The Traveler

Time to "Part-ay!"

2010-02-28T14:27:00.000-08:00

Aloha and Salutations!

My little sis, Abigail, is hosting a blog party this week and I thought it looked like a fun way to get a little more active in the community! Make sure to click over to Abigail's blog and link up. Oh, and just to clarify, this party is BYOB (bring your own blog.)

1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?

I pretty much love every part of the day... However, to avoid being vague and uninteresting, I'll say from 7:00 PM to about 12:30 AM. These five hours are spent chilling with my family, eating awesome food, watching Star Trek and The Office and drinking loads of coffee!'

2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?

That's easy. PIZZA! Oh, and don't forget coffee... It's a drink, so it doesn't count as a second food item.

3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?

*Tugs at collar and gulps* Whew, heavy question! If I'm answering honestly (bearing all things in mind) I'd have to say the salvation of every human being. If I'm answering without thinking too much... I'd say a massive studio and all of the best film score gigs.

4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?

I'm extremely literal. I've probably fallen for every lame joke that's ever existed.

5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?

If, in fact, the technology existed to transport me to one of these alternate realities... I would tweak the machine for repeated use. I would go running with Rocky, have a cranberry juice with Nicholas Angel from "Hot Fuzz," get into mischief with Mr. Bean and rescue the princess with Chon Wang and Roy O' Bannon. After I was finished with all of that, I'd join the crew of the Federation Starship Voyager and explore the Delta Quadrant! I could spend centuries hopping from movie to movie. : )

6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?

Extreme acting skills would be pretty awesome. : ) Some secret agent skills would be pretty awesome too.

7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?

California... for like a month. I'd go hang with Brian Tyler or Hans Zimmer and try to catch the "ownage" bug. Italy would also be pretty cool...

8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?

A mixture of alternative rock (Coldplay/Danyew), hard rock (Red/Chevelle) and metalcore (August Burns Red/Underoath.) Jazz would also be an awesome genre to sing, although I'm a bigger fan of the female voice in that particular category.

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?

Best Buy! I'd spend it in less than an hour.

10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?

I'm a 21st century dude... all the way. Heated living/gym space, televisions, comfortable vehicles, computers, Xbox... Oh yeah!

11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?

Probably just whatever is Starfleet issue at the time.

12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?
(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)

I'd like to answer your question with... CHUCK NORRIS!

13. What's the last album you listened to?
"Thrill Seeker"-August Burns Red

14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you?

I like taking afternoon naps with "Abba" on in the background. Probably one of my favorite feelings in the world is waking up after a two hour snooze and smelling dinner in the oven.

Well, I guess that pretty much sums it up! Am I as weird and freaky as you were hoping I wasn't? : )

God Bless You All! (and I'm looking forward to reading your answers.)

Jared

Together...

2010-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

I come to you from mom's computer station (the dining room) where I'm sitting alone with Christian themed music serenading me in the background, a mug of lemon water by my side and the burstings of the Lord in my heart. I'm home from Church this morning with a headache (and some minor/misc. discomforts.)

Normally when I'm home alone from church, I read a couple chapters of the Bible, pray and then stick a movie or something on. However, today, something very huge was placed on my heart. I felt the inescapable need to connect with/admonish my brothers and sisters in Christ. I thought for a while about my family (and my church family) and I all of the sudden felt incredibly thankful for them... but that's not how my morning started. (God forbid I ever come to the right place in my heart the easy way.) Allow me to take you back...

I awakened this morning with a headache, sleepy eyes, some stomach discomfort and the attitude of a bear being pelted with rocks during hibernation. I sat up in bed, and (literally) the first thing that popped into my head was "eww, I have to go to church today." How's that for brutally honest? I took what is perhaps our most precious freedom in America, our most blessed right, our most wonderful gift as Christians... and flushed it down the drain like so much crud. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with staying home from church if you're not feeling good (in fact, it's wise!) However, I took it to the next level and somehow begrudged Sunday morning.

Ten minutes later found me downstairs in the kitchen with my parents. Dad was cooking french toast and Mom was preparing soup and fruit salad for communion service. I explained to them (more tastefully than honest) how I was feeling, and they eyed me quizzically. "Ok," I began again, "I woke up feeling like punching something."

That seemed to do the trick. Both Mom and Dad immediately understood how I was feeling... and their responses were straight from Heaven. Dad gave me a big hug, offered me coffee (hugs and coffee are two of my favorite things... don't judge me!) and suggested I have some french toast. I did, and while I still felt gross physically, my spirit soared. After breakfast, Mom struck up a conversation with me about the Christian walk and how it always seems to take an extra dose of effort to truly reap the blessings and gifts that God has for us. This hit home, and once again... my spirit soared. Dad and Mom had both just given me an incredible gift... Love, understanding and admonishment.

Long story short, the fam left for Church, and I was once again left with my own thoughts. I put on one of my favorite worship albums ("Kingdom of Comfort" by Delirious) and proceeded to worship my heart out to the Lord. (Some of my words matched the album's, the ones I didn't know, I made up.) While I was in the midst of this, a profound feeling invaded my being... Not self gratifying... but desperately thankful! I thought of the body of Christ (both literally and symbolically as represented by his followers) and I felt at once filthy and blessed beyond words. I thought of Dad and Mom (infinitely busier than I this morning) and their open arms and swift encouragement. I thought of my siblings (much younger than I) with their genuine joy and infectious youth. I thought of my church family that meets for the express purpose of worship and edification... and last (but not least) this group of bloggers who embrace God's calling in their lives and shares their insight with others.

Sure, most of us have never met each other (and some of us would probably fight like cats and dogs given the right subject to "discuss") but that doesn't make us any less of a family... All who have chosen to dedicate their lives to following Jesus are related in a way far deeper than DNA. We are covered in the blood of Jesus, and that bloodline bonds us in ways more profound than we can even imagine. I can't put into words exactly what I want to say this morning.... but I do want to make a declaration:

I love you all, I love my heavenly father, and I'm thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ. We (the redeemed) are SO blessed to have a common Abba, a common love and countless opportunities to hold each other up in encouragement. The book of Acts recounts Paul's efforts to encourage his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul sailed across stormy seas, survived a deadly snake bite, worked through multiple imprisonments and was eventually put to death... for what? So that the gospel of love would be spread and so he could admonish the Church in love. We can do all of that with a few keystrokes and the click of mouse... We can do it even better face to face... Best of all, we can do it all the time.

Exploding Potatoes, Salt in the Sinuses and Other Random Hilarity

2010-01-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Well, I promised a more active blog a while back, and I hope to deliver on that this year. I'm going to be starting off 2010, however, with a less serious post. This post will be random, strange, and hopefully amusing (even if it is at my own expense.)

