I once read a passage that, at the time, I did not really agree with.
Maybe that's not the right phrase.
Maybe...
at the time...
I didn't want to consider.
It reads...
A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. Ecclesiastes 7:4 NLT
WHAT!!! Who wants to think about THAT!
I would much rather think about having a good time.
But over the past few years, I haven't been able to shake. those. words...
A wise person thinks a lot about death...
Just the other day, my wife and I went to a funeral. The father of our friend had past away. Sitting there, listening to the stories of his life and how he lived, made me think and evaluate my own life?
Also, a couple weeks ago, my neighbor informed me that one of my high school classmates died. I'm not sure if I should share anymore than that out of respect to the family. But I will say that his life ended too soon.
Life is short.
Life is unpredictable.
It has a way of feeling slow at times, but then all of a sudden you look back and years have past you by.
Life is confusing.
But.
Life is precious.
One thing that I do not want happening in my life is regret. I don't want to regret not spending time with people that I love. I don't want to regret not taking a chance. I don't want to regret not telling the people that I love...that I love them.
I guess the lesson for me in this is that in thinking about death it helps me to focus on what is important. It helps me to see that my time is limited...that my time is short...and as much as possible) to take advantage of every moment I am given.
You may or may not have heard of Zach Sobiech.
I just heard of him today.
Here is his story...
he chose to live.
(fyi: it's 20min long...but it's worth it)
OK. Now let's go and live.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Jack Black...WEATHER MAN
I think I might stay tuned for the weather report more often if he was my weather guy.
How 'bout you?
How 'bout you?
Thursday, May 9, 2013
For the graduates (...and for those who have already graduated)
I saw this today and I thought there were some good ideas here.
Don't get caught up in the "rat race". Choose to be free.
Don't get caught up in the "rat race". Choose to be free.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The Best of Me & The Worst of Me
At my best, I am patient.
At my best, I am kind.
At my best, I am thoughtful.
At my best, I am slow to speak.
At my best, I am quick to listen.
At my best, I am giving.
At my worst, I am the exact opposite.
I like to think of myself as the best version of myself...
but when the worst comes out...
there it is.
Over the past few days I have come to grips with this.
There is Good Jared, who is the best version of me & there is Bad Jared, who is the worst version of me. I am both, I am all of it, and I am everything in between.
In a way, it is freeing to finally come to this realization.
At my best, I am kind.
At my best, I am thoughtful.
At my best, I am slow to speak.
At my best, I am quick to listen.
At my best, I am giving.
At my worst, I am the exact opposite.
I like to think of myself as the best version of myself...
but when the worst comes out...
there it is.
Over the past few days I have come to grips with this.
There is Good Jared, who is the best version of me & there is Bad Jared, who is the worst version of me. I am both, I am all of it, and I am everything in between.
In a way, it is freeing to finally come to this realization.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Made some music
So this past Saturday (actually this happened a few Saturday's ago...like maybe 8! For some reason I couldn't upload pics till now. But anyway...), me and a couple of friends got to go to a studio and record a song of mine. The reason we got to go was to help out a friend of a friend who was taking a class at Honolulu Community College. But the really great thing about this opportunity was that it was FREE for us! I have a real fear of failing, but as I've posted a few times I need to not be afraid of that. Just gotta chance'um.
I will say that being in the studio was kind of...intimidating. I've never been in a place like that...and never recorded myself or had myself recorded like that. EVER!
But after the first run through of the song, I settled down.
They said we'll get a copy of the finished product by the end of the month, so hopefully you'll get to hear what we made.
Here are a few pics of the day...
I will say that being in the studio was kind of...intimidating. I've never been in a place like that...and never recorded myself or had myself recorded like that. EVER!
But after the first run through of the song, I settled down.
They said we'll get a copy of the finished product by the end of the month, so hopefully you'll get to hear what we made.
Here are a few pics of the day...
Friday, March 29, 2013
Hosanna by Cara Reddy
This is my friend Cara Reddy. And this is a great song she wrote. I'd explain it myself, except she explains it better. So I'll let her do it. But I will say this... the contrast of praise and sorrow in this song moves me. Hopefully for more than just this moment as I type. Hopefully for more than this week or month or year. Actually I just pray that I would allow God's Spirit to continue to move.
