Music Tuesday:Bradley Hathaway’s Joy

The word joy seems to be ringing in my heart lately so I thought, what better way to spend Music Tuesday than talking about joy? Not happiness. I’m talking about JOY. The type of joy that’s found deep within your soul. Your source of peace and contentment, even if things are hard or going wrong. The joy that helps you to smile in the rain and be kind to those that don’t deserve it. The joy that says “I want to make this person happy” with no expectation of receiving something back. The type of joy that many people spend their lives trying to find.

Bradley Hathaway, a writer,/poet/ singer/songwriter from Arkansas has a poem entitled “On Being Joyful and Content” that explains joy in such a great way that I’m doing my post today referencing it. You can watch/read it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I’m ecstatic!

and my thoughts
are
uncontrollably
sporadic!

Yet centered around one center

Joy.

In plush ripe tones
joy is rushing through my bones!

If joy were a color
it would be purple
pastel
pretty

Like old women and young children
both wear on Easter

Smiling while having deviled eggs
and drinking kool-aid

Chasing blown bubbles
in the backyard

The young ones’ distracting hats
fly off…

And the old ones laugh
a contagious laughter
that is to be shared
by everyone there

The sun
shines down upon them
as all of their physical imperfections
gleam
beautifully

and inside
inside
I feel like this
and I look outside my window
and imagine the
future purple pastel pretty
moments of joy
that I will one day have with my wife.
My Children.
My friends.
My family.

I really look forward to those moments.
But I am thankful for the one
that I am having right now.
this morning.

Alone.
On my couch.

Overwhelmed by Joy.

Before I end this post, I’d like to pray for my readers. I know it’s not a common thing on my blog, but I feel led to…so I will. I hope that you will read it slowly and pray it in your heart as well.

“Dear Lord of all things – I pray for my readers. Each and everyone one of them. Whether they know you or not. I know that you know them. And I know that you believe in them. And I know that you want them to experience the type of joy that only comes from you and you alone. I pray that each one of their hearts starts to fill with this love and joy. That it builds and builds and lives within their soul. It reaches to points that they can’t touch and can’t understand. They just know that it’s there. From the first smile during a bad situation to a compassion for their enemies that they just don’t understand. I pray that we all have an increase of the joy that’s found in knowing, loving and worshiping you. Amen”

Music Tuesday:Bradley Hathaway’s Joy

The word joy seems to be ringing in my heart lately so I thought, what better way to spend Music Tuesday than talking about joy? Not happiness. I’m talking about JOY. The type of joy that’s found deep within your soul. Your source of peace and contentment, even if things are hard or going wrong. The joy that helps you to smile in the rain and be kind to those that don’t deserve it. The joy that says “I want to make this person happy” with no expectation of receiving something back. The type of joy that many people spend their lives trying to find.

Bradley Hathaway, a writer,/poet/ singer/songwriter from Arkansas has a poem entitled “On Being Joyful and Content” that explains joy in such a great way that I’m doing my post today referencing it. You can watch/read it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I’m ecstatic!

and my thoughts
are
uncontrollably
sporadic!

Yet centered around one center

Joy.

In plush ripe tones
joy is rushing through my bones!

If joy were a color
it would be purple
pastel
pretty

Like old women and young children
both wear on Easter

Smiling while having deviled eggs
and drinking kool-aid

Chasing blown bubbles
in the backyard

The young ones’ distracting hats
fly off…

And the old ones laugh
a contagious laughter
that is to be shared
by everyone there

The sun
shines down upon them
as all of their physical imperfections
gleam
beautifully

and inside
inside
I feel like this
and I look outside my window
and imagine the
future purple pastel pretty
moments of joy
that I will one day have with my wife.
My Children.
My friends.
My family.

I really look forward to those moments.
But I am thankful for the one
that I am having right now.
this morning.

Alone.
On my couch.

Overwhelmed by Joy.

Before I end this post, I’d like to pray for my readers. I know it’s not a common thing on my blog, but I feel led to…so I will. I hope that you will read it slowly and pray it in your heart as well.

“Dear Lord of all things – I pray for my readers. Each and everyone one of them. Whether they know you or not. I know that you know them. And I know that you believe in them. And I know that you want them to experience the type of joy that only comes from you and you alone. I pray that each one of their hearts starts to fill with this love and joy. That it builds and builds and lives within their soul. It reaches to points that they can’t touch and can’t understand. They just know that it’s there. From the first smile during a bad situation to a compassion for their enemies that they just don’t understand. I pray that we all have an increase of the joy that’s found in knowing, loving and worshiping you. Amen”

“I Feel Really Good this Day,Yes” – by Bradley Hathaway

Intro: Bradley Hathaway is a poet out of Arkansas. I can talk forever about him and the way his writing changes my life everytime I read/hear it. But I won’t. I just want you to read this poem.

Title: “I Feel Really Good This Day,Yes”

Book: All The Hits So Far but don’t expect too much

Poem:

You’re pouring your love ALL OVER ME!

It’s dripping off the

TOPS

And sides

And bottoms

And middles

Of trees full of splendid little busy bees

about doing their purpose

 

HOW

CAN THIS BE?

 

That you’ve let my HEART to see?

And experience?

And take in?

 

AND NOW

to sing.

 

SING! Sing! SING!

 

About your love to everybody. ANYBODY.

Or the somebody that’s considered a nobody

But THEY are special to thee.

AND FOR THAT I thank thee

That these things have been shown to me.

 

Keep this mercy

falling

 

DOWN

DOWN

 

And this grace

falling

 

DOWN

DOWN

 

On the top of my scalp

Dripping off of my nose

Down around my belly button

All the way to my

pinky toe cuticle

that you made

 

And for that

IT IS COOL.

