"More Than I Do"

So, I just got home from church tonight. I was feeling really discouraged because band and school seem to be eating into my spiritual life. I feel like I'm loosing touch with God some by not spending as much time in His words. Church tonight was definitely encouraging and when I got home I sat down at my piano, and started playing this new little chord progression that I discovered yesterday or something. After playing it awhile I started writing words to it. About an hour later now, I have a new song. Called "More Than I Do"

I don't have the time to know You
I don't give the time I want to
I'm all about living life for You
But it seems that I've lost it without You
I want to... know You...

More than I do, More than I do
I want to know You
More than I do, I wanna know you
'Cause I'm living life for You

The clock is a-ticking against me
I'm trying to surrender to be free
All this time in my hands
Is slipping out just like sand
I want to... know You...

More than I do, More than I do
I want to know You
More than I do, I wanna know you
'Cause I'm living life for You

I know that You are there
But I'm feeling kind of scared
'Cause I don't know just quite where... I am

I know that You are here
I feel that You are near
I've got nothing to fear

I wanna know you, More than I do
I want to know You
More than I do, I wanna know you
'Cause I'm living life for You

School's Around The Corner

...As in tomorrow "around the corner." I'm just about to go to sleep, but I figured I'd write one last summer blog before then. *sniffs and tears*

Yesterday morning was the last morning of the summer I had to sleep in. I remember waking up after what felt like a long sleep. However, my room was still very dark without much of any daylight shining through the window. I figured that maybe this meant it was still early and that I could lay in bed for awhile dozing. Then I looked at the clock. And it said 9:30! I didn't understand why it was so dark still. So I looked out my window and saw that the sky was crying. I'm sure the sky was very sad that this was the last Saturday of summer. There were grey clouds in and tears falling from the sky.

The day worked itself out to being a very lazy day. Not much of anything really happened until four in the afternoon when we headed to Oyster Creek Park for the Ashton Glover benefits concert. This concert was very very good and I discovered a band there called "Uptown Odyssey" who was absolutely amazing (check out their myspace). I bought one of their EPs and have been listening to it over and over and over again. I sent them a myspace comment and then gave me one back and hopefully the result of this will be us playing a show together sometime. This would be very much fun. So the many bands that played at this benefits concert lasted until around ten o' clock and we finally went home and went to sleep.

Today was a very good day. It was "promotion Sunday" at church and I officially became an 11th grader. This afternoon was small group. We listened to a podcast and then talked a lot about Jesus and some other stuff. It was an intense small group because lately I haven't had a lot of "God-thoughts" (band takes up so much time, I need to keep this from getting between me and my God-time), also it included a quick trip to Starbucks. I talked to my small group about a struggle I've been having again lately about my home situation. Having divorced parents and living in two different homes really splits your life in half and that's been on my mind a lot lately because of the membership thing at my mom's church (which I still haven't written them a letter about) and it's been quite discouraging to me. Today, however, encouraged me. Spending the day with your God-loving friends at church talking about how Jesus is what's important in life and that anything else is usually just selfish wants really does help you to get yourself straight again. That's what I did today. They prayed for me about my home situation and it really meant so much to me. Knowing that these people care about me so much that they pray for me and give me hugs and talk about God with me really made my day better and week better. I thank God so much for these people that He's put in my life.

Tonight ever since I got home I've spent it prepping for school tomorrow and hanging out with my mom and showing her the fancy organization that I have due to my Google Calendar that I just set up. I'm going to be so on top of things this year (I hope). As long as I keep God a priority in my life and don't let band and school get in the way of Him I'll stay on top of things. Here's a cool verse that I read this morning in Ecclesiastes while I was looking for something to write about in my next Bible For Life lesson:

"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind." (Ecc 6:9)

To me that meant to stop desiring a different home situation and to accept what God has given me. To you maybe it means that you should stop wishing it was still summer or wishing that you had some leadership role in some organization. Maybe it means you should stop dreaming about that nice car that you want or when you will get your driver's license for that matter. I think it means that we should just appreciate what we have for today instead of wanting something different right now. Maybe that change will come about later in life, but for now we have what we have and we need to use it for God's glory.

Thanks for reading! God bless, good luck at school tomorrow, and good night!

Summer Is Coming To An End

Hello. I haven't written in quite some time. But I'm writing now, so it's all good.

Recording has been put on the back burner because of the end of summer. We started summer band a couple of weeks ago and this year I am assuming the role and responsibility of "Pit Captain." It's been a lot of fun so far. One highlight is when Katelyn (a girl in the pit) was saying, "Drew, are you going to be a band director when you grow up? Cause I can see you being a band director. You would have one of those love/hate relationships with all of your students. They would love you when you weren't making them play, but when you're rehearsing them they'd hate you." I just smiled on the inside, cause it reminded me of Flisowski -- the genius.

In addition to summer band I am in a giant hurry to finish/start reading my summer reading. I am in desperate need of finding "Dune" by Frank Herbert as an audiobook on CDs so I can just listen to it all. School starts next Monday. I'm both excited and sad about that. I've heard that Junior year is supposed to be the hardest, but I don't feel like this year is going to be too bad (mostly because I'm only taking one Honors/AP class).

One more item before I go. I really need prayers from you guys. The elders at my mom's church have come to me asking about my membership at the church. The reason is because I typically go to my dad's church and they aren't certain whether I really consider myself a member. They want to know the best way to "shepherd" me--as elders are supposed to do--and so they've asked to me make a decision as to which church I consider my home. I've decided to write a letter to the whole congregation, including the elders, about why I don't go to church there very often and such. This is what I need prayers for. I just really need prayers that the letter communicates everything that has gone down in a true light. I don't want it to seem like I'm leaving the church on my own; I want to tell them about the elders coming and talking to me. But I don't want to make the elders seem like bad guys who are kicking me out because that certainly isn't the case. So please pray for me on this.

Alright guys. That's it for this entry. I'm sure I'll write again soon enough. Thanks so much for the prayers!