1.5.06
28.4.06
Buckeyes hire former Iowa Hawkeye Big Ten Champ as Head Coach
This guy was my coach at the Iowa Hawkeye's Intensive Training Camp back in high school. I think it was 1989 or 1990.
21.4.06
Star Sighting # 3
Tonight we went out to eat for Jason's birthday in Silver Lake and as we are driving down the street, Dara (Jason's wife) says, "Check out that guy. The one with the afro. He's totally walking like (and then she starts singing Staying Alive, Bee Gees style)". And she was right! This totally hip, dude with a big afro is walking down the side walk all by himself and the guy has got the mojo working. He is exuding confidence and coolness. He's clearly got his own private soundtrack in his head to which he is grooving. Then as our car slowly passes we turn to see the gentleman's face. And who is it? That's right. Lenny Kravitz.
The greatest thing about it is that even when he is by himself and just like, walking to the 7-11 for a big gulp or whatever, he exudes funk! His whole ethos shouted "That's Right. I'm Lenny Freakin' Kravitz". I have no doubt that after five days of crossing the Sahara on foot without water, the funk in Lenny's walk would be equally as pronounced. And under his breath he'd be muttering "Sahara deseret. Gimme a break. Sahara desert. Sahara? This ain't no Sahara. I'll tell you what it is. This is Lenny Kravit's desert. I'll tell you that right now. you think this is hot? This ain't hot. My one piece silverbell bottom jump suit is hot... Man, you don't know what hot is... do you realize who I am? I am Lenny Freakin' Kravitz, I'll tell you that right now...That's right. Lenny Kravitz..."
*Also, I was equally as excited to see the big red white and blue wall mural pictured on the cover of Elliott Smith's Figure 8 album. That was cool, too.
The greatest thing about it is that even when he is by himself and just like, walking to the 7-11 for a big gulp or whatever, he exudes funk! His whole ethos shouted "That's Right. I'm Lenny Freakin' Kravitz". I have no doubt that after five days of crossing the Sahara on foot without water, the funk in Lenny's walk would be equally as pronounced. And under his breath he'd be muttering "Sahara deseret. Gimme a break. Sahara desert. Sahara? This ain't no Sahara. I'll tell you what it is. This is Lenny Kravit's desert. I'll tell you that right now. you think this is hot? This ain't hot. My one piece silverbell bottom jump suit is hot... Man, you don't know what hot is... do you realize who I am? I am Lenny Freakin' Kravitz, I'll tell you that right now...That's right. Lenny Kravitz..."
*Also, I was equally as excited to see the big red white and blue wall mural pictured on the cover of Elliott Smith's Figure 8 album. That was cool, too.
20.4.06
Britney Spears Statue
Some of you seem to think the Britney Spears statue is actually not pro-life, but rather a mockery. None of you however have offered any evidence or critical analysis to support such a view. I'm willing to listen. But you gotta give me SOMETHING, here people.
19.4.06
Star Sighting Number 2
When Charity and I were out here a few years ago, we saw Bruce Willis on Sunset in Hollywood. Tonight I walked past Rob Schneider in Pasadena. He's short!
17.4.06
Ben Folds brings power to people, sticks it to man
Ride to laundromat lands cabbie on sold-out stage
Douglas Richard "Rick" Shaw, 53, drives a cab for Lansing's Big Daddy Taxi.
On Monday, he took three men to Sunshine Laundromat & Dry Cleaners at Frandor Shopping Center. As far as Shaw knew, they were just three guys with dirty laundry.
While Shaw waited in the cab for the guys to drop off their stuff, he passed the time as he often does with his Hohner Golden Melody - an instrument that goes anywhere.
It was, in fact, the blues harp's portability that drew Shaw to it in 1971.
"I picked it up on my way to Vietnam," said Shaw, a former member of the U.S. Army. "It was easy to carry."
Shaw was just getting warmed up when the first guy came out of the laundromat and got in the cab. Shaw kept playing.
"Yeah - I like to show off," he admitted.
The guy chipped in with a little hands-on-knees percussion, and when his two buddies climbed back into Shaw's cab, they contributed more tapping and other sound effects. Suddenly, Shaw was backed by a whole rhythm section.
Unusual offer
One of the guys asked Shaw what he was doing later that day.
"I told them I was free," Shaw said.
The guy told Shaw to meet him at the back door of Wharton Center that night and he would put Shaw and his harmonica on stage.
Naturally, Shaw was skeptical to say the least: "I'm like, 'Yeah, right - Wharton. Who put you up to this?' "
Well, the stranger turned out to be Ben Folds, the singer-songwriter-pianist, who was, indeed, performing for a sold-out Wharton crowd that night.
In an e-mail to me, Ben Folds fan Brad Flory of Jackson described Shaw's big moment this way:
"Early in the show, Folds called out a Lansing cab driver named Rick Shaw to play blues harmonica.
"He more or less killed.
"Folds let him play on at least two more songs, gave him a vulgar spoken line during another song and threw his name into lyrics a few times.
"It took guts to go on stage because it was a sold-out crowd of college kids."
Dream night
Back behind the wheel of his cab this week, Shaw, a native of Springfield, Ohio, who spent 30 years in Alaska before coming to Michigan a couple of years ago, called the experience the realization of a "lifelong dream."
Shaw has performed for audiences before - mainly in bars around Juneau - but Wharton was a different kind of gig entirely.
"I had a great time," he said. "The place was packed."
Shaw landed in Lansing after visiting his sister in Clare. While there, he saw an ad for a Lansing blues bar and thought the capital city might be his kind of place.
His early days here were not promising. He did a bit at the Volunteers of America homeless shelter before going to work for Big Daddy.
So far, Shaw hasn't received any work here as a harmonica player, and, in fact, got nothing but glory for his one-night stand at Wharton.
But, as he learned Monday at the laundromat, if he keeps playing, anything can happen.
"From the homeless shelter to Wharton - not bad," Shaw said.
Douglas Richard "Rick" Shaw, 53, drives a cab for Lansing's Big Daddy Taxi.
On Monday, he took three men to Sunshine Laundromat & Dry Cleaners at Frandor Shopping Center. As far as Shaw knew, they were just three guys with dirty laundry.
While Shaw waited in the cab for the guys to drop off their stuff, he passed the time as he often does with his Hohner Golden Melody - an instrument that goes anywhere.
It was, in fact, the blues harp's portability that drew Shaw to it in 1971.
"I picked it up on my way to Vietnam," said Shaw, a former member of the U.S. Army. "It was easy to carry."
Shaw was just getting warmed up when the first guy came out of the laundromat and got in the cab. Shaw kept playing.
"Yeah - I like to show off," he admitted.
The guy chipped in with a little hands-on-knees percussion, and when his two buddies climbed back into Shaw's cab, they contributed more tapping and other sound effects. Suddenly, Shaw was backed by a whole rhythm section.
Unusual offer
One of the guys asked Shaw what he was doing later that day.
"I told them I was free," Shaw said.
The guy told Shaw to meet him at the back door of Wharton Center that night and he would put Shaw and his harmonica on stage.
Naturally, Shaw was skeptical to say the least: "I'm like, 'Yeah, right - Wharton. Who put you up to this?' "
Well, the stranger turned out to be Ben Folds, the singer-songwriter-pianist, who was, indeed, performing for a sold-out Wharton crowd that night.
In an e-mail to me, Ben Folds fan Brad Flory of Jackson described Shaw's big moment this way:
"Early in the show, Folds called out a Lansing cab driver named Rick Shaw to play blues harmonica.
"He more or less killed.
"Folds let him play on at least two more songs, gave him a vulgar spoken line during another song and threw his name into lyrics a few times.
"It took guts to go on stage because it was a sold-out crowd of college kids."
Dream night
Back behind the wheel of his cab this week, Shaw, a native of Springfield, Ohio, who spent 30 years in Alaska before coming to Michigan a couple of years ago, called the experience the realization of a "lifelong dream."
Shaw has performed for audiences before - mainly in bars around Juneau - but Wharton was a different kind of gig entirely.
"I had a great time," he said. "The place was packed."
Shaw landed in Lansing after visiting his sister in Clare. While there, he saw an ad for a Lansing blues bar and thought the capital city might be his kind of place.
His early days here were not promising. He did a bit at the Volunteers of America homeless shelter before going to work for Big Daddy.
So far, Shaw hasn't received any work here as a harmonica player, and, in fact, got nothing but glory for his one-night stand at Wharton.
But, as he learned Monday at the laundromat, if he keeps playing, anything can happen.
"From the homeless shelter to Wharton - not bad," Shaw said.
15.4.06
Not only do I recommend counting all your eggs this Easter, I also recommend putting them all in one basket.
A. 900 AD
B. 1100 AD
C. 400 BC
D. 130 AD
The above numbers represent the dates of the earliest existing manuscript copies of four specific historical texts.
A. 1200
B. 1400
C. 500
D. less than 100
The above numbers represent the approximate time span in years between the original manuscripts and the copies.
A. 7
B. 49
C. 643
D. 5,600+
The above numbers represent the number of existing manuscripts available for each of the four historical texts.
Answer Key:
A. Plato
B. Aristotle
C. Homer's Illiad
D. The New Testament
B. 1100 AD
C. 400 BC
D. 130 AD
The above numbers represent the dates of the earliest existing manuscript copies of four specific historical texts.
A. 1200
B. 1400
C. 500
D. less than 100
The above numbers represent the approximate time span in years between the original manuscripts and the copies.
A. 7
B. 49
C. 643
D. 5,600+
The above numbers represent the number of existing manuscripts available for each of the four historical texts.
Answer Key:
A. Plato
B. Aristotle
C. Homer's Illiad
D. The New Testament
14.4.06
A Song For Good Friday
TO BE ALONE WITH YOU- Sufjan Stevens from Seven Swans
I'd swim across Lake Michigan.
I'd sell my shoes.
I'd give my body to be back again
in the rest of room.
To be alone with you.
To be alone with you.
To be alone with you.
To be alone with you.
You gave your body to the lonely.
They took your clothes.
You gave up a wife and a family.
You gave your ghost.
To be alone with me.
To be alone with me.
To be alone with me,
you went up on a tree.
To be alone with me,
you went up on a tree.
I've never known a man who loved me
I'd swim across Lake Michigan.
I'd sell my shoes.
I'd give my body to be back again
in the rest of room.
To be alone with you.
To be alone with you.
To be alone with you.
To be alone with you.
You gave your body to the lonely.
They took your clothes.
You gave up a wife and a family.
You gave your ghost.
To be alone with me.
To be alone with me.
To be alone with me,
you went up on a tree.
To be alone with me,
you went up on a tree.
I've never known a man who loved me
12.4.06
10.4.06
"Thanks to my homegirl at T-Shirts in NYC" and "Shout out to my brothers over at Emmaus Theory"
This draws together a few threads from the blogosphere, which I hope all y'all can enjoy. It's Sufjan so it's bound to please the indie rock contingent. It's a link from "t-shirts" so it's a word of thanks to my NYC peoples (all two of them- unless you count Rudi and Tim- ok it's just two of them). And it's all for love of country and whatnot so it should please both sides of the political aisle.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Wild Lions to Protect Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie's Privacy During Pregnancy
Angelina: [exiting bathroom with pregnancy test in hand] Brad Honey, sit down. I have great news!
Brad: [confused, noticing pregnancy test, but not quite able to connect the dots] You got me some Lick-M-Aid Fun Dip?
Angelina: No Sweetie... I'm pregnant! You're going to be a Daddy!
Brad: Awesome. I'll get the lions.
As you can see, this is a completely reasonable course of action to take.
Note to Self... 100 days of pregnancy left. Be sure to get price quote on Ocelots.
Brad: [confused, noticing pregnancy test, but not quite able to connect the dots] You got me some Lick-M-Aid Fun Dip?
Angelina: No Sweetie... I'm pregnant! You're going to be a Daddy!
Brad: Awesome. I'll get the lions.
As you can see, this is a completely reasonable course of action to take.
Note to Self... 100 days of pregnancy left. Be sure to get price quote on Ocelots.
Come On Feel the B-Sides
Funky Presbyterian's most beloved artist of 2005 promises release of outtakes from Illinoise, the neo-folk masterpiece hailed by everyone and his brother as the best album of the last year. I am giddy with anticipation.
8.4.06
Phone Calls I Don't Make to Radio Talk Shows
Last night the boys and I had our own official men's night out which consisted of lots of jumping, running, and falling off of the big plastic spaceships and planets in the play area of the Tuttle Mall (as Jack's t-ball game was cancelled due to rain), some time at the book store, and of course the official eating of the ceremonial cookie which has traditionally marked the adjournment of the men's night out festivites. It's all very dignified. Next time we hope to incorporate pyrotechnical elements into the closing ceremonies. And probably dancing bears with little hats and vests on, carrying umbrellas. Or midgets boxing. The committee has not yet reached full agreement.
