The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living

It has recently come to my attention that my life has pretty much gotten out of control. I seem to have things together, but from my perspective, I see that a lot of the “togetherness” is the result of duct tape type fixes. It is time, with the help of God, for me to get those things back under control.

Some of the areas that are out of control include:
Finances - My plan to get out of debt seems to have stalled big time
Organization - I don’t pick up after myself, I don’t file papers, I basically have slacked off big time.
Health - I do very little physical activity and eat a combination of good and bad foods
Work  - As the end of the school year approached, my attitude became extremely complacent toward band and school
Spiritual - I no longer have a regular prayer time or Bible Study plan

I have blamed all of these things on Del Rio, even saying that Del Rio causes me to be depressed.

While I would agree that being this far away from family and many of my friends is tough, I don’t think this is the real reason. I think the ultimate underlying source of my problems is my own neglect of the spiritual disciplines in my life.

So what happens next?
Well, the first and most important change happens in my heart:

I acknowledge that I have a problem, I have neglected God. I put on a good show at church and in public, but that’s all it is; a show. I sort of make-believe life.

“Wow, Wagner! You sure have things together!“

I wish it were so, but I know better than that. I am way off target in my own little private world. So it’s time to control that. It’s time to set things right again.

But you’ve said this all before, what’s different now?
Great question. I don’t know what’s different now. I just know that it’s different. I am embracing discipline. I am coming back to that place where I look forward to denying my flesh for a greater spiritual gain. I already have this sense of freedom that is so incredibly refreshing.

You may not see external changes, but hopefully you will be able to tell a difference in my countenance.

The summer has just begun. It is a time of incredible opportunity. It starts by cleaning my house out, throwing and giving stuff away, and just enjoying life again.

Upcoming Stuff

My life has gotten extremely busy in April. Tons of things going on.

Tonight April 4th, my church is having a youth night beginning at 6pm at DRCF. I will be running sound as well as speaking for a few minutes to the teens. Admission is free.

Tomorrow April 5th, I have my first rehearsal playing trumpet with Mariachi La Diferencia. Yes, I am still white.

Immediately after that, my friend Larry has organized Street Beat Music Festival, an all day concert-a-thon. I will be playing keyboard with a few other guys from church to open up that. I will be there on and off for most of the rest of the day. Admission is free.

Sunday April 6th, some of the bands and Puppets For Christ will all be at DRCF for the Sunday morning service. I will be running the technical aspects of the show (video, sound, words for songs, being made fun of by the puppet, etc.). After that, we have a Fellowship dinner afterwards. The theme is International Food. I am brining Julio’s chips and making my world-famous salsa. Yes, I am still white.

Tuesday April 8th is 8th grade math TAKS. Woo.

Wednesday April 9th my band has our final full band rehearsal. Girls track meet happens at the same time, so it won’t really be the full band. Again.

Thursday April 10th, we go to UIL Concert & Sight Reading at CC Winn HS in Eagle Pass. My band performs the concert at 5:45pm and sight reads at 6:10. I will also be sight reading with the Symphonic band at 7:50. Come support the DRMS Bands! Come bring me dinner also!

Friday April 11th, I have Mariachi rehearsal again.

Saturday April 12th, I go to San Antonio with the SFMMS Band to compete in the Bluebonnet Classic and then go to Fiesta Texas.

There’s some other stuff going on, but that takes you through the next 10 days pretty well. My public mariachi debut will be Saturday April 26th. Mark your calendars!

Christmas Is Coming

Today is one of my favorite days of the school year. Since I took this job and began teaching sixth grade only, I have had a party after school on the last day of the semester. Today was no exception. But this year, it wasn’t just a normal party. Good heavens no. One of the parents took the initiative in planning it. I have always done pizza and drinks and a movie kind of thing. But not this time. She insisted that “there has to be music. Kids this age love music.” She also had some of the sections bring chips, dip, sweet junk food, pizza money, and drinks.

I clearly don’t know what kind of music people my age like, let alone what kind of music people less than half my age like. And none of the parents who helped plan it wanted to do the research to find out what kind of music kids like, get some, and be sure that it is audience-appropriate. But things fell into place. One of my clarinet players’ dad is one of the top DJs in town. He volunteered to bring a set up and DJ the event for free. He played cumbias and more cumbias. He played some YMCA. He told them he was going to take them back to their elementary days and played the Chicken Dance. And of course, the perennial favorite Cha Cha Slide was played in two different versions. I never had anything like this when I was in beginning band! The kids all seemed to really enjoy it.

But that’s not the reason this is my favorite day of the year. Nor is it because I don’t go to work for the next two weeks. I actually enjoy the time off, but I enjoy my job more. I am doing what God created me to do. So why do I love this day? Because I see the fruit of my labors.

When we have an awesome concert like we did on December 12th, I get to see the rewards of the work the kids and directors have put in together. When I get Christmas cards and gifts from students and parents, I get to see the reward of the personal investment I am making into the lives of each of them. That feeling alone is what makes education incomparable to any other career path.