My brother sent this link last night which included the following quote:
“He and I kept praying for the highest love to bring to people. We all [in the band] believe in Jesus and we believe in God and we believe that we were his messengers, so we followed through with our career as his messengers to the world."
He's talking about a song that he considers the high point of his songwriting and his prayer before recording it. OK, I realize one takes these things with a grain of salt, but as the author of the article comments, "there is this other voice, from the ancient Scriptures in the writings of Solomon: “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you” (Proverbs 11:27). So my bias is to find good in this quote, and to have hope for the heart of the author of the quote.
Monday
Who said it?
"I believe in the culture war," she said. "And you know what? If I haveto take a side in the culture war I'll take their side," meaning the Christian conservatives. "Because if you give me the choice of Paris Hilton or Jesus, I'll take Jesus."
Answer here. Her last name might ring a bell.
Answer here. Her last name might ring a bell.
Saturday
Innovation
Outreach magazine names Covenant Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv the leader of "America's most Innovative church".
Celebrating our anniversary
We had a great day. Miles’ health care needs prevent us from going out very often, so we “went for it”. We began with breakfast out at La Madeleine, a little French café near here. Then we went to the movies. We saw “Rocky Balboa”, the final installment in the Rocky series – my interest had been piqued when I read / listened to Sly Stallone’s comments related to why he made this film:
"I think as a young person you tend to think that the world somewhat revolves around you, that you can recover from anything, that you tend to have this kind of vim and vigor and energy to take on the world on your own shoulders. Well, after you've been knocked down a few times and the world has shown you it's dark side, you realize that you need guidance, you need God's word, you need spiritual help and that's when your journey will begin."
So I, as I get older, I realize how - very much - I rely upon Jesus, the word of God, and his support and how I pass it on to my children because I want them to learn at an early age by - usually find out that we have to sometimes learn the hard way and then it really takes hold and that's what this is all about. "
So anyway – we saw that and enjoyed it – Alicia said it was good except for the boxing – which isn’t as funny as it sounds because the boxing is really just the last maybe 15 minutes of the film. It was a very good, inspirational, motivational story line.
Then we strolled the mall for half an hour before going back in to see “The Pursuit of Happyness”, which is a true story about a guy who went from homeless to a Dean Witter stock broker. It was a good film too.
Then we had about 4 hours. We shopped; and we exchanged a Christmas CD – Alicia and I had both given each other the new CD by Sting, which is very unique - a CD of music composed by John Dowland (1563-1626), performed on the lute. We are such fans of Renaissance and Medieval music that we both wanted to get this CD, but we didn’t need two. So we exchanged one for Carly Simon’s CD “Into White” – a CD of cover versions including Oh Susanna, Jamaica Farewell, Over the Rainbow, Manha de Carnival (from “Black Orpheus”), Scarborough Fair, etc. Really nice stuff. Then we had a really enjoyable dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse before returning to the theatre for the 7:15 showing of “Dreamgirls”, which we had seen on stage about 15 years ago. It was very good – a little language, but a good story and great music. It’s a fictionalized version of the story of the Supremes.
Alicia and I realized that, since we saw “The Nativity Story”, Charlotte’s Web”, and “Night at the Museum” all last month, we’ve been to the movies 6 times in the last 5 weeks – which is more than we usually see in a year or more.
All in all, a fun and unique 12 hours. Miles was picked up from school by a friend and then he and EC had a most enjoyable evening together, and all was well at home.
Now - on to year number 28...
"I think as a young person you tend to think that the world somewhat revolves around you, that you can recover from anything, that you tend to have this kind of vim and vigor and energy to take on the world on your own shoulders. Well, after you've been knocked down a few times and the world has shown you it's dark side, you realize that you need guidance, you need God's word, you need spiritual help and that's when your journey will begin."
So I, as I get older, I realize how - very much - I rely upon Jesus, the word of God, and his support and how I pass it on to my children because I want them to learn at an early age by - usually find out that we have to sometimes learn the hard way and then it really takes hold and that's what this is all about. "
So anyway – we saw that and enjoyed it – Alicia said it was good except for the boxing – which isn’t as funny as it sounds because the boxing is really just the last maybe 15 minutes of the film. It was a very good, inspirational, motivational story line.
