don't kid yourself, you need a physician

Okay, so I'm home. My two weeks of craziness are over. I don't especially feel like writing an in-depth review of everything, and you don't much feel like reading it. So I'm glad we're seeing eye to eye here. I will give you some of the highlights, and some thoughts that are running through my head as a result of the last couple weeks.

While at camp I was overcome with a certain something. While listening to a speaker's sermon, I realized I'd already heard it about a hundred times. And so had most of the kids in the tent. I was struck by the futility of it all; in the church so many times we tell and re-tell ourselves the same things, but it never makes a difference. We continually pound into our heads these various principles, but our lives are rarely changed. So what in the heck is the point of giving these sermons? Why do we bother? People aren't changed by it. I want to discover how to inspire people, including myself, into living life for Christ for real. I'm tired of banging my head against a wall, and I'm tired of living life the same old way. Something must be different.

My thoughts regarding Cornerstone... Everything there seemed so simple. Of course I was going to talk to and be friendly with those people I didn't know. Of course I was interested in finding out about the people next to me. I wanted to put a sign up at my campsite that just invited people to stop in and say hey, to have a chat with a total stranger. What's keeping me from doing that here? When I return home everything seems to become more complicated. So how much of that is actual complication and how much is me just adding layers and stress that don't need to be there? I want to be a part of a community like the one I experienced at Cornerstone, where I can just be concerned with caring about the people around me and enjoying them, rather than looking good or worrying about anything like that. I want to be just as welcoming IRL as I felt there. I want things to be as simple here as they were there...is it possible?

I'm keeping this short because I myself don't tend to read very long posts. So I have more thoughts, but I'll end this post with a few bands that made an impression on me at Cornerstone. I could list off all the bands I saw but instead I'll just give you the few I feel you must check out.

Anathallo. My jaw literally dropped when I heard these guys play. They were absolutely incredible. You can download a couple songs from their website and hear what I'm talking about. Not only was the music great but their hearts were incredible - they were clearly worshipping on stage and their hearts were so about God and so not about being Rock Stars. But they were even honest about the temptation to feel like Rock Stars. I was terribly impressed; it almost felt like I was hearing music again for the first time.

Cool Hand Luke. Similar to Anathallo, these guys blew me away and I wasn't expecting it. The show I attended was actually their guitarist's last; it was very emotional and I almost felt like I was intruding on family business. They're stellar though and you should check them out. Their CD's only ten bucks and well worth it.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band. If you ever have a chance to see these guys live, do it. The energy they created was enormous and everybody in the tent was moving. You knew they were having a great time playing too. A good mix of funk-blues-rock...the most fun I had at a show, aside from John Reuben.

Demon Hunter. They're hardcore, and with a name like that you know they rule. I was expecting to hate them because I just wanted a shirt of theirs very badly, but they are in fact a pretty cool band if you're into the hardcore stuff. Now I can wear a shirt and not be a total poser. Rule.