Creativity Pirates

When it comes to creating art in any genre, I honestly believe Christians should be the most innovative, groundbreaking, original, creative people on the planet.  I mean, think about it, not only do we serve the Maker and Creator of the Universe, but His Spirit lives inside of us!  We are forgiven and set free!  We are blessed beyond measure!  We are children of the King of Kings!  And if those things really are true, then creativity should flow from us as pure as the joy from Agustus Gloop upon first laying eyes on Mr. Wonka’s chocolate river.  But it doesn’t.  Not usually. 

Most of the time we become creativity pirates.  I’m not talking about being inspired by someone’s work – I mean hijacking it and passing on a less creative version.  We have an awfully bad habit of taking things the world has made popular and “Christianizing” them.  Instead of innovating, we counterfeit.  We copy musical styles, we market themed Bibles, and we rip off corporate logos and make inspirational t-shirts out of them.  And on top of that we usually operate slightly behind the curve, creating a peculiar subculture that becomes less and less relevant with each passing fad. 

   

But why?     

Maybe we’re lazy.  Maybe we believe we have to compete with the world – and when we think we don’t cut it, we give up.  Or maybe we put so many self-imposed “Christian” rules on our creativity that we kill it.

I don’t know what the reasons are or what the answer is.  Maybe my entire view is flawed.  Maybe what we “should be,” or “should do,” can vary as often as popular opinion changes.  But for me…I need a bottom line.  And my bottom line is this: I create art because I enjoy it.  And I enjoy it because God made me that way.  And when I do what God made me to do, and I do it with a joyful heart, giving Him the glory...well, that’s what worship is.           

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ~ Genesis 1:1

Preview of my Upcoming Book - Hunter's Oath

Hunter’s Oath is a Young Adult fantasy novel that I hope to have released this Spring 2013.  I’ve included a summary below and have attached a link to the first chapter.  Take a look and tell me what you think!

BOOK SUMMARY:

Imagine if all the creatures of myth and legend actually existed.  What if fairies, trolls, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster secretly inhabited the earth right alongside humans?  This is the world of fifteen-year-old Callie Cooper, a Hunter working for the Organization for the Research, Investigation, and Observation of Neo-mythical creatures (O.R.I.O.N.).  This top-secret organization is charged with the task of maintaining the delicate balance between Neos (creatures of myth) and humans.  Hunters venture out into the field to investigate strange happenings among these fantastic and potentially dangerous creatures, only interfering when the safety of one or the other is at risk. 

Under the supervision of her Mentor and uncle, Liam, Callie is finishing up her time as a Rook and is looking forward to reaching Chaser status.  With graduation quickly approaching, Callie is under great pressure to complete all of her requirements for promotion as well as make her uncle proud.

Everything in Callie’s life changes on the night a strange, deadly Neo nearly escapes the base.  Callie has a brief, yet frightful encounter with the creature who tells her he has information she desperately wants – information about the death of her parents.  Through a series of unusual circumstances, Callie discovers that the only life she’s ever known may not be as safe and genuine as she once believed. Callie is forced to make decisions that will forever alter her destiny and her relationships with others.    

Hunter’s Oath is a story of the importance of friendship, the search for truth, and the struggle of learning what it means to trust those who love you.  

Hunter's Oath - Chapter 1

“My Vast Political Expertise,” or “Coca-Cola in all the Water Fountains!”

When I was in 6^th grade I ran for student body treasurer.  I had a cool poster with R2-D2 standing on a pile of gold coins along with the caption, “Be sure to win!  Vote for Ken!”  Not extremely catchy, but hey, it rhymed.  I had a rather nice platform as well.  I promised that if elected treasurer I would work tirelessly to ensure that we had Coca-Cola placed in every water fountain on campus!

Oddly enough…I lost.

But you know what?  Our school still managed to function somehow!  Even though the person who lost was obviously the best candidate, life went on.

