I have been away at a conference for work, and will be leaving tomorrow for vacation with Matt's family. I have hardly had time to listen to myself think lately, let alone listen to music! I hate that I don't have a Tune for you today, but I want you to go out and discover your own Tuesday Tune today!
Have you heard of Pandora? It's a great website - especially if you like to discover new artists. It's so easy: go to Pandora.com, enter the name of an artist you enjoy, and a station will be created just for you according to your tastes! You can tell Pandora if you like a song (thumbs-up) or not (thumbs-down), and Pandora will continue to hone the station for you. I love it! Because of Pandora, I have discovered the Wailin Jennys, Sugarland, Mick McAuley, and lots of others.
Go there. Enjoy some Tunes this fine Tuesday. Hopefully I'll be back with a fabulous road trip song for you. I'll be looking for inspiration as we drive to Gatlinburg and back this week!
I am so excited to be able to share these following words with you. Ted Lyddon Hatten is the Conference Artist for the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. We were blessed to have him speak at our PAUMCS conference this week in Des Moines. I was so moved by these words, that I e-mailed Ted, and asked if he would mind sending me the statement. He was very gracious to share this with me. The first part explains a little about the art he created, and the rest is a beautiful, haunting statement for you to read and meditate on. Enjoy...
The artwork for the PAUMC gathering was created to be part of a larger installation for the 2005 Iowa Annual Conference Session. Our theme that year was Stewards of Creation. In addition to these three images, I incorporated sod and caution tape in various locations throughout venue. The following words served as my artist statement.tlh
They call it caution tape and it is intended to be noticed.Yellow with black letters – Police use it to cordon off a crime scene.Construction workers use it to mark off an area in need of repair.You are supposed to see it, to take note, take caution.
If your eyes are open you will see the caution tape around here and what it surrounds.It is sod; grass.There are seven circles of sod – four in the building and three elsewhere.It is up to you to decide if the sod enclosed by the caution tape is a crime scene or an area in need of repair.If it is a crime scene you’ll want to be careful not to touch it – you wouldn’t want to leave fingerprints.It’s the oil that does you in.The oil.That’s why fingerprints can be left on a wet glass.It’s the oil.And you need a solvent to dissolve oil.Petroleum distilled and refined works well.Wipe down what you touch and not even of trace ofyou will remain.It is also handy as a fuel for the combustion engine in your car, your SUV, and your RV.With gasoline we can go wherever we want in speed and comfort.
“Sovereign God, when we look upon the heavens, at all of creation, and we see the work of your fingers.”
“Stewards of Creation” is our theme for this year’s Annual Conference.
Adam and Eve were the first stewards of creation and they have taught us well.They did not ask to be made but made they were.Made in God’s image which means they were hungry.They found themselves in a garden that had everything they needed – including limits.Abundance beyond the need to measure.And they were told by their Creator to “till and to keep that garden.”Translated another way – they were told to serve the land – to be servants of the land.
I believe the future of this planet hinges on the order of those words.
And they were also told that if they honor their appetites – honor, elevate, obey their appetites they will have open eyes to see the death they have brought.
But the fruit forbidden was ripe – a delight to their eyes and they were surprised that it hung so low – so easy to reach.And with their emerging vision – just before they sank their teeth in the fruit they saw God’s fingerprints.
Hanging over the chancel for these 3 days is a triangular prism that depicts the four elements around which each of our major worship services is built.Fire, air, water, earth.The Fire is the light that shines within just as the light burns, shines within everything that lives.
Air is the side dominated by a Great Blue Heron.Her eyes are locked in on one of two things;Either danger to her offspring or food.It is possible, I suppose, that she is sizing up the fish in the adjacent panel though they nearly out-weigh her.But I think the former is more likely the truth. She has spotted danger.
In the Water swim three fish.They are either trying in vain to blend in with their surroundings or they too bear the fingerprints of a Creator apparently obsessed with color.
The water looks like the air in the other panels and the plowed ground resembles the ocean floor and the marsh and this is quite intentional.The ecosystems that enable life here are infinitely complex and intimately connected one to another.The chemicals we apply to the land end up in our water.The waste we belch into the air falls down onto the land.
The land, of course is our home and our destination.We know it well – it feeds us, shelters us, holds our roots in place and gives us life.The apple in the center of the Land panel has a pattern that, with your emerging vision, you will find in the Air and Water panels as well.
