If you know me personally, you know I like music.
Now, when I say "like" music, I think we can jump past the recent push to not say "love," when it doesn't entail people, and say
I love music.
There's just nothing like a moving piece of music.
Really, you can't get past that fact.
Music is the language of movement.
You may say, "Now John, logistics is the language of movement."
....
Logistics?
I'm talking about real movement.
Sometimes its physical movement, other times its all mental and emotional.
But I think, if you're "with it" enough to be reading this blog, you have a pretty good working definition of what music is and does for the human species.
BTW, who invented the term "working definition"?
If its already a definition, shouldn't it work?
ah well.
Back to music :D
So, you know what music is. But do you participate in music?
Or do you feel like you don't know how?
I've met a lot of people who say "Oh no, I can't sing" or "I'm just really bad at playing instruments"
....
....
....
Not possible.
The human body is an instrument, after all, a rhythm machine.
Have you ever stopped and thought about your breath?
You breathe with a certain rhythm, even if you THINK you have no concept of beat.
And personally, optimistically, I think if you can realize that, then maybe you can come out of your creative vacuum and become a musician.
If you can understand that you, Dear Reader, already know how to make perfect music, you can do anything :)
at least, in a creative sense.
I'm not promising flight capabilities.
;)
Although, once you get into a song, your mind does take off, a sort of free bird, if you will.
And yeah, its super freeing to be able to slip the bonds of your body for a while and let the rhythm take over.
The nuts thing is, its not at all like drugs. You can get high off music in a most beneficial way :)
And who wouldn't want that?!?!?!?
Seriously. Think about it.
Music melds your brain into a cohesive whole, bringing both hemispheres together in a more perfect harmony.
Your speech is improved, your RHYTHM skills are improved, and quite frankly, if you're listening to music with a good MESSAGE, not title, then your soul may indeed be improved.
Now, even if it is instrumental only music, I still believe that your soul can benefit.
And that's the crazy part.
That's the "I can't explain it, its just happening and I'm enjoying it" part.
Some music will just MOVE you to things...
Tears
Laughter
A higher state of mind.
Soul-Searching
Peace
And I know, you're saying "how can you be 'moved' to peace?"
Peace is a very real, attainable thing. I think we often see peace as something we fall into when there's nothing bad happening to us.
Its not ;)
But I digress.
Peace should be saved for another blog, another day.
What was I even saying?
Ah. Music.
Might I suggest you all listen to these songs ----
Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane
Switchfoot- Where I Belong (I advise high bass settings)
The Classic Crime- The Beginning (I'll accept thank you mail for this link)
'Nuff said.
That's it.
Listen to these songs and you'll realize what music Really is.
Always Hope, Love Regardless and Peace Out
P.S. If anyone really feels like it, suggest topics for me to blog about! If you want my opinion that is.....
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Loved Ones
It often seems as though things aren't what they are until they end.
Cliche.
Let me explain this cliche in my world.
I was super excited to come to college and took no thought of what it would be like leaving all my friends behind: I only looked to the fun and new experiences of meeting new people.
And was I ever wrong....
:/
All my wonderful York friends, most that I've known since kindergarten or soon thereafter, came to say goodbye with a cake and a big card, on the day I left.
It was so touching.
Especially since the night before, we had all hung out and made cookies and just enjoyed each other's company.
My family is a lot bigger than seven biological people.
Lemme tell ya :)
Another thing with goodbyes, leaving Nebraska Youth Camp for the last time as a camper...
That was rough.
Those of you who read this that were there, I miss you. I love all the memories. I love all those people that made camp, CAMP!
And I know love has become waaaaaaay over used in the past few decades, but I truly do Love all those things I listed.
I love my best friend, McKenzie.
I love my other best friends, Avery, Charlie, Tyler, Reilly, Preston, Corbin, Karlie, Jennie, Amanda, ...... The list could go on.
Like I said, My family is very large.
And I like it that way.
How boring would it be if my fam was tiny and all lived in one place?
Blahh
Even my biological family is spread out.
Michigan.
Australia.
Texas.
California.
Canada.
Heaven :)
All this gushy talk about my love for my fam and extended fam may be sickening to you.
But I doubt it, if you have any semblance of a REAL social life.
Not just those aquaintences that you would go to the mall or Walmart with, but real, true, deep, painfull yet full of joy, Friendships.
And I want to say, don't ever think you have enough.
I have more than is my fair share back home and in various places, yet here at Harding, I'm am creating more and more meaningful friendships, and loves, every passing day.