 

SOMETIMES I PLAY THE FOOL

but still your LOVE is all around!

Sprouting from the ground

HERE

and There

Everywhere!

 

ESPECIALLY ON THIS FLOOR that I now stand.

How amazingly awesome is your plan

That cannot be thwarted by any man

 

No matter how big

OR STRONG

Or UGLY

or EVIL he BE.

 

Because through you is victory.

And it’s victory that I now SPEAK of

and have to LET OUT of my skin

Because for too long it has been contained therein.

 

Lord, I praise you because you’re DIFFERENT.

And efficient.

and you’ve tweaked my spirit

just enough so that

I can

TASTE

and

SEE

that YOU truly are good

like a fresh

PICKED

PINEAPPLE

for the first time

in my mouth.

 

OR THE WARMTH OF YOUR SUN

on the BACK

of my

NOT

WARM

NECK

on a

NOT

WARM

DAY.

 

I’LL PRAISE YOUR NAME TODAY.

and Tomorrow.

FOREVER.

 

 

Oh the Memories…of Cornerstone 2009

So, it’s the much anticipated blog about my trip to Cornerstone. Maybe it’s not so anticipated but I’ve sure been anxious to write it. So much happened between the end of June and beginning of July that it’s actually been a real challenge to write this blog. So here we go…and I’m sure I’ll forget 50 things.

Top Moments on our trip:

• Seeing House of Heroes live again. Everytime I see them they get better and better. It touched me how genuine Tim said “thank you guys” after playing. I love when fans are truly appreciated and loved. And just a side note, Colin smiled the whole time. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a drummer smile so much. It’s so contagious.

• Seeing Bradley Hathaway upclose for his live set and then meeting him the day after.  What an amazingly true and humble guy. And soo talented.
• Discovering/visiting the Christmas Story house & museum in Cleveland, Ohio. What a surprisingly fun day.
• Talking to the guy at the Black and White Attire booth. I’m so excited to wear my new shirt. It’s such an amazing feeling knowing the company whos shirt you’re wearing and knowing the full story behind the design.
• Meeting the worship leaders of The Alive Band and getting to worship with them Saturday morning in the rain. I’ve listened to their cd 4 times already haha.
• Morning worship almost every day. It’s so exciting to be in a tent filled with the holy spirit and people craving a touch from God. Especially people from all different denominations and locations.
• Sitting around the campsite talking to my Cornerstone friends of old and new. Kairsie, Dave, Kevin, Fitzpatrick, Brooks, Tim, Joel, Adam, Dima, Jeremy, Alex, random band members of The Ember Days aannd I’m probably forgetting someone…sorry about that if I did.
• Spending hours and hours of quality time with Chris. We grow closer every year we go away. This year was even better than usual. I love you

• Watching Josh Garrels play and literally crying during his set. His music is so powerful.

• Meeting and then watching Everfound. This young band WILL be going very far if they stay close to God. They led great, genuine worship and carry a very powerful message. Please don’t turn into the Christian Jonas Brothers (haha, inside joke.)

• The music seminars with Ryot Entertainment and Traa from P.O.D. They really helped Chris and I get a focus for his next project and re-directed our vision. Then getting to talk to Traa for a while just topped it off. The future is looking SO good and exciting.
• Sneaking away to the Imaginarium to watch part of Lars and the Real Girl. Watching a movie under a tent while it’s raining was very romantic
• Learning common word mix-ups between the US and England and New Zealand. The world we live in is pretty funny sometimes.
• Sitting in the press tent listening to Grandfather Rock talk about Becky and the DCBoys haha. We learned a lot from him.
• Sitting outside with my blanket reading my bible and hearing from God. Man there is nothing like it. Then the humor of DJ Dima and I trying to light a candle for 20 minutes. Then joined by other boys. Insert a “how many people does it take” joke here.
• The fact that Tim was the only person to grab my camera and take a picture with me. It meant a lot to me – I spent the whole week taking pictures of them lol.
• Joel buying me tea when I didn’t feel good. The smallest thing really meant a lot to Chris and I. Thanks buddy!!
• Taking pictures of people doing what they love to do. I’m looking forward to sharing with everyone soon.
• And I saved the best memory for last…learning the meaning of grace. The entire week I felt God showing me, teaching me and demonstrating to me what the meaning of God’s grace is. It was everywhere and I cried every time I saw it. The true knowledge that we are who we are because of God’s grace is so overwhelming that there really are no words to describe it. I’m so amazed by the wonder and awe that our creator is.

Well..I know I have more memories to share but I’m a bit spent. If I feel the need to share more I will. Photos are on my facebook. If you aren’t my facebook friend then just send me an email or comment and I’ll send you some photos

The stars and the moon and the sky

Life is busy. Between work and church and family and friends and movies and music and eating and coffee and the 1500 other things we squeeze into a week…it’s busy. But then there is that moment where life stops and reality hits. Not the reality of my to-do list. But the reality that there is something so much bigger surrounding me at all times.

The grass is green so are the trees. How far away are the stars? There are other states, other countries, other planets out there. Every day someone is born and someone dies. There is a war going on. People are starving. Others are kings and queens. The world is made up of all different languages. And skin tones. My brain tells my fingers what to type. I could go on forever.

Take a moment and think about it. Most likely, whatever is going on right now in your life…there is probably something bigger.

“Look up look up look up into the sky love. You see that moon shine it’s so high up above us. It rolls around on the account of a bunch of scientific stuff. I like to think it does just because he loves us” - Bradley Hathaway

RIP DJ 404