for the naked.

merry christmas, from me to you,blessings and christ’s...

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:10:31 +1100

merry christmas, from me to you,
blessings and christ’s love,

rhys.

lets go dancing.

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:48:39 +1100

lets go dancing.

love is in the doing.

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:42:03 +1000

love is in the doing.

Video

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:02:42 +1000

worship.

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:17:00 +1000

so,

i’ve been thinking more and more lately about the idea of writing worship, and how that might look as an expression of my relationship with god,

it’s honestly a little bit daunting, as i can barely structure my own prayer in a way that i feel is honoring,
and i often find myself lost in the mass of thought that comes along with the amount of awe that i need to express to god, and the expanse of my soul that is burdened, not only by my own misdoings, but by the wonder that is christ, and just how infrequently i consider that,

i become lost in how to express everything in words, and the thought of “what if i didn’t cover something”,
never before until recently have i really considered and grasped the idea that, even if i completely devoted my life to prayer, daily, and consistently, i would never be able to express my thankfulness for the glory, power, majesty, compassion and love of god, and i would certainly never be able to word it in just the right way,

so i guess when you try and marry the idea of worship, with the idea of lyricism, songwriting, and the harmony of melody and word, it becomes a big task to express worship in song,

but i think it can also be quite simple,
because just as much recently, as i end up stopping in the middle of doing pretty much anything, because i recall something i need to give over to god in my day, i think when we approach the idea of writing a song to attempt to express our gratitude to and please the everlasting lover and creator of this world, we should be thinking in much the same way,

approaching it daily, being still before the lord, and continuing to express those thoughts, those unnecessary anxieties and concerns, laying them at the foot of the cross and finding our hearts and minds renewed in the love and incomparable peace of the lord.

something that has really played on my heart in the past week is the idea of the love of god, that we enter into a spirit of sonship with the lord, and by christ we call the lord our god, creator - father.
how beautiful a father, how humble, that he would love us, as his children, dearly loved as his own son, Jesus, whom he sacrificed on our behalf? how wonderful are you god!

so while the idea of devoting my entire life to prayer and service, continuously trying to get everything out and constantly considering the love and majesty of god, and how i could ever get it all out in my short time here, may have once been daunting,

i am now beginning to see, how there really is no better way to spend my life, than to attempt to live in thanksgiving to christ, embracing that love and grace, giving thanks with my life and attempting to express that in the words that i speak, both to others and the lord.

i will continue to consider how to approach worship, and the way to express my thoughts for the lord,

just as much am i daily changed by the renewing of my mind, spirit and heart by the lord and his word.
we serve an amazing god, and i am daily thankful for the way in which he is sovereign, completely beautiful, and eternally loving. we have a good god.

Philippians 4:4-9, NIV,

”⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

"10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were..."

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:56:03 +1000

“10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

- Philippians 4:10-13. NIV.

for, girl.

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +1100

for, girl.

lions

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 01:33:56 +1100

and all the while,

i lay in the savanna,

and sleep with the lions, and their pride,

i lay my own aside,

to dream in that long grass

my new bible, as transcribed by alexander burnett.

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 01:24:00 +1100

my new bible, as transcribed by alexander burnett.

by Amber McCartney

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:24:00 +1100

by Amber McCartney

ideas.

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:13:00 +1100

it’s all just circumstancial,
the ways in which we weave the patchwork to loft our beds,
while we writhe beneath it,
the sun makes its motions about our windows,

and we are awake

Rhys Stamnas & Band | Courting Song I had the pleasure of...

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:23:00 +1000

Rhys Stamnas & Band | Courting Song

I had the pleasure of playing with a band for the first big show the other week in Wollongong at The Illawarra Outreach 2010. The show was alot of fun, the energy was there… i was stressed out of my mind from organising the show that day, and we didnt get to soundcheck, but here is a performance from that set, which i feel you might like to hear,

I enjoyed playing this song, and the way it has now emerged to be such a soul driven, gritty tune. The song is originally about the aftermath of a relationship.. both sides of the coin, trying to let go, yet still vying for higher ground.

I feel like in the relationships i have had, there is always a struggle, but there is always a moment of role reversal.. and in the context of the song, it talks about sort of roles that we play, being in the dominant seat.. and then the flip, where there are these actors, such as the jester and the queen, have this shift of power, and this strong irony… because we all go through different stages of regretting the way we handle things, and the way we treat other people sometimes in the heat of a fleeting moment, and we feel like, we are on the run, but as each side feels this strong sense of loss, or just of compassion, things can change and develop in ways we never saw fit.

