Artists:
- Taylor Swift (duh)
- Thriving Ivory (getting better every time)
- U2 (anthemic rock)
- Backstreet Boys (oldschool...)
- Lifehouse (chill music)
1.11.2009
currently listening
oh, im gonna try to regularly update my current listening trend:
Artists:
Artists:
freedom
in my lifelong struggle to live as Christ, I came across this verse:
i think we would become more complete Christians if we could only grasp or imagine just what it means to be free in Christ. and to serve... in love...
how often do we selfishly do things for ourselves, for our benefit, at the expense of others? how does competition play into this? do we even know we're doing it?
"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." Galations 5:13
i think we would become more complete Christians if we could only grasp or imagine just what it means to be free in Christ. and to serve... in love...
how often do we selfishly do things for ourselves, for our benefit, at the expense of others? how does competition play into this? do we even know we're doing it?
1.07.2009
Love all the time
So I sometimes get these ideas when I'm going to bed and listening to God....
Ive always been fascinated with the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God lists ten explicit rules to follow: The Ten Commandments. But, in the New Testament, it is replaced by two simple commands: Love God, Love others. I am guilty of trying to obey every rule and avoiding the "dont's" instead of simply loving. Sometimes we can manipulate the definition of "love" to fit our needs.
Love is (1 Corinthians 13):
There's so much detail in the simple verses, but its really thought provoking because for us to love, we must accept every single one. all the time... even when we're hurt, or abandoned... or wronged... when we get too busy to love... when its embarrassing/uncool to love.... when we're prideful about our achievements and accomplishments... "keeps no record of wrongs" is a hard one to follow.
or self seeking...
Ive always been fascinated with the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God lists ten explicit rules to follow: The Ten Commandments. But, in the New Testament, it is replaced by two simple commands: Love God, Love others. I am guilty of trying to obey every rule and avoiding the "dont's" instead of simply loving. Sometimes we can manipulate the definition of "love" to fit our needs.
Love is (1 Corinthians 13):
- Patient
- Kind
- not Envious
- not Boastful
- not Proud
- not Rude
- not Self-seeking
- not easily angered
- Keeps no record of wrongs
- Does not delight in Evil
- Rejoices with truth
- Trusts
- Hopes
- Perseveres
- Always...
There's so much detail in the simple verses, but its really thought provoking because for us to love, we must accept every single one. all the time... even when we're hurt, or abandoned... or wronged... when we get too busy to love... when its embarrassing/uncool to love.... when we're prideful about our achievements and accomplishments... "keeps no record of wrongs" is a hard one to follow.
or self seeking...
12.24.2008
Guitar
Since it's Christmas and I got a new effects processor for my guitar (a Boss GT-10), I thought I'd blog a little about my guitar adventure.
It all started April/May 2008 when I decided I wanted to play guitar. I've played the trumpet in various school/church/orchestral settings, and have liked music. My first guitar was an Epiphone Les Paul I bought with birthday money, and I now also have a seafoam green 50s Fender Stratocaster (MIM). I also got a VOX AD-15 amp (solid state, cheap) and a Korg AX-3000g effects unit (cheap, but works). I took lessons over the summer from a friend of my grandmother's who is an accomplished (read: very very good) classical guitarist, which wasn't the direction I initially wanted. Classical guitar is acoustic (I used my electric with no amp for lessons) and with fingers. Somehow, over that time I came to enjoy classical guitar and I miss it.
My love of music has now become an obsession. While I am not currently taking lessons (hopefully this will change in the next year or so) I spend a lot of time looking up tabs (guitar music) online and learning how to play riffs from songs. I'm not really into the whole "metal" or "hard-rock" genre, I usually play Christian (Hillsong, etc) or pop/rock with my biggest influence being U2's the Edge. Most of their songs are simple chords, but with delay and a little effects, they sound anthemic. The delay and shimmer make the songs sould alive
I do play in the freshman band for Freshmen City Groups at the Georgia Tech BCM, which I love. It gives me an opportunity to play with others (who are much better than me) for God. In a few weeks we are playing for everyone at Connector, so I gotta tweak my GT-10 and practice songs (which we haven't picked out yet) before hand.
One last note, my Church (Buckhead) has soo many amazing worship leaders and musicians that every Sunday I show up, I'm inspired....
