Pain is Part of the Journey

One of my new year’s resolutions is to learn how to longboard. I have had this desire to longboard for a long time. Years have passed and I have kept putting it off.

A few weeks ago, I had a day off and went ahead and bought a longboard. It is awesome! I am really enjoying learning something that is active and new. It makes me feel grateful to be alive.

It must be noted that I am not an awesome longboarder… yet.  I have a funny story to share:

While in the skater store looking to buy a longboard I was trying out a few to see if they were the right one. The salesperson suggested one for me. I took one step on it…

Then I brought up my second foot…

…and the board shot out from under me.

I flew into the air…

…into a rack of clothes.

My pride and my elbow injured.

This small injury made me think of the first gigs I played at coffee shops. I was nervous about those gigs. I was not exactly comfortable with the guitar, with my voice, with my songs and everything else that it takes to have a successful gig. I wanted to play music so bad that I was totally content with failure and mistakes. I had much to learn and I could not let fear hold me back.

This reminds me of my experience with snowboarding. I really enjoy snowboarding but I am not good. The first time out snowboarding I had some major falls. I think I might of even had some concussions, but I don’t remember. The point is: I wanted to snowboard so bad, that even though I knew pain from many falls was coming, I went forward with it. I was resolved to take on the pain in order to grow in skill.

I am NOT sadistic. I don’t enjoy failure or pain. I tell these stories because I feel there is a great lesson in this: Don’t let pain and suffering hold you back from pursuing your dreams and goals.

No one is perfect at the first gig. No one makes it down the mountain the first time without a fall. I did not even make it out of the skateboard store without a fall, but now I am enjoying my recreation time on the longboard.

Pain is part of the Journey.

Let It Go

This week I have found myself in an unpleasant situation. Work is busy, my stress level is high, and the result is daily migraines. I’ve had migraines since I was in second grade. I’ve gotten so many migraines from stress over the years. With all humility, nowadays I think I can handle them pretty well. Not all of them, but most.

This post is not about migraines but about dealing with stress. Stress steals my peace, my joy, my patience and replaces all these well-balanced virtues with vices. I am tired of stress winning these mental battle.

After trying everything else to deal with my stress, including checking out, working out, and shopping… I turn to prayer.

This week I started praying: “God, help me with my work.” To which He replied with silence. The week kept going, more work was added to my load, and more stress came with it. I again went to prayer and asked, “God, help me!”

More silence.

Finally by the end of the week my stress level is in all out freak out mode. The image that comes to my mind is this: I am struggling to roll a boulder up a hill! I keep asking God to help me with this difficult task but I don’t hear His voice or feel any consolation.

So I continue on with my struggle… Until there is a break through of Grace and Peace.

I finally heard the Voice say, “Let it go.”  I replied, “I don’t want to let it go. I want your help to move this boulder up this hill!”

The Voice spoke again, “David, I want you to let it go and trust Me. I want you to let all of this stress go.”

Its hard to argue with the Voice. He speaks Truth.

I let it go.

Year in Review

At the end of 2010 I set many goals for myself for 2011. These goals included traveling, playing music, making new friends, and going farther than before.

Many goals were not accomplished.

I only sold about 400 copies of my last album. This was just enough money to break even in the cost of making the album. I am not any richer.

I did not win a Grammy or the praise of any record executives or music critics. I am definitely not creating any waves or causing any buzz in the indie/folk/spiritual music genre. I am not any more famous.

I did not go to all of the places on my dream travel list. I wanted to play over 60 gigs this year but fell short of this goal.

What did I do? I went on another summer tour with my best friend. I recorded and released another album, Fighting Fear. I played 55 concerts and made many new friends. Just these three things would have made this year beautiful for me but so much more beauty came into my life.

My name, David Paul Thies, means Beloved LITTLE Gift of God. It was another little year in terms of taking my music career farther but it was not a little year in terms of adventure and beauty.

I am not rich. I am not famous. I am blessed. I am so blessed and so grateful to be a little artist. I get to write, record, and perform music for a few people each year. I have already lived the life of my dreams. That is enough for me.

What is Christmas all About?

“Isn’t there anyone that knows what Christmas is all about?”

Its not complicated. We make it complicated. Its not stressful. We make it stressful. Its not expensive. We make it expensive.

Christmas is a simple story. Christmas is a beautiful story. Christmas is a story of Hope.

I need the eyes and heart of a child to see this.

Desire into Action

Tomorrow I am heading out of town to record another album in Corpus Christi, TX. Last time I was there I recorded Fighting Fear in three days and it was a really joyful experience. I have some new songs based on a theme of Hope that I can’t wait to share.

Though I really want to record I do not want make the effort to go and do it. It is not the best time to go down to Corpus Christi to record. First off, its about a 4 hour drive each way from Houston to Corpus Christi. Second, this has been a really busy week and there is much to do this weekend. The past few months I have gone back and forth debating whether to make the trip or not.

I finally was pushed into booking the recording studio time by a quote from Paulo Coelho, author of the modern masterpiece The Alchemist. Right now, I am reading another one of his books that I find to be truly beautiful called The Fifth Mountain. In this novel the story follows the Old Testament prophet Elijah and his struggles with doing the will of God. In the story Elijah reflects, “Life is made not of desires but of the acts of each person.”

It is not enough for me to desire to play music and write songs, I must also sacrifice, lose sleep, and miss out on family dinners. I must be willing to sleep away from the comfort of my own bed and spend 8 hours alone in a car. Desire is the spark I need to pursue my dreams of creating music, but desire must move into action.

No one remembers a person that desired to do great things. You never will hear someone say, “Oh Tom, such a great guy. He really wanted to help the poor. He never did. But he always desired to help.” Either your desire moves you into action or your desires fades away.

