contemplative Christmas

It never fails. I go searching for an ornament (hidden in boxes in my old bedroom) on Christmas Eve amidst corrugated containers of my own personal belongings, and end up coming across pictures and notes from high school and college days gone by. (I feel no remorse for this run-on sentence.)

I was driving by my old high school today and realized that next year it will be six years since I've graduated. It certainly feels like forever. I recall memories of the choir room (senior high room 302), "Singing Saints" practice Monday afternoons on the stage, musicals every spring and summer, hanging out with the 'friends' on New Year's and other times, and so many other thoughts stir the deepest reaches of my heart and mind.

I found a note from an old friend with whom I have not spoken in several years. They had wished me tremendous success and joy in my future, and I wonder: what have I done in these years to fulfill their prayer for my life?

I suppose my hope is this: that although I am blessed with people around me with which I am happy to create new memories, that I may also be able to recall those moments and people that have defined me.

Merry Christmas to all of those who have played a part in the story of my life thus far. I've loved these days.

When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And then I fall asleep counting my blessings

just tremendous

A combination of most everything I find wonderful in the world...

tis the season!

lost in translation

The television show, "Lost", is currently on hiatus. Six of the season's twenty-two episodes were aired this fall (mostly while I was on the road -- don't worry, I still saw them), and now it is a waiting game until the first week in February, when ABC will show sixteen episodes in a row with no repeats. The question is not why do I like the show, but rather: why am I, like so many others, missing it?

I believe the answer is that, in a world which faces so many challenges, we long to engage in a suspension of our disbelief. I believe we grow if we are forced to grapple with situations and circumstances outside our own.

Some would argue about the value of television, and with good reason. It is, after all, spoon-feeding us every bit of information it has to offer. However, if we choose to engage beyond the program in further thought and discussion, how can we do anything but grow in the process. That is the answer: to grow, we must engage in fruitful thought and discussion with those around us.

Programs like "Lost" insure that an inherent value remains in a medium that easily transformed the way humans share and receive information.

what inspires you?

I believe there are moments in our lives when God gives us the opportunity to be inspired. This is something that makes us most human. It is as if our souls are hungry for this kind of thing. When we are inspired, we are motivated and given the strength and power to do great things.

PBS is in the middle of their annual holiday pledge drive. I love these times of year. Not because I end up giving any money to public broadcasting (maybe I should), but because they show the greatest specials, from Yanni concerts to retrospectives on Victor Borge. This season PBS is broadcasting a concert in tribute to James Taylor. It is running under the "Great Performances" label, and it is terrific.

For whatever reason, this has truly inspired me in my music and songwriting. I think I am afraid to write music because I am afraid it will not be what I want it to be. That it will be unoriginal and not exciting to anyone. This special has, for whatever reason, inspired me to change my thoughts and take some chances with my music.

Jesus, take the wheel.

EDIT: One more thought. It's about leaving a legacy. At some point in our lives (from what I can tell in my brief years of existence), we have the opportunity to choose our adventure. Inspiration allows us to make the right choice, no matter where we are in life.

a mistake?

Quite honestly, I was out of the loop when The Walt Disney Company decided that this was a good idea. I was 12 years old and Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet. The company was, of course, celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Walt Disney World Resort (and the Magic Kingdom in particular). However, they turned a veritable icon into somewhat of a monstrosity.

Those that know me are aware that I am a huge fan of the Disney parks in general. I am unable to figure out exactly why that is. During my senior year at Hope, I did some extensive thinking about this, and the result was my worldview paper. My worldview since then has changed, but the words remain very true to my life experience and love for Walt Disney World:

The year was 1989, I was five years old, and it was my second trip to the World (I was just six months old the first time my family visited, so I only have vague recollections of what the place was all about during that trip). I honestly do not remember all that much about the trip. I do remember, however, the plane ride down with a connection in Baltimore, Maryland, the rental minivan (all we had ever ridden in was a 1980s Chevrolet Caprice station wagon replete with wood paneling on the sides), the Days Inn motel where we stayed, and of course, lingering memories of the parks themselves. This was an important time for my family, and would actually be the last vacation that we ever had while I was living with my parents.

I remember being in awe at everything there was to see and do at the resort. There were scary and not-so-scary rides, the magnificent geodesic sphere at EPCOT Center called “Spaceship Earth”, and all kinds of Disney characters to meet and greet. There was also the impressive monorail system that took us from park to park during our stay, and the ferry that brought us from the parking lot across the man-made Bay Lake to the Magic Kingdom. I will never be more impressed than by the effort that is made at Disney World to completely transport the guest from the everyday to a place where the everyday ceases to exist. I loved that vacation to Walt Disney World; my memories are lasting and their impressions remain strong upon me to this very day.

Does it matter what impacts us as long as we are changed for the better? No mistake here.

just terrific

so what

I occasionally use this blog as a forum for terrific videos by my favorite bands, and this post is no exception. You have to check out Rockapella, a throw back to the old "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" game show of PBS lore. This is one of their newest songs, "Tonight."

awake

The reality is: I dig this guy's music. His new CD, "Awake", comes out tomorrow, and I will definitely be picking it up on iTunes (wow that sentence was comma-crazy).