But it is tempting.Tempting to reverse the order of the words spoken to Adam and Eve by God.To act as if the land is here to serve us.Tempting to honor our appetites.Tempting to continue to repeat the sin that stopped being original a long time ago.
As the juice ran down the chin and neck of Eve and Adam – so too does the crude oil run down our chin and our neck.Our combustion engines take us from place to place with speed and comfort but petroleum, refined and distilled, is also an effective solvent.And with it, we are erasing fingerprints of the Divine.
We are stewards of creation.Each of us is called in many ways – a blend of vocations unique to us – as original as the patterns on the pads of our fingers.But to be a steward of creation – that is a calling that falls equally on us all.No one is ordained or consecrated or set apart for the roll of Steward of Creation.We are all called to this ministry.
But if we are unable or unwilling to answer that call faithfully then the sod and the earth it comes from is indeed a crime scene.
The Heron has spotted the danger to her offspring and her eyes are locked in on us.
Should we find a way to answer that call and become faithful servants of creation -
should we find a way to honor God rather than our appetite
then our already opened eyes will see Divine fingerprints
Here is the script from a skit we saw this week at PAUMCS. It's a conversation between God and St. Francis of Assisi about suburbanites... enjoy!
GOD: St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the World is going on down there in the USA? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
ST. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers weeds and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it, sometimes twice a week.
GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS: No, sir -- just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS: Yes, sir.
GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back On the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the gro wth and saves Them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a Sheer stoke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.
ST. FRANCIS: You'd better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the Winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy Something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
GOD: And where do they get this mulch?
ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
ST. CATHERINE: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about.............
GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
Sorry I missed Tuesday Tunes this week. I am in Des Moines for a conference, and was flying all day Tuesday. I would have set up a blog to post ahead of time, but the truth is, I've been so busy that I haven't had time to enjoy music lately!!! Ugh...I hate all this go, go, GO and being away from home.
I'm homesick, Matt-sick, kitty-sick, and bored in Iowa. I think I'm going to head out shopping or something here in a bit while we have some free time. For now though, I wanted to put up a quick post about what we're doing at this conference this week.
I am a member of the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS), and we're in Des Moines for our annual conference. The theme of our conference this year is "Sowing Seeds of Promise," and we're really trying to focus on "Going Green."
I know that all this "Green" talk is getting a little annoying to some people. It seems like it's the cause-du-jour the past few years. Global warming, greenhouse gases, carbon footprints...ACK! I don't even know where to begin! This week we have had some great experts come in to teach us about what is going on in our environment, what we can do to help fix it, and why we should care.
Matt and I have been making the tiniest of baby steps to become more green at our house. We have been using reusable shopping bags a lot (although I must admit that in the beginning, it was mostly because the ones at Trader Joe's were SO CUTE!). We have purchased our first few compact flourescent light bulbs for the house, and we have been recycling our cans, plastics, and cardboard. We do these things because some part of us feels like it's right to - Matt calls me a "hippie tree-hugger" for it, but he loves me anyway.
This week it has become abundantly clear to me that we should care for our Earth because it's God's creation. Whether global warming is real or not; whether it saves us money or not - we should care for creation because God made it.
If you follow me on Twitter, you were probably bothered by my multiple posts this afternoon with some wisdom I'm taking away from this conference. If you don't follow me, you're still in luck because I'm going to post it here too! Below are some things I wrote down during our sessions in the past fewe days. Forgive me if they aren't verbatim - I was trying to listen and write at the same time...enjoy!
"In Scripture God routinely uses the natural world to accomplish His tasks. Surely He is in active relationship with His creation."
"There will never be peace on Earth until there is peace with Earth."
"Mission is not a project of the church. Mission is the PURPOSE of the church."
"Mission is a lifestyle best learned early and practiced often."
"All day long, God is at work for good in the world."
"If we are in relationship with God, we are forced into relationship with all that God has created."
So let me ask you: how do YOU care for God's creation? What are your practical suggestions for young greenies like me?
I had never heard of this until last week, so I asked my super-smart theologian hubby about it. He hadn't heard of it either, so he decided to do some research on it. Apparently this book is public domain, so he easily found it for free download. You can read Matt's review about the TJB here.
I have heard more than a few people say that Jesus was a great teacher. That his lessons of love and peace are what we should take away from his life. I have to respectfully disagree.
