Author: Dan

Last weeks’ blog post, “The Power of Music”, struck a chord with a large number of you. Thanks for reaching out and sharing your thoughts with me.  After hearing/reading your experiences with the power of music, it occurred to me that I should go “deeper” and share several of my personal experiences.  So, off we go…

Currently, the song on “repeat” in my head is – “Goodness of God” performed by Bethel Music. It recently took the spot away from “Almost Home” by Mercy Me – a song I shared with you in a blog two weeks ago. Prior to that it was “Burn the Ships” by for King & Country; which I also wrote about on November 14, 2019

Do you detect a pattern here? I certainly do!  These songs are praise and worship music. Songs from which I pull strength when I am weak. Songs which provide a clearer vision of the path I should take while providing me a greater understanding of my relationship with God. They are songs of hope and faith – items we all can use a bit more of right now.

Oh, man, how those songs affect me. I pray that you have songs like these in your life.

Music has gotten me through some rough times…

When I was fired from my job at Walgreens I was lost and without direction; much like a ship without a rudder. I felt like I had little or no value. I mean, how does one even get fired from Walgreens of all places?

Anyway, I heard the song “Beautiful Things” done by Gungor. Oh how it spoke to me! Still does. Always will.

You should give it a listen. It’s a great song to have in your “back pocket” when self-doubt enters your life.

Lines in the song include: “You make beautiful things” and “You make me new”

Hey! Self-doubter!!

He made you; thus you are beautiful! He made you new; move forward & leave the past behind!

Enough said.

This next one might seem a little odd…”Chandelier” by Sia.

Not really sure why/how I “connect” with this one, but I do.  For me, it’s a song about getting through the chaos of life, to survive, to live your own life; break free of the facade you created that others see or your view of who/what “they” want you to be. But, mainly, ya know, about holding on and getting through the chaos of life. Be who you want to be, how you want to be!

I’m just not sure. But the song “works” for me.

I’m a survivor! And so are you!

“Island” by Jeff Brinkman is yet another song which resonates with me. In the song he sings about taking down your white flag and surrendering – in this case, to love & acceptance.

He uses the metaphor of a ship docked safely in a harbor to symbolize wrapping your loved one in your arms…or being wrapped in your loved one’s arms…

There’s a lot packed into this song. I encourage you to give it a listen so that you may discover what message it holds for you.

This brings me to the music I value the most – the music of nature.  Nature has always been an escape for me. As a kid, when life “got complicated”, I would head to the nearby woods, sit under a tree and “just be”. I don’t ever recall thinking about anything specific. I more or less just sat there with closed eyes and breathed; listening to the sounds that surrounded me. Although I wore a watch, there was no pre-set “time limit”. I would sit until I felt “calm” or maybe “at peace” and ready to step back into my life.

Yes, many things have changed through the years, but finding my “peace” in nature’s music hasn’t. Granted, that place may have morphed from a wooded forest next to a golf course to sitting on the back patio of my house which overlooks a small grove of trees (usually with coffee), but I leave feeling the same – calm, refreshed and ready for life.

That’s the power of music…

Have you ever wondered what life would be like without music? Can you even imagine what your day would be like without the songs given to us by nature -> a bird’s chirp, a rooster’s cock-a-doodle-doo, a cat’s meow, a dog’s bark, a frog’s ribbit, or a bee’s buzz?

Now think about how “empty” life would be if Apple Music, Pandora, or your musical source of choice did not exist. What if when you said, “Alexa, play my favorites” you heard nothing?

I could go on and on siting examples – birthdays without “Happy Birthday”, Christmas with no carols, or no “Here comes the bride…” at weddings. I think you’ve got the idea by now.

The power of music is astounding. Music transports you to a different time & place. It unlocks memories, both good and bad, of events buried deep in our psyches. Music soothes the savage beast. Music affects moods and emotions.

That, my friends, is how large & important a role music plays in your lives.

