originality™

Update

2009-10-14T17:54:00.001-07:00

So, I haven't had the time to make any of the in depth "what we did this year" blog posts I promised, but here is a quick one so you don't give up on me.

Cason is trucking around along furnitre and crawling incredible fast. He should be starting to walk any time now... so crazy how fast it has gone. He has been saying things like "mama", "dada", "uh-oh", "no", and "yeah!" I drop him off and pick him up now at his new day care, and when I pick him up he will stop doing whatever he is doing, look up at me, and stretch his arms out with a huge grin.... it's the best thing ever.

Jenny just hit the big 3-0. I took her out to Le Fou Frog (http://www.lefoufrog.com/) and it was amazing. Highly recommended.

Last news is, I am going to U2 in Oklahoma City next weekend!!!

Thats all for now.

Grumpy old (and young) men

2009-09-01T14:31:00.001-07:00

Four generations of Caines men.... scary!

Okay fine, still blogging.

2009-08-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

So, I guess a few people still read it. I will try and get caught up over the next month.

Stay tuned for:
Summer Events: Things we have been doing as a family this summer, including vacation!
Cason Update: Fun things the kido has been doing, pics included!
House Update: What we have worked on this summer in and around the house.
Camaro Update: What I have been doing on my 68 Camaro that has taken me 13 years to get started on.

...and whatever else I can think of.

Blogging...

2009-07-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

So, evidently 2009 is the year my blog died. I am thinking of pulling the plug for good. I have about 6 things I need to blog about to catch up, or I can just not. If you still read this and want me to start updating more often, let me know and I might change my mind, if not, find me on facebook.

Peace,
J.R.

The Best Ever.

2009-05-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Cason is almost 6 moths old. If I haven't updated my blog enough, this is why. ;-)

The Story of Stuff

2009-04-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday we had what we call at our church "Service Sunday" where the church goes out into the community and servers together as our Worship Service for that week. It happens once a quarter I think.

With Earth Day coming up Wednesday, our focus this time was on environmental concerns. We split up into groups, with a group planting a garden on the church lawn, a group taking recycling to the recycle center, a group sewing grocery bags, a group picking up liter in the neighborhood, and a group taking cloths to the salvation army.

Anyways, all that to share with you a video we discussed in church before breaking off into our groups. Check it out, it's a must see for everyone!

Top 30 of 2008! (Part 2: 10-1)

2009-01-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I covered 30-11, read it here.

10. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have been doing this music thing for a very long time, but this is my first experience with there music, so I have nothing in their back catalog to compare it to, but if Dig!!! is any indicator, I need to look into them.

This album is laced with gritty guitars, funky bass lines, instrumental textures, electronic noises, and Cave's distinct vocals. Lyrically it mixes complicated biblical imagery, such as the story of Lazarus in the title track, with a gritty real world-ness that blends perfectly with the music and vocals. Both dark, and exciting, angry, and humorous, and at the same times, sacred and profane, Dig!!! walks a line that feels so honest and real that anyone can relate to if you let yourself.
Check it out

9. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology
Ryan Adams is at it again. This guy puts out so much consistently good music that he has earned a yearly spot on this list. Cardinology finds him once again with the Cardinals, which in my opinion is when he is at his best.

Cardinology might be my favorite Adams album since 2005's Cold Roses. That might not seem like a big deal, being only 3 years ago, but that was 5 albums in the past. As with Roses and last years Easy Tiger, this is Ryan blending seamlessly his brand of Alt. Country with good ol' Rock n' Roll, some 60's southern rock, and some glimpses at his early career in punk rock. The downfall with Easy Tiger was the rocker "Holloweenhead", it was almost enough to ruin the album. Cardinology is void of any such low point.
Check it out

8. Starflyer 59 - Dial M
Starflyer 59 has been making great music since 1993, but outside of a very devoted fan base, not many people know of them. Founder, front-man, and songwriter Jason Martin takes his band in a different direction then past albums, at risk of upsetting their fan base, the results are an album that is both original and interesting and just plain enjoyable to listen to.

Dial M has Starflyer exploring areas they have always dabbled in like new-wave, electronica, and shoe-gaze, but not showing any of the restraint to jump all the way in that could be heard in previous releases. There is such a smooth groove to these songs with Starflyer's signature melodic guitars blended perfectly with synths that don't ever threaten to sound too cheesy. Those who liked Starflyer at their rockiest in Silver or I Am the Portuguese Blues might not like this record, but it is nothing short of a natural maturing and progression of a band developing a sound that is truly original. Lyrically Dial M has a clearer message then earlier Starflyer albums with more openly spiritual content and more audible vocals.
Check it out

7. Sun Kil Moon- April
This is Indie/Slowcore band Sun Kil Moon's third release. Mark Kozelek got some help with backing vocals from Will Oldham, Ben Gibbard and Eric Pollard on this one.

April starts off slowly, but you have to stay with this one, it builds gradually to reveal beautiful melodic arrangements, you will know them when you get to them. This is album seems so delicate and harmless at first, but Kozelek knows how to craft a song that will carry with it enough emotion, and power to move anyone. The heavy mood set by the slow churning guitar is brought to a whole other level by Kozelek's deep, dark, introspective, yet comfortable lyrics. It will give you goose bumps.
Check it out

6. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend's debut self titled album mixes up something like I haven't heard before. Their unique blend of Chamber rock arraignments, Afro-pop beats and guitars, 80's pop, and reggae make something completely unexpected from 4 college kids from New York.

Vampire Weekend shows obvious influence from Afro-pop in the same way 80's acts like Peter Gabriel, the Talking Heads, and Paul Simon did it, but somehow they pull it off in a way that makes this music seem incredibly relevant. Enormous melodies, chimes and hopping guitars provide a unique contrast to lyrics taking a seemingly sarcastic look at privileged suburban life. While pulling form world music stylings, make no mistake, this is an indie pop record. Lead singer Ezra Koenig's vocals clash just enough with the musical style to keep it interesting. If you are looking for something new in a sea of boring music, this might be it.
Check it out

5. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes have taken the indie rock world by storm since their debut album dropped in June. Appearing as #1 on a lot of 2008 music lists. It looks like Seattle is making a name on the music scene once again.

Epic baroque pop and moody harmonic vocals make Fleet Foxes a brilliantly crafted and intelligent debut album. Heavily influenced by folk/rock legends of the past, like Neil Young, Van Morrison, Simon and Garfunkle, and the Beach Boys, there is something so comforting about this album, it's like they took the best of American music and wrapped it in a new package. In the same vain as Midlake, My Morning Jacket, or even the Shins, they explore the echoing harmonic story telling with layers and layers of acoustic musical textures for a complicated yet obviously folky feel. This is a brilliantly beautiful album from a band stepping out in a big way. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Fleet Foxes.
Check it out

4. Shearwater- Rook
This year Jonathan Meiburg did better with his break off band then his original band Okkervil River. Shearwater's fifth studio album deserves it's high rating, and I had a hard time not placing it higher. This album is nothing short of amazing.

Rooks has so much going on in it that you would think it would be too much, but Shearwater some how can meld harp, glockenspiel, woodwind, and a hammer dulcimer among more conventional instruments such as guitar and piano into a musical landscape so vast that is seemingly will never run out of room for more. With all of this they still pull of a sound that evokes the feeling of desolation. Meiburg's often falsetto vocals are the emotional thread running through these songs. It is a sound that is both enormous and spacious, I really don't know how else to describe it. Just a beautiful record.
Check it out

3. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down In The Light
Will Oldham, a.k.a. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy has been called an "Appalachian post-punk solipsist" and is notable for his unique voice, which has been described as "a fragile sort-of warble frittering around haunted melodies in the American folk or country tradition." Lie Down In The Light brings us Billy at his best.

Whichever way you look at it, this is an upbeat, uplifting record, almost sunny in outlook, but don't mistake that for a lack of intellect. This album takes you through the good and the bad of life, without ever losing sight of a hopeful aspect. Lyrically, Billy isn't anything if not honest. This album shows a musical maturity that isn't always present in "freak folk". The fiddles, woodwinds, pedal steel, banjos, bells, and piano, all feel like they fit perfectly within each song, not going to far as is often the case with a cast of this many players.
Check it out

2. TV on the Radio - Dear Science,
After there break out album, Return to Cookie Mountain, I never thought TV on the Radio would be able to follow it up with something even better. They are working on becoming one of my all time favorite bands if they keep this up.

Dear Science, is TV on the Radio's third, and best album yet. They are more tight and cohesive then in previous records, this is the sound of a band coming into it's own. Still melding musical influences from Prince to David Bowie in a way nobody else would dare, they have leaned a little heavier on some hip-hop and funk influences with this album without abandoning the noisy guitar, synth, reverb, and driving percussion of previous work. There is a sense of energy in this album, you can't listen to it without feeling like this is something important.
Check it out

1. Son Lux - At War With Walls and Mazes
Son Lux is basically 29 year old Ryan Lott of New York. Lott pieced together his debut album over the course of four years, using bits and pieces of recordings he'd gathered. In the process he created one of the most interestingly beautiful musical compositions I have heard, and this years Album of the Year!

At War With Walls and Mazes isn't like anything else I reviewed this year. It's more like appreciating a classical composition or even a work of art in a gallery, this piece goes beyond the limits of a normal music album. This album paints a sort or post-apocalyptic landscape with it's many layers of music and noise. It has weight behind it, building from a meek, gentle, lonely place into something so powerful and beautiful it makes you listen again. Lott's gentle, yearning, hushed, and a bit "off" vocal stylings layered over his musical landscape just add to the emotional power of this record. There are very few actual lyrics in this album, used more as an instrument or another layer of music added to the whole composition, but there is so much more content then can be read in the liner notes. There is no doubt a story of heavenly hope woven through this album. I think even more then a bunch of words could express, this album dives face first into the subjects of God, War, and internal conflict.
Check it out

There you have it! This years top 10 (plus 20). Go out and get yourselves some new music!

Top 30 Albums of 2008! (30-11)

2009-01-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

There where ridicilous amounts of great music in 2008, make my list extreamly difficult. I can make an argument for any of my top 10 to be the album of the year, but there has to be an order of finish, so here it is, now expanded to Top 30!

30-11 just get product descriptions, 10-1 get my personal review.

30. Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken - Ampersand EP
Ampersand EP is essential listening for Derek Webb and Caedmon’s Call fans and for Sandra McCracken fans. And the all-new duo of Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken is bound to make new fans all its own.
Check it out

29. Weezer - Weezer (Red)
Early word on the sixth album from Weezer--and their third self-titled record, although fans, sensibly, are referring to it as "The Red Album"--is that this is their experimental record. Luckily, Rivers Cuomo isn’t interested in penning his own jazz odyssey; for him, experimental is just finding cunning ways to nuance Weezer’s stock-in-trade--crunchy, candy-sweet guitars and vocal harmonies--with new pop tricks.
Check it out

28. Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem
The debut from dance-rock outfit Innerpartysystem may be reminiscent of the Killers' first album, which isn't a bad thing at all. Hip-shaking rhythms, wiry synths, crunching guitars, and insistent hooks are woven through all 11 tracks of this self-titled first effort.
Check it out

27. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
British Sea Power return with their third and finest full-length. The sound here is raw and spacious. Guitars remain largely drenched in reverb, and various acoustic instruments grace the arrangements, along with various random noises and happy accidents.
Check it out

26. She & Him - Volume One
Some of us first fell in love with Zooey Deschanel's distinctive and charming voice when she crooned, "Baby it’s cold outside," with Will Ferrell in their 2003 movie, Elf. In their first recorded collaboration as She & Him, Deschanel and M. Ward strike the same sincerity with his nostalgic production and her retro resonance.
Check it out

25. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Stay Positive is the fourth studio album from The Hold Steady and follows their hugely popular 2006 release Girls And Boys In America. Working once again with producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.), the album sees the band continue in the same direction their previous release took them, mixing classic bar-room style Rock with Craig Finn's half spoken/half sung lyrical tales of drinking, partying and love.
Check it out

24. Ben Folds - Way To Normal
Ben Folds is best known as a solo artist and as the front-man pianist of Ben Folds Five. He is celebrated for a sound that bridges the worlds of Jazz and Power Rock. Folds has proven to be a story-teller for the piano-rock generation.
Check it out

23. Cut//Copy - In Ghost Colours
At once both jacking and jangly, electronic and organic, cut copy have crafted a record filled with glorious sounds and moods but also unabashedly pop song structures and hooks and melodies for eons.
Check it out

22. Nada Surf - Lucky
Consistent: That’s the word that best describes the discography of New York’s Nada Surf, the jingle-jangle pop trio now in its second decade. With heavenly harmonies and swollen choruses, the band can always be counted on to deliver an album’s worth of hummable, single-worthy melodies.
Check it out

21. Jenny Lewis - Acid Toung
The all-star Acid Tongue represents something bigger and darker for Jenny Lewis. Without abandoning her roots, Rilo Kiley's front woman adds more soul and jazz weaponry to her musical arsenal, culminating in a record that combines the folky introspection of Joni Mitchell, circa Court and Spark, with the bluesy rock of the Rolling Stones, circa Sticky Fingers, i.e. slide guitar, Hammond B3 organ, and funk-oriented bass.
Check it out

20. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Rough edges, cracked notes, and the sound of fingers on strings are audible resulting in tracks that prove to be the band's sparsest and most affecting work to date. Worry not though, plenty of electric guitar can be heard throughout the album ensuring Sigur Rós commitment to challenging sonic limitations.
Check it out

19. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
The songs continue with the lyrical themes and obsessions of their last album, The Stage Names, filled with references to famous bands, authors, films, TV shows, and other bits of high and low culture set to Will Sheff`s moody, guitar-based indie rock tunes.
Check it out

18. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
Lucinda Williams has always been adept at painting landscapes of the soul, illuminating the spirit's shadowy nooks and shimmering crannies -- but she's never captured the sun breaking through the clouds as purely as on her new Lost Highway release, Little Honey.
Check it out

17. Amiee Mann - @#%&*! Smilers
Mann continues to prove herself as a richly evocative songwriter. Built out of acoustic guitars, faint touches of electronics, deep swells of organ, piano and strings, this modern yet rustic album is filled with character sketches and personal revelations.
Check it out

16. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends
Viva La Vida definitely makes some departures from the band’s usual formula, which happens to be one of the most commercially successful rock-pop blueprints of recent years. The plangent chords, emotive melodies, stadium-rock rhythms and universal lyrical concerns remain, but Martin and co. have gone out on several limbs here, incorporating instrumental tracks, using subtle North African and Latin elements, and overhauling previously strict verse-chorus-verse structures in favor of slightly more avant arrangements.
Check it out

15. Jim Noir - Jim Noir
Jim's eponymous second album is one of the most expansive pop records you'll hear this year. His music has always been a melee of different styles and influences, and this album sees him delving more into his electronic side and going further with melody and vocals than before.
Check it out

14. Deerhunter - Microcastle
The narcotic drones and fragmented art-punk of their first album, Cryptograms, made the album either a love-it or hate-it proposition for many indie rock fans. Microcastle brings together the disparate elements that made Crytograms fascinating and frustrating, adding a little more pop and quite a bit more studio polish.
Check it out

13. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
Their breakthrough, "Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?" catapulted the band to the upper echelon of indie stardom. "Skeletal Lamping" also delivers. It's a complicated and dense thrill ride packed with slinky grooves. Unpredictable, unique, and epic.
Check it out

12. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Flight
They call themselves Frightened Rabbit, but there's nothing shy or timid about this Glasgow trio. On The Midnight Organ Fight, singer/guitarist Scott Hutchison says what he thinks--what he feels--and he doesn't hold anything back.For all the unvarnished honesty, a cautious optimism shines through.
Check it out

11. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Epic post-rock tinged emotional indie stalwarts Elbow release their fourth album 'The Seldom Seen Kid', another staunchand anthemic collection of songs. The tense and emotional sound of previous records remains, but with a distinctly more commercial riff-based template, particularly on lead single'Grounds For Divorce'.
Check it out

10-1 coming tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

Jenny, Cason, and I had a nice calm Christmas at home this year. Cason made it through his first one and came out with lots of loot. Thanks everyone! Hope you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

And he is here!

2008-12-01T13:02:00.001-08:00

Cason Neill Caines

Born: Nov. 28th at 2:41pm
Weight: 8 lbs. 13 oz.
Length: 19"

Everything went real well, Jenny and Cason are both doing great.

Almost time....

2008-11-22T16:02:00.000-08:00

For Cason!
He is due the 29th, so really could be coming any day now....

Say what?

2008-09-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Jon Stewart at his very best!

Great Quote

2008-08-28T12:52:00.001-07:00

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed; those who are cold and are not clothed."

-Dwight D.Eisenhower

Summer Mix!

2008-07-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

My friend Michael over at Yewknee.com is running the Summer Mix Series. Anyone can create and submit a mix album to share with others, it's a great way to check out new music and learn a little about each other.

My contribution:

It Was a Beautiful Day...
Until My Kite Crashed Into Your Cloud

Track list:
1. Eels - Mighty Fine Blues
2. Danielson - Cast It At The Setting Sail
3. Starlight Mints - Pumpkin
4. Joshua James - Today
5. Belle & Sebastian - Ease Your Feet In The Sea
6. Nada Surf - Here Goes Something
7. Half-Handed Cloud - Rise to the Heavens on Evaporation
8. Rosie Thomas - Kite Song
9. Jim Noir - Turbulent Weather
10. Laura Veirs - Wrecking
11. Andrew Bird - Opposite Day
12. The Essex Green - Sorry River
13. Sufjan Stevens - Sister
14. Kings of Convenience - Summer On The Westhill

DOWNLOAD IT HERE AND ENJOY!

Ironic story of the day.

2008-06-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

James Dobson accuses Obama of `distorting' Bible

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

Maybe Mr. Dobson should go back to focusing on the FAMILY, it does a lot less damage to Christianity then when he is focusing on politics.

J.R. and Jenny's Tour of the Souff'

2008-06-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

Over the week of Memorial Day Jenny and I took a road trip to South Caroline, via Chattanooga, TN. We spent two nights in a historic Inn in Chattanooga then drove into Charleston, SC for one over night at another cool old brick Inn. Then it was off to Hunting Island State Park for three days of camping at the beach! It was our first time to the Atlantic, and first time in WAY to long to the beach. We got to play in the ocean in the sun for a day and a half, then ride out a beach thunderstorm one night, and enjoy the crazy cloudy skies for the rest of the time.

After the beach we drove down to Savannah, GA for a night and explored the historic downtown. Both Savannah and Charleston are amazingly beautiful cities. From there we drove to Memphis and stayed a night, then on back to KC. We ate like Kings, put 2,600 miles on the car, spent way to much money on gas, and loved every minute of it.

Check out the pictures!:

Part 1: Chattanooga
Part 2: Charleston
Part 3: Hunting Island, Savannah, and Memphis

Movie Meme

2008-05-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Movie Meme, courtesy of Scott Savage.