Listen to your heart. Follow your desires. Move into action.

I am going to Corpus Christi. May God bless this desire and this action.

Movie Making

In 2002, my senior year of high school, I took the class Video Technology. It was taught by a young man that had a passion for film and art. It was such an eye opening experience. The class was filled with Mac computers which made our silly dreams come to life.

I made a short film set to music called Ralph. There is no deep message to the story of Ralph. I hope you enjoy.

This video was sitting in my closet for almost 10 years. It was originally a VHS and I had no knowledge or way of converting it so I could upload it to the web. A friend of mine owns a company that  takes old forms of media (film, tape, slides, etc.) and converts them to DVDs. I highly recommend his company, Rewind Memories, if you want to convert any of your old tapes. Converting and updating is also a great gift idea for a family member this Christmas.

Saint Cecilia, My Friend on the Journey

Today, November 22nd, is the Feast of St. Cecilia, the patroness of music. She is the patroness of music because it is said that she heard heavenly music in her heart during her marriage ceremony. She was martyred around the year 230.

I call her my friend on the Journey because over ten years ago I asked that she be my patroness during my journey with music. I ask for her prayers when I am writing songs, recording albums, and playing live shows. This spiritual friendship started when I was 18 years old and leaving the comfort of my family to pursue music in New Orleans.

Life’s Journey is full of surprises and beautiful mysteries. I feel so blessed to have recorded 8 albums, wrote a countless number of songs, and travelled across the country sharing the gift of music. I am now 28 and I am back in Houston where I work  as a youth minister at a church named after my friend Saint Cecilia. My simple prayer when I started to fall in love with music was, “Saint Cecilia, please pray for me and my music.” Though my music has grown much since I started out, my simple prayer has not.

I truly believe Saint Cecilia prays for me and my safety. I encourage everyone to also find a spiritual friend for their Journey.

Here is a song I wrote a few years ago called Cecilia’s House:

St. Cecilia, Pray for us musicians!

Modern Day Knight

One of my favorite books is John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart.  In all honesty I love everything John Eldredge writes. Last night I was rereading a part of Wild at Heart and some deep things pierced my own heart.

In speaking of his own relationship with his wife Eldredge writes, “A hesitant man is the last thing in the world a woman needs. She needs a lover and a warrior, not a Really Nice Guy.” He goes on and writes, “I wanted to be the knight but I did not want to bleed like one.” This quote lead me to think of knights from days past.

In the time of kings, lords, heavy armor and men in battle on horseback a man that possessed the skills to fight from a horse, owned armor/weapons was extremely dangerous. This man must be a man of virtue or else he might use his strength and power for a selfish cause like plundering.

To prevent this from happening the knights of old developed the Code of Chivalry so that all men trained in the way of being a knight would also have moral formation. Here are some of the values of a man that honors the code of chivalry:

• Live to serve King and Country.
• Live one’s life so that it is worthy of respect and honor.
• Live for freedom, justice and all that is good.
• Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack.
• Never attack from behind.
• Avoid lying to your fellow man.
• Avoid cheating.
• Avoid torture.
• Administer justice.
• Protect the innocent.
• Exhibit self control.
• Respect women.
• Exhibit Courage in word and deed.
• Defend the weak and innocent.
• Destroy evil in all of its monstrous forms.
• Fight with honor.
• Avenge the wronged.
• Never abandon a friend, ally, or noble cause.
• Die with valor.
• Avoid deception.
• Be respectful of host, women, and honor.
• Loyalty to one’s friends and those who lay their trust in thee.

I love the line that says that a knight must exhibit self-control. I believe that all virtue flows from having self-control.

I still believe all of these virtues to be very practical for a man of any time and age. This world needs some modern day knights. This world needs men that defend the innocent, honor women, and speak honestly. This world needs protectors not predators.

It is not always easy to to be the knight. Eldredge’s words are worth repeating: “I wanted to be the knight but I did not want to bleed like one.” It is difficult to be man of virtue among so much vice and injustice. People will cut you down. I am not going to suggest the code of chivalry is an easy path. The life of a knight is a life of service and sacrifice but what an honor it is to be one.

Be Still

I do not play many cover songs. As a songwriter I desire to share the songs that I write. There is one song (or hymn) that I have played for myself and others for years that I graciously admit is not my own. The hymn Be Still, My Soul was written in the 18th century but like all great songs speaks timeless truths.

I think I like to play this song so much because I need to keep hearing the timeless truth that “The Lord is on my side.”  This song is a reminder that I am not facing my troubles alone. Even if all my friends should leave me and all looks dark, “The Lord is on my side.”

The original version sounds like a traditional hymn. It has more verses and different wording/phrasing.

I’ve recorded this song before but felt it needed to be redone. This is the first song to have been recorded in my closet studio. This time around I have left the song bare so that the words may be the focus of the listener’s attention.  Here is my version of Be Still, My Soul:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10

A Closet Full of Music

Ryan Adams, Switchfoot, NEEDTOBREATHE, Coldplay, and Sara Groves are some of my favorite artists that have all released albums this past month. Is there a season to release music just like the summer is the season to release to big movies? I think I remember hearing something like that when I was in school for music business.

I have never followed that motto. I write songs and want to release them as soon as possible. Forget the marketing, the packaging, and perfect timing. I want the songs I write to get out of my head and into the hearts of others.

That being said, I am living in a new place these days. I think I like my new place of residence so much because it comes with a big recording studio OR as other people might see it, a closet. To me, this is not just a closet. This is a place I can sit in silence and transform the silence into music and beauty.

I wonder what songs will come out of here. I already have a few new songs that I will be sharing soon.

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