You Can Change The World

A while back I was thinking about free will. How, in the midst of a omnipotent power, we are each handed the ability to choose. How we are given the choice, each day, between our own agendas and a higher agenda.

In the mix, of course, are the evil forces that control this world at present. This makes the choices much muddier than they otherwise would be. Most would admit that “a higher calling” is downplayed in this world we live.

 For those of us fortunate enough to have been brought up by God-fearing parents, we have a better perception than most. But even given that advantage, I find the choices more and more obscured as our hearts acclimate to a colder and colder world.

 It’s amazing to me that people will choose to rebel against the creator, and yet, how can I dare be amazed when I do it myself everyday. It was in one of these thoughtful times I sat down and wrote a lyric. Know, as I remember, its been almost 5 years.

 I got a message a few weeks back that a publisher wants to sign the song and start pitching it. I’d almost forgotten about it. I may ruffle some feathers with this song, and you may have a theological difference with me on this. To be honest, I struggle with it still. I know that there’s a plan and a knowledge of our lives, but I also know our free will is a part of that plan and that knowledge.

 Perhaps you struggle with it, as well. Let me know what you think.

 When I wrote the lyric, I tried to give it a musical life, but ended up asking a friend of mine to put it to music. Alan Johnston is a great songwriter from the state of West Virginia, and he has a voice and life that can speak truth into these lyrics.

 Alan’s had songs nominated for IBMA’s song of the year, and has had his songs sung by the legendary greats of bluegrass. When Alan sent me the track, he urged me to add some piano. I decided it was just right where it was, and frankly, I was scared to add anything more.

 Here’s a link to the demo: YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

 Here’s the lyric:

You Can Change The World (But you can’t change me)
©2010 Tim Wheeler, Alan Johnston

Chorus:
You can change the world, but you can’t change me
You can change the world, but you can’t change me
And If I don’t let you, you can’t change my legacy

You can lead a horse to water
You can force a horse to drink
You can get inside a horse’s head
And teach him how to think, and

You can change the world, but you can’t change me        
You can change the world, but you can’t change me
And If I don’t let you, you can’t change my legacy

You can stage a protest
You can change the laws
You can march on Washington
And stand up for your cause, and

You can change the world, but you can’t change me
You can change the world, but you can’t change me
And If I don’t let you, you can’t change my legacy

You can be for the devil
You can be for the Lord
You can be for the president
Don’t care who you’re working for, cause

You can change the world, but you can’t change me
You can change the world, but you can’t change me
And If I don’t let you, you can’t change my legacy

You can walk on water
You can heal the blind
You can offer me forgiveness
It don’t matter ‘cause you’ll find that

You can change the world, but you can’t change me
You can change the world, but you can’t change me
See, If I don’t let you, you can’t change my legacy
If I don’t let you, you can’t change my legacy

Ring, Ring. Awesome SEX calling...

Relevant Magazine published an article entitled, “Christians aren’t called to have Amazing Sex”. I’m sure the article title was meant to attract some readership, and it attracted mine. It’s views on abstinence, however, seemed flawed. The overall attitude towards sex, depressing. I’m sure she meant well. You can read the article here.

Here is my response:

I have to disagree that sexual compatibility "doesn't matter to Christians".   I think when we are gifted with abundant life, good sex within the constraints of marriage is not excluded.

I would first make the observation that couples do not have to have sex to make a pretty good judgement about whether they are sexually compatible. Honest, frank communication should be part of the courting process. Abstinence should not prevent communication, especially when a couple is intending to marry. Frank communication on these issues, however, seem to be rare in the church. They shouldn't be.

For instance, if couples express an expectation of Amazing sex in marriage, to each other, before marriage, it would reveal pretty quickly if their expectations and views on sex are compatible. Because of this, I doubt the validity of the claims from the woman who "abstained and then divorced because of it", and suspect there was more to the issue than a "physical" discovery. What did she expect? What did he expect? Did they have that conversation on their honeymoon?

The other thing I would say is that I've always taught my kids (something that I was never taught by the way) that sex before marriage isn't something we avoid in order to please God. Obedience to God is for us.  Abstinence is for OUR good, not God's. I believe this distinction is the key to get someone to own and protect their own purity.

