Winter and other Thoughts

The cold air is slowly but surely making its way into the high country.
The leaves have changed and have mostly fallen.
The trout streams and rivers run cold , and the banks frost up.
Winter is coming.
Winter for me is a special time. It is thanksgiving, Christmas, hunting, beards, flannel!
In a few short weeks I will be able to go back to very special places and will see very special people.
I am a North Carolina man but memories from the great states of Virginia and South Carolina lay on my heart.
The memories, and people that go along with these places have shaped me forever.
I am ready to climb the mountain and to head back to a place where time stands still.
Where the quiet sounds of the New and of the birds fill my ears and bring me at ease.
Where the wood stoves illuminates the faces of my honorary kin.
Where my brothers and I can walk side by side to the woods.
Where a way of life is slower and people are kind.
I think the reason I live in the mountains is because they bring me at ease.
Who else can walk out of a math test and stare at the Blue ridge? (okay well a few of you but you get my point)
The mountains of this state run deep in my blood.
My grandparents were born and Raised in Asheville.
My Great Grandfathers both felt the call of these hills and either moved here or built a home here.
Whenever I am in my hometown. I scan the horizon for this land of strength.
Mountains are symbol of resilience and strength that only God can bring.
Do yourself a favor.
No matter where you live. Take a minute and marvel in the beauty.
Find beauty where others may not.
Live your life with both eyes open.
Open to your surroundings.
Open to the glory and will of the Father.

Cheers ,

McClain

Influential People

Below is a musing of people that have made an impact on me at ASU. From homeless to classmates .


His name is Thomas,
Thomas is man down on his luck. A man trodden upon by life and over looked
A man with hope in his heart but his outer shell is battered.
A man from a tough upbringing but with a sweet soul .
A man who Jesus loves.
Thomas's mother was reading about Thomas in the bible when she was in labor because she was scared to have her child. But God gave her strength.
Thomas is a man of faith but a man of the world.
At the bus stop he sat alone
An island. A stereotype.
"Why are people too afraid to speak to me?"
" I am a man just like you are".
Why do we leave the Thomas's of world in the dust ?


His name is Ben .
He is a man that is strong.
A leatherneck , A patriot .
A man that road his cheap bicycle to class two miles. While other kids slept in from drinking too much the night before.
Ben is a young soldier for his country and a new soldier for Christ.
He was sent away to war just when he was getting settled.
Here is my story that I share with Ben.
One day Ben did not come to class.
I later saw him in the quad and asked him why he wasn't there.
"I'm going to war " he said with tears in his eyes.
Me being the blubbering idiot that I am sort of mumbled an apology and kept walking.
Ashamed I sent him a simple text saying " may god be with you and I am praying for you."
Moments later he called saying we had mixed up our math books and he had to go turn his correct one in.
We arranged to meet back on the quad.
I gave him a handshake and an understanding look and said I will pray for you.
He said "okay" and took a knee.....dang
God stopped me in my tracks and I kneeled with him and together we prayed for safety and strength from God.
Ben had become a Christian the night before.

The Ben's and Thomas's of the world are abounding. We can choose to only go at face value and never truly get to know someone. But we know deep in our hearts that we should spread the great commission and message of Jesus.

God dragged me down off of my high horse and had me talk to a sad drunk and to a young scared soldier who I barely knew.

Let God work. Get out of the way ! Be an instrument for His glory.

I am in no way the influential person in these stories. I was merely a vessel used for God's love.
I pray that I continue to work for His Kingdom and to be a light at ASU.

A prayer and some pictures

Here are some pictures and a short reflection I wrote over fall retreat this past weekend in the great state of Tennessee.


Father you know my heart.
You know my weakness but you give me strength.
For I am a child in your eyes and you give me a sense of peace
So let us arise as a congregation of one for you.
Let us tear down the the veil of fear that keeps us from falling in deep love with you.
"Our preoccupation with the future is our desire to control it"
In you oh God we find a new beginning and purpose each morn.
 And how blessed we are for in you we live. Our lives travel roads you have laid out for us. "They wind through lonesome valleys , come upon brooks , discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!" God you traveled these roads as they curved up the mountain.
At last God we see your will. Your Zion in full view !


Some pictures from the weekend.

The Lake 

Watauga 

Jared and Aaron trying to stack hammocks...apparently Jared makes a great ladder

Aaron our resident monkey 

Thanks !

Hit over 3500 views this week. I want to say thanks for those that read my blog. I know that half of the views are of people I will never meet and some are probably just spam sites sending you here. Thanks all the same ! Also check out my sound cloud account to hear some of my covers.

https://soundcloud.com/mcauthen

That Cliche Freshman Blog Post

   So here I sit . In my new dorm. With my new roommate. NEW. That is the word of the day.
I sit in this room like hundreds (probably thousands) of people before waiting for life to happen. As I drove to Boone today in my car , parents (sherpas) following behind carrying all of my clothes and dorm stuff (mostly instruments) I realized "wow this is actually happening".  Life as I know it has changed. It is up to me to make it a change for the better.


As I got closer the air turned colder the hills grew steeper and that wonderful knot in my stomach got smaller. Here I start a life as a man of the mountains.  Here I stand on the cusp of a new chapter.

I've been gone for a bit

  This summer has been an interesting one. I have had little to no creative drive for music or writing at all. I sit like a little kid on the stairs waiting for the go ahead to see what santa has brought me. I sit as this little boy waiting for the music to flow into my veins. I can hear it , I know its there but its distant.

  This summer has been more of a summer of experiencing the beauty of God in our creation. Beauty where most would not see it (think flower in the sidewalk crack). Such as my drive to work bright and early at 6:30 everyday. Watching the morning traffic pass by I look at the chaos and confusion that is our world. People yelling, honking ,and talking on their smart phones and driving their overly expensive new cars. But I stand there in my dirty greasy green work shirt watching this happen with a sense of peace. Beyond their chaos lies a morning coming into its own. The sun rises up and the clouds break through the horizon to meet me each day. I look passed the traffic and on towards our creator.

  Then there is the beauty that is staring me right in the face. I spent a week of my summer up in the mountains of Montreat. It was great as it always is but many people where only in town for a night or two before I left. So I did spend sometime with my thoughts. I came to realize how much I loved and missed doing such a thing. Whether it be hammocking by the swimming hole or just driving down the "pretty road" (montreat reference).

I came to realize that our lives are so easily jumbled up with stuff. Our generation has stimulation coming from every direction. Whether its TV, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.  We are battered by self doubt secretly hoping that we get a little red box showing that someone actually took the time to look at and or like something we humbly posted on a facebook page. I of course am saying that I get distracted too. I am here to say that I can be very very distracted. I am also saying that I to can sometimes secretly wish for approval .The point is, is that God seriously doesn't care about our profile picture, or our latest tweet.

So where do we go with that? How do we live our lives? These questions go right along my search for creativity. I sit like a kid on christmas waiting for creativity when I should also be sitting and be waiting for Gods call as well. As we go into college next year, or a new job , even clocking in for that early morning shift ( I am not a morning person at all) we should look for the beauty of God in all things. We should seek solitude but also find fellowship. We should seek the love of God and not be bogged down by the approval of others.

Cheers, McClain


Now since you patiently read my musing here are some photos I done snapped over the summer

"Pretty Road"  (sort of blurry)

Dances in the Old Barn

Burnett Reservoir

I-40 

Swimming at the swimming hole 

                                  

Lake Wateree (not related but still good little weekend jaunt)

Black Mountain NC

I just want to sit here in this moment , but I know that the future is bright I just know that I want to act and not be complacent and not sit in indifference