Hello and welcome to Vol. 27 of The Underground Binder-Clip Society.
Working at the cafe today. I just ate a slightly-stale-chocolate-croissant after getting most of my shift chores done. Lemonade is made, and waffle cones too.
I check in with my mind, top off my presentness, and pray for greater awareness. I am in a slower and less anxious place today than I was a week ago. But I am still behind.
I am taking deep breaths. Denying myself a little more and then a little less. Not reading as much as I’d like, but listening to audiobooks more. I’d say 70% of the time when I’m in the car recently, I listen to an audiobook. 20% of the time, I listen to nothing. And the other 10% of the time, I listen to mixes for clients or myself.
My own songs have been becoming prayers again. I’ve got an album’s worth of works -in-progress that encompasses a range of emotions, questions, and statements. Some remind me who I am, some beg the question, and some depict life around me. I’ve tried to make listening to demos a treat for myself so I don’t get burnt out.
Although, silence beats any audiobook or song by a mile.
The cooing of the earth.
Wind.
Highway.
Cicadas (especially)
sing a song of presentness. Constantly saying, “Here I am.”
I look inward, and all the day long, say
“Here I am,”
in this moment, in this blessing, in this ache.
And here is my prayer,
That I would hold it, all that I bear here today,
and then (quickly)
hand it off to my God,
So that he might
rinse it?
keep it far from me?
Hand it back?
Whatever is suitable, I suppose, will be acceptable
becuase all I know,
is that i know nothing at all
I open up my hands
I expect nothing
but that a weight would be lifted
by keeping them open,
and dreaming
of a life lived good and clean.
…
Yours Truly,
Jake Smith
Here are this week’s “Quick Clips”:
* My New Song Deep End is out now, along with my song Givin It Up!
* I am trying hard to finish David Dark's book “Life’s Too Short to Pretend You're Not Religious.” (I don’t typically read on-the-nose Christian self-help books. Fortunately, this book has been far from that. It has been so rich and full of perspective. I’ve been listening on Audible and reading my paperback copy.
* I’ve been getting into Klein Tools (Not a paid endorsement)
* Damien Jurado’s life and presence continue to inspire me.
* The Danielson Family band has piqued my interest lately. I just watched this documentary about them featuring Steve Albini and Sufjan Stevens.
* I play on June 8th in Centennial Park here in Nashville at Musicians Corner!
* I downloaded the audiobook version of “Every Moment Holy, Vol. 3” this week. It’s been nice to listen while I drive if I am rushing out the door before having any sort of morning meditation. Liturgy has been a new and good thing for me.
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<3
