Just My Opinion – Page 2

September 2, 2009

Even in the Everyday

I read this article recently by indie music entrepreneur Derek Sivers. It’s about a lecture he went to where the idea of the story – the rise and fall of drama – is illustrated and explained. He talks about how we love stories because the pendulum swings so wildly from misery to exceeding joy. Drama is exciting. The problem, he infers from the lecture, is that everybody wants their lives to be like this. But, in reality, our lives are mostly mundane and, well, boring. He gives this as the reason why people start fights and create drama; so we can live more of the stories we love so much.

I disagree with his conclusion.

My father-in-law has been Olivia’s and my pastor since we were married. One of my favorite things that he says about a life following Jesus is that it is a great adventure (not to quote old school Steven Curtis Chapman or anything). It’s true. When the Holy Spirit is in you, you live a life that is not even imaginable without Him. You do things that make the world (and even many Christians) go, “Huh?”

Scripture says, “His ways are higher than our ways” so sometimes things don’t always seem logical, but you are persuaded to go, to follow. Jesus tells us that the Spirit is like the wind – you don’t know where it came from or where it’s going. We are supposed to be like that.

Like I shared last week, sometimes you’re just living everyday life and God drops someone in your way, changing all your plans.

Sometimes He tells you to give someone a call, or a hug, or money. Sometimes He tells you to move across the country, or the world. He’s always working in people’s lives. He’s always orchestrating His plans and He wants to use you. He wants to use me.

Sign me up.

Because I don’t want a storyless life. I want to know God and I want to see Him move in amazing, supernatural ways in unbelievable places with fascinating people.

Even in the everyday.

August 24, 2009

You’ve Been Activated

Have you seen the movie Eagle Eye? Two seemingly random people are thrown together by a mysterious voice that keeps calling them with instructions. They end up working this wildly elaborate plot in supposed service to their country. I won’t ruin the ending for you (and it’s not relevant to my point).

The thing that caught my attention is the when the voice calls them for the first time. She gives them a directive and then says, “You’ve been activated.”

They are unsuspecting, normal people whose services are needed because they are in the right place at the right time.

I think God calls on us in the same way sometimes. We are going about our daily routines and “bam,” we’re called into service.

“You’ve been activated”

Last week I was heading to work when I got on the subway at the normal time and normal place. An older gentleman sat down and began to talk to me. Now, if you are familiar with NYC subways, you realize that no one talks to each other…usually ever…especially in the morning. The thing about this man is that he wasn’t annoying. He was 73 and he had chronic pain in his back. He was on his way to physical therapy in Jersey City where the doctors do not have any other options for him except live with the pain. He kept saying “I just don’t know what else I can do.”

Almost immediately I knew that God said, “You’ve been activated.” I thought, “Lord, You don’t want me to pray for this man on the quiet train, do You???”

It got even better when the man explained that he had seen a preacher on TV the night before talking about healing and he had called, but couldn’t decide whether to go…he wanted to know if I believed things like that could happen. First, I thought about how the Lord has a sense of humor. I told him I knew God could heal Him and give him a miracle. I have seen it myself.

I still didn’t know if I should pray for him on the train, but it turned out he just needed someone to tell him he should go to the church. Sometimes God just needs us to give people a prod.

You just never know when you’ll be activated. But, rest assured, God has activated others for you and He will use you if you are willing. If you and me are paying attention.

Do you have an “activation” story?

August 19, 2009

Healthcare Reform – Tell Me Why Not

health_care_reform

… Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), said his party may not even need to put forward a plan.

Why are my friends so vehemently against Obama’s Health Plan without offering any alternatives of their own? I suppose it’s because they have jobs that provide health insurance for a nominal fee and if they go to the doctor or, heaven forbid, something catastrophic happens they know that they will be covered.

At most companies for which my friends work the withholding for their plans doesn’t amount to much and they feel justified in making a lot of noise ranting and raving for nothing to be done.

Nothing.

But every day more and more people – hard-working people – cannot afford health insurance so they drop their coverage and hope for the best. I am one of those people. Sometime you have to make a decision between rent and health insurance. You know what wins?

American history is peppered with beautiful stories of people standing up for beliefs and fighting for their rights – for real change. But the present protests are against any change. They are for nothing more than the status quo.

