Musical Footsteps: Part 2

Well, the word on the street is someone actually reads this thing besides myself. So, at one Miss Victoria Loy Arosen's request, I will blog...and luckily I have been inspired.

Tonight I watched the movie August Rush and the idea of musical footsteps took on a whole different meaning. The young boy heard music wherever he went at one point he said he believes in music like people believe in fairy tales. This music came from everything, and he hoped the music he heard would lead him to his long lost parents.

I am here to tell you that this movie is closer to real life then many I have seen.

No, I am not here to tell you that I quit a rock band, sold out and moved to california, and am unaware of an illegitimate child I had with a world class cellist. 

What I am here to tell you is that if we open our ears the music will enter, and it will lead us to go...and when I say music I mean the holy spirit. Sometime we don't want to hear it, sometime we are ignorant to it's call, and sometimes we may just not be listening, but no matter what when we open our ears we can hear exactly where to go.

My second favorite quote of the movie is the part where he said "they heard the music and followed it."

That my friend is the part where movie is way better then reality. In the end, (spoiler alert) long lost lovers reunite in a musical performance by there young child in central park, everything ends happy, and I shed a few tears.

Now, I am not suggesting that by any means that by following the holy spirit our life will end in a climatic scene of happiness, in fact we are promised the opposite. But our lives will be giving the meaning so many of us look for in our jobs, our relationships, or any last bit of control we decide to keep on our lives. So my advice (completely realizing that none of you come to my blog for advice but to read what jacked up thoughts go in my head)?

Follow the music.

Musical Footsteps

First off...Happy December!

Okay, as always inspiration has hit. However this time I didn't realize it was hitting me until about a week after I first discovered it. Currently, I am completely obsessed with Taylor Swift's CD Fearless. In particular, the first single Love Story has caught my attention...and not for reasons you may think.

No, this will not be a blog about relationships.

However, this song is strikingly different then many popular songs on the radio, maybe it's because the artist actually wrote the song. This song is a clear narrative with different character's and story development. It got me thinking.

What if we had a soundtrack to our lives? What would it sound like? Would it mean every footstep had a set pitch or beat? Would there be ominous music right before I did something stupid? Most importantly...how cool would that be!

Now, I am NOT talking about anything like High School Musical with people singing and dancing everywhere. But, what if life was set to music? It would add a certain epic quality to the life were living. I mean, how many movies are famous not so much for their plot, but the music playing in the background?

And lets be serious, who doesn't want to live an epic life? I would be lying to you if I said it would not be cool to have a soundtrack to my life WHILE I am living it, and not in retrospect. Full of crescendoing moments when my heart would start to race and tempo changes when I take my life into a different direction.

Usually, this part of my blog would be dedicated to unpacking my thoughts and coming up with a moral of the story. This time however, I will digress. I frankly just think it would be cool to have musical footsteps. Heck, if it could happen I would like to think my life would go platinum...but I'd settle for gold.

Green Grass?? Check under your feet...

At the beginning of every post I discuss where my inspiration comes from. This time, the inspiration is quite embarrassing. However, in the spirit of honesty I'll explain.

After spending the day in downtown Chicago (more on that in a minute), I curled up under a blanket hoping to find a good movie on TV...and oh billy...did I find one. Now, I must preface my next statement with this...I am a sucker for AWFUL AWFUL movies...movies that are soo bad it's funny.

Thus, I will let you in on a little secret.

Bring it on 3: All or Nothing is a PHENOMENAL movie. In fact, the first 3 Bring it On movies are great...the fourth one struggled...but we'll forgive them.

Now that I got that out, let me explain why I am writing now. There is a scene in the movie where two characters go on the rooftop of building and over look Crenshaw Heights, California, the less wealthy side of Los Angeles. One of the character says, 

"Yeah, sometimes you need to step out of something to see how beautiful it is."

This got me thinking of the more familiar saying "The grass is always greener on the other side." The question I pose is this...Is it possible to already be on the other side?

