This semester is ending soon. Thankfully I leave it with both excitement and a hint of sadness. I actually don't really want to leave my school routine. I feel that this semester I have learned so much and grown in so many ways because of my professors, the courses I took, and the school I'm at. However I am more than excited to see what next semester has in store, as well as to have some more time on my hands to work on my guitar playing over christmas, with no assignments to interrupt it.
The paradox that I've come up against this semester is that I've come out of many of my classes feeling both far more knowledgeable and far more inexperienced. However I'm not discouraged, I realize this is normal for someone studying a discipline as vast and broad as music. I am only sad that I have but one lifetime to learn what I can within it. For now I'm content to scratch the surface, and I look forward to digging deeper.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Two nights of great music
So yesterday was the Ambrose "Around the World" Christmas Concert. It was a lot of fun, and I absolutely loved seeing our music program perform in various ways to celebrate Christmas. I want to go on record and say that I am so thankful for our professors and teachers who pour time and energy into us as we learn and move forward. I had a good conversation with the conductor of the orchestra, Dan Bartholomew-Poyser about conducting, and even though I don't know much about it and I have only been doing it for the last 3 months in my basic conducting class he was so encouraging and told me if it was something I enjoyed that I should continue to pursue it. It was great to have someone who has a masters in something just encourage me (who has barely started) that I could do it and should do it if thats how I felt led.
It was also so awesome to have my family there, even though my parents just arrived back from Indonesia the day before, they made the drive down and expressed how much they enjoyed it =]
The day before the concert, on Thursday night, I went to see The Devil Wears Prada, For Today, and Fallcityfall perform at Macewan Ballroom.
All the bands performed so well, and everyone was so tight. And even though this was my fourth time seeing The Devil Wears Prada (who are one of my favorite bands) something stuck out to me that I've never really noticed before.
As an avid fan I know most of the lyrics to their songs, but that night one song in particular really hit me hard. It's no secret they are a Christian band, and while they are not on a Christian label and they play with predominately secular bands, all their lyrics tie into their faith, and they always talk about their love for Jesus, but also their love for their fans and the people in their lives. They did do an in-between songs talk about the reason they write music and tour, and while it was really cool to see them proclaim their faith on stage the moment in their set which really showed me their passion for incarnational living was at the end of their song "Hey John What's Your Name Again?".
While the title might sound ridiculous (and actually all their song titles are a joke) this song holds a lot more meaning than I first realized.
The song tells a story of someone who is living for status and appearance, mutilating their life into a meaningless chase after approval and material gain. In the last half of the song though, the band shows their response to someone going down this path, and I think it is a very Christ-like one.
I'm going to hope for you
I'm going to pray for you
Amongst the reckless and the black
My time is yours my friend
We all find ourselves so horribly weak
Here's an offering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxFiu5Yy2Os
here's a link to the video of the song, listen at about 1:50 for the part I am talking about.
When I saw them play this live, I really felt the Holy Spirit moving through their offering. I know the kind of brokenness and reckless meaninglessness that pervades the music scene they operate in, and while there are actually a large percentage of Christian metal bands, there is still a very clear opposite side of the spectrum which is just as close to them.
When they played that last breakdown, I saw the work they have given their lives (or at least part of their lives) to. As Mike Hranica was screaming that last offering I could feel the power of love that loves despite the sin that is so obvious.
How often do I, or we as Christians, decide not to love someone because they are sinning or blatantly turning away from God? And I say this knowing we need to be careful and we need to not water down the gospel and we need to make sure we aren't becoming "of" the world. But I still think it's very possible to be in the world, and not just in the world for the sake of handing someone a pamphlet or asking them if they want to come to church and enter OUR world. I mean going into their world and loving them there because God has given us the kind of love that can do that. That is what Jesus did. It was so cool to see this band proclaiming this message over a crowd of people that are in desperate need of this kind of love.
It was also so awesome to have my family there, even though my parents just arrived back from Indonesia the day before, they made the drive down and expressed how much they enjoyed it =]
The day before the concert, on Thursday night, I went to see The Devil Wears Prada, For Today, and Fallcityfall perform at Macewan Ballroom.
All the bands performed so well, and everyone was so tight. And even though this was my fourth time seeing The Devil Wears Prada (who are one of my favorite bands) something stuck out to me that I've never really noticed before.
As an avid fan I know most of the lyrics to their songs, but that night one song in particular really hit me hard. It's no secret they are a Christian band, and while they are not on a Christian label and they play with predominately secular bands, all their lyrics tie into their faith, and they always talk about their love for Jesus, but also their love for their fans and the people in their lives. They did do an in-between songs talk about the reason they write music and tour, and while it was really cool to see them proclaim their faith on stage the moment in their set which really showed me their passion for incarnational living was at the end of their song "Hey John What's Your Name Again?".
