Southern Hemisphere
de·lete
/d?'lit/ [di-leet] –verb (used with object), to strike out or remove (something written or printed); cancel; erase; expunge; to destroy.
playlist hit Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd (if you’re wondering, the long version… a classic!)… well, I zoned out unknowingly playing my keyboard like a piano.At some point, probably during the crescendo guitar solo, I hit the right combination of keys and … “puff”.
I deleted my blog.
“NO”!!! (You certainly know the feeling… right?)
Immediately I prayed; asking God to save all my labor; bound the thief; and moved into a listening mode as I tried everything to retrieve a sure source of blessing/encouragement for every reader.
Nada. Gone. Kaputz.
Is this how a nuclear war starts… some night crew stiff starts rockin to a tune, inadvertently hits a button or two and the southern hemisphere is deleted?
Agitated I headed to the kitchen for some relief. A handful of M&M’s.
Pondered the sovereignty of God, spiritual warfare and the principle of reaping and sowing… wondering if God was in this.
Heading back to my office God spoke. Sensing his presence, smile and laughter I heard him say, “Give it [my blog topic] some more thought…” .
That’s all I needed.
So I sat back down at my desk, cranked Free Bird again, and scribbled out these few thoughts. – Craig
Craig,
I can certainly feel your pain. I spent months writing devotionals. I had 30 of them.....when my hard drive crashed taking everyone of them. It was at that point that I gave up writing for the billioneth time.
I listened to yours and John's podcast about writing. I was amazed at how much of what you said was applicable to my journey. I struggle to say I am a writer... what if I'm kidding myself.
But I started a blog for myself and starting writing my heart.
Two different ministries came to me after reading my blog and asked me to write devotionals for their ministry blogs once a month. And you know what I still struggle to believe I can write....
Why is that I wonder???? Will I ever believe I can write??? Hopefully. It's easier for me to say, I'm sharing God's truths than to say I am a writer....
Julie
Posted by: Julie Todd | October 10, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Craig,
I'm still laughing as I type this comment. Heavens!......everyone knows, especially us southern boys, that listening to Skynard and trying to play "air piano" or "air guitar" can result in some really funky stuff occuring. Aha, I say!.......I knew the Lord was in it all!
I so enjoy your writing......keep it a-comin'.......
and now.......back to "Gimme three steps......"
Mark.
Posted by: Mark Weaver | October 11, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Craig,
You are so real man...I love it...of course its gotta be Boston or nothing, my 13 year old daughter informed me last night that I truly was a weirdo after listening to me sing Rock n Roll Band in the van....it might have been the air guitar, not my singing...don't really know...thanks bro...
Posted by: David Felts | October 11, 2008 at 03:34 PM
Mark & David,
Christ captured my heart and raptured me out of a culture of certain death/imprisonment/long-term mental dysfunction in 1972. For some of us Christ pulls us totally out and away from all that's familiar, all that defines us so that he can dismantle sin, our false self, sober, reorient and restore us. (I think this happened to the Apostle Paul... having been converted, God led him out to the desert... to Arabia and Damascus for 3 years to re-orient/dismantle/restore - Galatians 1:17). Having made the voyage from the whole hippie drug culture into the Kingdom of Heaven I abandoned friends, alcohol, drugs and music (I threw away hundreds of albums and cassettes and stopped listening to all the "far out" FM stations) for over 15 years. It was needed, important and actually pretty easy.
I got married, finished college, went to seminary and had been a pastor for years... and God began to bring back into my life some of the things I had abstained from, music being one of them. (For the record, drugs haven't been one of them!). I remember my daughter had put Jimi Hendrix's first album on her Christmas "Wish List" when she was in middle school. Lori, while looking over the list commented to me, "WE ARE NOT getting her a Jimi Hendrix CD!" I took a deep breath and said, "I don't know about that... that was a really good album."
Posted by: Craig McConnell | October 13, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Hey Craig,
On a PC CTRL-Z is undo. It'll often save you in situations like this...but then we wouldn't have had this great blog post...what a dilemma.
Keep up the great posts!
Jon
Posted by: Jon Dale | October 13, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Jon,
Sovereignty. Sovereignty.
Posted by: Craig McConnell | October 13, 2008 at 10:11 AM
craig, thanks in part to you ( and of course your willingness to be used) I too have discovered some of the freedom for which we were set free.
Can't wait to bring some more guys to the next boot camp.
Really glad whenever I see a new post here!
Posted by: believingthomas | October 13, 2008 at 07:32 PM
And the Lord teacheth patience..
I need more of that.
Free Bird rocks!
As do the Rays, up 3-1 in game 7 on the Red Sox right now!
Great blog man.
Posted by: RyanTravis | October 19, 2008 at 08:04 PM
Julie,
Your response is stunning to me for the blog I wrote and then deleted was my story, or should I say my “coming out” as a writer who is working on a book. Ditto, ditto, ditto everything you said!
I hope to regain the vulnerability and words sometime in the near future. By the way… enjoyed your blog! – Craig
Posted by: Craig McConnell | October 20, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Believing Thomas,
Oh how I long for more freedom... freedom to worship, listen, love courageously,learn and grieve. - Craig
Posted by: Craig McConnell | October 20, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Ryan,
As a life long Red Sock and Dodger fan hoping one day this side of glory to see the two of them in a World Series I was disappointed with the post season. But hey, "Go Rays!". - Craig
Posted by: Craig McConnell | October 20, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Craig,
Thanks for responding. Yeah LA/Bos would have been nice, especially with the Manny subplot. But it's the Rays year, especially after holding off the what has to be the greatest comeback team in baseball history.
Again, really diggin' the blog, it's great.
Posted by: RyanTravis | October 21, 2008 at 07:27 AM
Hey Craig - don't delete the southern hemisphere. We're all lovely down here! You wouldn't meet nicer folk (or should I say "bonza blokes").
Posted by: Andrew Davies | November 02, 2008 at 12:20 AM
Andrew... dare I ask, what are "bonza blokes"?
Posted by: Craig McConnell | November 12, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Craig
Bonza = genuine, authentic, decent, "true blue", beaut.
Andrew
Posted by: Andrew Davies | November 14, 2008 at 05:11 AM
Andrew - Thanks that's helpful!
Posted by: Craig McConnell | November 14, 2008 at 07:36 AM
First, thanks for reminding me to listen to Free Bird (I am now) and the rhythm is just unreal, great guitar lyrics, a true classic.
I've deleted a document as a university student B4; and all you can do is wait... until the painful, heartfelt emotion of utter defeat is gone. Then God will give you strength to rise up and write again.
I'm a graduate student and always ask Him for help with nearly every assignment (and oh, does He meet me).
I love your blog, Craig. May God bless you for your openness and honesty and being an example to the saints.
Posted by: Angela | December 17, 2008 at 09:29 PM
Angela – Thank you for agreeing with me on “Free Bird”… I’ll have to list my top songs of all time someday… so much good music… such small speakers! And of course… thank you for your kind words. May your studies, heart and season be filled with God and all He has for you! Rock on! – Craig
Posted by: Craig McConnell | December 18, 2008 at 10:02 AM