Think about it. How often do people long for something they supposedly don't have when they could possibly standing right on top of it.

Example.

When I looked for a college, my first rule was this. It must not be in Illinois. Growing up in Illinois, I wanted to experience something different. At that point in my life I had lived in the same house for 13 years and wanted a change pace. Secretly thinking that there could be something better then the "motonous" existence I was living then.

So, I went to the middle of nowhere Indiana, and loved every minute of it. However, I quickly realized that a change of pace is nice. There is only one green patch of grass for me.

The city of Chicago.

Today was the official kick off to the holiday season with a Christmas lights parade, fireworks, and a free concert featuring Jason Mraz, Jon Mclaughlin, and the Cheetah Girls...yes the Cheetah Girls themselves.

I know, hold your lip-synch loving excitement.

The city in itself is awesome, but the excitement people had as all the Christmas lights were turned on was amazing, and it didn't hurt that I had great friends there too. However, I needed to step out of it for four years to come back and truly appreciate how great our city is. 

Okay, I know you may be thinking this. "Nate, the whole point of the grass is always greener on the other side saying is for people who don't appreciate what they have."

Yeah, I get that, but how often do people say that and MEAN IT! Think about it! Too often we use that expression as it is not intended. So to that I say one thing...as my title says...if your looking for Green Grass...check under your feet.

Love lessons from 6 of my favorite Friends

Before I begin this post, I must say one thing. Last night I did something that I have never done previously...I resisted the urge to post. Yes, at 2:30 in the morning inspiration struck and I ignored enough to get some sleep. Granted it took me about an hour...but I still fell asleep. 

Anyways, to what I wanna to talk about.

Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross graced TV sets across America for 10 glorious years on the TV Show Friends. Now, I must admit I have an addiction to the show and I am not afraid to say it. During season 1, in the relational tension that was Rachel and Ross, Rachel said something that struck me quite funny...loosely quoted it went something like this.

"Do you think it's possible to meet someone that you can hangout with and have fun, and love and trust them while at the same time they can make your toes just curl..."

Well...

That my friend is question facing many 20 somethings today. Yes, I'm officially a 20 something, admitting it is the first step. When you ask guys and girls what they are looking for in a relationship you have guys describing attributes that will cause toe curling, and girls describing attributes that will lead to fun loving guys to hangout with.

So, the question is, should we try to have both?

I mean, it would be easy for me to find a girl that I am physically attracted to and just go after her. In the same sense, there are a lot of girls I love hanging out with but are missing that chemistry with.

In a different episode, Ross makes this claim in the episode entitled "The one with the blackout", again loosely quoted

"Passion is great, but the thing with passion is that it eventually burns out. Hopefully after that your left with trust, companionship, and honesty,"

Ross makes an excellent point, however, I would contend that the idea of passion burning out is another way of justifying a disturbing trend in our culture.

Settling.

If I had to have a top five list of things I am afraid of, settling would definitely be on that list. No one wants to wake up one day and look at the person sleeping next to them and wonder if they could have done better.  

The one thing I have learned is that it is possible, no I did not learn this lesson from watching every episode of friends. I know its not reality, and praise the Lord that that's not my life everyday. However, I have seen couples that have both. I know it is possible. So, the lesson learned, is this.

Yes, it is possible to meet someone that you love, have fun with, enjoy hanging out with, and more importantly, that same person will one day make my toes curl.

Mexican Train: The New Game of Life?

Okay, I love games. Card games, board games, large group games, any type of games. Love em. Mexican Train, is very high on my list. For those of you who have never heard of it, let me explain. 

It is a domino game played with tiles ranging from double zero to double twelve. Each person has their own train that they can play on as well as a community train. With a couple of exceptions, if another player plays a double they must play another domino "covering it." Also, if you can not play at all, you draw another domino, if you still can't play then your train becomes "open," allowing other players to play on your train. The game ends up being a hybrid of luck and strategy, with the whole goal to get rid of all your dominoes.