So here's her song.
Hosanna by Cara Reddy (check her out on facebook, here.)
This past Sunday was Palm Sunday. It is a day celebrated by Christians remembering the order of the events leading up to the death (Good Friday, March 29) and resurrection of Christ (Easter Sunday, March 31).
Sunday morning I was standing in church listening to the appropriately themed music and watching the kid’s walk down the aisle with their palm fronds waving in the air and wondering, “Why is this part of the story so important?” Of course the events of that day were part of the story of the Cross (John 12:12-16) and in that sense remembering them is important. It was also mentioned that this event gives us an opportunity to see Jesus being hailed “as a king” and he truly is the King of All. I stood there and kept listening.
And as I listened to the songs that recounted that day in history and watched the kids march proudly with their palm branches my eyes began to fill with tears. I began to wonder if part of the awesomeness of these events was that in the midst of all that excitement, all the joyful emotions, at the height of popularity, and in all the hype...not even for a moment did Jesus buy into it all because there was greater Kingdom he had come to establish. One that included all nations and lasted for all of Eternity.
Did he receive the genuine proclamations of faith from the small few who genuinely believed he was the Son of God, the Messiah? Of course He did, but He knew in the midst of it all that most of the crowds opinion of Him would change when their expectations began to be dashed -- when their “so called King” drug a splintered cross up a criminals hill, bloodied, beaten and defeated. They wouldn’t get it, not yet, and many would turn away.
I was thinking about the contrast of the outward joyous circumstances of that day to the possible inward struggle of Christ. I wonder if perhaps in those moments He was really just longing for a ”true sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15) from even just one individual instead of the clamor of the misinterpreting masses?
I was overwhelmed with gratitude that I was able stand with a community of believers and sing out these same words “Hosanna, in the Highest!” with the understanding of how Christ made His Kingdom come to this earth through His sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead. I felt so grateful that could proclaim His Kingship with my whole heart because He chose to plant a seed of faith in me that has grown since I was a child.
And so I sat down on Monday morning and wrote this song. Perhaps you are not a believer. Perhaps you have celebrated many, many Easter’s as a Christian. Maybe the true magnitude of the meaning of this day has yet to reach your heart in a way that is very memorable. Well, here is it, another Good Friday, another Easter Sunday. Make an effort, call a friend, go to church and simply ask the Lord to reveal Himself...His Gospel...His Great Love to you. He is faithful and He is Risen indeed! Happy Easter.
--------------------------
hosanna (3/25/13)
have you ever held the world upon your shoulders?
have you ever heard the people shout your name?
have you ever known the end before it’s over?
known that everyone’s emotions would soon change?
well, I did
as they shouted hosanna
with their hands raised in the air
and in all the noise
and cries of joy
a silence lingered there
as they screamed out hosanna
Israel’s King has finally come!
I knew their expectations
would soon become undone
have the people ever loved you for your miracles?
have they only come and listened for the food?
have you ever been so filled with God’s compassion
as your whole life’s work was being misconstrued?
Like I was.
and as they shouted hosanna
with their hands raised in the air
in all the noise
and cries of joy
a silence lingered there
as they screamed out hosanna
Israel’s King is finally here!
I knew they’d feel unsatisfied
as the cross was drawing nearer
and in that moment my heart was breaking
in the depth of my soul I was aching
for the cross on which I’d die
when after three days I would rise
when to glory I’d return
and my people would discern
my Spirit coming down
to dwell inside them now
with the Gospel shining through
they’d worship me in Truth
for one hosanna
from a grace-fill, thankful heart
to hear your worship
I’d embrace a shameful cross
have you ever witnessed all the realms of glory?
have your every traded Heaven for a womb?
endured because of joy that’s set before you
leaving sin and death defeated and Satan’s power entombed?
I did. Oh, I did.
so shout hosanna
with your hands raised in the air
and worship me
the One True King
with grateful hearts declare
sing out hosanna
the time has finally come
I payed the price
through sacrifice
my kingdom’s finally come
Thanks, Cara.
