Here I am
Open
Unlocked
An open book if you will
So many walk past
Just browsing
Only looking at the title, the headline
Does it make them smile
Is it what they already agree with
No danger, nothing to risk
A kind soul approaches
And I am undone
Nerve-endings touched
Adrenaline flows
Pain and tears
I am exposed
If only for an instant
An instant that seems eternal
Wave upon wave
Emotions that I can't control
I don't want to control
Washing over me
Cleansing me
And then
The moment passes
Normality restored
Life continues
Nothing to see here
Lord, how long must I stay in this desert
In this barren land
All around the people cheer and whoop
And hunt for treasure
Stepping over the poor and weak
Do they not see us?
Will you Oh Lord not vindicate your people?
Come and bring justice in this place
Your justice is right and true
Blessing all people near and far
Give us the daily bread we need
Give us the eyes to see this bread
And forgive us when we strive after delicacies
To salve the desires of our eyes
When our soul hungers for the bread of life
My soul longs for the bread
The bread that brings life
Today the past has gone
The cloud has parted
The way is open
The vista is clear
Don't look back
In anger?
In regret?
Bring to mind Lot's wife
And the ruin that befell her life
As she looked back
No don't look back
Keep your eyes forward
Look there are enough bumps ahead to avoid
But for now enjoy the freedom
Enjoy the new wine
Walk ahead
Remember who you are
Be aware of what has happened, of how you got here
Look left and right
See those who are with you
They are with you
They are for you
Enjoy their presence
Give them yours
This is life
The first day of the rest of mine
At the end of August my family & I went to Greenbelt. Greenbelt is a Christian arts festival where music, art, performance, thought, discussion and creativity meet amongst 20,000 people from all avenues of Christian traditions.
Beforehand we downloaded the festival app so my wife & I were able to browse through each day and mark all the seminars, gigs and childrens events we thought might be interesting. I marked about six or seven talks and two bands I wanted to hear Rend Collective and Idlewild.
As the weekend progressed I spent most of my time with my two girls taking them to different activities and talks which meant my wife to go to the talks she wanted. I was having an enjoyable and relaxing time, not worrying about missing out on anything. Then one evening with my eldest daughter looking a bit bored we reviewed the bands on in the Underground venue. I spied an act called Listener who performed something called Talk Music. We decided to go along and I can safely say things will never be the same again.
Listener mixes poetry, folk, punk and heavy metal sometimes into a wall of sound, sometimes playfully moving through the genres in one song. They have a performance style that is both agressive and a little in your face (esp. in a small venue) and at the same time incredibly heartfelt in a very self disclosing manner. The lead singer Dan Smith writes wonderful poetic lyrics full of surreal images that speak to you at a soul level, they are at times mystical yet full of love, grace, mercy and hope.
My favourite song of the show and the one I play over and over is the title track from their album Wooden Heart. The brilliance of the opening line "We’re all born to broken people on their most honest day of living" and the call for us in our churches to "wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief" are just two highlights (you can watch and listen to it below).
So I came away from Greenbelt with a new favourite band and more than that, music that speaks to me where I am right now and to something of the truth of who we are as people in this world.
All the family loved the event and we are sure to be going back again. I wonder what events or experiences you have had this year that have ministered to you and will shape your life ahead? Let me know.
PS: I even had a Gong Shower but that most definitely is another story!
Here I am