Christ's sacrifice forgave sin, all sin. Sin in our past. Sin we are yet to commit. The earthly consequence of sin, however, is ours (and our friends and families) to bear while we live out this mortal life. The bond we make with a sexual partner goes beyond the physical, and will in some way always invade the relationships you eventually build with your future spouse. It will forever color or even damage the potential for future relationships. In my opinion, that's the real reason to abstain.

Of course, only hind-sight can confirm this, and thus is usually learned the hard way.

You See Jesus

Time is such a fickle thing. Sometimes is goes by slow. Sometimes it flies. Sometimes it acts like a veil, making something good look bad. Something holy, evil. We don’t know the future. We can’t see the impact of a life from the perspective of eternity.

C.S. Lewis said this in his book, THE GREAT DIVORCE :

“Son,'he said,' ye cannot in your present state understand eternity...That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can make up for it," not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say "Let me have but this and I'll take the consequences": little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin. Both processes begin even before death. The good man's past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven: the bad man's past already conforms to his badness and is filled only with dreariness. And that is why...the Blessed will say "We have never lived anywhere except in Heaven, : and the Lost, "We were always in Hell." And both will speak truly.”

I’m always enthralled by the concept that when we do good (or bad) for someone on the street or in our lives, that Christ sees it as if we did it to or for himself.

Thinking more on that subject, one of the things I do to almost anyone I consciously encounter, is judge them. I consider myself a pretty forgiving person, and so I’d like to think I go easy on people when I judge them, but I judge them, nonetheless. I like their clothes, or their demeanor, or not. I marvel at someone’s intellect or cleverness.. or not. I evaluate how fast they served me.. or not.

Sometimes I love them.. or at least the thought occurs to me (thanks to the Holy Spirit). Other times, I mindlessly pass by my opportunities to love. I miss the chance to assign value to people. I miss the opportunity to see, what God sees. Jesus.

The song is entitled, YOU SEE JESUS. Joel Lane, sang the vocal for this song demo. You can listen to it here.

You See Jesus

I see a hungry child who has nothing to eat

A cycle of poverty that will repeat

I see a dependency that’s just begun.

But, You see Jesus. You see your Son.

I see a rebellious man who curses your name

Convicted and guilty one who takes no blame

I see a fugitive upon the run

You see Jesus. You see your son.

Light from darkness. Old made new.

Flawed and ugly, beautiful to You

I see my apathy towards the oppressed

I’m weakened by atrophy and selfishness

How jaded and cynical I have become

But you see Jesus. You see your Son.

You see Jesus. You see your Son

You see the purity of a holy one

All my unrighteousness has come undone

You see Jesus. You see your Son

You see Jesus. You see your Son

You see the purity of THE holy one

All the unrighteousness has come undone

You see Jesus. You see your Son

You see Jesus. You see your Son

You see Jesus. You see your Son

Look To You

10 years ago, on September 11, 2001, I was packed into a small video duplication room at the end of the hall with a dozen coworkers, watching a 10” black and white tv set, as we saw the second 747 fly into tower #2. We all felt helpless. I was horrified; as if I’d just been punched in the gut. I heard someone say, “what should we do?” I remember thinking, “yes, what should we do?” and waited for an answer. When no one answered I looked back to see the whole room looking at me, waiting for an answer.

It was a sobering moment, especially since I didn’t have a good answer. I’ll never forget that moment; When those around me, faced with a difficult life question, chose to look to me for an answer.

I went home that afternoon, and for the next few days I watched the non-stop news coverage. I saw the towers come down, over and over...at least a couple dozen times. When I close my eyes, I can still people running from the cloud of dust and debris. I still see the people jumping to their deaths. I still see the smoking wreckage.

A few days later, on Saturday morning, after the world had finally started to turn again, I was sitting on the side of a soccer field on the west side of Detroit. After a moment of silence, I remember sitting in the morning sun, watching my son’s team play ball. I remember thinking about being in that video duplication room. I remember the feeling of being blind-sided by the humbling responsibility of leadership. As I sat there, I was flooded with words. I pulled out something to write on, and In less than 5 minutes I had written down the words of LOOK TO YOU.