Now comes the part where you hit play on the video below: (Be sure to keep reading as the song plays.)

Our first stop brings us to Saturday afternoon as I innocently set out to heat up some mashed potatoes on the stove. I pulled the (*cough*) pyrex from the refrigerator and put it on the burner. I stirred it affectionately for what seemed like an hour, and then... at long last... I stuck the serving spoon into the potatoes and began scooping them into my bowl.

BANG

The entire dish of potatoes literally EXPLODED over the entire stove top (even onto the kitchen floor in spots.) I replied with

the classic one liner,

"I guess that dish wasn't stovetop safe after all."

It wasn't until we were cleaning the glass and potatoes off of everything that the gravity of the situation truly hit me... The bowl I was HOLDING was covered in shards of glass. I might have died. I excused myself to go sit down for a moment and ponder life. My good friend Timothy facebook-ed me and told me he was glad that I wasn't a human cactus. This made me laugh, but I was glad too.

The rest of Saturday consisted of watching the great Jackie Chan in the not entirely great "Spy Next Door." It made me wish for "Rush Hour 4", but at least there wasn't any exploding pyrex in the movie. (Oh, and for the record, if you're a Jackie Chan fan, I still recommend seeing the movie just to watch the master of physical comedy outclass everything else.) : )

Our next stop brings us to Sunday afternoon, where I once again found my life threatened by an evil Neti Pot full of warm salt water. Now, don't get me wrong... I have a great affection for the Neti Pot (even more than for Pyrex cookware) so I had no pre-disposition against the act of pouring salt water through my sinus passages. I finished pouring water up one of my nostrils when,

BURN

My head felt like it was on fire. I had been burnt in the sinuses by salt water before, but this HURT. I promptly leaned over the sink and began making noises like a sick cow. Mom came in from the other room and asked,

"Was the water too hot... too cold?"

"NO!" I replied (too loudly I might add)

"It feels like I'm having a brain aneurysm!"

I could tell from the look on Mom's face that she knew I was being dramatic... but she was very sympathetic anyways.

For what seemed like an eternity, my nerves burnt like fire... I thought I was going to go crazy. Mom suggested that I might not have stirred the salt into the water long enough, and that I perhaps had a clump of it stuck on some raw nerve inside of my face. That idea made sense (and horrified me sadistically as I thought of pouring more water up my nose to clear the salt out.)

Fortunately, Mom was right. After one last (agonizing) clearing of my sinuses, I was much better and fit for duty. (Call of Duty that is!) Hey, it was Sunday afternoon...

Well, there you have it! A comical tour de force of eruption, pain and the fragility of life. If you never got a chance to read this, it's probably because I got electrocuted trying to plug in my cell pho....

....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

...Did I get you? No, I think I'll plan on stickin' around for a while at least. : ) If nothing else, this week was a silly, thought provoking incentive to keep on keepin' on, because you never know when you might have a crucial artery severed by a renegade chicken with a motive... (Or not...)

God Bless You All! (and please, don't run with scissors or other pointy objects. It's all fine and good until somebody looses an eye!)

Signing Off,

Jared

Now's the time where you take a few minutes to explain to the people in the house what on earth that strange music was... Be sure to tell them that you were not (in fact) listening to anything. I promise it'll be funny to watch them wonder around with weird looks on their faces.

Resolution! I Declare, Abandon! Beckons He...

2009-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

As 2009 draws to a close... I find myself once again in "that" state of mind. "That" which begs the mind to plan plan plan! "That" which begs the body to move move move! "That" which begs for more and more of that that that!

Personally, I find annual commencement refreshing. Knowing that I get to experience the rush of setting out on the wings of a new year always gives me a bursting sense of purpose. "Sure" I think, "2009 was fantastic, but 2010 will be the stuff of legend!" So what do I do? I plan some more, dream a little, grab a cup of coffee, rinse and repeat.

... but wait! ....

Didn't I do this very thing last year? Where are my ripped abs? Where is my healthy career? Where is that newfound confidence? Where is that perfect tan? Why is that stack of unread books even larger than it was last year?

Epiphany upon epiphany caves in upon itself and I'm left to reckon with the fact that I didn't accomplish half of what I planned to accomplish. Suddenly, In place of resolution, I'm bed mates with shame. Inside the cool, clear pools of ambition run the imperfect strains of insecurity. In the absence of security... fear makes a house call. Something has gone very wrong.

If you are an oxygen breathing homo sapien from planet earth, I'm willing to bet that you've gone through this same process. Perhaps (sadly) every year runs the same course. Perhaps (regrettably) you write off an entire year as the year you didn't complete what you set out to... "Next year will be my redemption! Next year I will make my mark."

Is there an easy solution to this problem? I would answer this question with another question... "Do you know anyone who's going into 2010 with a list full of check-marks?" Whether or not there is an easy solution really doesn't matter, because the fact is... it's a classic struggle of human nature vs. the ambition of the soul. Is there an easy solution to sin? Is there an easy way to lose weight? Is there an easy way to quit that habit? Yes! ...and no.

Mark 14:38 says "Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

What's this verse really talking about? Well, one of the most obvious things is the sin of lust (although really anything "fleshly" can fit into this). It's extremely easy to fall into the temptation of sexual sin, and it has a direct correlation to the weakness of the body... but what else is to be found here? Is temptation symbolically indicative of all flesh traps?

There are scriptures throughout the entire Bible that speak of the selfish intents of the heart and the consuming fire of the flesh. Our humanity is beautiful, but it is also sinful. Our hearts are full of love, but they also betray... Christ is the spotless lamb, and yet He endured the filthy death of a criminal so that we could be saved. Paradox after paradox tells the story of our humanity.

We thirst for purity and yet drown in our good intentions. We seek completion yet exude procrastination. We seek to give, and end up taking... Where is the sense? Where is the order?

1 Peter 1:3-5 declares, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."

Perhaps mankind was never meant to create order and purpose... Perhaps mankind was meant to find purpose. What if instead of resolution, we pursued abandon. "Abandon?" you may ask, "laziness? listlessness? lifelessness?"

No.

When I speak of abandon, I speak of complete surrender to the reason. I speak of total reliance on THE Purpose.

I speak of love and belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and I speak of complete faith in the living power of the Holy Scriptures.

If we strive for total abandon in our Maker, who is our flesh to tell us what we have failed in? If we strive for total surrender to God's will, who are we to say what must be accomplished? If we are on fire with the passion of the universe, who are we to burn in the kindling of our own ambition?