I once heard music described as “organized noise arranged in a chaotic, but rhythmic order, set to time”; which sounds just about right to me. Defined that way, music is everywhere. We are literally surrounded by it. There is no escaping it. If you’re like me, even in the quiet times, there is some sort of song playing in your head. It may drive you nutty sometimes, but yet, the music continues. (Think ‘Baby Shark’ or ‘Mahna Mahnam’)

That, too, is the power of music.

One final thought:

Several times in scripture it is written “…make a joyful noise unto the Lord…”.

Did you catch that? “Joyful noise”

Not “perfect noise”. Not “plain old noise”. But “joyful noise”. That’s what music is – “joyful noise”.

God wants to hear your “joyful noise”.

Hmm…music is so powerful even God wants to hear it?

Now, that’s the power of music!

Question:

What do the World Series Champion 1969 New York Mets and the 2007 Superbowl Champion New York Giants have in common? Oh, and before you answer, “both teams being from New York” doesn’t count!

Answer:

Both teams were “underdogs”.  The Mets went on an incredible late season run while the Cubs collapsed. On the other hand, the Giants defeated the heavily favored and previously undefeated New England Patriots in the Superbowl.

The players made sacrifices (physical & emotional) to play their chosen sport; focusing on being crowned “the best” one day. In return they received the fame, glory and riches (rings and trophies) associated with being “world champions”.

Ask any player on each of those teams prior to the game,  “Who’s going to win the game and become a champion?”.  Every man would answer the same, “We are!”.

If I have heard it once, I’ve heard it a 1000 times, when the underdog is asked AFTER the game, “How was your team able to overcome such huge odds?” The answer has always been “that’s why we play the games”.

“That’s why we play the games.”

Speaking of  “playing the game”…

When you’re stuck in the muck and mire of life, believing there’s “no end in sight” -> what carries you through to victory? From where does your strength come? How do you “play the game”?

In Psalm 121:1-4 it says, “I will lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes form the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber or sleep.”

How “solid” is that? Seems like something you’d want to stuff in a pocket and pull out when “life gets tough”, doesn’t it?

Why wait?

The scripture is telling you God is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year! God never sleeps. Never has. Never will. He is ready and waiting to hear from you.

So, how does God reward you for participating in this thing called life?

He provides everything and anything you’ll ever need. God’s provision will never run dry. Never. All you have to do is ask.

He offers you eternal life simply by believing his son died for the forgiveness of your sin. All you have to do is believe.

It’s just that simple – ask and believe.

Sometimes music conveys thoughts & ideas that I simply can’t. The song “Almost Home” by Mercy Me provides the “big picture” I need to see right now – that no matter how difficult life’s struggles are or how large life’s burdens can be, we are almost home.

Home.

It’s where the heart is.

Songs like “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Homeward Bound” attempt to capture the “mystique” of the place.

Or maybe, to borrow a line from the TV show “Cheers”,   “It’s where everyone knows your name”.

Maybe I’m just feeling nostalgic as I write because the time is nearing for me to head back “home” for the annual golf outing with my dad and brother. We’ve been getting together for 30+ years now, but this year it’s going to be “different”.

Why?

Dad had a health scare and most likely won’t be recovered fully; which meant cancelling the 3 days of resort golf. Instead, we’re going to work on projects around the house. We usually clean the chimney, so I know we’ll be doing that. I think I heard something about painting the eaves/fascia  and there’s always a tree or two that needs to be cut/stacked into firewood. I’m sure he’ll have a list ready.

But what about the golf?

There’s talk of us (my brother, my nephew, and I) going “over the mountain” for a day to play the course. We have to go. We need to go. We’re simply “not ready to let go”. I’m not sure we ever will be. If/when the time to “let go” arrives we’re hoping for it to be on “our terms”, not Father Times’.

Why?

I’ll tell you why…that golf course is like a “second/vacation home”.  I’ve written about Springdale Country Club & Resort before (“Home Is…” August 7), so I won’t repeat myself here. It’s just a “special place” full of “special memories”.

Will dad go? Can’t answer that. Depends on how his recovery is progressing and if he even wants to go. We’d love him to go, even if it’s just to ride in the cart.

Why wouldn’t he want to go?