In my life, this song is about seeing the good in somebody.. even through all of the turmoil, seeing the warmth you found in their soul, and wanting for them to hold on to, as much as you do.

Enjoy,
x

(you can find more on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rhys-Stamnas/85219868243?ref=ts)

you are the summer

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:15:36 +1000

i walk with the clouds,
from time to time,
moving between strengths,
never falling with the evening shower

and i see the world through the waning morning,
as filled with a fog, like contempt,
but still, as i lay peacefully between the tempest and the calm,
great breaths move my hands to tempt,
sounds of my chest, in exaltation

so when i come to your home,
i will let you know in my own way,
shaking the foundations of this earth from above,
with the sounds i have heard down this age old stream,
in the valley,
from the treetops,
on every doorstep, sounds of my anticipation

i will follow you in steps you take against the sidewalk,
for you are a question i have yet to unravel,
a gift that i addressed,
returned in good time,
for i have yet to see just what the sunshine holds,
in the morning of your emotion

in the light i spread across the canopy of this world,
when my dreams are alive with the colours of your greeting,
you are alive in my thoughts,
with every tree, every part of this world that i can reach,
my arms outstretched, you will find me in the trails of light,

scattered,
skipping across your open windows,
as you wake,
and i smile

heart

Fri, 07 May 2010 10:47:00 +1000

be pure of heart,
be sound in mind,
you stumble with grace,
you take long to find,

you are a reason,
you are without purpose,
you grow as you do swiftly,
take careful steps atop the surface,

quietly.

no ground to gain,
no ear to tame,
no love to spread,
you gambled it all, sowed all of your shame

and these sore and beaten hands and feet,
show nothing but a sound defeat,
you took all of your clothes,
the sand beneath your bedroom floor,
cast it into the raft, with no oars,
and set off to find yourself, wild and free,

do you remember what is it that you’ve been looking for?
can you recall just how to phrase,
what it is that you adore?

this is a journey of the heart,
but first,
you need to follow your own to find the beat

the tick,

the love,

rust & gold painted on an old tree

vinyl effect

Thu, 06 May 2010 00:41:21 +1000

you gave me leather bands,
to tie emotions to the memory of this,
binding them with patience and my bare hands,
you wore a corageous smile,
for a fond heart,

and these tones decieve me,
for i cannot cherish, those melodies i do not comprehend,
they do not greet me,
as we stand alone on a field bought for,
in the valley of a soul i still seek

just as brothers once of the same skin,
but that voice is old and frail,
and cannot speak sweet like silk against,
the fond remission of these tranquil grounds,

please show me you can walk the mountain,
and i will take the trail you mark out,
stand on that hill,
and cry aloud

we.

oh.. how i have dreamt of you.

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:25:07 +1000

oh.. how i have dreamt of you.

note to self: - rewatch The OC, Season 1

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:24:53 +1000

note to self:

- rewatch The OC, Season 1

"Hey There Sugar, You Surprise My Soul"

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:22:15 +1000

“Hey There Sugar,
You Surprise My Soul”

- You Are The Night, And The Day

globe lane

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:45:00 +1000

oh how strange and callous,
these minds react and disassemble,
themselves to reinvent,
the love we once shared was really nothing more,
than the perfect place to sit,
to rest,
to breathe

just as i now lay,
days gone past filled with musings,
cold nights dodging the stars, the snow,
and all along,
you were seated atop a high stool,
passing the time by breathing,
passing the slight of hand in my bed

empty threats, and shallow sounds,
just in time, sustain my soul,
alive on the floorboards,
to find the spark of hope we need,
i would gladly take this countryside alone,
and know,
that gleaming giant to be just as bright,
burning a white hot memory,
warm into my palms

know that love is enough,
and the balance is in you,
know that my words may be rough,
but the peace i find,
in you is true

the longest sigh

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:29:22 +1100

and you did flow,
the company i keep,
is nothing more than shallow praise,
and lasting memories,
we keep to hide the pain

from under a climbing tree,
you would grapple from my legs,
and swing to stay aloft,
to be young and to be,
everything we needed,
the perfectly adequate sand blown sculpture

collecting figurines to tempt,
the apples from my hands to,
drink of sentimental values,
you were my closest,
now shades apart,
the colors divide in true wash

niche market,
as we learn,
we grow,
but all the same, we differ,
miles apart