Looking forward to the results of the Presidential election, I can’t help but be reminded of one fact:  No government will ever have all of the answers for the troubles that plague mankind.  It won’t happen.  Government is flawed.  People are flawed.  All we can really do is seek God and vote for the candidate we believe best represents what God wants to accomplish in our country. 

And we will disagree. 

So, for all of my friends who will vote for Mitt Romney…I love you.  And for all of my friends who will vote for Barack Obama…I love you too.  I pray God will forgive us all for the times over the last few months when we placed more emphasis on our political views than we did on loving one another.  I’m not claiming anyone is right or wrong for their views.  I believe there’s enough lying and confusion going around for all of us. 

And for every member of my 6^th grade class who actually believed I had the ability to cause all of our water fountains to bubble over with sweet, sugary, carbonated goodness…I apologize.

BE SURE TO WIN!  VOTE FOR KEN!

Ode to a Ragamuffin

When I was in fifth grade I won my school wide spelling bee.  Impressive, I know.  But the truth is I worked for it.  I studied like crazy and when the big day came, I was the last one standing.  I was pretty much the spelling equivalent of Michael Phelps (without the drug accusations of course).  But my job wasn’t done there.  The next arena I was poised to conquer was the city wide spelling bee.  Yes, sir, we’re talking the big time!  If you thought I was dedicated before, you should have seen me once I realized I was going to “the show.”

Until the unthinkable happened… 

Just three days before my big break into the spelling scene, I came down with a serious case of tonsillitis.  I didn’t even know tonsillitis was real!  I thought it only happened in stories or the movies.  I hadn’t had it before and I haven’t had it since.  As a result, my alternate went in my place.  It was the lowest point of my fifth grade life.

But you know what the worst part was?  I felt like I was cheated out of something.  And I had no control over it.  Not one kid at that spelling bee would ever know the amount of work I’d put in.  None of them would know my name or that I even existed. 

So what’s the point?

Last month, September 19^th, 2012, marked the 15^th anniversary of the passing of Rich Mullins.  For you younger guys, that doesn’t mean much.  Most, if not all of the high school and college students I know, have no idea who Rich Mullins is.  That bothers me.  A lot.  Rich was one of the best, most underrated songwriters of his time, especially among Christian artists.  If you are a young person, a Christian who is also a musician or singer, and you don’t know who Rich Mullins is, then you should be forced to hand over your harmonica, cajon, banjo, Fender Strat and/or microphone immediately.   

Honestly, I simply appreciate how much his music and words have influenced my life, and I want everyone to feel the same.  Naïve and a bit selfish maybe, but I sometimes experience the same feelings I had after missing my spelling bee.  I feel like no one knows or cares about who Rich is/was, what he contributed to Christian music, and how much all of it impacted me.  I realize most of his collection is dated and doesn’t reflect what’s happening in mainstream music today.  But, in my opinion, there is a struggling honesty in his lyrics that’s difficult to find in modern Christian music.  He was unrefined, unpolished and…real.  I respect real. 

So, for what it’s worth, this is my Ode to a Ragamuffin!  I, for one, miss and appreciate you, Rich!    

Step by Step (Live)  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2KOCgC8DnU&feature=related

If I Stand (Live)  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72L-bDOozNY

Dung Beetles for Jesus

It started simply enough.  For me it was in college, but for many of you it may have taken place earlier on in your Christian life.  What follows is a brief conversation between me and my friend.  We’ll call him…Abramoses.  It went something like this…

ME:
Hey, Abramoses, how’s it going?

ABRAMOSES:

Every day the Lord has made is one to be thankful for, brother!  In fact, I don’t know if there’s any other way to possibly feel but thankful!  So, how are you?

ME:

Umm…thankful?

ABRAMOSES:

Amen.  (retrospective gaze into the distance followed by a dramatic repeat)  Amen.

ME:

(uncomfortably)  So…what are your plans for this summer?  Anything exciting?

