The Sign of the Hat Wearers- Real Grace Reflection #4

Following is my fourth attempt to reflect on Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas's 2015 theme, REAL GRACE. If I had paid better attention in High School English when we studied Chaucer, I might call this poem THE MILLINER'S TALE.  Instead, I have decided to call it...

SIGN SEEN ON THE DOOR TO THE GATHERING PLACE of the INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP of HAT WEARERS

Come one, come all and join us here

Hat wearing, we will be

A big hat, a small hat, a beanie, a fez

There’s no telling what you will see

Akubras, fedoras and helmets on heads

Deerstalkers and yarmulkes too

A songkak is here every once in a while

And coonskins are often in view

Do you have a hat? You can wear it right in

Sombrero or cowboy hat? Yes

If you have a thing on the top of your head

You’re welcome, there’s no need to guess.

There is just one thing that we need to make clear

Before we say anything more

If your head is empty, if holding no hat

YOU TOO, please come in through our door.

You see we dig hats, turbans, trillbys, you name it

We find all head coverings neat

But what holds hats up, that is the great treasure

From his or her head to the feet

So, bring in your hood or your doo rag or crown

Please, don’t leave your hat on the shelf

Yet, if your head’s bare, holding some or no hair,

You’re welcome, too, just bring yourself.

c2014 Mike Tauser

Roller Rink Rock and Roll- Real Grace Reflection #3

Following is my third attempt to reflect on the 2015 theme of Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas, REAL GRACE.  For the sake of full disclosure, these lyrics and its backstory, posted below, were actually penned about six years ago.  Reflecting on the theme for 2015 brought to mind the lyrics and the experience that led to them being written.

ROLLER RINK ROCK AND ROLL

Let your grace, Amazing Grace, override my melody
Let your mercy override the smallest corners of my song
Let your peace that passes understanding override my restless heart
Let your love, your hope and love, override me all day long.

c2008 Mike Tauser

In case you are wondering, there is a story behind the title of this song. Here it is:

I came home to Houston during Christmas Break of one of my years at Marquette University (I believe it was my junior year-1989) and volunteered to DJ a Christian music night at a local roller rink. I was majoring in broadcasting and had even produced and hosted a contemporary Christian music show on the campus station (WMUR), so I figured this was right up my alley.

I showed up at the rink with my feeble collection of music including Petra, Michael W. Smith, Steve Taylor and, if I remember correctly, Stryper, as well as a few more groups. I settled into the DJ booth, while the skaters started lacing up. The first song I played was THIS MEANS WAR by Petra, a Christian band with a hard rock sound. For many years their lead singer was John Schlitt who had been in a rock band called Head East. Before the end of the song's first stanza, a gentleman came in to the booth quite irate, asking why I was playing this rock music, etc.

I wish I could say that I had a great strategy of listening to this man's complaint in an attempt to reach some understanding, but the truth is I was so stunned by his attack on the TYPE OF MUSIC that I was playing that had been special to me that I couldn't formulate any response to him for several minutes. 

Eventually, several skaters offered to get some music from their cars that was a bit more "acceptable", so I did my best to play a mix of the two styles. If memory serves, the gentleman, who as best I could tell was a pastor/minister stayed by my side for at least 90 minutes. As I listened to him and got to explain a little bit of the positive ways God had used this rock and roll in my life, I was able to understand the crux of his argument. He even quoted that famous Scripture to me to defend it, it is from Paul's letter to the Classical Musicians, chapter 4, verse 1:"Thine beat shalt not override thine melody." (OK, OK that's not really a verse, it is April 1 after all). However, that was the main part of his argument, "the beat overrides the melody, therefore, the music is not of God."

Some events I have recently been a party to have made me think again of that night at the roller rink. While the roller rink memory is a bit humorous now that the emotions of the moment are far in the past, the recollection is also a bit disconcerting to me. Even if I met that man today, I don't think I'd have much more to reply to his complaints and his attacks on me. 

Furthermore, there are times when my shortcomings and sins make it so no one's words can get through to me, and I know there are some people who perceive me as THAT GUY attacking them.

I say all this to portray some of the jumble in my mind as I composed the above-posted lyrics. I know the writing of these lyrics reminded me that God's grace is sufficient to overcome(speaking of Paul) my failures. I hope they serve the same purpose to those who read them and hear the story behind them.

Empty White Board- Real Grace Reflection #2

Empty White Board

I think that I’ve seen you before

Then each time you show even more

You fill up my frame, and I can’t comprehend

The picture that you have in store

A canvas in need of your art

A doodle, I can’t even start

You brush on your hues and fill up my page

Just watching, it seems, is my part

It’s true I am impatient clay

A lump set on rolling away

You capture my fear and mold my hard heart

May I be your vessel someday.

c2014 Mike Tauser

This is my second attempt to reflect on the 2015 theme of Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas- REAL GRACE.

Given to be Given- Real Grace Reflection #1

Here is my first attempt to reflect on the 2015 theme of Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas: Real Grace.  If you feel compelled to put these words to music, I'd be glad to hear what you come up with.

Given to Be Given

It puts nothing in my pocket

Not a thing upon my plate

No, I cannot hold on to it

To use at a later date

With it, still my wallet’s lacking

My cup? Empty does remain

I could write of it for ever

Yet my words wash down the drain.

It’s nothing I can hold on to

It’s everything as well

Each day, each second it is new

A miracle to tell

It seems to journey off, I panic

When will it return?

It’s always there to open up my eyes

So my heart learns

My tries to hold onto it

Are a certainty to sink

A boat made out of cardboard

Quickly sucked down in the drink

It’s given to be given

It’s shared so I can share

The vessel that can store it

I’ve not seen it anywhere.

c2014 Mike Tauser

The Unyielding Gaze

I don't know if this is the best song I've ever written, but it is by far my favorite.  It has been almost 20 years since I birthed it, and I still greatly enjoy singing it or listening to others do so.

Two of the biggest highlights I have had in relation to this song:  Taking communion during a worship service while this song was being sung; Hearing this song sung at a baptism service for one of my friends' children.

Please enjoy.