While I was playing tonight, with some amazing people I might add, I was struck by the similarities of game play and life. Never one to shy away from a good metaphor, I will attempt to explain my thoughts. Funny how I think clearest in the wee hours of the morning?

Anyways, each game begins with players drawing up a predetermined amount of tiles. PLayers then try to figure out the best order in which to lay their train. This leads me to my first comparison. How often are we dealt a hand in life and try to figure it out? We go through and rack our brains with the quickest and most convenient solution.  Usually, this is where I would insert something cheesy about it's not about the result, it's more about the journey to get there to show that the easiest solution is not always the most beneficial.  

Well I'm not.

I would be lying to you if I said I didn't want an easy pathway. Things would be so much simpler if I was dealt a hand that made sense. If I could easily piece things together. But, I will admit, sometimes I get that path. I look at everything  and it makes sense. That is when it happens.

A double is played.

I mean, a curveball. Something unexpected that changes your course. Your perfect path to victory all of a suddenly must be rerouted in order to cover for the player to your right's shortcoming. Now in life, this could come from a person, an unexpected life happening, or even another person's decision affecting you. No matter what, your reaction is generally the same.

You are not happy.

Your perfect train becomes two separate trains you don't know what to do with. Either way we have to quickly adapt, and figure out what the best moves are to get where you need to be. 

Finally, there is one last parallel. When your dealt tiles you don't know what to deal with. You could have 12 completely disjointed tiles, or even worse, two perfect trains of 6 with nothing to do with each other. When you have those two trains you feel like you have to make a choice. When the reality of the situation is all of the dominoes will eventually be played.

However, it's in life when we get the disjointed tiles that we feel the most discouraged. We have many parts that don't lead to a clear direction. What's worse, is that all of these parts have their own strengths. 

In the game of Mexican train, this leads to drawing from the pile of dominoes no one picked. Each round picking more dominoes in a search to make sense of the hand we are dealt.

In life, this is where I find myself getting into the most trouble. My mind has been conditioned to be looking for that thing missing. The thing about this is, it causes me to neglect what is right in front of me. I have many pieces  in my hand, just because they don't make sense to me right now doesn't mean they don't have a purpose. 

I know, I know...hard to accept. But just like Mexican Train, the hands end and you start anew. A chance to receive new pieces and most importantly a chance to make the most out the hand you have been given.

Well...right now it's a new hand and I have some disjointed pieces. All I can do is wait for my next turn to come around. Then, I might get something that makes the puzzle clearer. Until then, I will just enjoy the beauty of not knowing, and enjoying the pieces I do have.

Around the New Testament in 30 Days

It's simple...thirty days has November, so I will be reading through the entire New Testament in 30 days. The reading plan is simple...take your bible and find out how many pages are in your New Testament, then take that number and divide by 30. Read those many pages a day. For me, it is 9. Day one has taken me from Matthew 1-Matthew 9:22.

I'll write more personal reflections on this throughout the month, however for people who worry about not getting much out of this and turning this into a skim-a-thon, take an additional challenge. Journal EVERDAY, on something you learned from the passage. It sounds simple, but 80% of the battle is doing it everyday and not falling behind...okay that's all for now.

Lessons learned from The Lion King

Sometimes I hate inspiration. It comes at the trickiest of times, it comes when I least expect it, and today it has decided to come at 2:01 A.M. and I can not ignore it.

While journaling, (yes I journal AND blog, I have to have some type of privacy) I decide to read back through some of my notes I have made throughout the past year. I was struck by a comment I wrote during a sermon delivered by Eric Thonnes during Spiritual Renewal week spring of my Senior year.

One, Eric Thonnes is a baller. Two, he was discussing Depending on Christ through Ephesians 1:3-5, 2:1-10, however it is an analogy he used that jumped off the page.

I simply wrote, "Simba, remember who you are."