I remember thinking that this was a song about September 11th. A way of dealing with the pain and the horror. A song about our human condition and our natural response to demand and eye for an eye. I remember struggling with the truth that tells us we should overcome our natural reactions and respond to a higher calling.

Ten years later, the words that flowed through me still ring true, and I feel blessed to have been given this song.

Look to You
Tim Wheeler ©2001 Weaver of Words Music

What do you believe in
Do you believe it’s true?
Do you hold it over others
who don’t believe like you
Call it righteous indignation
Or a justified alarm
But muster his compassion
for those who wish you harm

Our world, your world, will look to you

The world is full of anger
and broken empty dreams
And the canopy that shields her
is tearing at the seams
Hatred rage and vengeance
seem a natural response
But you know your call is greater
as a child of renaissance

Our world, your world, will look to you

We’ll look to you
To see how you respond in tragic circumstance
We’ll look to you
To see what happens when your enemies advance
We’ll look to you
To see just where you turn when you haven’t got a chance
We’ll look to you

I know it must be tempting
just to follow happenstance
It’s hard to lead the music
when you really wanna dance
But the servant that’s within you
is calling you to stand
The reason for your being
may be close at hand

Our world, your world, will look to you

Update: August 9, 2011: Nu-Blu has just released a new version of Look To You on their new CD, The Blu-Disc. It is available on iTunes and other fine purveyors of e-music or you can get it by clicking here.

A Hymn.

I’ve been collaborating with a great writer from Houston. Eva and I have written a few tunes together and recently she asked me to write a hymn with her.

When we were researching the hymn, Eva sent me a link to a sermon on the subject. It turned out that the sermon was an all-night sermon from new year’s eve, 1960. The speaker was W.A. Criswell. Wally Amos Criswell was the pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas from the mid 40’s until the mid 90’s. Pastor Criswell dedicated my two oldest children. He was a gentle soul with a powerful passion for the gospel and people.

The sermon was entitled, “The Scarlet Thread”, the same title we had chosen for our hymn, and was about the common thread of God’s holy sacrifice throughout the history of mankind. Amazingly, the audio tape of the sermon was available in the W.A. Criswell library online! It was amazing to me to listen to a sermon from so long ago, and to be so moved and enlightened. It was an exciting find.

W.A. died in 2002. First Baptist Dallas has had eight senior pastors since its beginning, but only two pastors, George Truett and Dr. W.A. Criswell, for the period between the church’s founding in 1897 through 1995.

The hymn, SCARLET THREAD is the result. Here’s a video of the demo:

The Invention of Lying (Faith)

Rented this movie last night.

It had a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Not terrible, I guess. Better than 50/50. I should have required a higher standard. What’s odd, is that when you read the reviews, they are totally polarized. Witty / Stupid Hit / Flop. There seems to be no connect between the reviews. Its as if they’re talking about two different movies.

I think I figured out why.

It was a pretty funny premise. No one lies. Everyone tells the truth, in fact; Everyone is compelled to be brutally honest.. its their nature.

As a result, there are a lot of funny scene possibilities. Unfortunately, most of them are acted out in the first 10 minutes of the movie.

The first lie happens after the main character (played by Ricky Gervais) has lost his job and is evicted from his apartment because he doesn’t have the $800 for his rent. He goes to the bank to withdraw his last $300 so he can rent a truck and move his stuff out. The system is down and when asked how much is in his account, he is so obsessed with the $800 dollar figure he blurts it out. Conditioned that no one lies, the teller assumes that there is a mistake in the system and gives him the $800.

All is well and good until his mother is on her death bed, scared of an eternity of nothingness. Equipped with his new ability to lie, he tells her that she is in fact going to a good place and that she will see all her friends and her deceased husband.

Happy, she dies, but the entire hospital crew, who’s been listening, wants to know more.

The next day he returns home to find throngs of people on his front lawn, wanting to know where they go when they die, and the main character is revered like Moses. The people wait for his revelation.

He goes inside and spends some time, writing down his story. he thinks his scribblings look unimpressive, so he pastes them on the back of pizza boxes. He makes his way downstairs and reads out his 10 “facts” about the man in the sky who makes everything that is good and also makes everything is bad. But he makes more good things than bad things, so its ok.