This year, I make one resolution: To live with the passion, desire, wisdom, faith and love that comes from losing myself in the Spirit that created me. Am I a drone? Of course not. I am an empty, gifted, adored shell that needs to remember my life spark.

2010, get ready for the Christ Followers!

Signing off,

Jared

On a random side note... I've composed a new orchestral piece for my website. It's entitled "Fighting for Love."

If you're interested in hearing it, hop over to my website and click on the "media" tab. Once the player pops up, click on the bottom song.

Thanks! (and New Design!)

2009-12-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the wonderful comments on my last post. I'm so, so encouraged that my petty thoughts were able to encourage! God is truly amazing. It seems that many of us suffer from that ever illusive element of pride that causes us to lose sight of what's important... and I think identifying it was definitely a huge step for me. Who knows what that kind of pride can lead to? Perhaps depression, perhaps loss of joy, perhaps even an extreme backsliding in our faith! Anyways, thanks for being so supportive and taking the time to comment on what I had to say. You're all great.

On another note... I have a new blog design now! Thanks to my little sis Abigail, I now have a spiffy and shiny page that is much easier on the eyes than my previous (generic) one. It's cool to have a sister with that kind of expertise. (I confess, I have absolutely NO clue how she does it.)

Well, In closing, I just want to say thanks to everyone for making my last post such a success. There are many posts in my head, fighting to get out, so keep an eye out for a much more productive blog in the near future! I know God is able to do mighty things through the world of blogging, and I want to be in on it!

Because He Lives,

Jared

Pride is for the Weak (Confessions of a Cappuccino Man)

2009-12-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

My name is Jared Kraft, I’m 19 years old. I’ve scored six films this year, I teach piano to seven bright kids, workout daily, spend loads of quality time with my family, play piano in church every week and make it my life’s pursuit to serve God with my whole heart in everything!

My name is Jared Kraft, I’m 19 years old. I’ve never taken an ACT or SAT because, quite frankly, I’ve never been an “academic” sort. I don’t work a regular job, go to college or pay my own bills (yet.) I spend most of my income on DVD’s and CD’s and I’m rarely busy enough to even justify that word’s existence in my vocabulary.

My name is Jared Kraft. I’m happy, completely content in every way and I enjoy my life (in all of it’s simple purposes) to the fullest. I’m young, wet behind the ears and ambitious! I have a great life ahead of me, a loving family to back me up, and a perfect God to guide my way.

I am Jared Kraft’s pride, and I want to ruin it all. I live inside of Jared’s heart. I twist contentment into contempt. I turn ambition into doubt. I replace Jared’s simple faith with a burning desire to succeed. I am the something Jared hates in everything he experiences. I am the fear in failure and the shame in simplicity. I am the desperation within the drive and the critic behind the art…

I am Jared Kraft, and I’m here to expose pride.

Every morning, I awaken at around 8:00 to the sun streaming in through my window. I reach over to my bed-stand, grab my cell phone and check my e-mail. It takes me around forty seconds to read some “Facebook” updates before I get out of bed, pull some casual clothes on and head to the bathroom to clean up for the morning.

After brushing my teeth, fixing my hair into proper spikes and splashing some water and soap on my face, I make my way downstairs. Upon entering the kitchen, I mix up a glass of Barley-Green, take a couple teaspoons of Elderberry Juice and fix a simple breakfast.

Breakfast eaten, supplementation completed, I turn my attention to the stainless steel perfection of the family cappuccino maker. Do you know what I think?

Maybe: “Ah! What a beautiful morning, this coffee will make it even more beautiful!”

Perhaps: “Thank you Lord, for the luxury of this beautiful (highly efficient) espresso machine!

Even… “Time for coffee!”

…would be better than… “Now I have to go spend twenty minutes making two coffees. Why can’t Abigail just learn to make her own?”

To make matters worse, I even surprise myself when my mind thinks:

“What kind of college aged man spends this much time making coffee in the morning? I should be out in the world… preferably miserable and worn out.”

My silent monologue continues…

“Heck, I should be updating my Facebook status right now! It should read, “I woke up exhausted this morning, but I have more studying to do! Oh, and I’ll be working a twelve hour shift after class.”

You may be wondering,

“All of this from just a cup of coffee?”

It only gets worse.

Early afternoons always find me in the gym. I’m a cardio addict and can’t stand to be away from my precious elliptical machine for more than twenty-four hours at a time. Towards the thirty-minute (or halfway) mark of my workout session, my mind begins to work me over again.

“Jared, do you really think your college aged friends have an entire hour a day to devote to working out? You’re spoiled and selfish… Pampered, suckled and tucked into bed.”

The list goes on. Several times a day (for however brief a time) I find myself consumed by the shame and counter-productivity that pride seeks to infuse into my life.

Pride is often thought of as a feeling of superiority or “uppity-ness.” While that definitely is an element of pride, I believe there is another sort that goes unnoticed, and it is perhaps the most dangerous to our lives as Christians. It is subtle!

The pride I’m talking about is found in the sinful will to “measure up” to those around us. It is a feeling of shame built around the foundational idea that if our lives don’t look exactly like the lives of our peers, we are condemned to be losers.

The Bible has a lot to say about pride. “Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up… cast all of your care upon Him, for HE cares for you… God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble…”

All over scripture we see that God rewards humility and casts down the proud. I believe scripture speaks of pride so often, because it is one of the most versatile and illusive sins. If pride can’t get you to stick your nose in the air, it’ll rub your face in the dirt. If pride can’t cause you to seek popularity with lots of people, pride will seek to isolate you. Pride is like a living, sentient virus that knows our weaknesses and seeks to cripple us with them.

Pride is evil.

How then does one battle pride? Well, this is a question that every Christian knows the answer to, but is (typically) hidden beneath layers of petrified pride. I, for one, have failed miserably time and time again… but you know something…? It feels great to proclaim the solution. No matter how weak or sinful I am, there is always a way out.

I believe that the only way out of pride’s addictive snare is the will to constantly seek God’s will for us and to live in complete contentment. Instead of complaining in my heart by thinking,

“I’ll never be as busy, productive or nobly exhausted as my peers!”

I should instead be taking the hundreds of opportunities that pass me by every day to praise God for everything he has given me… and make the most of it! God has given me a great territory to be faithful in, and I have failed Him…. but it’s not over! I heretofore devote my all to the killing of this ugly pride. I vow to seek God’s will daily. Most of all, I vow to make the most of everything God has given me, and use it to the max to serve Him!

(So yes, this means I'll be making as many cappuccinos as I can from now on... Do you know why? Because, even in some small way, my cappuccinos bring my loved ones joy... and bringing joy to others is something that is always worth the time and effort.)