ABRAMOSES:

(snapping back to reality) Oh, I’m journeying with the student mission group to the Pacific Northwest to work with the homeless.  I’ll be bringing them the love of Jesus and the bread of life that they may eat and never go hungry again.  I’ve been soliciting funds for over six months in order to take this trip, and thanks to intervening work of the Holy Spirit I have received the exact amount – to the penny – that I’ll need for my sojourn.    

ME:

(wondering what a sojourn is)  Cool.

ABRAMOSES:

And what might the good Lord find you doing this summer?

ME:

Oh, I think He’ll find me…working at Food Mart.

ABRAMOSES:

(confused)  Food Mart?  Oh!  I see…service evangelism, right?

ME:
Umm…yeah.  See ya.  (running away to live with the guilt of lying, slightly ashamed of my lack of Godliness) 

And it was then that I learned there was a hierarchy of holiness, and I was quickly slipping to the bottom of that organizational chart.  Yes, if things didn’t change soon, I’d be battling for the spiritual equivalence of septic tank repair man (no offense to any actual septic tank repair men).

But now with years of experience and misplaced guilt under my belt, I stand up for all of us regular everyday Christians…those who realize that there are many, many ways of giving glory and honor to God!  And believe it or not, not all of those include wading through leech infested waters while holding my handwritten copy of God’s word safely above my head in order that it may be securely delivered to people who speak a language that no one can interpret!  Well, no one but me that is, since I am so in tune with the Spirit of God that He used my own weary hand to scratch the indecipherable symbol-based words onto the parchment.  Yes, I said parchment.  Mere “paper” isn’t nearly holy enough for such work.

Let me be the first to say, that if you are one of those called to the far reaches of the earth to live in a deer-skin tent and eat dung beetles as your primary source for nourishment, then I absolutely salute you, my friend!  And I sincerely respect your level of dedication.  Honestly.  But, if you’re like me, and God has called you to a far less “spiritually glamorous” position, then I salute you as well! 

The truth is there is no hierarchy of holiness.  We’re all just called to do what we were made to do, and either we give God the glory for it or we don’t.  So, don’t feel guilty or less than holy because of the lack of dung beetle in your diet.  Do what you were made to do!  And do it with the intensity and joy of one who’s working for a cause that’s bigger than himself…and for Someone far holier.  

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

I Corinthians 12: 21-26

The Church for Christians Who Don’t Care About Stupid Things and Just Want to Worship God

This is the name of my new church.  Or, if you’d prefer, feel free to use the acronym. (C.C.W.C.A.S.T.J.W.W.G.). 

I’m sure there are a few of you who have already thought to yourselves, “He said it’s his church.  He’s so prideful.  The church doesn’t belong to him; it belongs to God!” 

If that in any way describes your thought process, then allow me to be the first to say that this church probably isn’t the one for you.  Not that I dislike you or think you’re a bad person, it’s just that those types of thoughts fall under the category of “Stupid Things” which is in direct contradiction with the intent of this church as established by the aforementioned name.

If you’d like, you can click on the following link for a virtual tour of our facilities.  Oh wait…there is no link because C.C.W.C.A.S.T.J.W.W.G. does not have a website.  And there are also no “facilities.”  In fact, here’s a brief list of some other things you won’t find at my church…

·         Stage Lighting:  We don’t feel the need to “set the mood” for worship.   

·         A Stage:  No need for elevation.

·         Paid Staff:  Or…any staff really.  We find that salaries and positions tend to cloud purpose and judgment.   

·         Committees:  There’s not much to decide upon.   

·         An offering plate:  We don’t really need your money to operate like some churches do, so we’ll let you decide how God leads you to use it. 

·         Fancy clothes:  This is simply because I never want to dress up.   

·         Pews:  What are pews? 

·         Fundraisers for building projects:  Don’t need funds or buildings. 

·         People who need any of those things in order to have church:  We still love and respect you :)

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying that any of those things are evil or “anti-God,” I just firmly believe that the modern American church has become too complicated.  We muddle it up with our traditions, self-imposed rules, and unreasonable expectations.  We push staff and volunteers to do more and more, and take on a never ending list of responsibilities in order to propel our churches towards....Well, I’m not really sure it’s always clear what we want to accomplish. 

