Prepare to get Rushified!

Well On August 16th I had the pleasure of seeing the band Rush play in what many consider to be the best performance event center in North America, Red Rocks. I have always been a closet Rush fan, never wanting to admit to my metalhead friends just how much I loved the holy trinity. I am not quite sure of the reasons exactly, after all its music not a popularity contest. But as I think back on reflect on it, dont we all subscribe to some sort of label? From birth are'nt we trained to place things into nice little categories? Think about it. Humans run around this planet trying to quantify and label everything around them from day one.

As a baby we are encouraged to group things by shape and color. As toddlers, we begin to see things in terms of actual names and activities. And as teenagers we even group people. Preps, Nerds, Jocks, Band Geeks, Gamers, Skaters. Our very hobbies label us into a little slot in society. Heck, we cant even decide how to label our particular faith ,even when it comes from the same historical background. How many different sects of christianity did jesus exactly die for? As far as I can tell, I think he died for all of us, and I dont recall anything in any version of the bible saying "ok guys im hanging up here for the baptists, but you dirty catholics, Forget it! dont drink my blood its not for you!"

Even the most open minded of us still confine ourselves within some form of boundary of labels. I am a metal head, so even though I love Rush, I cant admit it, I cant enjoy a country song or a rap song, Or can I? As I was riding along with my friend last night, I began to think deeply on this. If I cant get past the stigma of a music genre, then where else am I taking things to seriously. I often jokingly refer to myself as gimp, or fatty etc. I do it to illicit a laugh out of others, because I dont really take it to heart when I say it. Or do I.

The more thought I give this, the more I start to realize that I have been labeling myself and to my own disadvantage. I am not a metalhead, I like music, period, of all types. I love metallica, the squirrel nut zippers, No fx and the eagles as well as the beetles. So what if I got extra weight, I recognize the fact I do, and I also know what I need to do about it. And it isnt make fun of myself. I have a gorgeous wife that I need to stop calling a harry potter dork. Because all these things are just parts of us, they do not make up the whole. The other day a mormon youth approached me and asked if I would attend his church for my salavation. I told him, I am in church right here, right now. He asked me what I meant by that. I said "do you think gods church is a building that man creates or the world that god created?" He looked puzzled at me and said "well god created the world but we still need fellowship!" I said " That is true we were not created to be alone, but if we cannot walk alone in our faith then are we truly walking in it when we surround ourselves with others?" He didnt answer me and instead chose to bike away. As I have come to understand it, every person has the right to believe as they choose, we were given the blessing of free thought for this very reason. Not so we could categorize ourselves away from everyone into neat little groups that meet our ideals. We should be living for our god's ideals, and in doing that we goto church to celebrate god not to find salvation, the salvation has already been had if you truly believe. You step into gods church the minute you walk outside. His pews are the ground, his walls the trees and his music the air and the sunlight around you. And no matter what man thinks he can do, he will never build anything as great as that.

I know it feels like my train has jumped the tracks here but let me rail it in. As I thought about how we categorize ourselves I had an epiphone. What if instead of labeling myself as anything, I just be a man. I dont need to be fat, a metal head, a baptist or a gamer. I just need to be Chris. Because my plan is already laid out even though I may not see it. And I should just enjoy all the blessings that are and quit trying to fit them into some box. If I spent less time trying to figure out which title I should wear and more time doing what I know in my heart to be right, I would have alot more time to enjoy these things I love. I have already determined bar none, that regardless of treatments or conditions in my health im gonna live each day to fullest and love my kids the most I possibly can. If I pass away tommorrow, it will be without regret. As the song says " I was born to believe!" Thanks Mr. Getty