Someone I'd like to meet

A lot of people would like to meet people like George Washington or Martin Luther, maybe Martin Luther King Jr or some current star. But leave it to me to want to meet Blake Lewis (American Idol 2007). Maybe I’m just a non-conformist, but I do have several reasons. And personally I believe they are excellent ones (of course).

Reason 1 In a world of “copiers”, Blake Lewis is a creator.
“In the beginning God created” (Genesis 1:1). God is a creator. That’s who He is. And God made us “in His image” (Genesis 1:27). We were made to create. Now I know that we are merely created beings and not the creator. That job is God’s. However, I believe His desire is to create using people. Look how we came into being. God used our parents to create us, when He could just create mankind himself, like He did with Adam and Eve, but He doesn’t because He wants to create through us. One reason I think this is, is because creating through someone is such an intimate thing. Again, look at how you were made.
There is so much music today that sounds like all the other music. I don’t mind “retro”. I actually enjoy it because it allows me to go back to my 80’s roots. I will give you a moment here to thank my generation for all the good rock and roll… Speaking of, why did artists like Bob Dylan or Ray Charles, to mention a couple, ever make it? Their voices weren’t that good. Now that they’ve become icons and we are used to their voices, we might disagree with that statement. My wife definitely would. I myself personally love their style and their voices, but nonetheless, they’re not that great. But they made it because it was their music. They didn’t write their music for some other image to sing and look good on stage. It was their music, their style, and more importantly, their message that they just wanted to sing. I find it interesting that there was no “retro” to go back to in that day.
Reason 2 I respect anybody who stands firm and doesn’t go with the flow.
Not only did Blake Lewis go far in American Idol, but he went far being different, being himself. It’s not about being different, it’s about you being you. If you are being you, then you will be different because God is a creator and He doesn’t make any two things the same way, especially human beings! So why do so many people look and act the same? It’s the status-quo. It’s how we are told, in so many words, it’s how we are told, oftentimes subliminally, how we are supposed to act or who we are supposed to be. I believe this is something that greatly hinders creativity, because we are trying to be like others, instead of allowing ourselves to be who we were created to be. We are copying, instead of creating! Cynicism is something else that hinders creativity, but that’s another blog.
Reason 3 Being different takes a huge toll.
I think the spirit of racism is still alive and well, it just shows it’s head in a different way. When racism was so prevalent, it was when they’re weren’t a lot of different skin colors around. So, when some people saw someone with a different skin tone, it scared them. That’s really what caused racism, was fear. So that was why they became so awfully horrible to people of different skin color…because they were different. Today, I think we have a pretty good handle on racism (Thank God!). But that nasty spirit is still around. Today it attacks those who are different! Different in style. Different in thought etc. When someone is different, they face the looks. They face the rejection. They face people who see someone as different, and then put the pressure on them to become like everyone else (or maybe more specifically, like them). If everyone will go the way of status-quo, they won’t have to face the pressure of being themselves, of being different. We can just turn our brains off and copy. Copying is way easier than creating, which is another hindrance to creating. I struggle with confidence, and have had several tell me things like “you need to be confident”. And I certainly agree, but when someone is different and they constantly face others who try to squeeze them back into the tube they don’t fit in, this will pay a toll on their confidence. To be different, for me, means to constantly struggle with thoughts like “how I don’t fit”, ot Why can’t I just be like everyone else? There is a personal price here. For me, I believe, that if I were to act like the status-quo of my profession, it would definitely mean more bookings, more acceptance, more finances and support. My favourite far side cartoon is of a pack of penguins in black and white and one penguin in the very back of this huge multitude wearing a red bowtie and standing on his tiptoes singing “I gotta be me”.
No history has ever been made by someone who acted like everyone else! No one has ever done anything great by copying somebody else! To copy is to play it safe. To create is to take risks. It takes faith! It takes faith to be who God made you to be. If we’re not creating, are we being in the image God created us to be in? I’m not sure if Blake Lewis is a believer of Jesus, but I do believe he is acting in Jesus’ image. Hats off to Blake! Thanks for the inspiration!

Heart of Lime Green

Since this blog page is titled "Adventures of Lime Green", I thought this blog was fitting.

It's actually a message I received from a friend on my myspace. It was a humbling and touching compliment. I asked him if I could blog it and he said yes.

So here it is. Let me know what you think.

"Steve,

The more I grow with God, the more I am convinced He has called me to reach out to people who are rather different than what most are used to seeing within the walls of a building we call a church. God loves His kids so much and He is desperate to reach all of them, not just the ones who think like the majority. My brain doesn't work like most people's brains do. Iric means special, but sometimes special feels more like alone...

I say this because I know that you can relate. More than that, I want you to know that other people see your lime green suit and love and appreciate you for wearing it (as do I). But, they think you then go home and simply just take off your lime green suit. I know that you can't do that. Superman takes off his suit, but he can still fly, use heat vision, stop bullets... These things are what most people look at and assume define Superman as a superhero. But that not it. It's his heart.

Your heart is lime green Steve. Your brain doesn't work like most people's brains do. But you have chosen to use your powers for good and not for evil and that makes you a superhero. Thank you. Your dedication to pursuing God, doing things that are necessary, but not always fun encourages me to do the same. Thank you for refusing to compromise the gospel. The way that you boldly, yet lovingly, share God's heart is very special to me. I reminds me that it's ok to be to me, but it's not ok not to. Thank you for living by faith, trusting your Father more than your eyes. I want to be like that.

You want to encourage pastors; well you certainly have encouraged this one. Run in such way, that though you may be sweaty and smell gross, you receive the prize.

Iric"

I think Iric sees something many miss. Thankyou Iric, you honored me with that message.

Thanks for reading,

stevo

Don't get off your "donkey", get on it!

Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. (Mark 11:1-11)

"...you will find a colt there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here." (verse 2)

Jesus is so cool and amazing! No one rides an unbroke donkey! No one just takes someones donkey without an explanation. Jesus was not only cool and amazing, He was different too! He rode a donkey "no one has ever ridden" before. He did things in ways never done before. I feel this is what Jesus wants His church (us) to do too! I think He was modeling it for us.

"Some people standing there asked 'What are you doing, untying that colt?'" (verse 5)

If you do things differently, you will get questions, stares and opposition. Notice the opposition came from those who were just "standing there". It's always the ones doing nothing that question those doing, or trying to do something. Also note that when the disciples told those questioning them what Jesus told them, the people let them go. I don't need to become defensive because I do things differently. I just need to tell others that ask or oppose, what Jesus told me to do (that means, of course, that I have to know what Jesus wants me to do and how He wants me to do it.) Besides, when Jesus plans something, no man or thing can stop it...unless by our inactivity, we don't try and do what He's told us to.