While the title might sound ridiculous (and actually all their song titles are a joke) this song holds a lot more meaning than I first realized.
The song tells a story of someone who is living for status and appearance, mutilating their life into a meaningless chase after approval and material gain. In the last half of the song though, the band shows their response to someone going down this path, and I think it is a very Christ-like one.
I'm going to hope for you
I'm going to pray for you
Amongst the reckless and the black
My time is yours my friend
We all find ourselves so horribly weak
Here's an offering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxFiu5Yy2Os
here's a link to the video of the song, listen at about 1:50 for the part I am talking about.
When I saw them play this live, I really felt the Holy Spirit moving through their offering. I know the kind of brokenness and reckless meaninglessness that pervades the music scene they operate in, and while there are actually a large percentage of Christian metal bands, there is still a very clear opposite side of the spectrum which is just as close to them.
When they played that last breakdown, I saw the work they have given their lives (or at least part of their lives) to. As Mike Hranica was screaming that last offering I could feel the power of love that loves despite the sin that is so obvious.
How often do I, or we as Christians, decide not to love someone because they are sinning or blatantly turning away from God? And I say this knowing we need to be careful and we need to not water down the gospel and we need to make sure we aren't becoming "of" the world. But I still think it's very possible to be in the world, and not just in the world for the sake of handing someone a pamphlet or asking them if they want to come to church and enter OUR world. I mean going into their world and loving them there because God has given us the kind of love that can do that. That is what Jesus did. It was so cool to see this band proclaiming this message over a crowd of people that are in desperate need of this kind of love.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thou shalt know him when he comes
not by any din of drums
nor his manners, nor his airs
nor by anything he wears
Thou shalt know him when he comes
not by his crown, nor by gown
but his coming known shall be
by the holy harmony which his coming makes in thee.
Thou shalt know him when he comes. Amen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV0vdS871jY
In the Ambrose Chamber Choir we have learned this song, and needless to say, I love it. Not only is it beautiful harmony and rhythm but the message when expressed through this medium never ceases to bring me into a place of contemplation in my mind. I'm so thankful to be in a place where we can sing something like this and where it holds so much meaning for us, both personally and corporately.
I think that there is something beautiful about the comfort that comes from knowing Christ, 'not by any din of drums'..'not his manners, nor his airs, nor by anything he wears'...'not by his crown, or by gown'. These things are all important things, but the fact is that we don't need any of that to know he is with us and to commune with him.
I don't like to talk much about theology because I often feel like I might be saying something heretical, since I am surrounded by theologians and pastors in training. But I know without a shadow of a doubt that when we turn to God and his son Christ, and when we invite his Holy Spirit into our lives, we can experience this 'holy harmony' which his coming will make in us.
Harmony within music is probably one of the most powerful tools. When two notes are harmonized it exponentially increases the meaning of that moment in the music. Add that to a melody and you will have means with which to express emotion, or another extra-musical idea.
Now, isn't it awesome to think that God is creating spiritual harmony within us? it is this spiritual harmony that assures us of his presence and his work in our lives, and it is this spiritual harmony that we are falling deeper into as we pursue him. One day when we go to be with him we will drown completely within it.
I will leave this post with a song that is quite different from the first. The new Underoath album is one full of images of struggle and being buried, drowning, etc. The final song of the album, "In Completion" holds a connection to our inadequacy and also to the fact that despite all our failure, when we choose to dive un-reservedly into his grace and purpose for us, he will drown us in his love and spiritual harmony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyVwHmRv51M
"In Completion" from their album "ΓΈ Disambiguation"
So follow me, to the empty ocean.
We can watch the city, descend behind the skyline
On our backs we float away
And forget about the way we used to be
Tonight I fail, but I never wanted to let you drown without me
Tonight we are the only ones to watch it fall apart
We slide into our place where I can watch you swim
Don't forget my hands still wrapped around your neck.
We fall deeper into the ground, this night never looked so hollow
I wanted to share this with you, with you.
I'll wait till it opens up again, sit here till the water reaches our necks
We finally get to watch them wash away the lies.
Tonight I fail, but I never wanted to let you drown without me,
Without me
Open your lungs, follow me down
Open your lungs, follow me down
I set this up, keep swimming, keep swimming
Oh God, I am emptier than you
not by any din of drums
nor his manners, nor his airs
nor by anything he wears
Thou shalt know him when he comes
not by his crown, nor by gown
but his coming known shall be
by the holy harmony which his coming makes in thee.
Thou shalt know him when he comes. Amen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV0vdS871jY
In the Ambrose Chamber Choir we have learned this song, and needless to say, I love it. Not only is it beautiful harmony and rhythm but the message when expressed through this medium never ceases to bring me into a place of contemplation in my mind. I'm so thankful to be in a place where we can sing something like this and where it holds so much meaning for us, both personally and corporately.
