strong guys

I recently wrote a short post about one of my favorite songwriters, Sam Beam (Iron & Wine). He performed a solo show at The Paramount in Austin, TX (which is my favorite venue) last weekend and proved himself to be at the top of my list for many reasons. Besides being a great writer and adept player, he's always seemed to be someone very sure of himself, confident, intelligent, directed, funny, and just a pleasure to watch perform. Now his beliefs are uncertain to me, and I'm not really interested in them for the most part. What I'm mostly concerned with (and the reason I'm writing this post) is his confidence. This tangential introduction via Sam Beam points towards a more concise issue for me--being a man. To be more apt, a Man.

Again, what strikes me about Sam Beam is simply his confidence, and that is without question a godly characteristic for a Man. He's sure of himself, his songs, and his ability, and it's inspiring and joyful to watch from a crowded concert hall. Sure his wit and humor that have a hint of self-deprecation, but even that is laced with confidence. He is himself, nothing more, nothing less. And for that, I applaud him. Considering he is only Sam Beam, he cannot be anything else.

I've struggled with wanting to be everyone else and not myself. The fact that Sam Beam is not "the crazy artist" full of self-destruction and self-loathing, or "egotistical narcissist" hell-bent on making sure the masses love his work at the sake of spreading himself to thin (which is the former, as well), or the "fearful hermit" who is too self-conscious to ever produce consistent work are all reasons to appreciate this guy. He is a husband who fathers his children with his wife and has a steady job. That's that. I love it. I love the confident simplicity and satisfaction he exhibits (or at least, seems to).

I want the wife, the family, the job, the bedtime, the routine, the structure, the laundry, the less-than-romantic reality, the real.

I'm tired of thinking life is some giant romantic, expectation-filled movie, with immaculate conversation that eradicates awkwardness or mistaken jokes.

I want the selfless moments of seeing the bigger picture, of seeing reality for what it is, and not getting caught up in a scripted flow of interaction.

I want to be driven, complete tasks, and reach goals. I want to be more concerned with those things than freaking out about whether or not something "feels weird" or "awkward". Screw "feeling anxious and scared". And my gosh, not everything means something. Grow a pair and get on with it.

Screw the random pairs of eyes, just go dance with the one you love. Forget about being cool, just have fun with who's around. Who cares if your song sucks, just write a better one.

Thank God for crappy weather, a bad haircut, and a hole in your sock. Stop grumbling, quit complaining, cease to criticize. Be grateful for what you do have before you screw it up. Be thankful for a random butterfly.

And finally, we reach the spiritual implications of how Sam Beam plays into my walk with the Lord. Donald Miller just yesterday and today posted blogs for women and men, respectively, on how to live a great love story. But, the words are much more of a lesson plan on how to lead the lives we're supposed to live; how we were designed to live. I've pasted the URLs at the bottom and hope you take the time to reach your respective post, or both. There's great insight into reading each, I believe.

My days are revolving around trusting what it is God designed me to do. Now, I gather that I have desires and passions for a reason and know I've been endowed with some type of ability. So if that's understood, then why have I done nothing about it? Do I expect God to understand the world's a scary place and coddle me for never risking it? There must be risk. And, when you trust God, the world really isn't that scary. God despises our fear getting in the way of our purpose. I do not want to be this man:

"He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant!" -Matthew 25: 24-26

So with that being said, onward and out! Get a move on! Get going! What have you got to lose?

So this post seems to have concluded as a championing of 1. confidence in God's gifts and design, and 2. growing as a Man (or Woman).

for the gals:

http://donmilleris.com/2011/08/02/how-to-live-a-great-love-story/

for the guys:

http://donmilleris.com/2011/08/03/how-to-live-a-great-love-story-vol-ii-for-the-guys/