Is Your Heart Set Free?

July 5, 2012 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

July 4th, Independence Day, reminds us to give thanks for the freedom we enjoy in the United States. Fireworks shows across the country celebrated this freedom last night. In 2005 I composed Freedom, which is on The Voice CD. Following are the liner notes for this track, which share the inspiration behind the song…

Personal freedom has been a breakthrough experience in my life. For many years I thought I could achieve freedom through success and being in control. Then I discovered that the human spirit finds true freedom through serving others in love. Seeking to grow in a freedom that is centered on others has been an adventure filled with emotion and risk. This song almost became the title track because this truth has been so powerful for me. The notes represent running through life with a heart that is free, pausing to treasure this freedom, and discovering higher levels of giving oneself away. I trust that the music and texts that inspired it will help you experience a freedom that gives you hope . . . makes you come alive . . . sets your heart free . . . “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” (Psalm 119:32; Galatians 5:13; John 8:32)

Where does your heart need to be set free in your life today? How can you serve others today to experience freedom?

What I Learned from Coldplay Last Night

July 3, 2012 By Stanton Lanier 4 Comments

Even though I have played over 500 times for concerts, events and groups of all sizes, I haven’t been to that many concerts in my life. Last night I got to go with a friend to Coldplay in Atlanta. Below is an image of confetti that was blown in huge volume from the stage to the ceiling at the beginning of the second song for the show. Then it floated back down over the crowd in millions of pieces. It was magnificent. Here is what I learned…

Confetti = Beauty, Hope and Wonder

1) Humankind loves to behold beauty (eyes, heart and mind). The stage, the band members, the confetti, the stage lights, the sparkling light wristbands (that everyone in the audience was wearing), displayed rainbows of colors. The moments illustrated C.S. Lewis’ quote that our greatest moments of beauty, adventure and intimacy in this life are glimpses of heaven. Also, that God planted eternity in the human heart: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

2) Humankind longs for hope. C.S. Lewis once wrote, “All joy…emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire. Our best havings are wantings.” Pleasure, comfort, safety, security, good health, provision, enjoyment, seeing the world, loving people. The list could go on and on. If there is a Creator, there must be a Creation. If there is a Storyteller, human life lived to the fullest must be part of a greater story (paraphrased from G.K. Chesterton).

3) Humankind loves moments of wonder / adventure. “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation” – C.S. Lewis. There is this “hard wiring” we are born with. One part says guard your life, another part says go for it, “it” being experiences of wonder and adventure. Life moments that make our heart race in a good way, like being mesmerized by nature, a roller coaster ride, serving others in love.

What beauty are you beholding today? What hope are you longing for? Do you have a memory, or something you are looking forward to that promises wonder and adventure?

Short Pants

July 2, 2012 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

It was at least 98 degrees on my first day of sixth grade as a new Florida panhandle resident. The 100% humidity added bonus heat and sweat.

Within the first hour of arriving at my new school something was amiss. I realized that I was the only student in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades who was wearing short pants! “You can’t wear shorts!” was yelled at me from finger-pointing students. Even teachers looked at me funny and shook their heads.

The icing on the cake was being sent to the principal’s office. We had to call and ask my mom to bring me some long pants. She wasn’t home to answer the phone. I think she had gone to the Piggly Wiggly for groceries. It was a long day filled with embarrassment, ridicule, patience and endurance. Eventually I was able to “dig deep” and forgive my parents for overlooking the fine print in the school handbook. It took a little longer for me to restore my self-esteem in public.

This memory is symbolic of tender middle school years. One time I sneezed so hard that I couldn’t catch all of the “sneeze” in my hands. I came back from the rest room to a snickering room because “sneeze remains” were on my desk. Getting knocked unconscious on the soccer field earned another trip to the principal’s office. But the moment of all moments was the spelling bee.

You see, pleasing people – being thought well of by my parents, teachers and peers – had subtly become one of life’s goals since that first day of 6th grade. I had become a good student too, so the pressure was on for me to win the big 8th grade spelling bee. Silence filled the room full of teachers and students after my first word was called out – “Execute.” I shakily spelled E – X – I – C – U – T – E. “I’m sorry. That is incorrect,” was the gut wrenching response from my favorite English teacher. It was another “short pants” fiasco. Maybe pleasing people wasn’t life’s goal.

What was one of your “short pant” moments? How did this shape your character? Do you seek to please others too much, or are you not worried about what others think?