Anyway, as we were driving home and the boys were nodding off in the back seat, I was listeing to local talk radio wherre they were having a Final Four of annoying celebrities. The concept was some kind of bracket, whereby annoying celebrities and public figures were pitted against one another in order to determine just exactly who holds the distinguished title of most annoying person. The names callers proposed were largely predictable: Michael Jackson, Bill O'Reilly, Anna Nicole Smith, Barbara Streisand, Michael Moore... you get the point.
As I was listening, I couldn't help but think how totally awesome it would be to call up and suggest the names of individuals who are regarded with virtually universal respect and admiration. How hilarious would that be? Of course the trick would be to maintain an aura of complete sincerity:
"Yeah, this is T-Bone from the southside. Long time listener first time caller- Love the show, man. Thanks for taking my call. Alright, here's my Final Four-
Nelson Mandela- Ok. We get it. You were wrongfully imprisoned. Get over it already. And what's with the big baggy crazy print shirts? So when you got out of bed this morning you put on regular pants, but left the pajama shirt on? Nelson, buddy... it's called the Men's Wearhouse. Look into it.
And how about that Stephen Hawking guy- could this guy get any more pretensious? 'Oooh, look at me! I'm so smart. I've made greater contributions to mankind's understanding of the universe than anyone in the world and I did it all without the use of my lower extremities'. He's always doing that robot thing with his voice and he's all like 'I-INVENTED-BLACK-HOLES-AND-TIME-MACHINES-AND-I-CAN'T-EVEN-MOVE-MY-NECK-BUT-YES-I-WOULD-LIKE-FRIES-WITH-THAT-HA-HA-YOU-RETARDS-E=MC2' And what's with the wheel chair? Shouldn't he be able to levitate or something?
Next, I got Ghandi. Dude wait wait wait. It's totally not just cause he's a muslim. Seriously, dude. It's just a fashion thing. Whose this guy's stylist? It's like this, if you're going to roll with the whole "second-century tunic and sandals" vibe that's cool, but then you can't wear the little wire rimmed glasses. It totally breaks character! It's like that guy from cheap trick who wears a suit and tie with a baseball hat. You can't do that. Ghandi, my man. Either lose the glasses or get a coduroy jacket with elbow patches and a turtle neck. And grow a soul patch. You'd look like an english professor or something. Clothes make the man, my friend. Clothes make the man.
Alright and here's my last one: Mother Theresea. 'I help poor people. I give food to people who don't have any. I'm all short and old and whatnot'. I'm kidding! I'm kidding! No, really- I'm all about helping poor people and stuff. She's nice. But Theresea, I've got one word for you:
MOISTURIZER.
EXFOLIATION.
MICRODERM ABRASION.
I mean seriously... yikes.
That's it, dudes. Love the show. Catch you on the flipside. T-bone out!"
But I didn't call and say any of those things.
Anyway, as we were driving home and the boys were nodding off in the back seat, I was listeing to local talk radio wherre they were having a Final Four of annoying celebrities. The concept was some kind of bracket, whereby annoying celebrities and public figures were pitted against one another in order to determine just exactly who holds the distinguished title of most annoying person. The names callers proposed were largely predictable: Michael Jackson, Bill O'Reilly, Anna Nicole Smith, Barbara Streisand, Michael Moore... you get the point.
As I was listening, I couldn't help but think how totally awesome it would be to call up and suggest the names of individuals who are regarded with virtually universal respect and admiration. How hilarious would that be? Of course the trick would be to maintain an aura of complete sincerity:
"Yeah, this is T-Bone from the southside. Long time listener first time caller- Love the show, man. Thanks for taking my call. Alright, here's my Final Four-
Nelson Mandela- Ok. We get it. You were wrongfully imprisoned. Get over it already. And what's with the big baggy crazy print shirts? So when you got out of bed this morning you put on regular pants, but left the pajama shirt on? Nelson, buddy... it's called the Men's Wearhouse. Look into it.
And how about that Stephen Hawking guy- could this guy get any more pretensious? 'Oooh, look at me! I'm so smart. I've made greater contributions to mankind's understanding of the universe than anyone in the world and I did it all without the use of my lower extremities'. He's always doing that robot thing with his voice and he's all like 'I-INVENTED-BLACK-HOLES-AND-TIME-MACHINES-AND-I-CAN'T-EVEN-MOVE-MY-NECK-BUT-YES-I-WOULD-LIKE-FRIES-WITH-THAT-HA-HA-YOU-RETARDS-E=MC2' And what's with the wheel chair? Shouldn't he be able to levitate or something?
Next, I got Ghandi. Dude wait wait wait. It's totally not just cause he's a muslim. Seriously, dude. It's just a fashion thing. Whose this guy's stylist? It's like this, if you're going to roll with the whole "second-century tunic and sandals" vibe that's cool, but then you can't wear the little wire rimmed glasses. It totally breaks character! It's like that guy from cheap trick who wears a suit and tie with a baseball hat. You can't do that. Ghandi, my man. Either lose the glasses or get a coduroy jacket with elbow patches and a turtle neck. And grow a soul patch. You'd look like an english professor or something. Clothes make the man, my friend. Clothes make the man.
Alright and here's my last one: Mother Theresea. 'I help poor people. I give food to people who don't have any. I'm all short and old and whatnot'. I'm kidding! I'm kidding! No, really- I'm all about helping poor people and stuff. She's nice. But Theresea, I've got one word for you:
MOISTURIZER.
EXFOLIATION.
MICRODERM ABRASION.
I mean seriously... yikes.
That's it, dudes. Love the show. Catch you on the flipside. T-bone out!"
But I didn't call and say any of those things.
4.4.06
We Home School...
...but we've never suggested that it is the right choice for others. When considering the deicison to home school, private school or public school your children, there are many variables to consider and each situation is unique and there is no "one-size-fits all" correct answer for everyone. However...
THIS---> http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060403/NEWS01/604030389/1002/OPINION
is ridiculous!
THIS---> http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060403/NEWS01/604030389/1002/OPINION
is ridiculous!
3.4.06
2.4.06
Strung out on St Paul's Epistle to the Romans.
I'm so sleepy I can't sleep. I feel all grumpy and tired and wired simultaneously. Who needs drugs when you can just preach every sunday night and have a giant adrenaline high followed by a crash? Tomorrow AM at 7:30 i've got men's prayer group. I'm just about good for nuthin' on Monday's. I feel like I'm emotionally and spiritually drained and like I have nothing left to give anyone. Like my battery is just empty. I should make little beeping sounds like my cell phone just before it's battery dies. That way everyone would know. By Tuesday I'm usually back up to speed. One thing that still surprises me is the toll Sundays take on me physically. On Monday's I physically hurt from preaching on Sunday nights. I move slower. My joints ache.
I can always tell when I need some time off because Sunday nights feel just like this. I even took two days off last week, but I stayed in town and so it didn't really feel like I was off. I wasn't "working" but my brain was still in "go-mode". I know everybody works a lot. I'm not complaining. Just telling.
Goodnight.
I can always tell when I need some time off because Sunday nights feel just like this. I even took two days off last week, but I stayed in town and so it didn't really feel like I was off. I wasn't "working" but my brain was still in "go-mode". I know everybody works a lot. I'm not complaining. Just telling.
Goodnight.
31.3.06
My Blog Has Recieved A Lot More Hits...
ever since I published a post with the words "Britney Spears" and "Naked" in it. ATTENTION 14 YEAR OLD BOYS: DON"T YOU KNOW YOU'LL GO BLIND?
30.3.06
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't? (An Article From Emusic.com)
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't?: Christian Indie-Rock
by Michael James McGonigal
Eight years ago, a reedy-voiced genius from Athens, GA, sang the words "I love you Jesus Christ/ Jesus Christ I love you, yes I do" in a crazy, fuzzed-out pop song. Over a chaotic and beautiful backing music that sounded like a marching band from inside your very best dreams, Mangum stretched those 15 syllables out into many dozens. It was just two lines in one song, "King of Carrot Flowers Part Two," off an album called In the Aeroplane Over the Sea that is filled with alternately disturbing and blissed-out, Blake-ian imagery. Mangum had written much of the album in just a few days after he read Diary of Anne Frank for the first time and "kind of lost it," which is of course the only rational response to the Holocaust.
But seeing as Aeroplane was among the best albums of that year, those lines had a pretty large impact in the indie rock community. Expressing a sincere love, even just a potentially sincere love, for Christ was perhaps the last taboo in indie and alt-rock. The Danielson clan had been doing it since 1995, but they were misunderstood as some sort of outsider/joke band (perhaps aided by the quirky nature of their songs and the fact that they all performed in nurses' uniforms).
I interviewed Mangum for a cover story for alt-rock quarterly Puncture, whereupon he allowed that "a song about God was inevitable, because of my upbringing and the intense experiences I had... at church camps." He continued, citing the age-old divide of God versus church. "My love for Christ has more to do with what Christ said and believed in. The church put this bullshit around it and made it this at-times really evil thing. If you attach man to anything, he's gonna fuck it up somehow," he continued, adding, "You think that's too cynical?" Such words do have a ring of truth for those of us who went to church and never once heard a sermon on why it would be harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than a camel to enter a needle's eye or whether it really made sense to spend so much of the church's money on these big fancy buildings rather than on outreach, not to mention those of us who still have trouble reconciling such actions as the Holy Crusades (the old ones and the more modern versions) with the words "thou shalt not kill."
But this isn't a freshman religion class, and of course there are a multitude of churches and denominations from which to choose, so, um, back to the music.
Whatever the impact of that one song by Neutral Milk Hotel, it was just one song. Today, though, some of the most interesting and celebrated musicians in the "secular indie" scene are devout Christians. But is the music they make Christian music or not? How to address this stuff from the vantage point of Christian music? Should it even be addressed at all? I'm feeling particularly fed up with genre definitions as I search for ways to address the strange but devotional music of the promising new band Page France and the celebrated musician Sufjan Stevens.
I'd already decided to write about this subject of Christian music being made in the indie-rock commuity, when Chris Dahlen wrote about this very thing in a column for the influential website Pitchfork this past January. "I don't know why hipsters hate Jesus," he began. Of course, that's not true, that hipsters hate Christ, though the problem with discussing hipsters is that you'd be very hard-pressed to find a hipster who'll acknowledge he or she actually is one.
Dahlen ends his piece by suggesting folks be more open-minded, to not "shoot the messenger," which sounds good to me. It does concern me that some of the most talented musicians of our day — who are Christians but not operating within the CCM community — do not feel comfortable discussing their faith for fear of being thought of as "stupid, or worse," as a musician friend of mine (who is amazingly talented and worshipped on websites and touted by NPR as a great talent and who unfortunately wishes to remain anonymous) put it while visiting last week.
What I am asking for is an expansion of the definition of Christian music, to also include amazing devotional songs that might not even be written by people within the CCM community. I want more weirdness! I want more questioning! I want better music! I want rock bands that are as great at being rock bands as the Swan Silvertones were at being a vocal quartet! Knowing that God is everywhere, and yeah it's a crazy cliché but that God works in mysterious ways, I'm more interested in hearing amazing songs of devotion than the purported great faith of this or that person. I'm not here to take inventories. I'm less concerned with whether or not Amy Grant had an affair or not, but when it comes to her music, is it any good, as gospel? Does it inspire joy, or make me think about faith in a new way? As such, I would rather listen to the Velvet Underground's gorgeous ballad "Jesus" (a song written by a junkie New York Jew!), or Sufjan's pretty and plaintive "Oh God, Where Are You Now?" than anything in, say, dcTalk's catalog. (Let's face it, they were an important band in the evolution of CCM, but their music was as ridiculously hokey as the best of Vanilla Ice crossed with the worst of U2.)
One of the latest songs to cause ripples within the indie-rock community is "Jesus" by the band Page France. Page France has the makings of greatness, as a single listen to the song "Spine," will attest, seeing as it brings to mind Elf Power playing with Tom Verlaine during his instrumental period. And while some of the band's work is too precious, too twee, as if the group were really holding something back, with time they could be the equal of their influences. They always have interesting lyrics that are clearly Biblically inspired, with blood from stones and burning bushes and angels and lines like "You were made out of my ribs/ We share a heart."
