My Life as an Artist

Welcome back. You belong here.

The other day someone asked me if it's tough doing things differently. I said, in some ways yes and other ways things are new.

Some things have been different, not as I'm used to. But other things I've wanted to see grow are happening more quickly. I have more of my artisans involved in secular music than before. Maybe 10-12 of the team I work with are involved in music all over town, from Denver to Boulder and everything in between. No one playing at Red Rocks just yet, but there's an indie type music feel that is here.

For example, there's a band one of our percussionists is in called Mestizo Rocks. Very nice eclectic rhythmic music. Mark sings and plays percussion. So that's something pretty exciting for me.

There are also a lot of missional artisans involved in multiple ways across town. One of our bass players leads a band that plays at the Race for Cure in Denver. They play classic rock and roll while people run the 5K, marathon, etc. Others from different organizations pass out water bottles just to serve the community. Great stuff.

Another one of our young leaders is opening her own graphic design business tonight at 8pm. She's renting a gallery in downtown Denver with her friend. Another one of our leaders is doing a film festival, another one of our drummers does a drum collective which is like a clinic for young drummers all around town that brings in big drummers all year long.

Another guy is the general manager for a theatre in downtown Denver, and then we have 4-5 young worship leader types that are recording their 2nd or 3rd cd's, playing at coffee shops, etc. Another one of our guitar players is an architect involved in local missional work wit his company, has been to Nicaragua to build an orphanage, etc. Lots of good stuff like that.

So the challenge is helping the church worship, and connect the dots between the arts and God. That's a weekly task. The other task is to help people be more connected to one another and find a home, because even though they all have some connection here, they don't all feel connected here.

There are many opportunities. My hope is that I can get through the initial shock of being here, of learning a new church and culture, of working through all the internal changes within me, just trying to workout regularly again (moving is depressing), so that I can get to the fun part of the job.

The church also has around 80-90 acres of land here in Arvada, CO that it may sell or develop. The vision that is coming is to ask God for ways to use that capital to invest into Denver, into artisans, to help the poor, the serve the kingdom of God worldwide. Sometimes, I'm in meetings deciding over these things, being asked for my input and I feel humbled. I ask God for wisdom daily.

I also have a group of my two staff worship interns with whom I have a spiritual formation group. Last week we read Thomas a Kempis regarding temptation. It was uncomfortable, but I felt so thankful to be doing such work with two young lives (22 and 30) building into each other, seeking God together while leading this work.

Then the lead pastor here is a man I admire and love more each day. He is the reason God drew me all the way here. I hope to be like him more and more in all he does, from seeing his daughter be married last month, to water rafting, to leading the church from attraction to mission. I admire him and feel honored to serve under him.

If I can just figure out Boomers, and find my nitch of young leaders and be more about the city than the church, and the snow thing, I think I can do this and have a great time doing it.

And of course, someday I hope to do my music. To record an album with a great group of friends and make some great stuff together. I'm not writing much these days, not a lot of inspiration, work is hard, but I know that will come in time.

And if I can just develop 2-3 deep friendships that will carry me during my time here, again, I think I can do this. And if I can just workout again and get my body back, I think I can do this. And if our children and my wife can survive the move, I think I can do this.

Well, I think that's all the things I'm working on these days....all while trying to be more humble before God, seek Him more and become more of a giving person.

I've done some amazing things in my time, especially in music, and right now I'm not doing those things yet, but I feel all that will come and things can be even more full than before.

Have a great day,

Into the future,

davidT

Mowing the Lawn as a Sign

Welcome back. You belong here.

It seems like everyday someone in our new neighborhood is mowing the lawn. I think it's because most of the people that live in our neighborhood are old (late Boomers with teenage kids) and/or retired. I mean, every day someone (men and women) is fixing their yard, mowing the lawn, planting trees, weeding, seeding, 7am, 6pm, 2pm no matter the time of day, it's non stop.

When we first moved in, it took me about 3-4 weeks to mow my lawn so it got long and "not as well kept" as the neighbors around here. Hey, moving is stressful and tiring! So guess what I got in the mail the next day? A ticket for not mowing my lawn! I called the city or Arvada, CO and they told me someone in my neighborhood (anonymous of course, else I would have had a little talk with them) ratted me in. Amazing. Even right now, my 50 year old retired neighbor is out there with his blower working away.

It's just not what I'm going to spend my time doing around here. I bet I'm going to get another ticket someday...

Side note: There's something here (literally in our back yard) called cotton wood (new to me). The allergies from that tree are killing me.

Have a great day,

Into the future,

davidT

Such Kindness

Welcome back. You belong here.

Always amazed by kindness
Tonight I experienced it
Him over there, wow, such kindness and humility
A lot of great feelings all around
Great people

Others, yeah not so sure
But most are just wonderful
Willing to give all they have
For the sake of God's kingdom

Have a great day,

Into the future,

davidT

I Feel Handicapped

Welcome back. You belong here.

I feel handicapped
My mind wants to enjoy and live
To work hard and live fully
But something inside my heart is weak
Something that makes me feel handicapped

My mind is weak, my body is not right
I wish to be a machine without any weaknesses
When will I be completely strong
When will I be perfect
Not gonna happen
This is who I am

A moment of life came to me
Right in between these sad thoughts
And I took action and led the way
Lived and engaged the moment before me
One small push and the little birds flew
Without my help, they were ready to fly

My face and their faces were filled with smiles
As my heart raced once again with something inside
A mixture of joy and concern
My heart aches like a spike in my flesh
My eyes clouded with questions, what is going on?

I know it's my friends
They're always around me
Why don't they ever leave?
How great would it be if they would never come back

But they're here to stay

My hands are weak
My heart is weak
Anxiety comes like a ghost, unannounced
It just hits me like a ton of bricks
So much going on
My mind can't handle it all

I trust and look up
There is a God I know
I lift my eyes up to the mountains
And ride my bike
All day long

Have a great day,

Into the future,

davidT

Three Months Later

Welcome back. You belong here.

We arrived here March 1st and it's now June 1st (or so). Random thoughts three months into our time in Colorado:
1. This week I've had more moments where I've said "I might be here for a loooong time"
2. Music and creativity in the church takes patience, self-denial and lots of relationships
3. Some people have to go
4. Others you can't imagine ever losing
5. I want to own and manage a club/coffee/music/arts venue in Old Town Arvada
6. There are a lot of beautiful parks here in CO, today we played at one 1 block from our house the size of El Dorado Park back in the LBC, we had a great time playing fútbol, racing, freezbe, the children were racing down a hill on their red-wagon
7. It's really hot today (90F), first time we've been hot in CO, more to come I hear
8. R' and I are having a great time supporting each other through all the changes
9. I have some amazing musicians I'm working with on Sundays
10. I'm playing drums in a punk/emo band on Friday nights in someone's basement, starts at 9pm
11. We got a ticket the other day for not "mowing our lawn" sucks!
12. I like the sound of the trains
13. I actually want to go fishing, ATV'ing and horse back riding (crazy for this city boy!)
14. I hate country music (still)
15. I can't wait to go to our first Rockies-Dodgers game and wear all our Dodgers gear (all five of us)

Some days we cry, some days we laugh, three months in, it's getting better. The children miss their home, their friends, we keep making new memories here in CO one day at a time. Today at the park was another beginning.

Have a great day,

Into the future,

davidT