Effort is to Result as Oxygen is to Life

2009-10-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

Ephesians-6:11-Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Philippians-2:13-For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

2 Timothy 4:7-I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith

James 2:22-You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

1 John 2:17-The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever...

We all know (according to the scriptures) that grace through faith is the path to redemption. The day Jesus Christ died for us, the sins of the world were mixed with His blood. The day he rose again, those sins were erased, and we were given the opportunity of a lifetime (in fact, the opportunity of eternity.) Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, whoever believes and asks the Lord to live in their heart will be saved. When I say saved, I don't mean "kind of" saved... or "well, now I can join the republican/fans of Chuck Norris club!" When I say saved, I mean bona fide, eternal life, one hundred percent, never looking back SAVED! I mean, "Hell no longer has a hold on me... I have a place in heaven with the master of the universe and creator of the world" type of saved... and that type of saved is certainly not conditional or uncertain.

That being said, (and absolutely true) I have some things I want to point out with this post. The first one takes me back to when I first got saved (at the fresh young age of 4!) Although I was extremely young, I'd wager just about every new Christian experiences what I'm about to relate to you.

Admittedly, the day I accepted Jesus is slightly fuzzy in my memory (it was fifteen years ago after all!) but certain details have stayed with me. I remember bowing my head, uncertain of what I was about to do. I remember thinking that something great was about to happen... but I just didn't know what. I had heard stories and sermons about Jesus and Christianity my entire life, but this moment was different. I remember uttering the prayer of salvation, and suddenly not only did I know I was saved, I understood what it meant! I felt a burst of joy like none I had experienced in my young life, I felt loved and completed and reconciled... But do you know what I remember as the single most potent and intense detail of my experience? An overwhelming sense of gratitude, love and resolve.

Reason being? Well gratitude is the obvious reaction "hey, I just got saved from hell!" Love is the inevitable follow up to intense gratitude... But what of resolve? Where did this intense desire to suddenly do anything and everything I could for Jesus come from? Suddenly (in my own little kid brain) cleaning my bedroom seemed entirely appropriate. Doing the dishes was a treat as it helped to quench my ravenous appetite to do and accomplish.

Why the sudden hyperactivity? Well, I believe it's something the Holy Spirit uses to remind us of his pure and perfect will for our lives. Surely the will of the Holy Spirit is an overwhelming and powerful thing, reaching out from out hearts to the very tips of our fingers and toes. Before becoming a Christian, a man simply wanders about accomplishing what he sees fit... After his conversion, a man can now know in his heart his reason and his purpose. God's purpose. Take a few minutes to read a couple scriptures I've found on the will of the Holy Spirit and how it relates to us.

John 14:16-17

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

So, obviously, the Spirit's (God's) main goal for our lives is to make disciples of all the nations... but what exactly does that mean? Should we all don suit coats and become global megaministers? Should we all join a mission group and head off to the jungle? Should we invent new and exotic forms of conservatism and "not of this world-ness?" Well many have done this, and a lot of good is being done because of it (well, the first two... I'm not so sure about the third!) So, sure... those are good things. However, my thought on the subject is as follows:

What better way to show the world Who lives inside of us, than by succeeding at everything we set out to accomplish? Obviously, nobody is perfect (we're all pretty much kaput in that regard) but what if instead of trying to make everything in our lives a Biblical activity, we instead made LIFE a Christian affair? Because we are the Christians, we have the Holy Spirit in our hearts... and that is cause to work, accomplish and surrender.

If you're a runner, put that extra mile in and declare God's glory because of it. If you cook, experiment with that extra ingredient until your work finally pays off and declare God's glory because of it! If you're an author, pray about that needed twist or plot change in your book, and declare God's glory because of it! The world may begin to hate us (after all, we'll be accomplishing and rising above!) but God will give us more ground, more faith and eventually the unsaved will begin to long for what we have!

We are just humans (flawed, sinful and once damned to hell) but now we are Christians, and it's time to show the world what we're made of. Love, surrender, steel and flame. RESOLVE.

Effort is to result as oxygen is to life, and God is to both as He is to our very existence...

Dinosauria: Original Soundtrack for Dinosaurs and the Bible

2009-10-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to write a quick post announcing the arrival of my latest score "Dinosauria-Original Soundtrack for Dinosaurs and the Bible." Abigail has done a really great job with the album art (above) and I'm really excited to see what God has for everyone involved in this project.

The documentary the score is for (Dinosaurs and the Bible) is an evangelical stance on Dinosaurs and how there is proof (both archeologically and historically) that dinosaurs and man did in fact exist together. Jeff (the director) is still working out the details on distribution and getting it out there for everyone to see, so prayer for him and everyone involved would be tremendous! We're hoping to touch a lot of souls for Christ with this project.

If you would like to hear some samples of the 55 minute soundtrack... Hop over here:

http://www.soundclick.com/Store/digital/01_Shop_Album.cfm?bandID=925600&albumID=31527

The Source

2009-08-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Usually once (or twice) per week, my whole family will grab steaming mugs of coffee, pack into the living room and watch a movie. Some of our favorites are “The Kid,” “National Treasure,” “Night at the Museum,” “Stardust,” however (as we are all movie buffs) there are a lot more we consider our favorites as well.

These are some of my favorite nights… I’m usually reclining on the floor at the foot of the couch with a couple little dudes on either side. Sometimes Harrison (my two year old brother) will even fall asleep cradled in my arms as the movie finishes. Nights like these are almost immortal in my mind.

The other night (as we were doing this very thing) an interesting, and life- changing question entered my mind. Where does joy like this come from? I know joy comes from God and all that… but that’s just like in church and stuff… right? Of course, the answer is seemingly obvious (even childishly so) but the profundity of it shattered my reality for a few moments. Whenever I’m experiencing true and pure joy, my Savior is RIGHT THERE in the middle of it!

James 1:17 says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

If that’s true, than EVERY good and “perfect” thing in life, is straight from our Father in heaven. When you bite into your favorite meal, or crack open your favorite book and that rush of “good feelings” runs through you, that is your father in heaven smiling. I’m not saying (of course) that God wants you to always be chasing these “good feelings.” I’m suggesting that every time you feel that satisfied feeling in your heart and gut and ACKNOWLEDGE that the Lord is blessing you for giving your life to Him, you are experiencing the joy that only the Lord can give.

If you’re really enjoying that CD, or you’re really loving the book you’re reading, or maybe you’re enjoying a real closeness with your family and friends… why not stop and acknowledge the source of EVERY GOOD THING: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God the Father and the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. Oh… and while you’re at it, use that gift as fuel for your testimony.