Anyway, this song "Jesus" might upset your mother, but it's clearly a spirited, spiritual song. The three and a half minute number begins with some pleasant acoustic guitar and organ before heading into these sweetly-sung words that have confused many listeners: "And Jesus will come through the ground so dirty/ With worms in his hair and a hand so sturdy/ To call us his magic, we call him worthy." Some might bristle at the tune and call it sacrilege, but I find it one of the more interesting, if not a tad literal, interpretations of the Resurrection.
Perhaps we need a new category for this kind of stuff? We could call it Alt-Alt-Christian rock? No, that's awful. Think of a name and send it in, I beseech thee
by Michael James McGonigal
Eight years ago, a reedy-voiced genius from Athens, GA, sang the words "I love you Jesus Christ/ Jesus Christ I love you, yes I do" in a crazy, fuzzed-out pop song. Over a chaotic and beautiful backing music that sounded like a marching band from inside your very best dreams, Mangum stretched those 15 syllables out into many dozens. It was just two lines in one song, "King of Carrot Flowers Part Two," off an album called In the Aeroplane Over the Sea that is filled with alternately disturbing and blissed-out, Blake-ian imagery. Mangum had written much of the album in just a few days after he read Diary of Anne Frank for the first time and "kind of lost it," which is of course the only rational response to the Holocaust.
But seeing as Aeroplane was among the best albums of that year, those lines had a pretty large impact in the indie rock community. Expressing a sincere love, even just a potentially sincere love, for Christ was perhaps the last taboo in indie and alt-rock. The Danielson clan had been doing it since 1995, but they were misunderstood as some sort of outsider/joke band (perhaps aided by the quirky nature of their songs and the fact that they all performed in nurses' uniforms).
I interviewed Mangum for a cover story for alt-rock quarterly Puncture, whereupon he allowed that "a song about God was inevitable, because of my upbringing and the intense experiences I had... at church camps." He continued, citing the age-old divide of God versus church. "My love for Christ has more to do with what Christ said and believed in. The church put this bullshit around it and made it this at-times really evil thing. If you attach man to anything, he's gonna fuck it up somehow," he continued, adding, "You think that's too cynical?" Such words do have a ring of truth for those of us who went to church and never once heard a sermon on why it would be harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than a camel to enter a needle's eye or whether it really made sense to spend so much of the church's money on these big fancy buildings rather than on outreach, not to mention those of us who still have trouble reconciling such actions as the Holy Crusades (the old ones and the more modern versions) with the words "thou shalt not kill."
But this isn't a freshman religion class, and of course there are a multitude of churches and denominations from which to choose, so, um, back to the music.
Whatever the impact of that one song by Neutral Milk Hotel, it was just one song. Today, though, some of the most interesting and celebrated musicians in the "secular indie" scene are devout Christians. But is the music they make Christian music or not? How to address this stuff from the vantage point of Christian music? Should it even be addressed at all? I'm feeling particularly fed up with genre definitions as I search for ways to address the strange but devotional music of the promising new band Page France and the celebrated musician Sufjan Stevens.
I'd already decided to write about this subject of Christian music being made in the indie-rock commuity, when Chris Dahlen wrote about this very thing in a column for the influential website Pitchfork this past January. "I don't know why hipsters hate Jesus," he began. Of course, that's not true, that hipsters hate Christ, though the problem with discussing hipsters is that you'd be very hard-pressed to find a hipster who'll acknowledge he or she actually is one.
Dahlen ends his piece by suggesting folks be more open-minded, to not "shoot the messenger," which sounds good to me. It does concern me that some of the most talented musicians of our day — who are Christians but not operating within the CCM community — do not feel comfortable discussing their faith for fear of being thought of as "stupid, or worse," as a musician friend of mine (who is amazingly talented and worshipped on websites and touted by NPR as a great talent and who unfortunately wishes to remain anonymous) put it while visiting last week.
What I am asking for is an expansion of the definition of Christian music, to also include amazing devotional songs that might not even be written by people within the CCM community. I want more weirdness! I want more questioning! I want better music! I want rock bands that are as great at being rock bands as the Swan Silvertones were at being a vocal quartet! Knowing that God is everywhere, and yeah it's a crazy cliché but that God works in mysterious ways, I'm more interested in hearing amazing songs of devotion than the purported great faith of this or that person. I'm not here to take inventories. I'm less concerned with whether or not Amy Grant had an affair or not, but when it comes to her music, is it any good, as gospel? Does it inspire joy, or make me think about faith in a new way? As such, I would rather listen to the Velvet Underground's gorgeous ballad "Jesus" (a song written by a junkie New York Jew!), or Sufjan's pretty and plaintive "Oh God, Where Are You Now?" than anything in, say, dcTalk's catalog. (Let's face it, they were an important band in the evolution of CCM, but their music was as ridiculously hokey as the best of Vanilla Ice crossed with the worst of U2.)
One of the latest songs to cause ripples within the indie-rock community is "Jesus" by the band Page France. Page France has the makings of greatness, as a single listen to the song "Spine," will attest, seeing as it brings to mind Elf Power playing with Tom Verlaine during his instrumental period. And while some of the band's work is too precious, too twee, as if the group were really holding something back, with time they could be the equal of their influences. They always have interesting lyrics that are clearly Biblically inspired, with blood from stones and burning bushes and angels and lines like "You were made out of my ribs/ We share a heart."
Anyway, this song "Jesus" might upset your mother, but it's clearly a spirited, spiritual song. The three and a half minute number begins with some pleasant acoustic guitar and organ before heading into these sweetly-sung words that have confused many listeners: "And Jesus will come through the ground so dirty/ With worms in his hair and a hand so sturdy/ To call us his magic, we call him worthy." Some might bristle at the tune and call it sacrilege, but I find it one of the more interesting, if not a tad literal, interpretations of the Resurrection.
Perhaps we need a new category for this kind of stuff? We could call it Alt-Alt-Christian rock? No, that's awful. Think of a name and send it in, I beseech thee
Is Charlie Peacock writing songs for Sheryl Crow & Sting?
Today I heard a song on the VH1 by Sheryl Crow and Sting called "always on your side" and though I've never heard the song before, Im telling you it HAD to be written by a guy named Charlie Peacock (real name Charlie Ashworth). Who can confirm this for me?
It's got his melodies and chord changes and even some pretty distinctively "Covenant Seminary/ Presbyterian" turns of phrases in the lyrics. I'm telling you Charlie either wrote it or whoever DID write it was listening to or hanging out with Charlie when they did write it!
I need confirmation. First to confirm wins... um... something cool. Maybe a statue of Charlie Peacock on a bear skin rug, fully clothed and eating cheetos or something.
FP
It's got his melodies and chord changes and even some pretty distinctively "Covenant Seminary/ Presbyterian" turns of phrases in the lyrics. I'm telling you Charlie either wrote it or whoever DID write it was listening to or hanging out with Charlie when they did write it!
I need confirmation. First to confirm wins... um... something cool. Maybe a statue of Charlie Peacock on a bear skin rug, fully clothed and eating cheetos or something.
FP
27.3.06
Hooray for Naked Statues of Britney Spears
Today a friend emailed me expressing disapointment that I had not yet commented on the new pro-life monument that was recently unveiled in Brooklyn. It is a scuplture of Britney Spears. Naked. And giving birth. You can click the title of this post to read an article about the work, and you can keep reading this post to hear my two cents.
Here's what I love about it:
First it's pro-life, which is great. Second it is a very well executed sculpture. The Pro-Life movement is of course linked with the political right, which is not known to be a friend of the arts, so to a see a pro life work that has actual artistic merit is encouraging to me as a pro-lifer and as an artist.
In addition, I especially love that the work is mildly provacative. It would have been so easy for someone to have done a nice safe sculpture of a fully clothed mother cradling her child (ala Mary Cassat or whatever). But what would be the point of that? The fact that this work is mildly provacative removes it somewhat from the sphere of the political right & especially from the "Christian" right. Let's face it. Minature models of this statue are not going to be sold as pewter bookends in any Chrisitian bookstore, with the proceeds going to a pro-life organization. So the very nature of the work cleanses the pro-life message from the ideologue stigma often (unfairly or fairly) attached to it by more liberal opponents. Ralph Reed ain't making naked statues of Britney Spears.
Which is the other thing I love about this piece. The fact that it is Britney Spears works fantastically on a number of levels. First, if the provacative nature of the work removes the accusation of "conservative ideologue", identifying the woman as Britney Spears removes the whole "frou-frou- too-cool-for school-artsy-fartsy-wine-and-cheese-pretense" from a work that could otherwise be seen as merely high culture sophistication. Britney is as low culture, as pop culture as it gets. Even better, Britney is pop culture icon ten minutes past her prime, which is the worst of all possible crimes in our culture.
The fact that the scuplture is Britney Spears also works to make it accessible to folks who aren't artsy fartsy. Everybody knows who she is and everybody knows she had a baby. So the work maintains it's creative integrity while becoming completly accessible at some level to everyone from 12 year old girls to gallery curators in soho. Virtually everyone can engage with the work on some level. So in that sense it is absolutely brilliant as an apologetic for the pro-life position.
The other thing I love about it being Britney Spears is that she has in recent years become the whipping girl of the family values set, who seem to be relieved to have found a replacement for Madonna- ever since she got married and started writing children's books. So for the pro-life movement to honor her for making the surprisingly counter-cultural and potentially costly decision to become a mother rather than aborting, despite the fact that the conservative evangelicals (the Pro-Life movement's primary constituency) have demonized her (for dancing naked with snakes on MTV or whatever it was) is a particularly courageous & admirable choice on the part of whomever commissioned the work.
The last thing I love about this statue being of Britney Spears is that it connects with those whom the pro-life message needs most to connect. Even more so than with voters and law makers. That's girls. We need to contunally lift up examples of women making life decisions for our daughters to see. We need to herald those decisions for our daughters to hear. This statue does that.
A last, slightly more delicate point we could discuss is the way in which child birth and motherhood are shown to be sensual and even sexual in nature >blush<. This is a healthy message as well. Motherhood does not remove sexuality! Healthy images of sexuality should be encouraged and applauded wherever we find them. Here is an image of sexuality that actually demonstrates that conception and child birth are the natural prducts of active sexuality! This is a piece of art that does not live in the land of sexual makebelieve like most sexually charged artwork in our culture does- this piece doesn not divorce sexuality from relationship, from commitment, from parenthood, from personhood, or from the beauty of birth and the costly changes it brings to career and lifestyle. This statue is NOT pornography. Also this work argues that the choice to give birth does not transform a woman into an undesirable, asexual, being. How many girls contemplating abortion, or being pressured into abortion by their boyfriends, need to hear that message? How many mothers need to hear this message? Who else is saying it?
Not the conservatives. Cultural conservatives want to protect the unborn, but give the impression that sex is bad or dirty.
Not the liberals. Cultural liberals promote sexuality, but it is a "liberated" sexuality of radical individualism that refuses to acknolwedge that sex is inherently a communal act with communal repercussions that range from the conception of other human beings to societal issues like an overabundance of fatherless children.
Not the church. We mostly pretend like sex doesn't exist, except for the times we are telling people not to have it.
This statue will have none of it. Sex is relational. It has consequences. Sex and parenthood are necessarily linked. They are beautiful and difficult and expensive and fascinating and invigorating and ought to be celebrated.
Hooray for naked statues of Britney Spears.
Here's what I love about it:
First it's pro-life, which is great. Second it is a very well executed sculpture. The Pro-Life movement is of course linked with the political right, which is not known to be a friend of the arts, so to a see a pro life work that has actual artistic merit is encouraging to me as a pro-lifer and as an artist.
In addition, I especially love that the work is mildly provacative. It would have been so easy for someone to have done a nice safe sculpture of a fully clothed mother cradling her child (ala Mary Cassat or whatever). But what would be the point of that? The fact that this work is mildly provacative removes it somewhat from the sphere of the political right & especially from the "Christian" right. Let's face it. Minature models of this statue are not going to be sold as pewter bookends in any Chrisitian bookstore, with the proceeds going to a pro-life organization. So the very nature of the work cleanses the pro-life message from the ideologue stigma often (unfairly or fairly) attached to it by more liberal opponents. Ralph Reed ain't making naked statues of Britney Spears.
Which is the other thing I love about this piece. The fact that it is Britney Spears works fantastically on a number of levels. First, if the provacative nature of the work removes the accusation of "conservative ideologue", identifying the woman as Britney Spears removes the whole "frou-frou- too-cool-for school-artsy-fartsy-wine-and-cheese-pretense" from a work that could otherwise be seen as merely high culture sophistication. Britney is as low culture, as pop culture as it gets. Even better, Britney is pop culture icon ten minutes past her prime, which is the worst of all possible crimes in our culture.
