Our Essence...Don't Condition it Away!

I believe that we are all created creative. I know some of you will argue that you don't have a creative bone in your body, but I would disagree. Because I believe that we were created in the image of the Creator God (Genesis 1:27), our essence is that of creativity.

This struck me again last week as I was sitting on a bench at the park. I watched kid after kid, use the swings as vines - climbing tools to the frame, that became the kids' jungle. I watched kids climb up the exterior of the tubular slides pretending to be Spiderman. I watched kids make up fantastical plot lines for the make believe games they were playing.

Then I watched as parent after parent stopped the kids from swinging from the ropes of the swings, stopped them from climbing the exterior of the slides, and all of the sad faces associated with the parental intervention.

I believe that what I saw, was the creative in each of us being quelled by adulthood. We've all been told not to do things (granted some of it is for our safety), but imagine a world that was dream-free, danger-free, and creativity-free. It wouldn't be much of a world.

So the next time you see your kids being creative in their surroundings, watch and learn from them. Soak up as much as you can, and above all, help them to flourish in their creativity. It's in our basic human makeup. Don't condition it away!

Peace,
Ross

This Year.

Welcome to 2012!

This year I'm going to focus the blog content a bit more to all things creativity. You might be thinking that's too limiting, but let me explain. I believe that creativity encompasses everything from art to politics, child raising to nation building, songwriting to conflict...the list goes on and on.

So this year, I promise to give you small blips of ideas that surround the creative process, propels ideas forward, and creates culture. I promise to fail often, but to fail forward. I promise to be diverse in subject matter. I promise to start and hopefully continue the conversation. And I promise to say things that will create tension.

This year will be a great one - even if the Mayan's are right...

Peace,
Ross

My Top 5 Albums of 2011

It's that time of the year where I go through all of the albums I've listened to and loved over the past year and try to narrow it down to my TOP 5. So, without further adieu, here's my top 5 albums of 2011 in order of their importance.

Peace,
Ross

#1 - They Reappear (Jeremy Larson)

#2 - Bon Iver (Bon Iver)

#3 - Odd Soul (Mutemath)

#4 - Barton Hallow (The Civil Wars)

#5 - Gungor (Gungor)

Feliz Navidad + Carol of the Bells + White Christmas

Here we are, only 2 more days until Christmas! I hope you all have had a wonderful Advent season; slowing down and spending valuable time with your loved ones.

I'm gonna take a few days off...so to tide you, here's some fun vids of me doing my favorite Christmas tunes.

Enjoy!







Peace & Merry Christmas,
Ross

Mocking...wow!

I thought that EVERYONE should hear/watch these in preparation for Christmas...I'm in a totally mocking mood, so enjoy these!

You've got to watch these in entirety - they're just too ridiculous (yet serious)...







Peace,
Ross

A-Political.

This time of year (maybe more than any other) we should be A-political.

Luther wrote, "The birth of Christ took place exactly when the Emperor Augustus sent out a decree that all the world should be taxed. This was no accident...At the very first moment of his life, Christ and his parents had to give evidence of obedience, not to God, but to the heathen emperor, the enemy of the Jews. This is the strongest proof that Christ's Kingdom is to be distinguished from that of the world. Christ did not erect a kingdom like an earthly king, but wished to be subject to a heathen government."

So here we are 2011-ish years later, once again subject to a heathen government. And what I propose this Christmas, is that we recognize the heathen government(s) we are subject to, and to remain A-political.

If you've read my blog for very long, you might read that I view politics as a big joke. Politics give us pizza as vegetables, allows abusive churches (Catholic) to lobby for shortened Statute of Limitations (New York), and can be "pro-life" while being pro-capital punishment and war.

It's politics.

It's a joke.

And I propose that this Christmas we remain separate from this heathen joke-of-a-government, and truly distinguish ourselves from the world.

Peace,
Ross

Santa'd.

The girls saw Santa today. Hopefully he'll deliver...



Peace,
Ross