For those of you who don't know what I am referring to. Close this page, get in your car and drive to the most convenient video rental facility and pick up the movie The Lion King. Embrace how awesome it is, and enjoy being caught up with the rest of the world.

Anyways...

Lately, I have looked at my reflection in the mirror and not really known who is looking back at me. For the disney freaks reading this, I should put a clever little pun about the power ballad in Mulan with a similar theme...but I'll choose to pass.

Don't get me wrong, I like parts of me. But, I look at myself and see fingerprints of the PEOPLE that have impacted my life. All great people, but the fact of the matter is there people. People are screwed up. Even more importantly, I have noticed a fingerprint that is missing, Christ's.

This kind of scared me. Have I fallen into the all to common trap of Christian Culture to seek counsel below before/without seeking counsel above? Unfortunately, I think that I have.

So, it's time to remember who I am, a child of the King, just like the problem Simba faced in the movie.  His crisis of confidence and identity almost cost him his rightful place on the thrown. He was a child of the King, and so am I.  

The good thing about fingerprints is they aren't always permanent. I can easily wipe the bad one's off and maintain the good one's. Most importantly, it's letting the fingerprint that matter's most,  prominent and  permanent. 

The Way I see It

Some people say that everything happens for a reason. Every tiny detail of our lives are planned down to the exact moment, and everything that happens will have an impact on the rest of your life. Well, today a sudden urge for a Chai Latte has done just that.

Let me explain.

Starbucks and their delicious overpriced beverages has a huge hook in me and my wallet. While reading today I had the sudden urge for Chai, and when the urge for Chai comes you do not ignore it. So upon receiving my beverage I urgently read my cup. Starbucks' "The Way I See It" adds on their cups is genius, I usually laugh or have a quick passing thought about everything I read. However, Keith Olbermann's words have stirred my thoughts so much that I have decided to share with you, the Blogosphere. (One of my Top 5 favorite words ever used by Randy Gruendyke,little fyi)

The Way I See It  #17 says the following

"The world bursts at the seams with people ready to tell you you're not good enough. On occasion, some may be correct. But do not do their work for them. Seek any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. Don't take it personally when they say "no"--they may not be smart enough to say "yes."

-Keith Olbermann Broadcast Journalist and Host of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, former sportscenter anchor

Who knew a former sportscenter anchor could be so profound?

I know, I know, you may be thinking "Baggett, people have been telling you your whole life not to worry about rejection." Okay, to those who are not impressed by Olbermann's quote I suggest these two things. 

First, most people who struggle with rejection (myself included), will probably always struggle with it, so it may take constant reminder until something clicks. Second, and more importantly, I have never heard rejection framed in such a way as it being someone else's mistake. When rejected, I often wonder why it didn't work, what I am supposed to learn from it, never have I ever thought someone was dumb enough to say no to me.

The other part about getting this cup that struck me was it's tie in to a verse I've had in my thoughts lately.

"Walk in a manner worth of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

The first part of this passage strikes me the most. We all have been called to something greater then ourselves and more importantly we are supposed to respond as such. Satan likes to use rejection as a hindrance in so many people's lives and its crucial that Christians are aware of it and are ready to look past it.

In the end, all that really matters is not how I see things, it's how God has laid things out for me...who knew it would take a Chai Latte and a Keith Olbermann quote for me to see it that way.

Greek

Okay, so there are many things that a college graduate does, for those of us who have not found jobs yet we spend our days getting addicted to new television shows...my new addiction is a show called Greek.

Greek is on ABC Family and it portrays (which I have been told it portrays it quite accurately) the Greek system at a ficitional college in Ohio. Two fraternitys and one sorority are shown doing the expected drunken antics all under the umbrella of brotherhood/sisterhood respectively. 

Maybe it is because of my increasing desire to try college over again, but I couldn't help but draw parallels to this show and Taylor. Now, here me out none of these references have anything do with alcohol.

