Take The Time

Take the Time

Just let me catch my breath
I've heard the promises
I've seen the mistakes
I've had my fair share of tough breaks
I need a new voice, a new law, a new way
Take the time, reevaluate
It's time to pick up the pieces
Go back to square one
I think it's time for a change

There is something that I feel
To be something that is real
I feel the heat within my mind
And craft new changes with my eyes
Giving freely wandering promises
A place with decisions I'll fashion
I won't waste another breath

Chorus
You can feel the waves coming on
(It's time to take the time)
Let them destroy you or carry you on
(It's time to take the time)
You're fighting the weight of the world
But no one can save you this time
Close your eyes
You can find all you need in your mind

The unbroken spirit
Obscured and disquiet
Finds clearness this trial demands
And at the end of this day sighs an anxious relief
For the fortune lies still in his hands

If there's a pensive fear, a wasted year
A man must learn to cope
If his obsession's real
Suppression that he feels must turn to hope

Life is no more assuring than love
(It's time to take the time)
There are no answers from voices above
(It's time to take the time)
You’re fighting the weight of the world
And no one can save you this time
Close your eyes
You can find all you need in your mind

I close my eyes
And feel the water rise around me
Drown the beat of time
Let my senses fall away
I can see much clearer now I'm blind

Find all you need in your mind
If you take the time

[instrumental part]

Chorus

Find all you need in your mind
If you take the time
(fade)

Hello!!! It has been a very long time. Too long I might dare say. I was just taking the advice of our next song ;)! Just kidding. I don’t know I got busy. I tried writing a blog once or twice and just wasn’t feeling it. But I enjoy writing and I really missed writing so I am going to start up again. You probably are wondering how I am still going to get through all the Dream Theater songs by mid-December. Well, I am not. I am going to get rid of the deadline and we will finish when we finish. Oh yeah.

So the song for today is “Take the Time” which is a very upbeat jam session. It is funky and psychedelic and magical at the same time. It has some amazing lyrics. It was written by Mike Portnoy, Kevin Moore, John Myung, and John Petrucci about their struggles between 89-92 with finding a singer and such. They felt hopeless at times and were not sure if they could make a living doing what they loved. But they “took the time” and everything worked out in the end. Yes it did. This song is a classic prog rock song. It is wacky, technical, and amazing!

So lots have happened over the month I have not updated. I went to Galilee for a week, I went to a Synagogue, have learned tons in class, and seen lots of Israel. It has been a good month. I still love Israel but I do miss home. Also, some sweet albums have come out lately. The Prog super group Transatlantic (with Mike Portnoy on drums) came out with a phenomenal album called The Whirlwind with the title track being longer than 70 minutes of Classic Prog magic! The style of Transatlantic is very reminiscent of the vocalist of the group, Neal Morse. So if you enjoy, Neal Morse check it out. Even if you don’t like, Neal Morse, but like good music check it out! You won’t be disappointed (And if you are, you are wrong and have bad taste in music J) Also, Between the Buried and Me released a new CD, The Great Misdirect. I am very impressed with the instrumentals of BTBAM. They do some very experimental and cool stuff. They are very prog and you can definitely hear the DT influence on their music. My main complaint of this album and all their music is the screaming. I just am not a big fan of screaming especially of their hardcore-esque screaming. I would rather them just sing. But, hey plenty of people like screaming, so it is all good.

So, this song has plenty of sweet lyrics, but I want to focus on one small section.

If there's a pensive fear, a wasted year
A man must learn to cope
If his obsession's real
Suppression that he feels must turn to hope

Many people do not do what they love. They do not follow their dreams and live a life of regret. They have a dream and passion that stirs them every now and then, but they repress it realizing it is unrealistic and thinking dreams don’t come true. They just live a mundane life and don’t pursue what they love. They hate what they do. They think God does not want them to enjoy life and that he definitely does not use their passions and dreams for His glory. This is not the life God wants us to have. Though, it is very true that some people’s dreams will never come true and God will have use some people passions and dreams more than other, I believe God will always allow us to do something we love and use it for His purposes. Also, I believe God is sovereign and we must remember that God sovereignly made everyone the way they are for a reason. God gave me compassion for the outcast for a reason. God gave me a love for knowledge and theology for a reason. God gave me love for prog rock for a reason. God gave me a desire to read the Bible in its original languages for a reason. God gave you desires and dreams for a reason. He has a plan for you that will most likely coincide with your desires. He does not give us desires and then force us to give up everything we love and pursue things we hate (though God does call for us to sacrifice at time). He uses us in ways that are most effective for His plans and people pursuing things they love and doing things they enjoy are so much more effective than people that do things they hate!

Pursue your obsession. God gave it to you. The odds may seem stacked against you. Everyone is saying you won’t succeed. Yes you will. Though, it may look dim. There is hope. Take the Time. Pursue what you love. And above all pursue the source of all good things—the only One who is truly good—Jesus Christ.

I am scared of the future and I don’t know what God has in store for me and how he is going to use my different desires for His glory. But, He will. Life is meant to be enjoyed. I will pursue what I love and take chances in life even if the odds are stacked against me. Take that!