Do you have a screen protector for your phone? You may even have one of those phone tanks, also know as, a case that can protect it from a nuclear explosion. Ever since I have owned my first smart phone, it has had a screen protector on it. After a few months I replaced it. When I pulled off the old one it was all scratched up and hazy. It did it’s job protecting the phone screen from my spare change, keys, drops, and everything else about my life that can be hard on things. When I looked at my phone, it was still brand new. The screen was perfect. A phone screen protector is a very simple addition. It is just a piece of plastic with a sticky side.

We are willing to go out of our way to protect our phones. Are we willing to go out of the way to protect our lives? Are we willing to do small things to protect our spiritual lives? Screen protectors in our lives take the brunt of the abuse so we do not take them directly. What is a life screen protector? Any method, habit, object, etc that we put in the way of us and temptation to sin. My objective is not to list a bunch of rules to help you obey the rules. Rules on rules only mess things up. What I am talking about are putting practices in place to guard yourself. These practices are for you. These are not things that you force on someone else. That promotes legalism.

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What we can learn from Conan O’Brien’s difficult and premature departure from NBC:

• Things ending in a difficult manner do not erase all the good of the past.
• Be grateful for what you have.
• Working hard and being kind incubates amazing things.
• Cynicism will get you no where.
• It takes a team of amazing people.
• Make sad moments happy ones.
• You do what you love, even if it’s in a 7 Eleven Parking lot.
• He did the dream job of every comedian for seven months, and is thankful.

Why are there not more Christians in America this thankful for the lives God has blessed them with? Everyone in America is more wealthy then most of the world. Why do we complain so much?

It is time to address something. It is time some people come to understand some things about me. Really, it is not about me. Even though I am involved.

There is no way I could have predicted the past three years. But, the past years have come as a natural result of decisions made and principles followed.

Over the recent years my musical career is actually starting to look like a career. I have met people that I thought I would never have a conversation with. Opportunities have came that many people would give up body parts for. I have traveled to places many people long to visit. And I can go on and on about the many blessings that have come my way.

When I update my Twitter and Facebook about some of my opportunities, I get responses like “I’m jealous,” “Lucky,” and “How did you get that hook up?” Sometimes I get the impression from people that I am just more “Lucky” than them and I just randomly had these opportunities handed to me.  Or God has supernaturally opened doors for me and not others; which is true, but not in the way that you think.

I am no one special. I want to make that clear. That can be confirmed by all the people who have scratched their heads at how I have these opportunities and they do not. They scratch their heads because they know I am no one special. My sins are many. My imperfections are countless.

People who live interesting lives, do interesting things. Those who get interesting opportunities are those who follow certain principles and make certain decisions. It really is that simple.

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Everyone at one time, or all the time if you are like me, wonder what it is all about. Does living the life following Jesus really matter? Am I truely making an impact in peoples lives? Do I matter? You do everything you can to serve people. Because serving everyone is how you live a great life (according to Jesus). Like me, I am sure you thought a simple thank you would be nice. Or you thought it would be swell if someone actually helped you when you really needed it. You go out of the way for many people, but that’s it. No thank you, a pat on the back, or even props on Facebook.

Many people will leave a church organization because they were never thanked for what they did. People have turned their back on God because they did not get the recognition they thought they deserved.

No one stood at the cross to thank Jesus for what he was doing or what he did for them while he was breathing his last few breaths.

If you are looking for praise and recognition in following Jesus, then you are on the wrong path. You are missing the point. Yes, I realize I am being slightly harsh, but it is the truth. To seek out praise from people means you are seeking something for self.

Jesus told us ”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

You might be thinking, “How can moth and rust destroy the thanks and recognition of people?”

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The most important decision that I have made in my life is the decision to follow Jesus Christ. Hands down. Something I listened to recently had me reflect on the most important decisions in my life. The decision to follow Jesus has been so central to my life that I can not even imagine what my life would be like if I had walked away.

I fall short just like everyone else. I am not Mr. Holy Molly. The difference is no matter how far I may get off track I aways comeback to Jesus. Jesus is the rock of my salvation. Jesus gives me purpose. Jesus gives me life. I have real meaning in my soul because of Jesus. If I mean anything to anyone it is because Jesus has meant something to me. If there is anything beautiful in my life, it is because Jesus turned it from something very ugly.

The truth is without Jesus in my life I would be a very different person. Probably a very ugly person. A person not doing very much for anyone.

I want you to reflect right now. What would your life be like without Jesus. If Jesus was erased from your life, would it be very much different? Would you be cruising through life about the same? Without Jesus would you make different decisions?

Has your life truly been changed by Jesus?

I hope so.

If you do not know or walk with Jesus, could you imagine what your life would be like if you did?

