Dave Matchack

Great to be Playing Drums Again

Well… I got the opportunity to start playing drums again… I have been out for a little while… last time I played publicly was back in 2010 sometime… sure I have played gigs with my bass… and that is usually the call that I get… but have not had the chance to play drums… 

Drums started for me back in 1976 or so… As a 14 year old… I set up cans and boxes and put on records and learned how to play the drums long before I ever climbed behind a real kit (we were poor… no money for a drum kit… so I improvised). Then one day, I finally got to climb behind a real kit and the rest is history!

Anyway… flash forward to today!

I got the opportunity to play again and it started today! The boy in me is jumping up and down and shouting from the rooftops… the almost 50 year old man in me says… wow… you are a little out of shape for this…

I played the equivalent of 3 sets today… starting around 7:00 AM (Rehearsal). The last set ended at around noon or so… each “set” lasted about 25-30 minutes.

It was a great feeling to get back behind the kit and play some great music with some great musicians and singers.

I look back at my life and I realize that I was destined to create music. God gave me some pretty awesome musical abilities and skills and I really enjoy using them. I am not the best… and I certainly cannot compete with some of today’s drummers… like the Calrods and Royster’s of the world. But I have solid clock and play pretty well. I still feel great when I play.

My almost 50 year old body will get used to it… and even if it doesn’t… the boy in me will win the war! 

Dust In the Wind…

Well… here we are… a new school year! And while I know my kids are growing up… it just does not seem to sink in until they start a new school year. I put them on the bus on the first day of school and it hits me… another year has passed!

There are moments in my life where I pause and ask myself:

• Am I doing what I was destined to do?
• Am I being the husband and father I was meant to be?
• What can I do to ensure that my marriage continues to thrive and stay healthy?
• What can I do to ensure my kids grow up healthy with strong values and strong self-esteem?

I usually end up with the song “Dust In The wind” playing in my mind!

That song was a brilliant masterpiece!

Here are the lyrics…

When I read those lyrics… and I reflect upon my life… I realize how short this life is and try to figure out why I prioritize things that should not be anywhere near the top of the important list… and the things I consider the most important… sometimes slips through the cracks.

Just some thoughts for today!

Here is John Elefante’s cover of  Dust In The Wind

Love (again)…

Let’s start this off with some quotes…

‎”Our culture has accepted two huge lies: the first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” -Rick Warren

I know some of you don’t care for Rick Warren… but there is a lot of truth in this statement… 

And another I saw from THE great Tony Simpkins -

I thought in America everyone has the freedom to believe in what you want. I think it is funny that everyone talks about tolerance and free speech, but this cuts both ways. If you really want tolerance and free speech you have to be willing to stand up for a persons right to believe in things that you would spend the rest of your life disagreeing with them. This is FREEDOM!!!! 

Oh yeah, I’ll buy what I want from whom I want!

Tony is a happily married straight man.

Now My Thoughts:

I posted a song lyric the other night… it had the line “We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing”  - Casting Crowns

The next paragraphs might sound hypocritical… so bear with me and open your mind to what I am trying to say!

I do not believe in Same Sex Marriage… I am officially opposed to Same Sex Marriage… however… people that have different values than I, can have opposing views and different lifestyles and still expect to be loved as humans and treated fairly in this country. The day we forget this is the day that this country dies… I spent 6 years defending this country… Freedom is a principle of the Constitution of the United States of America! Which I agreed to uphold! And I will continue to uphold! Because I disagree does not make it a law…  and it certainly does not give me the right to condemn and convict.

This is a polarizing topic that has made me think deeper than any other topic lately. I have been challenged in my personal beliefs and my faith.

We call ourselves Christians and we fail to exhibit the very foundation of Christ! Love… We love our neighbor but not our gay neighbor… I cannot change someone who is gay… and it is not my place to change someone who is gay. But I can love my gay neighbor. Treat them with the same amount of respect and love I would treat my straight neighbor with. (And I do! I actually have gay neighbors)

I understand what the Bible says about homosexuality. I believe the Bible. It is the foundation for my beliefs and values system. Not everyone does. And it is not against man’s law to NOT believe the Bible. I am just saying… not all cultures see things the same… and in a multicultural country… there will be disagreement. 

For once… can we look past our own hypocritical selves and see others how God sees them? He created them… knows their destiny… has a plan for their lives just like you and I. Maybe some are upset because God’s plan does not fit in their little box. Who am I to judge right from wrong? Who are you to judge right from wrong?