What I do know is that most of the time we shove and strive and strain towards goals that hold no eternal significance or practical relevance.  The church has lost its purpose.  For some, it’s become a social gathering of like-minded people.  At worst, it’s become a business. 

And sadly, when the church becomes a business, it has to compete with other businesses.  That’s why we have to have all of those “things” which do nothing but make us look as good, or better than, the churches in our area which become our competition.

Personally, I’m tired of it.  And I know there must be others who feel the same way.  People who are burned out, disenfranchised, and feeling guilty over not wanting to go to church at all.          

Okay, so C.C.W.C.A.S.T.J.W.W.G. doesn’t really exist.  But I wish it did.  And maybe one day it will.  What are your thoughts?   

Granny’s In Your Face!

A 64 year old grandmother from Texas has inspired me!  I don’t know her name or her occupation or anything about her life except for one thing.  She attempted and completed the Big Texan Steak Ranch 72oz Challenge!  Let me explain how impressive this is.  In under an hour, this elderly powerhouse put down:

                A Baked Potato

                A Shrimp Cocktail

                A Salad

                AND a 72oz Steak

According to the Travel Channel, this competition began in 1960 when the restaurant first opened.  Since then over 48,000 people have attempted the challenge and only around 8000 have completed it.  Some of the biggest, burliest, Texan men to ever rustle a steer have tackled this feat, only to have it end with them running for the bathroom or throwing in the towel while the leftover steak on their plate openly mocks them with a big, beefy grin.  (Sorry, that was kind of gross.) 

But not this petite grandma.

She would not taste the bitter draught of defeat.  In fact, the owner said she finished off the meal, daintily wiped her mouth, put a little lipstick on, and left with a smile on her face.                   

Why does this inspire me so much?  Simple.  Clearly this was a woman who hadn’t forgotten how to dream, how to be fun, and how to meet challenges head on. 

I catch grief sometimes from some of my “older” friends because I’m a teacher and most of my time is spent around high school and college kids.  But to be honest, I love them, and I love being around them!  THEY haven’t forgotten how to dream!  Their lives are filled with excitement about the future!  They look ahead and make plans and tackle challenges with enthusiasm!

A lot of people my own age have comfortably settled into their lives.  They isolate themselves, lock into their own worlds, and rest on the successes they’ve had.  Or they spend a large portion of their lives regretting the successes that escaped them.  I don’t condemn them for this, but to me, the worse part about all of it is…they become incredibly boring.  They lose their passion!  They become terribly predictable and spiritually lethargic.      

So, to all my friends, my high school and college friends as well as my “more mature” friends, I say…don’t ever lose your passion and drive for life!  Most of you younger guys have it now because it comes naturally to you when you’re young.  Hold on to it!  And remember, the fact that you wake up in the morning and are able to take a breath shows that God is not done with you.  He has plans for you and a future for you.  Go for it!  Do the things you want to do but are scared of!  Dream about your future whether you’re 16 or 80!    

Don’t throw in the towel!  Don’t give up!  The 64 year old grandma from Amarillo didn’t!  She woke up that day and decided, “I can do this.”  She got dressed, got in the car and showed up!  Do you think her waiter believed she could do it?  Probably not.  Did she let that stop her?  No way! 

And now, Granny’s in your face.  She’s challenging you to not be afraid!  To live life, to dream, to not be boring or content, to wake up and say, “What can I do today?” and just as importantly, “What am I going to do tomorrow?”    

Not Quite Good Enough

One of the things I enjoy doing the most is working with a group of creative people to achieve a common goal.  Sounds vague, I know.  But when you’re working on an artistic project with a group of imaginative people all aiming at an agreed upon target, it is one of the most rewarding things I know of.  Well, besides diving headlong into an extra-large Deluxe Uno Pizza from Marco’s that is (SHOUT OUT!).

