Happy Fourth of July (on July 21?)

Since the fourth of July is our day of independence, our Spaniard friends have been asking us how we celebrate our Independence Day and asking us what  kind of stuff we do.  We all figured that since they are asking us, Why don't we just have a fourth of July party.  The thing was that we couldn't have the party on the Fourth, so we moved it all the way back to July 21st.  The party was planned, invitations were made and we were raring to go.

Although most of the preparations were planned last minute and at times we (the team) felt like chickens with our heads cut off, the party was extremely successful.  It started at 9:30pm and went on till 3am!  We talked with friends, listened to music, ate hot dogs, hamburgers, tortilla chips with Jalapeño dip and brownies (those went quickly too).  The best part was just being in fellowship with friends and laughing and having good conversation and getting to know those around us.  We even put in some Shakira music and danced a little bit.  Paolo, an Argentine who's a magician, came later and did some magic tricks and became the life of the party.

I think the longer and longer that I am here, the more I'm beginning to realize that life is something to be experienced and not just merely read through the eyes of another person.  You can't experience things to the fullest if you haven't experienced them yourself.  The same thing goes with scripture and biblical things.  Until you have really experienced what that says, you'll never really be able to truly embrace its truth for yourself.  

Here is a video by Sarah McLachlan called World is On Fire that really moved me and made me think about how blessed I am and how there's much I can do for the rest of the world.  I hope the next time you think you have it bad, you watch this video.  Remember, life is not about what you get, but about what you can give...

I struggle with forward motion...

Why does it always seem like I struggle with motivation to do anything?  Ugh...this is so frustrating for me.  I feel as if I have the language down, the culture is fine, life with Spaniards is great, but this whole music thing to me just seems so overwhelming.  When something's overwhelming to me, I just shut down and say to myself "Why even bother?  I'm not going to be able to accomplish that in two years?"  

I was also thinking about 1 Corinthians 10:31 where it says "Therefore, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God."  I honestly have to say that I am not living this out with the music stuff here at all.  I struggle to do anything with it.  I haven't sang in two weeks, I haven't written a song in a week, and I feel like I'm just never going to accomplish anything.  However, I'm definitely not going to accomplish anything by sitting on my butt all day and doing nothing.  

I guess what I am asking for is prayer about this area of my life.  I wish there was some magic cliche or some encouraging speech that would make me want to work my hardest, but nothing comes to mind.  Pray that I will be diligent in my music work as well as work in areas that I may not like, but that I have to do.  Thanks you guys.

Our days were numbered by nights on too many rooftops

They said we're wasting our lives

Oh at least we know that if we died, we lived with passion

They say we burn so bright

- A by Cartel

Why do we spend so much time looking into the future or at the past instead of enjoying what's right in front of us?  This question came to my mind today as I woke up from my bed in the Born this morning.  I know that I spend so much time looking to the future and thinking that it will be better when I get there.  In the process, I waste so much time today and not making the most of every moment in the here and now.

In connection with that, I've been wondering what the word passion really means in real life and in my own life.  According to the famous Webster's Dictionary, it is an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.  After reading that definition, I have realized that passion in my own life has been drained and my passion for being here doesn't seem as strong as it was when I first came here.  I feel as a leaf in the wind, being blown from thing to thing and just going with the motions.  

At the same time, I believe passion is something that can only be lived in the here and now in life.  You can't live passionately in the future or the past, but only in the present.  We need to realize that today is a gift and need to live it wildly for today and for no other time and place. To think on the future or past to waste passion for today.

A Passionate Life Over a Regretful Life

I've also thought about the fact that I'd rather live and die living passionately than live and die regretfully...regretfully knowing that I didn't do what I've always dreamed of.  That way if I die, at least I can say I died living passionately and wholehearted being a servant as Christ was.  There have been very few times in my life where I've lived life to the fullest.  

I've always played my life safely and not passionately to a sense.  I'm not talking about living recklessly, I'm talking about living passionately.  I've always felt like I have a side of me that is just bursting to get out that I have kept bottled up for so long.  I need to feel what feeling alive feels like.  I need to take risks and live life with a bold and wild passion and not just keeping to myself and playing it on the safe side.

Lord, I pray that I never lose passion in my life... To live for the here and now because I'm not guaranteed tomorrow or the next day, but only guaranteed my life for today.  I'm tired of living in the past and future, but I want to live for today for you and nobody else.  I'm also tired of living safely, but rather if I am to die, I would rather die knowing that I lived and died with passion for you.  Father, you are the only thing I need for today and for the rest of my life.  I love you and thank you for today and if you choose to, I thank you for tomorrow.

