Motivation, Inspiration and all things Fall...

Ok, so I've had a bit of an (apparently noticeable) absence from my blog lately, with the exception of one random post last week. Why, you ask? I'm not really sure. I think it's partially because I've been so busy that I've simply not taken the time to write anything down (something that is never healthy for me over an extended period of time), and partially because for some reason I've just felt like lately I haven't had anything really "profound" to share. I think I just got myself into this rut that if I didn't have some major epiphany, noone would want to read what I had to say. But according to multiple people who have scolded me for not blogging lately, and also according to my internal alarm which is telling me 'if you really want to meet your goal of finishing your first book by the time you're 30, you'd better quit slacking,' then in the mood or not, I am doing life every day and I need to be writing it down.

Do I expect every single entry to be a riveting page-turner? Of course not. Life has it's ups and downs as well as its exciting and mundane experiences, so I'm sure that some of these blogs may not be enthralling past the first sentence but its a good form of expression for me either way. (heck, you're probably bored with this entry already, but bear with me as I think out loud). Writing is how I process things...its how I express myself, its how I vent, it's how I use the creativity that is balling up inside me...and on the way home tonight, it exploded again. Ahh.

You know how it is when you experience or witness something you're passionate about, it gives you the fuel to want to go out and do that very thing? For example...when I hear an amazing new song, it makes me want to go home and write another one equally as awesome. Or when I experience an amazing moment with God, whether through worship, teaching or serving, it sets my heart ablaze with a renewed passion to want to carry out His will in all I do. Or maybe an example from a guy's perspective...every watched an exciting college football game and instantly wanted to run outside into the crisp fall air and toss the 'ole pigskin around that very minute? That's where I hit with writing tonight...

I started out just perusing a few friend's blogs to catch up on life, etc. and then I stumbled across a new co-worker's blog and was blown away. (thanks Carlos, you don't know it yet but your blog inspired me to fully dive back into writing consistently) Just reading blog after blog that were so well crafted, witty and insightful inspired me to want to go home that minute and start writing again. As I cruised home with the top down, looking at the most amazing autum full moon I've ever seen, I couldn't seem to get home fast enough...tons of ideas for new blogs and stories were popping into my head faster than I could remember them! Writer's block who?

So in the infamous words of my buddy Joel, "I say all that to say..." i'm back....like it or not, and i'm writing...good or not. It's life, live it up, and write it down...one day you might not remember it.

Thus goes the ramblings of my somewhat scattered-brain. :)
Peace out.

Take The Me Away

I love the fact that God allows us to worship and talk to Him so many different ways, because we're all so different. For me, the perfect combination is writing and music, both of which I am doing right now. If music is not your "worship strength," then you might not quite understand why I love to find a song that resonates with how my heart is feeling at the moment and then put it on repeat, listening to it over and over again singing the words in a personal prayer to God. It's times like that when I thank God for putting the pen in that person's hand to craft a song that perfectly aligns with my heart, and I thank Him for letting me find it. It's almost as if when I dont know the words, He already knows my heart well enough to just give them to me. What a cool thing.

This is a song that is resonating with my heart tonight. It's an amazing song with an amazing story behind it. If you've not gotten the "Journal Entry" CD from this year's Rick Pearson Memorial Concert, do yourself the favor of picking it up...its absolutely incredible, has an amazing story behind it, and it benefits a great cause. For the story, go to www.rickpearson.org or go to http://www.myspace.com/rickpearsonmemorial

Take The Me Away
Rick Pearson/Jonathan Shelton/Candi Pearson-Shelton

Oh God, God of my heart
how can I deny the ways you know me
God, God of my all
who am I to limit you by what I do with me
by holding on so carelessly
Lord, I release my hands
here I am

Lay me bare
strip my layers away
reveal the lifeless being I’ve become
Break my will
strip my layers away
until I am loose, free from myself
fill me with you
use what you can
Lord this is what I pray,
just take the me away

So now Great God it’s yours
ugly, abused and misused
refine me
restore me now
Great God, I’m yours

Lay me bare
strip my layers away
reveal the lifeless being I’ve become
and break my will,
strip my layers away
until I am loose, free from myself
fill me with you
use what you can
Lord this is what I pray,
just take the me away