I think that there is something beautiful about the comfort that comes from knowing Christ, 'not by any din of drums'..'not his manners, nor his airs, nor by anything he wears'...'not by his crown, or by gown'. These things are all important things, but the fact is that we don't need any of that to know he is with us and to commune with him.
I don't like to talk much about theology because I often feel like I might be saying something heretical, since I am surrounded by theologians and pastors in training. But I know without a shadow of a doubt that when we turn to God and his son Christ, and when we invite his Holy Spirit into our lives, we can experience this 'holy harmony' which his coming will make in us.
Harmony within music is probably one of the most powerful tools. When two notes are harmonized it exponentially increases the meaning of that moment in the music. Add that to a melody and you will have means with which to express emotion, or another extra-musical idea.
Now, isn't it awesome to think that God is creating spiritual harmony within us? it is this spiritual harmony that assures us of his presence and his work in our lives, and it is this spiritual harmony that we are falling deeper into as we pursue him. One day when we go to be with him we will drown completely within it.
I will leave this post with a song that is quite different from the first. The new Underoath album is one full of images of struggle and being buried, drowning, etc. The final song of the album, "In Completion" holds a connection to our inadequacy and also to the fact that despite all our failure, when we choose to dive un-reservedly into his grace and purpose for us, he will drown us in his love and spiritual harmony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyVwHmRv51M
"In Completion" from their album "ΓΈ Disambiguation"
So follow me, to the empty ocean.
We can watch the city, descend behind the skyline
On our backs we float away
And forget about the way we used to be
Tonight I fail, but I never wanted to let you drown without me
Tonight we are the only ones to watch it fall apart
We slide into our place where I can watch you swim
Don't forget my hands still wrapped around your neck.
We fall deeper into the ground, this night never looked so hollow
I wanted to share this with you, with you.
I'll wait till it opens up again, sit here till the water reaches our necks
We finally get to watch them wash away the lies.
Tonight I fail, but I never wanted to let you drown without me,
Without me
Open your lungs, follow me down
Open your lungs, follow me down
I set this up, keep swimming, keep swimming
Oh God, I am emptier than you
Monday, November 22, 2010
Eyes
I must confess before I begin writing that I did not come up with the idea of having a blog all on my own. I was inspired by a couple people who have written blogs that have helped me gain some insight into their lives.
That being said I do have more reason than that to begin spewing my thoughts and words onto a public piece of digital canvas. When the idea of having a blog came to my mind I remembered that we all see the world through different eyes, and that we all have the capability and compelling desire to share those views. But then I came to a dilemma, why should we share them? or more to the point, why should I share my views? The answer to this question is deeply connected with my faith, as it seems everything seems to circle back to at one point or another. Let me be clear here that by 'views' I do not mean opinions, I mean the ways in which the world impacts me, and more importantly those moments in which I learn and grow through a revelation of sorts.
Now on to my main point in this rant on views, which is the importance of encouragement. I am a firm believer in learning from those around us, I believe that even without meaning to impact someone we can speak into their lives in how we live or express ourselves. I know that is a simple concept at best, but one that struck me as very important.
Also to clear up any doubts you may have about my beliefs, I am a follower of my Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in a life of alignment and relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I do not believe in religion as a mechanism which can give us salvation, but I believe in the power and necessity of community as Christ's body on earth.
I hope that through reading these little (or big) glimpses into my life you can take away some new knowledge or viewpoint that can shape your own experience. I hope for a chance to share the love and grace that has been given to me, and I hope to talk to all of you as soon as I can =]
now to write the schoenberg paper I have been avoiding....
That being said I do have more reason than that to begin spewing my thoughts and words onto a public piece of digital canvas. When the idea of having a blog came to my mind I remembered that we all see the world through different eyes, and that we all have the capability and compelling desire to share those views. But then I came to a dilemma, why should we share them? or more to the point, why should I share my views? The answer to this question is deeply connected with my faith, as it seems everything seems to circle back to at one point or another. Let me be clear here that by 'views' I do not mean opinions, I mean the ways in which the world impacts me, and more importantly those moments in which I learn and grow through a revelation of sorts.
Now on to my main point in this rant on views, which is the importance of encouragement. I am a firm believer in learning from those around us, I believe that even without meaning to impact someone we can speak into their lives in how we live or express ourselves. I know that is a simple concept at best, but one that struck me as very important.
Also to clear up any doubts you may have about my beliefs, I am a follower of my Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in a life of alignment and relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I do not believe in religion as a mechanism which can give us salvation, but I believe in the power and necessity of community as Christ's body on earth.
I hope that through reading these little (or big) glimpses into my life you can take away some new knowledge or viewpoint that can shape your own experience. I hope for a chance to share the love and grace that has been given to me, and I hope to talk to all of you as soon as I can =]
now to write the schoenberg paper I have been avoiding....
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