I have found that artists, in any field and at any level of proficiency, have a natural inclination to doubt their work.  Many times we strive away, working on whatever creative project we love, all the while keeping that project hidden from the rest of the world because we’re not quite sure how well it stacks up against the work of others. 

WHY?

While there can be any number of reasons for the mindset, one that rings true for most artists I’ve known is the notion of not being quite good enough.  As some of you reading this can attest, a creative person is their own worst critic.  And the more skillful an artist becomes at his craft, the more critical of himself he becomes.  What can happen as a result is having many excellent ideas and projects that have been “worked to death” by artists attempting to get them “perfect” before sharing them.      

This past summer, the Writers’ Guild from Northlake Christian School and I completed work on a full length two act play entitled, “Freddy Finkle’s Fabulous Frankfurters.”  (More on that to come) This is the third play the guild has written for Northlake and likely the most challenging.  But one thing this group of students does better than any other creative group I’ve ever been a part of, is work together.  There are no egos, no hurt feelings because someone doesn’t like an idea, and hopefully no God gifted individuals who feel inadequate in sharing their talent. 

So, allow me to stand atop the mountain of unfinished projects, and unfulfilled artistic drives and cry out in my best Braveheart Impression, “FREEDOM!!!!!”  Creative people, STOP being ashamed of your work!  Stop being scared to use what God gave you and share that gift with the world!  Who cares if people don’t like it?  What matters is that YOU like it, and that your ultimate goal in everything you do is to bring honor and glory to the One who created you. 

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” (ESV)    

You Might Be A Drama Queen If...

Why does it seem like everyone who IS a Drama Queen doesn’t believe it?  But, before we continue, allow me to clarify.  I’m not talking about your wannabe Drama Queens; those who own multiple articles of pink clothing complete with sequins that spell “Brat,” “Diva,” or “If the Tiara Fits…”  I’m talking about true, everyone is against her, should win an Oscar for any one of her daily emotional outburst, could likely end up on the Maury Show, brand of Drama Queens.

We all know one.  And we all avoid her.  (Sorry I keep saying her.  It’s merely for brevity’s sake ;)  No…really.) 

And have you ever realized that you can’t TELL a Drama Queen that they’re being a Drama Queen?  They simply don’t hear it.  I am convinced that there is some unknown gene only present in spoiled little diva’s minds that make them incapable of hearing those words.  So, don’t waste your breath.  Because if you accidentally push too hard in trying to convince a Drama Queen that they are being overly dramatic, you will, in effect, end up being PART of one of their daily dramatic tirades!  And it will be your fault.  Because any one of the 750 plus negative events that may happen in her life on a daily basis are ALWAYS someone else’s fault.     

So, what do you do when a true Drama Queen at Walmart cuts you off with her buggy three times, blocking the entire aisle while arguing with someone on the phone about how screwed up her life is and how it’s all her soon to be ex-boyfriend Ronnie’s fault that her life sucks and she has no friends and her dog ran away and her car won’t start because Ronnie’s the one who usually fills up the car but he’s so selfish he can’t even text her five times a day because he’s working?  Write a blog I suppose.

And for all of you genuine, authenticated, “this blog makes me angry” type Drama Queens out there…You’re absolutely right about everything, and the world IS out to get you.      

So Whatever Happened to that Book You Were Writing?

Honestly, I hate that question.   Not because I find it rude or insensitive, but mostly because it’s difficult to simply explain a year’s worth of hard word, small victories and deflating setbacks.  Anyone who’s ever gone through the process of getting (or attempting to get) a book published, fully understands that the method is far from simple.  It’s kind of like pulling your hair out strand by strand hoping that one day you’ll look in the mirror and find you’ve created a fabulous hairdo.  Okay, maybe not exactly like that…but close.    

