The Artist’s Life

“Are you a born writer? Were you put on the Earth to be painter, a scientist, an apostle of peace? In the end the question can only be answered by action.

Do it or don’t do it.

It may help you to think of it this way. If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold fusion and you don’t do it, you not only hurt yourself, even destroy yourself. You hurt your children. You hurt me. You hurt the planet.

You shame the angels who watch over you and you spite the Almighty, who created you and only you with your unique gifts, for the sole purpose of nudging the human race one millimeter farther along its path back to God.

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. Its a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”

from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

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Text Message Devotional

As of about 3 weeks ago I started this fresh new way to do my quiet time that helps keep me and my closest bros accountable to getting in the Word. Here’s a few scenarios that show how it works.

I wake up in the morning. Grab my Bible (or hit up this place) and flip to the selected chapter of the day (today was Galatians 5. Yesterday was Galatians 4. Tomorrow is Galatians 6. You get it). I read the chapter and pick out certain verses that resonate with me and really speak to me. Then I grab my phone and start a new text message to my four close accountability dudes. In the text message (or 2 or 3) I will respond to the text with something like…

“I love Galations 5:1. We should be so thankful for the freedom that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. He has redeemed us out from under the law that we could experience true and abundant life by His Spirit. I also love Galatians 5:16. This verse should encourage us to seek the Spirit in order for us to be able to deny the desires of ourselves and accept the desires of our Father. Let’s make sure we do that today. Say YES to our Father and NO to ourselves.”

The format is to just pick out a few key verses and tell why they speak to you, and then have a short challenge at the end of the text message for each person to impliment into their life that day.

Another scenario… I wake up late for work. I have to hurry and shower and get ready and get out the door (notice the quiet time skippage). I get 4 texts on the way to work from the guys with their key verses and challenges for the day. I obviously cannot forget to do my quiet time because I have been confronted with the fact that my 4 accountability dudes have already done theirs and I am the only person that has not. BUT say I am stubborn or ridiculously busy and go on without spending time in the Word… I should get a text from one or more of the guys shortly after lunch or sometime in the afternoon asking me why I did not send my verses.

An accountability factor is huge sometimes when it comes to doing a quiet time. Sometimes its just easy to justify not spending time with a God you cannot see. I have found that taking necessary steps (i.e. text message devotional) is a tremendous push to get you into the Word and spending time with your Saviour. I sometimes ask myself when I just don’t feel like reading or praying.. “Scott, how many times do you get up in the morning and read the Word and pour your heart to your God and still wish you were laying in bed?”

The obvious answer is never.

Time with our Saviour is priceless.

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Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Any Dr. Seuss fans out there? This is by far my favorite Seuss book. Yes, more awesome than Cat in the Hat. Yes, more awesome than Green Eggs and Ham. I had a teacher in at Carter High School in Knoxville, TN named Mr. Uselton aka US the BUS aka THE GREATEST TEACHER ALIVE. He taught Chemistry and was so awesome that I took Chemistry I and II (I know, right?). I had his class on Dr. Seuss Day two years in a row. He sat on top of his desk, slammed a huge Dr. Seuss hat, and read the entire book to us. I know it’s long, but it’s AWESOME. Enjoy.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Congratulations! Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’ t
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t.
Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

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