Longer Than It Should

  010: Hmm, am I on number 10 or have I miscounted? Either way, here I am, trying to blog, and today what I want to talk about is the fruit of the Spirit. Without looking up the verse can you recite them? I'm guessing many of you can. And why? Because there's a great, catchy song. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! I don't recall the song having the next section which says: against such things there is no law. Perhaps it's a translation issue, a minutiae, but I would say that it would be better worded: against such things there should be no law. Because there are many stupid laws out there. It could also more accurately read: such things are behind the spirit of most laws. Jesus talks about good fruit coming from good trees and bad fruit coming from bad trees. He says: you can't pick grapes from thistles. What does this mean? Can we train ourselves to grow different fruits? If we are

I recently heard someone claim that the only way to become a good writer or podcaster is to follow the beaten path.  He compared it to attempting to become a chess master.  In other words, he thinks the paths to success are obvious if you can stand their rigor.   For whatever reason, I think I'm the exception to such rules.  I believe I can find a different way, a better way.   Unfortunately, the person who made the above claim was Cal Newport, and I tend to trust his opinions.   Fortunately, Cal is not on board with many productivity gurus who would say you have to work a ridiculously intense schedule and post about it non-stop all over the internet.   The internet is a blessing and a curse of course.  I'm old enough to remember when it was slow... beeeeeeeebooooobeeep (I'm talking dial-up slow)... but really, I've come of age with the internet.  At least I've grown up... the internet doesn't show any signs of slowing down... it keeps evolving, and I have stag

A friend told an all too common story last night at our home group.  He recounted seeing a family of five at a restaurant, all five on their own smart devices, ignoring one another completely.  I type this post on my old smart phone in a waiting room, however, the room is not full of people, and particularly not full of people I know.  I have to say that I probably wouldn't talk to anyone else if they were sitting here, though.  Our waiting room culture has changed.   During a recent hypomanic state, I was waiting for my doctor, but instead of just sitting there, I complimented the boots that the gentleman next to me was wearing... that is to say I complimented the man wearing the boots.  Anyway, as far as I could tell, I made his day! This one is a spacious waiting room...17 seats.  I wonder if it ever gets full... for some reason I am reminded of the time I was flying around the world by myself at the age of 17, and I got stuck in the Tokyo airport.  Actually, I got out of the Ai

 I've got some problems, I'm sure you do too, mine are worse than yours, that much is true for sure, in all that I do for sure, I will work through for sure, all of these problems.  But if  I could trade away all of my shades of gray for somebody else's little life issues, that would not be a misuse of company money.  But once I had all these new issues, I might miss the old ones I'm used to... Throw your problems in a pile with everyone's, you don't know, you might put up a fight to get yours back. I've got more problems than an elephant at sea, your problems let you float, my problems make me sink.  My only problem with your problems is that they seem so easy.  What's your problem with my problem with your problems?  You say your's are hard to see, like an iceberg with such mass lurking below.  Sometimes you've gotta hold on tight... and let go. Throw your problems in a pile with everyone's, you don't know, you might put up a fight to g

Someone gifted me a copy of "Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul" a few years back... Whoever it was, I'm greatly indebted to you! One of the authors in said volume used the term 'bum glue,' arguing that if you glued your butt to your chair, and got in enough reps with your typewriter, you could achieve great things with your writing.  This has been my philosophy with my songwriting for years now: put in the reps, put in the reps, put in the reps.  Only recently have I committed to turning more of my charcoal sketches into oil paintings, so to speak. Of course, I recently restarted my podcast, so perhaps this will not be as possible as I had thought. Mostly, it's just that I want the comic strip that is my creativity to have some decent colorful Sunday editions.  And yet, more than that, I dream of a super polished collection of my songs, more than just an album... a musical perhaps, (as I alluded to the other day). Today's song is called MAGIC, which i

 Greetings friend, Last night my family had the privilege of attending the Eastern Mennonite School production of Fiddler on the Roof.  I highly recommend it, and there are two showings left (tonight and tomorrow). https://www.easternmennonite.org/tickets-for-ems-events/ I went into the show with some apprehension because I absolutely love Fiddler on the Roof, and EMS is a small school, so I thought perhaps they wouldn't be able to do it justice.  I'm pleased to say that I was thoroughly incorrect. There is a phenomenon that I've noticed: sometimes we don't understand what our expectations are until they are exceeded or dashed.  Yesterday's musical was not one of those occasions for me.  I intentionally lowered my expectations, but then I felt certain they would be exceeded after just the first song. Today's song I'll share comes from an experience visiting my brother at Hesston College.  It sort of speaks for itself.  The album it's on was an exercise i

I think that most days when I release a podcast episode I will not write a blog post. Rather, I will post the lyrics to one or both of the songs featured on Hold That Note that day. Here are the lyrics to the first track featured on episode 109.  ----------------- I am cold sometimes, I am cold and I'm feeling cold right now in this sunshine,  and although I'm told not to dream too big, it seems to me that to dream's to live,  and if I can't get what I want I can die trying, more like I'll mope a lot and end up crying, I want to live in a world where ants aren't a primary form of intelligence, collecting crumbs for the queen and her clan, they don't have a problem with unfulfilled plans like rising above incompetence and visiting other continents,  I am cold sometimes, I am cold and I'm feeling cold right now in this sunshine,  these trees speak to me of perseverance, humility, and a rootedness in community, isn't that how we all should be,  but then