The fact that the scuplture is Britney Spears also works to make it accessible to folks who aren't artsy fartsy. Everybody knows who she is and everybody knows she had a baby. So the work maintains it's creative integrity while becoming completly accessible at some level to everyone from 12 year old girls to gallery curators in soho. Virtually everyone can engage with the work on some level. So in that sense it is absolutely brilliant as an apologetic for the pro-life position.
The other thing I love about it being Britney Spears is that she has in recent years become the whipping girl of the family values set, who seem to be relieved to have found a replacement for Madonna- ever since she got married and started writing children's books. So for the pro-life movement to honor her for making the surprisingly counter-cultural and potentially costly decision to become a mother rather than aborting, despite the fact that the conservative evangelicals (the Pro-Life movement's primary constituency) have demonized her (for dancing naked with snakes on MTV or whatever it was) is a particularly courageous & admirable choice on the part of whomever commissioned the work.
The last thing I love about this statue being of Britney Spears is that it connects with those whom the pro-life message needs most to connect. Even more so than with voters and law makers. That's girls. We need to contunally lift up examples of women making life decisions for our daughters to see. We need to herald those decisions for our daughters to hear. This statue does that.
A last, slightly more delicate point we could discuss is the way in which child birth and motherhood are shown to be sensual and even sexual in nature >blush<. This is a healthy message as well. Motherhood does not remove sexuality! Healthy images of sexuality should be encouraged and applauded wherever we find them. Here is an image of sexuality that actually demonstrates that conception and child birth are the natural prducts of active sexuality! This is a piece of art that does not live in the land of sexual makebelieve like most sexually charged artwork in our culture does- this piece doesn not divorce sexuality from relationship, from commitment, from parenthood, from personhood, or from the beauty of birth and the costly changes it brings to career and lifestyle. This statue is NOT pornography. Also this work argues that the choice to give birth does not transform a woman into an undesirable, asexual, being. How many girls contemplating abortion, or being pressured into abortion by their boyfriends, need to hear that message? How many mothers need to hear this message? Who else is saying it?
Not the conservatives. Cultural conservatives want to protect the unborn, but give the impression that sex is bad or dirty.
Not the liberals. Cultural liberals promote sexuality, but it is a "liberated" sexuality of radical individualism that refuses to acknolwedge that sex is inherently a communal act with communal repercussions that range from the conception of other human beings to societal issues like an overabundance of fatherless children.
Not the church. We mostly pretend like sex doesn't exist, except for the times we are telling people not to have it.
This statue will have none of it. Sex is relational. It has consequences. Sex and parenthood are necessarily linked. They are beautiful and difficult and expensive and fascinating and invigorating and ought to be celebrated.
Hooray for naked statues of Britney Spears.
23.3.06
Free Live Show From Tim Easton!
Follow the link to a free live show you can download from Tim Easton. Tim is in LA and hangs with the Lucinda Williams set in Nashville from time to time, as well as the M Ward faction.
But he is from Ohio and spends a portion of the year right here in little ol' Columbus and often drinks Coffee at the Cup O Joe in Clintonville which the Funky Presbyter has been known to frequent. Easton's new album is due to be released on May 16th of this year, which is another thing we've got in common. I was "released" on May 16th in 1974. Guess what I'm buying myself for my birthday this year?
If you've not heard Easton I highly recommend him. My friend Nand turned me on to him and one thing I've learned is if a guy named "Nand" tells you to listen to something, then do it especially if the guys named Nand also has a silent "L" in his last name. That is a sure fire sign of good musical taste. It's like genetic or something. He is heads and shoulders above all the other singer songwriter, alt country, pop, folk guys out there. (Tim, not Nand. I've never heard sopng written by Nand, so I can;t speak for his songwriting). I'd put Easton in the same camp as Ryan Adams' best work. At times even better. He's got what SImon Cowell would call the "it" factor. Yes, I've been watching American Idol. shut up.
But he is from Ohio and spends a portion of the year right here in little ol' Columbus and often drinks Coffee at the Cup O Joe in Clintonville which the Funky Presbyter has been known to frequent. Easton's new album is due to be released on May 16th of this year, which is another thing we've got in common. I was "released" on May 16th in 1974. Guess what I'm buying myself for my birthday this year?
If you've not heard Easton I highly recommend him. My friend Nand turned me on to him and one thing I've learned is if a guy named "Nand" tells you to listen to something, then do it especially if the guys named Nand also has a silent "L" in his last name. That is a sure fire sign of good musical taste. It's like genetic or something. He is heads and shoulders above all the other singer songwriter, alt country, pop, folk guys out there. (Tim, not Nand. I've never heard sopng written by Nand, so I can;t speak for his songwriting). I'd put Easton in the same camp as Ryan Adams' best work. At times even better. He's got what SImon Cowell would call the "it" factor. Yes, I've been watching American Idol. shut up.
22.3.06
lyric of the day
From Home Again Garden Grove by The Mountain Goats...
I can remember when we were in highschool
Our dreams were like fugitive warlords
Plotting triumphant returns to the city
Keeping tech nines tucked under the floor boards
Now we are practical men of the world
We tether our dreams to the turf
And cruise down the alleys for honey to feed them
Like jelley fish riding the surf
I can remember when we were in highschool
Our dreams were like fugitive warlords
Plotting triumphant returns to the city
Keeping tech nines tucked under the floor boards
Now we are practical men of the world
We tether our dreams to the turf
And cruise down the alleys for honey to feed them
Like jelley fish riding the surf
21.3.06
Do Not Panic
Those of you in the central Ohio area know that for the last two days, all media reports have been bleeping and screeching their warnings to us: Severe Winter Storm Advisor.
I'm afraid the time is now upon us. News reports are now calling for... (brace yourselves)... one to three inches. Yes, the situation is very grave. Perhaps now would be a good time to say parting words to your loved ones and make peace with your maker.
The WHITE DEATH is upon us.
I'm afraid the time is now upon us. News reports are now calling for... (brace yourselves)... one to three inches. Yes, the situation is very grave. Perhaps now would be a good time to say parting words to your loved ones and make peace with your maker.
The WHITE DEATH is upon us.
15.3.06
14.3.06
Presbyterian Pastor humor:
You might be a TR if...
1. You first quote the Westminster Confession and then say, "Oh yeah, the Bible says this somewhere, too."
2. You refuse to vote for Jesus as Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" because you don't want an image of Christ on the front cover.
3. You secretly believe that you have to believe in election to be saved.
4. You think Puritans are really, really, really, REALLY cool.
5. While not being a theonomist, you completely understand them.
6. While officially affirming the "priesthood of all believers," the only people you really trust to interpret Scripture are Calvin and yourself, and you only trust yourself on Thursdays before noon.
7. For you, a Baptist and stupid are the same word.
8. A "Reformed Baptist" and a "square circle" are equally as difficult for you to imagine.
9. You wonder what the Holy Spirit was up to between the times of Paul and Calvin.
10. You think women belong in the home and not in any pulpit, much less a staff position in large churches.
11. At some point in your life, you honestly believed that the only people who are saved are you and your buddy who thinks just like you, and then you kind of have to wonder about him because he DOES think just like you.
12. You think any church that has more than 200 people is probably apostate.
13. You are personally repulsed by Campus Crusade for Christ.
14. It is harder for you to keep the Sabbath than it is to fill out your taxes.
15. You keep telling yourself that Willow Creek has to be a really bad dream.
16. You've considered stoning someone.
17. You've seriously thought about lighting up a cigarette in church.
18. You think "that Pope as the Antichrist thing" should never have been taken out of the Confession.
19. Saying a blessing before the first round of drinks doesn't seem strange to you at all.
20. Your favorite Bible is your "Authorized Bahnsen Version."
21. You're convinced that everyone in your Presbytery is secretly a 33rd degree Mason.
22. You know that the Apocrypha doesn't belong in the canon, but you wonder sometimes whether we should add Van Til's, "The Defense of the Faith."
23. You pray daily for God to release His judgement on para-church ministries.
24. You think no true evangelism has been done without at least 3 lengthy quotes from the Confession.
25. You can't figure out why God didn't take Van Til like He did Enoch.
26. For you, tobacco is its own major food group.
27. You like Sproul Jr. a whole lot better than his father.
28. You think John Gerstner was an Arminian who knows better now.
29. You think the "Concerned Presbyterians" are way too moderate.
30. The only reason you haven't condemned Covenant Seminary is because you went there and you don't want to invalidate your entire theological training.
31. You have no idea what personality type you are, which explains why you are a TR.
You might be a BR if...
1. You changed the name of your church from "Knox Reformed Presbyterian" to "Grace Community Fellowship."
2. You've ever seriously considered going to Pensacola or Toronto to bring back the fire.
3. You think what the church needs is another revival, not another reformation.
4. You've ever done an "infant dedication" service.
5. You own more than one book by C. Peter Wagner, David Wilkerson, James Dobson, or Gary Smalley
6. You don't own anything by Charles Hodge, Archibald Alexander, or B.B. Warfield.
7. You think it's a good thing that many of your members don't know the church is Presbyterian.
8. The words "relevant, contemporary, and cutting edge" cause you to salivate excessively.
9. You don't trust anyone who doesn't have exceptions to the Confession.
10. You consider it to be in bad taste to ask theological questions of a candidate on the floor of Presbytery.
11. You've ever cut a service short because of "Super Bowl Sunday."
12. You constantly use the word "just" while praying (i.e. We "just" really want to thank you).
13. You switched to using overheads so people would have their hands free to "just really worship God."
14. You believe the greatest work on Apologetics ever written was "More than a Carpenter."
15. You wish there was some way of incorporating an altar call into your service.
16. You have a "worship team."
17. You believe that Republican and Christian are synonyms.
18. The most common logo on your casual clothing is "PK."
19. You nod your head when someone says, "Doctrine divides."
20. You could sell your copy of the Confession in "like new" condition.
21. You think that the PCUSA went Liberal because people just really stopped loving Jesus.
1. You first quote the Westminster Confession and then say, "Oh yeah, the Bible says this somewhere, too."
2. You refuse to vote for Jesus as Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" because you don't want an image of Christ on the front cover.
3. You secretly believe that you have to believe in election to be saved.
4. You think Puritans are really, really, really, REALLY cool.
5. While not being a theonomist, you completely understand them.
6. While officially affirming the "priesthood of all believers," the only people you really trust to interpret Scripture are Calvin and yourself, and you only trust yourself on Thursdays before noon.
7. For you, a Baptist and stupid are the same word.
8. A "Reformed Baptist" and a "square circle" are equally as difficult for you to imagine.
9. You wonder what the Holy Spirit was up to between the times of Paul and Calvin.
10. You think women belong in the home and not in any pulpit, much less a staff position in large churches.
11. At some point in your life, you honestly believed that the only people who are saved are you and your buddy who thinks just like you, and then you kind of have to wonder about him because he DOES think just like you.
12. You think any church that has more than 200 people is probably apostate.
13. You are personally repulsed by Campus Crusade for Christ.
14. It is harder for you to keep the Sabbath than it is to fill out your taxes.
15. You keep telling yourself that Willow Creek has to be a really bad dream.
16. You've considered stoning someone.
17. You've seriously thought about lighting up a cigarette in church.
18. You think "that Pope as the Antichrist thing" should never have been taken out of the Confession.
19. Saying a blessing before the first round of drinks doesn't seem strange to you at all.
20. Your favorite Bible is your "Authorized Bahnsen Version."
21. You're convinced that everyone in your Presbytery is secretly a 33rd degree Mason.
22. You know that the Apocrypha doesn't belong in the canon, but you wonder sometimes whether we should add Van Til's, "The Defense of the Faith."
23. You pray daily for God to release His judgement on para-church ministries.
24. You think no true evangelism has been done without at least 3 lengthy quotes from the Confession.
25. You can't figure out why God didn't take Van Til like He did Enoch.
26. For you, tobacco is its own major food group.
27. You like Sproul Jr. a whole lot better than his father.
28. You think John Gerstner was an Arminian who knows better now.
29. You think the "Concerned Presbyterians" are way too moderate.
30. The only reason you haven't condemned Covenant Seminary is because you went there and you don't want to invalidate your entire theological training.
31. You have no idea what personality type you are, which explains why you are a TR.
You might be a BR if...