So, the religious similarities are complete.

Ricky Gervais had an agenda. A self-avowed atheist, he took a pretty funny premise and used it to paint faith as a lie, cooked up to make people feel better about dying into an eternity of nothingness.

Now I know why the reviews are polarized.

As he read the 10 facts, and suspecting his agenda, I couldn’t help but be annoyed with their silliness, and how the crowd, portrayed as gullible, saw all the holes in the idea of a “man in the sky”. Ricky, improvised and although it took him 2 hours to get through the 10 FACTS, he became rich (another over-obvious cliche’ comparison to televangelists) and was immortalized in stain glass windows in churches where people go to “think about the man in the sky”.

The part that constantly annoys me (with these types of films), is the simplicity with which the arguments against faith are made, and the way in which multiple religions are kneaded together to create inconsistency and contradiction in their logic. But he’s the one making the movie, and he can do whatever he wants. He’s the guy with the script and the investors, and the popularity to at least float such a movie.

What annoys me more is that there are not more people of faith using the same arena to tell their stories. If they do, the standards are almost always lower. (Bruce Almighty, excluded) The dismissal of the arts and excellence in many segments of the church is at least partially responsible. Its a travesty that more people of faith aren’t well-versed in the theatrical arts and comedy writing. At least if we poke fun at the human race, we could do so with an accurate depiction of the elements of faith.

Back to the reviews. The movie premise was funny, but the plot was terrible and predictable. The schmarmy ending was one in which you instinctively turn to those with whom you’re watching with a face that says “That didn’t just happen, did it?” It was really bad writing and acting. If Ricky’s character had had more tension against him, the movie could have worked. As it turned out, he was revered throughout, and there was never the successful delivery of a moral. I guess its appropriate that a movie portraying faith as a lie has no moral.

So, the reviews? What was that about? How could there be 57% good reviews on this movie? Perhaps they liked the agenda, and it was funny for some to see faith bashed, even at the expense of the writing and acting.

As for the 43% of bad reviews, I suppose some of them didn’t like the agenda, but I’d have to assume most of them just wanted to see a good movie...

Yeah, right.... Oh? You're serious?

So I mentioned that I started leading a new small group 24/7 with Jesus series.

Sounded like a good idea. A good study for our group.

Well, this week we’re looking at Simplicity, Silence and Solitude. Great, right! I’ve written songs about silence and solitude, and how important it is; Even how scary it is. How we avoid silence, even when we’re getting ready for sleep and turn on Conan or Jimmy Kimmel to keep our minds busy while we drift off.

Silence is always a time when you hear things. Important things. Things you need to hear.. sometimes things you don’t want to hear. Maybe that has something to do with why we avoid it so aggressively...

Well, I’m prepping the lesson and the instructor (on the video) asks the question, of the 168 hours we have in a week, what do we need to change in order to free up 7 hours a week to train. 7 hours to be in silence and solitude with God.

7 HOURS!?! Wait a minute? Did I sign up for this? Surely there must be another way! Can’t we get a CD to play while we drive to work? Maybe we could buy some subliminal tapes to play while we sleep? Sure I want this, but.. 7 hours?

No one said anything about giving up things like TV watching, getting up early, saying no to stuff, just so I can free-up time to spend with God.

Hmmm? Wondering how this lesson’s going to go over with the group tonight?!? Based on my initial (if I’m being honest) reaction, I’m a little worried. : )

I’ll report back later.

T

The Teacher Always Learns More Than The Student

Just began leading a new study with my small group. 24/7 With Jesus.

I’m excited as we have a full spectrum of Christ followers in the group, from novice to mature.

As I prepped and presented the first weeks lesson, it occurred to me that I have:

1. So much to be reminded of, and
2. So much to learn.

One of the things that I was reminded of this week was that we, on our own, are only capable of one thing in our relationship with Jesus.

Seeking. All others aspects of our walk are a result of our seeking out a relationship with Christ. Other disciplines can be learned and refined. But seeking is the key to empowering those disciplines.

I could write so much more to explain that point, but I would rather spend the time seeking.. : )

God bless you, and g’Nite.

