Out of the blue. We all want to hear. I don’t need to know where you have been or what you have done or said. Be here now. Let’s walk on together.
The fellowship of the believers is sweet. The devotion of the disciples is deserved. Sustained by forgiveness, it persists. Inspired watching Jet Li in Fearless
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To have a cohort where you can just be and speak freely... where you can eat and drink and be merry... all while understanding and appreciating authority and consequences…
this is a retreat and a blessing from the world we all live in. It is not a vacation. It is a cleft in the rock to recover and restore as the storm rages contemporaneously crushing so many. Reality checks.
There are plenty of people that i consider to be friends who are not. There are plenty of people that I consider to be enemies who are not. Family is not a blood thing but blood helps. Most people don’t really care at all. Period. Most are self focused and self involved above all else. Social media is a semi public, artificially created, construct of community. It is not community and it is a fleeting reflection of what authentic living together encompasses. #WakeUpAmerica Social media is a pandemic public health crisis which is actually undermining society. No different than drugs, alcohol, big tobacco, gambling… it is an addiction that requires treatment and detox. It is possible that the mitigation and action plans and principles Republican leaning libertarians enforce to solve problems are wrong, damaging, and even wasteful. In my experience, this is not true.
Let’s look at the facts… on projects, businesses, career, livelihood, family…. If the person you are interrogating has solid (and successful records and answers at scale and duration for these areas of interrogatory, I think you should follow them, not tell them how right your utopian visions are… We all want to solve problems… I think liberals have bad ideas. Liberals most often think I’m a bad person. There is a difference. The patriot act and the virtually unilateral authorization to use force waging war after 9/11 were both tragic attacks on liberty and freedom. On this 20th anniversary of the inciting event I ask my fellow Americans to remember these failures and the role they played in our 20 year journey into soft totalitarianism collectivism. We allowed this March. Biden’s ineptitude and exploitation of his expansive power is a logical consequence that many of us saw coming and have fought publicly. Failing due to the fearful and often ill informed populace.
We all pay the price. Those lost heroically on 9/11 deserve better. Covid is not going away. Ever. Get vaccinated, or not… wear a mask or not…. Don’t be a jerk to anyone who chooses to act differently from you. Protect yourself and start living out some of the kindness and tolerance that we all should believe in. Enough with this stupidity and insanity. Americans are NOT idiots no matter what the Dems seem to think.
Just like 9/11, the world has changed. The only thing we can control is how we go forward. The choice is individual and visceral. Words are not enough. We need to stand together for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Let’s roll. Live out loud. Sing in a choir. Go to a football game. Shake hands and smile without the politically correct “masking”. Sunday am thinking. I led in a local baptist church during the 2020 Covid crisis. TBH it cured me, of any desire to continue in leadership in that church into 2021. The overt willingness to do “nothing” except take care of self and institution coupled with submission to the govt authority in virtually all things, especially singing was deplorable and I could not do anything significant about it. Did i fail? Maybe. I don’t think so. For sure, I clarified the environment where we am best suited to work in vocational ministry. And it is not in a play a track, no real choir, pseudo praise team situation. I require respect for live,
elegant, structured and formed presentation. It is how I’m wired. Will I ever seek out another minister of music and worship position? I honestly don’t know. I’m interested and passionate about the fellowship of believers, not the institutional legacy. Period. #ChoirIsLife A church is a fellowship of people loving living and DOING life together. Not a place or a building, but those things are helpful. Music matters. Polity matters. For me. Doing life requires an attitude and practice of high quality music. I enjoy pop music for a bit, but the form structure and content are critical for me to be able to relate. I am an expert at blended worship music and design. Including everyone (or at least most) in a giving (not getting) experience is opportunity of a worship service. Singing and praying are the collective activities that matter. Sitting and listening are NOT that important. Being entertained is a problem, not a benefit. I go to a worship experience to submit and feel the fellowship. There is no desire for recognition. There is only the reality of mutual love respect and service through the creation of great music. As a highly trained classical musician, performer, and choral champion I don’t fit in most fellowships in my area. The events of 2020 exposed the worshiptainment culture. They exposed the overt desire of most churches to comply with secular governing authority above their own fellowship. They exposed the fear and lack of practical faith disease which is crippling Christians in America. I’m seeking a “church”, a fellowship that will appreciate my contributions and allow me to serve as the musician and leader that I am. I pray that God will provide this fellowship for me locally. I have it virtually but my “doing life” model is not a part time thing. It isn’t just virtual. This is a challenge. If you have this challenge too, reach out. Doing life together and finding common ground to SING (unmasked) and serve with bold reckless abandon as God leads rather than “how we’ve always done it” is the goal. Yes we should have a pipe organ. Yes we should have a drum set. Yes we should have a guitar and bass. Yes we should have a great choir. Yes we should have great congregational singing. Hymns and choruses and even chanting. Yes we should welcome anyone anytime. Yes we should have a beautiful facility. Yes yes yes. These provide a ring of resources which blesses and binds with the power of faith hope and love. Above all, it is the fellowship of the ring that matter most. It is precious and worthy but only in service to Jesus Christ not ourselves. Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen. “You have fought bravely and kept your honor.”