1. You changed the name of your church from "Knox Reformed Presbyterian" to "Grace Community Fellowship."
2. You've ever seriously considered going to Pensacola or Toronto to bring back the fire.
3. You think what the church needs is another revival, not another reformation.
4. You've ever done an "infant dedication" service.
5. You own more than one book by C. Peter Wagner, David Wilkerson, James Dobson, or Gary Smalley
6. You don't own anything by Charles Hodge, Archibald Alexander, or B.B. Warfield.
7. You think it's a good thing that many of your members don't know the church is Presbyterian.
8. The words "relevant, contemporary, and cutting edge" cause you to salivate excessively.
9. You don't trust anyone who doesn't have exceptions to the Confession.
10. You consider it to be in bad taste to ask theological questions of a candidate on the floor of Presbytery.
11. You've ever cut a service short because of "Super Bowl Sunday."
12. You constantly use the word "just" while praying (i.e. We "just" really want to thank you).
13. You switched to using overheads so people would have their hands free to "just really worship God."
14. You believe the greatest work on Apologetics ever written was "More than a Carpenter."
15. You wish there was some way of incorporating an altar call into your service.
16. You have a "worship team."
17. You believe that Republican and Christian are synonyms.
18. The most common logo on your casual clothing is "PK."
19. You nod your head when someone says, "Doctrine divides."
20. You could sell your copy of the Confession in "like new" condition.
21. You think that the PCUSA went Liberal because people just really stopped loving Jesus.
13.3.06
Currently Rocking Out To:
Page France, Hello Dear Wind
Click title for a special surprise. Here are some reviews:
Though Hello, Dear Wind's catchy melodies and evocative lyrics will grab your attention from the first spin, there's a lot of depth behind them. It's as deeply revealing and honest an album as you're likely to hear all year. -SPLENDID
Page France is an easy contender for my personal favorite album of the year... Hello Dear Wind sees compelling, poetic, mysterious lyrics set to sweet and gentle melodies sung primarily by Michael Nau, with big beautiful female harmonies by Whitney McGraw, backed up by magnificent production centered around acoustic guitar with nice subtle additions of bells and shakers, easy-breezy kick drums and flower-power tambourines.-LEFT HIP MAGAZINE
Michael Nau and Co. have created a completely charming, endlessly endearing, uniquely understated, and totally immersing sophomore album. I can’t take it out of my stereo, and I don’t think that I’ll have to for a while- it feels new every time I hear it. If you like any type of indie-pop, Hello, Dear Wind will be the best album of the year for you, and that’s not an understatement.-INDEPENDENT CLAUSES
Listening to Hello, Dear Wind makes me wish that I had a girlfriend. Not only would it be a perfect soundtrack for a Fall romance, but when our eventual break-up comes around, it would serve as splendid hearbreak music as well! It's great love music and it's great breakup music - that's the kind of duality of the newest album from Maryland natives, Page France.-YOU AIN'T NO PICASSO
The xylophone- and organ-friendly, childlike acoustic folk is the product of kids who sound like they still get a good deal of joy out of producing music, a product that gets a little better with every listen. Here’s hoping Page France will get all the ears they deserve.
-AVERSION
Click title for a special surprise. Here are some reviews:
Though Hello, Dear Wind's catchy melodies and evocative lyrics will grab your attention from the first spin, there's a lot of depth behind them. It's as deeply revealing and honest an album as you're likely to hear all year. -SPLENDID
Page France is an easy contender for my personal favorite album of the year... Hello Dear Wind sees compelling, poetic, mysterious lyrics set to sweet and gentle melodies sung primarily by Michael Nau, with big beautiful female harmonies by Whitney McGraw, backed up by magnificent production centered around acoustic guitar with nice subtle additions of bells and shakers, easy-breezy kick drums and flower-power tambourines.-LEFT HIP MAGAZINE
Michael Nau and Co. have created a completely charming, endlessly endearing, uniquely understated, and totally immersing sophomore album. I can’t take it out of my stereo, and I don’t think that I’ll have to for a while- it feels new every time I hear it. If you like any type of indie-pop, Hello, Dear Wind will be the best album of the year for you, and that’s not an understatement.-INDEPENDENT CLAUSES
Listening to Hello, Dear Wind makes me wish that I had a girlfriend. Not only would it be a perfect soundtrack for a Fall romance, but when our eventual break-up comes around, it would serve as splendid hearbreak music as well! It's great love music and it's great breakup music - that's the kind of duality of the newest album from Maryland natives, Page France.-YOU AIN'T NO PICASSO
The xylophone- and organ-friendly, childlike acoustic folk is the product of kids who sound like they still get a good deal of joy out of producing music, a product that gets a little better with every listen. Here’s hoping Page France will get all the ears they deserve.
-AVERSION
Prison vs. Work
[Best thing about church planting? No cubicles.]
Prison vs. Work
IN PRISON...you spend the majority of your time in an 8X10 cell.
AT WORK... you spend the majority of your time in a 6X8 cubicle.
IN PRISON...you get three meals a day.
AT WORK...you only get a break for one meal and you pay for it.
IN PRISON...you get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK...you get more work for good behavior.
IN PRISON...the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK...you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for yourself.
IN PRISON...you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK...you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON...you get your own toilet.
AT WORK...you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.
IN PRISON...they allow your family and friends to visit.
AT WORK...you can't even speak to your family.
IN PRISON...all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required.
AT WORK...you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.
IN PRISON...you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out.
AT WORK...you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.
IN PRISON...you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK...they are called managers.
Top 10 drawbacks to working in a cubicle..
10. Being told to ‘Think outside the Box’ when you’re in a @#$%?*! box all day long.
9. Not being able to check e-mail attachments without turning around to see who’s behind you.
8. Fabric cubicle walls do not offer much protection from any kind of gunfire.
7. That nagging feeling that if you press the right button, you’ll get a piece of cheese!
6. Lack of roof rafters for the noose.
5. The walls are too close together for the hammock to work right.
4. 23 power cords, 1 outlet.
3. Prison cells are not only bigger, they also have beds.
2. When tours come through, you get lots of peanuts thrown at you.
And the Number 1 Drawback to Working in a Cubicle:
1. You can’t slam the door when you quit and walk out.
Prison vs. Work
IN PRISON...you spend the majority of your time in an 8X10 cell.
AT WORK... you spend the majority of your time in a 6X8 cubicle.
IN PRISON...you get three meals a day.
AT WORK...you only get a break for one meal and you pay for it.
IN PRISON...you get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK...you get more work for good behavior.
IN PRISON...the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK...you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for yourself.
IN PRISON...you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK...you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON...you get your own toilet.
AT WORK...you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.
IN PRISON...they allow your family and friends to visit.
AT WORK...you can't even speak to your family.
IN PRISON...all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required.
AT WORK...you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.
IN PRISON...you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out.
AT WORK...you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.
IN PRISON...you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK...they are called managers.
Top 10 drawbacks to working in a cubicle..
10. Being told to ‘Think outside the Box’ when you’re in a @#$%?*! box all day long.
9. Not being able to check e-mail attachments without turning around to see who’s behind you.
8. Fabric cubicle walls do not offer much protection from any kind of gunfire.
7. That nagging feeling that if you press the right button, you’ll get a piece of cheese!
6. Lack of roof rafters for the noose.
5. The walls are too close together for the hammock to work right.
4. 23 power cords, 1 outlet.
3. Prison cells are not only bigger, they also have beds.
2. When tours come through, you get lots of peanuts thrown at you.
And the Number 1 Drawback to Working in a Cubicle:
1. You can’t slam the door when you quit and walk out.
Cubicle Inventor Regrets His Invention.
So you're saying the office cubicle wasn't invented by Satan, afterall?
11.3.06
More Dollars & People: Is Ministry About Numbers?
Three fighter jets are flying along on a mission, having a conversation.
"What a shame!" cries the first jet. "This recent preoccupation in the aeronautical community with increased fuel capacity and higher speeds- it amounts to little more than a gratuitious display of ego and pomposity!"
"Indeed" agrees the second jet. "And not only that, but this lust for fuel and speed has compromised our mission as fighter jets. In fact, one would think from all the talk, that acquiring more speed and fuel has actually BECOME the mission. What is important is the mission. It's not about fuel and speed. It's about the mission!"
"Perhaps, my brothers" said the third jet (whose fuel tank was a bit smaller and whose engine was a bit slower than the other two) "But what these times really call for is not more fuel capacity or greater speeds, but that we jets learn to fly straighter lines, hold the course. That we are sure to run all of our instrument tests in the proper manner and that we follow proper procedures. This rather than fuel and speed will ensure we are true to our mission".
"A good reminder, friend" say the first two jets. "It is agreed, then. The desire for greater fuel capacity and higer rates of speed is a hinderance to our true mission. Aircraft should not seek fuel and speed. We must see only to fulfill our mission. Flight is not about more fuel and more speed. Flight is about the mission"
"and proper procedures" reminded the third jet helpfully.
"Yes, yes" say the first two jets, " and proper procedures". And there was wisdom in their conclusion.
Meanwhile, thousands of feet below the fighter jets, a small single-prop cessna is sputtering down a dirt runway with the engine at full throttle. All afternoon the little plane has been spinning it's propeller and straining it's engine in an attempt to gain flight and join the mission given by the Flight Commander. He looks nervously at his own fuel gage as it's needle drops closer to "E". Occasionally he gets the speed to bounce a few feet off the runway before dropping back down to dirt. And he is growing discouraged and frustrated.
"If I'm ever going to fulfill the mission" the cessna says to himself, "I need to get more fuel and more speed".
Just then the cessna's radio picks up the conversation taking place far above his head. He tunes in just in time to hear the three jets' pronouncement:
"The desire for greater fuel capacity and higher rates of speed is a hinderance to our true mission. Aircraft should not seek fuel and speed. We must seek only to fulfill our mission. Flight is not about more fuel and more speed. "
The cessna thinks over his options. Perhaps the jets are correct. Afterall, they've been quite a bit more successful than he has at attaining lift and flight. Plus think of all their expereince and wisdom. Who can argue with principles like "mission and proper procedure"? Perhaps the cessna's focus on speed and fuel has been wrong all along. Perhaps he should sputter along at his current rate of speed until his fuel tank is empty. Perhaps at that point the great Flight Commander will sweep him into the air on a great gust of wind and carry him through the mission. Surely this is the more faithful course of action.
Then again, maybe the cessna recognizes that the conversation taking place high above his head is one that can only be had between aircrafts who've already attained the speed and lift necessary for flight, and whose tanks have the fuel necessary to get them to their destination. In which case he should be about the business of marshalling his remaining resources to acquire more fuel and more speed, so that lift will produce flight. And through flight he can contribute to the mission.
"What a shame!" cries the first jet. "This recent preoccupation in the aeronautical community with increased fuel capacity and higher speeds- it amounts to little more than a gratuitious display of ego and pomposity!"
"Indeed" agrees the second jet. "And not only that, but this lust for fuel and speed has compromised our mission as fighter jets. In fact, one would think from all the talk, that acquiring more speed and fuel has actually BECOME the mission. What is important is the mission. It's not about fuel and speed. It's about the mission!"
"Perhaps, my brothers" said the third jet (whose fuel tank was a bit smaller and whose engine was a bit slower than the other two) "But what these times really call for is not more fuel capacity or greater speeds, but that we jets learn to fly straighter lines, hold the course. That we are sure to run all of our instrument tests in the proper manner and that we follow proper procedures. This rather than fuel and speed will ensure we are true to our mission".
"A good reminder, friend" say the first two jets. "It is agreed, then. The desire for greater fuel capacity and higer rates of speed is a hinderance to our true mission. Aircraft should not seek fuel and speed. We must see only to fulfill our mission. Flight is not about more fuel and more speed. Flight is about the mission"
"and proper procedures" reminded the third jet helpfully.
"Yes, yes" say the first two jets, " and proper procedures". And there was wisdom in their conclusion.
Meanwhile, thousands of feet below the fighter jets, a small single-prop cessna is sputtering down a dirt runway with the engine at full throttle. All afternoon the little plane has been spinning it's propeller and straining it's engine in an attempt to gain flight and join the mission given by the Flight Commander. He looks nervously at his own fuel gage as it's needle drops closer to "E". Occasionally he gets the speed to bounce a few feet off the runway before dropping back down to dirt. And he is growing discouraged and frustrated.
"If I'm ever going to fulfill the mission" the cessna says to himself, "I need to get more fuel and more speed".
Just then the cessna's radio picks up the conversation taking place far above his head. He tunes in just in time to hear the three jets' pronouncement:
"The desire for greater fuel capacity and higher rates of speed is a hinderance to our true mission. Aircraft should not seek fuel and speed. We must seek only to fulfill our mission. Flight is not about more fuel and more speed. "
The cessna thinks over his options. Perhaps the jets are correct. Afterall, they've been quite a bit more successful than he has at attaining lift and flight. Plus think of all their expereince and wisdom. Who can argue with principles like "mission and proper procedure"? Perhaps the cessna's focus on speed and fuel has been wrong all along. Perhaps he should sputter along at his current rate of speed until his fuel tank is empty. Perhaps at that point the great Flight Commander will sweep him into the air on a great gust of wind and carry him through the mission. Surely this is the more faithful course of action.