It all started April/May 2008 when I decided I wanted to play guitar. I've played the trumpet in various school/church/orchestral settings, and have liked music. My first guitar was an Epiphone Les Paul I bought with birthday money, and I now also have a seafoam green 50s Fender Stratocaster (MIM). I also got a VOX AD-15 amp (solid state, cheap) and a Korg AX-3000g effects unit (cheap, but works). I took lessons over the summer from a friend of my grandmother's who is an accomplished (read: very very good) classical guitarist, which wasn't the direction I initially wanted. Classical guitar is acoustic (I used my electric with no amp for lessons) and with fingers. Somehow, over that time I came to enjoy classical guitar and I miss it.
My love of music has now become an obsession. While I am not currently taking lessons (hopefully this will change in the next year or so) I spend a lot of time looking up tabs (guitar music) online and learning how to play riffs from songs. I'm not really into the whole "metal" or "hard-rock" genre, I usually play Christian (Hillsong, etc) or pop/rock with my biggest influence being U2's the Edge. Most of their songs are simple chords, but with delay and a little effects, they sound anthemic. The delay and shimmer make the songs sould alive
I do play in the freshman band for Freshmen City Groups at the Georgia Tech BCM, which I love. It gives me an opportunity to play with others (who are much better than me) for God. In a few weeks we are playing for everyone at Connector, so I gotta tweak my GT-10 and practice songs (which we haven't picked out yet) before hand.
One last note, my Church (Buckhead) has soo many amazing worship leaders and musicians that every Sunday I show up, I'm inspired....
12.19.2008
Current Music
Currently Listening (in no particular order):
- Ingram Hill
- Taylor Swift
- Thriving Ivory
- Bedlight for Blue Eyes
- The Fray
12.06.2008
Uncool Christianity
I've kinda been thinking lately about Christianity and its heroes and superstars. I know as Christians we are called to do the work of Christ, but are we guilty of trying to become glamour Christians? When I say glamour Christians, I mean that sometimes we (or at least I) do Christian things for the wrong reasons.
Things I've done that fall under the Glamour Title:
Things I've done that fall under the Glamour Title:
- I feel like I need to show other Christians (esp. at Tech) that I am also a Christian, instead of letting my actions speak. Because honestly, Im scared of someone thinking I'm not a Christian.
- Sometimes I do things that are great for Christ, but deep down I know they're not the RIGHT things I should be doing. Somehow some way I feel like I serve best when I'm happy and there is no way for me to get credit.
- I feel that things such as mission trips to exotic places and running C3 camp (which is a realistic possibility next summer) seems to be the cool thing to do. sometimes all of the hype seems to take the focus off of God and onto the people.
I always have this dilemma of: "Should I do something right or good for the wrong reasons or not do it because I would be doing for the wrong reasons and it wouldn't be genuine?"
12.04.2008
Revelations
One of my favorite Third Day songs off their new record is "Revelation" and it has this chorus:
Give me a revelation
Show me what to do
'Cause I've been trying to find my way
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here
Or do I need to move
Give me a revelation
I've got nothing without you
I've got nothing without you
Show me what to do
'Cause I've been trying to find my way
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here
Or do I need to move
Give me a revelation
I've got nothing without you
I've got nothing without you
I also overheard a friend a couple weeks ago mention the book of Revelation as "Revelations" which I instantly thought to correct (its a bad habit), but then I stopped and took a step back. How do we as Christians view Revelation from God? Is it as if the cover is pulled off by God and we are standing there with something new and wonderful in front of us, God has decided to show us something that He has hidden away?
Or maybe its something different... maybe the blindfold is being removed from our faces, maybe God sharpens our perspective a little bit... almost as if we are guilty of putting the blindfold there and God is saying "silly, open your eyes, look at My creation..." what if God has been waiting in plain sight for us to remove the dirt from our lenses...
It comes down to how we view God "showing" us things. Does our lack of sight come from our problems or God's mystery? Could it be both? These are the thoughts I'm wrestling with.
How does this thinking change who we are?
Or maybe its something different... maybe the blindfold is being removed from our faces, maybe God sharpens our perspective a little bit... almost as if we are guilty of putting the blindfold there and God is saying "silly, open your eyes, look at My creation..." what if God has been waiting in plain sight for us to remove the dirt from our lenses...
It comes down to how we view God "showing" us things. Does our lack of sight come from our problems or God's mystery? Could it be both? These are the thoughts I'm wrestling with.
How does this thinking change who we are?
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