Just because the Bible says it is wrong does not make YOU the judge. Or the executioner for that matter… It does clearly define how you should live!

Check this out:

Mark 12:30-31

30 - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

31 - The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.

Did we conveniently forget those verses?

If you believe the Bible… guess what… There is no commandment greater than these… 

That is all… for now…

That explains a lot….

As part of a team activity at work, we took something called a FIRO-B (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_interpersonal_relations_orientation)

It was nice to see that the assessment was pretty accurate… and I, for the most part, agreed with my results. As did most of the rest of my team. It was interesting to see the personality traits of others as well as myself and realize how I might come across to others as well as why I perceive others as I do. 

For those who don’t know me personally… I am a total control freak… hate rules… hate structure… rebel against authority… unless I find value in the rules… I like organization… hate chaos… but I am pretty darn good at managing chaos… I also have very little need for inclusion in group activities and I have a moderate need for affection… I am cut and dry and if I don’t see value in it for me… I move on…

While I know this about myself… others on my team might not have made those connections about me… so their interpretation of some of my actions were confusing to them and sometimes appalling.

Of course… I had no idea… because… I am just being me… 

I do realize that I am kind of the “different one” on our team in terms of personality… I am vocal… have no filter… speak my mind instead of listening… which is bad most of the time… I work on a team where this type of personality does not fit too well… Most people there have a great way of saying something without offending or being hurtful… and while I do not intend to hurt anyone with words… my quick filter-less responses and “judgments” sometimes do damage before I can retract them.

For the past 6 months or so… I have been monitoring my personality traits and trying to make improvements in my interactions with others… and just trying not to come across as abrasive… I have a few people helping me along with this…

So far the feedback I am getting is positive and really constructive in terms of the observations that others are making about my efforts.

It was nice to hear the comments from my team today about me when my results were discussed. While I am not perfect and there are lots of opportunity areas… it was pretty positive and lets me know that the effort I am making to change my behaviors is paying off.

If you interact with me… and I come across in an odd way… or abrasive… stop me and let me know… 9 times out of 10 I am not trying to be that way… 

I have used the excuse “it’s just who I am” for a long time… and while it may be true… it is not a license… so thanks for letting me think out loud and share my journey with you. And thanks in advance for the feedback!

Personal Rant… Tolerance

I usually refrain from ranting about political things… however this is just bothering me.

It seems Chick-Fil-A has taken a stance and is being criticized/boycotted for an opinion and a statement of values. The views are totally within the rights of all American citizens and Chick-Fil-A is completely allowed to have a stance. If it bothers you, don’t buy products from them. Free market capitalism at it’s finest. The right to boycott! As a side note… I took my family to Chick-Fil-A today to have dinner. Because I have the right to do so!

It seems that the word “tolerance” is used very conveniently these days. Funny how “we” need to be tolerant of lifestyles that do not conform to our values or beliefs and not criticize different opinions or pass judgement. However, it is OK for “you” to judge “me” on my values or lifestyle. 

Really? Surely you are joking. 

Tolerance as defined by Webster…

Is it alright for “you” to criticize ”me” on something you find appalling… like my beliefs, faith, family values, etc… yet as soon as I have an opinion about your lifestyle and/or beliefs, I am a hate criminal? I think not!

Opinions in this country today are polarizing and almost “fighting words” these days. As soon as there is disagreement between the opinions, each side goes to it’s corner in the ring, the bell sounds, and each comes out fighting. It is amazing to me that mature dialogue cannot take place about a disagreement or a different stance on an issue.

Tolerance.

Don’t criticize me because of my faith, values, and beliefs. I won’t be offended when you question them. And do not be offended when I question your beliefs with an open mind. And be prepared not to win as I am prepared not to win. You are not changing my beliefs and I am not changing yours. Be open to healthy debate and accept people and the values they hold dear. 

I realize that some that have similar values/beliefs that I have will criticize me on my opinion. Because I am not pointing at someone with different values and barking scriptures at them condemning and passing judgement on them. Well… the last time I checked, I am not to condemn anyone or pass judgement on anyone. I prefer to treat others as I wish to be treated.

Quoting a scripture for ya!

1 Corinthians 13(NIV) If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 

¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 

¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

My $.02 - If you have an opinion… post it! All views welcome here…