...just do it...

Nope. This is not a plug for Nike. It's not a plug for anything really.

You see I have been waiting for my buddy Darren to send me some pictures before I posted again. For some reason I wanted my next blog to be all about how amazing it was to work for Casting Crowns at the Dove Awards last week. Man, I could see it in my mind...all the pictures and witty comments. It was going to be awesome. So I just quit posting as I waited. Sure there were things I thought would make an interesting blog, but I didn't want to deviate from "the plan". How dumb is that?!

Well that got me thinking (that and my New Testament exam today). When was the last time you did something half way or half heartedly? What was going through your head? How did you feel afterwards? I called my dad today after the exam and he of course asked how it went. My initial response was "It was hard!" but then I was honest with myself and in that moment decided to share my realization.

I told him that I know I didn't do so well (which might have been the understatement of the century). His first words were "Well that's not good Case." I of course agreed. The fact is I was not invested in this exam. I should have been, but I wasn't. Do you ever do this? Why do we do this?

Again I ask... When was the last time you did knowingly less than your best? Why?

Now I know we all do things for different reasons. Some of us even slip in to just do it or just get it done and forget about it mode. This approach can  be taken for lots of different reasons

• Just finish it so you can move on.
• At least do the work so no one can talk bad about you.
• Once it's over. It's over.

How terrible do these statements sound? But you know at some point you've thought it. Am I right?

So. How do we overcome the just do its? And what do we do with ourselves when there are the time we don't do it at all? Thoughts?

Tax day...blah.

Hey. Happy Tax Day! Did you get yours in on time? Me? Nope. I had to file for an extension. Felt like an idiot. I lost my W2 from my real job which is not at all like me, so I confessed to my accountant and she hooked it up. Of course the next week in a meeting the stupid thing fell out of my planner... The W2 not my accountant. Anyway, I have had a little extra time to get the self-employed part of things together with meticulous care as to be super honest and forthright. This year is the first year in a while that I am filing as having a salary position all calendar year. Add in lots of home improvements and minimal business expenses and I hope it is going to be a fairly painless experience. You never know though. Either way after I do finally file I am going to go around saying "I've got people".

The Chains were Rocked!

Last night we hosted an event in the youth space called Rock The Chains. The whole night was about awareness, action, and education. The problem is modern day slavery and human trafficking. The whole shebang started out on our youth calendar as a simple battle of the bands to get "those" kids in the doors. However, Kelsie Overton, a junior in our ministry, had become aware of people in our world who were being forced to work in bondage and fear. Obviously this is unacceptable, and thank God Kelsie could not just feel bad for a little bit and get back to her normal Brentwood routine. She began to share her conviction and make some of her friends aware of what was happening to these modern day slaves. 

On a youth retreat called Breakthru, Kelsie stood up and challenged the whole youth group to not just feel bad and talk about the situation but to take Jesus at His word and do something about it. Her words were empowering and quieted lots of the voices inside the students that they were to young to really make a difference. So last night after four months and little help from the youth staff, some fired up kids from our youth group turned a battle of the bands in to a benefit concert for slavery and all proceeds, totaling almost $6000, are going to the International Justice Mission (IJM). 

The youth area was rocked. Brentwood was rocked. My life was rocked and the chains were definitely rocked!

Payin' your dues...

So Nashville...Music City! All kinds of starving artists come to Nashville looking for all kinds of different things, and there is this whole idea that you have to "pay your dues". My question is this: 

Is payin' your dues like "being cool", "postmodern", or happily single? If you state that that is what you are doing you're probably not really. Just a thought.

And for the record I have never said that I am "paying my dues".

what are YOU doing?!?

Didn't post yesterday 'cause...well I just didn't, so I thought I would start today out with a list and a question. In my mind a blog is a place where a community, be it a creative community, a group of students, or anyone who drops by, can keep in touch and enter in to dialogue. So I will throw out what has been popping up in my world lately and you can do the same in a comment. If there is something on here you don't know about feel free to check it out and give some feedback, and as soon as I figure out how to link things that will be easier. So here you go...

Currently listening to... The Patrick Mayberry EP

Currently reading... Anne Lamott's Plan B

On the feet... Chaco Flip Flops

And you?

My Birthday Buddy

This is Jonathan M Guano De La Cruz. He lives in Guatemala with his parents and brothers and sisters. We have the same birthday. It's pretty cool. We are kinda pen pals. Well, he is to young to read my letters or write back, but at Christmas I did get a little hand print from him. So for now his father and I trade correspondence. Jonathan likes to color and play with a soccer ball which makes me really happy. He will probably be a better soccer player than I ever was by the time he's five, but that's not all! Jonathan will get a good education and people who love Jesus will invest in his life and hopefully encourage him to do the same.
 

The first thing that boggles my mind is that the notion of loving and caring for one another, especially children, would be foreign to anyone. The second thing is that my simple thirty dollars a month to World Vision improves the life of a family so far away so much. 

Here goes...

Greetings friends... The past few weeks I have been checking out a few blogs regularly, and today I found myself inspired to start my own. So I did. I called it "Thoughts from Casey's Right Brain" because I am left handed. You know what they say...left handed...right brain and all. I figure this will be a good end of the day wind down and a great chance to tell people about things I find interesting or cool throughout my week. I hope this blog is as much fun as the others I have enjoyed.
Here goes...