1. One movie that made you laugh
Office Space

2. One movie that made you cry
Wedding Singer... (I know...)

3. One movie you loved when you were a child
Rad

4. One movie you’ve seen more than once
Swingers

5. One movie you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it
Bring It On

6. One movie you hated
Godzilla, the late 90's remake...

7. One movie that scared you
The Shining

8. One movie that bored you
Blair Witch Project

9. One movie that made you happy
Little Miss Sunshine

10. One movie that made you miserable
Bloody Sunday

11. One movie you weren’t brave enough to see
Saving Private Ryan

12. One movie character you’ve fallen in love with
Julia Stiles character on 10 Things I Hate About You. Gotta love the attitude.

13. The last movie you saw
No Country for Old Men

14. The next movie you hope to see
I don't know yet.

15. Your favorite movie
The Shawshank Redemption (me too)

Now tag five people!!!!!
I tag Jenny, Amanda, Andrea and/or Telfer, Jess, and Kylee

House Update - Painting the Dining Room

2008-04-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends ago Jenny and I painted our dining room Antique Red. We think it turned out great!

A few days before that we bought this beautiful buffet on Craigslist. It looks right at home with out dining room table and red paint doesn't it?

We also found these growing in our side yard.

Our next big project is going to be re-tiling the bathroom walls, luckily we are hiring someone for that one. Stay tuned!

Check out more house project pictures in our House Collection on flickr.

Opening Day!

2008-03-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

Well... sort of. It should be opening day if MLB didn't jack it all up by playing 2 games in Japan last week. Weird.

Anyways, it is official now, summer is on it's way, baseball is here!
Here are my predictions for the season:

AL West:
1. Seattle
2. Los Anglahiem (would have been #1 before Lackey and Escobar went down)
3. Oakland
4 Texas

AL Central:
1. Detroit
2. Cleveland - WC
3. Kansas City
4. Minnesota
5. Chicago

AL East:
1. Boston
2. New York
3. Tampa Bay
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore

NL West:
1. Colorado
2. L.A. - WC
3. Arizona
4. San Diego
5. San Francisco

NL Central
1. Chicago
2. St. Louis
3. Milwaukee
4. Cincinnati
5. Houston
6. Pittsburgh

NL East:
1. New York
2. Atlanta
3. Philadelphia
4. Washington
5. Florida

AL Champ: Detroit
NL Champ: Colorado

WS Champ: Detroit

Muxtape

2008-03-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

Check out this cool new website where you can create mix tapes online and send the link to your mix to your friends.

Here is my first mix
And here is one from my friend Jon Shell.

Top 10 Albums of 2007!

2008-01-12T09:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am a bit late on this, but here it is. J.R.'s top 10 of 2007!

10. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
iTunes

Layers and layers of sound blended with poetic moody, and storytelling lyrics make for a great, intelligent album full of interesting songs. Andrew Bird is really a genius on the acoustic guitar, violin, and Rhodes, and that is all on display in this album of diverse songs. Andrew Bird is probably the most talented musician on this list, the only reason he doesn't rank higher is the album lacks continuity. I still would highly recommend getting to know this one, especially if you appreciate musical complexity.

9. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
iTunes

Another new album from the prolific Ryan Adams, one would think he would run out of good songs eventually. Well, he hasn't yet on this one. This album opens with Ryan at his most twangy and southern in "Goodnight Rose" then dabbles in pop, rock, country, without ever veering to far from the brilliance laid down by the first few tracks. That is with the exception of track number 4, "Halloweenhead", easily one of Ryan's worse written songs in years, and despite it's catchy beat and driving guitars, it drops this album down out of the top 5 for that one track alone. "Follow the Lights" from the EP of the same name would have fit in it's place to make this album feel much more congruent.

8. Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
iTunes

A little folk, a little pop, and a little art rock, all mixed in with poetic, organic lyrical content and the whimsical voice of Laura Veirs make this a beautifully creative album. Laura combines different sounds and varies between depth and playfulness, sometimes embracing both at the same time without ever sounding out of place in the album. The only downfall might be that it didn't hold my attention the first few times I listened, but while compiling this list I made myself listen to my albums from 2007 and this one, the more I heard, the farther up the list it made it. Definitely a strong number 8.

7. Sigur Rós - Hvarf/Heim
iTunes

I think I mentioned this last time I review a Sigur Rós album, but it's not often that music I can't understand the lyrics to hold my attention, but Sigur Rós paint such a beautiful picture with musical textures and depth that no additional story is needed to fill the imagination. Havarf (Icelandic for "hope"), the first half of this album, takes you through a chilling yet strangely comforting ride, propelled by enormous, guitar filled crescendos. The second half of the album, Heim (meaning "home") paints a more mellow comforting picture, building slower and more melodically then the Havarfhalf of the album. The use of live recordings for the Heim half of the album really makes you feel like Sigur Rós wants to show you a bit of what "home" is for them.

6. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
iTunes

Epic. You can't listen to this album without feeling like you are a part of something epic. Since their debut, Funeral, Arcade Fire has had a sound that seems bigger then life, but on this album they take it to another level. String and orchestral arrangements mixed with driving anthem rock and a heavy new wave edge just sound to big to contain. The quit in this album packs as much huge power as the loud places. The low point for me was the title track, oddly enough, but it leads well into the opening organ keys of the following track "Intervention", one of the highlights.

5. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
iTunes

Indie darlings, The Shins, have come a lot closer to meeting Natalie Portman's claims of life changing music (Garden State) with this huge step forward for them. Wincing the Night Away features The Shins at their most mature to date. Sounding like a band that has grown up beyond the easy melodic pop songs of their past to something bigger, bolder, and most importantly, more creative. I don't mean to put down their previous efforts, this one is just that much better. Still melodic and moody, but now offering so much more, almost "life changing".

4. New Pornographers - Challengers
iTunes

This is my first experience with the New Pornographers (I think the name scared me off before), after thoroughly enjoying Neko Case's solo album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, last year I thought I would check them out. I didn't understand at first how you could have a band with Neko Case and not feature her as the lead vocalist. Upon listening I discovered that the combination of her and A. C. Newman sharing vocal duties and creating perfect harmonies, works so will with the driving power pop and intelligent lyrical content of this album. Indie pop doesn't get much better then this.

3. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
iTunes

So, this album got kind of beat around by some reviewers, they thought it was a step backwards for Wilco, from their masterpiece Yankee, Hotel, Foxtrot and their incredibly unique A Ghost is Born. I completely disagree. While this album might not push the limits of music ingenuity like the last two, it does something else. With their previous albums Wilco had destructed their music to a point that was brilliant and complex, but not always enjoyable. With Sky Blue Sky, they are rebuilding music their way. These mellow, moody, simple songs display a stripped down Wilco, vulnerable, and exposed. While playing around with a bit of a 70's folk vibe, with plenty of jazz and blues thrown in, they still bring a completely unique Wilco sound to it, with Nels Cline's unmistakable and amazing guitar playing. Jeff Tweedy's voice fits so perfectly with lyrics that are so brilliantly moody yet refreshingly optimistic. This album is really the perfect follow up to the complexity of A Ghost is Born, it is a reminder that music can still simply be music.

2. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
iTunes

After their last album, Gimme Fiction, Spoon had made a huge impression on me as a band to look out for. After this album, they have firmly cemented themselves as one of my all time favorite bands. Britt Daniel's gravely vocals somehow work perfectly with Spoon's bouncy, rhythmic guitar sound. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga combines that with a more atmospheric complexity then they have brought before. Spoon's ability to write and perform incredibly catchy tunes, and combines styles from many genres while intergrating their own unique sound will guarantee these guys stay at the top of my list for many years to come. Welcome to my favorites Spoon, keep up the amazing work.

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
iTunes

A new Radiohead album this year, how could it not be number 1 right? Well, maybe, but this is a well-deserved number 1. In Rainbows is so subtly beautiful and breathe taking it couldn't be anywhere else on this list. Subtle is not a word I would have ever used to describe a Radiohead release in the past. One review described it this way: " This is not a record that hits you over the head with how far this group is pushing the envelope; it's simply a phenomenal, well-crafted, and exciting album", I completely agree. While I have always loved that Radiohead pushed the envelope on what was music, and stretched me the same, this albums seems to be the perfect balance from everything learned from years of pushing. It feels like the summary of years of researching music and sound. There is a return of verses and choruses for the first time since 1997's OK Computer. All of this without sacrificing the interesting musical aspects that are Radiohead.

Almost as brilliant as the album itself was the way they released it. After being completely fed up with the music industry, Radiohead released it on the Internet for whatever you wanted to pay for it, and was delivered via download. As of 10 December 2007, the official In Rainbows download is no longer available and must be purchased for full price via iTunes. Other bands have been releasing their work in similar fashion since.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The National - Boxer
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Joshua James - The Sun Is Always Brighter
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
Derek Webb - Ringing Bell
The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
Over the Rhine - Trumpet Child
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
The Good, The Bad, and The Queen - The Good, The Bad, and The Queen

And in the "I can't believe I am admitting I like" this department:
Alicia Keys - As I Am

The way Justin Dillon sees it.

2007-12-11T06:20:00.000-08:00

So, I am sure most of you know the unnamed coffee giant who has spread bad coffee to the ends of the earth, well at least not everything they do is bad for your soul. ;-)

A friend got a cup of coffee, and on the side of that cup was a quote from former frontman of the Dime Store Prophets ( a great Alternative/Christian band from the mid 90's) Justin Dillon (Stevens).

Here is the quote from "The Way I See It" - Cup #153

"Is art entertainment?
Art teaches us about who we are.
Entertainment tells us who to be.
Art is a public service.
Entertainment is a private product.
Art opens our minds.
Entertainment thinks for you.
Art is publicly offered.
Entertainment is publicly traded.
Art is the words we wish to say, but lack the language to say it."

4 years! Eureka!

2007-11-30T20:49:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, Jenny and I take turns each year surprising each other with a weekend vacation for our anniversary (Nov. 8). We have gone to Victoria BC, Weston MO, and Herman MO. This year was Jenny's turn, and she had me fooled for almost 200 miles. I had no idea we were we where going until about 20 miles out.

We spent the weekend of Nov 8-11th in a small wooded cabin on a lake just outside of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Eureka Springs is a small historic resort town founded around some "healing" springs in the Ozark Mountains. The "downtown" is on a couple different streets that wind around through a valley and around some hills. Some of the buildings face one street where they are two stories tall, but the backs of them face another street where they are 6 stories tall. The whole town is built on extreamly steep grades in the late 1800's. It has many art galleries and other eclectic little shops.

The fall colors where out in full effect that weekend, providing some great photo opertunities.
Here is a link the the photo gallery.

Trying to find the gold tooth in God's crooked smile.

2007-11-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have a ton of posts to put up in the next few days that I have been putting off, so if anyone still reads this, check back over the next week and there should be more.

Anyways, I wanted to let you all know about this amazing film Jenny and I got from netflix a couple weeks ago. Here is the discription from their website:

Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus is a thought-proviking road trip through the American South - a world of Churches; prisons; coalmines; truckstops; juke joints; swamps; and mountains. Along the way we encounter various musicians, including the Handsome Family, Johnny Dowd, 16 Horsepower and Dacid Johansen; old time banjo player Lee Sexton; Rockabilly and Mountain Gospel churches; and novelist Harry Crews telling grisly stories down a dirt track. The film is a collage of stories and testimonies, almost invariably of sudden death, sin or redemption: Heaven or Hell, with no middle ground.

And all the while, a strange Southern Jesus looms in the background. 'Alt-Country' singer Jim White reflects upon exactly what it is about this baffling place that inspires musicians and writers, whilst at the same time working through his own preoccupations with his muse — or, as he puts it, 'trying to find the gold tooth in God's crooked smile'.

Check out the trailer!

New Site Feature!

2007-11-13T06:14:00.000-08:00

Scroll to the bottom right and tell us who you would vote for.

Whiskerino 2007!

2007-11-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

What do Zeus, John Lennon and Jesus have in common? It's the beard!

Whiserino 2007 is here! Check it out!

So, if you are man enough (or if you are a woman with good paper skills) I invite you to join me on this 4 month journey into manhood. Bond with me over our comman face hair. Go here to sign up.

HERE ARE THE RULES

I. CONTEST RUN DATES
The contest will officially run from November 1st, 2007 until least February 29th, 2008. Participants unable to fulfill this time period will have their accounts placed within the Whiskerino Hall Of Shame. Participation is still highly encouraged for any amount of time during these dates.

II. A CLEAN PALETTE
You must be clean shaven (see Figure 26). This rule is the foundation of a proper Whiskerino. Allowable hair types: eyebrows, eyelashes, sideburns, nose hair, ear hair. Sideburns must be trimmed to the earlobe (see here for a fine example). Banned hair types: mutton chops, goatee, neck hair, moustaches. No exceptions.

III. BEARD GROWTH
According to Parker Brothers Beyond Balderdash the definition of a whiskerino is "a beard growing contest." Participation in the North American Free Beard Agreement Whiskerino denotes that the participant will grow a beard. Refusal to grow a beard is not in the spirit of the contest. Note: Testerone levels differ in every male and all levels of growth, regardless of density and coverage, are encouraged. As long as the participant is not shaving the participant is growing a beard.

IV. SHAVING
Trimming or shaping of hair growth is highly frowned upon. Participants are highly encouraged to let their beards follow their natural path. 'Sculpting' will be questioned and must be kept to a minimum.

V. FALSE PRETENSES
By supplying a photo for upload and display during Whiskerino 2007 the participant enters into an agreement stating the following:

* The photo is, in fact, the participant
* The photo has not been altered by digital means in regard to enhancing beard growth, shape, or density.
* The photo may not contain added text, graphics, or clipart unless in participation with a themed day (this includes iSight camera effects, Photoshop filters and their ilk).

VI. IMAGE UPLOADING
Images supplied by the participant must be in JPEG format sized no smaller than 500 pixels in width cropped to a 4 x 3 aspect ratio (see Figure 73). Photos may not contain profane gestures, nudity, hateful imagery, or turkey sandwiches.

Only one image per day may be submitted to the North American Free Beard Agreement Whiskerino 2005. Submission of more than one image per day will result in the previous submitted image to be overwritten and all comments and ratings for that image removed but do what chu gotta do breh.

VII. HALL OF SHAME
Failure to comply with the North American Free Beard Agreement Whiskerino 2007 rules and regulations will result in the participants account to be sequestered into the Hall Of Shame. Participants placed within these shameful halls will no longer have access to their account and, thus, image upload will be forever suspended for them. Ridiculing members of the Hall Of Shame is not only allowed but highly encouraged.

VIII. WINNER
Upon completion of the contest there will be official ceremonies announcing the winner. Winning beards will be determined by a variety of criteria including: Beard Official opinions, ratings, overall participation, attendance, beard style, and spirit. Note: Immense facial hair density, girth, and coverage does not neccasarily determine winner. Spirit and Beard Fellowship are the highest ranked criteria according to the North American Free Beard Agreement.

Kucinich 08

2007-10-31T18:58:00.001-07:00

Lots of Pictures!

2007-10-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

I just updated my Flickr account with a lot of pictures from the last few weeks.

CLICK HERE for some pictures from waiting in line at the Over the Rhine concert at The Grand Emporium on Oct. 1. Unfortunatly I have not figured out how to take good indoor concert photos yet, so none of those turned out well.

CLICK HERE and HERE for pictures of Jenny's Birthday night. We got dressed up and went out to Pierpont's at Union Station, it was amazing.

CLICK HERE to see pictures from our church retreat. We went to Mount St. Scholastica, and Abby in Atchison, Kansas. It was beautiful. Unfortunatly I got too caught up in taking tons of pictures of the beautiful setting and not enough of the wonderful people we spent the weekend with. It was a blast.

More pics coming soon! The Tolson's visited last weekend, so those will be the next set.

Wilco at The Crossroads

2007-10-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

We saw Wilco on saturday night at downtown Kansas Cities coolest new outdoor venue, The Crossroads. We showed up early enough to get in the front row, right infront of Nels. What a truley amazing rock show. Andrew Bird opened, and he was pretty great too.

Set list:
Via Chicago
Company on my Back
You Are My Face
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Pot Kettle Black
Handshake Drugs
Side With the Seeds
A Shot in the Arm
She’s A Jar
Impossible Germany
Pick Up the Change
Box Full of Letters
Jesus, etc.
Too Far Apart
Walken
I’m the Man Who Loves You

Encore 1:
Hummingbird
Hesitating Beauty
Hate It Here
Heavy Metal Drummer

Encore 2:
Red Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At the End of the Century)
Casino Queen
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Spiders (Kidsmoke) <-- with fireworks!

Here is a good review from Joel Francis of the Kansas City Star.

Here are some pictures I found on flickr taken by "willgorman".

Here is a myspace video of Wilco perfroming Hesitating Beauty, the camera man was standing probably 10 feet from where Jenny and I were.

And a video of "Shot In the Arm"

Personality Type

2007-08-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

Well, Jenny tagged me to take this personality test. I always come out the same, by far, and I even tryed to answer the questions a little more thoughtfully this time, and I still came out the same. I guess there is really no doubt I am an ENFP (The "Advocate"). But is Bob Dylan, so that's cool.

Also, turns out I should be an artist or a designer, so I don't have to change careers, that's cool.

I tag Andrea, Telfer, and Missy

Lyric of the Day

2007-08-27T10:15:00.001-07:00

I have had and enjoyed this song for a while now, but this weekend I heard it again for the first time in a few months and remembered how powerful it was. I get some crap about my Indigo Girls love every once in a while, but if you can't atleast appriciate their song writting, then I don't know what I can say to you about good music. It's amazing to me that these two can pull out more Biblical imagry and Christian concepts then most any Christian label band out there. Anyways, here it is:

"Tether" - Indigo Girls

Whatever it was, is wasn't manumission
To spill the blood, to pull the weed
You can bury the past, but it's a mausoleum
With the ghost of a fist that won't let us be

Can we bring it together,
Can we call from the mountain to the valley below?
Can we make it better,
Do we tether the hawk, do we tether the dove?

I kicked up the dirt, and I said to my neighbor
"We keep making it worse, we keep getting it wrong"
He tucked in his shirt, he stood a little bit straighter,
He said "We need a few less words dear, we need a few more guns."

But will it bring us together,
Can we call from the mountain to the valley below?
Can we make it better,
Do we tether the hawk, do we tether the dove?

Enduring love
Why so much and so strong, beyond this short existence?
So don't be still
You say there's a long line behind you
And it's hardly worth the mentioning
But I will
Cause we may flicker and fade,
But we never will be through with this
I see this world battered but not broken
There's a fallow heart, it's waiting on a sowing hand
You can grow what you want, But one day it's gonna rise up
So plant what you need to make a better stand

And we'll bring it together
And we'll call from the mountain to the valley below.
And we'll make it better
Let go of the hawk, we let go of the dove.

I sing to you, all you true believers
With the strength to see this and not be still.
I'm telling you now, find the hope that feeds you,
Don't let 'em bleed you of your will.

Gillian Welch - "Time (The Revelator)"

2007-08-13T07:45:00.001-07:00

We saw Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (the guitarist in the video) at Liberty Hall in Lawerance on saturday. It was amazing, I don't even know how to express how amazing it was. David Rawlings is one of the best guitar players I have ever seen, and Gillian's voice was perfect.

They played two full sets and 3 encores, the show lasted over three hours, and I could have gone for another thee. If she is coming to a town near you, you should go.

We are offical!

