Everyone Needs A Set of These!

We all need them.

You can't grow in faith and courage without them.

I call them hearing aids. But not the kind you might be thinking of.

What kind of hearing aids?

They can come in the form of podcasts, audible books, paper books, mp3 players, movies, CDs and radio waves, etc.

They are tools that produce words that help us 'hear' better.

"So then, faith comes to us by hearing the Good News. And the Good News comes by someone preaching it." Romans 10:17 New Life Version.

What do you hear?

All day long I hear things.  Positive words.  Negative words.  They are inside me and also come from outside of me. Twenty minutes of listening to the news and I can instantly feel depressed, or elated. It depends on the message.

Over time, I'm learning how to tune into stations broadcasting words that bring faith and hope. I wish I could say that I don't need help with my thoughts and that my faith was always strong and steady. Truth is, I'm just not there yet, though I am improving.  I am learning how to choose what I will listen to, think on and ponder.  Both on the inside and from the outside.

Choosing good hearing aids.

It's easier to control my thoughts and feed my faith when I listen to uplifting things.  So I choose them often.  Music, podcasts, books...things that always leave me feeling like I CAN instead of I CAN'T.  Left to my own devices, I will tend toward thinking I CAN'T.  

So I'm not ashamed to say that I need hearing aids.  

When my Mother was being fitted for a pair of high-tech hearing aids, I was intrigued by the testing they did on her to find out what frequencies she couldn't hear.  Everyone is different.  Some lose ability to hear bass frequencies first. Others lose the mid-range.

Many people put off getting a set of hearing aids until they can't function in society anymore and realize they need assistance.  They miss out on so much because they won't admit they need help. But how many of us go through life emotionally or mentally deaf and wait until we are too far gone to get help for other kinds of hearing.

Everyone is different in the aid that they need.  Some tend more toward negative thoughts when it comes to fears.  Others have a deficit in the area of love or joy. 

Do you have ideas about leading a group of people toward healing from past relational issues?  Then listen to things that teach you about leadership and be inspired to lead others.

Do you need help getting your life organized?  Listen to books or podcasts that teach you how to manage your time.

Do you need an overall better outlook on life?  Listen to positive, upbeat music. Change the playlist until you find what feeds you!

If you would spend any amount of time with me, you would quickly learn that I am almost always listening to something.  I invest plenty of time in being quiet too, but when I'm exercising or driving or even working in the yard, I will be listening and learning.  It feeds my faith.  It helps me be a better leader.  It helps me dream and sustain those dreams.

It's my own tailored set of hearing aids.  

Want to grow in your faith?  You have to hear the right things!

Go get yourself some hearing aids.

This Is My Father's World

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"What I've Learned From The Elephant Diet" Day # 155

Check out this episode!

"Performing Joy To The World at my first
Portraits of White concert."

It is time to retire the elephant diet blog.  The CDs have arrived and are selling.  I'm giving my 3rd Portraits Of White concert this coming Sunday and starting to think about the show next year.

To celebrate this completion, I decided to do a podcast episode that shares with you 5 things I've learned from this journey that I think will be good for you to know as you set out to accomplish goals and dreams that you have!  I'll highlight them here:

1.)  Doing one thing every day toward your goal goes a long way.  In fact, it causes you to reach your goal!  One e-mail, one phone call, one list of things you need to do - it all pays off!

2.)  There will be setbacks along the way!  Count on it.  (I share some of mine in the podcast).

3.)  You will have marathon days.  These are days you feel like you just can't keep going.  You've come too far to turn back and yet you are too tired to keep going.  Hang in there!

4.)  The transformation that takes place in your psyche is amazing and worth the journey.

Self-doubt
Fear
Joy
Confidence
Clarity
Lack of Confidence

These all shape you into a stronger person.

5.)  Others will be inspired by your perseverance.

When my new site is completed, it will be in a new blog format and will be much easier for interaction with my fans.  I'll let you know when it's finished and ready to go.

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 140 JOY!

Day # 140.  Another milestone!

