30.9.05
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GREATEST WEBSITE IN THE WORLD.
Even if this website were the only website in the world to ever exist, then all the work and money and toil that went into inventing the internet would still be totally worth it. Thanks to my friend Rae for bringing this awsomeness to my attention. I wonder if Rae is secretly a Ninja. Rae, are you secretly a ninja?
Maybe Kanye was right, afterall.
Four of the five wealthiest people in the nation are college dropouts. Discuss.
From Today's "My Utmost for His Highest"
If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way! But when He uses someone whom we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, and makes those the crushers, we object. We must never choose the scene of our own martyrdom. If ever we are going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed; you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed. - Oswald Chambers
29.9.05
28.9.05
Neutral Milk Hotel Review
Yes, this album is nearly a decade old. Yes, the album has a peculiar moniker. Yes, this band vanished as quickly as it appeared. But this new album review at pitchforkmedia is worth reading. Truly one of the greatest albums of the last twenty years. Yes you should own this record.
Delta Blues Poised For Biggest Revival Since 1915
The following article is from the Onion. Is it okay to laugh at this?
September 28, 2005 | Issue 41•39
NEW ORLEANS—Blues historians report that Delta blues, an early blues form that arose in the Mississippi Delta region, is poised for its biggest revival since 1915. "Death, loss, heartbreak, isolation, hard luck—that's what the blues have been missing for decades," said music critic Joel Kushner. "But now, even the most sheltered, derivative Delta blues musician should have enough material to cut an album." The revival is heralded by the recent singles "FEMA Don't Come 'Round No More," "Category Five Woman Done Me Six Kinds Of Wrong," and "Talkin' Drownded Kin Blues."
September 28, 2005 | Issue 41•39
NEW ORLEANS—Blues historians report that Delta blues, an early blues form that arose in the Mississippi Delta region, is poised for its biggest revival since 1915. "Death, loss, heartbreak, isolation, hard luck—that's what the blues have been missing for decades," said music critic Joel Kushner. "But now, even the most sheltered, derivative Delta blues musician should have enough material to cut an album." The revival is heralded by the recent singles "FEMA Don't Come 'Round No More," "Category Five Woman Done Me Six Kinds Of Wrong," and "Talkin' Drownded Kin Blues."
27.9.05
What's Rockin' the Reverend?
Soul Stirrers, "Jesus Gave Me Water".
Traditional black gospel a capella. Check it out. I dare you not to feel better.
Traditional black gospel a capella. Check it out. I dare you not to feel better.
Jesus Christ Restricted From Ministry in the Southern Baptist Churches!
As a Christian, former baptist and fellow evangelical, I am deeply concerned about the Southern Baptist Convention. Albert Mohler (president of a prominent SBC seminary) recently stated the following, effectively banning Jesus Christ from ministry in 99% of the Southern Baptist Convention:
"I can assure you of this: if you are associated with the use of beverage alcohol, I think I dare exaggerate not to say that 99% of all doors of ministry in the Southern Baptist Convention will be closed to you. And I do not believe that is an exaggeration. And let me tell you why...you may think, 'That just shows high-bound and unthinking the Southern Baptist Convention is.' Why should the Southern Baptist Convention or a local church take a risk? Why should it be in the position of deciding whether this is a problem or not. I mean, you have to understand, why would the church take that on? So, I am very concerned about this generation, and that's one of the reasons why our integrity with the denomination, with our churches, requires that we not only have this policy, but that we talk about it, we teach it and we enforce it."
In reply:
ATTENTION JESUS: While we at Grace Central Presbyterian Church understand that you've been known to imbibe adult beverages from time to time, we have carefully weighed the pros and cons and have decided that your services are worth "the risk". So please know that you are welcome to minister with us, to us, and among us in any way you so choose. Please bring the wine.
"I can assure you of this: if you are associated with the use of beverage alcohol, I think I dare exaggerate not to say that 99% of all doors of ministry in the Southern Baptist Convention will be closed to you. And I do not believe that is an exaggeration. And let me tell you why...you may think, 'That just shows high-bound and unthinking the Southern Baptist Convention is.' Why should the Southern Baptist Convention or a local church take a risk? Why should it be in the position of deciding whether this is a problem or not. I mean, you have to understand, why would the church take that on? So, I am very concerned about this generation, and that's one of the reasons why our integrity with the denomination, with our churches, requires that we not only have this policy, but that we talk about it, we teach it and we enforce it."
In reply:
ATTENTION JESUS: While we at Grace Central Presbyterian Church understand that you've been known to imbibe adult beverages from time to time, we have carefully weighed the pros and cons and have decided that your services are worth "the risk". So please know that you are welcome to minister with us, to us, and among us in any way you so choose. Please bring the wine.
