Keeping Christmas

My wife and I were talking recently about the Christmas season and how to keep it. I admit to lamenting a little bit about the packed nature of our schedules and the ease with which the Spirit of the Season can be missed. So my wife let me in on a secret – the secret of keeping Christmas was to be found in a blog…

My wife has several blogs that she keeps up with and reads regularly. One of these was discussing the very thing she and I had been talking about – the difficulty of keeping Christmas in our modern world. The author stated that in her life – amidst the urgent and the important, amidst the duties and responsibilities – she found that if she focused on five things that spoke Christmas to her, then regardless of what ever else got done or didn’t, she was able to keep Christmas.

That really spoke to me – not least because I am easily overwhelmed by long lists – but five things? I can do five things! So I gave this a good think and came up with my five things. And here they are:

1) Watch some Christmas movies- There are tons of great ones out there, and more than I have time for, but I have to see ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’, ‘A Christmas Story’ and ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’!

2) Going to the Mall when it is decked out and bustling – I am not sure why this one speaks to me, but there is something about the bustle and the decorations and the urgency… the excitement is tangible!

3) Decorating our tree – Over the years the trees have been small and tall, fake and real, fir and pine… but I love pulling out all the ornaments that have accumulated, the shiny glass ones I love (but no one else does), the funky handmade ones from preschool, that ‘First Christmas Together’ ornament that still has the photo of the models in it…

4) Coffee cups and guitar straps – When my kids were little they did all their shopping at the Dollar store. When they asked what I wanted, I replied “a coffee cup and a guitar strap.” That Christmas I received those very things from them. Now every year, I get one of each. Truth be told, these are my favorite presents each year and I hope they never stop coming!

5) Christmas Eve Worship – There is something ancient and deep and mysterious about the miracle of Christ coming at Christmas and I feel that mystery most profoundly at worship on Christmas Eve. I love midnight worship the best… it feels like Hope wrapped around me… it feels like a Promise fulfilled… it feels like Home.

So far, I have done four of my five things and it feels like Christmas to me! So let me add my voice to the chorus around the manger and wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!

Vote For Your Favorite Unending Love Story!

The finalists in the ‘Unending Love Story Contest’ have been chosen and the final selection is up to YOU! We have posted the stories on a special webpage and voting will be open until 11:59 pm on Friday, October 9. So, follow the link below, read the stories and VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE!!!! We will post the winner next week!

http://www.christopherames.com/contest.html

Reading vs. Living

Before our kids went back to school a couple of weeks ago, my wife told me, “We need a theme for our family this year.” A theme? Immediately I was imagining colors, a theme song, a catch phrase, a logo, maybe some team shirts we could all wear… My wife stood there patiently waiting until I was finished chasing shiny things in my mind and explained.

“I want us to be more than we are settling for,” she said. She pulled out Joshua 1:9 and we read, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” And then she said the thing that has been ringing in my ears ever since… “I want us to stop reading about adventures and start living them.”

Now, my sons and I are avid readers of fantasy stories… if it has a quest or a dragon, a knight, a journey, an adventure… we love it! And to be dared to not just read about such things but to actually step out and do them? That thought is both invigorating and terrifying.

Invigorating because I ask myself “where do we find these adventures?” I am learning they are everywhere… in bike rides, shooting off model rockets, teaching my kids skills, exploring our hometown, our state, listening to the dreams of my family, trying something new, starting a tradition, not saying “we’ll do it later”, asking my kids what their opinions are, trying to do things for my wife before she has to ask, not being reluctant to be a Christ-follower in plain view, turning off the computer, turning off the TV,  ignoring what is “important” and focusing on who is important.

And terrifying because if I don’t seek out these adventures, I will miss them. If I don’t seek out my family, I will miss them. If I don’t seek out Christ, I will miss Him. There is only so much time and only so many days.

Now, adventures in the real world may not involve dragons and giants, may not involve life or death situations, may not be world changing events… but then again, maybe they do! But, the good news here is that no matter what the adventure, no matter what the situation or how long we have waited to face it – God is there already. Joshua says it clearly, God is with us wherever we go. In bike rides, model rockets, hospitals, around Christmas trees, in everything we face ‘from womb to tomb’ (to quote Westside Story).

So, no more excuses… time to stop just reading about adventures and time to start living them!

Oh… and we did get a theme song… remember that old MWS tune “Strong and Corageous”?