Express that joy! Smile as you walk down the sidewalk! Share with your neighbor! Leave the trash-man a plate of cookies! Even a glass of cold water given in the name of Jesus will bring a smile to God’s face. God gives us gifts as an example… let’s follow that example!

Still Alive!

2009-08-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm officially the lamest "blogger" on the planet. Not only do I never update... but sometimes (dare I say) I forget I even have a blog! : ( As such, this post is really more of a journal entry... A "placeholder" if you will. Something meaningful or interesting to read is bound to pop up again on my blog at some point! ha ha : )

Quite a bit of excitement lately! I received my tangible, specialist certificate from Berklee (it had my name on it in super legit letters.) Abigail even sacrificed her framed photo of a random father and son playing soccer to better display my fancy sheet! That was a really nice stock photo too. XD

In other news... I'm working on a score for a documentary. It's called "Dinosaurs and the Bible" and it's over an hour long so there's been a lot to compose! (Come to think of it... there still is!) If you want to hear a preview (7 cues) of the score, feel free to listen here:

http://www.soundclick.com/store/digital/01_Shop_Album.cfm?bandID=925600&albumID=31527

Anyways, just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still alive and thinking of my next blog! Hopefully it's sooner rather than later! : )

In Christ,

Jared

Happy

2009-06-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Birds singing

Sun shining

Good Health

No Family Conflicts

Perfect Ratio of Work/Play

Abundant Gleanings from Morning Bible Study

Active and Functional Prayer Life

Control Over Weaknesses and Fears

I don't know about you, but when I've got everything listed above... I feel like a superhero on vacation. No worries, no problems, abundant energy, positive emotions... I think perhaps there is no way I could possibly be happier. I feel like that today. I'm getting ready to score my first film of the summer, I'm finishing up my last semester with Berklee School of Music Online, I had a great time in the Word this morning, I've been listening to exciting and encouraging music as I go about my tasks... I literally wouldn't change a thing about today. On days like today, I sometimes wonder: Why can't every day be like this? Why can't I always feel this GOOD inside?

When I pose these questions I am reminded of why I should be happy even when things aren't going my way. For instance, on those dreary evenings where I'm completely exhausted and battling a nauseating headache. Maybe I've been stressed and my panic disorder is flaring up. What kinds of things do you battle with? Maybe Bible time has been put off a little too long, and our spirits are low. Maybe we've been arguing with a dear loved one and feel absolutely terrible about ourselves... Whatever the case, we are called as Christians to not only survive, but to THRIVE and be HAPPY. Perhaps there's a bit of insanity to that statement. What humanoid in their natural mind would thrive and actually have some semblance of happiness through dark times and sadness? Isn't it natural just to slip on a few choice words, don our "pessimist" caps and crawl into a bed of misery?

This train of thought leads me to the somewhat comedic, and yet inevitable conclusion that we (the followers of Christ) are called to an almost INSANE lifestyle of happiness that we not only feel inside, but reflect on the outside. You see, I think true happiness is in direct correlation with true love of the Truth Himself. And what is true love? Well, as demonstrated by Christ Himself, true love is SACRIFICE. Giving of ourselves for someone (or something) else. What is the key element of sacrifice? Humility. To serve someone else is a truly humbling thing. To serve someone is to lower yourself below them and become their servant (even if only for 5 minutes.)

What do you think the benefit of your struggles in life is? I'm sure everyone has heard the classic saying "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." Sure, that's true, strength is found in experience... but what if the saying went, "Suffering is the key to humility." Perhaps then we would all put the pieces together and understand that:

Suffering is the key to humility

Humility is key to sacrifice

Sacrifice is key to love

Love is key to happiness

Happiness is integral (and a result) to serving God

So next time you're a having day like I am... where everything seems perfect... where life is going you're way... where you are truly feeling happy... think of the One who invented happiness, the truth behind his sacrifice, and the beauty of partaking in his sufferings. Be ready, pain will come... and with it a deeper understanding of true love itself.

The Truth About Pickles and Ice Cream

2009-06-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

A Poem by Jared Kraft

I Can Do This

Crack it open

Bleed it out

Sin at its core

A faithless hell

Love that was broken

Bring about

Faith in the shore

With empty shells

Leaving it behind

I crawl away

The fragments, shards

Still trail my wake

And in my mind

I find a way

To play my cards

And save the day

What Have I Become?

Lost in the night

Nothing to show

I’ve returned to the shell

I once lived in

Longing for light

I used to know

When did my weary heart cave in?

III

I Am John Doe

Deny me my right

To feel alive

Take me wherever

You please

I’ve lost my sight

In will to strive

Forever

Mistaking this forest for trees

“You are You”

The Father’s Plea

“I want you to feel alive

I’ll help you watch your step

I can’t watch you throw away

The purpose of My death

Loving me is only gain

A blessing, not a curse

Our love will last a forever

For the better not the worse

Bless the warrior

Bless the infant

Bless the meek

Bless the mild

Bless the strong

Bless the Wild

Bless the faithful

Loving child

Life Again

Returning light

The shell breaks

Flaming soul

Heart’s desire

The ceasing fight

As dawn breaks

Once frozen

Now afire

On It Goes

Fear and faith do not mix

Yet both still live in here

Both continue restlessly

Inside my atmosphere

And so I crawl into my shell

To swim atop the pier

I guess I just can’t be myself,

I’ll take the name of fear

“I love you”

NOTE: The last part of this poem is a little cryptic... Don't take it as negative though. It's meant to illustrate that no matter how many times we crawl back to our "human" safety, God will always be there to love us and bring us back to Him.

NEW POST COMING SOON!!!

2009-06-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

Due to some recent comments (you know who you are) : ). I've decided to post another blog very shortly... Now I just have to think of one! : ) As you probably guessed, I'm a terrible blogger (never on the ball) but I do enjoy writing!

Check in for an update soon!
~Jared

Music and Me

2009-04-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

A lot of interesting things happened in 1999. For starters, my family had recently welcomed the newest member of our family: Anna Gabrielle. Because Anna didn't have a spleen, she was extremely vulnerable to illness and germs... and because she had heart problems, this was to be avoided at all costs. Basically, we were quarantined.

A lot of the greatest memories of my life come from this time of peace and solitude. I'll never forget the quiet afternoons holed in my room reading the dramatic plays of William Shakespeare, the epic poems of Sir Walter Scott, the epic fantasy of Tolkien and Lewis and the classic literature of countless other masters of the pen. I also remember fondly how we often broke in the middle of school for a family "tea party" or an episode of "Little House." It was paradise, a walled garden of peace and beauty... We were quarantined, but we were a family.