These past months I have been thinking much on the idea of right and wrong. Have you ever been in an argument with someone stating about how you had the answer and they did not? Then after some time had past the truth was revealed and you were right. That seems all good and well except, the taste of being right was bitter and not sweet. It seems that culture is constantly pounding us with debates of right and wrong. Do you ever get the impression that politics is more about being right than serving it’s citizens? Yep, I thought so.

As a follower of Jesus can I really take ownership of being right? Truth has existed way before anyone was walking around this earth. Truth is not something new, but has been with God since the beginning of time. That means that we really can not claim truth as our own. If we are “right,” isn’t that truth being revealed. Since God owns all the patents on truth, can we really claim our rightness and use it as a Billie club over someones head?

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“I don’t have time.”

This is the absolute worst excuse in the world.

Now I must explain the context why this excuse boils my skin.

On several occasions I have had people share their dreams with me. Some of them were just flat out amazing aspirations. After hearing stories like this I always ask what they are doing to take the steps toward that dream. My gut tightens for the unfortunate excuses “I don’t have time,” “Life is just too crazy right now,” or “I do not know where to begin.” There are many things I do not have time for in my life because I am busy chasing the dreams in my life. When you do not have time to do the things that are deep down in your soul, it is a tragedy.

If you do not have time to do the things in life you really want to, then some stuff has to go. The day-to-day life is full of things that keep your attention, but almost none of it will get you where you really want to go.

A life that is full of mundane actions breaks the heart of God. God has created us in His image, sent Jesus to give us freedom from sin, yet we choose to spend our lives just existing.

Choosing to live a life of abundant meaning is hard, but I would not have it any other way. You should not have it any other way either.

We just finished up a short tour with a couple other excellent bands. The growth in friendships alone was worth the whole trip. Additionally, the tour included amazing fans and amazing people who took us in as their host. I am continually amazed at all the people we meet with servant hearts. When Jesus says “You are the salt of the earth,” it is these people to whom He is referring. We have pulled up to many places that are a “city on a hill.”

Like many of the best times of our lives, the tour flew by. Time seemed to rush forward. Really, we were caught up in the amazing fellowship of God’s people. You do not count the minutes when you are right in the middle of where you are suppose to be in life. More and more I welcome the end of something memorable. If it drug on and on it would not become a memory to be cherished. If we tried to hang on to it longer then we should, then we would not move forward in our lives. That is not where God wants us to be. If we try to stay where we are at we will become complacent. Complacency is worse than death.

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A few months back we had new neighbors move in next door. It was exciting to find out that it was a family of ten. Yes, I realize many people would not be excited. It is their loss. A family with eight children spanning from small to college. I love kids. I love hanging out with kids. Kids are better company than most adults. Yes, I really feel that way.

Among my favorite authors is a children’s author. No, it is not that Harry Potter lady. He is way better. It is none other than Theodor Geisel. Theodor Suess Geisel. I love Dr. Suess. I love reading Dr. Suess. I love reading Dr. Suess to children. The state of children’s books is really sad. If you look at the children’s section in a book store it is nothing but show branded, poorly written gibberish. When I go to a used bookstore and look through the children’s section I see nothing but poorly written books with zero imagination. I get the impression from the overcrowded shelves of unwanted books that some adult thought writing a children’s book was easy and put out something not worthy enough to go inside a dirty diaper. I must resist my urge to rant further.

Those that know me are probably calling foul. I do not yet have any children. “Just wait until you have kids” has been spoken my direction many times. All the joy that I get hanging out with my nieces and nephew, the children of my friends, or our new neighbor children; by far outweighs any amount of dirty diapers or runny noses or whatever other supposedly horrible thing you have to go through being a parent. Some parents are just plain sour and need to be disciplined more then their children. I must resist my urge to rant, again.

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Christians are typically known for being the people who will tell you smoking is a sin, drinking is a sin, or cursing is a sin. We are pretty good at pointing out things we do not like and putting the label of “sin” on it. One time I over heard a country song that mentioned that her Christian friends did not like it that she liked to smoke. Certain things might even get “It’s of the Devil” label. That saying has came up several times in my life since I am a musician and I love rock and roll. Because we all know that rock and roll is of the devil. Right? Right.

I strongly dislike many of the assumed labels that are put on me when one finds out I am a Christian. Have you ever seen someone totally change how they carry themselves once they find out you are Christian? Years ago I picked up a guy that was needing a ride, a.k.a. a hitchhiker. He was no psycho ready to off me while I was driving 70mph down the road. He was just a dude needing a ride. The first part of our conversation included several cuss words on his part. Hearing someone cussing does not tempt me want to start up with the filthy talk too. Getting upset might. As soon as this guy found out I was a Christian his whole demeanor changed. I think he even told me about going to VBS when he was young. It disappointed me. I was going to get the fake part of him the rest of the trip.

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