Thoughts of the past few weeks.

Its been an interesting few weeks. A very good few weeks if I must say.

I recently moved. Not far really. Just about 20 minutes down the road. I've got a killer roommate in my sister. I'm glad that I can call her one of my closest friends in the world and its a great thing to be around her. I'm close to everywhere I need to go, so thats good.

I spend every morning I'm in town at Central Coffee. I drive or ride my bike over there in the morning to read, talk to the owners, drink too much coffee and eat bagels. I'm really digging supporting local folk and local commerce. Plus they are just great people. I didn't think I liked cream cheese until I had some that was homemade. Tasty.

I'm a student again. Going to liberty university online. I'm glad technology has made it possible for me to do music full-time and school. psychology degree here I come.

I got to go to NYC for the first time in my life a few days ago and got to hang out with some real Italians in brooklyn. Talk about an experience. I'm a fan of being in the middle of a culture completely different from my own.

my cowboy boots are now worn in so much so that no other shoes feel right.

I'm playing a lot of golf with my dad. He's really good. Me, no so much. But hangin out with him has been stellar.

I'm enjoying this time off. Because of the nature of this music biz, December is like our summer. I like time when there isn't much to do, just sit back, read and relax. Mostly because come January through August, life will be pretttttty insane, for most of my time will be spent watching the world through a van windshield. And I can't wait.

God thoughts:

I'm learning not to take my faith by faith. The facts and historical documentation behind Christianity, Jesus, and the Bible are astounding. (read The Handbook of Christian Apologetics). Some things just make sense. Granted there's that whole mystery of God thing that we will never understand, but God doesn't want me to check my brains at the door of his church. He created humans as reasoning and logical individuals and we should apply that to our faith. I fear I spent a lot of my life insecure about why I believed what I believe. I think its because I grew up in a Christian home, so I didn't really have to question what we did as a Christian family. Its not that I've recently questioned my faith, I've just spent time discovering why I believe what I believe. And its done nothing but strengthen my faith in my everlasting God and Father.

"The moment to moment existence of the physical and moral universe depend directly on his continuing oversight and providence" David Stern. How amazing is it that the same God who created and sustains the universe desires to be my closest companion. That's hard to get my finite mind around. He doesn't need me for anything, yet he wants me more than anything. He loves me to death.

Christmas. The king of the universe. The creator of heaven and earth. The God of power and might. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The most powerful one on earth HUMBLES himself to be born as a poor peasant would be born. How can this be? I think this season sort of gets to me because this beautiful part of the God-story gets tainted by commercial shopping sprees, over-spending, and "good cheer!". I admit its distracting. As much as I try to focus on the Christmas story, my mind gets bombarded with thoughts of this winter season. I want to focus on the coming of Jesus to earth and nothing else. It all comes down to me and my willingness to keep God in mind and everything else out of sight and out of mind.


What I've listened to this week:

Phil Wickham
Sleeping At Last
Christa Black
Robbie Seay Band
Doyle Bramhall II
Carrie Underwood
Dierks Bentley
Cash
Coldplay (of course. can never get enough. they occupy 13 of the spots in the 25 most played list of my iTunes. wow.)


hokay i'm done! hope you are well!

-stew