2007-07-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

We closed on the house Friday afternoon (I mentioned it in the post below). We are very excited! Yesterday we bought a used washer and dryer, a new fridge, and a yard sale lawn mower. The wood floor guy gets started tomorrow morning. Our maintance guy starts Wednesday, and we get to move in the 28th!

When we arived to sign the papers at closing there was this framed picture of our house from 1924:

It was two years old then. How cool is that? The only real difference we can tell is that the french doors on the den that lead to the porch aren't there, and the pergula over the garage has been mostly removed, the frame closest to the house is still there, it looks decrotive.

Our relator also e-mailed us these pictures from 1957 of the original owners:

In the last picture you can see the french doors have been installed by then. Also, that big ugly bush is atleast that old.

Shuffle Your iPod

2007-07-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

My good friend Brian tagged me with this little iPod game. I am suppose to "List the first ten songs that come up on your iPod when you hit 'shuffle'." I have to start by saying that I have over 8,000 songs on there, some are from long ago.... very long ago. I am not responsible for everything that appears on the list.... so, on that note, here we go.

1. Radiohead - Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was
2. Over The Rhine - Anything At All
3. Death Cab for Cutie - Line of Best Fit
4. Starflyer 59 - Not Funny
5. Mutemath - Peculiar People
6. Depeche Mode - Sinner In Me
7. Coldplay - Shiver
8. Moby - Natural Blues
9. The Verve - Weeping Willow
10 . Dave Mathews Band - Crush
11. Bright Eyes - The First Day of My Life
12. The Call - I Don't Wanna
13. Alice In Chains - Again
14. Bruce Cockburn - Tropic Moon
15. Sufjan Stevens - Kaskaskia River
16. Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
17. Danielson Famile - Don't You Be The Judge
18 . Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Born Secular
19. Wilco - Panthers
20. REM - Try Not To Breathe

I think I was suppose to do 10, everyone else did 15, I did 20. I kept waiting for U2 to come up, I have way more U2 then any other band.... oh well.

Okay, I tag Kassie Ketchum, Lisa Allison, and Amanda Marble. Go for it!

Oh, and PS, the house is officaly ours as of 4:00 this afternoon, yay!

We got a house!

2007-06-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Some of you probably have already heard, but we found a house! Our offer was accepted on it a couple weeks ago. Now we are just eagerly waiting out the time until closing (July 13th). After we close we are getting the wood floors re-finished and a bunch of minor things. Then we move in!

It is a cute little 1920's Bungalow near the Brookeside area of Kansas City. It has 3 bedrooms, 1 and 1/2 baths, a den, and a sunroom.

In the future we are planning on removing that ugly bush from the front of the porch, replacing the sink in the main bath, tiling the floor in the 1/2 bath, minor clean-up and repairs to the deck, maybe stipping atleast some of the wood trim, doing something with the fireplace (not sure what), and eventually remodeling the whole kitchen. Lots of work ahead of us, but it should be fun.

Check out our Flickr page for the rest of the pictures!

Vacation Pics!

2007-05-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Jenny and I drove to Tennessee last week, it was a great time! We got to see our friends Matt and Alissa Peppley in Nashville and then went on to Townsend right outside of the Smoky Mountain National Park. We rented a little cabin in the woods there. We did lots of hiking, hanging out on our porch, and eating good food.

I posted some pictures on my flickr page. Check them out!

Word of the Day... or decade.

2007-05-31T18:20:00.000-07:00

I was watching the national spelling bee tonight (to those who read this blog regularly should find great humor in the irony of that) and I learned a new word. I think it is one of my favorites.

Kakistocracy, it means "Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens."

I think that may come in handy.

Sky Blue Sky

2007-05-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

I got the new Wilco album, "Sky Blue Sky" last week, and if you don't have it yet, you need it. I started out on Tuesday with it slightly disapointed with it's lack of progress building on their last two amazing albums "Yankee, Hotel, Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born". To be fair, I had only heard it on an internet audio stream up til friday. Since I got it in the mail friday, I have probably listened to the complete album 6 times and I watched the DVD that came with it saturday evening. With each listen I have loved the album more. Like one of those charts you learn about in algabra with the curve that climbs higher and faster at each incerment, what is that called again?

As for my complaint about the lack of "progress", the album seems to have a lot less experimentation to it then the last two, but I think upon further listen, there is alot of musical growth shining through here. The songs are definatly more straight forward, but as Jeff Tweedy said in the film that came with the album, "With how confusing and complicated the world is today, I think people just want to hear some ____ing songs!" (paraphrased).

Stand out tracks:
1. Either Way
3. Impossible Germany
4. Sky Blue Sky
6. Shake It Off
11. What Light

Three Greatest Challenges Facing the Church (#3)

2007-04-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

The third biggest problem facing the church is young members who can't follow through with things in a promised time frame.... okay, sorry it took 2 months to do what I promised in 3 days. The first two where easy, but for the third I have to narrow it down to one last thing.

This is kind of disjointed and not that well writen. I used a lot of quotes because others have said it better then I ever could, but you get the point.

Nationalism disguised as Christianity

I heard a quote once, I think from Tony Campolo, that went something like “We have reached a new level of idolatry in American when you can get in more trouble for removing an American flag from a sanctuary then the cross." Think about it.

In the past I have sat through "Memorial Day" and "Fourth of July" services where we sang the national anthem with slides on the video screens of US fighter jets and bombers dropping bombs. And as hard for that is to believe, this was a fairly large Nazarene church, a very "mainstream" denomination. The intentions of these services where to honor those who have fought for what we have, the intentions of the people where good, but is church the right place for that? Are US Christians really that self-centered? Do we really hold are selves that much higher above or brothers and sisters around the world? I don't know, maybe I am reading to much into it, but sadly the evidence is not in our favor.

Jenny once said, "You should be able to walk into any Christian church in the world and not be able to tell where you are". I think she is absolutely correct. As Christians we have a nation greater then anything defined by political boundaries, we are the people of God. We are here to live as the people of God, to live out His kingdom coming. A kingdom that knows no political boundaries. Our churches should reflect that. As a Christian, my only allegiance should be to the Lord.

Our Foreign policy is based on the idea that we, as a nation, are somehow set apart to be God's last line of defense in an evil world. That America is inherently good and that who we deem as evil is the enemy of God. How can a country whose ideals, attitude, and actions so differ from those of Christ think that we can speak for Him?

George Monbiot wrote, in an article for Guardian:
"It is not just that the Americans are God's chosen people; America itself is now perceived as a divine project. In his farewell presidential address, Ronald Reagan spoke of his country as a "shining city on a hill", a reference to the Sermon on the Mount. But what Jesus was describing was not a temporal Jerusalem, but the kingdom of heaven. Not only, in Reagan's account, was God's kingdom to be found in the United States of America, but the kingdom of hell could also now be located on earth: the "evil empire" of the Soviet Union, against which His holy warriors were pitched.

...The United States of America no longer needs to call upon God; it is God, and those who go abroad to spread the light do so in the name of a celestial domain. The flag has become as sacred as the Bible; the name of the nation as holy as the name of God. The presidency is turning into priesthood.

So those who question George Bush's foreign policy are no longer merely critics; they are blasphemers, or "anti-Americans". Those foreign states, which seek to change this policy, are wasting their time: you can negotiate with politicians; you cannot negotiate with priests. The US has a divine mission, as Bush suggested in January: "to defend ... the hopes of all mankind", and woe betide those who hope for something other than the American way of life."

Brain McLaren said in an interview:
"When we present Jesus as a pro-war, anti-poor, anti-homosexual, anti-environment, pro-nuclear weapons authority figure draped in an American flag, I think we are making a travesty of the portrait of Jesus we find in the gospels."

Why aren't churches across the country speaking out about this? It is an image that hiding the true portrait of Christ to a world that needs to know Him.

And, I am going to end with another Derek Webb song, because, again, he says what I want to say perfectly.

King & A Kingdom by Derek Webb

who's your brother, who's your sister
you just walked passed him
i think you missed her
as we're all migrating to the place where our father lives
'cause we married in to a family of immigrants

(chorus)
my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it's to a king & a kingdom

there are two great lies that i’ve heard:
“the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die”
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

(chorus)

but nothing unifies like a common enemy
and we’ve got one, sure as hell
but he may be living in your house
he may be raising up your kids
he may be sleeping with your wife
oh no, he may not look like you think

Intermission: Good job MNU!

2007-03-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know this whole "Three problems" thing is taking longer then I promised, sorry, I have been very busy at work.

To throw in a little balance to this place I want to share an article that was brought to my attention about a homosexual rights group visiting a Nazarene college campus. It seems for as much as we try and screw things up Christ still uses His church in amazing ways. Thank God.

Here is the article.

Three Greatest Challenges Facing the Church (#2)

2007-03-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Suburbanization (Racial and Economic Segregation)

I am not sure if that is the right wording for what I am talking about here, but it's the best I can think of.

Phineas Bresee founded the Nazarene church, a former Methodist minister who didn't like how far the Methodist church has strayed from Wesleyan ideals of preaching to the poor and needy. It was a church found for the "least of these". A church for the ones the rest of society had forgotten, a place where the last become first. The first Nazarene church opened its doors in 1895 in urban Los Angeles, California. From the begining it was an "intercity church". A church that faced the challenges of being an anchor for the neighborhood it shared.

Then in the 1950's when all the white and wealthy started fleeing the cities for the suburbs, for the most part the church did the same. Even if the church didn't change location, they still became either a commuter church or a financially drained, low membership urban church. New churches started being built by people who all came from the same social economic level, for their friends and families in that same category.

Now you can go to church and hear about the powerful message Christ has for the way we deal with the poor and not ever have to face that in our own lives. I can sponsor an impoverished child for $19.99 a month and put some food in the food pantry. It feels safer, it makes me comfortable to be around those who look, act, and think just like I do. But this is not at all what the kingdom of God looks like, a place where the first are made last and the last are made first. We tell ourselves that "rich people need Jesus too", believing this is just cause for our $5,000 sound system. And it is true, we do need Jesus, everyone needs Jesus, but I wonder how much the church is reaching out to people like us versus how much we are perpetuating a lifestyle that is anything but Christ like.

The church should be the backbone of social reformation. We are called to love others as ourselves. How can a church be that from 30 miles across town from the social problems facing the intercity? How can the church be a reflection of the kingdom of God when only a portion of the people are represented by it? I really do believe that losing the African American voice, the Hispanic voice, the economically poor voice, has made the church lose the message of Christ. The spirit of the church of the Nazarene cannot and will not survive without these voices.

When I read about our world headquarters moving out of urban Kansas City, from a neighborhood it has been in for nearly a century, to a corporate business park in a grass field in Lenexa, it breaks my heart. I wonder if this church still cares about the general principals laid down by its founder. I like to think the church is heading back in the right direction, but it is hard to believe this when the World Headquarters itself is symbolizing so much of what is wrong in our churches. Moves like this have no motive outside of our own perceived "safety" and comfort, and I don't believe in a safe or comfortable gospel.

As a member of this denomination, it is up to me to make these changes in my own life as well. Collectively, as a whole, WE need to do something about this for the church to remain (or become) as relevant to people's lives as the message we believe in.

Jenny and I have found a church home here in Kansas City that we feel more at home in then anywhere we have attended yet. Some considers it an “urban” church; it has a better mix of economic classes then any church I have attended, and leadership with a heart for social justice. But even there we struggle with the desire to be around those who look, act, and think like us. One of the things that drew us in was the abundance of young, like-minded, people. Luckily we have also had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people outside of that mold, but at the same time I wonder, is our small church to comfortable in it's statues as well?

We have been talking about the book "Can This Church Live: A Congregation, It's Neighborhood, and Social Transformation" by Donald H. Matthews in my Sunday school class. I highly recommend it. Hopefully this can get our church thinking about some areas where we can improve how we relate to the neighborhood around it.

Three Greatest Challenges Facing the Church (#1)

2007-03-08T10:08:00.001-08:00

Prosperity Gospel

The idea that God wants you to be rich, and that with enough faith you will be rich. This has been one of the biggest issues the church has faced in the last few years, and I don't think the next few are going to be any better. It is easy to understand why this is such a popular idea, it is a lot easier to ignore the extreme poverty in the world around us if we believe that God wants us to be as rich as we are, it is comfortable to think God wants us to spend our money on ourselves.

The truth is, God does bless all of His faithful, just not all of them financially, and those He does bless financially, we are under a mandate to use those blessings to bless others.

All across this country their are churches growing rapidly in numbers lead by preachers preaching nothing more then "God wants you to be rich". These church's may be large in size, but they have yet to become the norm, and I think most mainline congregations would frown upon the teachings of these churches, but have we let prosperity gospel spill over in it's own way into our churches? I think we have and it seems like it's getting worse.

The popularity of books like "The Prayer of Jabez" shows how much this idea has really caught on. Anytime an entire book is written about one chapter of scripture I get a bit leery. "Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested." (1Chron. 4:10) This is the only time Jabez is mentioned, it does not go on to explain what, when or how God granted this request, but the author of "The Prayer of Jabez" believes that if you say this prayer often enough and with enough meaning that God will make you wealthy.

If living a Christ like life really means living selflessly, I cannot accept the idea that as long as there is one person on this earth with less then I have, that God wants me to keep more to myself. That does not line up with the words of Christ in the gospels.

The idea that there is any blessing that can be stacked on top the gift of salvation and freedom from eternal bondage that Christ offers us all is absolutly false. To beleive that there is anything more that can compare to that gift is to completely misunderstand or even reject the truth of the gospel. The more the church falls for this lie the farther we will be getting from being any sort of light or body of Christ on earth.

Okay, sorry about that, there are few things that get me more upset then prosperity gospel.

Here is a song by Derek Webb that says it perfectly:

Beloved by Derek Webb

beloved these are dangerous times
because you are weightless like a leaf from the vine
and the wind has blown you all over town
because there is nothing holding you to the ground

so now you would rather be
a slave again than free from the law

(chorus)
beloved listen to me
don’t believe all that you see
and don’t you ever let anyone tell you
that there’s anything that you need
but me

beloved these are perilous days
when your culture is so set in it’s ways
that you will listen to salesmen and thieves
preaching other than the truth you’ve received

because they are telling lies
for they cannot circumcise your hearts

(chorus)
beloved there is nothing more
no more blessings and no more rewards
than the treasure of my body and blood
given freely to all daughters and sons

Well, let me know if you have any further thoughts on this or if you just flat out disagree.

Three Greatest Challenges Facing the Church (Intro)

2007-03-08T05:44:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of talk going around Nazarene circles about a video of on of our church leaders delivering a sermon at the M7 conference. In the video the church leader lists three challenges the church has to face in upcoming years, they where listed as: Calvinism, The Emergent Church, and Reform Theology. I don't FULLY agree with the sermon, and I defiantly don't agree with the way the video portrays it, but to be fair, the video was taken completely out of context and missed the greater point of the sermon itself, but nonetheless, it got me thinking.

Over the next three (or so) days I will be doing a post a day on what I believe are the biggest challenges the church is facing (or will face) in the next few years (in no particular order). Feel free to write a comment whether you agree or disagree, I certainly don't have any more insight on this then anyone else, so tell me what you think.

My first post should be up later this afternoon. Thanks!

BEN FOLDS - JESUSLAND

2007-03-05T15:32:00.001-08:00

Great little music video, I will post a real post soon. For now, tell me your thoughts on the song and video.

My Most Important Theology Books in Past 25 years!

2007-02-06T09:28:00.000-08:00

I got tagged for this interesting little blog game by my friend Scott, whom, I might add, is far more theologically studied then I. As a matter of fact I think I am the only non-seminary student (or grad) to be tagged on this thing so far, so despite the risk of showing up at the theological prom with my pants off, here we go. In no particular order...

My Most Important Theology Books in Past 25 years.

The Story of God: Wesleyan Theology and Biblical Narrative
by Michael Lodahl

I read this book the first time as a sophomore in college. Like many people at that time I was going through a pretty big theological shift, moving from a faith that had been handed down to me to a faith that was my own. Somewhere between rejecting everything I had grown up with and stay complacent with a stale formulaic faith was this book, show what it a relational God really looks like. It's was and idea of God I had seen lived out in the lives on my parents and in the lives of many who shared the faith I had been brought up in, despite not always hearing it from the more vocal "spokes people" of Christianity. It opened my eyes to the true meaning of holiness, for years I blamed it for making it so hard for me to leave the Nazarene church, now I am thankful.

A Woman's Place? Leadership in the Church
by C. S. Cowles

This is another book I read my sophomore year of college (I told you it was a pretty big theological shift in my life). I was taking a class from Prof. Cowles at the time and it probably had a lot to do with how much I liked this book and even more with where I am today theologically speaking. Not only did this book turn me into a feminist but it also changed the way I read the bible. I actually found the whole thing available to read on-line a few years ago too, so if anyone is interested in staring at a computer screen for 4 hours you should check it out. I am also going to credit this book for turning me into someone my wife could fall in love with, and into an Indigo Girls fan.

A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey
by Brian D. McLaren

Now, most of my seminary friends will probably laugh at me for this one. I don't know how much of a theology book it is, it is fiction, but still... I read this one about 6 months ago, and I really wish I had read it years earlier. I had been leery of McLaren, and I don't like the whole "emergent" "non-emergent" label thing, but this book felt like the book I would write if I had the ability to communicate how I felt about the church in written word, which most of you who read my blog regularly know I have no ability to do.

Okay, that's my three from the last 25 years. Now, my number one of all time.

The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein

Yeah, that's right, I did it! Sing it with me now: "Theologians, they don't know nothin' about my soul, oh they don't know."

I am tagging: Jenny, Chad, and Lisa.

Top 20 Albums of 2006 - Part II (10-1)

2007-01-10T04:58:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already, check out Part I (20-11) of the list.

10. mewithoutYou – Brother, Sister

This could be one of the "hardest" albums to make one of my top ten lists ever, but there is good reason it's here. This album is a dark, introspective journey of doubt, struggle, surrender, and faith. Aaron Weiss' beautiful disturbed vocal styling fit the musical atmosphere and lyrical content perfectly. Driving guitars, heavy percussion, Weiss' screaming vocals accompanied by harp and accordion blend wonderfully to paint a landscape that is both dark and full of hope.

Highlights:
3. Wolf Am I! (and Shadow)
6. Nice and Blue (Pt. 2)
11. O, Porcupine
13. In a Sweater Poorly Knit

[check them out]

9. The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics

After two brilliantly artistic concept albums (The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots) The Flaming Lips have returned to a more guitar driven, psychedelic funk with At War... Content wise, it seems they are growing up a bit, moving from stories of scientists and robot warfare to explore more political subjects such as war, terrorism, and even pop-stardom. But don't fret, they don't take themselves too seriously, they are still The Flaming Lips, still whimsical, ironic, and just good fun indie pop-rock.Overall though, it's not as great as The Soft Bulletin or Yoshimi.

Highlights:
1. Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
3. The Sound of Failure/It's Dark... Is It Always This Dark?
8. Mr. Ambulance Driver
10. The W.A.N.D.

[check them out]

8. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

This is my first experience with Neko Case other then a few New Pornographers tracks a friend gave me a few years ago, and I am sure glad I didn't miss this one. Neko and her band make me think of what it would be like if Wilco fired Jeff Tweedy and hire Loretta Lynne to replace him. All I heard anyone talk about was her amazing voice, some people have even labeled her the voice, but personally, it wasn't her voice that captured my attention the most on this album. The songwriting and the band stole the show in my opinion. Her voice is beautiful and hunting, but not overly powerful in my opinion. However, every track on this album is exceptionally well crafted.