Then again, maybe the cessna recognizes that the conversation taking place high above his head is one that can only be had between aircrafts who've already attained the speed and lift necessary for flight, and whose tanks have the fuel necessary to get them to their destination. In which case he should be about the business of marshalling his remaining resources to acquire more fuel and more speed, so that lift will produce flight. And through flight he can contribute to the mission.
9.3.06
8.3.06
7.3.06
6.3.06
New Comments
There's good conversation taking place under the comments section of the post on Christians in the Arts.
4.3.06
Please Don't Ask How Much They Cost
I got a new toy. A set of headphones. Very nice headphones. Very big, clunky, ugly, black headphones that sound like a million bucks. So in that sense I got a real deal on them!
Even though they look like old soviet technology.
Even though they look like old soviet technology.
cool out. it's ok. be cool. EVERYBODY JUST COOL THE FRICK OUT!!!!! (I was talking to myself)
Below is a post from a blog written by a pastor in my Presbytery. Following it is my response. If you post comments, please be compassionate and respectful. This guy loves God and loves people. Please understand that his concern is for the children of the Church. He does not want to see them turn from the faith they were raised in either in their beliefs or in their lifestyles. Certainly that is commendable! I post this here for your consideration and to convince my readers that the work being done at Grace Central is necessary, good and right. Thinking like this- particularly when it comes from a minister within my camp, from a man whom I know and respect- reminds me why we are planting Grace Central. Artists are often among those who are counted as "religiously disenfranchised" and Grace Central has been called by God to be a church for the religiously disenfranchised.
So, to Grace Central - be encouraged! Your efforts are needed and valued. To artists - conduct yourselves in such a way that rob this kind of thinking of credibility. To everyone else - move to Columbus and join us in our efforts. Peace and remember: Be cool.
(Click the title above to read the article which inspired his post)
____________________________________________
Christians and the Visual Arts...
Is there anything not absolutely normal about the Hollywood lifestyle of this young woman?
Is there any way parents can train up a son or daughter for this kind of career without anticipating this kind of outcome? Are there Christians in this realm of the arts? Sure. Is the existence of Christians in this realm of the arts justification for churches and Christian schools uncritically propelling their children in this direction? Certainly not.
Coming a bit closer to home... Is there anything all that different about the moral course of a typical career in professional dance versus a career in Hollywood? Of a painter or sculptor?
In what conceivable universe should Christians be encouraging their children in these sorts of directions without anticipating potentially tragic outcomes? Does this mean every Christian actor or dancer has prostituted his or her faith? Certainly not. But the track record of those who have versus those who have not certainly shouldn't encourage us to propel our children down these career paths--or to look uncritically at the various visual art forms which so tend toward immorality. (And of course, if you've read this blog over any length of time you know that we are not merely practicing guilt-by-association in making this connection. We tend to believe Christians have failed to apply the second commandment to modern visual arts, a foundational neglect of God's Law which inevitably tends to various other forms of neglect.)
Finally, for all the talk in certain quarters about redeeming culture, all the WORLD Magazine Daniel awards for visual artists, all the lionization of Christian artists taking place in various sectors of (especially) the Reformed world, where's the beef? Where's the salt producing saltiness? Where's the light banishing the darkness? Why can't we see that only the Gospel illuminates, only the Gospel preserves? Why do we think artists and the arts are capable of redeeming culture in a way that plumbers and ditch-diggers do not?
As a matter of fact, I suspect were we to weigh the contributions to culture of Christian plumbers against Christian visual artists, the scales would come heavily down on the side of training our children to be plumbers and ditch-diggers.
One last note--please read the full story first if you're tempted toward a knee-jerk defense of Christian involvement in the representational visual arts.
______________________________________________________
David,
How many professional artists do you know personally? Where did you study the visual arts? How involved are you directly with the visual arts community in your town or area? How many Christians do you know personally who are involved in the visual arts professions? It is easy to find bad examples and unfortunate outcomes, of course. But I'd venture to guess we could find these kinds of sad stories about covenant children in any profession.
I respect your concerns, but I think you are largely speaking from a position of ignorance. Certainly not Biblical or theological ignorance. But perhaps ignorance of the faithful witness of many truly Christian artists practicing their faith with integrity in the context of the visual arts.
Perhaps the operative word in your post is "uncritically". We should do nothing "uncritically". At Grace Central we are equipping artist, dancers, designers, writers and musicians (as well as teachers, doctors, attorneys, mothers, business men, no plumbers, but two electricians etc.) to critically employ a Christ-centered worldview and belief system in the way they approach their respective fields of expertise. I have found most of these artists have been starving for a voice of affirmation and encouragement from the church in place of the voices of suspicion and denigration they have traditionally recieved.
Again, I truly do respect your concerns. I just think maybe they are communicated in an uncritical way, and have the great potential to cause a lot of damage in the lives of artists who are true believers. I know this is not your intent!
We should talk. I look forward to having lunch with you in Toledo sometime soon and it was good to see you at Presbytery.
By the way, I am completely in favor of Christian plumbers as well! Too bad they will be unemployed in the comsummated Kingdom, as I suppose the pipes there never burst! I tell you what, send some of your plumbers to us and we'll teach them to paint and sculpt, just so they have something to "fall back on" when they get to Heaven. ; )
Peace.
So, to Grace Central - be encouraged! Your efforts are needed and valued. To artists - conduct yourselves in such a way that rob this kind of thinking of credibility. To everyone else - move to Columbus and join us in our efforts. Peace and remember: Be cool.
(Click the title above to read the article which inspired his post)
____________________________________________
Christians and the Visual Arts...
Is there anything not absolutely normal about the Hollywood lifestyle of this young woman?
Is there any way parents can train up a son or daughter for this kind of career without anticipating this kind of outcome? Are there Christians in this realm of the arts? Sure. Is the existence of Christians in this realm of the arts justification for churches and Christian schools uncritically propelling their children in this direction? Certainly not.
Coming a bit closer to home... Is there anything all that different about the moral course of a typical career in professional dance versus a career in Hollywood? Of a painter or sculptor?
In what conceivable universe should Christians be encouraging their children in these sorts of directions without anticipating potentially tragic outcomes? Does this mean every Christian actor or dancer has prostituted his or her faith? Certainly not. But the track record of those who have versus those who have not certainly shouldn't encourage us to propel our children down these career paths--or to look uncritically at the various visual art forms which so tend toward immorality. (And of course, if you've read this blog over any length of time you know that we are not merely practicing guilt-by-association in making this connection. We tend to believe Christians have failed to apply the second commandment to modern visual arts, a foundational neglect of God's Law which inevitably tends to various other forms of neglect.)
Finally, for all the talk in certain quarters about redeeming culture, all the WORLD Magazine Daniel awards for visual artists, all the lionization of Christian artists taking place in various sectors of (especially) the Reformed world, where's the beef? Where's the salt producing saltiness? Where's the light banishing the darkness? Why can't we see that only the Gospel illuminates, only the Gospel preserves? Why do we think artists and the arts are capable of redeeming culture in a way that plumbers and ditch-diggers do not?
As a matter of fact, I suspect were we to weigh the contributions to culture of Christian plumbers against Christian visual artists, the scales would come heavily down on the side of training our children to be plumbers and ditch-diggers.
One last note--please read the full story first if you're tempted toward a knee-jerk defense of Christian involvement in the representational visual arts.
______________________________________________________
David,
How many professional artists do you know personally? Where did you study the visual arts? How involved are you directly with the visual arts community in your town or area? How many Christians do you know personally who are involved in the visual arts professions? It is easy to find bad examples and unfortunate outcomes, of course. But I'd venture to guess we could find these kinds of sad stories about covenant children in any profession.
I respect your concerns, but I think you are largely speaking from a position of ignorance. Certainly not Biblical or theological ignorance. But perhaps ignorance of the faithful witness of many truly Christian artists practicing their faith with integrity in the context of the visual arts.
Perhaps the operative word in your post is "uncritically". We should do nothing "uncritically". At Grace Central we are equipping artist, dancers, designers, writers and musicians (as well as teachers, doctors, attorneys, mothers, business men, no plumbers, but two electricians etc.) to critically employ a Christ-centered worldview and belief system in the way they approach their respective fields of expertise. I have found most of these artists have been starving for a voice of affirmation and encouragement from the church in place of the voices of suspicion and denigration they have traditionally recieved.
Again, I truly do respect your concerns. I just think maybe they are communicated in an uncritical way, and have the great potential to cause a lot of damage in the lives of artists who are true believers. I know this is not your intent!
We should talk. I look forward to having lunch with you in Toledo sometime soon and it was good to see you at Presbytery.
By the way, I am completely in favor of Christian plumbers as well! Too bad they will be unemployed in the comsummated Kingdom, as I suppose the pipes there never burst! I tell you what, send some of your plumbers to us and we'll teach them to paint and sculpt, just so they have something to "fall back on" when they get to Heaven. ; )
Peace.
2.3.06
Presbytery
Presbytery meeting again this week. Should be ok. I'll let you know things go. Here's a photo from the last presbytery meeting. That's me in the back with the flame thrower.
And the Award for the Most Irresistibly Juvenile Album Title Goes To...
Diskaholics Anonymous Trio, for thier album:
Weapons of Ass Destruction
Weapons of Ass Destruction
1.3.06
Things which mildly disturb me today:
1. Christians who refuse to call themselves Christians and use instead the term "follower of Jesus". Fair enough. But you realize when you say that everyone else is thinking "oh. you mean you're a Christian".
2. Churches which refuse to call themselves churches and instead call themselves "a community of Jesus followers". Fair enough but you realize when you say that the rest of us are all thinking "oh. You mean you're a church".
3. My own goatee which conceals my tiny, elfin chin.
4. The color of my office walls.
5. Winter.
6. The apostle Paul.
7. Waiting on books to arrive from amazon.
2. Churches which refuse to call themselves churches and instead call themselves "a community of Jesus followers". Fair enough but you realize when you say that the rest of us are all thinking "oh. You mean you're a church".
3. My own goatee which conceals my tiny, elfin chin.
4. The color of my office walls.
5. Winter.
6. The apostle Paul.
7. Waiting on books to arrive from amazon.
Still keepin' it real.
Yeah, I pay three bucks for a cup of java at the ultra-hip, frou-frou coffee clubs like everyone else these days. And yeah, I've developed a taste for the high brow, high priced, highly prized coffee beans found in only one farm in Columbia, grown by only one family in central America, chosen intuitively by only one species of small jungle cat in the rain forest, and available for a limited time at only the most exclusive coffee houses, or only at the most broadly expanding coffee chain. Organic, pea-berry, fair trade, hand pressed, no sugar, hold the cream, just the blessed juice of the bean, please barristta. Yeah, I am one of those guys, just like you.
But...
I haven't forgotten my roots. Sometimes, like this morning for instance, I buy my coffee for 89 cents at the same place I buy my gas. And I pump both myself. I put my hand to the communal coffee pot and fill my styrofoam cup with twenty ounces of the people's elixer of life. This is how my people have done it for generations, in the days when "tall" meant "tall" and "venti" meant "you ain't from around here are you, boy?"
So today I drink my 89 cent gas station coffee from a styrofoam cup. Today I drink with the truck drivers and the contractors, the plumbers and the electricians, the farmers and the men of every profession, fingertips thick with decades of real labor, and ask "who the hell puts a little cardboard skirt on a cup of coffee?" Today I drink with our grandpas, our fathers and our uncles Don and Dwayne, far too savy to fall for the marketing ploys of girly men in green aprons.
Cheap coffee, we are humbled by your unpretentious dignity. We are quickened by your caffinated simplicity. Today we lift our disposable cups to you.
But...
I haven't forgotten my roots. Sometimes, like this morning for instance, I buy my coffee for 89 cents at the same place I buy my gas. And I pump both myself. I put my hand to the communal coffee pot and fill my styrofoam cup with twenty ounces of the people's elixer of life. This is how my people have done it for generations, in the days when "tall" meant "tall" and "venti" meant "you ain't from around here are you, boy?"
So today I drink my 89 cent gas station coffee from a styrofoam cup. Today I drink with the truck drivers and the contractors, the plumbers and the electricians, the farmers and the men of every profession, fingertips thick with decades of real labor, and ask "who the hell puts a little cardboard skirt on a cup of coffee?" Today I drink with our grandpas, our fathers and our uncles Don and Dwayne, far too savy to fall for the marketing ploys of girly men in green aprons.