The point of the Thomas Jefferson Bible is that is strips the gospels of content that points to the divinity of Christ. The TJB isn't exactly incorrect - just incomplete. You see, thinking that Jesus was just a good man or just a great moral teacher is like worshiping the Jesus in the Thomas Jefferson Bible - it strips Jesus of his divinity.
Was Jesus a good man? Yes. Was he a great moral teacher? The best! Was he so much more? Absolutely.
Jesus didn't come to wag his finger and tell us to play nice with each other. Jesus didn't come to gather us together for a big group hug. My hubby said last week that, "Jesus didn't come to make us all hippies!" Peace, love, happiness - these are all good things, but let's not patronize Jesus by thinking that's all he came to do. Jesus came to redeem us...to reconcile us to God.
Here is a C.S. Lewis quote from Mere Christianity that I really love. Matt used this in a sermon recently, and it stuck with me.
The divinity of Jesus is what makes him special. It's what makes him more than just a great moral teacher. It's what makes him my LORD.
So today (yes, I know it's late...sorry - I've had a busy day!) I want to Tune Nichole Nordeman's song "What If." What if Jesus is more than we ever thought he was? I'm fairly certain He IS more...and then some! Enjoy...
Nichole Nordeman - What If From the album Brave
What if you’re right? And he was just another nice guy What if you’re right? What if it’s true? They say the cross will only make a fool of you And what if it’s true?
What if he takes his palace in history With all the prophets and the kings Who taught us love and came in peace But then the story ends What then?
(Chours) But what if you’re wrong? What if there’s more? What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for? What if you jump? And just close your eyes? What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise? What if He’s more than enough? What if it’s love?
What if you dig, What if you dig Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends What if you dig? What if you find A thousand more unanswered questions inside That’s all you find
What if you pick apart the logic And begin to poke the holes What if the crown of thorns is no more Then folklore that must be told and retold
(Chours)
You’ve been running as fast as you can You’ve been looking for a place you can land so long But what if you’re wrong?
What if you jump? And just close your eyes? What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise? What if He’s more than enough? What if it’s love?
My parents have been fans of The Jayhawks for a few years now, and I know for a fact that I've heard their music time and time again through my folks. I also know that they play The Jayhawks on my favorite radio station, WTTS. For some reason though, I have never really caught on to this band...until tonight.
Mom and Dad were playing The Jayhawks' album Rainy Day Music while we were over for dinner tonight, and I was struck by their music. The songs are just so pleasing and soothing, and GAH with the harmony! The songs that I heard seemed to just flow...does that make sense? Like there wasn't a whole lot of effort or hooplah behind them. It was just music...and it was good.
Tell me: do any of you know/love The Jayhawks too? Have I been living under a rock or something, or is this band new to you too?
I think I'm going to download some more stuff by The Jayhawks when we get home tomorrow. Until then, I'll have to enjoy them on YouTube! Hope you enjoy it too...
Pretty little hairdo don't do what it used to Can't disguise the living All the miles that you've been through
Looking like a train wreck Wearing too much makeup The burden that you carry Is more than one soul could ever bear
Don't look so sad, Marina There's another part to play Don't look so sad, Marina Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day
You neve make your mind up Like driving with your eyes shut Rough around the edges Won't someone come and take you home
Waiting for a breakthrough What will you set your mind to? We stood outside the Chinese restaurant in the rain
Don't look so sad, Marina There's another part to play Don't look so sad, Marina Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day
Today is Good Friday. What a solemn, somber day. Today we remember Jesus' crucifixion. We know now that in three days there will be a resurrection that will shake creation to its very core, but today...today we mourn. I think, even as people who live on this side of the resurrection, we don't fully understand just what happened that Friday hundreds of years ago. To think that our Lord would take on our sins as his own and die a criminal's death to redeem us is enough to boggle the mind.
I want you to listen to this song (it's not Tuesday...am I throwing you a curveball, or what?). It's by Nichole Nordeman (one of my favorites), and it's a song written from the perspective of a child watching the crucifixion. I hope these words both haunt and heal you today. Yes, our Lord is hanging on a cross, but he is up there paying our price. In three days he will defeat death, and will rise - and will invite us to rise with him.
It's an exciting time for Christians - this holy week we find ourselves in. I hope you are trying to place yourself in the story this week...