So the moral of this blog is, you oughta appreciate the peeps that have waltzed onto your dance floor and struck up the dance of life with you.
And find more dance partners!
And tell the ones that are really in step that you enjoy living Life with them, that you Love them.
That's about it :)
You know you got those peeps in ya heart.
And the glorious thing is that they never go anywhere, even if, physically, they are thousands of miles away.
They still love you :)
And you, sure as Heaven, still love them ;)
Always Hope. Love Regardless. Peace Out.
P.S. to my biological family, thanks for life :) and training me to be me :P
Cliche.
Let me explain this cliche in my world.
I was super excited to come to college and took no thought of what it would be like leaving all my friends behind: I only looked to the fun and new experiences of meeting new people.
And was I ever wrong....
:/
All my wonderful York friends, most that I've known since kindergarten or soon thereafter, came to say goodbye with a cake and a big card, on the day I left.
It was so touching.
Especially since the night before, we had all hung out and made cookies and just enjoyed each other's company.
My family is a lot bigger than seven biological people.
Lemme tell ya :)
Another thing with goodbyes, leaving Nebraska Youth Camp for the last time as a camper...
That was rough.
Those of you who read this that were there, I miss you. I love all the memories. I love all those people that made camp, CAMP!
And I know love has become waaaaaaay over used in the past few decades, but I truly do Love all those things I listed.
I love my best friend, McKenzie.
I love my other best friends, Avery, Charlie, Tyler, Reilly, Preston, Corbin, Karlie, Jennie, Amanda, ...... The list could go on.
Like I said, My family is very large.
And I like it that way.
How boring would it be if my fam was tiny and all lived in one place?
Blahh
Even my biological family is spread out.
Michigan.
Australia.
Texas.
California.
Canada.
Heaven :)
All this gushy talk about my love for my fam and extended fam may be sickening to you.
But I doubt it, if you have any semblance of a REAL social life.
Not just those aquaintences that you would go to the mall or Walmart with, but real, true, deep, painfull yet full of joy, Friendships.
And I want to say, don't ever think you have enough.
I have more than is my fair share back home and in various places, yet here at Harding, I'm am creating more and more meaningful friendships, and loves, every passing day.
So the moral of this blog is, you oughta appreciate the peeps that have waltzed onto your dance floor and struck up the dance of life with you.
And find more dance partners!
And tell the ones that are really in step that you enjoy living Life with them, that you Love them.
That's about it :)
You know you got those peeps in ya heart.
And the glorious thing is that they never go anywhere, even if, physically, they are thousands of miles away.
They still love you :)
And you, sure as Heaven, still love them ;)
Always Hope. Love Regardless. Peace Out.
P.S. to my biological family, thanks for life :) and training me to be me :P
Friday, August 10, 2012
Override
Somethings are better left untouched.
What, may you ask, would I mean by that?
Ahhhh, have you ever had a heartache? Have you ever been moved to great emotion by a photograph?
Well, recently, as in 5 minutes ago, I was.
I will not disclose who was in the photo, nor why it moved me, but I figured "Hey, I haven't blogged in a while. And if I'm mooching the neighbors wifi, then why not?"
But then, what to write?
Well, Facebook took care of that for me.
I really just wanted to say, if there's someone in your life that you would do anything for, a son, a brother, a "significant other", you would, undoubtedly, want to spend as much time as you could with that said person.
Am I wrong?
So. What if you really can't? Like me.
My bro, for example, rockstar/actor extraordinaire, lives in Australia. I physically cannot hang out with him as much as I wish I could.
Some of my best friends in the world live in, yes Nebraska, but in towns other than mine.
And since Io no ha un automobile, I am basically as far as anywhere from them.
But, you would argue, there's Skype after all, and Google Hangout.
True.
But you don't get that same ...... Connection via a vchat.
All this to say, I would like to be a bigger part of some of my loved ones lives, but I am stuck far away from them.
And all truth be told, it do be rough.
Especially when some of them seem to move on in my absence.
And I don't want their lives to be centered on me, obviously, that's ridiculous, but hey! I still do exist, ya know?
Whatever the case, I write this blog with a challenge for you.
A call to override yourself when you are emotionally compromised.
Sounds nuts, aye?
Here's the deal y'all.
Just realize that that special someone doesn't think your every thought. They don't feel your every emotional pang. Despite whatever wonderful mental/spiritual connection you and your loved one may seem to share, you absolutely cannot know everything that person is thinking.
Nor they you.