Cheap coffee, we are humbled by your unpretentious dignity. We are quickened by your caffinated simplicity. Today we lift our disposable cups to you.
27.2.06
A Great Opening Line of a Song:
song: Oceanographer's Choice
artist: The Mountain Goats
album: Talahassee
line: well a guy in a skeleton costume comes up to the guy in the superman costume, runs through him with a broad sword
artist: The Mountain Goats
album: Talahassee
line: well a guy in a skeleton costume comes up to the guy in the superman costume, runs through him with a broad sword
24.2.06
One Year Old
Hey people. The Blog turned one a couple of weeks ago and I didn't notice. I've actually been thinking about shutting it down. Even since I got all "productive" with my time, I just don't blog as much. We'll see. Maybe I'll consolidate with others of you and we can do a joint blog posting thing? Maybe not? I dunno.
But in the meantime, here are some ideas for posts I'd like to write if I had the time:
the difference between nirvana, zen and shalom
that Velvet Elvis book review I've been meaning to write
an article called the four resurrections of johnny cash
a contrast of the philosophies of the nature of humanity and history as seen in the 2005 works "I'm wide awake and it's morning" by Bright Eyes and "Illinoise" by Sufjan Stevens. (Bright Eyes' work is mostly Nietzchian with respect to human nature and the cyclical nature of history, while Sufjan's work is more eschatologically oriented, meaning it sees a forward trajectory to history and his view of human nature is Augustinian)
sanctification & pharmeceuticals
Ancient Mesopotamian & Hebrew Creation Accounts: Was Moses a Deconstructionist?
Authoritative Deconstruction: A Legitimate Apologetic for a Post-Whatever World?
Female and Male as the Image of God
Foucault was right about language being a power play and that's ok for the Christian to embrace because afterall, our God is a God who speaks and our Savior is the WORD incarnate.
Submission as liberation
Means of Grace as a way of life
Maybe a church should measure it's effectiveness by how many programs it cuts each year.
Maybe parachurch is not a legitmitate biblical category or maybe it is but is usally done poorly or maybe not poorly by not thoughtfully or maybe churches should just put up the cash and bring all the parachurch guys on staff so they don't have to raise thier own money and then everyone will be better off.
Why triangles are the answer to everything
Why the local church is the hope of the world
John Frame- Revolutionary Thinker, or Master of the Obvious?
Matt Birt: A Profile in Staying Where you're at and doing something about why where you're at sucks
That's all for now.
But in the meantime, here are some ideas for posts I'd like to write if I had the time:
the difference between nirvana, zen and shalom
that Velvet Elvis book review I've been meaning to write
an article called the four resurrections of johnny cash
a contrast of the philosophies of the nature of humanity and history as seen in the 2005 works "I'm wide awake and it's morning" by Bright Eyes and "Illinoise" by Sufjan Stevens. (Bright Eyes' work is mostly Nietzchian with respect to human nature and the cyclical nature of history, while Sufjan's work is more eschatologically oriented, meaning it sees a forward trajectory to history and his view of human nature is Augustinian)
sanctification & pharmeceuticals
Ancient Mesopotamian & Hebrew Creation Accounts: Was Moses a Deconstructionist?
Authoritative Deconstruction: A Legitimate Apologetic for a Post-Whatever World?
Female and Male as the Image of God
Foucault was right about language being a power play and that's ok for the Christian to embrace because afterall, our God is a God who speaks and our Savior is the WORD incarnate.
Submission as liberation
Means of Grace as a way of life
Maybe a church should measure it's effectiveness by how many programs it cuts each year.
Maybe parachurch is not a legitmitate biblical category or maybe it is but is usally done poorly or maybe not poorly by not thoughtfully or maybe churches should just put up the cash and bring all the parachurch guys on staff so they don't have to raise thier own money and then everyone will be better off.
Why triangles are the answer to everything
Why the local church is the hope of the world
John Frame- Revolutionary Thinker, or Master of the Obvious?
Matt Birt: A Profile in Staying Where you're at and doing something about why where you're at sucks
That's all for now.
23.2.06
Back in Action!
Sorry folks. There for a while, the FP vanished from the blogosphere. Not quite sure what the deal was with that.
22.2.06
20.2.06
15.2.06
Playing With Water
Here's Sam at Cosi playing in the water. Doesn't Leonard Cohen have a song about a blue raincoat or something? Somebody check that out for me.
Anyway, I think this photo turned out nice. Charity snapped it.
Anyway, I think this photo turned out nice. Charity snapped it.
Jack the Artist
Here is a picture of Jack painting a ceramic dinosaur at a pottery filed trip he took recently with one of the homeschooling co-ops we participate in.
Sam the Stunt Man
Here's a picture of Sam precariously balanced on the seat of his tricycle holding on with just one hand.
Any good mother would instinctively rescue him from certain calamity. Any proud father instinctively reaches for the digital camera.
Any good mother would instinctively rescue him from certain calamity. Any proud father instinctively reaches for the digital camera.
Jack the Actor
In this photo, Jack is acting like a dinosaur. He likes acting. Recently he declared himself a director and began work on a film entitled "Murmur Dog". Jack not only acts in the film, but he also wrote it and directs it. He's creative and ambitious.
Jokes Told by Framian-Presuppositional Indie Rock Fans:
Here's one I made up last night at a concert:
Guy walks out on stage. Says:
"Hello, Situational Perspective! We are Existential Perspective! This next song is called Normative Perspective! "
This joke is mostly for Dru Johnson. But I don't think he'll like it.
Guy walks out on stage. Says:
"Hello, Situational Perspective! We are Existential Perspective! This next song is called Normative Perspective! "
This joke is mostly for Dru Johnson. But I don't think he'll like it.
10.2.06
Ha!
An hilarious article from the onion. Reminds me of what a professor of mine once said. Something like this, "It is a sin to preach in such a way that makes God's word appear irrelevant. It is also a sin to do it in such a way that makes his word appear boring".
8.2.06
I AM by Robert Rottet
I Am
I.
I am the forgotten song emerging in you
I communed with your soul when your grandmother sang
My verses are in your veins
my rhythm courses through your heart
Open your mouth and let me out
I will fly back to the place of your birth
I will gather visions of school yards
and adolescent games
I will cross the ocean to the home of your ancestors
I will summon their language within your body
You will hear the echoes of revolution and war
You will feel the passion of love and release
You will know the peace of joy and bravery
Its all here
inside of me
I am the song
II.
I am blues
I am jazz
I am rock and roll
I am Muddy Waters singing "I be’s troubled" on the front porch of
a cabin on Stovall Plantation
I tell you "I never be’s sasafied"
and you say the sorrow sounds sweeter
than sweet potato pie
I am John Coltrane with my tenor sax on a good night in the
Harlem Beat Kitchen
Miles is playing the sad notes
Bird is playing the pretty ones
and I am burning a hole in this ceiling
Art and Monk are sitting there with their mouths wide open saying
"Boy what got into you?"
and I say "No, what got out of me?"
because I got the heroine out of my veins
I am loud amplifiers, headbands, costumes, platform shoes and yes
I can play this guitar
behind my back
and when I’ve strangled every sound out of this Stratocaster
that you couldn’t imagine
and she is destroyed because her message was too wonderful to
hear
and burned like a witch
then you say
"He was our voice and our savior"
III.
I am bald like the eagle
and I glide high above
with succinct movements
exuding regality in all that I am
I screech and my voice
is swallowed in this canyon
where I believe myself to be
king
You admire me
but you smile a smug smile
knowing that one day
the sky will become a mirror
IV.
I am fat and spoiled
like the squirrel who plunders the moldy bread and bird seed
that my mother has left for the blue jays
In the thrill of my theft
I wander into the street
to receive rebuke from an angry Monte Carlo
panic stricken
I turn both to the left and to the right
forgetting my origin and name
V.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made
I am every man and every woman
(no, this is not Walt Whitman)
and I am the LORD’s creation
I am the forgotten song that is emerging in you
I am the inner-city and the country
the soy beans and the section-8-government housing
I am the earth, wind, sky and stars
I am the eagle
I am the squirrel
blues, jazz, rock and roll
rich, poor, wise and otherwise
I am american
I am the world
I am
VI.
I AM the I AM
from the beginning
(as you call it)
and to the end
I am not something you can figure out
with your finite mind
I am very near you
and will never be far
Surrender to me
love me
I am the LORD
I.
I am the forgotten song emerging in you
I communed with your soul when your grandmother sang
My verses are in your veins
my rhythm courses through your heart
Open your mouth and let me out
I will fly back to the place of your birth
I will gather visions of school yards
and adolescent games
I will cross the ocean to the home of your ancestors
I will summon their language within your body
You will hear the echoes of revolution and war
You will feel the passion of love and release
You will know the peace of joy and bravery
Its all here
inside of me
I am the song
II.
I am blues
I am jazz
I am rock and roll
I am Muddy Waters singing "I be’s troubled" on the front porch of
a cabin on Stovall Plantation
I tell you "I never be’s sasafied"
and you say the sorrow sounds sweeter
than sweet potato pie
I am John Coltrane with my tenor sax on a good night in the
Harlem Beat Kitchen
Miles is playing the sad notes
Bird is playing the pretty ones
and I am burning a hole in this ceiling
Art and Monk are sitting there with their mouths wide open saying
"Boy what got into you?"
and I say "No, what got out of me?"
because I got the heroine out of my veins
I am loud amplifiers, headbands, costumes, platform shoes and yes
I can play this guitar
behind my back
and when I’ve strangled every sound out of this Stratocaster
that you couldn’t imagine
and she is destroyed because her message was too wonderful to
hear
and burned like a witch
then you say
"He was our voice and our savior"
III.
I am bald like the eagle
and I glide high above
with succinct movements
exuding regality in all that I am
I screech and my voice
is swallowed in this canyon
where I believe myself to be
king
You admire me
but you smile a smug smile
knowing that one day
the sky will become a mirror
IV.
I am fat and spoiled
like the squirrel who plunders the moldy bread and bird seed
that my mother has left for the blue jays
In the thrill of my theft
I wander into the street
to receive rebuke from an angry Monte Carlo
panic stricken
I turn both to the left and to the right
forgetting my origin and name
V.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made
I am every man and every woman
(no, this is not Walt Whitman)
and I am the LORD’s creation
I am the forgotten song that is emerging in you
I am the inner-city and the country
the soy beans and the section-8-government housing
I am the earth, wind, sky and stars
I am the eagle
I am the squirrel
blues, jazz, rock and roll
rich, poor, wise and otherwise
I am american
I am the world
I am
VI.
I AM the I AM
from the beginning
(as you call it)
and to the end
I am not something you can figure out
with your finite mind
I am very near you
and will never be far
Surrender to me
love me
I am the LORD
6.2.06
"Singles Ministry" According to Belle and Sebastian
If You Find Yourself Caught In Love
If you find yourself caught in love
Say a prayer to the man above
Thank him for everything you know
You should thank him for every breath you blow
If you find yourself caught in love
Say a prayer to the man above
You should thank him for every day you pass
Thank him for saving your sorry ass
If you’re single, but looking out
You must raise your prayer to a shout
Another partner must be found
Someone to take your life beyond
Another TV “I Love 1999”
Just one more box of cheapo wine
If you find yourself caught in love
You should say a prayer to the man above
If you don’t listen to the voices then my friend
You’ll soon run out of choices
What a pity it would be
You talk of freedom don’t you see
The only freedom that you’ll ever really know
Is written in books from long ago
Give up your will to Him that loves you
Things will change, I’m not saying overnight
But something has to give
You’re too good looking not to live
If you find yourself caught in love
Say a prayer to the man above
Thank him for everything you know
You should thank him for every breath you blow
If you find yourself caught in love
Say a prayer to the man above
You should thank him for every day you pass
Thank him for saving your sorry ass
If you’re single, but looking out
You must raise your prayer to a shout
Another partner must be found
Someone to take your life beyond
Another TV “I Love 1999”
Just one more box of cheapo wine
If you find yourself caught in love
You should say a prayer to the man above
If you don’t listen to the voices then my friend
You’ll soon run out of choices
What a pity it would be
You talk of freedom don’t you see
The only freedom that you’ll ever really know
Is written in books from long ago
Give up your will to Him that loves you
Things will change, I’m not saying overnight
But something has to give
You’re too good looking not to live
Fighting Entropy
Over the past couple of months I have implemented the following systems to help hold back the ever present onslaught of entropy in my vocational life. It's helping.