I think I have Tourette's Syndrome...but only in my head. That's what I'm calling it anyway. I seem to have developed a knack for thinking of funny things at the most inappropriate times. Sometimes my little daydreams are so real, I actually almost do or say what I'm thinking out loud! It's really going to get me in trouble sometime. Here are a few examples from the last week or two:
1) We were at the Veedersburg Community Palm Sunday worship service Sunday night at the Christian Church. This church's communion traditions dictate that everyone drink the cup together. Some nice words of institution are said, and everyone drinks together. So, there we were, enjoying a serious, quiet communion moment with a hundred of our neighbors, and as we all tipped our cups back to take the juice, I wanted to swallow and shout, "OPAH!" like they do on My Big Fat Greek Wedding! I didn't do it, of course, but just thinking about it gave me a little case of the giggles.
2) Last week when I was in New Orleans with Mom and Kelly, we attended a dinner with Mom's associates on the board of the American Council on Gift Annuities. Five of the board members were retiring, so there was a nice dinner to honor them and their years of service to ACGA. At one point during the dinner, people were invited to stand up and say nice things about the people who were retiring. One man from our table stood up to recognize someone, and began talking a lot about things I wasn't familiar with. This is not a rare occurance with the people my mother works for. I know jack squat about gift planning, annuities, laws pertaining to gift planning, bequests, blah, blah, blah. (Geez, I'm even boring myself just thinking about it!) This stuff is seriously over my head. So anyway, this really pleasant man is saying some really wonderful things about this other guy, but I was LOST because he was talking a lot of shop. The whole room was SILENT as this guy spoke, and being the polite, awesome person I am, I kept my eyes on him, smiling and nodding through his whole speech. Midway through his homage, my mind drifted a little, and I imagined myself just laughing out loud at something he said that I obviously didn't understand. You know - one of those laughs that's about half-fake, and says, "Oh no he di-in't!" I snapped out of my daydream pretty quickly, but I was still pretty tickled with myself. I almost peed a little trying not to laugh in real life.
This is the burden that I carry folks. Anyone else out there with me? Besides Dr. John Dorian of course...
It's Tuesday, so that means it's time for another Tuesday Tune! Is anyone out there enjoying these weekly posts besides me? Growing up in the family I did tricked me into thinking people cared a lot more about music than most people do. If you get bored with these Tuesday Tunes, I apologize. I probably won't stop them anytime soon though - no matter how you feel about it. I'm enjoying sharing music with you!
This week's Tune comes to us from the Dixie Chicks album "Home." My in-laws bought me this for my birthday in 2002, and I loved the whole album from first listen. I love the Dixie Chicks. What a perfect combination of country, bluegrass, rock and roll and sassy ladies! I feel like these Chicks bridge the gaps between generations and genres, and I appreciate that about them.
This week's Tune, "Godspeed," always makes me feel a little weepy. I remember hearing it for the first time, and thinking, "I'm going to sing this to my son someday. What a perfect lullaby!" As the years of trying to have a baby have come and gone with no child to show for them, this song has become a little sour to me. Instead of dreaming of singing this to my child someday, I instead started wondering if that child would ever come.
Infertility is often a hopeless journey. You want so desperately to bring life to the world, and often you feel like you're dead inside. I have had quite the roller coaster ride through all of this. Some days I feel so full of hope, I'm sure I'll be pregnant just by wishing it. Other days I feel like all the hope has been washed away, and I will be left a barren, childless woman all the days of my life. It's interesting to me that everyone else's reproductive lives just keep going on as normal. Shouldn't all my friends and family members be experiencing this as well? To see everyone else having babies the way we were built to can be really discouraging.
Last summer a series of events occurred that birthed new hope into my infertility journey. I won't go on and on about them here. Go back in the archives, and you'll see them documented there. Needless to say, God has worked wonderful miracles in my hope life these past few months, and I am now dreaming of holding my children someday.
For your tuning pleasure, here is "Godspeed" by the Dixie Chicks...
I never win anything, but today I am a WINNER! I love reading Amanda's blog, so of course I entered her giveaway for Marlo Schalesky's book "If Tomorrow Never Comes." Schalesky is the author of a book my friend Sarah sent me called "Empty Womb, Aching Heart." Obviously infertility is a subject close to Schalesky's heart. Matt and I continue to struggle through our infertility issues, so I am excited to see what wisdom I might glean from reading these books.