Then we strolled the mall for half an hour before going back in to see “The Pursuit of Happyness”, which is a true story about a guy who went from homeless to a Dean Witter stock broker. It was a good film too.
Then we had about 4 hours. We shopped; and we exchanged a Christmas CD – Alicia and I had both given each other the new CD by Sting, which is very unique - a CD of music composed by John Dowland (1563-1626), performed on the lute. We are such fans of Renaissance and Medieval music that we both wanted to get this CD, but we didn’t need two. So we exchanged one for Carly Simon’s CD “Into White” – a CD of cover versions including Oh Susanna, Jamaica Farewell, Over the Rainbow, Manha de Carnival (from “Black Orpheus”), Scarborough Fair, etc. Really nice stuff. Then we had a really enjoyable dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse before returning to the theatre for the 7:15 showing of “Dreamgirls”, which we had seen on stage about 15 years ago. It was very good – a little language, but a good story and great music. It’s a fictionalized version of the story of the Supremes.
Alicia and I realized that, since we saw “The Nativity Story”, Charlotte’s Web”, and “Night at the Museum” all last month, we’ve been to the movies 6 times in the last 5 weeks – which is more than we usually see in a year or more.
All in all, a fun and unique 12 hours. Miles was picked up from school by a friend and then he and EC had a most enjoyable evening together, and all was well at home.
Now - on to year number 28...
Thursday
A Prayer for the New Year
Almighty and eternal God; You are hidden from my sight; You are beyond the understanding of my mind; Your thoughts are not as my thoughts; Your ways are past finding out.
Yet You have breathed Your Spirit into my life;
Yet You have formed my mind to seek You;
Yet You have inclined my heart to love You;
Yet You have made me restless for the rest that is in You;
Yet You have planted within me a hunger and thirst that make me dissatisfied with all the joys of earth.
Lord God, I praise and magnify Your name that You have set Your seal on my inmost being, not leaving me to my own poor and petty selfhood or to the sole empires of animal passion and desire, but calling me to be an heir of Your eternal kingdom. I bless You for that knocking at my heart’s door that tells me of Your waiting presence. I bless You for Your hand on my life, and for the sure knowledge that, however I may falter and fail, yet underneath are Your everlasting arms.
You who alone know what lies before me this day, grant that in every hour of it I may stay close to You. Let me be in the world, yet not of it. Let me use this world without abusing it. If I buy, let me be as though possessing nothing. If I have nothing, let me be as though possessing all things. Let me today embark on no undertaking that is not in line with Your will for my life, nor shrink from any sacrifice which Your will may demand. Suggest, direct, control every movement of my mind; for my Lord Christ’s sake. Amen
From: A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie.
Yet You have breathed Your Spirit into my life;
Yet You have formed my mind to seek You;
Yet You have inclined my heart to love You;
Yet You have made me restless for the rest that is in You;
Yet You have planted within me a hunger and thirst that make me dissatisfied with all the joys of earth.
Lord God, I praise and magnify Your name that You have set Your seal on my inmost being, not leaving me to my own poor and petty selfhood or to the sole empires of animal passion and desire, but calling me to be an heir of Your eternal kingdom. I bless You for that knocking at my heart’s door that tells me of Your waiting presence. I bless You for Your hand on my life, and for the sure knowledge that, however I may falter and fail, yet underneath are Your everlasting arms.
You who alone know what lies before me this day, grant that in every hour of it I may stay close to You. Let me be in the world, yet not of it. Let me use this world without abusing it. If I buy, let me be as though possessing nothing. If I have nothing, let me be as though possessing all things. Let me today embark on no undertaking that is not in line with Your will for my life, nor shrink from any sacrifice which Your will may demand. Suggest, direct, control every movement of my mind; for my Lord Christ’s sake. Amen
From: A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie.
Tuesday
This Little Babe
Here is a recording (from Sunday's worship) of the song I wrote based on a 400 year old poem entitled "This Little Babe". I first encountered the text in Benjamin Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols" as a sophomore in High School, and even then I found the text compelling, if a bit arcane, and the melody Britten used was ... well, not really usable. So I modernized the text a bit and gave the song an early American, Sacred Harp sort of feel. It wound up developing a musical feel that was a cross between a lullabye and a military march - which actually fits the text. Though it doesn't show up well on the recording, Brian played a keyboard voice that sounded like a field accordian. (That's EC singing with me, BTW.)
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