Typing more lyrics for my CD insert this morning. As part of the celebration, I thought I would show you what I'm doing.  In the insert, you will see the lyrics to the songs and a short story behind the song. I have found that people still enjoy reading the lyrics and hearing how the song came about.

These days, while I exercise, I'm listening to the mixes and the sound tracks so that the new arrangements begin to get into my soul as I prepare to share it on small stages this Christmas in prep for the big one next year.

If you'd like to schedule me to come to your venue to share the new music this year, let me know!  I'd love a chance to 'practice' in a small way what I will do in a big way next year.  I'm already booking some shows now and I'm excited!

Here's a sample of what will appear in my CD insert.  The song is another song done in the "Enya" style with multiple tracks of vocals all singing as one.

Song of Joy

Someone asked me to write a song about joy based on a scripture from Isaiah 35 for Advent.  This is what I came up with.  Since I don’t typically write about joy (yes, I need to work on that) it was a real treat to finally write something happy.  I enjoy singing this song.

Even the desert will be glad and the wilderness rejoice 

when the Lord comes near      

then blinded eyes will start to see and the deaf ears they will hear 

when the Lord comes near

Sing a song of hope sing a song of joy

when the glory of the Lord is near

sing a song of hope sing a song of joy

for the glory of the Lord is here

Then those who know the Lord will sing on the journey as they go 

when the Lord comes near

gladness and joy will overcome and the sorrow disappear 

when the Lord comes near (chorus)

Do not be afraid I bring you good news great joy to all to all the people

today in Bethlehem a savior is born he is Christ the Lord

he is Christ the Lord (chorus)

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 76 Waiting and Praying

Tomorrow we will track 2, maybe 3 songs. It's an exciting process and I'll join in through Skype.

The band will listen to my homemade demos and then come up with a professional version of it. I've been a part of this process before (in person) and it is amazing to watch.

Tonight I finished some flower bed prep that I started over the weekend and as I pruned, I prayed.

"Father, be with Eric, Dave Cleveland (guitar), Dan Needham (drums), Mark Hill (bass) and Jeff Roach (keyboard). As they record the song 'Night of Miracles', I pray that Your presence would be there. Make the song come alive and use it to encourage people to believe in miracles again. When people hear the song someday soon, may their hearts be drawn back to the Christmas story to take another look and realize how miraculous it truly was. I pray that miracles would take place when people listen.

As they work on 'Sing A Song Of Joy', I pray that the band would capture the Spirit of Joy in the song. When people experience the song in my concerts or in their car, may a spirit of joy come on them. May joy bubble up and lead to hope for better things to come. May Your glory rest on listeners and transform our lives. I pray that blind eyes will see and deaf ears will be opened just as it mentions in the scriptures and in the song. Just like the days when You were here walking on the earth, please touch people in very physical ways, through the music.

"Even the desert will be glad
And the wilderness rejoice
When The Lord comes near
Then blinded eyes will start to see
And the deaf ears, they will hear
When The Lord comes near

Sing a song of hope
Sing a song of joy
When the glory of The Lord is near
Sing a song of hope
Sing a song of joy
For the glory of The Lord is here."

And then there is the "MOPs" song. Mothers of Preschoolers. Father, I ask that when young moms hear this song, they would be able to laugh and be lifted for a moment from the pressures of life and motherhood and just step back and find some humor in it all. Help the band to capture the quirkiness of this tune and make it lighthearted for audiences to enjoy. Laughter is good medicine - give us a good dose of it through this song.

Help everything to work well tomorrow in the studio - no glitches, no setbacks or mechanical malfunctions!

Thank you for working through prayer and that even though I can't be there in person, You ARE and that can be enough."

Amen.

My kitty looks up with anticipation. Just like me!

"The Elephant Diet" DAY # 50!!!!!! Listen to our "listening party" conversation

Today is special.  It's day # 50 in my elephant diet and I'm making great progress.  Listen in on part of a conversation after Listening Party # 2!

(P.S.  "Night of Miracles" is coming together.  Heard the first rough mix last night.  Electric guitars will be recorded next week.)