As you're reading this, I am currently in New Orleans with my mom and sister, hopefully having a great time. Since I'm writing this about a week ahead of time, I can't say for sure. I am sure that I'm missing my hubby and my cats and my own bed though!
For today's edition of Tuesday Tunes, I'm going to introduce you to one of my absolute favorite musicians right now. His name is Marc Broussard, and since he is from Louisiana, I thought it was only too appropriate to bring him to you now.
He's got a killer blues voice, beats that will command uncontrollable car dancing, and a stage presence that had me in a trance. Seriously folks - his live show is one of the best I have EVER SEEN! He's great...and I hope you enjoy him too.
I couldn't embed this video, so please click this link to go to You Tube and watch it yourself. You won't be sorry! This is probably his biggest hit, "Home." If you're not at least tapping your feet by the middle of the song, you should probably check for a pulse.
Rolling down the road Going no where Guitar packed in the trunk Somewhere round mile marker 112 Papa started hummin the funk I gotta jones in my bones before we know We were singing this melody Stop the car pulled out the guitar Halfway to New Orleans
Said take me home Take me home
Could feel the sun about to rise When I realized we ad nothing to fear It's just me and my daddy and a kid named Cope Making music that nobody would hear And then the sun let up and it split the night
Said take me home Take me home Said take me home Said take me home
This greyhound is delta bound mama Baby boy done finally found Said this greyhound is delta bound mama Said take me home
Hot damn you should have felt the groove Like I was swimming in a sea of soul The sun was rising and the day was hot And we was all about to lose control My daddy turned his face up towards the sky And I knew that there was nothing to lose I felt the crow breathe in and I closed my eyes And we disappeared into the groove
Said take me home Said take me home Take me home Said take me home
Straight from the water Straight from the water children [repeat] You don't know nothing about this
I leave tomorrow afternoon for a 6 day trip to New Orleans with my sister and mom. I am excited to spend some quality girl time with them in such a fun town. I joked earlier with someone that I was going to eat my way through that town like Godzilla...it's probably true! I can't wait to experience all the culinary treats NOLA has to offer me.
Matt is staying behind. He has churches to run you know. He can't go off on frivolous trips like I apparently can! I am going to miss him terribly.
Being away from him (especially when I'm flying) brings up a terrible kind of fear in me. I'm afraid of death - his or mine. I hate the thought of one of us having to mourn the other's passing. I hate the thought of one of us having to learn how to do this life thing on our own. It's horribly sad, and this kind of fear has a tendency to put a damper on my fun trips. I know we are both going to heaven if something happens, but it's still a really hard thing for me to think about.
So - now I'm getting ready to go to bed the night before my super-fun trip, and I'm filled with anxiety. Years ago I went to Florida with my cousins, and Matt stayed behind. My anxiety about that trip was even worse than it is tonight, and Matt and I sat in bed cuddling and reading through some scripture. We found a Psalm that really seemed to speak to us (and calmed me right down...that's probably the most important part!). I'm sharing it here more for my benefit than yours.
Psalm 121 (English Standard Version)
1I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
Pray for me while I travel please, and pray for my hubby too. We'll be missing each other!
Today's Tuesday Tune is "Glory" by Selah, featuring Nichole Nordeman. I must say, I wasn't really a big fan of Selah until recently. They seem to be a little saccharine for my tastes, but maybe my life needs a little sweetness right now. I have been a fan of Nichole Nordeman for many years though, and this song definitely doesn't disappoint. I believe she actually wrote this song for the duets album Selah released in 2006.
A friend's blog steered me towards this blog, which I quickly feel in love with. Angie is a beautiful writer, and she has written much about her walk through the valley as she lost her little girl. Angie always seems to be truthful and honest and real with her audience, and through it all she seems to keep her eye on God. Angie is also the wife of one of the members of Selah, so I think knowing a little about her story and her life has made me want to connect a little bit with this group.
I can't get over this song! I can't get it out of my head. I play it over and over again. I hope you enjoy it as much. What a strong and beautiful message in a time where hope is hard to come by and heaven seems so far away.
One day eyes that are blind will see you clearly And one day all who deny will finally believe One day hearts made of stone will break in pieces And one day chains once unbroken will fall down at your feet So we wait for that one day come quickly
Chorus We want to see your Glory Every knee falls down before thee Every tongue offers you praise With every hand raised Singing Glory To you and unto you only We'll sing Glory to Your name
One day voices that lie will all be silent One day all that's divided will be whole again One day death will retreat and wave it's white flag One day love will defeat the strongest enemy So we wait for that one day come quickly
Chorus
We know not the day or the hour Or the moments in between But we know the end of the story When we'll see
This Tuesday Tune is "The Losing End" from Neil Young's Album Everybody Knows this is Nowhere.
