Notes From The City: An Abundant Life

Sunday, August 21, 2016

An Abundant Life - Music All Around

The weather has been very hot for many days, and I needed to go food shopping for a few things that are perishable, so one evening I set out, hoping that the slightly cooler temperatures of the evening would keep me and my purchases fresh enough until I got home again. Weather like this makes me feel a little delirious - I don't have air conditioning, so I feel like I'm moving through water the whole time - not cool refreshing water, but that heavy hot and tired feeling that the high temperatures and humidity of the dog days can bring when everything we do seems exhausting. The route I took to the supermarket I needed to go to took me to an area where there is a light rail station, and as I entered the place where there is an elevator that commuters and walkers like me can use to go from one area to the next, I saw one of my favorite musicians braving the heat to give us an evening concert. I'd seen Jeremy Freire in that place before, and though I'd always smiled as I walked by I never had taken the time to introduce myself so that night I did. He's always such a great presence, and I wanted to find out more about him because it's rare these days to see someone performing with such dedication and originality for passers by. His band is No Damnation, and as he says, that kind of says it all in what they are trying to do and share with the world. I like that message - it reminds me of one of my favorite scripture passages - "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1) It's a message I love and one that I love to share, and however and wherever I hear it, it has a way of lifting me up and out of the every day. As I continued on my way I felt uplifted, and was able to enjoy the evening's warmth and moments of beauty with a lighter head and heart.

Jeremy Freire

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