Monologue: Part 2

Here is Part 2 of the Monologue that I wrote to go before and after a drama I wrote. Here are some related links to check out. Monologue: Part 1, Drama Synopsis. Enjoy.

PART 2

So you tell me, what I’m supposed to do now
I’m wonderin how
Tryin to make the most, but I’m dangerously close
To abandoning my post
And throwing in the towel
I’m left with just pieces, shreds
A mere fraction of the original
With each decision equally pivotal
In my direction, which upon further inspection
Put me on a path, fast, to a condition that’s critical
I abandoned the source
Slowly drifting off course
Until I felt the force
Of You
Pulling me back
So I return with me head down and hands up
Offering all I am up
I can hardly stand up
Feeling safer on my knees
And after all that, look where it’s gotten me
Alone in a place where it’s only You that I see
And finally I realize that I’m right……
Where You want me to be

Monologue: Part 1

This is Part 1 of a 2 part monologue that goes before and after a “Musical Drama” that I wrote to “The Best of You.” To read the storyline for the drama and to give the monologue some context, check out my previous post. But without further stalling, here’s Part 1. Enjoy.

PART 1

From the outside my life could pass as ordinary
My ability to fool you with a fake smile is scary
Carry the weight of the world as it’s hurled onto my shoulder blades
My passion for life fades as it’s tied to
Popularity and good grades
The American Dream seems like an endless pursuit
At the root is hopelessness trying to
Snag another recruit
I’m shooting down insecurity with words that are sure to be
Beneficial and inspired, required reading for life
Met Jesus-the Christ, went from naughty to nice
Even prayed the prayer twice
Just to be sure
I get frustrated at times
The lines blurred and twisted
Between best and the rest
My chance came and I missed it
Life filled with good but not great
Didn’t hesitate to make
A mistake or two, or three
Can’t you see?
There’s nothing left to debate
Caught up, in a sense, in what I was brought up against
Now my only defense
Is to get back the pieces
One…by…one

Musical Drama

One of my favorite things to do is creative writing. Scripts for videos, lyrics, and even some dramas. And recently, I wrote a “Musical Drama” (use a song and then write a story that goes with the song) to the song “The Best of You” by the Foo Fighters (great band). Other songs I’ve done include “Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape” by Underoath; “Fix You” by Coldplay; and “When You Thought You’d Never Stand Out” by Copeland (What’s up with these long song titles?).

Anyway, the “Best of You” drama was unique because I wrote a free verse/monologue thing to book-end the drama. We had one of our senior girls memorize it and she KILLED it (for the record, that means she did well). So, I thought I’d throw the “logue” up here in hopes that maybe you can use it for something or just read it and think. But before I post the monologue,  I’ve included the drama storyline so you see how the monologue leads into the drama and then transitions out of it. It seemed to work well. Enjoy.

DRAMA STORYLINE: Guy receives his heart/life from God @ the beginning (depicted by a white t-shirt with a giant heart painted on it). As soon as he begins to look away from God, characters enter and begin to offer an alternative to a life spent pursuing God. Each one proceeds to (literally) take a piece of his heart by cutting and removing pieces of his shirt (heart) until he’s left with shreds hanging around his neck. When God re-enters his life and asks for his heart, he realizes he has nothing left. He then attempts to get back his heart from those who took pieces of it. He gets some of them back, but they’re just pieces and he ashamedly offers them to God. The drama ends with our character on the ground holding the pieces of his heart.

**Check back soon for Parts 1 and 2 of the Monologue

The Least

This Saturday, HSM will head to San Francisco to minister to homeless people as well as many others who have been forgotten or ignored and pushed to the streets of downtown San Fran.

Next Saturday, MSM will head to Camp Echoing Hills to spend time with people who have special needs and disabilities and more than likely be pushed way out of their comfort zone for an entire week.

Both of these groups will be with “the least of these.” Looking at Matthew 25:40, we hear Jesus say that “whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me.” And while it may not be hard to identify the least of these in San Francisco or at Camp Echoing Hills, what about the kid that steps on your foot in Wal-Mart? What about the person in line at the gas station?

My point is that while mission trips are a GREAT opportunity to minister and see Jesus, what about the ones who aren’t going? Are they off the hook because they weren’t on the trip?

Of course not. We should always be looking for ways to see Jesus in the people around us. That’s part of the reason we themed our Summer ministry calendar “Give me Your Eyes.” We want to see people the way Jesus sees them.

So let’s not just think those who are on the trip can do ministry, because we are all ministering every day, wherever we are. So who are “the least of these” in your world? If you’re honest, I’m sure you already have a name in mind. Do something about it. Today.