T

Finding The Way Home.

In mid-December, I was contacted by one of my favorite publishers in Nashville looking for material for an upcoming gospel project. The artist is a once-well-known recording artist. This artist had had huge successes back in the early 70’s and had been recording ever since. All in all, over 50 albums.

I set out to learn about the artist. Google is wonderful. From the articles and interviews I found, I learned that the artist had a love for horses. I read about the artists’ family and their history. I learned of recent projects and the genres they were targeted towards.

I googled photos of the artist and saw several album covers, promo shots, etc. I submitted a song that was not so much gospel as a song that spoke of a person of faith. It was forwarded and I pretty much forgot about the pitch for a few days.

Then a writer I work with, Jim Evans, sent me an email. I had mentioned the pitch to him and he had an idea for a song. What he sent me struck a chord and I went to work. The premise of Jim’s lyric was a classic theme, one that painted many pictures. I took that and what I had learned about the artists’ passions, family, and struggles and tried to paint a song about tradition, values, and redemption. I tried to write a lyric that would strike a chord with the artist, and yet be a song that could be universally understood.

I started with a classic gospel feel, but quickly reverted back to a hymn form. In fact, I originally had written a soaring bridge, but decided the hymn form made it feel as if it could have been written a century ago.

When it was ready to see the light of day, but I put down a piano track, sent it to my publisher. He brought in a Nashville fiddle player and sang the vocal.

Hope you enjoy it.

You can hear it here.

Fine Line Between Ripe and Rotten

I bit into a banana this morning and realized it was still a bit green. Not bad, really, but not very sweet. It wasn’t quite done ripening. It got me to thinking. When does ripening cross over to rotting?

Isn’t it interesting that the same process that does the ripening, without the harvest (or consumption), will eventually turn the fruit into mush.

I’m a firm (haha) believer that we as created beings cannot create anything, only take creation and rearrange it. Like the old joke about the scientist telling God he can create life, and then reaching for a pile of dirt to begin, God stops him and says, “Hey, make your own dirt”.

As a result, I see things like writing and melody creation as a series of puzzles with different pieces. We’ve got letters, and words, and notes and chords and ideas. We don’t create rhymes and emotional moments, we assemble them from our tool kit and inventories of old. Ideas aren’t created, they’re discovered. Melodies aren’t spun, they’re deciphered. Add the Holy Spirit and only then, true synergy happens. Something greater than the sum of the puzzle pieces.

I reminisce, fondly, of my green banana plucked from its ultimate potential, so early in life, only to become a poor-man’s brunch. I see another one ripening on the counter, and if protected from my a-peeling hands, one day it might be arbitrarily referred to as a rotten banana.

When will be at its optimum sweetness and firmness? One day it might be at the perfect state where it as sweet as it can be, and still firm enough to eat without triggering a repulsive reaction. Too early, and we’re cheated of the ultimate flavor; The design standard! Too late, and were deprived altogether.

I can’t help but assume that there’s a word picture there. Another clue to this never ending puzzle we call life.

Or... its just a banana?

Faith vs. Reason

In a recent facebook debate, Chuck Cannon asked the question, “Does God Have free will?” This sparked an ongoing debate which quickly turned to the question, “Does God exist?”, etc.

Then the question of faith vs. reason. I always think its strange that the two are sometimes presented as polar opposites.

Here is part of Chuck’s response that seem applicable to songwriting:

Chuck Cannon commented on his status:

I am a songwriter.

I have no idea what I am going to write next. I can be in the middle of a song and have no idea what the next line is going to be. I have no way of "knowing" if the lines I write are the right ones.

But I have "faith" that I can write songs. That faith has been supported by "reason" ... I have actually made money writing songs and have had people (besides friends and family) tell me my songs are good.

But the only way I will ever write another one is to have faith that I can ...

If I just sit on my ass and have "faith" nothing will happen. (Yes, I have empirical evidence!) So I spend an enormous amount of time reading ... looking for ideas. I write off movie tickets because I find so many ideas there ... I listen to people and how they say things ... what they love ... who they love ... what they believe ...

