Texting in the morning

Me: How's your new korg?

Ben: Its good. Still hardly know how to use it but its already potenching hard.


I don't know why. This just made me happy.

Addicted to cozyyyyyyyyy

I really love coziness. I wanted to wear my dressing gown to the trivia night tonight, but Lydia said I probably shouldn't.

Instead I wore Han's puffy jacket later on. Thanks Han!

Dog is God backwardz

Last week I saw this guy walking his dog, he walked past me. He looked so genuinely happy! It was great.

Then he walked past me again and was in front of me and I noticed that he wasn't using the leash, he had just left the leash resting on the dogs back. And it got me thinking that the most fun way for someone to walk their dog is probably without a leash, just enjoyin' trusting your dog pal to stay by your side because he/she wants to be there.

Then it made me think that this probably isn't too different from us and God. Like people argue about whether we have freewill or if God predestines us and I reckon this guy and his dog have the answer.

Sure the leash is there, but God wants to walk WITH us, not walk us.

What I get a bang out of

In Catcher in the Rye the main guy wears a red hunting hat. He says 'I got a real bang out of that hat.' And so this blog is just for me to document things I get a bang out of.

God is showing me how I fall short and it is good. Today I had a good conversation with Ben. I say yes to too many people and too many things in my life and then I sit back and watch it all clash! Sometimes. Then I don't end up getting things done that I want to do and that I need to do. Totally unfair of me to do that to my pals! So I'm learning.

A couple of days ago a cool thing happened. I was sort of about to go out. I usually try to spend some quiet time with God in the morning. But I hadn't. I had just enough time to either eat (and I was hungry) or do something about feeling stressed. I can't remember exactly what i was stressed about. But far out. I just sat with God in the measly spare time i gave him and as it worked out there was just a small section of a chapter left from where i last read, so God was totally prepared for only having a few moments of my undivided attention and he used it and gave me answers and comfort.

He is so cool. It always amazes me how he will speak to me in ways that just work with my soul. Sometimes he's a mystery, but sometimes he sorts you out. He's sorting me out.

The Swell Season

I went to see Swell Season recently, the lovely duo from the film Once!

It was amazing! I wish I could have shared the evening with all my friends!

Made me so speechless. I had to digest the evening over the next couple of days.

Here are some words:
authentic, honest, raw, warm, 'old and favourite' (like an old hoody or slippers), woody, intimate, sharing, grateful.

When I bought the CD 'The Swell Season' after having seen Once, I got tired of it after a month or two, cos it was just too depressing. So I wasn't sure what to expect. But it was such a deeply loving atmosphere, seeing them live. It took away any depressing feelings.

The songs are about such broken relationships and personal trouble, but seeing Glen and Marketa singing together was exactly the opposite. You could feel the intimate trust between them, just in the way their voices and instruments were synched in every possible way! So contrasted to the brokenness of the songs.
Their voices were so nice together! They were so on the same page in their performance, you could tell they had known each other for years, just from how they sounded.

And Glen was the man. The first song was Say It To Me Now which he plays when busking in beginning of the film. And on the night he just walked to front of stage and started playing, no mics or anything. The same holey guitar from the film, too. So raw and powerful. But at the same time just humble.

Some songs he would say thanks two or three times, you could tell he really was grateful to be playing music for a living and that he acknowledged that as a gift.

Him and Marketa had chilled at Waiheke for the day and met a lady who I think works for Greenpeace and Marketa dedicated a song to her saying "I hope you recognise what a hero you have living here."

At one point of the evening Glen gave his violinist some time to play his own solo stuff. I thought this was beautiful. Glen didn't have to do that. And people paid to see the Swell Season, but he was just like "Thanks for coming, here's a friend of mine who loves music, too, and I think its beautiful. Have a listen."
Just cool to see music friends supporting each other in a humble way, even on world tours.

The most touching part of the night was when Glen got the audience to sing along (which sounded surprisingly good!) and this happened a couple of times, but at the end they played an old Irish song that was written in like the 1600s and was sung at wakes. It was written from the perspective of the dead, saying things like "I'm sorry for the things I've done wrong" "Thank you, my friends, for sticking by me." "I would raise a glass to you if I was alive" and the last refrain Glen got the audience to keep repeating. The last couple of times we repeated it Glen was like, "Again, again, without regrets, without shame. No guilt." And I was like "WHOA!" where did THAT come from?!
It was awesome. Like, I don't know what he believes about God or whatever, but to me it just showed he had an understanding of the human condition and it was just such an amazing thing to say, with no context just telling people to be free. It was really beautiful.
And so the song finished on Glen's cue as he bowed his head, as the audience sung the final lines. Which I think was really cool, to let us participate, and to let us even finish a song. We thought we were the guests, privileged to come see The Swell Season, but in those last few lines, he somehow shifted the focus and it wasn't even about a performance anymore, I don't think.

Then for the encore Marketa played The Hill and then Glen came back out and they played Falling Slowly. Then I think she played If You Want Me.
They played some tracks from their newest album which I still don't own, and hadn't heard anything from till I saw them live. I really liked Low Rising and I Have Loved You Wrong (for this one the last bit where its just singing was sooooo lovely).

A really great night! Wish you could have been there.

If you're on shuffle...

Let the song play out, who knows how you'll be inspired.

If the day gets on and you ain't done nothing, but you know you oughta "Everything's Not Lost" as Chris would always say.
Pick up the pieces left of the day and make something great. 10, 10:30, 11, 11:30...who cares, there's many more hours. Just snap out of it and get on your list, make some goals and get a headstart on tomorrow.

Easter Camp was really good.
I hadn't been a leader before and I learned some tremendous things.
I was reminded of God's patience and unending grace, as well as the amazing reminder of what the easter story is.
God gave me joy and security.

I met some young lads who were in my group and they were cool. They asked some huge questions which were stumbling blocks that threw us off discussion more centred on Jesus life, but it was fruitful discussion all the same. I gots ta remember to pray for them guys.

I want to be strong in God's Word as I once was. Tight bro's with, and still reverent of Jesus. I'm aiming high, trying hard and all that and all the rest is God's.

Been watching Chuck with Saskia - good show!
Also went to Dutch Delight (Dutch themed eatery), good food as always. And a fella playin his concertina was charming all up and down my earholes.
Splendid.

Reasons to be happy

. I have a bicycle

. It is sunny as heck

. Chilled and watched Chuck with Saskia last night and it was great, there were pop tarts involved

. Got free burgerfuel as well (Thanks Graeme)

. Went to bed in proper time for starting work at 6am

. God can make me strong

. I spent the second hour or so of work greeting chirpy morning workers

. I will be studying with my friends at Auckland Uni!

. My name is Jorge Regula (sorry, song in head)

. I am reading a great book

. Here is a quote

"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
- Life of Pi

Watch out cos we don't actually choose doubt as a philosophy. It just sometimes catches us unawares. Rock out your philosophical peripheral lenses and keep an eye out for ditches of doubt.

Another quick thought (this one came from hg this week) is...

Your character is made up of all the little decisions you make day to day. Its not just the obvious right/wrong decisions that build character, but the seemingly small bits and pieces of life that you don't lend a thought to, or don't sift through your conscience. Do godly things. Think godly thoughts.

I am thankful for friends who love you enough to challenge you and press you in weak places.

One last thing that makes me happy.

. My work name badge unlocks doors