Each wing at Taylor obviously has it's own distinct reputation...when I lived on Third West we were known for wild antics, intramural dominence, and above all chasing each other around in a cloud of paranoia with a melon and gourd.

However, one thing that Greek has shown me it is not what the rest of the campus sees that defines their fraternity, it's actually the things that goes on behind closed doors that enhances their sense of brotherhood and turns them into men.

Well, I will not get into what ever went on behind close doors I can tell you that the men I lived on Third West for 2 years are my brothers. I love them very much and it will be weird to live my life this year not around any of them.

So...what are my greek letters? Most fraternitys and sororitys identify themselves with three letters...I've got 5....

WWIII

Choose your own Adventure

Robert Frost talked about the road less traveled....getting to a spot where the road we are taking splits and goes into two different directions. One, the beaten comfortable path and one the less traveled....he chose the less traveled path.

For my generation, we know it as the choose your own adventure books. We eagerly read the first ten pages just to be confronted with a choice... usually it intended something along the lines of going into a very creepy door, or running the opposite direction in an effort to live. Most importantly, we dreaded reading the book and realizing we had chose the wrong path and died.

With these books being such a huge part of most people's childhoods now a days it is easy to see why many 20 somethings are petrified by making the "wrong choice." I myself am not exempt from this at all. Literally, 20 minutes ago I set up my first real job interview post college...at a corporate event marketing firm.

For most people that know me, they are wondering....why on earth am I trying to get a job at a corporate place. I am petrified of being a corporate cubical junkie that wastes away the best part of the day doing work. So, I am worried that if this job actually happens my next chapter will have a dreadfully awful illustration of my back to a cubical working way to hard for not enough money.

But then I realized one important thing. At the end of every chapter in life theres another choice, a chance to reinvent things...so maybe I am actually make the right move...heck maybe this is a transition chapter where there is no right or wrong move?  

Let the adventure begin...

A Tribute, advice, and a glimpse of inspiration

Okay, one thing that has been clear about my adventure into blogging is that I am not a habitual writer, forget the J result on the Myers-Briggs, sometimes I enjoy a bit of spontaneity. This blog is no different, posts will happen whenever I feel inspired, and today my inspiration came from one word, from a very, very, close friend.

Starbucks

For those of you who know me, you know that probably 50% of every paycheck I got from Taylor was spent on some type of coffee product, no matter if it is overpriced or not. But, it was this phrase from my dear friend that truly made me think.

"Heck, I could work at Starbucks for 5 years, work at a church for free and love my life."

Work at a church for free? Wait a second, people work for free anymore? Some people would classify that as a volunteer, but whatever happened to, as he put it, "rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty." And more than that, doing it because you WANT to do it and you find JOY in SERVING the LORD instead of having people EXPECT you to do it because you are the paid staff person..... interesting concept don't you think?

Okay, the true inspiration also came from that one word Starbucks.  A few of my friends from home have been telling me to get a job there and I have been hesistent for one reason...pride.

I'll be honest, I just graduated college and feel like that a "real job" should have just fallen into my life by now. I have a lot of experience, a great education, and the ability to work hard. So why would I want to waste my time at Starbucks? Tonight my friend has made me realize that sometime your job that makes the money, will not be your full time occupation....Dave Brown...thank you.....

A Cure for the Taylor Hangover

A hangover, it is something I can say that I have experienced based on a couple nights with an excess amount of coffee and caffeine intake. That groggy, queasy, headache ridden day seems to drag on with every second feeling like an hour.

Don't believe me? Try for yourself.....

Anyways, the fact of the matter is a conversation came up about the idea of a Post-Taylor Hangover. With many Seniors still staggering around after the whirlwind weekend known as Commencement, some of us are just now waking up to the real world...and not liking what were seeing.  Some are challenged by the idea they are now alone in their faith, some are feeling lost without the group of friends, and some are just afraid to wake up.