Which is the basis of my hypothesis: when you are feeling like your loverly friend/family member/various loved one is not meeting the requirements that are expected from your relationship, don't sweat it. Take back a step, think through from their perspective, and try to understand that, despite that loverly smile, those smashing eyes, that infectious laugh, they are, in fact
Human.
And they will fail you
Alot.
Many a time.
Not to be a downer, but even after they've failed to uphold their end of the relationship, they'll do it again.
Hard to swallow yet good to know, right?
This really may have nothing to do with your situation, but I doubt that.
I expect that every human on this multicolored planet has been failed by one or more of the other Two-Leggers that live here.
Therefore, after much deliberation, then chucking that deliberation out and starting over, the only thing I've realized is this:
When love seems not worth the pain, when your heart starts to go insane, if you're alive you've stood in the rain, and wondered why there is no train,
to take you far, yes far away, come now, hear what I will say, love's not a game that you simply play, you must live and love anyway. (impromtu poem that is in no way the result of much deliberation)
Just try it with me mah friends. After all, God does it all the time! You think your friends are hard to love at times? Think about us and the way we treat God.
YA.
It's doable.
That's it.
Give it a thinker.
Don't over think it.
Let it rattle in ya noggin for a while.
;)
Always Hope, Love REGARDLESS, and Peace Out
What, may you ask, would I mean by that?
Ahhhh, have you ever had a heartache? Have you ever been moved to great emotion by a photograph?
Well, recently, as in 5 minutes ago, I was.
I will not disclose who was in the photo, nor why it moved me, but I figured "Hey, I haven't blogged in a while. And if I'm mooching the neighbors wifi, then why not?"
But then, what to write?
Well, Facebook took care of that for me.
I really just wanted to say, if there's someone in your life that you would do anything for, a son, a brother, a "significant other", you would, undoubtedly, want to spend as much time as you could with that said person.
Am I wrong?
So. What if you really can't? Like me.
My bro, for example, rockstar/actor extraordinaire, lives in Australia. I physically cannot hang out with him as much as I wish I could.
Some of my best friends in the world live in, yes Nebraska, but in towns other than mine.
And since Io no ha un automobile, I am basically as far as anywhere from them.
But, you would argue, there's Skype after all, and Google Hangout.
True.
But you don't get that same ...... Connection via a vchat.
All this to say, I would like to be a bigger part of some of my loved ones lives, but I am stuck far away from them.
And all truth be told, it do be rough.
Especially when some of them seem to move on in my absence.
And I don't want their lives to be centered on me, obviously, that's ridiculous, but hey! I still do exist, ya know?
Whatever the case, I write this blog with a challenge for you.
A call to override yourself when you are emotionally compromised.
Sounds nuts, aye?
Here's the deal y'all.
Just realize that that special someone doesn't think your every thought. They don't feel your every emotional pang. Despite whatever wonderful mental/spiritual connection you and your loved one may seem to share, you absolutely cannot know everything that person is thinking.
Nor they you.
Which is the basis of my hypothesis: when you are feeling like your loverly friend/family member/various loved one is not meeting the requirements that are expected from your relationship, don't sweat it. Take back a step, think through from their perspective, and try to understand that, despite that loverly smile, those smashing eyes, that infectious laugh, they are, in fact
Human.
And they will fail you
Alot.
Many a time.
Not to be a downer, but even after they've failed to uphold their end of the relationship, they'll do it again.
Hard to swallow yet good to know, right?
This really may have nothing to do with your situation, but I doubt that.
I expect that every human on this multicolored planet has been failed by one or more of the other Two-Leggers that live here.
Therefore, after much deliberation, then chucking that deliberation out and starting over, the only thing I've realized is this:
When love seems not worth the pain, when your heart starts to go insane, if you're alive you've stood in the rain, and wondered why there is no train,
to take you far, yes far away, come now, hear what I will say, love's not a game that you simply play, you must live and love anyway. (impromtu poem that is in no way the result of much deliberation)
Just try it with me mah friends. After all, God does it all the time! You think your friends are hard to love at times? Think about us and the way we treat God.
YA.
It's doable.
That's it.
Give it a thinker.
Don't over think it.
Let it rattle in ya noggin for a while.
;)
Always Hope, Love REGARDLESS, and Peace Out
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Fabuloso....Things
I'm at York, NE's version of an all around awesome hang out spot.
Which, by the way, did not exist until I was graduated from highschool and heading 12 hours away to college.
:(
Oh well. I'm capitalizing while it lasts.
