My New Fave Musician Lives Uncaged (and a VERY cool giveaway)

Jan 10, 2012Heal from the past

I’m starting a series here at Live Uncaged where I ask very cool people five questions about living uncaged. Our inaugural interview is with Sean Carter, a local musician and worship leader. You can follow his tweets here. I have had the privilege of listening to his upcoming release, The Telling, and LET ME SAY THIS: You have to buy this album when it releases. You do. Period.

But before we get to the interview, I’m giving away a Live Uncaged awesome necklace from Barberry and Lace. Here’s a picture.

To be entered, read this interview with Sean, then answer the question at the end of the post. If you tweet about the post, comment again for another entry. If you facebook, comment again for a third try. Thanks! Now to the interview:What would it look like for you to live uncaged in 2012?

One of C.S. Lewis’s characters in “The Great Divorce” spoke to an artist of what happens upon drinking of a fountain in heaven, “When you have drunk of it you forget all proprietorship in your own works. You enjoy them just as if they were someone else’s: without pride and without modesty.’

As a singer, songwriter, and worship leader in the local Church living uncaged would take on this form, living as if my life were “someone else’s” or “not my own”. I would take compliments, without feeding the hunger, of the prideful sinful, beast I call the “Approval Junkie”. I would respond to kind words in a healthy manner, without, discrediting ones kindness with an explanation of why they are wrong in an overmodest fashion. And, I would receive any criticism without making it a part of how I define the value of my self, or my art.

To live UnCaged would mean I would see myself through the lenses of Christ. Past mistakes, painful words, and all the wrong notes, would be overshadowed by knowing Jesus. The work of my hands, and the song on my lips, would be viewed without pride, and without modesty, knowing that they are The Lords work done in and through me.

 What has prevented you from living a truly free and unencumbered life in the past?

I have a reoccurring relationship with “fear of failure”. It drives me crazy, it causes me to overwork myself, rethink creative decisions, and keep a lot of things locked up. I think this comes from making comparisons between others and myself. I tend to make comparisons to other people’s way of song writing, musical production, achievements, methodology, or calling. The thing I try to remind myself of, is that in using someone else’s successes to create my definition of “failure” it keeps me from asking God what it is He wants me to do, and what work he is calling me too. Keep the conversation with God going, keep talking with Him and asking for His guidance. It is a far better relationship to foster.

Give my readers advice. What’s one practical thing they can do this year to live uncaged? (This can be silly like dancing in the rain or serious like eat more chocolate.)

Speaking as a creative. I suggest taking time to create, just to create. I tend to attach everything I do to some specific goal, or with some specific outcome in mind. But it can be really helpful to do something without any intention or goal, other than enjoying what happens. I recently bought watercolors and paper, having never painted I just wanted to do something different than normal; I threw color down at random, and had fun with it. If you are not a creative, find an activity to do free from any “goal” or “mark” take a walk, for the sake of enjoying walking. Take a drive without any destination in mind, just to enjoy the scenery.

Who in your life is an excellent example of living uncaged? Why?

My 8 year old daughter Vail is such an inspiration to me. She hasn’t made it to the place yet (I hope she never does) where she is aware of what is ‘normal’ by other peoples standards. If she wants to wear a huge Cinderella dress to go to the grocery store that’s what she does, and if you refer to her in her real name she will correct anyone by saying “My name is Cinderella”. If she wants to walk around in mid July singing Christmas carols that’s what she does. And she does at the top of her lungs!! I wish I had her carefree, childlike heart.

If you could design a Live Uncaged sweatshirt, what would it look like?

If I could design a live uncaged sweatshirt, I think I would let my daughter loose with some paint and tell her to go after it! But, one thing, for sure, it wouldn’t be a sweatshirt at all it would be a ¾ length sleeved 3 button Henley tee-shirt!

Thanks, Sean, for your insightful interview.

Now to those of you who would like to win the Live Uncaged necklace, answer this question:

What is your creative outlet?

If you’d like to be entered twice more, tweet about this post (then post another comment), and/or Facebook about this post (then post another comment). This increases your chances. I’ll pick a winner Friday morning.

 

 

 

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