Recently a friend of mine told me his story: His employer didn’t offer health insurance and he couldn’t afford to purchase a private plan. He happened to get in an accident on his bike and dislocated his shoulder and had a gash that required stitches on his chin. Everyone was yelling to call an ambulance, but my friend came to in time to stop them and say, “take me home” because he didn’t have insurance. He had to “consider his options” before getting treatment. Eventually he did go to the emergency room and had a physician’s assistant reset his shoulder. (He recently paid off the $3000 bill — this wasn’t even a doctor!)

Everybody’s against “rationing,” but isn’t rationing happening now? Care is rationed to those who can afford it and withheld from those who can’t.

The Declaration of Independence proclaims that we are given (by God) unalterable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How can you have life without basic healthcare? By denying healthcare to people in America, for whatever reason, are we not revoking one of those guaranteed rights?

So, please, speak out against ideals you don’t believe in. But, so much more importantly, put forth ideas of your own. We need them. I need them.

August 5, 2009

Count Those Beans

ESPN Limits Social Networking

The media is all abuzz the past couple of days over new “Social Media Policies” that some entities are issuing. Mainly it has to do with some NFL teams and now ESPN (see link) saying that their players / employees cannot tweet (or Facebook for that matter) as freely as they would probably like.

In the case of the NFL teams, it’s more a matter of not wanting the teams / coaches tweeting from the sidelines and possibly revealing secrets. Slightly understandable. But the ESPN order is a classic corporate land grab. In their minds they own their broadcast personalities and any opinion or word they have on sports.

Both entities in this case should make the lawyers and bean counters sit down and just listen (or get a Twitter account, for that matter). Celebrities / personalities that tweet are drawing fans and the curious in droves. This is not only interesting for the fans, it connects them with the personalities and encourages them to be a part of their activities and endeavors (i.e. fans are more likely to buy things like tickets, merchandise, subscriptions, etc.).

So, if ESPN and the teams would cool it they might find that the players and personalities that are “utilizing social networks” will bring them more revenue. And they don’t even have to pay them more! That’s a heck-of-a deal –- count those beans :).

Who’s your favorite celebrity / personality that you follow on Twitter?

July 28, 2009March 9, 2015

I’m All For That

So the schedule is all messed up this week! It makes for more fun, though…normally you get a “YouTube Sessions” on Monday, “Just My Opinion” piece on Wednesday, and a review / recommendation on Friday. But I just finished the YT Session last night so it will be up tomorrow night. Oh the joys of fitting it all in!

Check out this quote from a Cameron Crowe interview with Joni Mitchell from Rolling Stone in 1978:

Had Smith (Elektra/Asylum Chairman of the Board Joe Smith), in the course of running the company, ever discussed commercial direction with Mitchell?

“You don’t tell Joni Mitchell what to do,” he said.

Oh my, how have times changed. The music business used to be filled with people who wanted to serve the ideals and even whims of artists. Now artists grovel at the feet of anyone who will give them the time-of-day. Don’t get me wrong, there were always businessmen who took advantage of musicians, but today, people who make deals are king.

Can’t we bring the artist back? I don’t devalue the work and talents of dealmakers and businesspeople. I think marketers are vital. But it should all be in service to the music. And where does the music come from? The artist. Let’s give them some room and some honor and see if we don’t get better music.

I’m all for that. How about you?

July 22, 2009

Mirrors Everywhere

Olivia and I lived in Boston for three years. We loved it: the city, our schools, the culture, all of it. One of the most famous buildings in Boston (and the tallest in New England) is the John Hancock tower in Copley Square. The architects said they could not improve on the beauty of the surroundings, including the amazing Trinity Church. So they built a building with mirrors so more of theat beauty could be reflected.

I must admit that it is striking. But as I was walking through New York recently I noticed that so much of the new construction is made of mirrors. There’s even an old, pre-war building close to Columbus Circle that is being renovated and covered in – you guessed it – mirrors. I got to thinking, “What if all the buildings are covered in mirrors?” “Would there be anything left to reflect?”

I find this as a songwriter sometimes. I get so busy observing and commenting on life that it seems like I’m not living it. I think the same goes for journalists, painters, photographers, etc. There must be something beautiful, something meaningful to convey in our work for it to have meaning.

So, calling all creators: mirrors can be effective, but only if they have something to reflect.