23.9.05
It's So Obvious! Why Didn't Anyone See This Before Now?!
Hurricanes are invented by the Japanese mafia using dated Soviet cold-war enviro-weaponry.
21.9.05
Cars, Rain, Hope, and the Importance of Good Theology
Everybody is a theologian. All of us have beliefs about God and the world and the way things are that seep into our souls and shape the way we live and the people we become. Not doing theology is not an option. It's like water. We're gonna drink it. The key is being intentional about drinking good water. We oughta be sure to develop good theology.
We need good theology at the least likely of times. Don't just use your theology at church. Don't leave it in books or confine it to discussions with the pastor. Otherwise, you'll find yourself 500 miles away from home, alone, at night, in a storm, in a car, at the end of an entrance ramp onto a highway that has flash flooded. And the car will start filling with water. And then you'll drop your cell phone into the water that is around your feet and it will stop working. And then as you wait and wait and wait for a tow truck or a police car to show up, with the lightening flashing and the water rising, you'll reach for your good theology and DANG IT! You'll suddenly remember you left in a book.. At church. Right there in the pew where you always sit. Or don't.
Sunday's sermon was on rejoicing in our sufferings. Is having your car totaled by a flash flood suffering? Maybe somewhere between suffering and inconvenience, I suppose. I don't know. But I do know that I am very glad I spent all that time last week studying that passage to preach. I needed it in that moment. And I needed it when i found out the car was beyond repair. And I needed it when it suddenly hit me that I would have to find another way back to Columbus, being as my car, a very good car, made a very lousy boat and was "totaled"- as in "totally unable to get me back home". It was a mad scramble to contact the insurance company, find a rental car, get a new cell phone, get to all my meetings, find a flight out of St Louis, conduct the necessary interviews, remove my personal items form the totaled car, find temporary storage for the items which will not travel with me back home via air, return the rental car, arrange for a ride to the airport, etc, etc. AND get home intome to prepare, not only a sermon, but an important congregational meeting to be held Sunday evening. Phew.
I can rejoice, not despite my misfortune, but I can rejoice IN my misfortune. Because I know my God will deliver. He has proven it in the past and is proving it now. This situation, when I meet it with an understanding of my own justification by faith alone, creates in me an assurance of what I know, but do not yet see. With good theology, even the worst possible scenario is not the worst possible scenario. The worst possible scenario is that I will not measure up to God's standards and thus be rejected. Justification by faith alone tells me "of course you do not measure up to God's standards, but because of Jesus, God accepts you as righteous in his sight!" The worst possible scenario would be for God to withdraw his saving love from me. The theology of the gospel tells me that God will not withdraw his saving love from me, but that suffering, when met with faith in Christ, will create in me endurance, character and the confident expectation that Christ will provide what I need for this situation and that expectation will never let me down, because far from withdrawing his love, God has flash flooded my heart with his love through the work of his Spirit in me.
When I need a tow truck, God will send me a tow truck. When I need a car, God will give me a car. This applies in various scenarios. For instance: if I need hair, God will give me hair. If he doesn't I must not need it. The last several years show me that God seems to have determined me to need less hair on my head, but more hair in my ears. And even that is ok.
So let me boast... I totaled my car by driving into three feet of water on a dark and stormy night, 500 miles away from home. And in that frustrating mess of an evening, God provided for all my needs. I am now a little more time-tested and faithful than I was before. Now I have less cars, but more hope in Christ. And when it comes right down to it, whcih would you rather be without on a dark, lonely stormy night? Now while, There's no blue book listing for "hope" but I'm thinking it was a fair trade.
We need good theology at the least likely of times. Don't just use your theology at church. Don't leave it in books or confine it to discussions with the pastor. Otherwise, you'll find yourself 500 miles away from home, alone, at night, in a storm, in a car, at the end of an entrance ramp onto a highway that has flash flooded. And the car will start filling with water. And then you'll drop your cell phone into the water that is around your feet and it will stop working. And then as you wait and wait and wait for a tow truck or a police car to show up, with the lightening flashing and the water rising, you'll reach for your good theology and DANG IT! You'll suddenly remember you left in a book.. At church. Right there in the pew where you always sit. Or don't.