But once I'm in the middle of a song, "reason" plays a huge role ... I analyze ... I use dictionaries, a thesaurus, quotation books ... my old harmony textbooks for musical ideas ... different instruments ... different co-writers ...

poets and mathematicians ...

they are both at work in my brain ...

so faith and reason feed on each other in my world all the time ... i bet in your world too ...

and tomorrow I can get up and crank my tractor and move some gravel around on my driveway or I can stay right here in my studio and see if a song shows up ...

fate has brought me to this moment of choice ...

and my choices have brought me to this fate ...

Peace ~ Chuck"

A Hymn For Me

O self, myself
In unimpressive wonder
Consider all
Alone, thy hand hath made
You’ll feel the scars
You’ll see the waste and plunder
No pow’r throughout
Your universe displayed

Then cries my soul
Without your Saviour, see
How small thou art
How small thou art
Then cries my soul
Without your Saviour, see
How small thou art
How small thou art

An Army of Paper Saints

At lunchtime on Thursday, I was skimming on facebook when I IM’d Eva, a cowriter of mine in Houston. We recently started working on a song, and I’ve been pretty remiss in working on it. I wanted to tell her I’ve been thinking about it, which I have, but to be honest, not that much.

In the process of the conversation, I told her I had another idea for a worship song. No title, not even a hook; Only an idea.

The idea is coming together in authenticity. Real with one another in the Church. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a new idea, but I’ve been feeling led to write it.

I love working with Eva. She’s a walking, talking, emailing vessel of the Holy Spirit. We bounced a few ideas back and forth and she said she’d pray about it and write down some ideas.

At that moment I had a thought and typed two words in the box and hit send “Paper Saints”.

She replied, “tell me about that. I replied something like, ”not real saints, just 2 dimensional cut-outs of what a saint is supposed to look like“.

She started a file and just before I went back to work, I typed this into the file:

We come with needs unspoken
for fear of being exposed
And though the circle be unbroken
we unfold into an army of paper saints.

That evening, I sat at he piano and started playing around.. 5 minutes later I had a chorus. I went online and opened the file. She had copied my im onto the page and had started a verse.

I started typing.. she came online and she started praying.. then the words flowed, and by Friday morning, most of the lyric was done. I went in the studio on Saturday morning.. and by the next day we had a work tape done.

I gotta tell you, when the Holy Spirit is on board, writing the song’s just a matter of holding the pen, laying your hand on the keyboard, and most importantly, getting out of the way.

If you’d like to give it a listen, you can check it out here.

The Challenge of "WHY?"

I was driving to an early call-time last Sunday morning.. Before sunrise. Dark-thirty. I flipped on the radio.. NPR.. talk-interview show. Some guy was explaining his take on the meaning of life. Between my thoughts of “I need coffee” and “where am I?”, I started listening to the conversation. The guy was saying, “...the important question to ask and answer about anything you do is, ‘Why?’ ”

Now, unless you’ve never contemplated the meaning of life before, you know this is the pertinent question. I’ve asked it many times as I sat down to plan. The 5 year plan. The career plan. The family plan.. The house plan...

It’s important, I get it.

But in the middle of my pompous, eye-rolling-head-nod, it suddenly dawned on me that in many areas of my life I had gone a long time without revisiting that question.

Why do I work where I work? Why do I do what I do? Why do I live where I live? Why? Why? Why?

Sure, I asked these questions at critical times when I started my job, nurtured my job skills, was house-hunting, etc.

It rarely occurs to me that I need to revisit those areas (and other areas) and ask the question again.

In Michigan, there are many people who are having to ask these questions again, out of necessity. In other words, the are looking for new jobs, careers, and houses.. because they lost the ones they had.

For myself, I still have a job, a career, a house.. but are the reasons I chose them still the same as today’s reasons?

Answer: NO!

Time to re-evaluate.. in fact, its always time to re-evaluate... actually, maybe its the wrong word... The word evaluate indicates something that can be accomplished, and I’m beginning to wonder if the process is much more dynamic than I ever assumed..


Use me while you can.

Normal vs. Paranormal? Natural vs. Miraculous?

I was reading today a quote that said there is nothing paranormal except our limited knowledge of nature. That’s what the quote said..

I can relate to that statement because of an experience I had a few years ago.