Because age has a way of catching up with you. No matter how hard you try to keep it from happening, it happens.

My brother and I recently realized something. Sure, we’ve both gotten older, but we’re still playing the “same game” we’ve been playing for years. Yes, maybe some of the shots require more club, but we’re almost always in the same locations hitting pretty much the same shots we’ve hit year after year after year.

This is not so for my dad. As he’s aged, his drives do not have the same distance. He doesn’t hit his irons with the same “crispness”. He can no longer play the “same game” he played years ago. We think the course has become “too long” for him from the white tees and he reluctantly plays the shorter gold tees. And this frustrates him. Frustrates him very much. Frustrates him even more then we’ll ever know. Maybe “frustrates” isn’t the correct word. I think it “eats/gnaws at him” that he isn’t the same vigorous man he was in his “youthful years”.

After realizing this, my brother and I determined we’re selfish. When talk turns to Springdale, he & I feel like it’s our “fountain of youth”. We go there, golf, drink, and just unwind; which is all good. But we forgot about how dad may feel. It’s gotta be difficult for him to continue returning to a place year after year after year and face his “younger self”; comparing where he currently hits the ball to where & how he played the course in the past. It’s gotta be like battling a ghost or maybe feeling like you’re a “shell of your former self”.

The funny thing, though, is, my brother and I have discussed this at great length. What happens when dad no longer is physically able or lacks the desire to go – what happens to the outing then?

The outing to us “is tradition”. Dad started it with us. We want to continue “the tradition” – in one form or another – as long as we can. That’s why this year my brother is bringing his son, my nephew. It’s an opportunity to breathe “new life” into an “old tradition”. A chance for 3 generations of Lab men to golf together. Will the tradition continue? Only time will tell.

Fortunately, my dad is expected to make a full recovery. We have told him the alternative is totally unacceptable. He needs us now, like we needed him then.

What I learned through all of this -> you may think you’re prepared for the end of something, but no matter how prepared you think you are, you’ll never be prepared enough. And you never can be. It’s impossible to be. Impossible.

Sometimes it takes something hitting “close to home” to make you realize that.

Hit this one a little too hard! Ha! Ha! Ha!

When did “good enough” become an acceptable standard by which things/tasks are measured? Is “good enough” acceptable to you? In other words, is “good enough”, good enough for you?

Let’s look at it this way…

If I offered you something “good enough”, would you accept it immediately without even thinking about it AND be satisfied with it for the rest of your life?

Or…

Would you wait for a “better” option? What if the “something better” required you to sacrifice and delay your gratification cycle, but was exactly everything you hoped and dreamed?

A few years ago a businessman was preparing to go on a trip. He called a meeting with several of his workers. He gave each of them satchels of money for safe keeping,  then left. When he returned from his trip he met with the workers again. The worker he had given 5 satchels returned him 10. The worker he had given 2 returned him 4. The worker he had given a single satchel, returned a single satchel.

He was very proud of the two who has increased their counts and heaped praise upon them; even promoting them to higher positions of greater importance. However, the worker who returned the single satchel didn’t fare quite as well. The third worker thought it “good enough” to keep the money in a safe place rather than accept the risk of investing his satchel. The businessman was so upset he took the single satchel and gave it to the worker with 10.

Simply put, to the workers who had generated more income, an abundance was given.  The worker who thought he did “good enough”, had his satchel taken away.

Yes, that was a thinly veiled re-telling of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), but the point it makes is still relevant in today’s world: use your talent responsibly and reap great rewards. Be irresponsible with your talent and receive nothing.

Seems like the choice is pretty obvious, right?

This reminds me of a song I used to sing as a kid – “This Little Light of Mine”.

Here’s the link to the version closest to what I sang. It was performed by Voice of HOPE Childrens Choir on the Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller.

Another weekend “in captivity” due to COVID-19 meant another opportunity to be “in activity” in your purpose, or at least “in activity” doing something you didn’t think you’d have the time to do. For me, this weekend was an opportunity to clean out and organize the garage.