Sunday's sermon was on rejoicing in our sufferings. Is having your car totaled by a flash flood suffering? Maybe somewhere between suffering and inconvenience, I suppose. I don't know. But I do know that I am very glad I spent all that time last week studying that passage to preach. I needed it in that moment. And I needed it when i found out the car was beyond repair. And I needed it when it suddenly hit me that I would have to find another way back to Columbus, being as my car, a very good car, made a very lousy boat and was "totaled"- as in "totally unable to get me back home". It was a mad scramble to contact the insurance company, find a rental car, get a new cell phone, get to all my meetings, find a flight out of St Louis, conduct the necessary interviews, remove my personal items form the totaled car, find temporary storage for the items which will not travel with me back home via air, return the rental car, arrange for a ride to the airport, etc, etc. AND get home intome to prepare, not only a sermon, but an important congregational meeting to be held Sunday evening. Phew.
I can rejoice, not despite my misfortune, but I can rejoice IN my misfortune. Because I know my God will deliver. He has proven it in the past and is proving it now. This situation, when I meet it with an understanding of my own justification by faith alone, creates in me an assurance of what I know, but do not yet see. With good theology, even the worst possible scenario is not the worst possible scenario. The worst possible scenario is that I will not measure up to God's standards and thus be rejected. Justification by faith alone tells me "of course you do not measure up to God's standards, but because of Jesus, God accepts you as righteous in his sight!" The worst possible scenario would be for God to withdraw his saving love from me. The theology of the gospel tells me that God will not withdraw his saving love from me, but that suffering, when met with faith in Christ, will create in me endurance, character and the confident expectation that Christ will provide what I need for this situation and that expectation will never let me down, because far from withdrawing his love, God has flash flooded my heart with his love through the work of his Spirit in me.
When I need a tow truck, God will send me a tow truck. When I need a car, God will give me a car. This applies in various scenarios. For instance: if I need hair, God will give me hair. If he doesn't I must not need it. The last several years show me that God seems to have determined me to need less hair on my head, but more hair in my ears. And even that is ok.
So let me boast... I totaled my car by driving into three feet of water on a dark and stormy night, 500 miles away from home. And in that frustrating mess of an evening, God provided for all my needs. I am now a little more time-tested and faithful than I was before. Now I have less cars, but more hope in Christ. And when it comes right down to it, whcih would you rather be without on a dark, lonely stormy night? Now while, There's no blue book listing for "hope" but I'm thinking it was a fair trade.
20.9.05
13.9.05
Why You Don't Like Church
See, now I think many times, church involvement provides an unsatisfactory experience because we make it entirely too safe. What do you think?
John Donne's Holy Sonnet XVIII
Show me, dear Christ, thy spouse so bright and clear.
What! is it she which on the other shore
Goes richly painted? or which, robbed and tore,
Laments and mourns in Germany and here?
Sleeps she a thousand, then peeps up one year?
Is she self-truth, and errs? now new, now outwore?
Doth she, and did she, and shall she evermore
On one, on seven, or on no hill appear?
Dwells she with us, or like adventuring knights
First travel we to seek, and then make love?
Betray, kind husband, thy spouse to our sights,
And let mine amorous soul court thy mild dove,
Who is most true and pleasing to thee then
When she is embraced and open to most men.
Should I Stay or Should I Go- by Dave Kurt
My church is pretty dysfunctional, but I love it—I think. Over a year ago, it came out that our senior pastor had been having an affair with our programming director. Chaos ensued as we came to understand the amazing damage this man had inflicted over years of ego-driven leadership. He'd tried to build a church with himself at the center and created all sorts of blurred boundaries that we later discovered would have huge ramifications for us down the road. We trudged through the best we could, and it was incredibly painful. Lots of people left the church for one reason or another. Four months ago it came out that our new programming director had been having an affair with our worship leader. More people left the church over this. Throughout both of these situations, people were cruel—vilifying the elder board, writing scathing, hurtful e-mails and lashing out at people in horrible ways.
Through all of this, I can't remember seriously considering leaving. Sure, I haven't always agreed with how things have been done, but I haven't left, and I'm trying to figure out why. I've watched our church's attendance dwindle to a fraction of what it was, and I continue to see good friends leave. As I sat this morning journaling, the thought came to my mind that maybe I'm missing out by staying at my church. Maybe all of these people who've bolted over the past year and a half have it right, and I'm way off base. Maybe I'm the kid playing in the skanky lukewarm mud puddle, thinking, "It doesn't get any better than this," while there's a beautiful beach across the street that I'm missing out on. I don't know.
