We're chasing all that is fading..

A few years back I went to this random concert at a random church about 5 minutes away from my house. The artists were Falling Up, John Reuben and two I'd never heard of, Mainstay and The Wedding. To make a long story short, I ended up loving all the artists and I look back on that night as one of the most fun of my life.

The band that I by far loved the most was Mainstay. Me and my friends met the guys that night and kept in contact with them for a year or two until we finally saw them again at Creation Festival 2 years ago. They are super amazing. It's a shame because the lead singer, Justin Anderson, was in a serious car accident about a year ago and the band is on hiatus indefinitely, but I have faith they'll make music together again some day.

Even though it's years old, my favorite song by them is "Life As A Vapor." It was released on their little EP that I got at that concert all those years ago. It wasn't even put on either of their albums since. I don't know why.. but I love it because I feel as though it's my little gem of a song:

I keep on looking for life where I know that there is none to find, no. I slipped right into the cold without a thought for You. Oh, this life is only water vapor, here and then it's gone. We're chasing all that is fading, what will last when all of this burns? From this dream you waken, awaken. We search for something new, compress the void into shapes like toys. Sober up and discern someday all of this will be over. What do I value? I keep on looking for, what do I value? We look for something new. What do I value?

I just love this song so much because it makes me think about how much my life counts. God has created us to serve Him through our lives and when we don't do that we're wasting the life God has blessed us with. I know we're not perfect but why not live your life trying and failing rather than never taking a chance at all. This goes for love, dreams, and any other type of risk (within reason of course). God gave us life, so why not live it for Him with our whole hearts? And when we struggle, we can keep in mind that we do not belong on this earth but in the most beautiful heavenly place with our Father.

This is one of their other earlier songs "Take Away" live:

"And it's all from Your hand, and there's nothing that's mine.
And all that You give You're free to take away."

Ruth

Today I'm going to talk about possibly my favorite band of all time Ruth.

I discovered them at Creation Festival two years ago. They didn't perform but Tooth and Nail was handing out samplers of these two bands they just signed (The other band was The Send. I love them too!). That fall I saw them in concert with Relient K and Switchfoot and I met them afterward. They are an awesome group of guys, I'm lucky to have met them personally.

I saw them again this summer actually at Creation and they remembered me while was nice. They played some new songs off of their album that comes out next week. I'm pretty excited for it!

The main reason I like them is the fact that no matter what their music is encouraging to me. Every single one of their songs can be related to my walk of faith. The name "Ruth" itself is actually an acronym:

Return
Us
To
Him

That is exactly what their music does for me.

"This is where it starts, this is where it ends. You set it when I'm ready. It's the start of something new, and it's creeping inside you to the heart of who you are. You're gonna cross this line and now's the time. You're gonna know it, going.

Tell me that you want me, tell me that you see me. I'm giving you everything I have, I'm giving you everything I am. Tell me that you want me, tell me that you see me. I'm telling you right now, here I am."

This selection of lyrics is from Ruth's song "Cross the Line." Basically, my interpretation of it is a call to God, letting Him know that we're all in. We heard His call and now we want to live in His light.

This song encourages me to value myself because God wants me, not because of the standards of the world. God finds me worthy of His love and beautiful in His eyes.

We cannot do this without "crossing the line" of normalcy. It's not hip to give your life to God, it's hard and crazy. But He calls us to this life.

Vol. 1

I bought it.
It is glorious.