You may remember an asteroid belt that ended up flying through our atmosphere a few years back. Many got up and laid outside in the early morning to watch it go through the atmosphere.

I was driving about 5 miles south of my house, in broad daylight, when something caught my eye to the left. I turned my head in time to see a fireball in the sky. Thing is, it appeared to be the size of the Sun (my perspective).

But this was not normal.. it was paranormal. Here’s why. It was high in the atmosphere, so it was quite large, but it was moving across the sky as if it were a jet 200 feet above the ground.

It lasted 2 seconds at most.. took 2 seconds to fly from the horizon on my left to the horizon on my right. So fast, in fact, that by the time everyone in the car looked it was gone.

My idea of normal was shattered. It laid in pieces on the floor of that minivan.

Seriously, Up to this time, the nearest I’d come to Paranormal was Teflon®. (I mean, how is that surface dry yet feel wet? It has to dry out eventually, right? Just sayin’...)

As a Christian I’ve heard (and talked) about miraculous things all my life. Friends who are healed from a non-operable cancer. People who testify of an Angel’s presence who led them through a mind-field. Miraculous circumstances that freed people from prison.

All those things. You know, when we feel God’s presence. We ‘see’ Him working in people’s lives.

But Paranormal? Physical aberrations that seem impossible? Something you can touch? Aren’t these things paranormal? Why don’t these miraculous things of the faith amaze me.. humble me.. bring me to my knees?

Have I become numb to the supernatural, because its not paranormal? I’ve realized that I’m pretty much still a skeptic to these things. I’m a Thomas. A doubter. Do people really see these things? Are they using them as a way to make their story more significant or impacting? Were those people really healed or just misdiagnosed to begin with.

Even as I write this I have a fear coursing through my arm that people are going to be disappointed in me for expressing these feelings... that I’m somehow not holding up my end of the story. I’m not trusting in what people tell me, or that I’m denying the working, maybe even the existence of God.

I don’t. I know what I know. I feel what I feel. I’m a witness to his miraculous hand in my life and others... but unless I remind myself that those things I know, feel, and witness are not natural, ordinary things, I begin to classify them as normal, and they become something I take for granted, or worse something I don’t even recognize as the hand of God working in my life and the life of others.

Then I see a fireball the size of a football field rocket 1,000 miles in 2 seconds and realize how small I am in this unbelievable, ordered creation and I realize that there is nothing miraculous except my limited knowledge of God’s omnipotent hand at the wheel of His creation. My limited recognition of His incomprehensible love for us and His desire to have us be an integral part of its fruition.

Took It For Granted

I’ve been waking up multiple times during the night. (and its not because I drank too much water before bed)

I’ve been waking up with lines and couplets. Ideas and rhymes. A few nights ago I woke up and thought, that’s a great idea. I’ll remember that. I didn’t even need to get up and write it down, it was that good. Good thing, because I was at a hotel and I didn’t have my notepad next to me..

I forgot the idea by the time I woke up again.

Try as I might, I’m still lamenting the loss of that idea. Moleskin is back in place. Recorder is at the ready. Its been awhile since the thoughts bubbled. Now they boil at times.

I’m thankful they’re back and I will try to be prepared. Hit me, Lord. Hit me!

WANTED. Up-tempo Radio-Ready Drivel.

I was reading a posting over at Ninety Mile Wind on the current state of the country music market that prompted the following response:

The current parade of country drivel on terrestrial radio is perceived to be what the customer wants, and in some respects, it IS what the customer wants, or at least what they are willing to settle-for to get where they want to be. They play it, and people listen. (or at least advertisers think so)

Artists and writers can't stand most of it, of course, but the market exists, and it comes with formulaic risk that is easily exploited by the accountants and execs.

Pop culture will always exist, and it will rarely be pretty, and will almost always be laughable and/or forgotten in hindsight, but as long as people will put up with them, 30 second hits are not going away.

There will always be someone willing to whip up what the customer will consume.

I'm reminded of a quote from Henry Ford. When asked about giving the customers what they want, he replied, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said 'Faster Horses'.