It’s amazing to me all the crap we keep in our garages – cars, bikes, broken toys, moving boxes (filled and unfilled), workbenches, tool boxes, seasonal decorations, sports gear (balls, gloves, clubs, shoes)…etc.  Do I really need all of this stuff?? Why do I need all this stuff?

It felt good to clean out the garage. There’s “just something” about being organized that makes me feel happy. Boxes and storage containers stacked neatly can be a thing of beauty. The additional space created by re-packing the partial boxes and tossing the broken toys in the garbage is freeing.

It was wonderful to “get back to basics” in the garage.

The thing about spring cleaning the garage is you’ll always discover a “lost treasure” – some reminder of a past vacation or activity that opens the floodgate to many a fond memory. Spring cleaning is your ticket to a trip down memory lane.  During my cleaning I stumbled upon a pile of luggage that still had the baggage tags attached – Texas, Hawaii and North Carolina memories filled my heart.

I smiled. Those were awesome trips.  🙂

And it got me thinking…

When was the last time you performed a “spring cleaning” of your life? When was the last time you stripped away the clutter, tossed all your “personal baggage” aside and turned down the static in your life, enabling you to focus on the “important things” of life?

Trust me, “spring clean” your life and you’ll find the best “treasure” of all…

…”YOU”.

And who doesn’t want that?

At one time or another in your life you have probably used a coupon to save “x amount off” a product or to receive a “free” product.  Years ago, my family saved S&H greenstamps. The stamps came in sheets and were pasted in “books”. You collected “books” and redeemed them for a specific item in a catalog.

Let’s get right to the point of this blog entry – Redemption.

(I may be in a bit over my head, but I gotta try…)

In Christian theology redemption is a metaphor for what is achieved through the Atonement.  The death of Jesus pays the price of a ransom which releases Christians from the bondage of sin and death. Christ gave His life so that we may be saved. Christ redeemed us.

So…what does this really mean?

When life gets difficult, how often have you told yourself, “I sure could use a break from…..”?  What you really need isn’t a break from the craziness, but redemption – the promise of God to deliver you from the power of sin. It’s your bondage to sin that is the cause of the “craziness”.

We are all aware that prior to “the fall” Adam & Eve had unbroken fellowship with God. They had full advantage of Eden and all it held. Adam & Eve lived every minute of every day under the rule of God. Life was good!

We are also aware that after “the fall”, life wasn’t so good.

So, what does God do?

He “finds” a way for us sinful humans to return to an unbroken fellowship with Him.

“For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

You have been redeemed through Christ because God desires an unbroken fellowship with you.

Christ is your “coupon”. All ya gotta do is believe.

Last weekend I built a portable basketball hoop for my grandkids because they basically wore out the hoop they received for Christmas. I purchased it Friday evening and built it Saturday morning so it would be ready for them when they came on Sunday afternoon. The height of the hoop adjusts from 7.5 ft to 10 ft, so we’ll be able to increase the height of the net as the kids grow and their skills improve. Currently, it is set at 7.5 ft. The plan is to leave it at that height until Riley who is 11 can dunk on it.

Once it was completed and rolled into place I began marking the driveway with different colors of duct tape indicating distance from the hoop – orange for 10ft, grey for 12 ft, red for 14 ft, blue for 16 ft and a combination of red/blue tape at 23.75 ft because the boys insisted on an NBA three point line. My thinking was shooting from a known distance would help the boys (and me) train our muscles such that “thinking” about how hard to shoot the ball from “x ft” would become automatic. The last thing you wanna do when shooting is “think”; you just wanna let it fly!

When the kids aren’t here I practice alone, which is kinda nice because I can work on my form instead of participating in some “silly” competition with the boys. It seems they are always trying to prove which of them is better. Their actions remind me a lot of how life was and still is with my two brothers – a competition.

When I practice I attempt to follow a routine.  I begin on an orange mark. I need to make two in a row before moving to the next orange. Once I complete the orange, I move to the gray, and so on.  Seems so simple, but has proven to be more of a challenge than I thought. Many times I have thought about quitting or simply continuing to shoot the easier, shorter shots, especially when I get to the futher red and blue marks,  but I work through all the marks each practice.