Highlights:
1. Margaret vs. Pauline
7. John Saw That Number
10. Maybe Sparrow
12. The Needle Has Landed

[check her out]

7. Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche

I have become a huge Sufjan Stevens fan over the last couple years. Last years Illinois was my album of the year. What I didn't know at the time was that Illinois was originally going to be a double album. The Avalanche is what was left over from the Illinois sessions. But don't dare write this off as a b-sides collection. This is, in and of itself, an amazing album. If it weren't for the 3 separate versions of "Chicago" (the original on Illinois is possibly my favorite song right now) you would never even know this is an album of outtakes. Sufjan proves once again that he may be one of the best songwriters of this generation. Who else can make a beautifully poetic and deeply touching song about his friend Bobby getting a shad fly caught in his hair?

Highlights:
1. The Avalanche
6. The Henney Buggy Band
14. No Man's Land
17. The Perpetual Self, or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?"

[check him out]

6. Indigo Girls - Despite Our Differences

The Indigo Girls always know exactly how to say what is on their minds and make it sound so beautiful and so powerful, this album is no exception. We find the girls at their most Dylan-esqu in years on this one, the opening track could have been penned by Bob himself [lyrics], well, maybe if he died and came back as a woman's rights activist. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers song writing abilities are as great as ever. In a way ...Differences is a return to their earlier sound, but without sacrificing the guitar driven rock edge they have picked up along the way. There is even an unexpected appearance from P!nk (I think you are required to say it with the explanation mark) of all people.

Highlights:
1. Pendulum Swinger
2. Little Perennials
4. Three Country Highway
12. They Won't Have Me

[check them out]

5. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther

I was just introduced to this band last month and in that short time it has warmed it's way into my heart and more importantly, my top 10. ...Occupanther is full of lush, melodic songs and beautiful multi-part harmonies that bring to mind 70's era Fleetwood Mac mixed with a little The Shins. Tim Smith is an extremely gifted song writer and I am excited to see what the future holds for the 5 part band from Texas.

Highlights:
1. Roscoe
4. Van Occupanther
5. Young Bride
9. It Covers the Hillside

[check them out]

4. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

If you haven't already figured it out, there are few things in music that get me as excited as creativity or originality. Return to Cookie Mountain is like nothing I can think of that I have heard before, maybe an super-urban Bowie or something but not really. I don't even know how to describe it. Rolling Stone said "The disc might be the most oddly beautiful, psychedelic and ambitious of the year...Consider your mind blown." I think I have to agree, and my mind is officially blown. It's a odd, beautiful, funky, hip-hop, avant-garde, abstract, poetic, jazzy, experimental piece of art for your ear. Just give it a try, I don't know what else to say.

Highlights:
2. Hours
3. Province
5. Wolf Like Me
11. Wash the Day Away

[check them out]

3. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

Over the last few months no band has gotten as much play time from me as The Decemberists. Colin Meloy is brilliant when it comes to singing a folktale and he is in top form here. There are two separate stories woven through the tracks of this album, one is an old Japanese tale (The Crane Wife). The other is based on Shakespeare's The Tempest. These elements (which some call "Lit-Rock") are classic Decemerists, but this album shows they can do much more. In "Perfect Crime #2" they show they know how to bring the rock with an up-beat riff filled groove number. Followed directly by "When the War Came" a hard, guitar driven rocker. I am starting to believe that well of talent that is The Decemberists may be bottomless. And if you like this you should also checkout their masterpiece Picaresque.

Highlights:
1. The Crane Wife 3
2. The Island, Come And See, The Landlord's Daughter, You'll Not Feel The Drowning
4. O Valencia
5. The Perfect Crime #2

[check them out]

2. Starlight Mints - Drowaton

I had an opportunity to see the Starlight Mints earlier this year while they where touring for this album, wow, what a show! Anyways, about the album, the word that best describes this one is fun. From the classic 60's pop beats to the quirky lyrics, to the romping beats, and the driving guitars this album is all about fun. You can not listen to this without at least tapping your foot, but more likely flailing your arms around your car as if your steering wheel where some sort of drum set, or maybe that's just me... It seems there is a common mis-conception (and I apologize for any part I may have played in spreading it) that good music must be serious, or deep, or depressing. It's actually not true! It really can be fun! And that leads me perfectly into my next album.... (drum role please)

Highlights:
1. Pumpkin
3. Inside of Me
8. The Eyes of the Night
10. The Bee

[check them out]

...and now, the number 1 album of 20006.... (I never said you could stop the drum roll!)

1. Danielson - Ships

Danielson (Dan Smith, Brother Danielson, The Danielson Famile, whatever he is calling himself) has been around a while, making great, extremely creative music, but this... this is something completely amazing! I can guarantee you will either love this album or hate it, there is not much in between with Danielson, the things that make this album stand out are the same things many people will not be able to handle. For those who can handle it you will find a brilliantly creative piece of art, intelligent yet quirky lyrics, dark themes, bright sounds, and an album that just plain rocks. At times the songs build to a level where you just can't understand how it can get much bigger, then Dan and a cast of his 20-something closest friends (including Sufjan Stevens, all the members of the various Danielson Famile efforts, and many others) bump it up another notch, beyond the limits of what should be contained to a plastic disc.. LET IT OUT!

Highlights:
1. Ship The Majestic Suffix
2. Cast It At The Setting Sail
3. Bloodbook On The Half Shell
4. Did I Step On Your Trumpet?
9. Time That Bald Sexton

[check them out]

My Top Ten (or 20) Albums of 2006 - Part 1 (20-11):

2007-01-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

What an amazing year for music, I had to do 20. This year I will be counting down backwards (oh the drama!), starting with 20-11. The top ten will be posted shortly with more detailed reviews and album art, stay tuned! I will also include links to their myspace pages so you can sample some tunes.

20. The Stills - Without Feathers

This album probably would have been better if I had not alreay owned their previous effort Logic Will Break Your Heart. With this album The Still re-envented themselves, the results where not as good. It's still good, but get Logic... first.

[check them out]

19. The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldier

Just good ol' rock and roll from Jack White, Brendan Benson, and two thirds of The Greenhornes. It's a superband that actaully spent some effort writing their songs and assembling their album.

[check them out]

18. Matisyahu – Youth

A Hasidic Jew, hip-hop, reggae artist ... How can you go wrong? Seriously, it's good... Maybe you just have to listen to beleive...

[check him out]

17. Snowden – Anti-Anti

I have a love and hate relationship with this album. I love it because of it's hypnotic guitar, powerful rythems, and the brilliant combination of that slick 80's new wave feel and the grungyness of post-punk. I hate it because it may have ruined Interpol for me.

[check them out]

16. Ben Harper - Both Sides of the Gun

This is a two disc album, disc one is an personal, emotional, acoustic ballad record. Disc two is a political, passionat funk-rock record. A wonderful display of both sides of Ben Harper.

[check him out]

15. Half-Handed Cloud - Halos + Lassos

Wimsical synth-pop music; chipper, falseto, and delightfully off-key vocals; 19 short songs; and two of my favorite things, theology and sarcasim; all this makes for one great album.

[check him out]

14. Thom Yorke - The Eraser

While it isn't the overal mind blowing, eye-opening experience a new Radiohead album is, it is still a wonderful journey through a beautiful soundscape. If you find Radiohead unaccessable, you might enjoy Thom's solo album. It's easier to listen to and easier to understand, but not as interesting.

[check him out]

12. Ani DiFranco – Reprive

Ani combines a strong sense of politcal and social justic with a creative brand of "folk" rock that only she can bring. Her passionate vocals make you believe she really could change the world. Reprive is no difrent on that reguard, but she has also turned a little more introspective with this one, and is even using some electric insturmentation!

[check her out]

12. Beck – The Information
Beck is a creative genious, and this album may be his best. It seems he has taken everything he learned from Sea Change and Guero and melded them into something completely new. It's folky, psycadelic, electronic, and minimalistic all at the same time. Even the cd packaging screams post-modern. It comes with a blank cd booklet (with only Beck's name on it) and four sheets of stickers so you can design your own.

[check him out]

11. The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea

The Essex Green pull off a 60's acoustic pop-rock in a way that sounds completly new, completly original, and still so familiar. The fun lyrics and the pleasant vocals of both Chris Ziter and Sasha Bell make this one of the most enjoyable listens if the year. To fully experience this one buy it, pop it in your car, and go for a drive.

[check them out]

See, it works!

2006-12-21T05:01:00.000-08:00

Check out this article: Humanitarian aid: winning the terror war

Seems that Jesus was on to something in the Sermon on the Mount when he tells us to "do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27). Maybe it's time to start listening to Him.

Please get out of the new road, If you can't lend your hand...

2006-11-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

Are young evangelicals leaning left?
by Venessa Mendenhall
Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer 11-22-2006

"Your deeds, Mr. President -- neglecting the needy to coddle the rich, desecrating the environment and misleading the country into war -- do not exemplify the faith we live by," stated a letter of protest signed by over 800 students, faculty members and alumni at the conservative Christian Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., objecting to the commencement address given by President Bush in May 2005.

Twenty-two-year-old biology major Nathan Haan was a junior when the protests erupted on his campus. As the co-chairman of Calvin's Environmental Stewardship Coalition, Haan felt strongly that the president was not living up to his responsibilities as an evangelical Christian.

"The two primary tenants of the Christian faith are to care for the poor, and to care for the earth. The Bush administration wasn't doing a good job on either" Haan said.

Although few Christian leaders today would disagree that charity and stewardship are important religious values, the question of priority is another issue. According to Paul Froese, a sociologist of religion at Baylor University, such disagreements are threatening to divide the Bush administration's evangelical base.

"There is tremendous strife within evangelical groups in terms of what issues should be collectively prioritized," Froese said. "I've been to evangelical conferences where the speaker insists that poverty is all evangelicals should care about, and I've seen some in the congregation nod their heads in agreement, while other members of the audience walk out in protest."

And according to data provided by the religious research and advocacy organization, The Barna Group, it may be young evangelicals who are leading this challenge to the current conservative politics of their religious elders.

Not only are they more liberal on several of the hot button issues currently driving conservative politics, many evangelicals in Generation Next want to change the conversation all together, putting traditionally left-leaning concerns such as the environment and social justice to the forefront of the evangelical movement.

Cooling hot-button issues

According to experts, there is a notable generational difference at play between how younger and older evangelicals approach the controversial issues of abortion or gay marriage. For Froese, the reason is simple: exposure.

"I've been to so many churches where a preacher will say something about homosexuality, and all these young people will get upset about it," said Brandon Rhodes, a 22-year-old evangelical from Portland, Ore. "We have a much more nuanced and compassionate view. When your sister or your friend is out of the closet, you can't just say, 'Oh you sinner.'"

According to "The New Gay Teenager," a book published by Harvard University Press last year, the average gay person now comes out just before or after graduating high school.

The chances of a young evangelical making it through their teens or their early 20s without befriending someone of a different religious background or sexual orientation are getting remarkably small -- and, experts agree, this new reality is beginning to change a generation's approach to these issues.

According to preliminary studies by The Barna Group, 18-29-year-old, born-again Christians are some 15 percent more likely to find homosexuality morally acceptable than their religious elders.

Further, less than half of them favor a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

"They care about losing marriage, but they aren't going to scapegoat gays and lesbians for the breakdown of the American family," explained Jim Wallis, left-leaning Evangelical leader and author of "God's Politics."

Acording to research by The Barna Group, born-again Christians actually have a higher divorce rate than non-born-again Christians, and this reality has influenced a generation's view on the problems facing marriage today, said Wallis.

"They know from experience that divorce is the far deeper cause of the breakdown, and they are frustrated that their leaders aren't speaking out against it. Young people have gay friends, and that proximity brings compassion and understanding," Wallis said.

Although young evangelicals generally oppose abortion rights, their views on the issue are often similarly nuanced. Nick Price, a 22 year old who lives in Chicago, believes that better health care, rather than criminalization, should be the Christian response to the problem of abortion.

"I would love to see a government that makes abortion obsolete," Price said. "Criminalizing abortion doesn't get to the heart of the matter. Instead we need public policies that support women and children."

Rhodes, the young evangelical from Portland, agreed. "We are becoming politically ambidextrous," he said, referencing a quote by Christian activist Brian Mclaren. "We'll be pro-life, but we'll be pro-circle-of-life as well. ... After all, family values means taking care of future generations."

For Rhodes, this concern for the future has turned into a mission to turn the attention of his evangelical peers away from such issues and toward the problems of social and environmental injustice.

"If you love the Creator, take care of creation"

In November, a few dozen young religious leaders from around the country descended on Washington, D.C. to present the federal government with a statement on global warming signed by over 1,250 evangelical college students. Brandon Rhodes was part of this Evangelical Youth Climate Initiative.

"We want politicians to know that the next generation of Christians considers dealing with climate change to be a moral and biblical mandate," Rhodes said.

"We'd like to speak with [incoming House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, and I think she might let us in. . . But I don't know about George [Bush]."

According to preliminary data from the 2006 Baylor Survey on Religion, over 80 percent of 18-25-year-old white evangelicals believe that the federal government should do more to protect the environment.

For Peter Illyn, founder and president of the nonprofit group Restoring Eden, this position emerges naturally from a post-modern world view that worries about the environmental costs of contemporary living.

"Environmental stewardship resonates very strongly with this generation. It goes hand-in-hand with their faith. Removing it seems artificial," Illyn noted.

The struggle ahead, Illyn said, is not in convincing young people to recognize the environmental problems we are facing, but rather to persuade their religious elders that it's an issue worth prioritizing. "I really believe that this is not just a fad or a phase. I honestly think that there are enough of them that they are going to change the conversation significantly."

Bucking the status quo

For many young evangelicals, the complex realities of poverty and disease often lead them to challenge -- if not repudiate -- the moral conservatism of their religious elders.

According to Nick Price, evangelicals have a special calling to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic both in the United States and abroad. From his point of view, that call is not exclusively for abstinence-only education.

"People are dying, we have to deal with that issue first. Teaching about condom use is necessary, and it definitely helps," Price said. "If you want to argue about it, go to your own corner and argue. But don't get in the way of those of us trying to stop this disease."

Amy Jonason, 20-year-old co-chairwoman of Calvin College's Social Justice Committee, agreed.

"Having a personal relationship with God mandates a critical engagement with the world. Where we choose to live, what we choose to buy and how we tend to vote are all things we should be thinking about as Christians," Jonason said.

Global poverty has been the central focus of her student committee, with an emphasis on fair trade and labor practices. Her group also educates the student community about the genocides in Darfur and northern Uganda, and raises money for Christian world hunger relief organizations.

Although some of her more conservative peers accuse her group of trying to convert students to the Democratic Party, such liberal opinions among young evangelicals are more common than many people assume.

For instance, the 2006 Baylor Survey on religion found that approximately 60 percent of young people affiliated with an evangelical church believe that the federal government should work to redistribute wealth more evenly. An equal percentage also agreed that the government should regulate business practices more closely.

Taking "liberal" stances on the issues of poverty or the degradation of the environment, however, is a distant cry from actually voting that way. It is this discrepancy that leaves open the question: Just what political impact will young left-leaning evangelicals to have?

Will they mobilize?

Young evangelicals, like many of their elders, are looking to politics and the government as a way to implement their religious beliefs. According to the Baylor study, nearly 70 percent of them believe that the federal government should advocate and defend Christian values.

Although the Republican Party lost votes across all age brackets in November, it was the youngest voters who registered the most dramatic shift to the left. According to the Pew Research Center, support for Democratic candidates jumped from 16 percent to 26 percent for 18-29-year-old white evangelicals between the 2004 and 2006 elections.

Yet, thus far, social justice or environmental concerns aren't driving voting patters, according to sociologist Paul Froese.

Nathan Haan, the student from Calvin College, isn't convinced that this is going to change anytime soon.

"It is something that worries me," Haan admitted. "I don't think that care for the environment is going to trump abortion for mainstream evangelicals."

Brandon Rhodes from Portland, however, remains hopeful -- and angry. "The pro-life platform is total lip-service from the Republicans. Evangelicals are starting to realize this, and that should scare the hell out of every Republican in office."

I bolded the areas I particularly liked.
10 points for anyone who gets the refrence in the blog title.

Negitive Campian Ads

2006-11-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

I am so sick of these things. I cannot believe how rotten campaign ads have gotten. Jim Talent hates veterans; Claire McCaskill hates my grandma, come on people! You can make anyone sound like a jerk by taking things they have said and done completely out of context, your ability to do that says nothing to how well you can represent Missouri in the US Senate.

Then I read here that this stuff actually work. Sad. Sad that people who we look to run our country are the kind of people who would sell the sort of lies they sell about another person in order to get elected. Sad that we (U.S. citizens) are the kind of people who actually buy into their lies. Something has got to change. Any campaign ad saying anything other then "this is what I plan to do when I am in office" should be banned. So much money goes into these ads that tell us nothing except how well a candidate can manipulate information to slander there opponent. All this is doing is making the American political system look like a filthy joke. Imagine what would happen if a candidate used all that money they spend on attacking each other on helping the causes and people they claim to want to be serving.

On November 7th there is no way I am going to vote for either Jim Tallent or Claire McCaskill (if anyone from the McCaskill camp happens to find this through google or whatever, that means you have lost my vote because of your ads attacking Talent). So, after a little research I found an alternative, you can count my vote for Missouri's US Senator for Progressive Party candidate Ms. Lydia Lewis. Someone who, at least in my viewing area, hasn't run a single ad attacking anyone, hasn't run a single ad at all for that matter, more power to her. This will be the first time I have ever voted for a third party candidate, but if these ads don't stop it won't be the last. From now on every time I see one of these ads I am going to get on-line and see if there are any better options then the candidate indorsing the ad.

Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh: PART 2

2006-10-21T22:44:00.003-07:00

In almost all societies of which history and anthropology have record, this has been the case. The male of nearly every society has ruled over the female, often to the point of holding her life in his hands. This is not just sexual desire,. It is the natural affinity of the female for the male, often including even the nurturing tendency of womankind. It is strong enough that often men can--and do--manipulate women unfairly by taking advantage of it in many ways, both petty and important.

Some Christians have used this verse to justify the exclusion of women from significant participation in the life of the church. But the church is a society of the redeemed. The church should model the Orders of Creation and Redemption, not of the Fall. In creation, female and male are formed equally in the image of God. In Christ, the Redeemer and Lord of the church, there is neither male nor female. In the church, the body and bride of Christ, that should be the basis of polity and practice.

So, my question is, has the church, men in the church, men who profess to know and follow Jesus Christ, are we living in the Order of the Fall or in the Order of Redemption?

It is what living a Christian life is all about, living and acting out the Order of Redemption. It is imperative for Christian men to start holding their wives up as equal partners, as two come together as one flesh. Not oppressing them or holding them down as someone to meet your every selfish desire or submit to your selfish demands. I may be getting a little heated about this, but I can not fathom for the life of me how a Christian can look at the example of Christ, the love of God, the Orders of Creation and Redemption, the kingdom coming, and have any inclination that they have the right to hold an oppressive power over another human being, especially the one who knows you better then anyone.

