Join me

I think I've said before sometimes I don't write very often... at least it seems that way. The number on the right side of my blog show the truth... I've been consistently writing less.

But the truth is, I've been writing more than I have written in a long time. I either write music or blogs... and songs have not been short supply lately. It's extremely refreshing.

I suppose the difference might have to do with the people I've been around. More and more I've been with songwriters. Hanging with them. Showing and telling songs. When I ask them "Whatcha up to?" and their responses are "Ehh messing with a song"... It makes me jealous. Makes me want to be the one who's writing the song. And more times than not, by the end of the day I've written a song too.

It's led me to realize how crucial a concept it is to pay attention to the people who surround ourselves with. The influence is unmistakable.

When I'm on the outside, it's so easy to see it clearly. On the inside, it just looks like I'm losing interest (or availability) to write blogs. But on the outside, I can see the one hand full of blogs, and the other hand overflowing with music and songs and lyrics. I'll tell you I've been completely overwhelmed in so many ways this semester. I'm hardly speaking of academics. There are things I would never even think of writing in a blog. There are things I would never articulate to the public's ear through even lyrics. And I settle for a melody that sounds like the lilts of the aches I feel inside me instead. Then it's heard... though I never said it.

Anyway, I've been pushed and encouraged by my songwriting friends to press more into my own songwriting. One of my friends told me the other day he gets jealous of how often I write. I laughed... because I felt the same about him when he tells me he's writing a song.

The people we're around push us to be like them. The bubble you're in doesn't let much else in... unless the bubble is willing to be popped. Think about it... if anything else enters a bubble... it pops.

I think of my little sisters playing with bubbles on hot summer days. Out playing in the sprinklers... towels thrown all over the lawn. The bubbles fly all over the air, and every now and then they pop against the leaves and concrete... even against the water praying out of the sprinkler. It's like this... bubbles are made out of soap and water right? Well, even if more of the same tries to "enter the bubble," (like water)... it pops.

I think in churches it's extremely necessary for a pastor to set the temperature for the rest of the people. I think a pastor has the most impacting role in a church. If a pastor is negative, then negativity is what's filling the ears and hearts of his congregation. And if he speaks blessings and life into his congregation, then that's what they're filled with. What they're filled with is what comes out of them.

I'm not talking about any church in particular. I'm not alluding to anything going on or not going on in my own home church. I just naturally associate things with churches since I'm involved in ministry and stuff like that.

When a church family talks nonstop about pursuing God and a life sold out to the Lord, it eggs everyone else on. When a pastor is constantly after God and after a deeper relationship with God, it sets the scene for everyone else to do the same.

Something I hate, literally hate, is when a paster seems to make himself like God. Someone who has no more left to go on journey of faith and life as a Christian. When a pastor teaches out of his heart, and comes across like, "See everyone? Be like me." I get so frustrated. I love seeing pastors who teach as a leader... as someone who is saying something more like, "Join me!" than "Be like me." There's a huge difference.

I like being around people who have a "join me" mentality. It's really cool. That's all I got for ya today.

And PS... any songwriters reading this... don't get jealous like I do of you... just join me.