1. Man Bag- As you know, I bought a man bag... a murse... a satchel. Whatever. It helps because it holds my planner. It is really just a way of physically attaching my calendar to myself at all times. So I can schedule and check my schedule and store important papers and receipts, etc at all times.
2. Drugs- I went to the Dr and was diagnosed with narcolepsy and add. The drugs are helping somewhat. Now I can concentrate for more than 15 minutes at a time. Which is part of the reason my blog posts are fewer and farther between.
3. Admin Assitant- I hired my wife to be my admin assistant, even though every body said not to. It was the best decision I've made since I married her. I should have hired her two years ago. She does three times the work in half the time.
4. Cell phone clip- Every three weeks I lose my cell phone for ten days. I recently spent twenty bucks on a crappy little cell phone holder that clips to the strap of my man bag (see item 1). Well worth the money, even if the design of the holder totally throws off the aesthetic of the bag. I've not lost my cell phone since I purchased it! I'm going to get another clip to attach my keys to my bag. I think my entire life should be held together with little clips like that. Maybe I'll create a clip system and write a book with a an accomanying work book and journal and go on the motivational speaking circuit. Nobody would come of course, unless a charged 25k per session and called it a "workshop".
Other things I am excited to implement: A prayer system I found out about that helps to organize prayer requests in a systematic manner so you can pray through them in a way that makes some sense. Now when I say I'll pray for somebody there's about a 40% chance I'll either forget, or only pray for them once and then forget. This new system should help greatly. I'll keep you updated. Also, a strategic planning system for the church that will help us align what we do with what we say wwe want to do. I kind of had something like this in effect already, but this system I learned about is much more thorough, yet simple and has less holes in it. It will help keep me and GC on task.
1. Man Bag- As you know, I bought a man bag... a murse... a satchel. Whatever. It helps because it holds my planner. It is really just a way of physically attaching my calendar to myself at all times. So I can schedule and check my schedule and store important papers and receipts, etc at all times.
2. Drugs- I went to the Dr and was diagnosed with narcolepsy and add. The drugs are helping somewhat. Now I can concentrate for more than 15 minutes at a time. Which is part of the reason my blog posts are fewer and farther between.
3. Admin Assitant- I hired my wife to be my admin assistant, even though every body said not to. It was the best decision I've made since I married her. I should have hired her two years ago. She does three times the work in half the time.
4. Cell phone clip- Every three weeks I lose my cell phone for ten days. I recently spent twenty bucks on a crappy little cell phone holder that clips to the strap of my man bag (see item 1). Well worth the money, even if the design of the holder totally throws off the aesthetic of the bag. I've not lost my cell phone since I purchased it! I'm going to get another clip to attach my keys to my bag. I think my entire life should be held together with little clips like that. Maybe I'll create a clip system and write a book with a an accomanying work book and journal and go on the motivational speaking circuit. Nobody would come of course, unless a charged 25k per session and called it a "workshop".
Other things I am excited to implement: A prayer system I found out about that helps to organize prayer requests in a systematic manner so you can pray through them in a way that makes some sense. Now when I say I'll pray for somebody there's about a 40% chance I'll either forget, or only pray for them once and then forget. This new system should help greatly. I'll keep you updated. Also, a strategic planning system for the church that will help us align what we do with what we say wwe want to do. I kind of had something like this in effect already, but this system I learned about is much more thorough, yet simple and has less holes in it. It will help keep me and GC on task.
3.2.06
Do not be alarmed.
I apologize for my extended absence. About ten days ago, I listened to the album "let there be morning" by the Perishers and was immediately over powered by the awesomness. All the beauty of Colplay none of the "what is it about these guys that I find mildly annoying".
Anywho, I am back among the living, as you can plainly tell. Thanks for your concern. And whatever you do, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM.
Anywho, I am back among the living, as you can plainly tell. Thanks for your concern. And whatever you do, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM.
25.1.06
Corn!
Spent the morning with my friend Jeff who is planting a Vineyard church in Columbus. Maybe the most refreshing three hours I've experienced so far this year. We're gonna try to make it a monthly meeting.
24.1.06
Sam's first sentence.
Well, yesterday Sam was sitting on Mommy's lap in front of the computer, when a picture popped up on the screen. Sam pointed and said his first sentence.
"Look! That Daddy !"
To see the image that prompted this eloquent exclamation, click the title link.
"Look! That Daddy !"
To see the image that prompted this eloquent exclamation, click the title link.
23.1.06
That's my King.
Most of you have probably heard this, before. I can't get over it. Maybe one of the most moving pieces of audio I have ever heard.
21.1.06
Jesus & the Indie Rock Scene: Read This Article
"Almost no strain of music is as secular as indie rock: It's quaint when old men on 78s sing spirituals, and a rugged legend like Johnny Cash can pray however he wants, but if you're a scrawny songwriter with a 4-track, siding with Jesus makes you a leper"
20.1.06
Evie's Tears by Freedy Johnston
Can you tell what this song is about?
Evie's Tears
In the middle of her confession
He comes over and holds her hand
I wake up, she is crying
I guess he was here again
Chorus:
Evie's tears are never going to dry
Evie's secret tears burn this bed she comes to
only when it's light
We met in a lonely summer
Two survivors of paradise
She ran up when I first touched her
Now she wakes me every night
Chorus
Faithless girl
You've been dreaming
Staring up your face is what we fear
OK, now I'm listening
You're not mine and he's not here
Now I'm listening
You're not mine and he's not here
In the middle of Evie's garden
In a simple iron chair
Wind's blowing and she is singing
Begs the moon to disappear
Catholic girl
You've been dreaming
Staring up your face is what we fear
Ok, now I'm listening
You're not mine and he's not here
Then later in the album, Johnston returns to Evie's story with this song (note the similarity of the first lines):
Evie's Garden
In the middle of Evie's garden
Was a rock she could never move
Worn away by a faithful handtill
No one knows the date
Chorus:
Bring back the rain
We'll go walking
Bring back the wind
Like you do
Of the flowers in Evie's garden
One would never go out of bloom
Planted over a well forgotten
Opened by the moon.
Chorus
Bring back the rain
To Evie's garden
I'm at the gate
Looking through
In the middle of Evie's garden
Was a rock she could never move
Nearly buried in a night bloom tango
Pale and smooth as skin
Evie's Tears
In the middle of her confession
He comes over and holds her hand
I wake up, she is crying
I guess he was here again
Chorus:
Evie's tears are never going to dry
Evie's secret tears burn this bed she comes to
only when it's light
We met in a lonely summer
Two survivors of paradise
She ran up when I first touched her
Now she wakes me every night
Chorus
Faithless girl
You've been dreaming
Staring up your face is what we fear
OK, now I'm listening
You're not mine and he's not here
Now I'm listening
You're not mine and he's not here
In the middle of Evie's garden
In a simple iron chair
Wind's blowing and she is singing
Begs the moon to disappear
Catholic girl
You've been dreaming
Staring up your face is what we fear
Ok, now I'm listening
You're not mine and he's not here
Then later in the album, Johnston returns to Evie's story with this song (note the similarity of the first lines):
Evie's Garden
In the middle of Evie's garden
Was a rock she could never move
Worn away by a faithful handtill
No one knows the date
Chorus:
Bring back the rain
We'll go walking
Bring back the wind
Like you do
Of the flowers in Evie's garden
One would never go out of bloom
Planted over a well forgotten
Opened by the moon.
Chorus
Bring back the rain
To Evie's garden
I'm at the gate
Looking through
In the middle of Evie's garden
Was a rock she could never move
Nearly buried in a night bloom tango
Pale and smooth as skin
Forthcoming Reviews and A Musical Exorcism
I promise reviews of Velvet Elvis and The Book of Daniel are coming soon! They are already in the works and partially written, saved as drafts in the mysterious electronic catacombs of the FP blog. It takes more time to put things like that together than to just spew some random thoughts on music or family or whatever. And time has not been in abundence as I've been working somewhere in the neighborhood of 65-70 hours a week since the new year. I seem to be most content when busy- or maybe it's because when a pastor is busy it is usally because he is spending lots of time with people- and being with people (especially "my peeps") makes me happy. So.. happy, busy, reviews on the way. And Freedy Johnston on the ipod...
"You always tell me I'm just one more thing to break..." -Freedy Johnston from One More Thing to Break, album: Never Home
Perhaps I'll throw a review of an old Freedy Johnston record in there just for good measure. What?! You don't know Freedy Johnston?! Rectify that immediately. Click on the link above and be healed!
(metaphorical) DEMONS (of unfortunate underexposure to underrated songwriter) COME OUT!
"You always tell me I'm just one more thing to break..." -Freedy Johnston from One More Thing to Break, album: Never Home
Perhaps I'll throw a review of an old Freedy Johnston record in there just for good measure. What?! You don't know Freedy Johnston?! Rectify that immediately. Click on the link above and be healed!
(metaphorical) DEMONS (of unfortunate underexposure to underrated songwriter) COME OUT!
19.1.06
Questions asked by a six year old presbyterian:
Takes a bite of peanut butter sandwich.
Chews slowly.
Contemplative expression.
Swallows.
"Daddy, what's the last number?"
Chews slowly.
Contemplative expression.
Swallows.
"Daddy, what's the last number?"
18.1.06
Listening: Steve Earle
If Chuck Norris did a roundhouse kick in righteous anger at the exact moment that Johnny Cash was smashing his guitar in indignant outrage and the two forces collided, the resulting cosmic blast of bitter, bearded, brokenhearted manhood, would spontaneously generate Steve Earle and the three albums he wrote, recorded and produced between the years of 1995 and 1997.
Earle dropped out of school at the age of fourteen and hit the road. By the age of 40 he had been married six times to five different women. He once helped a friend beat his alcohol addiction by tying him to a tree.
After experiencing some moderate success in the country music industry, Earle moved to the bad side of Nashville where he listened to Dr. Dre's the Chronic and dealt drugs for a few years, mostly homeless. Eventually he did find a nea home along with an orange jumpsuit with numbers on the back.
The liner notes of the album he recorded after his reales from prison say this: "When I was locked up I was getting ready to go off on this boy that stole my radio. My partner Paul asked me where I was going. I said "to get my radio-and then go to the hole for a little while". He looked at me like I look at my 13 year old son sometimes and said "No you aint'. You're gonna sit your little white ass down and do your little time and then you;re gonna get out of here and make me a nice record". So, I made two.
Here are some Lyrics: Now he's standin' at hell's door
With a bad attitude and a forty-four
The devil said, "What's up man
Now what you come here for?"
He said, "Man, let's just get to it"
He said, "I always heard that you were the bad one
There's a few places I ain't been, a few things I ain't done
You got your pitchfork and I got my gun"
Someone's gotta do it
If you never purchase and listen to a Steve Earle album in your life, he will probably not find out about it and come to your house to knock your teeth out with a wrench. But you should probably familiarize yourself with his music just to be safe.
Earle dropped out of school at the age of fourteen and hit the road. By the age of 40 he had been married six times to five different women. He once helped a friend beat his alcohol addiction by tying him to a tree.
After experiencing some moderate success in the country music industry, Earle moved to the bad side of Nashville where he listened to Dr. Dre's the Chronic and dealt drugs for a few years, mostly homeless. Eventually he did find a nea home along with an orange jumpsuit with numbers on the back.
The liner notes of the album he recorded after his reales from prison say this: "When I was locked up I was getting ready to go off on this boy that stole my radio. My partner Paul asked me where I was going. I said "to get my radio-and then go to the hole for a little while". He looked at me like I look at my 13 year old son sometimes and said "No you aint'. You're gonna sit your little white ass down and do your little time and then you;re gonna get out of here and make me a nice record". So, I made two.
Here are some Lyrics: Now he's standin' at hell's door
With a bad attitude and a forty-four
The devil said, "What's up man
Now what you come here for?"
He said, "Man, let's just get to it"
He said, "I always heard that you were the bad one
There's a few places I ain't been, a few things I ain't done
You got your pitchfork and I got my gun"
Someone's gotta do it
If you never purchase and listen to a Steve Earle album in your life, he will probably not find out about it and come to your house to knock your teeth out with a wrench. But you should probably familiarize yourself with his music just to be safe.
the answer to everything
No one goes to the Grand Canyon to increase self-esteem. Why do we go? Because there is a greater healing for the soul in beholding splendor than there is in beholding self... The point is this: We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things; and when we trade that treasure for images, everything is disordered. The sun of God's glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all-attracting place at the center. - John Piper
17.1.06
16.1.06
this band no longer exists.
But through the mystery of binary code, you can still enjoy the songs they made. I know it's just zeros and ones, but the way they put them together sure is cool.
This track is a B-side from the coast is always clear.
This track is a B-side from the coast is always clear.
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