I grew up listening to Neil Young, because my parents loved him. For the first 12 years or so of my life, I hated him! I would groan every time they put his albums on, and I always preferred Debbie Gibson over Neil Young - no question. Oh, how silly and dumb we are when we're young...
Sometime during the 8th grade, I started to enjoy Neil Young's music. I'm not sure what happened in my life to change my mind. I like to think that perhaps my taste in music was maturing, much like my taste in boys or my taste in fashion (buh-bye acid wash and shoulder pads!). Whatever the case, I began to really enjoy Neil Young, and my affinity for him has only grown over the years.
The Losing End will never be his most popular song. In fact, outside of my family, I'm not sure many other people even notice it's there! I chose to Tune this song today because it reminds me of home. I always loved the Kermeen "Family Jams" where my parents would play guitar, and we would sing. We love songs that have nice harmonies and this is no exception. A few weeks ago the Kermeens had their first Family Jam in years, and this is one of the songs we did. Mom played and sang, while Kelly and I sang along. It was the best feeling ever to know that years could go by, but we are still able to connect together through music. Harmonizing together and laughing as we mess up the words.
For your Tuning pleasure, I bring to you "The Losing End"...
I went into town to see you yesterday but you were not home. So I talked to some old friends for a while before I wandered off alone.
It's so hard for me now But I'll make it somehow, Though I know I'll never be the same. Won't you ever change your ways, It's so hard to make love pay When you're on the losing end, And I feel that way again.
Well, I miss you more than ever, since you've gone I can hardly maintain. Things are different round here every night, my tears fall down like rain.
It's so hard for me now But I'll make it somehow, Though I know I'll never be the same. Won't you ever change your ways, It's so hard to make love pay When you're on the losing end, And I feel that way again.
A few months ago I found e-polish blog - a great blog about nail polish and caring for your nails by a lady named Katee. I subscribed to Katee's blog, and really began to enjoy all the new colors of polish she had been "swatching." Suddenly, I began to subscribe to other nail blogs like Vampy Varnish, All Laquered Up and Scrangie. Now I'm finding that I am OBSESSED with nail polish! I have been painting my nails every three days or so, always trying new colors each time I change. I have been looking for fun new colors everywhere I go, and have a small army of nail colors to try. Here is a picture of the colors I have bought in the last month alone:
I can't believe I haven't blogged since O'Bama's inauguration. I'm sure most of my readers have gone buh-bye by now, but for those who have stuck around...HOLA!
I don't really have a good excuse for being gone for so long. Work has been a little stressful lately. Church is going well. Matt and the kitties and I are just trying to keep up with everything around the house. Lots of everyday, normal life things have shoved blogging down to the bottom of my priority list. (Actually, it's not quite to the bottom. Cleaning bathrooms, mopping floors, and organizing the refrigerator have fallen way below blogging!) I'm sorry to have neglected you for so long.
Good news though - I'm coming back to you with a NEW WEEKLY FEATURE! Yes folks, I'm going to attempt to make my mark on the internet with a weekly feature I'm calling Tuesday Tunes. Every Tuesday I am going to introduce you to a song that I am loving that week. It could be an old classic rock song, an 80's pop favorite or a new Christian worship track. Whatever the song, I'll give you a little insight into why I love it, fun trivia about the artist and where you can get the song for yourself.
If you're interested in doing Tuesday Tunes on your blog, feel free to copy the graphic below to use on your posts. If you do a Tuesday Tune, please let me know, link back to me, etc., so we can get the Tuesday Tune love going! It will be fun to discover new music and learn more about each other through the songs we love, won't it? Here goes...
This week's Tuesday Tune is "Lover" by Derek Webb. It's from his album She Must and Shall Go Free.
I love Derek Webb. His sound, his lyrics, his heart - they're all so rich and authentic and relevant. He gets down and dirty about God, faith and the Church. So often as Christians we try to sugar-coat our lives to make it seem like with God everything is easy and happy. It's just not the case, and Derek always seems to make it okay to be real with ourselves about the suffering we sometimes endure as Christians.