It is about time that Christian men raise up and start acting out the Order of Redemption in every are of our lives, especially in the most important of all human relationships, that between a husband and wife.

Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh: PART 1

2006-10-21T22:44:00.002-07:00

NOTE: Blogger was acting wierd and wouldn't let my post the whole thing at once, so you get this one in two parts.

My pastor (and friend) Josh let me borrow this: "Ezer Cenegdo: A Power Like Him, Facing Him as Equal" written by Nazarene Theological Seminary Professor Joseph E. Coleson. What an amazing read. I wanted to share a part of it that particularly peeked my interest. (emphasis added)

Genesis 3:16b: He Shall Rule over You
To the woman He said: "_________________
Also, to your man shall be your desire,
But he shall rule over you."

God's statement here to the woman (and then to the man) have more the character of predictions that of judgments. Now that sin had entered the world, the order of the world had been changed. But these changes introduced by sin were not (and are not) the arbitrary judgments of God; rather they were (and are) the inevitable consequences of choosing separation from God.

We may even see in these changes God's arrangement of things in the best way possible, now that sin had come into the world. At the least, we should not regard the new state of affairs that God outlined here as permanent and unalterable throughout eternity. God already had announced the promise of redemption through the Seed of the woman (3:15). According to Paul (Romans 8:18-25), all creation ultimately will share in this redemption, begun already in the Christian through the work of Christ.

The woman had sinned first; God showed her the consequences of her sin first. God's second pronouncement usually has been taken as God's command--or at least as God's permission--for man to dominate woman. Given God's original intention as seen in the Order if Creation, given God's ultimate intention as seen in the Order of Redemption, God's command is precisely what this cannot be. If it is God's permission, it is so only in the most remote sense, in the same way that God usually does not actively prevent any person from committing any evil. In the end, men who take selfish advantage of women will come under God's judgment.

God simply was saying to the woman, "You will desire a lover, you will get a master. The man will take advantage of your desire and bend it to his own ends." The woman, in giving the fruit of the tree to her husband, had bent him to her desire. Now her desire constantly would be bent toward him, even when it was to her disadvantage. Her desire would be so strong towards her husband that it would give him the leverage to rule over her.

FREE MUSIC FOR ALL!

2006-09-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month Derek Webb (formarly of Caedmon's Call) released his 2005 album Mockingbird for FREE download at www.freederekwebb.com. I recommend downloading it as soon as possiable and then telling all your friends about it.

You can read my review of it on my "Top Albums of 2005" blog post.

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Wait, there is more!!!

Also, some friends of mine and I are doing a year long "mix tape" trade. We each basically assemble a mix and design album art for it and each month one person gets to post their mix for the rest of the group. Well, I am making my mix available to all!

It's called The Wanderer. It is a made up songtrack to a made up movie about a guy who goes through a sorta life crisis thing. He freaks out, leaves his family, his faith, everything he holds valuable and takes a long walk. As he is walking he runs into people, experiences, and spends some time alone wrestling with his thoughts and yelling at God. Through all of this he learns that there is a confort in not always knowing the answers, in his doubt, in the unconfortable. He finds hope, love, faith and even God in the unanswered questions.

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

What a mess we've made

2006-08-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot lately, as most people have, about the mess in the Middle East. I think it is easy for us to look at what is going on over there and blame it on extremists, or warring sides, or differences in religion or any of the other numerous things we can place blame in to help us disconnect from the reality of it all. But what if we are partially to blame?

Can you imagine what it must be like growing up in a small poor country in turmoil your whole life? Living in a village where the only money comes from other nations (the US) paying and arming the men in your village to kill whoever they don't like at the time? What does that embed into your consciousness? A physical dollar figure is being placed on the heads of those who aren't even your enemy other then the fact that someone is paying to make them your enemy. Then we come into a nation and try and force democracy on a people who have been both being paid to kill for us and being killed by those we pay. Is it any wonder it doesn't work?

In Israel you have a country that for some reason the US has decided to stand by no matter what, shooting missiles into another country that not to long ago we where praising as a great example of democracy working in the middle east. We are sending billions of dollars in weaponry to one side and millions of dollars of aid to the other. What good does our aid do if we supply the bombs doing the damage? Is anyone really suprised that we are perceived as a "great evil"?

It just makes me wonder what could be if we spent anywhere near that much money on feeding and clothing people instead of arming them and giving them an enemy. I mean how many times is that going to come back and bite us before we learn it just doesn't work? We need a serious change in our Foreign Policy direction. It really seems like the middle east has become nothing more then a giant game of Risk played by rich western men in suits who have never farther into these countries then their own embassies. Like puppets pulling strings that effect thousands of innocent lives. It just breaks my heart.

My former pastor, Brain posted a great blog the other day about this, take a look. He is a much better writer then I am.

"When justice is bought and sold just like weapons of war,
the ones who always pay are the poorest of the poor."
-Derek Webb - "My Enemies Are Men Like Me"

Gutsy Faith Weeks 2&3

2006-08-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am falling behind already.

We are really getting into some good stuff in the Gutsy Faith group. This is the second time I have read the book, since I designed the cover I read the manuscript almost a year ago, but having this discussion group to share thoughts, ideas, and testimony with has sure made a difference in what I am getting out of the book. If you have the opportunity to read Gutsy Faith with a group I highly recommend it.

Anyways. In week 2 we covered chapters 4-6, and in week 3 we looked at chapters 7-9.
In the group we talked a lot about prayer and wrestled with the idea of God not wanting to say "no" to us. I still am not sure I buy that statement, but I understand now what Jeff is getting at. It isn't a matter of God wanting to say yes or no to us; it is a matter of us desiring God's will. Basically, if God is saying "no" you probably aren't asking the right questions, or at least not at the right time.

Sometime during my college years I heard a sermon about the Lord's Prayer that got me thinking about the way I pray. It seems that even when my intentions are pure that my prayers end up self motivated. At that time I made a decision to pray for God's will specifically by stating it. Ever since then I have prayed for something and then asked that God fulfill that prayer only if it is His will, and if it is not, to shape my will to His. Half of the time it is nothing more then lip service, as my heart still desires what I want more then what God wants, but if nothing else it is a reminder to me set my desires aside and that God surely does have my best interest in mind.

There was one section that really stood out to me in these chapters, not because it is anything I haven't thought before, more because it was a powerful reminder to me of what it means to live Gutsy Faith. Here is what Jeff says in reference to Christ telling His disciples they had the power to move mountains.

"It's important to understand that since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, God has been about the business of restoring all of creation to Himself. In the Exodus, we see God at work, bringing cataclysmic plagues on Egypt, parting the Red Sea, feeding the Israelites with manna, all in the eventual goal of restoring creation. Through the work of the Old Testament prophets, and the work of the judges and kings of Israel, we see God at work restoring all of creation. In the Gospels, we see Jesus performing miracles left and right, all in the interest of restoring creation. God has worked through nature, through the hands of His people, and through His own presence to bring about restoration.

And in Matt. 21:18-22 we find Jesus telling His disciples that if they have faith and don't doubt, they can and will move mountains. Jesus isn't just giving them challenging word to deal with their daily trials and sufferings. He's far beyond that. He's thinking of Kingdom issues here. Jesus is challenging them to be so close to God the Father, knowing and understanding His voice so clearly, that when they hear Him whisper, "Go move that mountain," they will know it immediately, and in faith will do so because it will be God's power moving it, not their own, all for the purpose of bringing about restoration."

Well, until next week, if you have any incites on prayer or things you can do to improve your prayer life, or anything else this post brings to you mind, leave it in the comments below.
Thanks!

Gutsy Faith - Week1

2006-07-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is my first post for the Gutsy Faith discussion group. It's a group of people brought together to read and share my friend Jeff Edmondson's new book Gutsy Faith (I designed the cover for the book!). We are suppose to blog on our readings each week and we get together on Tuesdays and discuss what we have read, so let's get started, feel free to follow along, heck, buy the book and really follow along! I am going to go through the discussion questions on here and I may go off on tangents of my own, but it's my blog, so I can.

Chapter 1 - Where Guts Begins

What does it mean to you to have Gutsy Faith? - To me it means trusting in God with everything I am. Trusting God has created me for God's perfect plan, that God's will is the best for my life, is the best for God's kingdom. It means trusting in God's word, in God's promise to me, trusting God without compromise. This applies to EVERY area of my life. I think we (american Christians) have a serious problem trusting God to provide our every need, we feel we have to earn as much as we can, to get ahead because the future is unknown, we have a terrible fear of the future. Fear seems to drive the very culture of this country, to truly trust God we have to learn to rise above that fear. This has got to be one of the most difficult parts for me.

Name at least 5 people in the course of your life whom you see as having gutsy faith. - This one is hard for me to answer. I am not sure I know anyone who lives a completely gutsy faith, I am not sure it is humanly possible, we are a fallen people. Different people in my life, and some outside of it have been great examples of gutsy faith. My wife teaches me each day what it really means to trust and to love God, just through our relationship with each other. Some people who I would look to as really obvious examples of gutsy faith are St. Francis, St. Benedict, John Wesley, Mother Teresa, and Dorothy Day. These people to me had more gutsy in their faith then anyone. They trusted God enough to give EVERYTHING of themselves for God and God's kingdom. They lived their lives in a manner that put God and other before self. They gave up ways of life, completely trusting God to provide, so they could spread the gospel and lay down their lives for others. This, to me is what gutsy faith is really all about.

Chapter 2- Yes, No, or Later?

In this chapter Jeff is focusing on the idea that it is never God's desire to say "no" to God's children. That is an interesting statement, I am not sure I agree with that or not, it is a pretty complicated idea. On one hand, I don't think God would ever say or do anything outside of His perfect will, and therefore I think God would, and does quite often say "no" to our prayers, because our prayers are often driven out of selfishness, or sometimes even out of good, but misguided, intention. On the other hand, if you are praying as you should, for God's will to be done despite what that means you may have to do or give up, then God would only answer "yes". The problem comes down to interpreting God's will, knowing what that looks like in our lives. I don't have the confidence to claim I have any idea what that looks like, so when I pray I try to pray that God's will be done, whether I know or "agree" with it or not. The hard part is making sure you allow God to take control of your life enough to lead you by God's will.

Chapter 3 - Everything He Asked For

This chapter is based on the idea that God always gave Christ everything He asked for (giving Matt. 14:13-23 as an example of this). My first reaction was "what about that whole 'take my cup from me'" scene in the garden of Gethsemane? But at the end of the chapter Jeff tells me to hold my horses, he will get to that later, so I will take his word on that. I can't wait to see what he has to say about it. The premises of Jeff's statement makes sense to me though. Christ would never ask for anything outside of God's will, Christ is the son of God, but at the same time also God. God and Jesus share one good and perfect will, they can not be separated, so to me it makes perfect sense that God answered Jesus with "yes" at all times.

If God always answered Jesus' requests with a yes, do you think it's possible for Him to answer all your requests with yes? - I suppose it is, if my will lines up with God's will, which I am sure, as a fallen being it rarely does. But if I keep my desire set on that, on having my will be God's will, then I am at least growing in that direction. And I know for a fact that is one prayer God does not answer "no" to.

So, in conclusion, I would like to ask that God break my stubborn will, mold me into His own perfect will, make it one with His. This is my prayer as I start this journey of gutsy faith.

Recent Recommendations

2006-07-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been enjoying quit a bit of good music, literature, and some other random stuff. I thought I would share some of it with my loyal readers (both of you).

BOOKS

A New Kind of Christian - Brian McLaren

Okay, I have put up a fight about this whole "emergent church" and "post-modern" thing. They have become such buzz words these days, it drives me crazy. Because of this I have been avoiding McLaren as well. Well, I finally caved and check out A New Kind of Christian from the library.

What an great book! Never before have I felt so much like someone opened up my head, ripped out my thoughts, and communicated them in a much better manner then I ever could have.

I was a little anoyed with how the very idea of the book somewhat contradicts the subject manner, McLaren is defiantly more "modern" then I think he would admit, but I also think that is needed. The book really breaks post-modern thought down in a modern sort of way. For a modern to truly understand post-modernity they need it explained by someone who understands modernity, in modern terms. I could not do this, guys like Donald Miller could not do this, we are to "post-modern", but McLaren is amazing at doing this. I think he is a modern with a strong draw towards post modernity, one who kind of bridges the gap if you will. I highly recommend this book to anyone who might feel like the modern church has left them out in the cold or feeling like a misfit, or anyone who wants understand why the church is loosing my generation at an alarming rate.

Through Painted Deserts - Donald Miller

I have become a fan of Miller recently. He is most famous for his book, Blue Like Jazz which is also I great book I would recommend, but Jazz left me with wanting more from his writing, the idea of the book defiantly out shined the writing style of it. Jazz kind of felt drumbed down and simplified. Not so with Through Painted Deserts. This book to me seemed more honest and pure then Jazz. It is actually a story of a road trip Miller took with a friend earlier in his life, leading him from where he grew up in Texas to where he now resides, in Oregon.

What I like the most about this book is how he takes the simple events of this journey and really lets the reader reflect on how God moved through him during those few months. There is no set out structure of "God will do this, God taught me this, God proved that to me" it is just an honest memoir of his travels that allow the reader to learn from those experiences in any way God is teaching them through Millers story (very "post-modern"). I think that is something really lacking from books in the "christian industry" where there are way to many books that tell you what you are "suppose to" get out of them instead of letting God use the book in your life any way He sees fit. Props to Miller on this one. I recommend it, esp. for anyone in a transitional period in their life.

MUSIC

Ships - Danielson

This is by far my favorite new album of 2006 so far. I also can tell you right now that not all of you are going to like it. Danielson (aka: Brother Danielson, the Danielson Famile, Dan Smith) to me represents the basic musical emotion of honest child like joy and innocence. If you are someone who takes things very seriously you won't get it, so don't bother. It is the kind of music that if you can bare with for a few minutes it will force you to smile and you won't stop until the album is over. Danielson touch's on some very deep and sometimes dark subject manner with his writing, but there is a constant thread of hope and joy strung through everything he does that to me is a perfect example of that child like joy and faith that can be found in Christ. Danielson is truly one of the most creative Christian artists to come around in a long time. You can witness what an effect creativity can have when you witness how successful he has been outside the "christian industry". Sadly it is also evidence that sometimes the world values creativity more then Christians do. That needs to change.

So, if you want something completely new, completely dif rent, and completely wonderful, check out Ships esp. tracks 1-4.

The Eraser - Thom Yorke

The Eraser is Thom Yorke's (front man for Radiohead) solo debt album. It is a wonderful beautiful piece of art.

If you are a Radiohead fan, this album is a must. If you find Radiohead inaccessible or weird, this album may be a better place to start then a Radiohead album. It is basically a tamer, easier to listen to and easier to understand Radiohead. Not as groundbreaking as each new Radiohead album, but just as beautiful. Get it!

Reprieve - Ani DiFranco

Ani has never been one who was afraid to speak her mind and tell you what she thinks about something. That alone is reason to love her music. Then she combines it with a creative brand of folk rock that only she can bring and her passionate vocals that make you believe she really could change the world.

Whether you agree with her world view or not, this is a great musician with a lot of heart that anyone could enjoy. Give Reprieve a listen.

OTHER RANDOM STUFF

Kansas City T-Bones baseball: Because the Royals are terrible and Independent League baseball is fun.

Mt. Magazine State Park: Because the Rockies and Cascades are to far away.

My blog (shameless plug): Because in the next few weeks I will be going through a book called Gutsy Faith (which I designed) with a group of people and discussing it each week right here.

Barack Obama at 'Call to Renewal'

2006-06-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from the keynote speech Senator Barak Obama gave at Jim Wallis' 'Call to Renewal' conference. I have added the link to the Call to Renewal website to the causes™ section of my left side menu. The rest of the speech can be read here or you can go to iTunes Podcasts and search for Barak Obama. It's an amazing speech by my favorite politician right now, so I highly recommend reading or listening to it. I do think I take more of a hard stance on using my biblical beliefs to direct my political ideology then he makes it sound like in the speech. For me it is the very reason I have a feel strongly about social justice, peace, moral budgets, even the first amendment and making others of different faiths feel comfortable in the same country as me, all of that stems from my desire to be Christ-like. I do agree with what he is getting at though.

While I've already laid out some of the work that progressive leaders need to do, I want to talk a little bit about what conservative leaders need to do -- some truths they need to acknowledge.

For one, they need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice. Folks tend to forget that during our founding, it wasn't the atheists or the civil libertarians who were the most effective champions of the First Amendment. It was the persecuted minorities, it was Baptists like John Leland who didn't want the established churches to impose their views on folks who were getting happy out in the fields and teaching the scripture to slaves. It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religious, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith as they understood it.

Moreover, given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson's, or Al Sharpton's? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let's read our bibles. Folks haven't been reading their bibles.

Lessons from Mahatma Gandhi

2006-05-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

My wife and I just got through watching "Gandhi", and it really has got me thinking about violence, war, and pacifism. Bare with me, I am partially venting, but just partially. You are allowed to disagree here, and I would love to hear your reasons why.

It really amazes me how history can repeat it self so many times in the forms of war and how little we learn from it each time. Was there ever a war started for reasons outside of revenge for something? We always feel we have to "pay someone back" for the wrong they have inflicted, which of course brings them to the same reaction. It amazes me how much we have so bastardized the word "justice" that it looks just like "revenge". How can two things that should be so opposite become one in the same?

I use to believe there was a time for war, for defense or to protect those who don't have the ability to do so. But, in the last few years I have moved farther into pacifism. I don't understand how some many people who follow a savior who said to turn to your enemies your other cheek, the one who said love your enemies as yourself, the one showed us the ultimate example of how we are to be during our time on this earth, how can these same people be in support of war of any kind.

Don't get me wrong, we should absolutely fight for the rights of others, we should fight for social change, for justice, for the least of these, for the truth. As Christians we are called to fight for these things. Gandhi fought his whole life, he fought to his death. The results are a free India. But he never took a life. Why do we have this idea that to truly get make the world a better place for all people we have to kill people? How does taking life do anything but perpetuate the cycle of revenge that started with Cain and Able?

We are all made in the image of God, we all posses the ability to be creative, and I believe we are called to be creative in all that we do. War and violence are absolutely the least creative solutions for any problem. After much thought, I firmly believe that violence has absolutly no place.

Here are some quotes from Gandhi:

"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent."

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?"

And just to be safe, these are some things I DID NOT say in this post:
"You can not be a Christian if you are in the military"
"You can not be a Christian if you support war"
"Supporting our troops is the same as supporting war"
"George W. Bush is going to hell"
"Gandhi is perfect"

What's your theological worldview?

2006-04-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

68%

Emergent/Postmodern

64%

Classical Liberal

61%

Roman Catholic

57%

Neo orthodox

54%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

46%

Reformed Evangelical

43%

Modern Liberal

36%

Fundamentalist

21%

What's your theological worldview?
created with QuizFarm.com

The Christian Bookstore

2006-04-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

Being someone who works in the Christian book industry I found this article both interesting and sad. I am greatful to work at a company which I feel has done more to change the industry for the better then to encourage it's faults. In the end the store is going to stock what sells, you can argue whether that is right or wrong for a "Christian" store to do, but that is often what it boils down to. It is sad to me that these are the kinds of books that sell at Christian bookstores. (also, I love his comment about Carter...)