I know that I love my church. I love that it's full of people totally different than me, full of a bunch of broken, sinful people, just like me. We're a church full of all sorts of recovering addicts, an ex-prostitute, an occasional ex-stripper, cheats, liars, thieves and adulterers. All sinners—just like me. I love that it's a group of people who are pursuing God however they can. It's a place that loves kids of all ages—my kids, junior high kids, high school kids. It's a place where kids can come with tattoos and piercings and get a big hug from Joanne when they walk in the door. It's a place where a 5-year-old can come in, and people like Shannon and Alyssa will hang with them, help connect them and show them by example what Jesus is all about. It's a place filled with people like Linda who go into the inner city of Detroit every weekend to bring the poor food when they're hungry and mittens and hats when they're cold. It's full of guys like Mark, Les and Mike who get up every Sunday morning and run the sound, video and light system. Their work is totally transparent to those around them, unless they screw up. Sometimes our music isn't great, sometimes we have people teaching who are less than polished (me), and sometimes we're just getting by.
I wonder how much easier it would be to leave and go to a church where I'm anonymous, where there are a whole bunch of people just like me, and I don't have to deal with those who annoy me. I think it would be so much easier to go to a church where people only see the part of me that I want them to see and not the junk below the surface. I think about how nice it would be to be a part of a big church, where the ugliness that is the reality of church is hidden below the surface.
I stay, and I'm not always sure that's the best way to go. Most of the time, I go to church on Sunday, see this group of misfits that I do church with, do life with, and I think to myself, "Where else would I go?" I've invested more than 10 years of myself in this place, these people, this vision, and I can't see myself doing it any other way. I've seen people changed at such a core level, who turn around and impact others, who in turn do the same. I've seen people whose lives have been horribly lost find salvation. I've seen myself go from being a self-centered, egoistical, duplicitous jerk to being just an egotistical jerk. I've gone deeper in my life with people at my church than I ever thought was possible, found healing I never thought could happen and grown deeper in my relationship with God than I knew I could go. I love this place. But then again, I'm probably missing something.
I take solace in one of my heroes, Mike Yaconelli, who was pretty familiar with going to an imperfect church:
It’s no wonder that most of us feel completely inadequate to do anything other than cook breakfast, and even then we wonder if we shouldn’t check our menu with a dietician, a nutritionist, a vitamatician and a chef.
Then we go to church, and we leave completely demoralized by the expert insights into the nuances of the original Greek and Hebrew, which are obviously out of our intellectual reach as laypersons; the clear and obvious principles of godly living that everyone should know, but of course, we don’t know; the unending litany of success stories that make anything that has happened to us pale in comparison. The worship band is so polished, the choir is so professional, the drama is so theatrical, and the multimedia presentation so state-of-the-art that we leave reaffirmed in our own incompetence. It is no wonder that you and I, the ordinary people of God, go to bed each night with a dull uneasiness, a gnawing ineptitude that is present when we drift off to sleep and there to greet us when we awaken in the morning.
We constantly hear complaints about the lethargy of the Church, the apathy of the congregation, the inactivity of the majority. Could it be that the collective passiveness of the church is the direct consequence of the expertise of the leadership? Could it be that the unwillingness to perform by the many is a natural response to the flawless performance of the few? Could it be that the authority of the expert has robbed the non-expert of any authority at all? Could it be that the unending parade of "heroes" has made it impossible to find the real heroes hiding in the ordinary and commonplace?
The power of the Church is not in its super-preachers, or its mega-structures, or its large institutions. The power of the Church is in its individual people whose sacrifices throughout everyday life have an authority no expert can match.
My church is not perfect and it's not full of heroes in the traditional church sense. It's full of misfits who've been radically affected by a risen Savior and are just trying to get by with what they've been given. It's a group of people who've been loved at the core and who can't help but share that love, telling others about it in any way they can. I love my church.I think I'll stick around for a while.
Through all of this, I can't remember seriously considering leaving. Sure, I haven't always agreed with how things have been done, but I haven't left, and I'm trying to figure out why. I've watched our church's attendance dwindle to a fraction of what it was, and I continue to see good friends leave. As I sat this morning journaling, the thought came to my mind that maybe I'm missing out by staying at my church. Maybe all of these people who've bolted over the past year and a half have it right, and I'm way off base. Maybe I'm the kid playing in the skanky lukewarm mud puddle, thinking, "It doesn't get any better than this," while there's a beautiful beach across the street that I'm missing out on. I don't know.
I know that I love my church. I love that it's full of people totally different than me, full of a bunch of broken, sinful people, just like me. We're a church full of all sorts of recovering addicts, an ex-prostitute, an occasional ex-stripper, cheats, liars, thieves and adulterers. All sinners—just like me. I love that it's a group of people who are pursuing God however they can. It's a place that loves kids of all ages—my kids, junior high kids, high school kids. It's a place where kids can come with tattoos and piercings and get a big hug from Joanne when they walk in the door. It's a place where a 5-year-old can come in, and people like Shannon and Alyssa will hang with them, help connect them and show them by example what Jesus is all about. It's a place filled with people like Linda who go into the inner city of Detroit every weekend to bring the poor food when they're hungry and mittens and hats when they're cold. It's full of guys like Mark, Les and Mike who get up every Sunday morning and run the sound, video and light system. Their work is totally transparent to those around them, unless they screw up. Sometimes our music isn't great, sometimes we have people teaching who are less than polished (me), and sometimes we're just getting by.