This place is called "Our FabUloso Creations" and they sell cold stone ice cream, coffee, and random lunch items, such as meatloaf, quiche and other random, but I'm sure very tasty, creations.
Needless to say, its got a good vibe :)
But the reason I'm here today is to mooch WiFi. Liz, if you read this, sorry I mooched from your workplace.
Kinda.
Anyway, I really want to capitalize on what summer truly is, at least for a guy who is in between schooling at the moment and on the verge of jumping into My adult life.
Heavy stuff, I know.
But it'll be one of the greatest experiences, greatest four years of my life.
Maybe.
Either way, I'm looking forward to it.
Kinesiology, Statistics, Environmental Science, Life and Teachings of Jesus, Music Appreciation, and Intro to Psychology.
And maybe Choir?
Needless to say, Summer time is a pseudo relax time cause it's just going to make going to university a lot more difficult in contrast.
Either way, I am ready for it.
All the crazy schedules and such, I'll be busy, but I'll love it.
Always Hope, Love Regardless, and Peace Out
Which, by the way, did not exist until I was graduated from highschool and heading 12 hours away to college.
:(
Oh well. I'm capitalizing while it lasts.
This place is called "Our FabUloso Creations" and they sell cold stone ice cream, coffee, and random lunch items, such as meatloaf, quiche and other random, but I'm sure very tasty, creations.
Needless to say, its got a good vibe :)
But the reason I'm here today is to mooch WiFi. Liz, if you read this, sorry I mooched from your workplace.
Kinda.
Anyway, I really want to capitalize on what summer truly is, at least for a guy who is in between schooling at the moment and on the verge of jumping into My adult life.
Heavy stuff, I know.
But it'll be one of the greatest experiences, greatest four years of my life.
Maybe.
Either way, I'm looking forward to it.
Kinesiology, Statistics, Environmental Science, Life and Teachings of Jesus, Music Appreciation, and Intro to Psychology.
And maybe Choir?
Needless to say, Summer time is a pseudo relax time cause it's just going to make going to university a lot more difficult in contrast.
Either way, I am ready for it.
All the crazy schedules and such, I'll be busy, but I'll love it.
Always Hope, Love Regardless, and Peace Out
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
A Simple Thought
So I realize it has been a few days since my last post.
The world is still here tho.
No worries ;)
BUT! I wanna blog about something! Idk what yet, but I'm obvs blogging at the moment.
So I want to say, this summer has been absolutely insane. And I'm about to be at NEBRASKA YOUTH CAMP for 4 weeks straight
:D HAHAH I'm so psyched y'all, so psyched.
But the question comes to mind, why do I love NYC so much?
Is it the people? maybe, I do love lots of people out there
Is it the atmosphere? well, I do dig it
Is it the weather? NO!
Is it the God time that I get? mmm, not a ton. I feel closer to God at home usually. Which is swapped with everyone else that I've talked to. Everyone gets a "Spiritual High" while at camp. I get..... Friendly with lots of people :) And not in a weird way yall, not at all.
I started this Blog before I went out to camp and I Thought that my good ol' man deleted it on accident.
mmm.
Don't assume anything :)
But I want you to see the excitement I had to be out at my second home.
Now, on this side of it, after the end, that excitement was well founded.
I've grown so much at this camp, I want anyone who reads this to give it a try.
Honestly.
Try it out.
You see how I said " I usually don't get super close to God at camp"? Well, this year, God taught me different.
He is my constant companion now, Always listening to my cares, joys and concerns.
Try it out. I beg you.
Always Hope, Love Regardless, Peace Out
The world is still here tho.
No worries ;)
BUT! I wanna blog about something! Idk what yet, but I'm obvs blogging at the moment.
So I want to say, this summer has been absolutely insane. And I'm about to be at NEBRASKA YOUTH CAMP for 4 weeks straight
:D HAHAH I'm so psyched y'all, so psyched.
But the question comes to mind, why do I love NYC so much?
Is it the people? maybe, I do love lots of people out there
Is it the atmosphere? well, I do dig it
Is it the weather? NO!
Is it the God time that I get? mmm, not a ton. I feel closer to God at home usually. Which is swapped with everyone else that I've talked to. Everyone gets a "Spiritual High" while at camp. I get..... Friendly with lots of people :) And not in a weird way yall, not at all.
I started this Blog before I went out to camp and I Thought that my good ol' man deleted it on accident.
mmm.
Don't assume anything :)
But I want you to see the excitement I had to be out at my second home.
Now, on this side of it, after the end, that excitement was well founded.