It was at this time in my life that I first remember my love for written art spreading to music and it's wonder. Alongside Shakespeare's dark "Merchant of Venice" I experienced the rich melodrama of Beethoven, Wagner, Strauss and my (at the time) absolute favorite film score composers: Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams. I found it amazing how ink on paper could become completely four dimensional when paired with the right music. That which was static now moved, that which was partial was now complete.

Not long after that time (starting around middle 2000) my family began home churching with two other families in our dining room. Amongst the two families were two quite advanced pianists.

Before this time I had experienced music from the spectators seat... Music was beautiful, but the closest I had ever gotten to it personally was my stereo... Imagine my wonder at skilled hands floating over the beautiful ivory keys, at the evocation of not only notes and beats but heart and soul from what I had previously viewed as a piece of decorative furniture. I had caught the fever, I had contracted the germ and I was hooked for life.

For the next several years, piano was my livelihood. I may have been the worst math student in the world, but I could always go and fight it out on the piano. My favorite pieces to play evolved from simple hymns and single note classical arrangements to the intermediate Sonatinas of Mozart, Clementi and Beethoven to the advanced and devastating beauty of Chopin, Scriabin and Kabalevsky... But as my piano ability grew, so did my need for more variety. Music was amazing by itself, but I hadn't forgotten the symbiotic relationship of music and literature. The stories that defined my childhood were not just words, they were also notes, motifs, themes, melodies... The stories were as much music as they were anything, and that intrigued me.

As I grew older, my interests broadened from books and classic literature to audio dramas, films and video games... And what's more, they all felt kindred. To some, films and video games are a way to kill stress (or perhaps brian cells.) To me they were yet another passage into the familiar and fantastical worlds I visited in books. Middle Earth was not just in my head now, it was on the screen in front of me... it was REAL. The ghosts from "Hamlet" weren't just dust and air. They were actual spectres, tangible even in their ghostliness.

Little did I suspect that behind my new obsession with films sat the same central passions that had driven me to inspiration my entire life: Music and storytelling. Imagine the world that opened before me when I discovered film scores! Just think of it! Music specifically tailored to a story... music so potent that it was not just "background" to the screen, it was a character in and of itself. I, of course, had heard film music before (and loved it!) but never had I realized just how central it was not only to a film's story but to my life personally.

In 2004, things were progressing as always. My love for films and scores had continued to grow and grow and grow, and my interests were starting to spread from piano, to composition, to orchestral writing. I was just beginning to come into my own as a musician... Then, Anna died. As much as events in my life had affected my musical journey through the years, nothing compared to this. This was a blow unlike any I had ever experienced. I was at once devastated, numb, horrified, shocked and scared... and yet paradoxically I was calm, at peace, supported entirely by the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. He was my rock, he was my warm blanket, he was my best friend.

Losing Anna was the single biggest transitional moment of my entire walk with music (and with life.) Before, music was fascinating... gripping. Now, music was my release. While I once had to "pretend" emotion, I now had more than I could handle, and it showed in my craft. I was a crazed musician, technically such a youngling, but spiritually such an old soul. I was cranking out six and sometimes seven pages of music per day. It was my breakfast lunch and dinner, it was my prayer closet, it was my portal to wherever I wanted to go. God had given me peace, God had given me a path, God had given me a calling. I knew I was destined to write music for life.

Now, almost five years after Anna's death, (and ten years after my initial fascination with music) I'm amazed at how linear my path has been. I've been blessed with the opportunity to receive not only an excellent musical education, an amazing studio, and several professional scoring assignments (so far)... but I've also been blessed to have experienced such a rich and eventful life of peace, tragedy, love and personal battles that have led me to this point in my musical career. I'm happier than I ever could have imagined in 2004... or ever for that matter, and while I'd love to close this blog with something poetic and thoughtful, I feel compelled to end it simply with these words:

Praise the Lord!
Listen To My Music

100 Indulgent Facts About Me

2009-04-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
My Mom and my Sis both did this on their blogs... So I shall follow suit! (These facts are in random order and nothing should be read into the order therof.) : )