Look-Alike

“Bones” star David Boreanaz and Kentucky Head Basketball Coach John Calipari

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, Calipari’s a little more spray-tanned that Boreanaz. But put a little spike in Calipari’s hair and take away a little bit of that chin, and they could be bro bro’s.

Info Cards//New 7th Graders

On May 31, we welcomed the new 7th graders into our Middle School group. And to get to know them a little better, we have them fill out an info card with all your basic information on it: name; grade, address; you know, boring stuff like that.

But on the back, we have them give us some more “interesting” info and I thought I would share some of their responses with you. Their prompt is in bold italic,  their unedited answer is in italic, and my commentary is in (parentheses). These are some of the funnier answers that we got.

I’m involved in these activities: “football, quizzing, making sister mad” (I love how “making his sister mad” is said so matter of fact, as if he has it on his schedule from 5-6 after football practice.)

The one thing I would never eat is: “my mom’s cooking” (Better hope mom doesn’t find out who wrote this one.)

The world would be a better place if: “there were no Iraqis” (This seems a tad bit drastic, don’t you think?); “there was no communism”;”Obama were not president” (I’m sure there’s no parental influence here); “everyone has ipod touches”

The one thing I would NEVER eat is: “cow poop”; “a boat”; “poop”; poop”; “poop”; (These are all from different people. Either they’ve all had a really bad experience or they’re hoping not to.)

If I had a million dollars, the first thing I would buy would be: “a brain”

One thing I’ve always wondered is: “why we have to make beds”

The funniest thing in the world is: “people getting hurt” (To think it is one thing. To write it down is another.)

My Old Roommate (5 of 5)

Just wanted to send a shout out to my old roommate, Dave Ruiz. We roomed together during my 5th year @ Grace College. We shared a love of drums, action movies, and the George Foreman Grill. However, one of the few things we did not share was our willingness to get punched in the face repeatedly. But from the looks of his pics, he’s dishing it out a little more than he’s taking it. Congrats on the belt, my friend.

New Series – I Believe:

Here’s our title slide for our summer series (with each of the weeks in gray.) I actually made this using my mad Photoshop skills. Notice how I added someone else’s picture with text…and that’s about it (perhaps “mad skills” might be a bit of an overstatement.) And yes, it has an all white background (that’s why it looks like it’s just floating).

And of course, if you happen to have any cool ideas for illustrations, games, mixers, or videos for any of those weeks, feel free to send them my way.

Cavs Game 1 Thoughts

- I’m now 1-5 (and 0-2 in playoff games) when I go to Cavs games since LeBron James joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.

- The Magic shot the lights out of the Q tonight. They finished the night making 55% of their shots from the field. That’s ridiculous. They couldn’t, and didn’t miss all night. It’s hard to get ticked at our defense when we had a hand in their face for most of their shots, they just hit it from anywhere (Lewis and Turkoglu were hot).

- A minute into the game, Dwight Howard dunked the ball so hard that he knocked the shot clock over and forced a 10 minute delay. Hindsight makes me think that it was some sort of bad omen; kind of like Benny Rodriguez knocking the cover off the ball in The Sandlot. Both of them brought trouble soon after.

- Stuck around after the game and watched them film the TNT broadcast with Reggie Miller, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley. Hoping for a handshake or something, but security kicked us out before they wrapped up. Bummer.

- It’s a tough night when our MVP can go for 49-6-8 and he walks off his home court with an “L.” What’s worse is that I’m pretty sure he missed about 3-4 free-throws throughout the night (at least 2 in the 4th quarter). Hopefully that becomes motivation to improve at the line. 2 made free throws (from ANYONE) wins this game.

- The most frustrating part of the whole night was the fact that I was sitting in “Loudville” (code for: “Nose-bleeds”) but it should have been called “Lamesville” or “Quietsburg.” I mean, what is it going to take to get fans into a game? We’re in a 1-2 point battle into the final 2-3 minutes of Game 1 of the EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS and we were surrounded by people sitting down not making a sound. Are you kidding me? Hello? We’re down with 40 seconds left and you’re checking your email on your Blackberry? So much for home-court advantage. And then when they don’t pull it out, you stand up and say, “That’s what happens when you don’t play defense.” No, that’s what happens when you go to the EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS and act like you’re at a taping of the Antique Roadshow. Ridiculous.

- Game 2. Friday night. 8:30. Lets. Go. Cavs.

Vacation

It’s time for me to hit the road for a little vacation. Headed to West Virginia with some friends and it should be a pretty sweet time. I hope I make it there, considering I tried to go last year and my car wouldn’t even make it 20 miles. Anyway, I’ll be back on Monday. Hoping for a good time of refreshment and relaxing (which will be nice considering once summer hits I will see neither of those.)