Dylan on Jesus

Bob Dylan sings - "don't follow leaders, who watch parking meters"
You have to sing it slow, and kinda gnarly with a twang. Try it again -
don't follow leaders, who watch parking meters

"and those who know your name put their trust in you" God

I think Bob is on to something - If we are not following leaders, then who are we following?

Later on Bob sang and wrote - "well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody" 

When you want to good in the world. You are seeking God, just embrace it, the pilgrimage of good, to God. Embrace it. 

where to find motivation

It's easy to be motivated when someone else encourages you and then that doesn't last. 

It's easy to have confidence when everything is going well, and that too doesn't last. 

When you are out there on your own, which is more times then not, when the rubber hits the road, then we see what we are made of. 

Remember that guy stuck in a canyon in Utah who amputated his own arm?
((wiki Aron Ralston for the full story or better yet...catch the movie)) 
Guess he wanted to live. He certainly had motivation. Life was his motivation. While he was stuck and dehydrated he dreamt, he had a vision of a baby that he would one day have and he did. 

That is vision. 

They are tied together - motivation and vision. 

I believe motivation and confidence, they come from our very own vision and when we don't have vision...well do we have true motivation and confidence?

And what gets in the way of this vision...the can'ts/have nots/will nots/should nots/the giver uppers and things that are impossible. Dr. Seuss so eloquently call this "the waiting place" in "Oh, the places you will go!"

All of the above can be summed up as this - we are what gets in the way of OUR vision(s). It's ourselves we are the obstacle(s). 

One of my favorite quotes has always been a dreamer kind of quote 

Create the Vision

Articulate the Vision

Then Relentlessly Drive it to Completion

Go ahead, get out of your way and dream.

the heart

"Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life"

That has been something (guarding my heart) I have been working on for years and most especially in the last few months. THEN came this - -

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" 
YIKES!!!

And here I stand. Clearly a man who looks for "heart"; searches for discernment, compassion, authenticity, passion and truth. 

And then again, realizes how deceitful  by nature the heart is!

Woe is me. 

Who amongst us can say that they are perfect and good among us?
Are we not all deceitful by nature hopefully working towards being good and doing what is right?  Who here can say they are not ever deceitful?

The reasons I believe that Jesus is the son of God are many; this is one, none of us are pure and good by nature, we must work towards being good. 
This is why God sent His son, to earth, to die for us, to give us that grace as we pursue goodness and righteousness for His glory. 

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."

Google "Grace" by u2 - - give a listen
God's word from- Proverbs 4 - Jeremiah 17 - Psalm 119

Love, wisdom and understanding, 

Tate

A Hoarder of a Different Kind

In Chichicaste , Central America, they only have running water till noon, only the mayor owns a vehicle and there may be 3 TV's in the whole village. And as far as the bathroom situation - - we won't go there, I know I was there. 

I used to collect all the different coffee cups I would get, that may have stemmed from collecting different soda bottles through out the years. 2 years ago I threw away 3 milk crates full of random soda bottles - this is what I have left. 

While I was in Chichicaste we had these little plastic yogurt cups. I can't remember if there was ever  yogurt in them or not (we didn't have refrigeration),  but I remember they were little plastic cups. The first night we were there we buried all our trash at the end of the day. The next morning the kids were running around with those cups - they were a treasure!

That's not why I hoard, I am just fascinated with "things". 

I've recently started collecting the labels off of cans. The art work on cans is interesting  I once saw an Antiques Roadshow where someone had found tins cans from the late 1800's. The artwork was drastically different.

I like the common, the everyday simplicity. Like the moments of life. The simple, timeless moments of enjoyment. Things like the moon (when visible), never being the same. The clouds racing across the sky....or not. It is here, when I stop, I find joy and happiness. When I stop the world, and look at labels and common things. My brain moves to fast most often. I am always trying to slow it down......way down, so I can see. 

bonnaroo eve

view from my tent

The adventures of life and where/when/who you experience them with. 

In 2012 I experienced bonnaroo, 'roo was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was freeing and intimidating. It was joyful and like learning to fly. 

I think it helped me learn to fly. 

Timing is everything in life. And the timing that brought me to this venture was phenomenal. The music was crazy great. Bon Iver became my favorite band for a year after this event and Radiohead left me numb. The Civil Wars passion was intoxicating and Fun's performance was like watching a band come of age.  

I've said that bonnaroo is a music lover's paradise. If you are crazy about music - this is the place to be. 

But the takeaway was not the music. It was the people. 
Jessica and Russ
Nicole, Lacy and Tanya
Adam and whathis name who had a 90 something year old grandpop who were from one of the Dakotas. 
The Louisiana neighbors (Nick, Zach and Ben) and the youngsters behind us. 
Sam and the Tennessee clan who had everything one could need. 
And countless more. 

They were the takeaway. 

They were the inspiration. 

They were the real joy. 

They were what lives on, and on, in my soul. 

Leaving boxes of pop-tarts on the car with a sign that said "free" and returning to find them gone. Finding a note wrapped in plastic (rain) from our MN. neighbors saying "hey, great to meet you!" The music was beyond words, but experiencing it with others was the real joy. 

When we arrived it was like the Oklahoma land rush. 
Cars rushing up to their spot after spending 1-20 hours driving to get to this point,parking and pouring out to claim your campsite. The sky dark. 10:30 PM. Tents pitched. People talking. Taylor wanders to the bathroom ad-mist a sea of cars only to not find his way back until he called me (cell phones). 

Crawling into our newly created homes in a field in Tennessee, with 10's of thousands of people. All gathered to be free, show love and share the moments. Where moments mattered. 

It was in that tent where the fear arose. What am I doing here? What is going to happen? This is madness and it was above that madness that slowly from all around the peoples voices swelled up saying "bonnaroooooooooo", and my fear became greater in anticipation of an event that helped me realize who I was, who I am and to connect even further with myself in that freedom. 

That night was intimidating. The days were a bit overwhelming. And on this eve of bonnaroo 2013 I must say- I miss you bonnaroo. I wish I was there. I wish I could meet even more people. I wish I could experience you. 

2014 I think I am yours- God willing. 

freedom in LOVE

there is freedom in love

real love 

love keeps no record of wrongdoing 

love is patient  ~  love is kind

Freddie sings "why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love"

"why can't we give love"

are we ready to receive love

do we want to receive love

are we ready to give love

give w\o return

love w\o return

be w\o ______

play for me

Dear Street Musicians, 

Oh, how I love you. How you change my day and make me smile whenever and wherever I hear you. 

As I round the corner in of the city stairwells I hear the sounds of a flute or violin, a keyboard or sax and in some places I hear the beat on a pickle barrel. 

May the musicians of the world never stop singing and playing and being who they are. 

I love music; love, love, love music....more than popcorn, cole slaw, soft pretzels, heavily buttered and salted corn and more than a pizza fresh out of the oven with the cheese dripping into my mouth. 

Music does something

It brings people together
It forms bonds
It crosses bridges
It makes people smile 

Stop and listen

Hear the love
Feel the love
Become the love

tonight @7:20PMish at the bottom of the Metro steps leading  into Union Station this dude was taking music apart on his violin. Made it cry if you ask me. Just blew me away. I stopped, I sat. I listened. I cheered. Pure artistry. He played the Tango from the end of True Lies when Arnold and Jamie-Lee dance. He said the song meant "love" to him....to love!