Learning to Live

  This last year was the busiest year of my life. CCWR Worship Arts has grown so much. One Music Inc. put out its first live CD/DVD, we developed a mentorship program for musicians, and started a new online evangelistic tool that as over 30,000 viewers in 2 months.

   I can't tell you how much I grew this last year. It was a year of sacrifice for me and my wife though. She has been growing and learning how to run a photography business(with a side job), and I have countless hours of being consumed on and off the clock. I love my job and the opportunities it brings, but I found that I barely remember any of this last year. When I close my eyes and try to remember what happened this past year I see myself and my wife in front of a computer screen.

I don't care for that to much. 

    Belen and I have prayed and talked thought this last year and came up with something we think is really cool. We have started a blog that will be full of text, videos, and pictures of this next year. We have committed to creating a year of memories with each other, our family, and our friends. We have created a list of exciting, fun, and new memory making things to do. We have committed to trying to create a memory everyday of the year. Some things will be as simple as taking a walk somewhere we have never been and some bigger events with many people involved. We are doing this with a two part vision. One...for me and Belen to reconnect and learn how to live our lives making memories with each other. Two is to inspire others to change the way we "veg." To go from the primary form of entertainment being what computers, televisions, and internet feeds us to creating a system and environment perfect for creating long lasting memories.

    This is still a work in process but me and belen and excited and ready to start. we are working on the website and blog now and it should be up on new years day with our very first memory.

Text Messages and Bubble Gum

I get a lot of these really long text messages from a select group of friends.
This is the way it goes down.
I get the first text. I open it and I read the first two lines. Then abruptly my phone vibrates and beeps with part two of the message. I close out part two and start reading part one again. Then once again right on time part three shows up.
At this point, I just read part three hoping it will just make since, it doesn't.
So finally I just put my phone down and wait for the text-a-holic on the other side to finish sending me an entire chapter in Matthew. I then, with hesitation, pick up my phone, and sift through the messages.

 No matter how many times someone sends me a book as a text message my phone always calculates the exact amount it will receives and splits it up accordingly. That's because that is the way it was designed.

   There are some expectations we put on ourselves that we are not designed to do. You wonder why you are so burnt out, confused, cluttered, and need another vacation right after you just took one. It's probably because you are trying to force something that is not your natural design.

I loved bubble gum as a kid. I would take 5 pieces, put them in my mouth, and blow these giant bubbles that mom got the privilege of cutting out of my hair later. You learn pretty quickly the principles of tension.

Just like that bubble and just like those text messages, there is only so much you can take/do and then your natural, God given design kicks in. I'd encourage you to take a step back, pray, find out what your God given limits are, and embrace them.

Don't be so Predictable

When you get done laughing at the kid version of me, read this note. 

Obviously from this image, as a kid I had very little appreciation for what was cool around me or applying it to my life. I wanted to do my own thing even if it meant I looked weird or strange. Im gonna get the point quickly. I didn't just put this pic up so it could leave a haunting impression in your brain forever. As a kid, for whatever reason, I didn't walk down the same path as everyone else. The result of that is that I experienced and saw things from a very interesting view of life. That life style has followed me into my twenties. You see, TO ENJOY LIFE YOU MUST BE A PERSON OF EXPOSURE. What I mean is if you keep going down the same paths everyday, never meeting anyone new, never doing something you have never done, then you will find yourself in a very predictable place. Yes! predictable feels safe and secure, but all the while the beauties of life are moving all around you and you wont be able to see see them because fear, security, safety, and predictability have blinded you. 

Today try this

1. Pray for God to lead every step of your day

2. be intentional about looking for things you have never experienced

3. be bold and step out of you area of comfort