Discernment in the OR

This past year I've been a member of Hair Club. Yes... Like the one on late night infomercials. I actually worked, when I was actually using it. It was a fun experience but the fact of the matter is that I've been losing my hair since I've been 16yrs old and I'll probably be bald by the time I am 30, if not sooner. Well at the end of your term at Hair Club, they encourage you to take the next step, which is a hair transplant; we know this has hair plugs.

I have never been concerned with my hair line, but only when I get hit on by 30 and 35 year old women at bars and other places. Honestly my mom was the one to initiate this whole process, and when it came down to getting a hair transplant or not she was the one who wanted me to do it. Well because I have a bad habit of taking everything lightly, I knowledgeably said, "ok".

In a matter of weeks I found myself sitting in the waiting room on Tuesday. It never dawned on me that this would be a legitimate operation, surgery. Even so I really was not worried about it, I would be given enough sedatives to knock-out a horse, which sounded like a good time to me. But as we were moved into the OR to be informed about post procedure "do's-and-don'ts" something came over me. This something could only be "The Holy Ghost", and I automatically knew that this was not what I needed to do. This wasn't something I needed to do to appease family, or anyone. As the nurse kept going on about what to do and what not to do, I could only remember Psalm 139. "¹³For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." To say the least, this was like a bullhorn from God saying, "GET OUT OF THERE". So I did the only natural and appropriate thing to do in a situation like that. I turned to my mother and told her, "I'm not going to do this, nor do I want to." At that time we turned to the nurses and the doctor and said we've changed our minds and we'll be leaving now.

The topic in this isn't that I bailed on a procedure in mere seconds of starting it, but the fact of knowing when you hear an answer from God or not. Please don't think this is about how I can recognize discernment and how I'm amazing at it; cause I'm not, I'd like to say I'm the worst. I'd like to take a minute and just say how important it is to be able to distinguish true discernment. Far to many times these days I see Christ-followers, making decisions to go out and do something not because that God has released them to do something, but just because they want to. They want to do something because either it's the popular, trendy thing to do in our Christian circles or because it's fun. In case you didn't know, Christ wasn't a trendy person, he rarely did the popular thing. The obedience that Christ portrays during the Gospels is one that should be, and is unattractive to most people. Personally I would much rather sit on my couch all day, watch tv, and never leave the house. But unfortuanatley that is not always what Christ wants from us. It does not mean that everyone needs to go and do all of these radical things for God. It means that we all need to be attentive to what God's will for our life is, and be obedient to it. It takes baby steps, and patience. It's crucial that you don't become complacent in your walks, but it also means not to grow numb to the calls and answers you do receive from God.

So that pretty much wraps that one up folks. Thanks for reading and remember to check out Jon Dean on facebook, and JonDeanMusic.com for more info on my upcoming album.

Movement Behind 20,000

Recently I attended my Aunt and Uncle's 50th Wedding Anniversary. What an enormous milestone, in their lives and marriage. They held a ceremony in an historical hotel in New Braunfels, where they renewed their covenant, and shared vows in the form of speeches before dinner. They've always been a huge inspiration in my life, my Uncle being a retired college professor, and pastor, my aunt being a school teacher, and together gifted musicians. During their given speeches they both shared simplicity in their words, but elegance in their meaning. When I arrived home I practically immediately called a friend, and begun working on a song. Not solely to reflect, interpret, or share the inspiration in a musical sense, but also to honor them. When the day was done Ellen and I stepped away with a song that we call 20,000. I wanted to share the lyrics with all of you, and explain some points of the song. This song will also be on my upcoming project "Creatures" which will be coming out at the summer.

20,000

20,000 days for better for worse
- 2o,077 days was the amount of days they had been together at their 50th anniversary
perseverance, patience, has conquered all

through the valleys, through the mountains, forests and fields

your beauty and grace have never missed a note
- My Aunt looks as if she has never aged, she is timeless in every sense of the word

oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh


20,000 days I have spent with you

my heart and my home one in same
- As it should be . . .
all of my love, never give up for every day is new

your wisdom and strength have never missed a note
- These are characteristics of any great husband, leader, or hero.

oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh


I love you today more than yesterday
I love you today less than tomorrow
- These are lines out of his speech to his wife, in meaning the longer they are together, the more he loves her.

oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh


I'm excited to share the finished product to you in the following months. Until then continue to stay posted!