The Parable of the Reading Glasses

I recently got reading glasses. Not real glasses where you go and they match frames with lenses and your prescription… no, the kind they sell at pharmacies and Wal-Mart… you know, basically magnifying glasses in ugly frames prebuilt on a spinning display. Yep, those ones. The very ones I have often made fun of through the years, “You have got to be kidding me! Who actually buys these things?” Umm, I guess the answer would be… me.

For about the last year I have started to notice it, how reading books and magazines has become increasingly difficult. Not that I couldn’t see, but in lower light, or if the font was small or against a distracting background, I found that I was not able to easily focus. And then once focused, I could not easily un-focus when I was done. Then the ‘trying different distances’ started… first I put books closer, no good. Then I tried arm’s length, that was better… but never once did I think I needed reading glasses.

I am not sure what triggered it, maybe I saw myself in a reflection as I tried moving a magazine out and back in front of my face, or maybe someone commented that this was normal for “my age”… but somewhere along the line I realized I just couldn’t see clearly enough to read. Once I admitted that, one quick trip to the pharmacy took care of the issue. Now I can read again because now I have reading glasses.

It seems to me that my whole adventure is much like our fallen human condition. We are a messed up people, a sinful people. And I do mean all of us… (Romans 3:23 anyone?) But like me going through all the motions of trying to read, we try all sorts of things to cure ourselves. And we never admit that we have a problem.

Maybe that is the sticking point. Maybe that is the place we need to start… just to admit that we have a problem. Admitting we can’t read, leads us to reading glasses; admitting we are sick, leads us to the doctor; admitting we have a need, leads to filling the need; and admitting that we are fallen, leads us to the Cross of Christ.

Tell Us Your Unending Love Story!

Remnant Music Group is sponsoring a contest in an attempt to find the best unending love story! For the last year and a half Remnant Music Group and Christopher Ames have been promoting the CD titled EVERYDAY WITH YOU. As Christopher travels the country he continues to hear stories not only of how his CD project resonates with couples, but also stories of hope, inspiration, joy and encouragement in keeping the commitment of love alive in a relationship.

What is it that you think inspires an unending love story? We’re looking for your thoughts and ideas. It may be one line or a brief essay. Nonetheless, we are looking for inspirational stories of love and commitment. Christopher Ames and Remnant Music Group will review the submissions and select the top 3 entries. These entries will then be posted on Christopher’s website, and fans will be asked to select their favorite of the three. The top submission will receive a $100 American Express Gift Card (perfect for dining, shopping or travel), a $50 Gift Card for Barnes and Noble (inspired by the lyric in the song Love To Chance found on the CD), and an autographed copy of EVERYDAY WITH YOU by Christopher Ames. Runners up will also receive copies of Everyday With You. The winning submission will be featured in Christopher’s newsletter and will also be featured in his blog on his website.

So, what’s on YOUR heart? What do you think inspires an unending love story? Is it YOUR story? We want to know. Send your submissions to ca@christopherames.com. Be sure to include your full name, contact telephone number, your city, state and a return email address. You will be contacted if your submission is selected as one of the final three. Please note all submissions become the property of Remnant Music Group, but only the final three entries will be posted for public viewing.

(Deadline for submission is September 22, 2009 )

Slide Shows, Moving Boxes, and Time Travel

The older I get, the more often I have wished I could re-visit my past. Not so much in the sense that I have regrets or things I wish I could change (although I have a few), but more in the sense that I would like to re-experience moments, seasons, episodes of my life and really soak in them.

Recently, my family visited my parents and I showed my sons slides of me when I was their age. We especially enjoyed the pictures of Christmas seeing what toys I was playing with compared to what they are playing with now. Now, there is a time I would love to re-experience… the lead up to Christmas, the anxious waiting, the never ending night before and the long luxurious week of visiting relatives afterward…

While at my parents, they mentioned that there were two moving boxes with my name on them. This was stuff that had been moved around a couple of times and never unpacked, and basically forgotten. Before we left, I grabbed the boxes and brought them home. Imagine my surprise when I opened them and discovered a time machine…

The year I graduated from college, I spent about a month at home before moving to Dallas to start a 3 year stint with the band Watermark (no, the other Watermark). My folks moved not long after that, so these two boxes contained the contents of my room from that specific moment in time.