I wonder how much easier it would be to leave and go to a church where I'm anonymous, where there are a whole bunch of people just like me, and I don't have to deal with those who annoy me. I think it would be so much easier to go to a church where people only see the part of me that I want them to see and not the junk below the surface. I think about how nice it would be to be a part of a big church, where the ugliness that is the reality of church is hidden below the surface.
I stay, and I'm not always sure that's the best way to go. Most of the time, I go to church on Sunday, see this group of misfits that I do church with, do life with, and I think to myself, "Where else would I go?" I've invested more than 10 years of myself in this place, these people, this vision, and I can't see myself doing it any other way. I've seen people changed at such a core level, who turn around and impact others, who in turn do the same. I've seen people whose lives have been horribly lost find salvation. I've seen myself go from being a self-centered, egoistical, duplicitous jerk to being just an egotistical jerk. I've gone deeper in my life with people at my church than I ever thought was possible, found healing I never thought could happen and grown deeper in my relationship with God than I knew I could go. I love this place. But then again, I'm probably missing something.
I take solace in one of my heroes, Mike Yaconelli, who was pretty familiar with going to an imperfect church:
It’s no wonder that most of us feel completely inadequate to do anything other than cook breakfast, and even then we wonder if we shouldn’t check our menu with a dietician, a nutritionist, a vitamatician and a chef.
Then we go to church, and we leave completely demoralized by the expert insights into the nuances of the original Greek and Hebrew, which are obviously out of our intellectual reach as laypersons; the clear and obvious principles of godly living that everyone should know, but of course, we don’t know; the unending litany of success stories that make anything that has happened to us pale in comparison. The worship band is so polished, the choir is so professional, the drama is so theatrical, and the multimedia presentation so state-of-the-art that we leave reaffirmed in our own incompetence. It is no wonder that you and I, the ordinary people of God, go to bed each night with a dull uneasiness, a gnawing ineptitude that is present when we drift off to sleep and there to greet us when we awaken in the morning.
We constantly hear complaints about the lethargy of the Church, the apathy of the congregation, the inactivity of the majority. Could it be that the collective passiveness of the church is the direct consequence of the expertise of the leadership? Could it be that the unwillingness to perform by the many is a natural response to the flawless performance of the few? Could it be that the authority of the expert has robbed the non-expert of any authority at all? Could it be that the unending parade of "heroes" has made it impossible to find the real heroes hiding in the ordinary and commonplace?
The power of the Church is not in its super-preachers, or its mega-structures, or its large institutions. The power of the Church is in its individual people whose sacrifices throughout everyday life have an authority no expert can match.
My church is not perfect and it's not full of heroes in the traditional church sense. It's full of misfits who've been radically affected by a risen Savior and are just trying to get by with what they've been given. It's a group of people who've been loved at the core and who can't help but share that love, telling others about it in any way they can. I love my church.I think I'll stick around for a while.
11.9.05
Another reason I love my church.
Church. You know the deal. Musty old building. Bad lighting. Churchy hymns. Sermons that drone on and on. And little old ladies that knit pretty little mittens for the pastor's children. Most of that describes my church as well. Except that when ladies knit sweaters for my children they are safety orange with skulls and cross bones on them.
RIGHT ON! Thanks Nicole. Sammy loves it.
RIGHT ON! Thanks Nicole. Sammy loves it.
10.9.05
7.9.05
Something I just read...
"We don't always act as if we have access to an infinite and free source of endless creativity, because the obvious, the trite, and the cliche are safer than mystery and open-ended assertions. But Christians ought to exhibit an innate creativity if they are truly expressing the creative image of the Creator." - Karen L. Mulder, arts editor for Christianity Today
Recommended Listening: Half Handed Cloud
Here are some quotes from recent reviews. Click the link to listen to tracks on the website. Hope it makes you curious:
Who writes 25 songs that average less than a minute apiece? Who releases a CD that features piano, banjo, flute, drums, a power saw, French horn, tuba, rubber bands, birds chirping, kazoo, rubber duck, toy piano, and cello? Suffice it to say that John Ringhofer is wired a little differently than most of us. Much like Beck or Freedy Johnston, I can’t decide if he’s a talent waiting to be embraced by the mainstream or a schizophrenic madman recording his own personal insights for posterity.
