Horrified
I read the comment of someone traveling over 8 hours to see me sing at a church and I only did two songs! I know that some things are out of my control. But this continues to haunt me.
Every musician and artist goes through the highs and lows of popularity. But concerts as a way of outreach has been horribly discounted in recent years and with the decline of the music business in the way of hard sales of product due to downloading and theft has left me in a position of attaching myself to what ever draws the audience.
I have spent countless hours before God, in anticipation of a new vision with regards to what I’m doing. Touring holds no passion for me these days. The road life was so unproductive for me as to leave me nearly corrupted. The cost was enormous! And my losses in the way of community and family have left me with a floundering sense of true purpose.
I’m incredibly slow at processing my dilemma’s. I remain stuck in my own denial. my persception is untrustworthy mostly. I become paranoid about what I believe to be happening. Is it merely my own decline? or is there a decline everywhere, that music is not the force that it once was.
Is it just that older people (like myself) just don’t have time to attend concerts? Unless drinks are served in a comfortable and entertaining atmosphere no one makes the effort.
true that one man will travel 8 hours to hear me sing. but those ten minutes away find some distraction that prevents them from attending. and so I am relegated to participating in someone else’s agenda.
The information super highway has made it hard to get anyone’s attention for more than a few seconds and the demand for new material is almost oppressive. Headlines with little content continues to be the wave. Give me the readers digest version. I’ll check out “Whatever” for dummies and move on.
Clearly the world has drastically changed and I have not kept up. Typical old person feeling I’m sure. “the world went and got itself in a big damn hurry” says a convict getting out after a 20 year prison sentence. In the movie Shawshank Redemption.
“Either get busy livin or get busy dyin” they add in that story. I’m choosing life myself. but I’m also like the star character in this movie. Tunneling through 200 feet of stone wall with a small rock hammer!
Here’s prayin that we may find what God intends because all else is a waste of time. If it is darkest just before the dawn… then surely the dawn is at hand now more than ever!
by Cindy Scinto
Shawshank Redemption is a great movie. Your words, as I read them tonight, caused me to let out a deep sigh. The world has gone and made us all hurry up. It’s difficult to choose when and how to eliminate the essential and not so essential must do’s. My husband is 50 and I’m almost there at 49 but are we so much “older” than the world demands? Does being engaged in life require we fall to the anemic ways of faster is best? John, my husband, sits and plays worship choruses on guitar in the confines of his music room. There are songs he wouldn’t dare play at church. Worship leaders must keep up with what’s out there. Often, when he leads worship, someone will approach him and thank him for playing some oldies. Their gratefulness is expressed secretly. No one should question the new era. But I thought God never changes? So why do we have to? So there’s the dilema–hasten to keep up with forward mobility or slow down to help someone along the way.
Well, time to go watch some TV. John spent the last 3 hours trying to pick songs for worship Sunday at church and he just shut down and came out of his room. “I give up, I can’t pick songs anymore. There’s such a narrow group to pick from. Can’t do Calvary songs. (Calvary Chapel days) And I’ll get in trouble if I pick anthing “old.”
Good observations, Bryan. Thank you.
posted 6 months ago
Reply