As if I needed more incentive to listen to Josh's music; a track ("Lullaby") from this album was co-written was another of my favorites, Dave Matthews.

You can actually listen to the entire CD here. If you like it, be sure to pick it up tomorrow, November 7.

hilarious

This was a great show.

As I reflect on the many concerts I have attended as a fan of the Dave Matthews Band (and the one that I will be attending this coming Friday), I can't help but remember one terrific show that I attended with my brother Pete back in 2003.

Dave Matthews had embarked a short tour to promote his solo album, Some Devil. Of course "Dave Matthews and Friends" (including Tim Reynolds, Trey Anastasio, and others) would be playing at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York when I came home for Christmas break. It happened to be Pete's birthday, so we headed out there and enjoyed a nearly three hour set. Not included on the attached set was the Dave and Tim set which opened the show. We had a great time!

T minus

In about one week I head out on the road for about 8 weeks of significant travel. Don't get me wrong -- there will be breaks in there! I do, after all, come back to the office most Fridays for Visitation Days or to play catch-up. But I will be on the road most weeks Monday through Thursday. I think many people wonder what exactly I do when I am out there. For those who might be interested, here is a quick rundown:

High School Visits

The bulk of what I do each week is visit high schools during the school day. I meet with students who are interested in Hope, and share with them very concrete examples of why Hope might be the best-fitting school for them. This is something I discern as much as they do. I believe a student doesn't always know that Hope could be the right thing for them right away. It is my job to guide those students for whom it is apparent to me Hope is a good match. The part of my job: the word YES. You all know the worst part!

College Fairs

Many evenings on the road are spent sharing about Hope in the context of a college fair program. Most striking difference between this and the high school visit: parents are usually involved. This is a win-win for the college rep because parents often have a life experience that allows them to see things in a particular school that their student may not. Plus, I get to connect with many students as well.

Other than that, the bulk of my time is spent on the phone, building rapport with prospects and helping them to make an informed decision about where to attend college. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly, and I am thankful for the responsibility I have been given in this regard.

Travel is great! When else in your life will you get to eat at the same Applebee's four nights in a row (by yourself), have the Golf Channel on for 3 or 4 hours (just because it's there), and enjoy egg patties on a biscuit most every morning (Eggs, by the way, are never found in patty form in the wild). I love to be on the road because right now, I can.

One more thing...

Tuesday is an important day for 2 reasons:

"The Office" Season 2 comes out on DVD. If you have ever flipped past this while watching NBC, think twice the next time. This show may very well save NBC on Thursday nights, if it hasn't already.






Apple will hold a special media event to unveil what is expected to be a feature film download store. Watch out Netflix. Other rumors include a computer to TV video streaming device and the long-awaited sixth generation iPod. I will certainly update this site when the news breaks!

Every time...

Every time I think I am done with Blogger, something happens. I get some idea, some thought, some poetic rambling that I feel will ultimately mean something to someone somewhere. To add to this, Blogger comes back and integrates itself with my Google account, where it seems everything else in my life is housed as well. Then they add some really great editing functions for the blog's template and design. These were the features I was most interested in when I feebly attempted to transition to Xanga. Well, this change and the fact that I was mildly concerned about being perceived as a high school student on that other blogging site have led me to come back here with true excitement.

I head back out on the road in just a week or so, and I will be sure to bring you updates as I do. Bon weekend!

rain down on me

I am sitting in church this morning and within five minutes of the end of the service, the rain begins to fall. Before I left my house, they were predicting some significant rain, so the tempest came as no surprise. However, the rain seemed so poignant as we reflected on the sixth commandment, retitled "a beautiful life." It has been a scorching week in Holland, and in most of the country, and it seems that God always knows when to refresh the earth with life-giving rain. My attitude is renewed through the falling of the rain as I look ahead to what could be a life-changing month. My trust is in God and the life that he has blessed me with. A few drops of rain can mean so much...

A golden oldie

and they're off

and the random award goes to... me.

Last night some friends and I headed out Great Lakes Downs, a thoroughbred racetrack in Muskegon, Michigan. What for, you ask? To participate in wagers of sorts, to be sure, but also to enjoy the beautiful evening. And it was. I went in with a friend on each wager, and we both came out about $10 ahead at the end of the night. So much fun!

happy mother's day

Confession. This morning's service at RidgePoint has had me thinking about women. (I know what you are saying: Andrew, like you really needed a church service to inspire that thought pattern.)

To be quite honest I was most struck by the following verse, direct from the end of Proverbs 31:

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Take the first half of the verse. The writer (King Solomon, thoughts inspired by him mom, Bathsheba -- check out 2 Samuel for more on this craziness) makes reference to the modern perception of women without even knowing it. Charm and beauty. Are these not the things on which American society (generally speaking) places great emphasis? The writer contends that they are both deceptive and fleeting, and yet our modern media would suggest that they are truthful and steadfast.

Will we ever get this right?

one more thing!

Enjoy this video of "JTR" from Jazzfest 2006!

and so it begins!

The band played this weekend at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. The picture above shows "The Edge" from U2 sitting in on "Smooth Rider." If that weren't enough, the band comes out for the encore and plays what? JTR. That's right, for the first time in 5 years, they bust out a song that was for sure thought to be extinct. It makes you wonder what else could come out this summer!