Another reason you probably won’t see the Half-handed Cloud Vacation Bible School curriculum is the lyrics. They are incredibly Scriptural, ultimately pointing to God’s grace. However, these are not the family-friendly stories of the Bible; these are the “after-9 P.M.-on-broadcast-TV,” “rated M for mature audiences only” stories of the Bible.
So it's kind of like church, because there are all these Bible stories; but it's kind of like junior-high band, because too many instruments simultaneously are playing something somewhat-related; and kind of like college Astronomy, because sometimes I don't think anyone knows what the h-heck is going on. At any rate, it's an experience -- praise the Lord and pass the moonshine.
Who writes 25 songs that average less than a minute apiece? Who releases a CD that features piano, banjo, flute, drums, a power saw, French horn, tuba, rubber bands, birds chirping, kazoo, rubber duck, toy piano, and cello? Suffice it to say that John Ringhofer is wired a little differently than most of us. Much like Beck or Freedy Johnston, I can’t decide if he’s a talent waiting to be embraced by the mainstream or a schizophrenic madman recording his own personal insights for posterity.
Another reason you probably won’t see the Half-handed Cloud Vacation Bible School curriculum is the lyrics. They are incredibly Scriptural, ultimately pointing to God’s grace. However, these are not the family-friendly stories of the Bible; these are the “after-9 P.M.-on-broadcast-TV,” “rated M for mature audiences only” stories of the Bible.
So it's kind of like church, because there are all these Bible stories; but it's kind of like junior-high band, because too many instruments simultaneously are playing something somewhat-related; and kind of like college Astronomy, because sometimes I don't think anyone knows what the h-heck is going on. At any rate, it's an experience -- praise the Lord and pass the moonshine.
6.9.05
Over the Rhine Live at Little Brothers in Columbus, Ohio
Great show as usual. But I still miss Ric. Snapped this picture while we were there. Kinda ghostly, I think.
Funky Nostalgia: Top 100 of My Senior Year (wow, most of these really suck).
1. End Of The Road, Boyz II Men
2. Baby Got Back, Sir Mix A-lot
3. Jump, Kris Kross
4. Save The Best For Last, Vanessa Williams
5. Baby-Baby-Baby, TLC
6. Tears In Heaven, Eric Clapton
7. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It), En Vogue
8. Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. All 4 Love, Color Me Badd
10. Just Another Day, Jon Secada
11. I Love Your Smile, Shanice
12. To Be With You, Mr. Big
13. I'm Too Sexy, Right Said Fred
14. Black Or White, Michael Jackson
15. Achy Breaky Heart, Billy Ray Cyrus 16.
16. I'll Be There, Mariah Carey
17. November Rain, Guns N' Roses
18. Life Is A Highway, Tom Cochrane
19. Remember The Time, Michael Jackson
20. Finally, CeCe Peniston
21. This Used To Be My Playground, Madonna
22. Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough, Patty Smyth
23. Can't Let Go, Mariah Carey
24. Jump Around, House Of Pain
25. Diamonds and Pearls, Prince and The N.P.G.
26. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, George Michael and Elton John