Aragorn to Boromir at his death. “I would have followed you my brother, my captain, my king.” Boromir to Aragorn. Both statements are what I yearn to hear, perhaps above all else. They represent true goals for fellowship. If another chooses to share with you. JUST Listen and be with them. Do NOT equivocate and do NOT share how much you know because of YOUR pain. They wish to heal and seek the light not wallow in the morass of self pity. Beware dragging them into your story. Be with them In theirs. Resist the urge to solve. Seek solutions with them not for them. Period. And only if they ask. Above all be with them. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat. Does NOT mean to turn the issues and topics to you. True friends can do this as hard as it is.
There should be more songs about this. Inspired by the fellowship of the ring. I may appear to some to be an easy target. I assure you I’m not. I am not at fault and I didn’t contribute or cause your issues. I do care, and will try to help but even that has pretty firm limits. Major assistance comes with strings.
On the target thing… don’t test me. You won’t like me when I’m angry. I don’t even like me when I’m angry. This should be the policy of the US dept of defense and state in both military and economic matters. Trade first and foremost but backed with force and will. We should all be using exactly the same political approach to judging Biden as POTUS as was the norm for Trump. Call out failures, tone, reputation, implications of decisions l… Dems and Media have no credibility because of the blatant double standards, racist policies, duplicitous doublespeak , weak globalist America last approach and general delusional rose colored lenses. Just trust them they say. Show respect they say.
Trust and Respect are granted when earned and only after they are given. That ship has sadly sailed and conservatives are left to deplorably cling to our guns, religion, and local communities. We will save America from the bottom up. Freely. Bravely. 20 years. America’s longest war. Americans fleeing for lives and evacuating in face of a terrorist fundamentalist enemy = Failure
We could have accomplished THIS outcome a decade ago, maybe more. #idiotsincharge wrong side of every foreign affairs and military policy position for 40 years. Great job Joe… and Democrats and Dem voters. Showing weakness and claiming moral superiority while failing miserably is the Dem way. We all (entire world) lose with this sort of outcome, but particularly the Americans who lost their lives in Afghanistan since ~2008 or so…. Shameful reality. Cases counts and variant fear are useless at this point. We all get sick regularly and we all have immune systems. Responsibility for our health is individual period. Death is a reality that we all will face. There is no mask for this. We all die. I am shocked at how few are willing to live these insane days. Get your vaccine and stay home if you are at risk.
Ignore the fear agenda from the media and political science fanatics. Following a science and real analytical model over the naive emotional, and manipulative anecdotal narrative approach is required. Protect yourself and we will all prosper. Period. The metrics to be concerned about are hospitalization (if there are capacity concerns) and death (if above the normative causes). These SHOULD define the state of emergency. Remember #flattenthecurve. Even the #idiotsincharge knew this originally but they have now become drunk on their control power and the politics of policy which has new teeth due to the medical authority fear mongering. Get vaccinated if you and your doctor agree. Wear a mask if you choose. REJECT mandates and medical authoritarianism. The liberal communists are in charge of the papers and major media and most of govt. they don’t control everything yet. Time to stand up is now. Act like you Live in the land of the free and the home of the brave or soon you won’t. What you see on FB is an illusion. If you don't understand this, try harder. Pivot online friends to face to face relationships. Maintain connections with real world friends online. Dance the dance. This is a skill which is necessary for 21st century. Seriously. #DifferentWorlds have #DifferentRules
My nature is something I understand more fully as I get older. to compete, to control, to conscript and compare... I choose to nurture differently. to collaborate, to enable, and to assist and to revel in others success along with my own.
I am far more than my biological makeup. You are too. Choose wisely, learn and change where YOU decide according to YOUR standards. Originally written in 2016– Despite all of the condescending rhetoric, I and my conservative friends are not ashamed or morally compromised in any way because of our conservative beliefs and positions. (from small govt, to limited spending, to personal accountability, and restrictions on abortion) Shocking as it may seem to my liberal friends, we actually believe that we are right. No political party holds the moral high ground... there may be no such thing in politics... Framing every argument as though your position is the only morally acceptable one is highly offensive and only furthers the very division and demagoguery which you espouse to stand against.