Of course, this got me thinking…

How am I living my life?

• Am I taking too many low risk/low reward shots?
• Am I taking enough of the medium risk/medium reward shots?
• What about the high risk/high reward shots? Do I know what these look like?
• What ,exactly, are my goals and can I reach them by taking only low risk/low reward shots which I seem to live by?

Bottom line – am I taking the actions required to expand my comfort zone or create a “new and improved” zone?

Answer: More than I used to be, but not enough as I need to be. To get better, I need to become more consistent; similar to improving my basketball shot – new actions need to become “automatic”.

So, how about you?

Are you shooting the hard ones?

What would you do if you had nothing but two weeks of time on your hands? If you had no deadlines to meet, no mandatory staff meetings to attend, or no communications with your boss/co-workers?

Would you view it as a curse or a blessing? Why?

Take a few seconds to think about your answer.  It may tell you more about you and your priorities than you ever wanted to know.

Time.

It’s been said,  “You can make more money, but you can’t make more time.” We all receive the same 24 hours in a day, so how wisely do you spend yours? How much “life” do you squeeze out of it?

My younger brother likes to say he “lives more life than most people”. Why? because he wakes up earlier than most people and goes to bed later than most people; thus, he “is up” (awake) more hours a day than many people.

I guess that’s one approach.

But, I wonder how much of that “extra time” is spent commuting to and from work, or maybe spent doing nothing. Instead of being in…

…Activity.

I’m not really sure what I mean by “activity”. Not that spending time earning a living is “bad”, but there is “life” outside of work, right? So, what kind of life are you living outside of work? Are you living in activity – doing something you enjoy, perhaps, living in your purpose, outside of the office?

I’ve been away from the bakery for almost two weeks now due to Corona. Can’t say I really miss the place.  I like to think the past two weeks away have been a blessing. I have gained perspective into what is important and why it is important. I have gained a greater appreciation for “time” and exactly what “time” can do for me.

I accomplished tasks in the past two weeks that otherwise would have gone incomplete. I didn’t have to “make time” for them by taking time away from other activities I prefer. I didn’t have to choose between playing a few rounds of golf or constructing a new portable basketball hoop for the grandchildren.  I didn’t have to “give up” my weekend so I could place 36 bags of red cedar bark mulch in and around my front yard.

It felt “different” not having to trade “this” so I could do “that”.

Simply put, I had the time to do them all. Yes, this two weeks has been a blessing!

So again, I ask…what would 14 uninterrupted days off  be for you – a curse or a blessing?

My friend Lennox and I got together over lunch the other day to catch up. We used to get together every Thursday after work. Lately, though, life has been busy. Our schedules have changed. Thus, we haven’t been able to meet. It was good to see him.

During our conversation a small child, maybe 3, bounded into the restaurant full of energy and life.

Lennox  noticed first, “Look how joyful that young child is. That child is filled with joy. I wish I had that much joy in my life. Why is it that small children seem to be filled with so much joy. Where’d all my joy go? I want that!”

The topic of “joy” has come up in our conversations often. I told Lennox it would be a great topic for me to blog upon. Which brings us to this week’s blog topic…

…just where DID your joy go?

What is the status of your joy? Is it alive and well, is it on life support, or someplace in-between? Do you care? Does it matter?

Okay, so where did your child-like joy go? Most likely it got lost among the multitude of chores, tasks, and responsibilities in your life. Perhaps it is adrift in the “great sea of expectation”.  Or maybe you simply didn’t make maintaining your joy a priority.

No matter the cause for loss, you can and should reconnect with your joy.

How?

I have a few suggestions…

You might try – discovering & living in your purpose.

God created you in His image for a purpose. Living in your purpose not only brings joy to your life and the lives of others, but also praises Him.

Or you could try – participating in activities that bring you joy.

Extracurricular activities are the first things we “give up” when life gets busy. You started these activities because you enjoyed them, right? So, returning to them will return that missing joy to your life.

So, what are you going to choose; a life full of joy or a joy-less life?

Choose “Joy”!