Jeff's Reflections

Shane & Shane time

One of the perks of Glen Eyrie work is getting to meet great, "famous" people. We just had a worship arts retreat that I put together and led, and I had a great chance to hang out with Shane and Shane. I have been HIT by their music for a while now. To not only get to hear them, but to get to know them was excellent. They are great guys. And I am still in awe of their pipes. Crazy.
Jared Anderson from New Life Church here in town--who is also now a friend (who would have thought? I wouldn't have thought!)--shared as well, and I had him lead us in "Amazed"--my 1st taste of his music, and a song I led alot in TX. Great, great song.
I'm thankful for God's kindness to cross my path with people I respect so much.

Music...Stirrings

I need to build in time and intentionality for music/songwriting/practicing/growing. I really have been feeling this lately. If you're reading this, you can pray for me, as to what that means and looks like. I feel like things are stirring inside (song ideas...), and I need to pay attention to them, but I'm not.
I want to lay down on the altar anything that is selfish and self-indulgent, but, or shall I say "and", take up and get after any stirring that is from God. I'm praying that I'll know the difference in this case.

What is stirring inside of you? Are you praying for discernment, to know and dismiss things that are not of God, and to know and pursue things that ARE, even if they don't make sense?

Music...Stirrings

I need to build in time and intentionality for music/songwriting/practicing/growing. I really have been feeling this lately. If you're reading this, you can pray for me, as to what that means and looks like. I feel like things are stirring inside (song ideas...), and I need to pay attention to them, but I'm not.
I want to lay down on the altar anything that is selfish and self-indulgent, but, or shall I say "and", take up and get after any stirring that is from God. I'm praying that I'll know the difference in this case.

What is stirring inside of you? Are you praying for discernment, to know and dismiss things that are not of God, and to know and pursue things that ARE, even if they don't make sense?

Facebook...my excuse for not blogging

So yes, I've been on Facebook since this summer. And I really like it. And even though I don't spend a lot of time on it, it's still more than I probably NEED to...and it certainly doesn't help me BLOG here with any regularity. I'm going to work on that.

It's been a good summer--my kids are growing up in grace, creativity, increased light saber skills (that would be Ben), and my wife continues to be awesome. It's work to keep up with, well, work, dishes, things that break and need replacing (especially because I'm not a handyman AT ALL), diapers, mood swings...and still know, keep up with, and enjoy my wife. But we are trying! We are trying to get date nights in more consistently---and it's fine if it is 1 hour at starbucks with a deck of cards, and maybe a drink.

Bottom line--I am blessed to have a great wife and kids. Life is hectic, but it's good.

Tahoe Fun

Patti and I got back late last night (with baby Cecilia, now 7 months) from an amazing long weekend at the Granlibakken Hotel/Resort at Lake Tahoe. Years ago a group of Christian singles decided to do something fun and soul-refreshing over the 4th weekend at Tahoe, and it's turned into a big, volunteer-driven event that is both deep and a blast. This is the 3rd time I've been invited to lead worship and get crazy with 80s music as well as some originals. They invited Patti to come this time, too and asked us to be a "mentor couple"--they loved Patti (no suprise) with her wisdom and humor. The baby did great over-all--nap times and early bed times made things interesting, and although everyone wanted to hold her, she was mama/daddy clingy...but, she's so stinkin' cute, that made up for it.
There were over 100 of us there. These are impressive, bright, and successful people, and it was great to listen, learn, and encourage. And seriously, doing little parts of 80s songs makes 'em go wild. That was a definite highlight! If any of you are reading this, God bless, seek PEACE, and let us know how you're doing.

I head for TX this coming weekend, to be a wedding of a great friend, Bill McBrine. Good times.

Good times at the Glen

I've gotten to spend some time w/ some of my favorite authors lately---Mark Buchanan, author of Your God is Too Safe, and Kenny Luck, author of the newly released FIght.  One of the definite highlights of my job at Glen Eyrie is getting to know people I think alot of.  I still can't believe I have a personal thank-you note from Anne Graham Lotz! 

We just had about 40 students from 15 countries all over the world--Egypt, Cambodia, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, etc--come to the Glen to be with us for a month.  I'm going to love spending some time with them. 

