The Last Will Be First.. WARNING: Get God's Kingdom Mindset

Where are we now... 18th April. In my Alpha 'Bible In One Year', I am up to January 29th ha!ha!ha! It's proved an impossible task for me to keep up! You see, I am one who cannot just read through, turn the page and read on.. If something has grabbed my attention, I have to stop and chew on it -and this can take some time! There have been many of these occasions which is why I am only at the end of January! But boy... The revelations I have received! If I could just spend all my days, every day reading the Bible, I would -and I would no doubt be on top of it!

Anyhow.. Onto the question in hand!

Matthew chapter 20 is one of the places in the Bible where we read reference to 'the last being first and the first, last'. I wanted to write up on this, because it hit me deeply in a new way. It is connected very much to the story of the prodigal son -in particular with regards to the attitudes and reactions of the older son and in the case of Matthew chapter 20, the labourers in the vineyard.

The whole parable is captured in verses 1-19, but I want to bring out verses 8 and 15 in particular (from the Amplified Bible):-

v8: When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, Call the workmen and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with the first.

v15: Am I not permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? [Or do you begrudge my being generous?] Is your eye evil because I am good?

There is a check that Father God wants us to do on our attitudes and heart: GET A HOLD OF FATHER'S HEART!
...We see through Jesus that God always makes a bee-line to the lowest person first. Those who feel the most unworthy. Why? Because He wants them to know how cherished and esteemed in His sight they are. Jesus reveals how our Father ('My Father and your Father' says Jesus [John 20v17]) makes a point of going to the younger brother first in the story of the prodigal son, how through the patriarch Jacob, God blesses the youngest son first therefore going against the custom of the culture and in the case of the passage we are looking at right now, the 11th hour labourers -first. It's about equality and HE sure wants us to get it and get over ourselves! Sadly, our God knows our natural tendancies too well. He knows as much as we have a heart to serve him that there is still too much of 'Me' in there. There is still a "works mentality" that we have to be careful not to fall into. The reaction of the labourers who had been working for the vineyard owner all day (well, The LORD) speaks this in volumes to me...  ...They had agreed to work the whole day, under the heat of the sun for the wage offered them. In His kindness, the [Lord] wanted to give the same wage to those who only worked one hour. The other workers grumbled and brought their case of injustice before Him. Suddenly, their labouring had become works-based rather than servitude based. Suddenly, it became about 'Me'. "I feel put out.."  "That's unfair on me" etc.

This is not just about souls coming into the kingdom at the last minute. I think most of us do - and certainly all of us should celebrate, as Heaven does. This is more about HOW GOD CHOOSES TO USE, BLESS AND ACCELERATE those who come into His Kingdom at a time much later than those of us who have been "working for the Lord all our lives" or "all day". Whether new converts come in at noon, mid-afternoon or with only one hour of work left to do. Jesus is making a point that the The 11th hour converts are receiving the same wage as the others. As verse 15 says, can't God do as He likes? By blessing the last first, God blesses the first -by saving us from ourselves. From the pride that, until we are perfected in Heaven knowing the full reality of our salvation, naturally rises within us to elevate ourselves. The very thing that made Lucifer fall. God is reminding us of His heart, reminding us that His ways are NOT our ways (we've got it upside down!) and that He doesn't want to lose one of His sheep to pride! So let's keep our hearts humble. Let's get a hold of His heart. Let's celebrate God's goodness with those who have just come into His kingdom and encourage them on as our God ACCELERATES these precious children of his, balances out the scales (Holy Spirit is ageless and limitless after all) for the sake of how they feel about themselves and the sake of God's kingdom on Earth. Let us not be envious or jealous if an 11th hour disciple is suddenly a teacher in the prophetic.. suddenly made a watchman... We've had all our lives 'working for the Lord' -should we not be more mature in His Love? In His heart? Make the decision to serve, support and rejoice today. He is doing a timely thing... A timely acceleration as never seen before "for such a time as this" that we live in.