1. I'm a CD buying fanatic (we're talking 5 or 6 a month.)
2. I'm attached to a hoodie that I got from the Grand Canyon Gift Shop.
3. My favorite amusement park ride is "Pirates of the Caribbean."
4. I don't like animals, but can't stand it when one dies or gets sick.
5. I love garage sales and have been known to return from a trip with 10+ old videos.
6. My favorite Christian artist is Michael W. Smith.
7. I'm a film score fanatic. (It's basically a 24/7 obsession.)
8. I'm a composer, orchestrator and pianist.
9. I love to write (especially fiction) but have never finished a large project.
10. I love reading thrillers in the sauna with Chris Botti music on. 0_o
11. I'm often mistaken for Abigail's younger brother. (She's 15 and I'm 18.)
12. I wore a faux-hawk for 2 years before deciding to grow it out this year.
13. My favorite musicals are "Fiddler on the Roof," "High School Musical 3" and "Sweeney Todd."
14. In my opinion, the two funniest movies ever made are "Hot Rod" and "Dumb and Dumber."
15. Napoleon Dynamite changed my life.
16. I'm on my third Xbox-360... but still believe it to be the best console.
17. My car hates cold weather almost as bad as low speed limits.
18. I love "Father of the Bride" even though it makes me really nostalgic.
19. I'm a huge fan of all of Stallone's movies. (I would be tickled if they made ten more Rambo films... Bring on Rocky 50!)
20. I have a large collection of Star Wars novels.
21. I've had the same dresser and bed since I was 2.
22. I love tea.
23. I love the movie "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton."
24. I'm a huge Jackie Chan fan and have seen "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights" at least 30 times each.
25. I love watching Smallville with my sisters Abigail and Cecily.
26. I love hanging out with my bros Silas, Jonas and Harrison.
27. I love having long and interesting conversations with mom.
28. I love talking music and chilling with Dad.
29. I can't stand stereotypes... They make me claustrophobic.
30. I rarely say anything with much authority unless I'm absolutely sure of it.
31. I have used the word "I" far too many times in this post.
32. I have an odd fascination with scary stories. (I use Veggie Tales as therapy afterwards.)
33. I love the "Father Gilbert" audio mysteries.
34. At one point, I could run 6 miles. (I choose more moderate forms of exercise now.) : )
35. I loved David Cook on American Idol but I find his album disappointing.
36. I don't eat sugar, refined grain, artificial anything or fried foods.
37. I absolutely love my family and thank God for them every day.
38. I love my church and being involved in music ministry.
39. When I was younger, everyone thought I'd grow up to be 6' 3" but I grew into an average 5' 10".
40. I was 175 pounds at 15 years old and have since lost almost 40 pounds.
41. I hate getting sick, but love recovering.
42. I nap every chance I get.
43. I love to fall asleep to the soundtracks to "The Lake House," "Sabrina," "The Holiday," "Nine Months," "27 Dresses," and "Father of the Bride."
44. I once mounted a goat... and got thrown off.
45. I love Mr. Bean... period.
46. I love paying board games for about 15 minutes at which time boredom sets in and I completely give up.
47. I make the best cappuccino in the world.
48. I love pulling spiritual truth from films and novels.
49. I adore the novels of Ted Dekker.
50. I love split pea soup.
51. I get most of my poetic inspiration from warm drinks and Christian metal bands.
52. I adore music.
53. I've been known to switch musical gears in a flash.
54. I believe "Celestial Seasonings" flavored coffee to be the best in the whole wide world.
55. I love Martin Short (particularly his role as Clifford in the movie.... Clifford. He's also classic in "Inner Space" and "Father of the Bride.")
56. I think that Lex Luthor (as portrayed in "Smallville") is one of the most compelling characters ever created. He is a perfect example of humanity in general that I find both intensely relatable and frustrating.)
57. I have two massive speakers in my room that can put out 200 Watts per side.
58. I don't like Guitar Hero.
59. I don't like the Wii.
60. I don't own an iPod or plan on owning one any time soon. (I love the tangibility of a good old CD!)
61. I teach piano and love it!
62. I love the feeling of toggling scoring projects and school assignments.
63. Granny Smith Apples rock my world.
64. I love popcorn with stove melted butter and sea salt.
65. Disciple's "Scars Remain" album always makes me spaz out... It's almost like a chemical reaction.
66. My favorite live band is "Hawk Nelson" whom I have seen 3 times.
67. I like the inevitability of life, death and eternity and the peace of mind that it brings.
68. I love having a God that IS.
69. I absolutely hate musical snobbery... but love intelligent musical conversation.
70. Unlike most people, I actually like PIrates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 as well or better than 1. (Films and soundtracks.)
71. I'm a picky clothes shopper.
72. I really don't have a favorite color.
73. My favorite band is Thousand Foot Krutch.
74. I consider myself a fairly conservative individual with too many crazy ideas for my own good. : )
75. I'm almost never shocked.
76. I have the best Grandparents in the world.
77. I had a sister named Anna who died 4 years ago. She changed my life and I love her.
78. I have a literal inability to pass gas publicly.
79. When I was 10, I wanted huge feet and was always complaining that my shoes were too small (even though they weren't.)
80. My first car was a Jeep that was actually a pretty sweet ride. (However, it guzzled gas like a fuel tanker.)
81. My first job was at the local movie theater.
82. I love smooth Jazz.
83. I've owned "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4" on 3 different consoles.
84. I can't stand the movie "Facing the Giants" but I actually enjoyed "Fireproof."
85. I'm one of the few remaining fans of Tom Cruise.
86. I have a great time imagining heaven and can't wait to go there.
87. My favorite traits in people are trustworthiness and loyalty.
88. I've actually never been depressed by hard rock song, or found one depressing. (Although I'm sure there are some!) : )
89. I LOVE having so many younger siblings, and trying to be someone they look up to.
90. I enjoy having responsibility because it keeps me in check.
91. I prefer leading to following... but following to annoying. : )
92. I love strong cheese. (Gorgonzola, Romano, Extra Sharp Cheddar...) mmm
93. I can't narrow my favorite albums or movies to less than 200.
94. I love the lyrics to the Kutless song "Perspectives."
95. I hope one day to work in Hollywood as a film score composer.
96. I love how Jesus not only infiltrates the heart, but also the consciousness and state of being.
97. I often have spastic inclinations that I temper with common sense. (Hence, I'm boring.) : )
98. I sing loudly and dance horribly when I'm by myself in the studio.
99. I've laughed myself into abdominal spasms.
100. I love living!

Wow, 100 things about me. There you go! It's crazy how long that took.

Signing off,
Jared

Take Me To Your Leader: A Poem by Jared Kraft

2009-04-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

CANTO THE FIRST
(Autoatonementism)

Look inside and then around
It’s stunning what you’ll see

Parametrical odium
Rises from our deep

For a planet filled with water
It often looks so barren here

And so we draw from fertile ground
A river made of tears.

(Excerpt from: Poor Richard’s Guide to Self-Atonement)

“The only way out is further in
True feeling is found in distance
Eyes for eyes is win for win,
You can go the distance”

What is concrete in a world of abstracts?
What casts the shadows we interpret?

How can we keep from slipping through the cracks?
How can we pay Him back our debts?

CANTO THE SECOND
(Bee-Shrive)

The semantics of riddance will provide only sorrow
The phases of freedom will kill your soul

The “ways that you can” are for Robins and Swallows
Eyes on the charts reveal the true fool.

The only way out is further in
I know now this is true

I have tried to live my own life
But my face is turning blue

I’ve been shown through err and err
The only way to live,

Is thirsting like a dying man
For what My King can give.

CANTO THE THIRD
(Letter to my Great Physician)

I was falling from the top,
I was breathing smoke and dust

I was living for a title,
All I loved was bathed in rust

Thanks to You and only You
My atmosphere is new

Falling from the bottom up
Is the path that leads to you

CANTO THE FOURTH
(Birth of the Creature)

Close the portal,
Open the door,

End cycle.

The beginning is here...

Proof Of Life by: Jared Kraft

2009-03-01T20:40:00.001-08:00

Beauty lies in beholders eyes

or so that's what's been said

Yet what I've seen my eyes defy...

where beauty rests it's head.

Of perfection I can't speak,

I've never seen it full

Yet what I've viewed through burning eyes

Speaks volumes to my soul

Ugliness is to the core

Or that's what they all say

Yet all the pain we've been through here

Will pale that fateful day

Of true pain I know but naught

I've only tasted steel

For unbelief, the end result

Begs pain itself to kneel

Of my Jesus I know only that no matter what I see,

He'll always be my guiding hand, in life's complexity.

Of my Savior what I know is that no matter what we do,

He sees the heart and from the start He's planned to see us through.

What little I know of beauty and pain still leads to living truth,

Life is love and love is life and Jesus Christ is proof.

Becoming Effective Servants of Christ

2009-02-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Perhaps one of the greatest questions of the Christian faith is, "How can I be a faithful servant of Christ? Why is it that (insert fellow believer) has the opportunity to minister to a hundred people every day? I never get opportunities in my neighborhood!"