This song is probably my second favorite on this album (my favorite is "Wedding Dress" - maybe I'll Tune it in the future.). I have been stuck on it for a few weeks now. The version on the actual album is a little better (IMHO) because of the vocal harmony, but this video is still pretty good. I love the way Derek portrays Jesus as a lover who will do anything for the one he is in love with - his Church. I think this is a beautiful song, and I hope you like it.
Lover words and music by derek webb
like a man comes to an alter i came into this town with the world upon my shoulders and promises passed down and i went into the water and my father, he was pleased i built it and i’ll tear it down so you will be set free
but i found thieves and salesmen living in my father’s house i know how they got in here and i know how to get ‘em out i’m turning this place over from floor to balcony and then just like these doves and sheep you will be set free
i’ve always been a lover from before i drew a breath some things i loved easy and some i loved to death because love’s no politician, it listens carefully of those who come i can’t lose one, so you will be set free
but go on and take my picture, go on and make me up i’ll still be your defender, you’ll be my missing son and i’ll send out an army just to bring you back to me because regardless of your brother’s lies you will be set free
i am my beloveds and my beloved’s mine so you bring all your history and i’ll bring the bread and wine and we’ll have us a party where all the drinks are on me then as surely as the rising sun you will be set free
You probably don't know this, but Barack Obama is being sworn in today. I'm a little dismayed at the lack of media coverage myself. You would think it would be covered on every single channel or something. Psh...
This election was a crazy one, wasn't it? Never in my lifetime has there been such excitement and energy about choosing a new leader for our country. I'm not really interested in politics too much, but as election day closed in, even I was comparing the candidates, weighing my options. In fact, even my dad voted for the first time in all of his 57 years.
Throughout the months leading up to the election, much mud was slung from one side to the other. Suddenly our friends and neighbors became political experts. Everyone was desperate to convince us that their candidate was the right choice, and that the other candidate was trash.
Some people even tried to tell us that Barack Obama is the Anti-Christ.
Before I go further with this post, I need to make a few things clear. First, I don't think Barack Obama is the Anti-Christ. Has it occured to me that he might be? Sure. BUT I've also wondered if Oprah or Bono or many others are the Anti-Christ. (I don't discriminate: black women, white men, they're all considered for the role!) Second, this isn't some crazy attempt to slam Obama on his big day. After I weighed all my options, opinions, etc., I chose him over McCain. I know this is an exciting time for America, and I am not trying to put a damper on the day.
People have been trying to identify the Anti-Christ for hundreds of years. Since the ressurection of Christ, it seems like there has been someone shouting from the street corner that Jesus is coming soon - The End is Near! Generations upon generations of people have lived in expectation of the second coming, and died having never seen it.
I believe that one day Christ will return, and a whole cavalcade of awful events will usher in His coming. I believe that there will probably be an Anti-Christ, but I'm not 100% sure on who it would be, what he or she will be like, etc. There are hordes of people out there who have very exact images in their minds about how this all will go down, and I'm sure a lot of that certainty comes from their reading of the popular Christian fiction series "Left Behind." There are probably even a few people out there who have opinions on the end times based on eschatological studies. (Did I just make up a word? I don't even know...) I am neither of these. I am simply a Christian who waits, and lives in the meantime.
I am certain of one thing though, and that is what I want to make very clear to you today. Nothing we do will change these events. Let's just say for the sake of argument that Barack Obama is indeed the Anti-Christ. Does anyone really think that by keeping him from becoming president, we might hinder his demonic abilities? Do we really think that we can keep Jesus from coming back by keeping Obama out of the White House? I don't think so. I'm not a theologian by any stretch of the imagination, but I really don't think it would make a big difference.
If you really think the Anti-Christ is coming, why not channel that anxious energy into some serious, hard-core evangelism? If the end really is near, shouldn't we be doing all we can to show our friends and family the truth about God?
What do you think? Agree? Disagree? I look forward to your comments...
When I was a kid, I used to keep a checklist of all the states, and proudly cross them off when I had visited or driven through them. For some reason this still is fun to do, and now technology makes it a little more interesting! Below is my "big girl" checklist:
I have been away at a conference for work, and will be leaving tomorrow for vacation with Matt's family. I have hardly had time to listen to myself think lately, let alone listen to music! I hate that I don't have a Tune for you today, but I want you to go out and discover your own Tuesday Tune today! 
