Meanwhile, back in the world, the temptation is to live life in complete mediocrity, sitting in our comfy chairs. We have a tendency to dull the edges for convenience sake. The truth is, a Soul-fired, Love-inspired, fearless life can be messy and unpredictable. There’s this great cartoon twist on the famous “Footprints” poem (you know the one: where Jesus explains to some dreaming whiner that the sections of the “beach of life” with only one set of footprints are where Jesus carried him through hard times). In the far better cartoon, Jesus adds that the spots where there is one set of footprints and a broad line in the sand are the places Jesus dragged him against his will. If your religion isn’t compelling you to get uncomfortably messy, ease the suffering of others, and change the world or die trying, what is compelling about your religion?

Awakening-bluesGladly Sing the Blues

I would gladly sing the blues,
but nobody’s messed me up.
The worst that’s ever hit me,
is a really bad haircut.
I get up. I get down.
I get out. I get ‘round.
I’m the rich, I’m the Roman, I’m the Pharisee.
That oughta scare the smug right out of me.
I would gladly sing the blues,
but nobody’s messed me up…

I would gladly sing the blues,
I don’t know that part of town.
And when I must drive through it,
I won’t roll my windows down.
I look up. I look down.
I look out. I look ‘round.
I’m that funny little man out on a limb,
Trying mighty hard to get a look at him.
I would gladly sing the blues,
I don’t know that part of town…

Have I gotta be meek? Have I gotta be a kid?
Have I really gotta do the things you did?
I don’t wanna give it up,
I don’t wanna live lean.
I just wanna save myself,
wanna keep my hands clean

I would gladly sing the blues,
but I don’t know that part of town…

Maybe if I met you by the side of the road,
You’d make my happy little world implode.
If I keep you at a distance,
If  I slink out of range.
You won’t catch me.
You won’t ask me to change.

I don’t want to sing the blues,
But if it makes a better man…
I don’t know what I’m doing.
but I know just how I am.

Awakening Manifesto:

Introduction
Chapter 1: Awakening
Chapter 2: Gladly Sing the Blues
Chapter 3: Four Bells
Chapter 4: I Get Your Drift
Chapter 5: Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There
Chapter 6: Talitha Cum
Chapter 7: Push to Beat the Train
Chapter 8: True Love Is
Chapter 9: The Boy Who Wouldn’t Come In
Chapter 10: Live on Love
Chapter 11: White Road Rag
Acknowledgements