be the perfect symbol for our thanksgiving dinner .” The little girl looked at the turkey and said “I love you turkey. You are so beautiful.”
The turkey gobbled and gobbled. He was so happy. “Finally,” he thought, ” I am being appreciated. I may not be flying like an eagle yet but at least people are seeing me as special.”
The turkey was taken to the family’s home where he was promptly killed and cooked for dinner. Before they ate the family prayed. “Thank you God for this wonderful meal. Especially this beautiful turkey. We will forever remember this turkey in our hearts on this national holiday.”
You see, God gave the turkey everything he asked for. He was looked at with awe and beauty. He was a national symbol. The people gave thanks from their hearts for the turkey. He was made exactly how God wanted him to be and exactly how he wanted to be seen. He just didn’t realize that who he was was exactly who he wanted to be.
What do you ask God for? Have you ever asked for a pure heart? Have you ever asked God to show you the way to be more like Him? Or are all of your asks and wants more about you? Have you ever thanked God for who you are, for who He made you to be?
My God, My Music, My Life 