Amen

Shelter me oh genius words

Just give me strength 

Just to pin these things

And give me peace to well her wings

And Oh, Oh carry on all you minstrels of the world

- The Minstrel's Prayer by Cartel

On The Set...or Something like that

So today we were getting work done (or I should say Matt was getting work done and I was sleeping because I wasn't feeling good) and Matt gets a call. Come to find out, Woody Allen is filming a movie in Barcelona and he was filming part of the movie a few feet from our apartment and right under the girl jman's apartment. Naturally, we hurried over to the girls apartment to catch the action.

Sure enough, there was Woody Allen standing there waiting for things to be set up for the scene they were filming next in the movie. We find out through others that Scarlet Johannson and Penelope Cruz are in this movie as well. Well we are waiting around to see the other stars and sure enough, Scarlett Johannson comes on the set. She's pretty short and look like a normal person for the most part. I got a few pictures of Scarlett and Woody (we're on first name basis...lol).

(I know you can't tell, but trust me when I say that this is Woody Allen)

(Yep...that's Scarlett Johannson a few feet away from the girl's and my apartment)

Anyways, in new developments, things have been going pretty slow right now. I have moved into the apartment with Matt as of a week ago and am still trying to get adjusted to a new schedule. Meanwhile, I am meeting with my intercambios and those are going really well. I really believe I am making some good friends out of these intercambios and just sharing life with these Spaniards. Pray that I will be able to write songs, find venues and muster up the courage to perform my songs in local venues. Until then, take care and God bless.

This is Your Life....Are you who you wanna be?

Three years ago, Switchfoot released a song called This Is Your Life on the album, The Beautiful Letdown. The song talks about how we base too much of our lives on what already has occured. It talks about how today is the day to start being who you want to be. The question is this:

This is your life...Are you who you wanna be?
This is your life...Are you who you wanna be?
This is your life...Is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When your world was younger and you had everything to lose.

This is a question that crosses my mind and I ask myself over and over again. Am I turning into the person that I want to be? A person that makes God smile and makes him proud? A person that in everything I do, brings glory and honor to Him? Is this life everything that I imagined it would be?

My answer is absolutely without a shadow of a doubt. I couldn't be happier than where I am right now in life. I have been blessed with a wonderful opportunity here in Spain, a great team, family and friends along the journey that can share in this adventure that I am on in life. I feel as if I've already changed so much these past couple of months and it's only been three months here. This mystery known as life is exciting. I don't know what it holds, but it's going to be exciting to find out.

So I leave you with the question I ask myself everyday....This is your life, are YOU who YOU want to be? Is this life everything you dreamed it would be? Or are you letting history repeat itself? Are you letting your past defeat you when it is done and over? Today is the day to live the life that you choose to live? What will you choose?




I miss this guy....

The Return From ACM

I was in Lisbon, Portugal last week from the 25-29 for our company's meeting there. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Lisbon, please do. It's a beautiful city to visit, very relaxed, and pretty cheap compared to other places in Europe. It was good to see old friends as well as make new ones while there.

That being said, as much as I enjoyed Lisbon, God really reinforced in me the need for spending time with Him daily. For most of the time, I felt so drowned out and was so quiet while there, just enjoying listening to everyone else around me. I really do believe that my times with God have taught me how to be a better listener to not only Him, but to other people around me. It felt so weird and awkward the days I didn't do my quiet times and I was fearful of that, but it is a good and healthy fear. Here's a pic of me and some of my WE family:



Rockin at the Palace...

So the band's concert at the Palace Bar went really well. The group said they had more fun here in Barcelona and it should be the truth. I live in the best city ever. The group was amazing and even went out and talked to others that were at the bar and not just sitting with their group. I can definitely see the Father raising up a great army for him in the future.

I think the thing I learned the most from this was that sometimes, God works things way bigger than I could ever imagined. I was so fearful that there was going to be nobody at the bar that evening for the band and that they would be disappointed. That night, the bar was packed full of people and it was like God saying to me "Does this work for you?"...lol. I was humbled that God was able to show me to never underestimate what He can do.

I will post more pictures of myself as soon as I can.

As for right now, things are just busy, busy, busy. Pray for peace and for me to be filled with the Spirit everyday that I am here. It's hard to believe that I am closing in on three months being here. God has proven faithful every step of the way here and I praise Him for that. Until next time my friends...

Go on and take My picture
Go on and make Me up
Oh, I'll still be your Defender
And you'll be My missing son
And I'll send out an army
Just to bring you back to Me.
Cause regardless of your brothers' lies,
Oh, you will be set free.

Because I am My beloved's
And My beloved's Mine;
So, you bring all your history,
I'll bring the bread and wine.
Then we'll have us a party
Where all the drinks are on Me
And as surely as the rising sun
Oh, you will be set free.
- Lover by Derek Webb