Stepping up into the unknown..

I was up til late last night, doing what I always try and get away from... sitting in front of the computer and learning stuff to do with marketing!! It just kind of... happened!!
Anyway, I am very glad I did it, as it got me back onto blogging -which so many people love and of which I say a massssiiive hello to at least 43 who have signed up for mine! I will not inundate, but I will certainly writing more. It is fun!

So, I learnt about TwitterFeed. Off the back of searching automated thank you's (I have made them as personal as possible, saying "let's keep in touch", as supposed to folk feeling they are talking to a bot when they kindly follow me on that wonderful platform, Twitter.. Although I am still fairly rubbish at the whole hashtag thing lol!). The automated thank you's are via IFTTT.com. TwitterFeed allows you to have automated posts of blogs you have decided to follow. One of which I have subscribed to is Scrapbooking Cavewoman -ha!ha!ha!- wonderful name! For any scrapbook makers and lovers out there -she is a real pro (may not be music, but is SOOO creative) -and is also my step-mum!
Another I have subscribed to is Pete Townsend my bass player. He is also a commissioned author. Fab writer, fab person, fab bassist (Ritter endorsed). He has recently moved and has lots on, so it may be a while until he manages to find a spare moment to write up his next post. I can't wait til he does though, as I love his humour!

I'll let you know a few others while I'm at it! Gourmet Mum -my sister-in-law. Expect posts appearing from award-winning blogger (and more importantly cook!) Filipa Kay.
Musicians Union -News from the group I am a member of; An interesting creative chap I came across called Gongle (lol!) -though I haven't had much time to go through all of his archives -but what I have seen, he seems an ok chap ;) and a blog called Success For Your Songs. Sounds nice... A chap out there with a heart to help any songwriter amongst us.

Well, I hope you are keeping well. I look forward to writing and keeping in touch that little bit more.

God bless ya and keep you safe.

From the comfort of my PJs,

Trace x

Trace Taylor Prism Recording 2013 -yeeha

In Search of Four - ISOF by Pete Townsend

WHAT IS YOUR SONG?

Dear Friend, how has your year been? If you could make it a song, what shape would it take? A light and bright number like the twinkling of Christmas lights or a slow, thoughtful or even darker mood? Would it be a prelude to another song -like an introduction to a new chapter, or the beginning [or continuation even] of a full-on orchestral movement? 

I love how the gift of music and songwriting can help unlock emotions and enable us to be honest. I love how there are no boxes surrounding it. If I could describe my year in song, in the main it would take on the form of a steady pace, in a consistent major key, probably as nice background music. I have had a good year -nothing spectacular, thankfully no tragedy, good family and chill-out times, with a sense of my foundations continuing to be strengthened. It would probably have an interesting bridge section as September arrived and my youngest started school (!) -the song would definitely take on a new shape here as things were pretty up and down for a while! But it would even out again with more energy than at first, as I have definitely been a lot busier. Opportunities have continued to increase with new friends being made along the way and new openings have come into my life in other ways, too. As we approach Christmas and thankfully for myself- a sense of winding down, it has been good to take a moment to review and contemplate my year! My prayer for you is that however your year has been, may you know hope and faith in ever increasing measure. 

A SPECIAL 'ANCHOR': A new EP, a new website, a new track video, some wonderful appointments [gigs] and a fantastic new bass player… There have been some 'anchor-type' moments (as I like to call them) over the years and my recent aquisition of a bass player is one of those moments I'd like to share with you.

April... I pick up my husband's book to see what he is reading. I don't normally look at what his latest digest is, but I just happened to one particular morning. He was reading the biography of Pete Townshend from The Who. I remarked to myself how I wouldn't mind reading it myself (one day, once I have got through the myriad of other books awaiting my attention!).  Later that afternoon, I open my emails and find I have an email from... a Pete Townsend! I look -I stare -and think "no -it can't be…!" 