If you haven't been to the Glen, you need to.  Come for an "Innovo (to be made new in Greek)" personal spiritual retreat.  Come for a bed and breakfast.  Just come!

STILL WAITING--a new song w/ a book release

A new friend and author, Steve Smith, asked me a few months ago to write a song to go along w/ a book he wrote (it was just made available to the public) called The Lazarus Life.  After wrestling with how to approach the song, I recently finished "Still Waiting", and debuted it at a book signing party at the Glen on Sunday.  The song is primarily from Lazarus' perspective---the friend of Jesus who didn't hear from his Lord and friend when he got sick, and ended up dying.  Jesus hadn't forgotten him, but it must have been a very challenging thing for him.  I tried to get inside those feelings with the song.

I was able to record a demo w/ a great artist/producing here in the Springs, Michael Rossback.  Michael plays bass w/ Paul Baloche on the road, was in the Desparation Band from New Life, and is a great guy all around.  I will soon have the song up on my site.  It's already up on www.pottersinn.com for purchase.  Cook Publishing, the company working w/ the book, wants to include the song on a cd that will be a tool w/ a workbook that will go along with the book.  I'm excited about this. 

Pray for God to use the song to bless.  I'll keep you posted on what happens.

A Great Lenten Prayer

It's Holy Week for the Western Christian churches--Protestants and Catholics--so Lent is wrapping up for most people I know For Eastern Orthodoxy, Lent this year is just beginning, and Easter, or "Pascha" is April 27--the Eastern church observes a different way of determining when Easter is than the West...I can't tell you what it is...something like "when the moon is in the 7th house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars"...not really, but it is something with the moon, and after Passover...
Wherever you sit right now, my family has been working through this wonderful prayer during Lent, and I wanted to share it. It's good for any time of year, but especially beautiful as we are journey through the life-giving desert of Lent, awaiting and preparing for the awakening of Easter. Try praying it!

"O Lord and Master of my life,
take from me the spirit of laziness,
faint-heartedness, lust for power,
and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of chastity,
humility, patience, and love
to your servant.

Yea, O Lord and King!
Grant me to see my own errors
and not to judge my brother,
for you are blessed
unto ages of ages. Amen.

--Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

If you're beginning Holy Week--go to church as much as you can this week! If you're just beginning Lent with Orthodoxy, enjoy the journey.

Peace!

Anne Graham Lotz of fun

Anne, daughter of famous Rev. Billy G, is shooting a bible study video at the Glen this week, and I'm the point guy for her and her entourage. My job has given me some amazing opportunities to connect with really incredible people. To say that I feel like I kind of know Mark Buchanan, Kenny Luck, Margaret Becker, Ross Parsley (I'm getting to be friends with Jared Anderson as well--I love "Amazed" and other songs he's written)...and I'll be spending some good time with Henry and Richard Blackaby in a few weeks...and Louie Giglio is going to be at the Glen in April as well... all this has been pretty cool, to say the least.

But then I think about the guys at the Nashville Rescue Mission that I got to be friends with when we lived there...names and faces that not many people knew about, or really cared about. But each of them had a story, a heart, a soul, a value that is enormous.

Fame is fleeting. Humility is hugely important. I've been glad to see that, from my limited perspective, most of the "famous" people I have met are pursueing humility. But the more you're known and sought out, the more dangerous it can get.

May God help us all to seek Him, to be grateful for whatever platforms He allows us to have, but to jump donw off of them regularly and quickly...or at least fall to our knees while we are on them.

Lame-o Man is back

Where did I go? Why did it take so long to get back here? I'm not sure...but here I am again! Uh, just to update from many moons ago last blog, we live in Colorado Springs now--I work at Glen Eyrie Conference Center (check out the webpage) --as programs coordinator and resident worship leader. It's good stuff. More later.
AND, we have a new daughter, Cecilia Mikael, born Dec 3, 2007. She's great! Patti continues to be a great mom and wife. Benjamin is 6 and Genevieve is 4, and we're thanking God for a good life and family. I'm still leading worship alot--around this town quite a bit, and some travelling, too.

So, I'm going to get on this thing, and stop being Lame-o Man on the blog front.
Until next time (that's SOON next time)...