I have been crazy busy the last few days.  I haven’t had a chance to even read.  Yesterday I finally got all of the tracks arranged for the Hymn Project (Enduring Truth) and they are mostly set up in Garageband very close to ready to start recording this Sunday.  The plan is to spend the afternoon after church gets out recording the drums until Dave gets tired then we’ll pick up where we left off on Monday.  Hopefully we will have the drums recorded by the end of the day on Monday.  I am really looking forward to the whole process.  Tentative release date for the project is November 7th.  I also spent some time recording my sister singing to a backing track on Tuesday night. (check it out here)  Then recorded the Podcast.  So yeah, it’s been a busy few of days.  Doubt I’ll get much reading done tonight since I have worship team rehearsal tonight.  BTW still no TV, although I was tempted to watch Wipeout with my son last night.

Oops! I said in the video that today Monday is Day 21 it’s not.  It’s 22!! Even less days YEAH!!!!

Wow! only 12 more days left.  As I have said before I will break my fast so I can watch my brothers first college football game.  It looks like he is not going to be red shirted so it looks like I’m going to be watching that game next Saturday.  Yesterday was worship team rehearsal so there was not much opportunity to watch TV.  When I got home from rehearsal I was so tired I went to bed almost immediately.  I am getting very excited about Retro Worship Night, it’s gonna be a lot of fun.  You better be there

I realized something yesterday.  Although not watching TV has given me a ton of time to do other stuff, my brain has not shut off in 17 days.  My brain is continually processing; what’s happening right now and how will it affect the future, processing though my vision for ministry with God, thinking about my family and their well being.  The list could go on forever but even when I sleep I wake up having processed something.  What I realized yesterday is TV watching is the only time my brain disengages.  I have not found anything else that does that for me, and I need to.  My brain is getting tired, or I’m getting tired of my brain!

Please pray for me I am making some huge decisions in the next day or two and I would really covet your prayers.

Yesterday was an interesting day.  Let me start by saying that I am writing this while sitting in the lobby of a mortuary in Mesa, AZ.  Don’t worry no family member died or anything.  Yesterday started with me going to work early because I started school yesterday.  Music Theory I and Aural Perception I (ear training) from 8:30-11:15 so I didn’t get back to work until 11:30.  Then I had an interview for the custodian job at the church, a meeting with John, picking out music and I had to run some errands.  When I got back from running the errands I got a phone call almost the moment I walked into my office.  A family who is a friend of a friend had a funeral and their singer had backed out at the last minute.  I asked what songs they wanted me to sing and they gave me two that I didn’t know.  I asked them if they had another option for one of the songs because I knew I could learn 1 new song in a night but I thought two would just be too much.

So last night after bible study I sat down and learned that song.  Arrived at the mortuary this morning at 8am.  Now I can’t count how many funerals I have sung at.  From people I knew well to people I didn’t know at all and the one thing they have in common is how much they make you treasure life.  You realize how fragile life is regardless of age.  It makes you want to tell everyone you love how much you do love them.  It also makes me remember that I really need to put my wishes down for what I want to happen at my funeral.

Wish #1- Somehow get Marty Sampson from Australia to come and sing Home.

Wish #2- Sing worship songs because that is what I am going to be doing.

Wish #3- Have lots of balloons to make up for all of the parties I wouldn’t let my kids have balloon.  Plus I’ll be dead so they won’t scare me.

Wish #4- It’s okay to be sad but also rejoice because I know where I’m going.

That’s all I can think of for now.  Kind of morbid, I know, but that’s where I’m at.

Recap of Day 12, 13, 14 & 15 from Jeremy Poehls on Vimeo.

I was hoping to finish Unbound last night but I was just too tired.  Chapter 11 is titled “Should I Be Afraid?” and is basically talking about how we shouldn’t be afraid of the devil or any of his angels of darkness.  The chapter starts with this story (and I love it)

Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1859, Smith Wigglesworth was a plumber known for his faith.  The story is told that one night he was awakened by a creaking sound in the downstairs parlor.  Wigglesworth took his candle and started down the steps.  The creaking grew louder.  A foul, deathlike odor filled his nostrils.  As he approached the room where the sound came from, he felt the air turn cold.  Peering into the room, he saw the source of the creaking: a figure in his rocking chair.  As he stepped closer, he saw that it was the devil himself!  ”Oh, it is only you,” Wigglesworth said as he blew out his candle.

I laughed as I read this because I was getting nervous and tense then the “Oh, it’s only you” I realized that at some level I am scared of the devil and I shouldn’t be.  I have seen the spiritual realm cross over into the physical realm before, years ago when I was a young child.  (we had some crazy neighbors)   My mother would reassure us that we were protected because Jesus had defeated sin and death and we had authority through Jesus and His shed blood over the powers of darkness.  But there is still something in your inner being that says we should be scared of the devil and his demons but we don’t need to be.  I hope that if I ever encounter the devil himself God will remind me that I have the power and authority through Jesus to say “Oh, it’s only you.”

Thank you to my in-law’s for being kind and turning off your TV when I come over.  I really appreciate it.

Well last night we went swimming and had dinner over at my in-laws.  Spent some time reading while I was over there and the kids were playing.  When we went home I spent some time reading to my son, and just generally hanging out with my family.  Good quality time with my wife and kids.  It is getting easier and I’m not thinking as much about the TV I’m missing.  Progress!  Still on pace to finish Unbound this weekend.  Then it’s on to the books I said I was going to read at the beginning of the year.

I had a really bad day at work yesterday and I really, really wanted to just veg out in front of the TV and shut my brain off.  Good News was that we had our first meeting of our small group that is going through the Prodigal God study.  So I sort of watched TV, there is a video that accompanies the discussion questions.  We decided that didn’t count since it was bible study.

Well I decided to try to read when I went to bed but I couldn’t focus at all on what I was reading.  I was trying not to stew about what happened (which I can’t talk about so don’t ask) but I couldn’t get my mind off of it.  So I put my book down and tried to just sleep.  Normally this is a quick process for me but I was so troubled I couldn’t get my mind to shut down.  Eventually I did fall asleep but it was just a crappy way to end the day.

Exciting I know…well not really but…whatever.

Yesterday was a very productive day from an “it’s not too bad not being able to watch TV today.”  I was actually looking forward to reading Unbound.  I am definitely on pace to finish it by Friday or Saturday then it’s on to books I had set out to read at the beginning of the year.  I’m learning things in this book not only about God but about myself.   About the fact that I do not trust God COMPLETELY in some areas of my life.  There are areas I have not fully surrendered to Him.  It is mostly pride that keeps me from surrendering, thinking I can take care of this thing.  Full surrender is not an easy process and one that probably won’t be completed until I see Jesus but little by little I am working on relinquishing control.  And close those doors where the Devil could have influence in my life.