Well, my friends I think this weekend has set the Taylor alarm clock off in my head and I have woken up, kinda wondering what the heck just happened. This past weekend I had the privilege to watch Rob Bedinghaus and Kate Yoder get married, and I was surrounded with some of the best friends a guy could ask for. I found myself sitting back in the car trying to reflect on my Taylor experience, something that I have been avoiding.

Reflecting, in itself, is the beginning of accepting the end. My room is still not unpacked, I am still looking for a job and I still honestly believe that in a month of a half I will be surrounded by everyone again, I mean to be honest I have seen Taylor friends every week this summer. 

This hangover can be dangerous. It allows us to wallow in our own self-pity, it allows us to remain in the past instead of trusting God for our future, and most importantly not value the moments I have had in the past month and a half....

A common hang over is treated one of two ways....tons of water and aspirin, or drinking the substance that caused the hang over in the first place, thus giving the body what it is with-drawling from.

The Cure for the Taylor Hangover....well, my title may have been misleading. Realistically, there is no cure for the Taylor Hangover. The closest thing I can figure out is being okay with taking one day at a time and enjoying every minute of it. Being thankful for the experiences God gives you, and trusting that everything is okay. 

This is life?

Okay, I am not shy about admitting that my life direction seems non-existent at this point. Weekend after weekend, I meet people that come up to me and realize I am a recent college graduate. Well, lets be serious graduating college would not fit into the column of glamorous. My life has been anything but typical, with each day being completely different then the next and I consistently wait for the weekend, eagerly anticipating a few days of what seems like no responsibilities.

So, one has to post the question. Is this what my life is going to be like?

No structure, no stability, not feeling settled anywhere, just floating around all week to have fun over the weekend, fun that costs an arm and a leg in gas. It is hard to describe what it is like to realize that there are people all over the country that feel the exact thing I do. The reason? None of those people seem to live with a 20 mile radius of 2600 Sigwalt st. With friends either having a job, a direction for a job, or the worst of them all a future husband/wife all locked you have to ask the question, why not me? I look for jobs, just none of them seem like the type of job I envisioned myself having post Taylor, and the female situation? Ha, another blog.

So, what is the real challenge of living in a post-taylor world with Bachelor's degree?

Is it finding a job?

no.

Is it finding a wife?

no/I sure hope not.

Is it keeping in touch with friends?

Ha, I've seen Taylor people every week, and if people want to get a hold of me they do.

No, the real challenge is everyday life. It's making the most of everyday, not knowing what the next day is going to bring....we'll see if I am up to the challenge.

Reality Check

So, I knew it was coming. 

I felt like I had been transitioning really well back into my suburban lifestyle. However, today has not been a good day. With every day that passes I realize that I will just be further and further away from my college experience. It makes it slightly harder that my cell phone is broken and I have no contact to my Taylor community.

However, this reality check is going to be okay...you know why? Because there is no other option. There will be rough days and there will be better days but most importantly, I must remember that the days wont stop. It is up to me to make the transition work. Really, that's all I got, will see what the next couple days bring.

A Beautiful Collision

Welcome! 

Recently, I just graduated Taylor University, and when I mean recently, I mean yesterday.

So, this blog will act as an updater of my life and will hopefully will be a page full of many excited developments of my life. 

A Beautiful Collision, a fascinating concept if you ask myself. How on Earth can you call a collision, something that leaves objects, people, and lives mangled,destroyed,marred, and ugly beautiful? When I think of beauty I don't necessarily think of a car accident on the side of the road, or when two people run into each other during a sporting event.

However, I currently am living in a Beautiful Collision. I have moved home with a Bachelor's Degree in my belt and tons of new friends from school. However, I am now away from them and have to adjust to the life I had back home. So, these two worlds are coming to collide together, trying to battle for importance and prominence in my life.

Well, I am happy to say they are all as equally important, as I look to the past,and live in the present, and look forward to the future I see beauty. My life is beautiful, it would be perfect if all of my worlds could happen at the same time, but they won't and they can't. Instead, I am looking forward to what my friends can do and what I will do in the future.