As I spent time looking through letters, notes, lyrics, books I had at the time… seeing some pictures, little odds and ends, trinkets that meant something at that point… I was transported back to those moments. It was like putting on my 22 year old self, with all of its emotions and dreams, with all of the fears and struggles… and for a few minutes, I was really there.

The best part, though, was discovering that I am no longer that 22 year old. These days the emotions and dreams are different, the fears and struggles have changed, but I am happy to be who I am, to be where I am, to be Whose I am. It was a gas to re-visit a pecific moment in my life, to actually feel I was in it again… but the best part of any vacation (whether traveling through time or across the country) is coming home again.

The Most Important Concert Ever!

I don’t know if you are aware of this, but I can hold conversations with myself while doing most anything. While mowing the lawn, watching TV, talking to other people, pretty much any time. Typical of most males, I can’t multi-task very effectively, but I can converse with myself… go figure.

Recently, I was having a conversation with myself while I was playing a gig. It was a new town, a small mainstream book store/coffee shop type of place and the conversation went something like this…

“This is a nice place, small town, but a cool coffee place. I hope the coffee is good… gotta make sure I get a cup after the set.”

“I wonder how I got here… I know they called me, but where did they find me? I don’t know anybody here, I have never played this town before…”

“Do they know I am a Christian artist? I noticed I was the only ‘Christian’ artist on their calendar… Ooops, well they know now… I just sang about Jesus…”

“How many people are here? 1,2,3… hmmm, about 20… What are they thinking? Do they like me? Are they wondering what they have gotten themselves into?  Does this gig matter at all? Why am I here?”

Believe it or not, that whole conversation happened within the first song and a half!

As soon as I ask myself whether or not a gig matters, I start to think about what constitutes a “good” gig… big audiences, big sales, sweet solos, big money, screams and adoration, oh yeah – lots of ministry too… Funny thing though, even if I got to play that idea of a “good” gig, once it’s over, it’s over. Moments in time are funny that way. No matter how good a moment is, it is a moment only for a moment and then a memory forever. And while memories are precious, they aren’t sustaining by themselves.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) I can’t feed forever on memories, I can’t survive on the unknowns of the future… I can only do this moment. I can only effect this point in time. I can only choose good in the present task. I can only serve, act and worship in the now.

Which leads me to the conclusion that good gig or not, this is the most important concert I will ever play, because it is the only one I can play at this moment.

So, as the third song began that night in that small town, I had a completely new attitude… and I believe it showed!

Elvis Impersonators and Jesus Imitators

At a recent festival, I went on to do my set after an Elvis impersonator. He was a pretty good one, too… blue jumpsuit, mutton chop sideburns, full head of black hair (his own too!), the arm movements, tossing teddy bears and scarves to the crowd… and he had the voice.

A couple of years ago I was in Branson and caught a show in one of the theaters featuring the Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band. Just like the Elvis impersonator, these guys had done their homework… the outfits, the guitars, the hair, the accents, the onstage behavior… a good show!

I started to really think about these folks who do the tribute shows – how they must read all the biographies, watch the videos, listen to the records, and practice practice practice to be able to impersonate Elvis or the Beatles. In other words, they eat, drink and breathe the character. It reminded me of what we as Christians do… we read the Bible, we gather in worship, we sing, we attempt to act like Jesus… ideally Christians eat, drink and breathe Jesus. But as I thought in that direction, I must confess that I was also bothered… if we are just like these folks, who are in reality actors of a type, do we end up being no more than Jesus impersonators? And let’s be honest… the phrase ‘Jesus impersonator‘ doesn’t sound good!

Ephesians 5:1,2 tells us to ‘Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.’ (NIV) Paul says to imitate God, so that would make us Jesus imitators, not impersonators… now, you might think that is just semantics but I think it is a big difference. An impersonator, by definition, is pretending to be someone. While an imitator, by definition, is using the subject as an example, something to model him or herself after.

An Elvis impersonator is only pretending to be Elvis for that time on stage… it is a character, a costume he puts on and takes off, if you will. It isn’t really who he is. When an Elvis impersonator faces a moral decision, I doubt very much that he asks himself “WWED?” In fact, to be a good impersonator you have to separate and remove yourself from the character. You have to look and act like Elvis, not like you being Elvis.

