Late Night Musings - 14 (Post-Band Tour)

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So here I sit... exhausted. A three-day tour from Sunday night to Tuesday night can really do you in... But I did learn a few things, and I thought I would share them with you.

1. Never let an opportunity to have fun in a random grocery store go to waste.
Sometimes you have to go against the socially acceptable norms to enjoy life. Why tiptoe through life just to get to death safely? Take time to try on EVERY pair of sunglasses. Look for the uncomfortable greeting cards and show them to as many girls as possible. Find the tub of Bartlett pears and walk around with them, hoping that someone realizes that your ancestors may have invented pears. Make an holy ephod out of cans of beans and worship it. Find a bag of sugar, find someone, and ask them if you can give them some sugar. If you see a giant arrow pointing to a button, and said button says "PUSH" on it - Push the thing, even if you don't need assistance. Then, after all the damage possible is done, leave the store, buying nothing. If you didn't leave them with your money, you at least left them your heart.

2. Don't be ashamed to take a bag of Taco Bell and a burger from McDonalds into Wendys.

3. What happens at the hotel at night, stays in the hotel at night.
Even if your friends girlfriend is watching your group of friends play a fun game, what is heard and said in that room stays in that room. Until you walk out of the room and tell the first person you see. Hooray.

4. If you have a problem with your bro, tell him.
Nothing makes a trip more awkward than pushing the conflict under the rug. If you wronged someone, apologize. If they want to talk, talk to them. Then smile, remember that life is worth more than the drama that arises, and high-five them. Chances are, in about 15 minutes you two will be laughing again as if nothing bad happened.

5. Candy is a great encourager.
You don't always have to say wise words of wisdom to people, and tell them that they great and amazing to help them out. Sometimes a smile, and an offer of candy can make someones day. I know it made mine.

6. Don't leave your pants at the school you just performed.
Because when you have to go back to the school to get them, how strange will it be for the poor high school students who have to see you walk in with no pants on? And we wonder why there are so many problems with today's youth...

7. Victorias Secret isn't as bad as it seems.
Nothing tells a girl "Hey, I'm not only sensitive enough to your feelings to help you shop, but I am manly enough to smell the perfume also. No, I don't mind holding that. How small ARE these? Good grief. I'm still confused as to how you wear this. What?! No! I mean... yeah.... I'm cool with that.... uh.... No, no, no! She's totally ugly, you look so much better than her! Seriously! No, I didn't mean it like THAT!" like stepping into Victorias Secret and enjoying the moment.

8. When you think you hear tornado sirens, check the T.V before alerting and panicking an entire hallway of people.
But seriously, I did hear them. I swear.




On a more serious note.... I did realize a couple important things.

Live life, and don't be afraid to put it out on the line. Life is too short to worry about what tomorrow holds, and if you will make it there or not. Like I heard someone say the other day - "Don't fear tomorrow, because God's already there." Can you imagine life if this were lived out? Realizing that each day is a gift, and that each day holds it's very own opportunites for you to touch and change lives in a thousand different ways, many of which we don't ever know about. Living life fully surrendered to God... letting Him handle the problems and watching Him make glory from your struggles. It's beautiful.

Tell those you care about that you... care about them. Even if it feels like you are hitting a brick wall, something will stick when you show unconditional love. Even if it just means being there, letting them know that you love them regardless of how they treat you, will go great lengths to save someones soul from the despair it is in.




In what could have been seen by many as a worthless trip, and a huge waste of time, I saw life. I watched people become themselves and show their true feelings about things. Even if it is forced, it is beautiful to watch a group of people from so many different backgrounds come together to pull of a life-changing event. These are the kinds of things that stick with you for a long time. I enjoyed living it with all of you who were there, and I hope that you did too.

Well... I feel like I've rambled on forever, and my eyes are barely staying open. Time to sleep...

Brad





Oh yeah, one last bit of wisdom-

It never hurts to tell your deepest secrets and desires to a stuffed bear....



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