The Christian Bookstore

by Brent Bourgeois (Sacramento News & Review)

“Shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer”-2 Timothy 2:16-17
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”-Ephesians 4:29
Somewhere in the corner of your local suburban strip mall, tucked away between the Nail Salon and the Chinese take-out restaurant is a curious American phenomenon known as the Christian bookstore. If you are a not a Christian, chances are you’ve never set foot in a Christian bookstore. Many people who call themselves Christians have, in fact, never set foot in a Christian bookstore.

In general, if you want to buy a Christian-themed gift for anyone, your local Christian bookstore is the place you want to go. If you want to delve deeper into the beautiful mysteries of Christian theology, or the leading role of Christians in Western history, or if you, novice or scholar, have any questions about what is in the Bible, there is no better place to start than your local Christian bookstore. Despite their Precious Moments interiors, they have always been a nice, safe place to take the kids for an hour on a Saturday afternoon- all of these stores have a children’s section and most are running Veggie Tales videos at any given moment. Veggie Tales are genuinely funny stories acted out by computer-generated vegetables with the kind of wit and sarcasm rarely seen in humans who subscribe to their theology. It is funny and sad that it takes a dancing tomato and a singing cucumber to inject any sense of irony into the Faith.

It is with a great deal of disappointment that, while doing research for a book I’m writing, I discovered a darker side to these stores that deeply offended me as a practicing Christian and a follower of Jesus Christ. I started out looking for signs of political bias, as I was writing a chapter on liberal media bias, and wanted to find out if any political bias existed in Christian bookstores. Much of what I found was predictable enough. There are no less than eight books on Ronald Reagan, a half-dozen on George W. Bush, many dealing with his prayer life (one I found amusing: The Leadership Genius of George W. Bush: 10 Commonsense Lessons from the Commander in Chief, kind of like Mao’s Little Red Book), biographies on Condi Rice and Bill Frist, and many books by Oliver North. Harder to find are books by former president Jimmy Carter, who has put more walk in his Christian talk than the rest of these people combined. There are several books that lay out the Christian case biblically for war, but you’ll probably have to go to Borders to find the Christian case against war.

What caused me to nearly fall off of my non-violent wagon was a book that I found prominently displayed in several area Christian bookstores. Written by right-wing talk show host Hugh Hewitt, this bit of heavenly advice is called If It’s Not Close, They Can’t Cheat: Crushing the Democrats in Every Election and Why Your Life Depends on It. The poor fellow at the register in one store was just going about his business when I marched up to the counter, book in hand, and said, ” I know you just work here, but is this a Christian bookstore?” “Yes it is”, he replied. “Then how can you sell this?” I asked as I slammed a copy of the Hewitt book down on the counter. “Wha…” was his attempt at a reply as he apparently looked at the book for the first time. “I’m a Christian and I’m really offended you’re selling a book called ‘Crushing the Democrats’-that’s not okay”, I said to the now attentive clerk. “It says that?” was all he could reply as I walked out the door. I’ve never been good at finishing this kind of conversation. At another store, I brought this book to a nice lady in customer service and she looked at it and replied, shaking her head, “I don’t know why we’re selling this, either. If it was up to me, we wouldn’t”. Obviously, many of the people who work at these stores don’t even realize that they’re selling this kind of book.

This sour experience got me curious as to what other books these stores were selling. The following is a list of books that I found either on site at a Christian bookstore, or for sale at their online store:

Same-Sex Marriage: Putting Every Household at Risk

The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Freedom Today

The Gay Agenda: It’s Dividing the Family, the Church and a Nation

Outrage: How Gay Activists and Liberal Judges Are Trashing Democracy to Redefine Marriage

The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday Is Worse Than You Thought

Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America’s Youth

Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christianity

Liberals Are Killing America: How Their Loss of Courage, Lack of Leadership, and Constant Deceit Are Destroying Americans

Hour of the Witch: Harry Potter, Wicca Witchcraft, and the Bible

Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left

The Many Faces of John Kerry: Why This Massachusetts Liberal Is Wrong for America

Liberwocky: What Liberals Say and What They Really Mean

Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty Over Liberalism by Sean Hannity

The Second Amendment: Preserving the Inalienable Right of Individual Self-Protection

The Enemy Within: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Churches, Schools, and Military by Michael Savage

Shut Up and Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the UN Are Subverting America

The Dark Side of Liberalism: Unchaining the Truth

The Myth of Separation Between Church and State

Moses Was a Right-Wing Conservative

Hell to Pay: The Unfolding Story of Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Death of Outrage: Bill Clinton and the Assault on American Ideals

How the Clinton Clergy Corrupted a President

The ACLU Vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values

How to Survive the Lions’ Den of the Liberal Media
Painting the Map Red

Big Sister is Watching You: Hillary Clinton and the White House Feminists Who Now Control America And Tell the President What To Do

There are many more, but space constraints prevent me from listing them and, frankly, I got tired of looking. I defend the right of these authors to write and publish as much of this stuff as they want; my problem with it is WHAT IN GOD’S NAME ARE THESE BOOKS DOING IN A CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE?!? They should be over in the political section at Borders keeping the inflammatory left-wing screeds company. In the interest of accuracy, it is possible to find a modest amount of moderately progressive Christian literature in these stores, books like God’s Politics by Jim Wallis, especially on-line, where the selection is much larger. There is, however, nothing remotely approaching the ‘other side’ of this sad commentary. I wouldn’t expect that there would be. I don’t think hate-filled polemics of any political persuasion belong in something called a ‘Christian’ bookstore. Maybe I’m naÃ¯ve, but finding books for sale by Michael Savage and Sean Hannity right next to the bibles strikes me as deeply offensive. What is sadder is that many Christians pass by this stuff as if there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of it; this kind of venomous spewing has become the politics of choice for the Religious Right. Why would it be noticed if one goes from Limbaugh in the car to Fox News in the house to ‘Crushing the Democrats’ at the local Christian bookstore?

Among Christians, there should be healthy debate over important issues like when war is just, and what a Christian’s duty is in supporting their government in times like these. These are valid issues for Christians and non-Christians alike, and a scholarly look at all sides of these debates from a Christian worldview is exactly the kind of book I would expect to find at a Christian bookstore. Many Christians are quick to point to the 13th chapter in the Book of Romans, in which the Apostle Paul writes,

“Everyone must submit themselves to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment upon themselves”.
This passage has been used with great regularity in churches all over America, especially when Republicans are in control of the White House. When Bill Clinton was president, you didn’t hear it so much. There is a great debate to be had about just how far you follow your leaders- I’m sure Paul didn’t mean like lemmings over a cliff. What about the Christian churches in Germany in the 1930’s? Were the priests and pastors citing this passage? If so, were they forced to do it, or were they just following a literal reading of Scripture?

There are books that debate these questions, and you can find them in most Christian bookstores. Sadly, though, there are a lot more books like those listed above. These books are nothing more than ‘hit’ pieces from the far right, published by the likes of Regnery Books, many of whose titles are facsimiles of the John Birch-style literature transported forty years to the present. Books like these are meant to inflame, not inform. They are shoddily written, trade gossip and rumor for facts, and add nothing to the debate but hate. I believe that Christian bookstores do a great disservice to the Faith by carrying these kinds of books, 1) by being the purveyors of this kind of hate-mongering ‘literature’ they are acting in a most un-biblical fashion, and 2) they are passing this stuff on to Christian consumers who then contribute to the divisive noise that is tearing this nation apart by repeating what they have read, rather than taking a more loving and healing approach to the unbeliever. This in turn reaffirms the stereotype that many non-Christians have of Christians: that they are all hate-filled right-wing zealots.

“This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them.”-Psalm 49:13-14

Jesus said, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’.” I would hope that Christian bookstores would take the high road when it comes to politics- maybe even stop and think about what is written on those cute little bracelets they sell at the front counter: WWJD, what would Jesus do? I can see it now, after a long day healing the sick and tending to the poor, Jesus comes back to the campsite where the twelve disciples are sitting around, having a bite to eat and talking about their day. Jesus finds a nice spot under a tree to lie down and as He does, He yells, “Hey Peter! Do you have my copy of ‘Liberals Are Killing America’?” “No”, Peter replies, “I’m still reading the Michael Savage”. “Now that- that was a great book!” our Lord and Savior exclaimed.

File Under: I thought the liberals controlled the media!

April Fools!

2006-04-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

I little April Fools satire courtesy of Sojourners:

Final Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (Authors of the Left Behind series)

Friends, I need to warn you about the Satanic conspiracy behind this so-called "March Madness." It's all in our new book, Left Behind: The Final Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. But don't just take our word for it! Revelation 13:2 says: "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."

Let's spell it out:

• "like unto a leopard" - that's the LSU Tigers
• "feet of a bear" - the UCLA Bruins
• "the dragon" - Florida Gators
• "power...great authority" - look no further than the university of founding father George Mason and his Patriots!
• And if you're thinking that I skipped over the lion part, that's also LSU. Tigers, lions - same thing. Not all of Revelation should be taken literally. Just most of the time.

Every year, millions worship the false idol of NCAA basketball - even though Revelation 11:2 clearly says, "But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not," - i.e. basketball is not Christian, and we are not to "measure" or pick our favorite teams, for all are fallen in the sight of the Lord. Sure, occasionally a player will "give glory to God," but spell NCAA backwards, you get AACN, or Armageddon Anti-Christ Network. Is it any wonder that Oral Roberts U. was eliminated in the first round?

Need more evidence that sinister forces are at work? Let's take a look at George Mason. That's right MASON. As in Freemasons. As in the Illuminati. As in the secret society that controls everything from the pope's shoe size to the U.N. seating chart. Even our founding fathers - aside from the ones who were fundamentalist evangelical Christians who built this country on the 10 Commandments - were members of this shadowy cabal. George Mason's rise to the Final Four is just one sign that their schemes are finally coming to fruition.

How else but by demonic influence could 11 seed GMU defeat #1 UConn? It's unnatural. In the Bible we read - most of the Old Testament (minus 1 Samuel and the prophets) plus Revelation - the idea of the weak defeating the strong is simply unthinkable. The Jesus we know comes on a white horse with a flaming sword to kick some butt. And he's going to kick yours if you don't cast out this March Madness and spend your time more wisely - like, say, buying and reading my books and buying them as gifts for your friends. They're great witnessing tools - who doesn't love sports?

Derek Webb and Donald Miller: A Conversation.

2006-03-27T07:57:00.001-08:00

Author Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz, Through Painted Deserts, and To Slay a Dragon), and Singer-Songwriter Derek Webb (Mockingbird, I See Things Upside Down, and She Must and Shall Go Free) on-line discussion:

Check this out. This is a worthwile listen for anyone. Very interesting thoughts about the "Christian counter-culture", art, social work, peace, living out the gospel, ect.

Fantasy Baseball

2006-03-07T06:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, over at Circle Six Magazine we are starting a Keeper League, meaning you keep a few of your players at the end of the year for the following year. We are talking serious fantasy baseball here. If anyone is interested please drop me a line, we are in need of a few more people.

Also, I started a regular Fantasy league here at NPH. If you don't want do a keeper league and maybe want to start with something a little less ong term, we have a bunch of open spots in this league too. It is mostly NPH employees, but it is open to anyone. Again, just leave a comment if you are interested.

Sigur Ros - Takk

2006-03-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Every year a few months into the year, I find an album that I regret not putting on my "Best of..." list. Today I found that album.

I just got Sigur Ros - Takk, all I have to say is WOW! I have heard much about this band, but remained really skeptical, they are from Iceland (weird), they sing in a language they invented (weirder), and their last album was called "( )" (really weird). But I finally caved in and bought "Takk".

This album could easily rival Sufjan for the top spot of my "Best of 2005" list, it is another one of those albums that can change the way you listen to music. I am usually a lyrics guy, I love folk music because of it's lyrical value, so these are big words coming from be talking about an album sung in "Hopelandic". Really this album transcends language, I have no idea what the words mean, but I fell like I have a complete understanding of what they are saying. Sigur Ros takes you on a strange, but lovely musical journey that in the end left me feeling suprisingly worshipful. I do not have any idea of Sigur Ros spiritual beliefs, but this level of beauty and creativity can not help but leave me felling moved. I think one Amazion.com reviewer summed it up best when he said "The truth is, if you could see their music... you would see heaven."

Superbowl XL

2006-02-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

Well, not to take anything away from the Steelers, but Seattle gave this one away with stupid penalties. Then the officiating crew helps by give the Steelers a touchdown where there wasn't one and taking one away from Seattle (DJ's "push off" in the end zone).

My Superbowl MVP - The officals.

On Earth as it is in Heaven

2006-01-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

This Sunday David Best spoke at our church. The main point of discussion really got me thinking about how we proclaim Christ’s kingdom through the making of things right on earth. He talked about the Lord's Prayer and the line "Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven".

It seems that American Evangelical Christians have focused so much on the kingdom coming that we have forgotten this part of the prayer. Our time on earth has become nothing more then "riding it out" to get to heaven. By doing this we are only recognizing half of the gospel, half of the truth that can set us free. We justify ourselves into believing that we cannot make a difference in this world, that we cannot possibly eliminate hunger, poverty, disease, wars, and injustice. This is simply not true. God promises that through Him we can do anything He will ever call us to do. How can we believe in a God that tells us to pray for something we think we could never do through Him?

To proclaim Christ's kingdom coming through the making of all things right on earth as it is in heaven is a necessity of the gospel, you cannot preach the whole gospel without a call to social justice. When you hear the gospel and do not feel an urgency make a difference in the world, you have to question whether it is really the gospel you are hearing at all.

We American Evangelicals have created an amazing way of justifying our sins. If there is a sin that can be named, we have a reason it is okay for us to commit it. Take the story of the rich young ruler. We tell ourselves, "I am not REALLY rich", "I could let go of it all if God told me, BUT He hasn't", "God doesn't really want ME to give away everything I have", "I can follow Him AND keep my possessions". These have become nothing more then excuses for ourselves to hold on to the things that separate us from really knowing the heart of Christ.

Derek Webb puts the parable of the rich young ruler to modern terms in this song "Rich Young Ruler" from his newest album "Mockingbird":

(vs. 1)
poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash
he says, more than just your cash and coin
i want your time, i want your voice
i want the things you just can’t give me

(vs. 2)
so what must we do
here in the west we want to follow you
we speak the language and we keep all the rules
even a few we made up
come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
i don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
i want the things you just can’t give me

(bridge)
because what you do to the least of these
my brother’s, you have done it to me
because i want the things you just can’t give me

We can say all day, "That is not me, God has not asked those things of me" but has He? Are we really reading the radical call of the gospel? Are we to busy telling ourselves that He hasn't that we can't hear Him when He is? I don't know. These are serious questions I struggle with while listening to my iPod in my car with music I downloaded on my computer in my loft.

Martin Luther King Jr's dream has been adopted by almost every American to be something to push for, but if you really look closely at Reverend King's speech, and life, you see a call to proclaim Christ's kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. We should settle for nothing short of that.

In celebration of the life and work of Reverend King this month, I strongly encourage each of us to find a way we can contribute to the proclamation of the Kingdom on earth and let go of something that is holding you back from doing so, whether it is money, security, time, comfort, whatever it is. My wife and I have been praying about what that looks like in ourlives. I will report back with what we end up doing. If you have decided to do the same or have any ideas of what people can do, please post about it in the comments section.

WE ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!

2006-01-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

The Seahawks are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time, ever!

My prediction: Seattle - 28 Pittsburg -17

GO HAWKS!!!

Top 10 Albums of 2005

2005-12-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. I have to be honest, I look forward to this list all year, in between listens of my "Christmas Music" playlist I have been listening to all the music I have that came out in 2005 trying to make the all important decision as to whether or not they made "the list" and where they ranked on that list. Well, Here they are...

JR's Top Ten Albums of 2005!:

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

The Good: This is one of those albums that comes along every few years or so that changes how you listen to music. You can't really classify Sufjan as Folk, because he is anything but simplistic, but his songs lean heavy on his incredible ability to tell a story through music. In Illinois, Sufjan uses various string arrangements, and horns to lead the listener through personal recollections, historical narratives, and strange facts to take you to, both lyrically and musically, the great state of Illinois. On the surface what looks like songs about cities, people (even serial killer John Wayne Gacy, Jr ,), and events that take place in Illinois are really songs about fear, hope, adolescents, and faith. In the end Illinois ends up being less about place then spirit. If you need further proof of it's greatness just read the reviews posted at Amazon, everyone should own this album.

The Bad: The length, 73 min. is a lot of time to spend in Illinois, it gets a little on the tedious side the first few times you listen.

2. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cold Roses (no, NOT Bryan Adams...)

The Good: Easily my favorite Ryan Adams solo effort to date, this is a truly gorgeous album. In Cold Roses, Adams takes a step back to his "Alt. Country" (I hate that term) roots after a string of a few albums that were defiantly more "rock and roll" then his early works. Back is the pedal steal and a little bit of twang, but not in an annoying sense. Adams nails his own sound better then he has since leaving Whiskytown. Also it's a double album, so twice the music!

The Bad: It's a double album, which isn't bad in itself (see the good list), but there are a few songs that feel like they could have, and would have in a normal release, been left off this effort. Also, this is more a complement then anything else, but he reminds me (as do most good Alt. Country groups) of what country music could and should be if it weren't full of a bunch of Backstreet Boy look-a-like, wannabe-cowboy, pop-rock singing rednecks wailing about sticking their "boots" places were boots don't belong. So for as much as I love Alt. Country and old Country, I will continue to claim a strong hatred for "country music".

3. Derek Webb – Mockingbird

The Good: Wow, just wow! Webb has done it again! This could have broke into the top two, but I have had it for a totally of 23.5 hours and have only got to listen to it about 5 times all the way through. Musically he breaks into new territory for him, and does it beautifully. Not what you would expect from the former member of Caedmon's Call if that was the only place you knew him from. With Mockingbird you hear a really strong Beatles (Sgt. Peppers/Magical Mystery era) influence along with some Elliott Smith, The Shins, and a touch of Wilco going on there. Lyrically Webb is himself again, not afraid to speak the truth at any cost. This is his most controversial album yet, it is fun to see the progression of what God has laid on his heart and the willingness he has to lay his neck on the chopping block to share it.

The Bad: Late release date, so my opinion is not fully formed or completely accurate (as I am still gitty about it). Musically not as experimental as his last effort, there is less risk to the music side of this album than I See Things Upside Down, but he is making up for that in risk through lyrical content.

4. Elbow – Leaders of the Free World

The Good: This is the first album I have heard from Elbow, and I love it. Thanks to Chad for introducing me to it. This album has kind of a Coldplay meets early Radiohead thing going on. Think Coldplay if they didn't care about pop radio success and had something to say. Musically it is one of the more interesting albums I own, I feel like I find something new with each listen, which keeps me coming back to it, it's not really one to just play in the background, this is why it made it to number 4.

The Bad: Sometimes the Radiohead and Coldplay comparisons are a little to easy to make. Also, lyrically, it says something, which is good, but it is nothing new really.

5. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans

The Good: The (almost) perfect blend of lyrical and musical styles has always been a strength of Death Cab to me, and they don't disappoint with their latest.Ben Gibbard mesmerizes me with his ability to tell a story rhythmically and in such detail while still letting the mood and emotion of the song be told by the music. The perfectly combination of catchy pop and moody emotion driven ballads without becoming too "emo" (it's a very fine line folks).

The Bad: Extremely similar to all their other efforts. Overall, I am still not convinced it is better then their last one, Transatlantcism.

6. Sandra McCracken – The Builder and the Architect

The Good: Beautiful. This is one of the most lovely worship albums I have ever heard. In The Builder... McCracken takes 18th and 19th century hymns, mixed seamlessly with a few she wrote herself, and puts them to her own acoustic stylings. I have had the opportunity to see Sandra live a couple times with her husband (Derek Webb) and her voice is amazing. This album displays Sandra's amazing voice better then any of her previous commercial releases. A great example of a truly amazing singer/songwriter at her best.

The Bad: I have never been a huge fan of her commercial releases because they just don't seem to capture her live sound, this album comes a lot closer, but it's still not quite there. I come away from a Sandra studio album with a feeling that she is musically playing it safer then she really wants to. I feel like she has an inner Gillian Welch waiting to come out, and I want to hear it.

7. Coldplay – X&Y

The Good: Coldplay has an amazing sonic, atmospheric sound that I have not heard duplicated successfully, this album continues that tradition. One of my favorite bands of the last 5 years. X&Y is a great album to follow up one of the most successful, both commercially and musically, albums of the last half decade, Rush of Blood To The Head. The whole album is strong and flows well together, but there are defiantly some tracks that stand out as near perfection. The Johnny Cash tribute song, "Kingdom Come", is one of my favorite Coldplay tracks ever.

The Bad: Chris Martin continues to write songs that sound deep but say very little. They defiantly played it safe with their sound and continued with what has made them popular as apposed to exploring what they can go musically at the risk of popularity, I am never a fan of the safe road. I still like Parachutes better.

8. Over The Rhine – Drunkard's Prayer

The Good: One of my favorite bands of all time. Drunkard's Prayer is a passionate and emotional reflection of two people relearning the joys of love, laughter, and each others company. Karin Bergquist's voice is at it's smokiest in this album and she has one of my favorite voices in the industry already. The stand-up bass, cello and sax along with Linfords graceful piano playing float through the air like smoke in a jazz club. This is an album of real, honest songs about love and faith, not the watered down junk we are use-to, like a relationship it is heavy at times, hard at times, funny at times and just plain fun at times. The album ends on a fun romantic note, a beautiful cover of "My Funny Valentine".

The Bad: Not as original, risky, interesting, and just overall great as their last album, Ohio, but it is hard to live up to that. Some of the songs sound too similar to each other.

9. Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning

The Good: Conner Oberst is a musical genius.Emmylou Harris adds perfect harmonies to this collection of well crafted acoustic alt. country ballads. Released along side his Digital Ashes from a Digital Urn this was the better of the two very good Bright Eyes albums released that day. I love the unpolished feel of a Bright Eyes album. Oberst is a great songwriter, mature well beyond his years in that aspect. This album moves a little bit away from his famous self pity of previous albums, while still emotional it's a much more mature emotion.

The Bad: I little more "studio" then previous albums, I like the raw un-mixed sound of the older albums, it lends well to his vocal stylings and musical content. It is way to early for the Dylan comparisons that some like to throw around, hopefully he doesn't kill himself or overdose before he can have any chance of living up to those comparisons.

10. Switchfoot– Nothing Is Sound

The Good: One of the most culturally relevant albums of the year. Jon Foreman confronts issues that pledge young americans such as the loneliness and hopelessness that can be a part of living in a country driven by excess, but, as always, showing glimpses' of a hope that can only be found in God. Just straight up great, catch, guitar driven rock and roll music that will lift your spirit but not without making you think first. They are staying true to their message and original style despite the major market success they have enjoyed the last few years.

The Bad: Not as musically strong as New Way to Be Human (1999), but I like it more then The Beautiful Letdown (2003). Although this is a great album, I think they have better in them, I can't wait to hear it.

HONARABLE MENTIONS:

(what can I say, it was a great year in music, I would recommend any of these albums as well)

Jars of Clay – Redemption Songs
The Choir - O How The Mighty Have Fallen
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Andrew Peterson – The Far Country
Moby – Hotel
David Crowder Band – A Collision
Beck - Guero
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
Bright Eyes - Digital Ashes From A Digital Urn
Pat Metheny Group - The Way Up
Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
Dave Matthews Band - Stand Up
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
David Gray - Life In Slow Motion
Gorillaz - Demon Days

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

Well, it's sorta late, but whatever....

Jenny and I got back from Washington (state) on Tuesday night after spending a wonderful Christmas with friends and family. It was great to see everyone again, and we are truely sorry to those we missed. It was a little stressful trying to make 5 difrent family Christmases in 6 days but it was a blast too. The weather sucked there, although it was much warmer then it had been in KC the week we left, it pretty much rained all week and the mountain never came out all the way.

I relize now though how much one can be torn between two places, it is hard to feel like KC is home and still have such a place in my heart for Olympia. It was great to get back to Kansas City, but it sure was hard to leave Olympia.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

Nazawhat?

2005-12-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have been a member of the Nazarene Church for most of my life, I grew up attending a Nazarene church, I went to a Nazarene College (Northwest Nazarene University), and I married in a Nazarene church to a Nazarene woman by a Nazarene pastor. The only time since I was 4 that I didn't have a connection to the Nazarene church was for about 8 months in late 2004 and early 2005 when we left our Nazarene church for a Methodist church, then I accepted a job offer at the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City (Home of the Nazarene Theological Seminary, Nazarene World Headquarters, and of course the Publishing House).

All this time, the only explanation I have ever heard for the name "Nazarene" is that Jesus was from Nazareth, therefore a Nazarene, so we use the word. Well, today in church I learned there is much more to it then that.

2000 years ago Nazareth was, how do you say it... the ghetto. It was the "wrong side of the tracks", the bad part of town, where the losers and outcasts hung out. It was odd that Joseph, a descendant of the great King David ended up in Nazareth. Even odder was the idea that this was the hometown of the great King that had come to free his people once and for all.

In the late 1800's when Phineas Bresee and friends were sitting around talking about starting a church, they were contemplating a name for this church. One night Pheneas went to bed thinking and praying about it, the next morning he presented the name "Church of the Nazarene" meaning, church of the poor, the outcast, the downtrodden, the trash of society. He felt this is who Christ ministered to, and who the church should be ministering to.

Never before did I feel so proud of my Nazarene heritage. A church founded on reaching the "least of these", that is a church I want to be a part of. It makes me sad to see so many Nazarene churches abandoning these roots. So many who are not proud of the name "Nazarene". "It's not good marketing, it scares people off", they say as they hide their tradition behind labels like "community church". It is very comfortable for us to hide in our all white, upper middle class Christian country clubs of churches, but Christianity is not supposed to be about comfort. If we get comfortable we are missing the whole point. It is not comfortable sitting in a church surrounded by the poor, the outcast and the "sinners". The reason I think that it's so uncomfortable for us, is that it shows us how much we truly fit right in with that crowed, how we are all really, at our best, the least of these, sinners.

I hope Nazarene churches will learn to re-embrace the name "church of the wrong side of the tracks" and welcome in all the sinners and outcasts to join with the rest of us who are already here, maybe then we will stop pretending we are not.

Andrew Peterson Concert

2005-12-06T05:41:00.000-08:00

Jenny and I got to see the Andrew Peterson Christmas show in Elkhorn Nebraska this weekend, one word, amazing. It featured a Christian singer-songwritter all star line-up of: Andrew Peterson, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, Gabe Scott, Ben Shive, Marcus Myers, Andy Gullahorn, Jill Phillips, Garrett Buell (Caedmon's Call), Andy Osenga(formerly in the Normals and now CC), and Cason Cooley (formerly in the Normals, and now Derek Webb's band).

It was a two part show with a singer-songwritter roundtable to start with, featuring Peterson, Webb, McCracken, Shive, Osenga, and Phillips. They each played a song, and it went around twice. All the performances were great, but Shive stole the show with pure comedy with both songs claiming "I know I am not going to get the unspoken award for best song, so I guess I am shooting for class clown. His song "North Hills Mall" had the crowed busting up.

After a short intermission they came back out with the full band and performed Behold the Lamd of God all the way through, amazing musical work by all the musicians, great guitar work. Add that to one of the most powerful retellings of the Christmas story that I have ever heard, plus art for each of the segments of the story. Easily the most powerful concert I have ever seen. I was fighting back tears a couple of times. Definatly something that is going ot become a Caines family Christmas tradition.

If they are making a stop near you I highly recommend it.

Real Hard Cash

2005-11-30T08:33:00.001-08:00

Russell D. Moore on the Path of the Man in Black from a Touchstone Magazine article

There was an empty seat at this year’s MTV Music Video Awards. The late Johnny Cash wasn’t there. It’s not as though Cash frequented the Generation X/Y annual awards program. He was old enough to be the grandfather of the most seasoned performer on the platform. Still, two years ago, even while he was sick in a hospital, the Man in Black was there.

At the 2003 awards show, Cash’s video “Hurt” was nominated for an award—up against shallow bubblegum pop acts such as that of Justin Timberlake. Cash didn’t win. But the showing of the video caused an almost palpable discomfort in the crowd. The video to the song, which was originally performed by youth band Nine Inch Nails, features haunting images of his youthful glory days—complete with pictures of his friends and colleagues at the height of their fame, now dead.

As the camera pans Cash’s wizened, wrinkled face, he sings about the awful reality of death and the vanity of fame: “What have I become? My sweetest friend/ Everyone I know goes away in the end/ You could have it all/ My empire of dirt/ I will let you down, I will make you hurt.”

Whereas Nine Inch Nails delivered “Hurt” as straight nihilism, straight out of the grunge angst of the Pacific Northwest’s music scene, Cash gives it a twist—ending the video with scenes of the crucifixion of Jesus. For him, the cross is the only answer to the inevitability of suffering and pain.

Fleeting Fame

“It’s all fleeting,” he told MTV News. “As fame is fleeting, so are all the trappings of fame fleeting; the money, the clothes, the furniture.” This could not be in more marked contrast to the culture of the popular music industry (whatever the genre), a culture of superficiality, self-exaltation, and sexual libertinism.

Perhaps this is the reason Cash remained—to the day of his death—a subject of almost morbid curiosity for a youth culture that knows nothing of “I Walk the Line.” At the 2003 awards show, 22-year-old pop sensation Justin Timberlake, beating Cash for the video award, demanded a recount. Why would twenty-something hedonists revere an old Baptist country singer from Arkansas?

In one sense, the Cash mystique was nothing new. For the whole length of his career, onlookers wondered what made him different from the rest of the Hollywood/Nashville celebrity axis. Much of it had to do with the “man in black” caricature he cultivated. Cash joked that fans would often say to him, “My father was in prison with you.” Of course, Cash never served any serious jail time at all, but he could never shake the image of a hardened criminal on the mend. People really seemed to think that he had “shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.”

That’s probably because of just how authentic and evocative his songs of prison life were. “Folsom Prison Blues,” for instance, just seems to have been penned by someone lying on a jailhouse cot listening to a train whistle in the night: “There’s probably rich folks eating in a fancy dining car/ They’re probably drinking coffee and smoking big cigars/ Well, I know I had it coming/ I know I can’t be free/ But those people keep a’movin’, and that’s what tortures me.”

The prison imagery seemed real to Cash because, for him, it was real. He knew what it was like to be enslaved, enslaved to celebrity, to power, to drugs, to liquor, and to the breaking of his marriage vows. He was subject to, and submissive to, all the temptations the recording industry can parade before a man. He was a prisoner indeed, but to a penitentiary of his own soul. There was no corpse in Reno, but there was the very real guilt of a lifetime of the self-destructive idolatry of the ego.

It was through the quiet friendships of men such as Billy Graham that Cash found an alternative to the vanity of shifting celebrity. He found freedom from guilt and the authenticity of the truth in a crucified and resurrected Christ. And he immediately identified with another self-obsessed celebrity of another era: Saul of Tarsus. He even authored a surprisingly good biography of the apostle, with the insight of one who knows what it is like to see the grace of Jesus through one’s own guilt as a “chief of sinners.”

He Connected

Even as a Christian, Cash was different. He sang at Billy Graham crusades and wrote for Evangelical audiences, but he never quite fit the prevailing saccharine mood of pop Evangelicalism. Nor did he fit the trivialization of cultural Christianity so persistent in the country music industry, as Grand Old Opry stars effortlessly moved back and forth between songs about the glories of honky-tonk women and songs about the mercies of the Old Rugged Cross.

To be sure, Cash’s Christian testimony is a mixed bag. In his later years, he took out an ad in an industry magazine, with a photograph of himself extending a middle finger to music executives. And yet there is something in the Cash appeal to the youth generation that Christians would do well to emulate.

Other Christian celebrities tried—and failed—to reach youth culture by feigning teenage street language or aping pop culture trends. How successful, after all, was Pat Boone’s embarrassing attempt at heavy metal—complete with a leather outfit and a spiked dog collar?

Cash always seemed to connect. When other Christian celebrities tried to down-play sin and condemnation in favor of upbeat messages about how much better life is with Jesus, Cash sang about the tyranny of guilt and the certainty of coming judgment. An angst-ridden youth culture may not have fully comprehended guilt, but they understood pain. And, somehow, they sensed Cash was for real.

The face of Johnny Cash reminded this generation that he has tasted everything the MTV culture has to offer—and found there a way that leads to death. In a culture that idolizes the hormonal surges of youth, Cash reminds the young of what MTV doesn’t want them to know: “It is appointed to man once to die, and after this the judgment.” His creviced face and blurring eyes remind them that there is not enough Botox in all of Hollywood to revive a corpse.

Cash wasn’t trying to be an evangelist—and his fellow Bible-belt Evangelicals knew it. But he was able to reach youth culture in a way the rest of us often can’t, precisely because he refused to sugarcoat or “market” the gospel in the “language” of today’s teenagers.

One of Cash’s final songs was also one of his best, an eerie tune based on the Book of Revelation. His haunting voice, filled with the tremors of approaching hoof-beats, sang the challenge: “The hairs on your arms will all stand up/ At the terror of each sip and each sup./ Will you partake of that last offered cup?/ Or disappear into the potter’s ground/ When the Man comes around?”

Cash’s young fans (and his old ones too) may not have known what he was talking about, but they sensed that he did. They recognized in Cash a sinner like them, but a sinner who mourned the tragedy of his past and found peace in One who bore terrors that make Folsom Prison pale in comparison.

The Dark Side

Johnny Cash is dead, and there will never be another. But all around us there are empires of dirt, and billions of self-styled emperors marching toward judgment.

Perhaps if Christian churches modeled themselves more after Johnny Cash, and less after perky Christian celebrities such as Kathy Lee Gifford, we might find ourselves resonating more with the MTV generation. Maybe if we stopped trying to be “cool,” and stopped hiring youth ministers who are little more than goateed game-show hosts, we might find a way to connect with a generation that understands pain and death more than we think.

Perhaps if we paid more attention to the dark side of life, a dark side addressed in divine revelation, we might find ourselves appealing to men and women in black. We might connect with men and women who know what it’s like to feel like fugitives from justice, even if they’ve never been to jail. We might offer them an authentic warning about what will happen when the Man comes around.

And, as we do this, we just might hear somewhere up in the cloud of witnesses a voice that once cried in the wilderness: “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.”

A New kind of Politics

2005-11-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

I just started reading "Who Speaks For God?" by Jim Wallis. I am loving it so far, I wish everyone who has a public voice and claimed to be a Christian was required to read it.

We have such a divided political landscape now days, and I think the church often is right in the middle of that divide. Here is what Wallis has to say about true "moral" politics, and I definatly agree:

"Religious values can help us find the path to a new politics. The spiritual politics that we need must be rooted in the values of compassion, community, and civility. These three can be viewed, in fact, as religious tests of politics.

COMPASSION is the first test of politics, from a religious perspective. A new politics of compassion would especially focus on those whom Jesus called "the least of these." It is a selective morality indeed that ignores the Bible's deep concerns about economic justice and racial reconciliation in a divided society. From the Religious Right we simply don't hear that cry being raised with the power of Jesus or of Amos, who called upon his hearers to "let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a flowing steam."

How do we treat the poor, the stranger, the outcast, the weak, the vulnerable, the children? The Hebrew prophets saw this as the truest criterion of a nation's integrity. With this measure of compassion as a moral beacon, we can move beyond the old categories of Left and Right as we make our way through the questions of social policy and welfare reform towards the alleviation of poverty. We must transcend the tired debates between defending old welfare bureaucracies or balancing the budget on the backs of our poorest children. Neither maintaining poverty nor abandoning the poor is a moral option.

The second test of politics is COMMUNITY—whether our political policies and processes build or destroy our common life. Martin Luther King once wrote that the choice before us was "chaos or community." Because we have rejected the latter we are now faced with the former. The breakdown of family and community in our nation must focus our attention on reweaving the fabric of life and relationships that has so seriously eroded. The gangs and violence that now plague even our middle-sized and small towns are a direct consequence of the breakdown of family, community, and economy. They all must be repaired.

A renewed sense of community at both local and national levels would aim at bridging our racial, economic, and social divides; and a politics of hope might offer 5the vision that both liberals and conservatives have failed to provide. Many people are already engaged across the country in grassroots efforts to fashion a new political community. Their stories and experience must become a part of the national discussion.

Our third test of politics is CIVILITY—the character of our public discourse and decision making, and the participation of ordinary people in the political process. The politics of warring factions, "us and them" rhetoric, and the polemics of fear and blame, must be seriously critiqued from a religious perspective. In particular the religious community must challenge the Right to stop blaming the poor, the urban underclass, the homeless, the blacks, the homosexuals, the feminists. And the liberals must be challenged to stop stereotyping and caricaturing evangelicals, conservatives, and religious commitment generally, or belittling "traditional," "moral," and "family" values.

We must try to find common ground by moving to higher ground on a whole range of issues, including some of the most incendiary issues like abortion and homosexuality. Could we not recognize both the sanctity of human life and the equality of women? Couldn't we strongly support the rebuilding of traditional two-parent families while we stop scapegoating homosexuals as if they are responsible for the breakdown of our families?"

Chip Kidd - Book One

2005-11-15T15:18:00.000-08:00

I just got Chip Kidd: Book One: Works 1986-2006. For those who don't know, Chip Kidd is the Michael Jordan of book cover design. The book is his complete works from 1986-2006, showing book covers, concept ideas and coments from clients. It is interesting to see some of the process behind such great covers. He shares the ideas behind what he designed and some interesting stories that go along with each design. To any Graphic designers out there, or anyone interested in good art, you should check out this book. I am very excited to dive into it.

Ashes to Ashes

2005-11-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Jenny has a new article up at Circle Six Magazine. It is this weeks "Faith" article. It is a great read with a lot of totaly right on points. Read her article Ashes to Ashes now.

Welcome...