So here's her song.
Hosanna by Cara Reddy (check her out on facebook, here.)
This past Sunday was Palm Sunday. It is a day celebrated by Christians remembering the order of the events leading up to the death (Good Friday, March 29) and resurrection of Christ (Easter Sunday, March 31).
Sunday morning I was standing in church listening to the appropriately themed music and watching the kid’s walk down the aisle with their palm fronds waving in the air and wondering, “Why is this part of the story so important?” Of course the events of that day were part of the story of the Cross (John 12:12-16) and in that sense remembering them is important. It was also mentioned that this event gives us an opportunity to see Jesus being hailed “as a king” and he truly is the King of All. I stood there and kept listening.
And as I listened to the songs that recounted that day in history and watched the kids march proudly with their palm branches my eyes began to fill with tears. I began to wonder if part of the awesomeness of these events was that in the midst of all that excitement, all the joyful emotions, at the height of popularity, and in all the hype...not even for a moment did Jesus buy into it all because there was greater Kingdom he had come to establish. One that included all nations and lasted for all of Eternity.
Did he receive the genuine proclamations of faith from the small few who genuinely believed he was the Son of God, the Messiah? Of course He did, but He knew in the midst of it all that most of the crowds opinion of Him would change when their expectations began to be dashed -- when their “so called King” drug a splintered cross up a criminals hill, bloodied, beaten and defeated. They wouldn’t get it, not yet, and many would turn away.
I was thinking about the contrast of the outward joyous circumstances of that day to the possible inward struggle of Christ. I wonder if perhaps in those moments He was really just longing for a ”true sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15) from even just one individual instead of the clamor of the misinterpreting masses?
I was overwhelmed with gratitude that I was able stand with a community of believers and sing out these same words “Hosanna, in the Highest!” with the understanding of how Christ made His Kingdom come to this earth through His sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead. I felt so grateful that could proclaim His Kingship with my whole heart because He chose to plant a seed of faith in me that has grown since I was a child.
And so I sat down on Monday morning and wrote this song. Perhaps you are not a believer. Perhaps you have celebrated many, many Easter’s as a Christian. Maybe the true magnitude of the meaning of this day has yet to reach your heart in a way that is very memorable. Well, here is it, another Good Friday, another Easter Sunday. Make an effort, call a friend, go to church and simply ask the Lord to reveal Himself...His Gospel...His Great Love to you. He is faithful and He is Risen indeed! Happy Easter.
--------------------------
hosanna (3/25/13)
have you ever held the world upon your shoulders?
have you ever heard the people shout your name?
have you ever known the end before it’s over?
known that everyone’s emotions would soon change?
well, I did
as they shouted hosanna
with their hands raised in the air
and in all the noise
and cries of joy
a silence lingered there
as they screamed out hosanna
Israel’s King has finally come!
I knew their expectations
would soon become undone
have the people ever loved you for your miracles?
have they only come and listened for the food?
have you ever been so filled with God’s compassion
as your whole life’s work was being misconstrued?
Like I was.
and as they shouted hosanna
with their hands raised in the air
in all the noise
and cries of joy
a silence lingered there
as they screamed out hosanna
Israel’s King is finally here!
I knew they’d feel unsatisfied
as the cross was drawing nearer
and in that moment my heart was breaking
in the depth of my soul I was aching
for the cross on which I’d die
when after three days I would rise
when to glory I’d return
and my people would discern
my Spirit coming down
to dwell inside them now
with the Gospel shining through
they’d worship me in Truth
for one hosanna
from a grace-fill, thankful heart
to hear your worship
I’d embrace a shameful cross
have you ever witnessed all the realms of glory?
have your every traded Heaven for a womb?
endured because of joy that’s set before you
leaving sin and death defeated and Satan’s power entombed?
I did. Oh, I did.
so shout hosanna
with your hands raised in the air
and worship me
the One True King
with grateful hearts declare
sing out hosanna
the time has finally come
I payed the price
through sacrifice
my kingdom’s finally come
Thanks, Cara.