27. Masterpiece, Atlantic Starr
28. If You Asked Me To, Celine Dion
29. Giving Him Something He Can Feel, En Vogue
30. Live and Learn, Joe Public
31. Come and Talk To Me, Jodeci
32. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana
33. Humpin' Around, Bobby Brown
34. Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, Sophie B. Hawkins
35. Tell Me What You Want Me To Do, Teven Campbell
36. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg, TLC
37. It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday, Boyz II Men
38. Move This, Technotronic
39. Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
40. Tennessee, Arrested Development
41. The Best Things In Life Are Free, Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson
42. Make It Happen, Mariah Carey
43. The One, Elton John
44. Set Adrift On Memory Bliss, P.M. Dawn
45. Stay, Shakespear's Sister
46. 2 Legit 2 Quit, Hammer
47. Please Don't Go, K.W.S.
48. Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes), Mint Condition
49. Wishing On A Star, Cover Girls
50. She's Playing Hard To Get, Hi-Five
51. I'd Die Without You, P.M. Dawn
52. Good For Me, Amy Grant
53. All I Want, Toad The Wet Sprocket
54. When A Man Loves A Woman, Michael Bolton
55. I Can't Dance, Genesis
56. Hazard, Richard Marx
57. Mysterious Ways, U2
58. Too Funky, George Michael
59. How Do You Talk To An Angel, Heights
60. One, U2
61. Keep On Walkin', CeCe Peniston
62. Hold On My Heart, Genesis
63. The Way I Feel About You, Karyn White
64. Beauty and The Beast, Calms Dion and Peabo Bryson
65. Warm It Up, Kris Kross
66. In The Closet, Michael Jackson
67. People Everyday, Arrested Development
68. No Son Of Nine, Genesis
69. Wildside, Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch
70. Do I Have To Say The Words?, Bryan Adams
71. Friday I'm In Love, Cure
72. Everything About You, Ugly Kid Joe
73. Blowing Kisses In The Wind, Paula Abdul
74. Thought I'd Died and Gone To Heaven, Bryan Adams
75. Rhythm Is A Dancer, Snap
76. Addams Groove, Hammer
77. Missing You Now, Michael Bolton
78. Back To The Hotel, N2Deep
79. Everything Changes, Kathy Troccoli
80. Have You Ever Needed Somone So Bad, Def Leppard
81. Take This Heart, Richard Marx
82. When I Look Into Your Eyes, Firehouse
83. I Wanna Love You, Jade
84. Uhh Ahh, Boyz II Men
85. Real Love, Mary J. Blige
86. Justified and Ancient, The KLF
87. Slow Motion, Color Me Badd
88. What About Your Friends, TLC
89. Thinkin' Back, Color Me Badd
90. Would I Lie To You?, Charles and Eddie
91. That's What Love Is For, Amy Grant
92. Keep Coming Back, Richard Marx
93. Free Your Mind, En Vogue
94. Keep It Comin', Keith Sweat
95. Just Take My Heart, Mr. Big
96. I Will Remember You, Amy Grant
97. We Got A Love Thang, CeCe Peniston
98. Let's Get Rocked, Def Leppard
99. They Want EFX, Das EFX
100. I Can't Make You Love Me, Bonnie Raitt
2. Baby Got Back, Sir Mix A-lot
3. Jump, Kris Kross
4. Save The Best For Last, Vanessa Williams
5. Baby-Baby-Baby, TLC
6. Tears In Heaven, Eric Clapton
7. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It), En Vogue
8. Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. All 4 Love, Color Me Badd
10. Just Another Day, Jon Secada
11. I Love Your Smile, Shanice
12. To Be With You, Mr. Big
13. I'm Too Sexy, Right Said Fred
14. Black Or White, Michael Jackson
15. Achy Breaky Heart, Billy Ray Cyrus 16.
16. I'll Be There, Mariah Carey
17. November Rain, Guns N' Roses
18. Life Is A Highway, Tom Cochrane
19. Remember The Time, Michael Jackson
20. Finally, CeCe Peniston
21. This Used To Be My Playground, Madonna
22. Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough, Patty Smyth
23. Can't Let Go, Mariah Carey
24. Jump Around, House Of Pain
25. Diamonds and Pearls, Prince and The N.P.G.
26. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, George Michael and Elton John