Christians, on the other hand, are not trying to be Jesus at all. We are trying to be like Him. Life in Christ should not be a costume we put on and take off in different situations. And we should definitely be asking ourselves what Jesus would do in any given situation. A fascinating difference between impersonator and imitator is that God calls us to be totally ourselves, we are all part of the Body, after all (1 Cor. 12:12). We are not supposed to remove ourselves from the equation, rather we are called to be totally ourselves infused in every way with the character of Jesus.

Obviously, the biggest difference is that Elvis doesn’t actually live inside of the impersonator,  no matter how accurate the impersonation. But as Christ followers, we are actually inhabited by the Holy Spirit, no matter how shallow the imitation. So, may we all go forth and be imitators of God!

Ditching Parents on the Way to School

I have two kids, one in Jr Hi and one in Elementary… and this year something interesting has happened. We live close to their schools and when the weather permits, we like to walk. And for various reasons, they have both ditched me on the way to school.

Now, I expect this from the Jr Hi kid, because he is at that age where everything I do embarrasses him. And to be fair, I do my best to embarrass him – it is so much fun… so, about a half block from the school, when we start to see other students, he slowly disengages and walks faster than me, heading at an angle to cross the street and enter school ‘alone’ while I veer the other direction and head home. We’ve been doing this for quite a while so I am used to it. But last week, my younger son asked me to hang back so his buddies wouldn’t see me and I will admit, this stung a little.

Now, I know that in the larger picture this doesn’t mean much. It doesn’t mean that my kids don’t love me. It doesn’t mean that they want to move out at the first opportunity… but I was surprised at my own reaction. It bugged me. It saddened me. It hurt.

I don’t recall ever doing this to my folks when I was a kid, mainly because we rode the bus. But as a ’spiritual kid’ I have often ditched my Father outside of school. Sometimes as literally as putting God aside before entering a room of people… sometimes ditching Him outside of a conversation… sometimes turning my eyes away when I had a decision to make… a person I should love… a stand I should take… sometimes I ditch Jesus in the areas of where I spend my money, how I spend my time… and based on my own experiences, I bet it bugs Him, I bet it hurts.

Beyond the obvious lesson of not ditching Christ in the everyday moments of life, I learned something deep about the character of God on that morning outside of the Elementary school… my gut reaction was to be mad all day, maybe a little snippy when my kids got home – let them know that they had hurt my feelings. But when has God ever treated me like that? When has He ever been snippy with me? Every time that I can recall ditching Him, He has loved me anyway. Even hurt by my decisions, my choices, He has loved me anyway. So on that day when both my kids ditched me on the way to school, I got to aim higher and love them anyway.

And isn’t that the Gospel in a nutshell? Jesus loves us anyway.

An African Blog, a Celtic Journal, and the Seeds of a new CD

A few months back, my wife sent me an email with a link to a blog. The blog was being written by a friend of ours who was spending some time in Africa. In a post entitled ‘The Cry Of My Heart’ she ends with this line:

“Without Christ I am nothing. Apart from Him there is nothing good that I can do. And yet in His great love and mercy He has chosen to use the foolish things of this world… He has called those that He has rescued to love the world as He loves it. These are the thoughts that I have been pondering the last few days… this is the cry of my heart—that I would draw so close to my Jesus that my heartbeat falls in rhythm with His and that through my life His love would be displayed vibrantly as a testimony to His greatness”

My management team has on occasion suggested to me the possibility of recording 1) a ‘praise and worship’ record (which I am not interested in) and 2) an edgier youth oriented record (which I am interested in). After hearing so much P&W music that is simplistic, overly repetitive, chronically ‘me’ centered and musically dumbed down – I wonder if an ‘artistic’ worship album is possible? Or is all music written unto the Creator, in actuality, worship music? Won’t I bring the most honor to Him by crafting the best music I can? By digging deep?

The phrase from our friend’s blog – the cry of my heart – struck a chord with both my wife and myself… maybe I can dig into this phrase, this desire, this call and make a record that is both the rockier, youth edged one as well as (through the back door) a worship-ful record?

Knowing that the first phase of any record is the writing, I went to Barnes and Noble and found a small journal with a Celtic design on the front and started jotting down notes, thoughts and ideas. This  journal will hold the chronicle of the journey from seed to CD, with all of the complete songs, incomplete songs, fragments, titles, versions, ruminations, and musings that go into the writing.

And when it is all over… there may be a new CD from the effort. Or as my wife pointed out, maybe a new depth of heart… indeed.