I've grown so much at this camp, I want anyone who reads this to give it a try.
Honestly.
Try it out.
You see how I said " I usually don't get super close to God at camp"? Well, this year, God taught me different.
He is my constant companion now, Always listening to my cares, joys and concerns.
Try it out. I beg you.
Always Hope, Love Regardless, Peace Out
Chipmunks, Sherbet, and Common Bonds
Wow. Where has the time gone?
This summer has been SO full of friends, adventure, God, new experiences, tears, Love, and travel.
I do not know where to start.
So, I'll go with my most recent escapade and work Backwards
Wisdom teeth removal- July 30th
I go to the dentist, get my first IV, my first thumb clasp heart monitor and my first intraveineous drugs. Well, first drugs period. When I woke up, I couldn't feel my chin, lower lip, or tongue. Lemme tell you, that's a weird place to be at. I was a little loopy, with my mouth full of bloody cotton. But I couldn't feel my lips!!!!!
If you, dear reader, must ever have your lips numb, be ye warned.
It's strange.
SO! Now, two days later, my cheeks have swollen to at least 3 times normal size and my lovely friends, Charlie, Jennie, Caleb, and Colten visited me and brought me lime sherbet.
May you all have lime sherbet bearing friends to comfort you in you time of need.
Pretty much, now I'm chilling with what looks like a pound of blueberries in my cheeks. But they do not exist. Call me crazy.
Call me, Maybe?
Bahhhhh, humbug. I really can't think of other things to say. The real world is as messed up as ever, such a contrast with the oasis of camp. Even though there still are broken people at camp, the brokenness of the world has no foothold there.
30 minutes of Alone Time with God everyday? Glorious.
3 hours of focused Bible classes a day? Wonderful
4 weeks of being with my Favorite people IN THE WORLD? Mind-melting, Heart-healing, Soul-searching Heaven.
But really, cumon, the people wouldn't mean as much if we didn't have the common bond of Christianity.
If we weren't all connected to God and therefore connected to millions of people around the world, we would never ever have gone out to camp in the first place. I know some of my friends, my brothers and sisters in the NYC family, feel disconnected from Him.
Let me tell you this, my dear ones: He holds you up. You cannot let Him down, and even IF you could, is He not strong enough to heal both your and His wounds? Please, come to the understanding that you WILL fail, the only difference between you and the other lost souls of the world, is that you have a Goal.
A choice.
A meaning to life.
Always Hope. Love Regardless. Peace Out
This summer has been SO full of friends, adventure, God, new experiences, tears, Love, and travel.
I do not know where to start.
So, I'll go with my most recent escapade and work Backwards
Wisdom teeth removal- July 30th
I go to the dentist, get my first IV, my first thumb clasp heart monitor and my first intraveineous drugs. Well, first drugs period. When I woke up, I couldn't feel my chin, lower lip, or tongue. Lemme tell you, that's a weird place to be at. I was a little loopy, with my mouth full of bloody cotton. But I couldn't feel my lips!!!!!
If you, dear reader, must ever have your lips numb, be ye warned.
It's strange.
SO! Now, two days later, my cheeks have swollen to at least 3 times normal size and my lovely friends, Charlie, Jennie, Caleb, and Colten visited me and brought me lime sherbet.
May you all have lime sherbet bearing friends to comfort you in you time of need.
Pretty much, now I'm chilling with what looks like a pound of blueberries in my cheeks. But they do not exist. Call me crazy.
Call me, Maybe?
Bahhhhh, humbug. I really can't think of other things to say. The real world is as messed up as ever, such a contrast with the oasis of camp. Even though there still are broken people at camp, the brokenness of the world has no foothold there.
30 minutes of Alone Time with God everyday? Glorious.
3 hours of focused Bible classes a day? Wonderful
4 weeks of being with my Favorite people IN THE WORLD? Mind-melting, Heart-healing, Soul-searching Heaven.
But really, cumon, the people wouldn't mean as much if we didn't have the common bond of Christianity.
If we weren't all connected to God and therefore connected to millions of people around the world, we would never ever have gone out to camp in the first place. I know some of my friends, my brothers and sisters in the NYC family, feel disconnected from Him.
Let me tell you this, my dear ones: He holds you up. You cannot let Him down, and even IF you could, is He not strong enough to heal both your and His wounds? Please, come to the understanding that you WILL fail, the only difference between you and the other lost souls of the world, is that you have a Goal.
A choice.
A meaning to life.
Always Hope. Love Regardless. Peace Out
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