I believe thinking like that is perhaps the greatest sin we commit as Christians. We all have a heart to serve, but "darnit we just don't have the personality/opportunity/means etc!" This is a universal problem, and a complex one... As such, the various solutions are numerous and subject to personal interpretation. Even so, I feel led to share the lessons Christ has taught me on the subject in the form of three of my own personal objectives.

1. Find (Healthy) Passion, and Pursue It!

We all have something we absolutely love to do. Wether it's writing, acting, cooking, playing sports, (or even playing video games) we love to do something... right?

Let's face it, not all of us are called to be preachers or missionaries... If we're truly fulfilling the desires Christ made us with, we will be much more apt to serve. If we love something (no matter silly it seems or how unpopular it may be)WE SHOULD PURSUE IT! Christ never fails to use us when we're responding to his call.

2. Die To Self Every Moment of My Life

Whilst pursuing my passions in life, I always try and keep them in perspective. Yes, I love this... but who made me to love this? Who made me...? Without God and His Son, I am nothing.

3. Shut Out The World, Open The Word

Oftentimes, fellow believers will totally disagree with something related to our passions. "I just don't agree with that" is an all too common phrase. I only feel justified in my response to criticism when I can use God's word to counter it. I've often been scared to venture into something because I wasn't 100% sure of its Biblical ramifications. I believe the only way I can truly be blameless before the Lord is to study my tail off and pray without ceasing. Remember, nobody is perfect... but as Christians we should strive to be blameless and righteous.

IN CONCLUSION:

Like I said, we aren't all called to full time "ministry" but I believe every one of us is called to full time servanthood for Jesus Christ... What higher calling is there?

Colossians 3:23

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men.

The Call

2009-02-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

Join my sister in "Monthly Monday Poetry".

---

Easy to run, better to stay
I should have seen it yesterday,

Tough to watch, from afar,
The burning gas of fallen stars

He sat there on his knees,
Distance was no match
For catch his gaze and you will see,
Two empty holes attached

Inside the blue, within a life,
Such beauty was to come,
A soul that begged for rescuing,
But didn’t know where from.

I chanced upon the kneeling form,
And felt compelled to ask,
“Care to mend your wounded soul?”
But it seemed such a task.

A second look and what I saw
Was different than before,
Perhaps the weary man was simply
Resting on the floor.
After all, the sun was hot
And bitter was the heat,
What I’d seen inside his eyes
Was different from defeat.

I went about my merry way,
Forgetting what I’d seen
Inside the eyes of humankind
An emptiness so keen…

Easy to run, better to stay
I should have seen it yesterday,

Tough to watch, from afar,
The burning gas of fallen stars

I’ll never have the chance again,
I could have stopped that day,
The man was beaten by himself
And cast off by the way

All consuming fire,
Full of graceful truth and love,
Give us all tenfold desire,
To see below above

Easy to run, better to stay
I should have seen it yesterday,

Tough to watch, from afar,
The burning gas of fallen stars
---

Jared Kraft 2009

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Miracle (A Traveler's Memoir)

2009-01-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

Of all the memories that life has impressed upon me, few are as potent as the memories of 2007. It was the year of my seventeenth birthday, and the year I thought I was going to die. I suffered from many maladies including:

Adrenal Fatigue
Exhaustion
IBS
Depression
Anxiety
Panic Attacks
Stomach Issues
Sleep Disorders
Etc.

It seemed at one time or another, each symptom tempted me to lose heart... give up. I woke up in the morning with headaches and sleepiness, and I went to bed dreading the next day's symptoms. I ate my meals worrying that each one would throw me into another panic attack, would push my stomach over the precipice yet again. I carried out each task with the full knowledge that when it was completed, I would need a nap to revive my strength. I was broken in both spirit and body.

You may be wondering,
"Why does he bring this year up? It sounds terrible."

In truth, it was the worst of times... but also the best of times.

You see, a few years before my year of illness, I lost a couple things very near to me. Firstly, I lost my sister to a sudden cessation of the heart. Secondly, I lost my armor... my safety. I lost the assumption that every child is born with: "Tragedy is a rare and terrible thing, and it won't happen in my world."

My family, who I love more than anything on earth, was hurting... genuinely, aggressively, grieving... It changed my world. Our loss taught me not only that life is never as we predict, but also that there is ALWAYS hope when we rest on our master, the troubadour of life's song. Jesus Christ.

It was that very hope that is the twist of my 2007 story. It is that very hope that sustains me now. You see, amidst the dark and sometimes impenetrable hardship of that year, several miracles were granted me. Even now, they glitter in my memory as a thousand burning stars.

The first, and most potent miracle of that year, was growing closer to my Savior. Through adversity, I came of age. Through pain, my heart was enlightened. No matter how depressed I felt, or how afraid I was, God was there to love me and give me hope.

The second, and no less miraculous event, was the way God used my family. Never have I experienced such love from human beings. My mother was always researching ways to help me. My father was always taking me under his wing and encouraging me. My little siblings were always cheering me on, and my sister, Abigail, went so far as to go on a huge diet change with me.

Another miracle was the way God touched the heart of a complete stranger, and as a result I received free nutritional counseling that eventually was the turning point for all of my ailments.

To me, 2007 was the best of times, and the worst of times. It was the age of hardship, it was the age of surrender, it was the age of fear, it was the age of peace. Most of all, 2007 was God's plan to change me and mold me into something completely new... and for that, I'll never forget it.

GREAT MEMORIES FROM 2007 (In No Order)
-Watching "Win A Date With Tad Hamilton" and countless other movies, late into the night with Abigail.

-Trying all kinds of crazy diets.

-Learning what hope is, and channeling it into my everyday life.

-Gaining awareness of just how much love my family has for me (and I for them.)

-Receiving Christlike love, compassion and healing advice from a complete stranger.

-Achieving abundant well being.

-Becoming a health nut.

-Becoming the person I am today.

-Living.

The Traveler

2009-01-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

By: Jared Kraft

I am the light of day and the shunned of night.
Yet I am a shadow of the Giver of Sight.

I am the plagous king of liars and thieves,
I am the one who truly believes.

I am the weak of the strong, and the strong of the weak,
I believe what I've found is what everyone seeks.

So, I travel along from place to place.
Singing a song and reflecting His grace.

~
I am a traveler from distant shores,
A wanted man in every town.

I was the beggar from o'er the hills,
Before I met the Savior crowned.

I am the cadaver who died that day,
and every day since in a different way.

I am the child, orphaned and lost,
who found his redemption at infinity's cost.

I am the traveler.