What Do You Hide?

I took this from Donald Miller's blog. He's one of my favorite authors and always has insightful things to write about. You can check out his blog here. He wrote this in response to the recent sex scandal at Penn State as well as some other things.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland 2011

Last year I made a playlist that I listen to while I walk around campus in the winter time. It's comprised of songs that must have a specific feel. Most of the songs have an echo or ambient sound to them. Every year it changes and grows so I thought that I would give you a top 10 list of the new songs on this year's Winter Breezes Playlist. Without further adu....

10. All The Bright Lights - Chest of Drawers

9. NEEDTOBREATHE - A Place Only You Can Go

8. James Vincent McMorrow - We Don't Eat

7. John Mark McMillan - Murdered Son

*I couldn't find the album version so here is his acoustic performance

6. All The Bright Lights - Still Beating

5. James Vincint McMorrow - Hear the Noise That Moves So Soft and Low

4. Ryan Adams - I Love You But I Don't Know What to Say

3. Mae - Seasons i, ii, and iii

2. Ryan Adams - Lucky Now

1. Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Piano Solo)

Thanks Giving

There are always things in this life to be thankful for. The one problem I have about the holiday of Thanksgiving is that people name all these things they are thankful for. Some do it each day of November until Thanksgiving. My problem is this: why be thankful on just this day? How often do you hear people talk about how thankful they are for their family in the middle of March? They are probably thankful every day, so why make it a point to tell the whole world on a random day in November? Don't get me wrong, I think people should express their thanks to people and I enjoy it when people mention me as someone they are thankful for. I just wish these expressions were made more often.

Psalm 95: 1-2

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD

Let us should aloud to the Rock of our salvation

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

Restless

I've been laying in bed now for quite some time trying to fall asleep but it hasn't happened. I find that many nights I lay in bed and feel restless. Do you ever feel that way? I've always been that way I think, fidgety at night time when I'm trying to sleep. I always have thoughts and ideas going round and round up there and I wish it wouldn't happen. I would rather just lay down and fall asleep.

Lately I have noticed just how restless I have become. It seems that no matter what happens I cannot just be calm about things. I am always trying to figure out answers to the questions that I have and it isn't a good thing. I wouldn't say that it causes stress but it does cause a lot of sleepless nights or a lot of wasted time. I need to become better at just relaxing and not worrying about things out of my control. I don't need to answer every question or even to ask most of them. All I should do is worry about things and relationships that I can control because that is what should be important. I shouldn't worry about where I will find love, what I will do this summer, what people think of me. None of it matters.

Thursday at Challenge one of the girls shared a story before the song "Divine Invitation" was played that just spoke to exactly what I have been talking about. It was just amazing how she could have been speaking face to face with me at that moment. The song was just what I needed to hear this week because I think this break from school will be a perfect time to work on the restlessness I feel.

"We are all here to find the place where our restless souls will be free."

Grammar

Love is better when used as a verb, instead of an adjective.

Consider the Birds

Tonight at 24 Feet we watched a video on Ed. I missed the first part of his story so this was a new story but that didn't matter. I knew that I would probably cry a little based on the reviews of the first video. Consider the Birds was a short video but the message is a powerful one. Ed's Story is one of perseverance and hope. But it is also a message that makes you really sit and think about your life. Ed was a pastor who was diagnosed with ALS 10 years ago. At the time he was given 2-5 years to live before the disease took his life. Obviously he has far outlived that timeline. Ed is dying, slowly, every day. But his message is, "Aren't we all?" (We just don't all feel it in every movement like Ed) However, that doesn't mean that our lives are over. We don't know the future and can't predict it. It will probably turn out far differently than what we will expect. You only really start dying when you give up.

Do you remember a time when you had a moment where you thought, "My life's over?" Do you remember a struggle with something that just hurt so much that you thought things were just horrible? Those moments can seem overwhelming at times and we just need to remember what is said in Hebrews 13:5. God says, "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you." God is with us always, in the times of joy and in the times of sorrow. He is with us when we are in the middle of a night out with friends and He is with us when we are all alone sitting under the stars. God is with us because He is in control. As much as I want to be in control of my life, I am not. Every day I give my life up to God. Sure, there are many things I can control, such as how I treat people, how well I follow what the word in the Bible, things of that nature.

Tonight's video was titled Consider the Birds because of one simple statement. In Matthew 6:26 it says "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet our heavenly Father feeds them." So we were told to consider the birds. God will always provide for us in our times of need, he will always be by our side when times are difficult. So I ask you to do this one thing for me. Just try it out and see what kind of impact it makes on you. Tonight we made cards because it's one thing that Ed does. We made a card with the verse from Hebrews so that we can put it in a place that will allow us to remember God's word and that He is with us. Try writing a phrase, verse, lyric, anything that is inspiring to you, and put that card in a place that will cause you to reflect daily on it. It will help out during those overwhelming moments when life is full of struggles.

Logic Behind the Music

Who are your favorite bands? Whenever I get asked that question I have to take a long pause because it is hard to find a correct response. What I want to say is that it depends on the day, the weather, my classes, who I'm with, where I'm at, etc.. I listen to so many different styles of music that it is hard for me to pinpoint what I listen to the most. So why do I listen to the music that I do? What space or void does it fill? Emily posed this topic to me awhile ago so I thought I would finally delve into it.

It's hard to try and figure out why I pick certain musical genres over others, or even certain bands within the same genre. It really is a gut feeling when I find a band that I like. Sometimes I'm looking for lyrics that move me. Sometimes I am just looking for that good hook or beat that will just get stuck in my head. Some days I don't need a song that pulls on my heartstrings or makes me ponder what life really means. I just need a dance beat or punk guitar riff.

I have come to realize though that I require a lot out of my music. It must, in most cases, have a certain level of artistry that Ke$ha doesn't have. I tend to love music that is written by genuine people, people with real talent. Lady Gaga doesn't write songs like Mumford and Sons but they both have an amazing ability to craft good songs. I will listen to Gaga over Rhianna, who pays people up to $20,000 to write a song for her.

I also love music that has good harmonies. I am a big fan of singing them and songs with great harmonies always make me smile. Lastly, if a band has a great bass player, such as Kings of Leon and John Mark McMillan, I will instantly be a fan. Those two bands are my favorites and most listened to bands because of those bass players. They just go nuts with their bass lines.

So I guess I need music that can fit my mood and can deliver a good message. I want inspiration. I'm looking for music that can express my feelings with words and phrases that I cannot come up with on my own. Otherwise I would just write my own music.

Currently Listening To: Ghosts That We Knew by Mumford and Sons