You see, I wrote a book, got an agent who was really excited about the project, spent the better part of a year writing a proposal, revising that proposal several times, shooting a book trailer, waiting on a focus group of junior high readers to send feedback, having numerous meetings via telephone, going through a second round of readers, crossing my fingers on a daily basis, and waiting…waiting...waiting.  It was brutal.  The most frustrating part being that all the comments and reviews I heard/read about my book were positive.  In fact, it seemed like everyone from my agent, to the readers, and the publishers we pitched to, thought the book was great.  But no one wanted to buy it.  If someone would have just pinpointed some major problem with the manuscript, I could have worked on it.  It would have given me something to do.  But, that wasn’t the issue.  I was told that the publishers who read (or claimed to have read) my book genuinely liked it, but the majority of them didn’t want to take a chance on an unknown author.  It seems my inexperience was viewed as a gamble they weren’t willing to take.  I can understand that.  I don’t like it, but I understand it.    

After a while it became painfully obvious that having a book on the shelf at my local bookstore while I smiled and shook hands with those lining up to buy it, wasn’t going to be a reality.  I was embarrassed and disappointed.   I had shared the news of getting an agent and pitching to publishers with practically everyone I knew.  And hardly a day went by without someone asking me how things were progressing. 

Yes, the ship was taking on water quickly and was going down while I climbed the mainsail and prayed for that last publisher to come through.  They didn’t.  But worse than the disappointment of it all was the fact that my frustration had slowly progressed to the point where I didn’t even want to write anymore.  I was so caught up in the selling of my work that somewhere along the way, I’d lost the very reason I wrote the book in the first place…because I loved writing.  By the time my agent said, “Maybe we should explore some different options such as self-publishing,” I was already sick of the whole project and sick of my book.  The draw of getting published and the time and energy I had invested in doing so, sucked all of the joy out of the thing I loved.  At that point I could have easily gone the ebook route and had the novel online quickly.  But my heart wasn’t in it anymore.  The original pitch was for a four book young adult series, but by the time it became obvious that that was my last option, the thought of writing three sequels made me sick to my stomach.  I was over it.  In my mind, the book was dead and still is.    

I had no desire to write anymore.  It was about that time my wife began to send me links to some blogs she had read where authors described their own similar experiences and how they succeeded in spite of failed publishing attempts.  One she sent me was a blog by Jessica Park, author of Flat Out Love.  Parker first tried to sell Flat-Out Love to traditional publishers because she, in her words, “had it in my head that I needed that big-time validation.”  Her situation sounded uncannily similar to mine, but when her deal didn’t work out she decided to self-publish instead.  Soon I discovered other authors who had experienced many of the same frustrations, several of who went on to have very successful sales online.  There are even those who have turned down publishing companies that came sniffing around after discovering the book was selling well online.  They turned them down because they liked the freedom of writing at their own pace without the pressure the publishers put on them to produce quickly.  They enjoyed having more control over their own book, even down to the cover design.  And they were able keep more of their profits and set the book prices as they saw fit.      

A new creative fire was sparked in me and I decided I would do the same.  I couldn’t just stop doing something I loved because things didn’t work out the way I’d hoped.  However, I knew I couldn’t continue with the project I was writing before since it held too many frustrations for me, and ultimately wasn’t fun anymore.  So I began a new young adult series.  I’m half way through the first book now and hope to publish it myself around Spring of 2013. 

Trying to keep my head above water in the swiftly changing currents of the publishing industry was exhausting at best, but I don’t believe the entire process was a waste.  I try to take away something positive from every experience I can, and the most important thing I got from this one was validation.  I came to the realization that I could do it.  That I was good enough.  People who didn’t know me and had no reason to lie or be nice to me enjoyed my book.  The readers, my agent, and publishers all told me they loved it.  They gave me the confidence I needed to make this happen and I am thankful for that.  Most importantly, I was reminded of why I do what I do.  I believe I was made to write and tell stories.  I believe God placed that in me and I love doing it because ultimately I believe it brings honor to the One who made me.  And I was reminded that the love of doing something was all the reason I needed to continue.      

Check out Jessica Parker’s Blog at…

http://flatoutlove.blogspot.com/2012/06/in-case-you-havent-seen-this-yet-here.html