27. Masterpiece, Atlantic Starr
28. If You Asked Me To, Celine Dion
29. Giving Him Something He Can Feel, En Vogue
30. Live and Learn, Joe Public
31. Come and Talk To Me, Jodeci
32. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana
33. Humpin' Around, Bobby Brown
34. Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, Sophie B. Hawkins
35. Tell Me What You Want Me To Do, Teven Campbell
36. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg, TLC
37. It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday, Boyz II Men
38. Move This, Technotronic
39. Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
40. Tennessee, Arrested Development
41. The Best Things In Life Are Free, Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson
42. Make It Happen, Mariah Carey
43. The One, Elton John
44. Set Adrift On Memory Bliss, P.M. Dawn
45. Stay, Shakespear's Sister
46. 2 Legit 2 Quit, Hammer
47. Please Don't Go, K.W.S.
48. Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes), Mint Condition
49. Wishing On A Star, Cover Girls
50. She's Playing Hard To Get, Hi-Five
51. I'd Die Without You, P.M. Dawn
52. Good For Me, Amy Grant
53. All I Want, Toad The Wet Sprocket
54. When A Man Loves A Woman, Michael Bolton
55. I Can't Dance, Genesis
56. Hazard, Richard Marx
57. Mysterious Ways, U2
58. Too Funky, George Michael
59. How Do You Talk To An Angel, Heights
60. One, U2
61. Keep On Walkin', CeCe Peniston
62. Hold On My Heart, Genesis
63. The Way I Feel About You, Karyn White
64. Beauty and The Beast, Calms Dion and Peabo Bryson
65. Warm It Up, Kris Kross
66. In The Closet, Michael Jackson
67. People Everyday, Arrested Development
68. No Son Of Nine, Genesis
69. Wildside, Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch
70. Do I Have To Say The Words?, Bryan Adams
71. Friday I'm In Love, Cure
72. Everything About You, Ugly Kid Joe
73. Blowing Kisses In The Wind, Paula Abdul
74. Thought I'd Died and Gone To Heaven, Bryan Adams
75. Rhythm Is A Dancer, Snap
76. Addams Groove, Hammer
77. Missing You Now, Michael Bolton
78. Back To The Hotel, N2Deep
79. Everything Changes, Kathy Troccoli
80. Have You Ever Needed Somone So Bad, Def Leppard
81. Take This Heart, Richard Marx
82. When I Look Into Your Eyes, Firehouse
83. I Wanna Love You, Jade
84. Uhh Ahh, Boyz II Men
85. Real Love, Mary J. Blige
86. Justified and Ancient, The KLF
87. Slow Motion, Color Me Badd
88. What About Your Friends, TLC
89. Thinkin' Back, Color Me Badd
90. Would I Lie To You?, Charles and Eddie
91. That's What Love Is For, Amy Grant
92. Keep Coming Back, Richard Marx
93. Free Your Mind, En Vogue
94. Keep It Comin', Keith Sweat
95. Just Take My Heart, Mr. Big
96. I Will Remember You, Amy Grant
97. We Got A Love Thang, CeCe Peniston
98. Let's Get Rocked, Def Leppard
99. They Want EFX, Das EFX
100. I Can't Make You Love Me, Bonnie Raitt
2.9.05
How the chaos in New Orleans makes sense of your world.
We've all been seeing the same images and hearing the same stories this week as the media coverage of the chaos in New Orleans continues. As I attempt to process all the horrible details, I've asked myself, "How in the world can I make sense of this chaos?" After some reflection I began to see that I'd been asking the question the wrong way. I had it backwards. This mess in New Orleans makes sense of my world.
Sunday at Grace Central we'll pray for the victims of Katrina and find out how the chaos in New Orleans makes sense of our world. If you're in Columbus I hope you'll attend.
Follow the link for the time, location (click 'gatherings') & a map (click 'map').
Sunday at Grace Central we'll pray for the victims of Katrina and find out how the chaos in New Orleans makes sense of our world. If you're in Columbus I hope you'll attend.
Follow the link for the time, location (click 'gatherings') & a map (click 'map').
Church celebrates fifty years of peace through irrelevance
Pastors think this kind of stuff is hilarious. (Thanks for your patience).
A Sea Lion in a Baby Pool
Here is one of the very few fun stories to come out of the hurricane tragedy:
a 13-year-old sea lion that was washed out of the Marine Life Oceanarium, four miles away in Gulfport.
The sea lion was rescued by a couple during the height of the storm as it washed by their home in a huge tidal wave. Two days later, the two were keeping the sea lion, named Pocahontas, hydrated in a child's wading pool and fed it fish scavenged from the freezers of the empty homes around them.
a 13-year-old sea lion that was washed out of the Marine Life Oceanarium, four miles away in Gulfport.
The sea lion was rescued by a couple during the height of the storm as it washed by their home in a huge tidal wave. Two days later, the two were keeping the sea lion, named Pocahontas, hydrated in a child's wading pool and fed it fish scavenged from the freezers of the empty homes around them.
On the disintegration of civilization:
Something I read today...
"But the Hollywood notion of an overnight collapse is just as much of a fantasy; it makes for great screenplays but has nothing to do with the realities of how civilizations fall. The disintegration of a complex society takes decades, not days. Since fossil fuel production will decline gradually, not simply come to a screeching halt, the likely course of things is gradual descent rather than freefall. Civilizations go under in a rolling collapse punctuated by localized disasters, taking anything from one to four centuries to complete the process. It's not a steady decline, either; between sudden crises come intervals of relative stability, even moderate improvement; different regions decline at different paces; existing social, economic and political structures are replaced, not with complete chaos, but with transitional structures that may develop pretty fair institutional strength themselves."
"But the Hollywood notion of an overnight collapse is just as much of a fantasy; it makes for great screenplays but has nothing to do with the realities of how civilizations fall. The disintegration of a complex society takes decades, not days. Since fossil fuel production will decline gradually, not simply come to a screeching halt, the likely course of things is gradual descent rather than freefall. Civilizations go under in a rolling collapse punctuated by localized disasters, taking anything from one to four centuries to complete the process. It's not a steady decline, either; between sudden crises come intervals of relative stability, even moderate improvement; different regions decline at different paces; existing social, economic and political structures are replaced, not with complete chaos, but with transitional structures that may develop pretty fair institutional strength themselves."
1.9.05
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