Good

I imagine  that swallowing a golf ball would be painful, possible but painful.  For a moment you may feel like your suffocating, and in that moment you might feel like an idiot.  Namely, because your attempting to consume a golf ball.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Last week I uploaded some original music to sound cloud ( https://soundcloud.com/chris-cadogan-924905780) and was soon after overcome by a type of anxiety.  Sharing art  is an intimate process for me.  The process of writing and recording highlights my limitations.  Every note sung incorrectly reveals my imperfections and inability to master the craft I love so dearly.   Each track confirming to all who hear that I am an impostor.   Impostor Syndrome is defined as "high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud".  Is it possible to experience Impostor Syndrome on your way to achieving greatness?  

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord

Excellence is not a destination, but a journey. I consider myself a curator of fine Christian Hip Hop     ( haters might place fine Christian hip hop in the same category as gourmet fast food, however I would beg to differ). As such, I have observed the numerous theological trends that the art has inherited, as it seems to never be birthing but ever adopting. One such trend was the "excellence movement." The "excellence movement" called all Christ followers to divine accountability.  Excellence demanded that christian craftsmen and practitioners aspire to produce only that which was unquestionably beautiful, spotless, and unblemished.  I believe the "excellence movement" was born out of an anxiety that surrounds the christian response to artistic expression.  As christians we understand art as expression, evangelism and worship, yet it is also entertainment.  Art is presenter and audience.  As a member of the audience is it ok for me to tell you that "that that ***** song sounds like he bitten drake and is garbage?" The introduction of the"excellence movement" provided the Christian Hip Hop  community with an ingenious means to critic art.  "Wow bruh,  I love how your comparing evangelism to drug dealing, but is it excellent tho?"  Such rhetorical tools were and are still being used throughout the greater church community.  "Omg Kaden I love how you used 1st century crusade language to talk about God's love for all people, but do you think its excellent?"  For all the benefit that the excellence movement wrought, it has set us back in one very important way. Perfection is a process.

it is for freedom that Christ has set us free

Undergirding the "Excellence Movement is the assumption that we all can obtain a common standard of greatness if we toil and strive hard enough. Perhaps this is true. Perhaps I should stare at this blog entry for 2 more years before I publish it.  Or even better, perhaps I should I take some creative writing courses to brush up on my skills before even considering starting a blog, after all there is way too much content out there to simply produce more garbage... Or maybe it's perfectly alright to just create,  I believe it has to be.  For their are no short cuts to excellence, nor roads that allow us to forego the uneasy silence we receive from friends, family, and foes when we allow them access to the deepest expression of our souls.  It is in those moments of tension that we are beautifully confronted with out imperfection, yet hopefully inspired by our boundless potential.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good

My wife has quite the habit of forcing me to show my friends my artwork and I always have a habit of retreating to myself when this happens.  I hate the awkward space that arises from unmet expectations.  But that moment creates an opportunity for freedom. I can't listen with ears that aren't mine,  I can't read with eyes that aren't my own. Singers and Mc's give that track a listen with out fearing the critical feedback you'll likely receive, as it can't be avoided.  Writers, read your work, does it truly reflect you or have you let the opinions of the audience distort your message. Painters, umm.... Keep it up?  Whatever it is you do, do it to the best of your current ability.  Thats good.