Government has long proven that it is ineffective and incapable of legislating morality and in most cases... even basic human decency. The system is a failure... but it happens to be the best in the world... which says very little in the end. Results matter. History and legacy matter. Honor, honesty and civility matter. America matters. Individual lives, liberty and ideas matter. Collectivist ideas... are a wasteland of corruption, division, argument and historic failure. Liars have no place in leadership. Great speeches and great results are rarely the same thing. #WakeUpAmerica Your local and state governments have the most real impact on your lives... Do you even know who your real leaders are? because it isn't those #IdiotsInCharge in Washington... Their role in our lives is to keep us safe, and protect the union... and they are terrible at it. Figure our what YOUR principles are and stand for them... Enough of this personality politics bunk... it only brings us all down. #RANT #RonaRant
If you want the vaccine get it. If you want to wear a mask wear it. If you want to socially distance and disinfect surfaces do it. Everyone should be washing their hands a lot more regardless— Anyone that is concerned about Rona has the means to protect themselves reasonably. The pandemic is over because we all have mitigation measures and options. The state emergency requiring the mandatory actions and restrictions on citizens and businesses MUST stop. Most citizens I know who can have already discarded the ridiculous yoke of the govt and accepted that they have no real faith in the proclamations of the public health system. We never had much faith in the politicians, and bureaucrats and the last 18mos has effectively proved out our cynicism. They failed and continue to do so. We the people are in charge if we choose to be. The sheeple will always follow. As to specific friends, family, neighbors, citizens… Enough with the do your part, wear your mask, sanctimonious autocracy. I repeat, protect yourself and leave me and like minded libertarians ALONE. Let’s get on with fighting over normal stuff. Church pews, music, carpets, taxes, oppression of entire populations by socialist tyranny, genocide, hunger, climate change policy, murder, violence, guns…. There are plenty of choices. Happy Birthday America. Celebrate. Rejoice. Live freely! Today, we may be old, bent, and even busted up in places but WE remain the greatest country in the world.
We celebrate the blessing it is to be a citizen here. We sing the star spangled banner, fly the flags, revere and respect while protecting our liberty and the responsibility that comes with it. It is all quite Astounding to consider. May God continue to bless America and all Americans. #Justsing My country tis of thee America God bless America Star spangled banner This land is your land Battle hymn of the republic O Shenandoah Proud to be an American 🇺🇸 I was able to attend the DaCapo Inspire closing ceremony last night. It was excellent indeed.
I am convinced that fully integrated education using the arts is a fantastic path to accelerating and transforming lives. Truly. Our traditional public school models may or may not be succeeding depending on many variables at scale. Asking the parents is the only measure that has credibility. The single inescapable truth is that inspiring and including kids and parents to achieve is the way forward and it has always been the way. The larger public delivery models are challenged and parents needs choices as students need opportunities to thrive and excel. One size doesn’t fit all. Accepting that changes everything. I watched a groups of students showcase their excellence. This same group is simply not being served effectively by other channels. Seeing the eyes 👀 on fire 🔥 for learning was a special blessing for them and for us. Bravi Tutti to Tracee Aiello Prillaman and her entire faculty for making a difference. Truly. DCinspire.org #MusingAlert
I’ve spent many days worrying about burning bridges. All good things come to an end is another important idea that I embrace. The reality is that In the last two years a ton of people chose to burn bridges to me and my cohort with their authoritarian behaviors, condemnation, and disregard of my and my fellow citizens agency. From speech, to firearms, to respect and even singing… and music making. The wounds were frequent personal and sometimes vicious and even as I chose to suck It up buttercup, the indignant behaviors continued. I guess It wasn’t always malevolent intent. Often the outcomes were rooted in immaturity and pure incompetence. The results of those two realities are often identical. So Many chose to embrace only their ways and treated me and mine with rank disrespect. Perhaps I’m just older and crotchety now. Maybe I’m wiser, maybe I’m foolish. The truth is… I’m not really interested in spending the time and energy required to rebuild most of those bridges. Perhaps this is a character flaw. Perhaps it isn’t. There is a peace in personal liberty and morality. When I put aside what you think of my choices I am free to look to brighter choices, new bridges and spectacular new lands. I’m have some clarity now. More will come. The fog will clear and it is my goal that those who chose to burn ties will find new ones elsewhere. Not sure mine can even be rebuilt. Grief cycle is real. Exploration is ways off but coming. "We absolutely should not be indoctrinating our children to judge one another by the color of one’s skin, gender, or sexual identity…” Sen Joni Ernst
The application of intersectionalism in critical race theory pedagogy is an educational and societal abomination. -me "Critical Race Theory teaches students to label, stereotype, and demonize people based on their race, gender or sexual identity rather than judge people based on their character," he added. "We cannot fight racism with more racism." Senator Chuck Grassley As a white, Christian, straight man I resemble and endorse these remarks. Practical governing Principles should be same no matter my section. 2020 changed everything for me and for all of us. I think I managed the survival mode pretty well but the psychological trauma was real. For those of us who worked in churches it was extreme. Wounds were willfully opened. They are and were deep and spread open for continuing salt and fire. The insidious nature of the fear disease still persists.
2021 has provided some reprieve from the constant antagonistic climate. I am personally experiencing a complex and prolonged grief cycle. There is no returning to normal, whatever that was. The future is filled with uncertainty. I am certain of the loss. I have faith in the future. The internal trauma response continues in me. I am not afraid. I am angry and judgmental more often than not. Both states are toxic. I am grateful to see each day as it is. Arianna Huffington spoke on a Cisco meeting today and said “gratitude and anxiety can’t exist at the same time.” I think that is right. We must choose gratitude and the anxiety will dissipate. Faith teaches me to thank God for every moment. Faith is the antidote and vaccine for fear. What do you have faith in, specifically? Therein lies the root of our hope or our fear. I choose constantly. This is life. This is just me. |
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