People and labels may think they want more drivel (uptempo horses), but what people really want is a way to extract themselves from reality and for that, the current drivel and vacuum-packed productions deliver! Even we, as artists, have to admit we’re distracted from reality as we contemplate how such a mindless song ever made it to the airwaves.

Unless presented with a different destination and a compelling vehicle to get them there, the consumer will continue to shovel all the hay and manure the label’s hit-farms have to offer.

Songwriters. You were made for a higher purpose.

©2009 Tim Wheeler

Are We Just Too Paranoid?

Are we just too paranoid about our kids. This is an enlightening piece... brave enough to look facts in the face.

The King Is Dead.

Michael Jackson was an Icon with a capital ‘i’. He took his work seriously and never produced a sub-par piece of work. Whether you like his style, or not, you cannot deny his consistent level of excellence. I remember waiting to watch a new video or listen to a new song when he would be working. My expectation was that it was always top shelf. I don’t remember being disappointed.

His personal life, of course, was a freak-show. There was a sweet innocence about his demeanor. Personally, I prefer not to think he was perverted, that he was trying to go back to another time when everyone wasn’t suspect. I may be wrong, but I prefer not to have to rectify that type of perversion with the art and message that his art portrayed. Some know the truth, but in this day and age you don’t know who’s telling the truth.

It was obvious he was trying to fill a bottomless hole. His plastic surgery, skin color, Neverland. Deep down, I think he was longing for acceptance. Perhaps, from his father. Perhaps from his fans. Perhaps from the press. Perhaps from himself.

Surely he got glimpses of it when each of his projects were released... Thriller had no critics... but I sense it was never enough.

I cranked up BLACK OR WHITE last night. I love that song.. mostly I love the performance. There is so much energy in that performance and so many other MJ creations.

I never idolized Michael Jackson, but I bought his stuff. It was always worth the money. I did my part to contribute to his acceptance, but I’m only human, and in the end, its not our acceptance by other humans that counts.

“If you’re wantin’ to be my brother it don’t matter if you’re black or white.”

Bradley Russell Flamm 1982 - 2009

When I first met Brad, he was 2 years old. Brad had a mind of his own. He was a handful. He was a joke-ster flashing a mischievous grin whenever you caught him in a prank or in the process of planning one.

If you know Brad, you know the look.

I figured he’d would grow out of it. At times, I prayed he’d grow out of it... but, he never did. Whenever I would see his face, it was not long before it held that look. That grin.

I have to admit that there were times I wasn’t in the mood for that grin.

But now... Now, I crave it.

That infectious smile that required you to move from one emotion to another.

It took me a while to realize it, but Brad longed to do that in life. He lived to move others from one emotion, whatever it might be, to an emotion that required a smile.

Sure, he would be serious sometimes. Sad. Mad. Frustrated. But he would always lace his mood, his situation, his decisions with that classic 2-year old mischievous grin.

On his myspace page, there’s a section where he could write a little description of himself.

This is what he wrote:

I am a very open-minded individual. Extreme optimist, always looking at the brighter side of things, even when it's hard for others to see...Things always happen to me...good, bad, it's all the same to me...Always trying to smile...I like to smile, almost as much as I enjoy feeling others smile. And I smile even more if I played a part. I love life--I look at it as a grand adventure. There's a secret to it, you have to learn to ride the waves...Human bodies naturally float, right? Since I was born I have grown strong, straightforward, intellectual, philosophical, AWARE, fearless but respectful, proud but humble, adventurous, spontaneous, empathic, romantic...A thinker as well as a doer. I don't bullshit--the things I believe in are Peace, Love, HOPE, Loyalty, Selflessness, JOY, Destiny, Respect, Honesty---I never lie...unless it's the right time....Timing is everything...Timing is perfect-----So over the years I've learned Patience as well. I am good and bad--I am everything, yet I am nothing...I am as wild, ferocious and destructive as the most savage of beasts, but as calm and gentle as a Sunday breeze....or the serenity of the sea....I am nothing more than a gift to Earth--a caretaker, cultivator and motivator.

                                                        - Brad Flamm

There will always be a special place in my heart for Bradley. There will always be a hole in the fabric of our family when we gather in the future. A critical element missing in the chemical mix. You are truly missed, Brad.