2005-10-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

I would like to extend a welcome to all the new readers I have gained over the last few days. Thank you for your interest. I encourage all of you to post a comment when you find something interesting, encouraging, thought provoking, or when you disagree with something. My desire for this blog is to have a place to keep in touch with friends and family, and put some thoughts down on pap... er, I mean, html. This is kind of like my personal journal, but I am seeking public input, as I am very much open to hear other opinions. More then anything else, I desire this place to be completely honest. I am a very open and honest person as many of you may know, I hope that anyone who reads this can feel the same way here.

I hope to always speak the truth, and I know I will come up short much of the time, so be patient with me and maybe we can all learn from each other. Remember, you cannot have truth without honesty.

A New Law

2005-10-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is a new song by Derek Webb that will be out on his next Album, Mockingbird, in Dec.

_______________________________

A New Law by Derek Webb:

don't teach me about polotics and government
just tell me who to vote for
and don't teach me about truth and beauty
no, just label my music
and don't teach me how to live like a free man
no, just give me a new law

i don't wanna know if the answers aren't easy
so just bring it down from the mountain to me
i want a new law
i want a new law
just give me that new law

and don't teach me about moderation and liberty
i prefer a shot of grape juice
and don't teach me about Loving my enemies
and don't teach me how to listen to The Spirit
no, just give me a new law

i don't wanna know if the answers aren't easy
so just bring it down from the mountain to me
i want a new law
i want a new law
just give me that new law

'cause what's the use in trading a law you can never keep
for one you can that cannot get you anything
so do not be afraid
do not be afraid
_______________________________

It is so true, the church his always looking for a new law, a new stadard on what it means to be a Christian, rules to follow. Sometimes I think we missed the whole point of the Gospels. Any thoughts?

Redefining Relevance

2005-10-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

I have been reading farther in the book I posted about earlier, A Matrix of Meanings, and I am getting to a point were I am having a hard time agreeing with him. Here is my reasoning.

First of, the church will never be relevant if it is trying to reach a "post modern" crowed, because post modernism died like 10 years ago. This generation, my generation, has grown tired of the "noise" of post-modernism. We no longer want everything all at once from every direction; we want something solid, something real. You are seeing a movement in young churches doing back to their roots, the truly relevant churches, turning back to TRUE Orthodoxy. We are using more hymns then we use to, we are exploring church history and embracing some forgotten traditions, not the traditions of materialism, hypocricy, gossip, greed, and over programing. We are see the effects now as my generation makes a mass exodus from the suburban mega churches we grew up in, the very churches that throw themselves face first into trying to be “relevant”, to the point of delivering us prepackaged, meaning less garbage. We want something real. The gospel is real.

In the book, the author states "There's no arguing that Generation X is largely unmoved by the language of traditional Christianity, but you don't see many church leaders wondering if maybe the message itself is the problem. With so few people believing in hell, what’s the point in getting so worked up about salvation, whether it’s by grace or otherwise?” arguing that “the message of Christianity does not communicate to people who have grown up in a world in which pop culture is amniotic fluid, largely because what religion talks about does not speak to the spiritual needs of today’s seeker.”

Well, I can tell you right now that the problem is not the message; the problem is the church has lost the message. It is buried under $500,000 sound systems and video screens, under banners advertising the next big thing in the Christian ghetto industry. When the modern church wakes up and realizes it has the truth in it’s hands, and that the Word of God does not lose relevance, that the word of God is not a list of what you “should” or “should not” do, it’s bigger then how you vote or whether you drink or smoke, then they will see my generation regain an interest.

*EDIT*
We are no longer satisfied with the simple answers. We want to dig deeper. The reason the church is loosing a grip on our age group is because the church has become so watered down it has, as Toney Campolo put it, “neutered the gospel”. I have learned more about God, Theology, scripture, original language, and church history sitting around talking with friends then I ever did in church, because most churches refuses to serve us the meat of the gospel.

We are a generation screaming out for something genuine. A church can not be relevant until it understands this. We look at a church following 10 years behind pop culture and it is neither genuine nor relevant, who wants to be a part of that?

So, it boils down to this: “Keep it real!”

PS – We have been lucky to find a church that understands this. Thanks guys.

Radiohead and Christianity

2005-10-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading "A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture" by Craig Detweiler and Barry Taylor. Its a great read, I recommend it.

Anyway, I found this excert particularly interesting, not only because it is discussing one of my favorite bands, but I think there is a lot of truth to the statement he makes about the churchs desire to appear orthodox, to apear like we have it together more then we really do that makes the church seem so irrelevant to the world.

"The band's (Radiohead) approach offers some challenges as we think through a theology out of pop culture. The following statements by various band members demand particular reflection. Ed O'Brien, bass player, said, "We can't do anything exactly right. But that's what makes our sound." One of the banes of contemporary Christianity is its intence focus on orthodoxy. The problem is not orthodoxy but the fact that far too many people are running around making their particular theological posture the standard orthodox test. We all have glimpses of truth, but, to echo Paul, this side of the grave we all "see through a glass darkly." The desire to appear orthodox has led to a dearth of creativity in virtually every realm of the contemporary Christian experience, particularly the realms of theology and music. This streak of perfectionism, which runs deep in the American religious mindset, creates atmospheres of fear and trepidation, especially in regard to new ideas. Experimentation is a key ingredient of a contemporary theological construct.

A second point comes from vocalist Thom Yorke: "Aiming and missing is the whole premise." This does not mean to be wrong is right, but it affirms the need for room to fail and also the need to challenge right constructs by being wrong. The pop song demands on some level a degree of conformity. For the last forty years, the basic structure of the pop song has revolved around the verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus method. Along with this approach to the structure of songs has come a similar conformity in the formulation of vocabulary and sentiments. In this environment, originality is at a premium, as most artists tend to fall back on the mundane and the mediocre. That is why rhyming is a key element of pop songwriting–words have to fit and sound right. Rhyming helps this process. Unfortunatly, originality can get lost in the pursuit of the perfect rhyming word.

Radiohead bent and broke these rules both musically and lyrically. They allowed the athority of the lyrics to be controlled by technology. they abandoned standard pop song structure and format in search of new musical horizons. They re-created the rules and boundries of what a pop song is and what it can accomplish. Theology also needs to fiddle with its rules, not in random ways, but with a sense of experiment, excitement, and creativity."

I'M BACK!

2005-09-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, we have been without internet for three weeks! Stupid Metronet decided they weren't going to provide to our building anymore, and gave us a 4 day notice. We signed up for Time-Warner's Roadrunner and they came out to the apartment and couldn't get the wireless to work on either of our computers, so then we signed up for SBS DSL and they made us subscribe to a house phone, sent us a modem and then waited a week to activate our line. I hate internet companies, why can't you just get what you need when you need it?

New Orleans

2005-09-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Wow, have you guys been seeing this stuff? Its unbelievable! It's like a war zone down there. You always think, that no matter what happens, someone has a plan, someone has it figured out, help is on it's way, but when something like this happens it really changes your perspective.

CNN Coverage

It's like a third world country down there.

Jenny wrote a great faith piece on the recent events, this, the tidal wave, and 9/11, in her blog. I would encourage you all to read it.

Remember to pray for all those effected.
Jacob and Faith, you guys are certainly in our prayers.

King v. Unit

2005-08-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

King Felix faces his first real offensive challange since is call up tonight, against the Yankees, vs. Randy Johnson. Old vs. New, the future vs. the Past, best every Mariners pitcher vs. Best ever Mariners piching prospect. What an exciting game. Be sure to tune in or watch via MLB.com's Gamecast (as I will be doing). 7PM Pacific time.

King Felix's line so far, after 5 starts:
RECORD: 2-1 IP: 36.0 HITS: 23 RUNS: 8 EARNED RUNS: 7 HR's GIVEN UP: 2 WALKS: 5 STRIKEOUTS: 38 ERA: 1.75 WHIP: 0.78 OPP. BATTING AVERAGE: .178

Congrats!

2005-08-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

We had two sets of friends get married this weekend. We missed their weddings because we just move to MO and feel awful about it. There are hard things about moving away from so many people you love, its been great, but hard.

Our congratulation go out to our great freinds Kristina Ringland, and Nate Bown, who got married saturday in Camano Island, WA. We are praying for you and are really happy for you. You guys need ot get out here and go to some cool Jazz clubs with us soon!

Also, Missy and Jason Small got married in Boise, ID saturday. We are also so very happy for the two of you. Missy, I am sad that I havn't been able to meet Jason yet, and you need to meet Jenny. I guess we have a reunion coming up in a year or two.

Love you guys, congrats!

King Felix's Home Debut!

2005-08-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Us Mariners fans don't have much to cheer for these days, but last night was the home debut of the best prospect the system has seen since A-Rod. Felix Hernandez, the 19 year old phenom made his second start of the season, the first coming last week in Detroit (5IP 3H 2R 1ER 4K on 75 pitch leash), and he was brilliant. No only did he pitch 8 innings of shut out ball, but he did it with complet control, and poise. He looked like a season vetren out there, AT 19 YEARS OLD! Becoming the first teenage starter since Jose Rijo in 1984 to get a win. On top of that he made a couple of excelent defensive plays that made him look like he was right at home on the Safco Field mound. I expect many great things to come from this kid.

Felix's line last night:
8IP 5H 0R 0ER 0BB 6SO

He threw 94 pitches, 71 of them for strikes (75.5%)

His fastball topped out at 98 mph (4 times)

See what the press is saying:
Seattle PI
Tacoma New Tribune
Seattle Times (Bob Finnigan)
Seattle Times (Larry Stone)
Baseball Prospectus

above stats taken from http://www.sethspeaks.net/

New photos up!

2005-07-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

I finally got some pictures of our new place uploaded. We still have a little work to do, we diffinatly need more artwork on the walls, but here is a little tour of the place. The bottom row has a few pictures of the July 4th Mariners game (thats right, I refuse to call it a "Royals" game when they are playing the Mariners). There is a great shot of Ichiro! doing his little, "wax on" routine.

The Christian Paradox

2005-07-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong: What it means to be Christian in America.
An excerpt. Originally from Harper's August 2005. By Bill McKibben.

Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may be further evidence of our nation’s educational decline, but it probably doesn’t matter all that much in spiritual or political terms. Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves.” That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin’s wisdom not biblical; it’s counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans—most American Christians—are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up.

Asking Christians what Christ taught isn’t a trick. When we say we are a Christian nation—and, overwhelmingly, we do—it means something. People who go to church absorb lessons there and make real decisions based on those lessons; increasingly, these lessons inform their politics. (One poll found that 11 percent of U.S. churchgoers were urged by their clergy to vote in a particular way in the 2004 election, up from 6 percent in 2000.) When George Bush says that Jesus Christ is his favorite philosopher, he may or may not be sincere, but he is reflecting the sincere beliefs of the vast majority of Americans.

And therein is the paradox. America is simultaneously the most professedly Christian of the developed nations and the least Christian in its behavior. That paradox—more important, perhaps, than the much touted ability of French women to stay thin on a diet of chocolate and cheese—illuminates the hollow at the core of our boastful, careening culture.

* * *
Ours is among the most spiritually homogenous rich nations on earth. Depending on which poll you look at and how the question is asked, somewhere around 85 percent of us call ourselves Christian. Israel, by way of comparison, is 77 percent Jewish. It is true that a smaller number of Americans—about 75 percent—claim they actually pray to God on a daily basis, and only 33 percent say they manage to get to church every week. Still, even if that 85 percent overstates actual practice, it clearly represents aspiration. In fact, there is nothing else that unites more than four fifths of America. Every other statistic one can cite about American behavior is essentially also a measure of the behavior of professed Christians. That’s what America is: a place saturated in Christian identity.

But is it Christian? This is not a matter of angels dancing on the heads of pins. Christ was pretty specific about what he had in mind for his followers. What if we chose some simple criterion—say, giving aid to the poorest people—as a reasonable proxy for Christian behavior? After all, in the days before his crucifixion, when Jesus summed up his message for his disciples, he said the way you could tell the righteous from the damned was by whether they’d fed the hungry, slaked the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the stranger, and visited the prisoner. What would we find then?

In 2004, as a share of our economy, we ranked second to last, after Italy, among developed countries in government foreign aid. Per capita we each provide fifteen cents a day in official development assistance to poor countries. And it’s not because we were giving to private charities for relief work instead. Such funding increases our average daily donation by just six pennies, to twenty-one cents. It’s also not because Americans were too busy taking care of their own; nearly 18 percent of American children lived in poverty (compared with, say, 8 percent in Sweden). In fact, by pretty much any measure of caring for the least among us you want to propose—childhood nutrition, infant mortality, access to preschool—we come in nearly last among the rich nations, and often by a wide margin. The point is not just that (as everyone already knows) the American nation trails badly in all these categories; it’s that the overwhelmingly Christian American nation trails badly in all these categories, categories to which Jesus paid particular attention. And it’s not as if the numbers are getting better: the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last year that the number of households that were “food insecure with hunger” had climbed more than 26 percent between 1999 and 2003.

This Christian nation also tends to make personal, as opposed to political, choices that the Bible would seem to frown upon. Despite the Sixth Commandment, we are, of course, the most violent rich nation on earth, with a murder rate four or five times that of our European peers. We have prison populations greater by a factor of six or seven than other rich nations (which at least should give us plenty of opportunity for visiting the prisoners). Having been told to turn the other cheek, we’re the only Western democracy left that executes its citizens, mostly in those states where Christianity is theoretically strongest. Despite Jesus’ strong declarations against divorce, our marriages break up at a rate—just over half—that compares poorly with the European Union’s average of about four in ten. That average may be held down by the fact that Europeans marry less frequently, and by countries, like Italy, where divorce is difficult; still, compare our success with, say, that of the godless Dutch, whose divorce rate is just over 37 percent. Teenage pregnancy? We’re at the top of the charts. Personal self-discipline—like, say, keeping your weight under control? Buying on credit? Running government deficits? Do you need to ask?

Please Pray

2005-07-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

I have a long time family friend from church who was fatily injured in a motorcycle accident sunday afternoon. Please pray for her husband, family and friends. I don't really know what else to say about it. I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of how it must feel to lose a spouse.

We may have found a church!

2005-07-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

We tryed a church this sunday called Trinity Nazarene. We were sucked in somewere between the "Christian Social Justice Group", the Open Conversation on "God in Politics", and the Fine Arts Ministry. But besides all that, the message was great, the music was good, and the people were awesome. This church is very similar to one Jenny attended in college, in fact it had a couple people from that church going here. I also found out two of my friends from college attended there too, Krystal Lober and Megan Selby! It was good to see them again, and we are excited about the possiablities of this become our church home in KC. A nazarene church that cares about social justice and art, and allows for open conversation on anything, let alone politics. Could it be true?!?!
We sure hope so.

A Chord of Three Strands

2005-07-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

Jenny got an article published in Circle 6 magazine!!!

Here is the article: "A Choard of Three Strands"

She also has a blog now. Check it out, she is an amazing writer so I am sure there will be some great reads posted on there sometime soon.

In other related news, she got a job offer that is really great, she has not accepted it yet, but she probably will. It is going to pay more then she was making in Olympia and they have already offered her a higher position then the one she applied for in the first place. Pray for God's hand in her decision. Thanks!

Photos of our new place, and the 4th of July will be coming soon, I promise. We need to find the USB cable for the camera.

We made it!

2005-06-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the dealy, we had an uneventful trip out to KC and we got here Thursday night the 16th. We moved in all day Friday. We love our new place, its perfect. I started my job Monday and it has been great as well. Pray for Jenny in her job search.

We will have some pictures of our new place soon, I promise.

Last Day of Work!

2005-06-10T13:02:00.001-07:00

This is my last day at ReachONE and Jenny's last day at WIRB! I am going to miss it here, I worked with some amazing people.

We got the apartment finalized and we will be headed out to Kansas City on tuesday.

This is going to be a busy weekend of packing.
Keep us in prayer, see ya in about a week!

Be creative!

2005-06-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is a cool little flash-based scratch-pad called Art Pad.

Here is mine, now you give it a try!,

Coldplay - X&Y

2005-06-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

I picked up the new Coldplay album, X&Y yesterday, its very good. I little less piano then the last album, but a lot more guitar, like the first album. They have firmly positioned themselves to be the next U2 with this one. As my friend Jacob said in his review of the album at Circle 6, "Buckland apparently stole the Edge's effect board to get his delays". But, you all know how much I love U2, so I can think of worse bands to sound similar to.

Anyways, if you haven't, check out X&Y, its money. I especially like the song White Shadows.
Good album art design as well!

KC Update!

2005-06-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

Jenny and I will be leaving for Kansas City on June 13-14th. We both have our last day of work in Olympia on the 10th. I start at NPH on the 20th.

I just put an apartment on hold for us in the River Market District of Kansas City. We are renting a 990 sq ft., 1 bedroom, 1 bath loft with a study in this building. The floor plan is kind of like this one , but a little difrent in shape. We are so excited about living in this area!

Now we can be cool urban people....

WWJRLT?

2005-05-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

What Would J.R. Listen To?

(I am sure you all are dying to know)

This is a handy little plug in that lets you know what I have been listening to in iTunes, when I should be working.

BIG NEWS REVEALED!

2005-05-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

I just accepted an offer to go work at the Nazarene Publishing House.

This means a move half way across the country for my wife and I, it is located in Kansas City, MO. We have been praying about it (and so have you guys, you just didn't know it) and feel this is were God is leading us. It is hard because we love Washington, and as of now are planning on returning someday. I just dropped the news to my boss a few minutes ago and he was very supportive and happy for me, he even prayed with me about it.

This is the same place I did my internship in the summer of 2000, I will be working with one of my best friends Branond Hill.

Continue to pray for us as we proceed in this course. We need to get the moving all worked out and find a place to live. We were thinking of renting a downtown apartment or near the plaza and be urban dwellers for a few years, so that should be a fun adventure.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for us.

Music Baton Passing...

2005-05-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

One Mr. Joshua Hynes has passed me the music iTuning baton.
I dropped it after the pass, but I am catching the rest of the pack heading into the second corner...

Total volume of music files on my computer: 33.63 GB.

The last CDs I bought were:
"Stand Up" by Dave Matthews Band and "Drunkard's Prayer" by Over The Rhine

Song playing right now:
"Go With The Glow" by Queens Of The Stone Age

Five songs I listen(ed) to a lot (recently):
1) "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay
2) "Go It Alone" by Beck
3) "Louisiana Bayou" by Dave Matthews Band
4) "Ballad In Plain Red" by Derek Webb
5) "Born" by Over The Rhine

Five people to whom I'm passing the baton:
Brandon Hill
Telfer (and/or) Andrea Griffith
Amanda Marble
Drew Smith
Jason Wilcox

Prayer Request

2005-05-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

Could you guys keep me in prayer this weekend, I can't say why, but know that its a good thing, so don't worry. I may have more details soon.

Madison (the movie)

2005-05-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

My wife and I went to see this last night. Most of you may have never heard of it, but it was good. I may be a bit biased as I have grown up around hydroplane racing my whole life. My dad and I were crew memebers on a hydroplane from the time I was about 8 til I left for college. It was fun to see a movie about a sport I am so passionate about. From a historical standpoint, they got a lot of the facts wrong, but it was a good movie non-the-less.

Here is the website

If it is playing in a theater in your area support an independent film and go see it! If you liked Hoosiers (and who doesn't?), you will like Madison.

Here is the trailer