Quality Writing

I've never been one to choose my words skillfully. I grew up in a family that didn't have a high regard for diction or articulation (that sounds mean.....it's not meant to be). Often, I found myself making words up on the fly (I still do that). I realize the more I read, the more I'm appreciative of gifted writers. I have a couple of friends who rank amongst those gifted scribes, but think their talent is subpar. I have a few old dead guys whom I enjoy as well. I also love an artist/musician who can phrase words (albeit simple words) and resonate with so many different people.

I remember being in the car about 9 years ago or so, and Jessica (my wife) and I were listening to some music and she pulled out my cds (yes, the ones that were stolen :/). She pulled out the sleeve for an album called "Learning to Breath" by Switchfoot. Both of us were very familiar with Switchfoot's songs, but never spent the time reading their lyrics. I think we spent that whole trip reading the lyrics on the rest of that album and the "New Way to Be Human" album as well. We had a new appreciation for Jon Foreman and purposeful writing..........quality writing.

I wanted to post these lyrics because it brings me back to a time when I finally understood the meaning of that particular song. If you ever wanted a second chance, if you ever needed a second chance, you get the opportunity start over and learn to breathe. From a guy who has messed up in his life many times, being able to say that I have a new life with God, that I have another chance to live the way I was meant to live, it's no wonder the lyrics say, "I'm living again, awake and alive, I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies." Brokenness is often the state in which we listen most. It's often the place in which we realize our true blessings. We may not know what to say, or how to say much of anything. I know growing up I didn't. Even now I have difficulty. But as the lyrics read, "This is the way that I say I need you, this is the way that I say love you, this is the way that I say I'm yours." Whatever way you say it, it's your way..............and I think it's the quality that counts.

Learning to Breathe by Switchfoot
Hello, good morning, how you do?
What makes your rising sun so new?
I could use a fresh beginning too
All of my regrets are nothing new
So this is the way that I say I need You
This is the way that I'm

Learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that You and You alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies

Hello, good morning, how you been?
Yesterday left my head kicked in
I never, never thought that
I would fall like that
Never knew that I could hurt this bad

So this is the way I say I need You
This is the way that I say I love You
This is the way that I say I'm Yours
This is the way, this is the way

Character Counts

It seems like the more I learn about the character in others it reveals more about my own. This isn't a judgmental post, but more of an inward reflection. I started this blog to figure out someway to pour out on paper, or in this case electronic paper, thoughts about my life and the what God is teaching me. I know some of my posts tend to be rants more than reflections, but who asked you anyway? (I kid, I kid!) That being said, one of the things I've been learning more than any other subject in the last few years has been the topic of character; yours, mine, God's. Here's what I've learned so far regarding the first two:

Yours: It's masked well, but much is revealed through conversation and attitude.
Mine: Unfortunately it's like an on/off switch....that's broken. I'm working hard at trying to figure out the wiring because I keep experiencing short circuits.

The two are very similar. One is just easier to detect than the other. As most of us know when you get to know another person you begin to establish assumptions about one another. You know what they might say, how they might think, and what they might do in situations because you've spent time with them. You've learned their methods. You've learn their style. You've learned their consistencies (good and bad). The more time you spend with them the more likely it is for you to think about them when you are away from them. I'm not only talking about significant others, but friends in general do this as well. As we learn more about one another, we discover the true character of the person. As we know more about one another, some of us begin to hold on another in high esteem. Why? Well, I think it's because we admire them. Maybe we even want to be like them. Why? Maybe because there is something different about them that we wish was evident in our own.

When I think about how much time I might spend with an individual for these reasons, I wonder........do I desire that same amount of time with God? Have I spent the time truly getting to know God and His character. I realize from experience with my friends that I can't know God's character without first spending time learning about Him. I would probably take it even one step further. Like the knowledge we gain about our friends and the admiration that follows, I believe that the only reason we worship God is due the knowledge we have of Him. Without knowledge of God, without the pursuit and study of his character and nature, without time spent getting to know how great and awesome He truly is, I can't worship Him. I won't worship Him.

It saddens me to think that there have been times in my life where I've stopped. There have been moments in my life where I've sat idle in my study of God thinking I was worshiping Him with all of my mind when I really wasn't. I thought I was, but I look back now and see that I was just going through the motions.

I realize that this post started off about character and has now ended up on the topic of worship, but hopefully you can see the direct correlation between the two. I honestly believe you can't have one without the pursuit of the other.