Busy Busy Busy

Have you read this?

I agree with it so much.

I have been on summer vacation for just over a month now, and I have almost a month left. This is the first time in a long time that I have had no job, no homework, no internship, no nothin'. And there are days where I super dig that -- I woke up at 11:00 this morning because I was awake very late on the phone and then reading. And it's not a problem, because I didn't have anywhere to be this morning. I'm supposed to be playing in a softball game this afternoon with my friends, but we might not find anywhere we can play, so maybe we'll just throw a frisbee at the beach instead or something.

Other days, like yesterday, I get out of bed and try to think of something to do. I sat outside in the sun and read for a while. I ate lunch. I read some more. I worked out. I took a shower at like 6pm and went to dinner with my parents. It was a pretty slow day. I would have preferred to have had something to do, just because I've had so many days of nothing. But, in the end, yesterday was a good day.

The only reason I could possibly feel like yesterday was not a good day is because this last month has been a sort of detox off of nearly five years of non-stop busy. Between all that I was doing (class and extra-curricular) my last two years of college (and the summers in between) and then with seminary and CPE and never-ending reading, it's no wonder that I don't know what to do with days on end of blank calendar squares. I feel like I need to have responsibilities, need to have things to do, because that is what everyone else is pretending to value and need and expect of each other. There is a degree to which I enjoy having things on the calendar, but it's also nice to get a phone call and say, "be right there!" instead of, "maybe next time." That's something I could really get used to.

On this, our day of Independence

This is my song, O God of all the nations, 
a song of peace for lands afar and mine; 
this is my home, the country where my heart is; 
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine: 
but other hearts in other lands are beating 
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine. 

 My country's skies are bluer than the ocean, 
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine; 
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover, 
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine: 
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations, 
a song of peace for their land and for mine. 

 This is my song, O God of all the nations, 
 a prayer that peace transcends in every place; 
and yet I pray for my beloved country -- 
the reassurance of continued grace: 
Lord, help us find our one-ness in the Savior, 
in spite of differences of age and race. 

 May truth and freedom come to every nation; 
may peace abound where strife has raged so long;
that each may seek to love and build together, 
a world united, righting every wrong; 
a world united in its love for freedom, 
proclaiming peace together in one song. 

 [A Song of Peace, Lloyd Stone and Georgia Harkness]

Someone to Fall Back On

This is my brother singing. It is a beautiful song and he is beautiful and probably will be like "ugh case why did you blog that" but I DO NOT CARE! :)

Alex Kloehn singing "Someone to Fall Back On," Jason Robert Brown

It's for some sort of contest? I don't really know. He comes to visit tomorrow (wheee) so I'll find out what the haps are. And we will sing. And it will be my birthday!

I’ll never be a knight in armor with a sword in hand,
Or a kamikaze fighter;
Don’t count on me to storm the barricades and take a stand,
Or hold my ground;
You’ll never see any scars or wounds --I don’t walk on coals, I won’t walk on water:

I am no prince, I am no saint, I am not anyone’s wildest dream. 

But I can stand behind and be someone to fall back on.


Some comedy -- you’re bruised and beaten down
And I’m the one who’s looking for a favor.
Still, honestly, you don’t believe me, but the things I have are the things you need.
You look at me like I don’t make sense, like a waste of time, like it serves no purpose.

I am no prince, I am no saint,
And if that’s what you believe you need, you’re wrong -- 

you don't need much -- you need someone to fall back on...

And I’ll be that: I’ll take your side.
If I’m the only one, I’m used to that.
I’ve been alone, I’d rather be the half of us, the least of you, the best of me.
And I'll be your prince, I’ll be your saint,
I will go crashing through fences in your name. 

I will -- I swear! I'll be the one to fall back on.
I’ll be the one who waits, and, for as long as you’ll let me, I will be the one you need.
I’ll be someone to fall back on:
Your prince, your saint, the one you believe you need.
I’ll be -- I’ll be someone to fall back on.