I was right.. It wasn't Pete Townshend from The Who, but Pete TOWNSEND from Nuneaton! -A town in the historic county of Warwickshire well known for being awarded 'Best Market Attraction in Britain', by the National Association of British Market Authorities in 2010 (rock on :))

Pete was asking me if I was still after a bass player. I had forgotten I had even posted an advert!! But yes -blessCross Rhythms- I had put an ad on their forum and he had got in touch after stumbling across it. This made me take notice that perhaps I am meant to continue in this music venture after all… 

Pete is an amazing bass player, but so much more. He is a support in all ways one would hope for. He is a husband to Ruth, a dad to his grown up kids and also an author -very comedic at that! Please visit his websitewhen you have a moment and get to know this remarkable man. I feel a book coming on… :) 

So... Pete joined myself and my husband Ween on my first solo recording project, my ep entitled "Trinity". 

A Brief Note On My Spiritual Side

You may hear me mention Tall Trees on occasion.. Well if you do, it is with reference to the tall trees mentioned in the book of Isaiah of The Bible. It may seem bizarre, but the metaphoric character of these great immortals I aim to model my life upon. They are characteristics of a Godly person; Strength, valour, dependability and the list goes on. Trees I learn from. Humanly speaking, my greatest model is the man Jesus, whom I also believe in as The Saviour Of The World -The Christ.

'Touch The Air': Explained

I guess my first thought I want to share, is how I am learning to be a song-writer. Yes I can say I have been penning for many years now, but I still have lots to learn.

One has to find the balance, I find, between what certain reviewers are looking for and who I am trying to be. Yes I want to convey a message, but sometimes I do want an air of mystery about some of the lyrics I write so the listener can chew on what perhaps the meaning is.

I do think a storyline is important and whilst I do my best to communicate this properly within a song there may be the odd track which seems disjointed in it's story -such as Touch The Air for example. I realise that most song titles appear in the track itself but Touch The Air, is a concept and on this occasion, does not.
These are the lyrics:

He's tangible, beyond physical
As real as your skin and mine
He's spiritual and material
like the gravity your feet find

The first two lines I think are quite clear, but perhaps not the next two lines as such..
I have linked spiritual and material (another form of invisible and visible) to gravity (another form of the seen and unseen [eg throw an apple, we see it come down]). That which your feet finds -I liken to simply stamping my feet. My foot is in the air -it finds gravity and ends up on the floor. Our feet need to find gravity otherwise we would be floating -like on the moon.

He's oxygen, like the air we breathe
Invisible but known to all
As the source of our existence
Who can deny lest we fall?

"He's Oxygen" yes, this may be a reference one has heard about God many times, but it fits with the whole concept of the reality of the unseen -which is what this song is about. Who can deny oxygen? No one can. If we deny ourselves of it, we fall. We die. This here talks about this life as we know it and the invisible life that lies beyond death of our mortal bodies.

The next part of the song I give special importance to this aspect.

Then you find a slower mid-part of the song which seemingly talks about a completely unrelated topic. The lyrics are:
Show me the way I should go
Your hand will guide me
Not [necessarily] in the way I think
Your ways are higher

This is essentially about faith and faith, according to the book of Hebrews in the Bible (chapter 11 v1) is about believing in the things you hope for, being certain of what you cannot see. So in my mind, this section fits with the theme of Touch The Air, for the person cannot see the way forward. She is experiencing a battle of faith and substance:- "I cannot see -but I will trust your unseen hand to guide me" (which in the end, things become seen as things unfold). This battle we experience in the song when the style changes and the pace quickens, coming to a resolute end -hence come in the trumpets as the sound of victory, as they bring the battle to an end. She has come to a place of peace.


It is a two-fold message this song: One to the unbeliever to reach out and believe and one to the Christian who in a different way, may need to reach out and believe.

I have to learn to let go of my natural ways of thinking and be open to a new thing, a new way, a new mindset and attitude which, coming from God, is higher than mine.

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