Sorry I haven't been around in a while. I don't really have an excuse, but you people don't pay me to blog for you, so deal with it!
A few years ago, I was asked by Pine Springs Camp to come and lead worship for them at a fall retreat called the Big One. It was a pretty big deal to me back then, as I was really just getting started as a worship leader, so I felt like this was a group of people taking a pretty big chance with me. When they told me that the theme of the weekend was "God at the Center", I didn't really have a whole lot of songs in my arsenal that delt with the theme (People have since come to me after the fact and told me about a ton of songs that could have worked, but I didn't know them then). So I sat down on my couch in my office and in one afternoon wrote a song that I felt would fit the theme pretty well. That song was called "Hold Me Closer", and is probably the only song I've written that people know and remember. If such a thing exists on my level, it's my only "hit."
(By the by, I would really like to hear how a song titled "When Donkeys Flew" sounds...)
Now, almost four years later, I find myself once again leading worship for the Big One, once again staring down a theme that has little to no offerings in the worship world (Agents of Change), and once again writing a new song on my couch. It is not the most creative thing I've ever done (the title is, well, Agents of Change, and the chorus words are "Ohhh"), and yet it's probably one of my favorite songs I've written so far. I am pleased with my creation.
Sometimes though I think I cheat myself. Often times when I write a song, I don't feel like an artist of any kind, I feel kind of like a guy who puts chords and words together, and sometimes they even fit. But I think it's important for those of us who consider ourselves song writers to consider ourselves artists. God has created us with this desire to create stuff, and we should be proud of that. I have the hardest time telling people that I wrote a song, I'd almost rather be not noticed. And while that can be awesome for someone who struggles with pride, I think it's good to let people know that you're creating stuff. God wants us to create, and create we shall.
So, if you're a song writer out there, create something today. Make something beautiful, or even better make something horrible (practice makes perfect). Let God speak to people through your art, through your songs. And feel free to take a little bit of credit!
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PS:
We added a new friend to our family this weekend. Everybody, meet Melvin!
He's getting fixed right now, so he probably hates me. That said, he's easily the coolest dog on the planet! Marley loves him too!
Godspeed,
Jason
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