Polyphonic Spree

It seems that my posts here run in phases... There are lot of things running through my head these days but few tend to stop running long enough to get to the fingertips.

This was rather interesting however. Thanks to the Coverville podcast, I was introduced to a band that I have heard but didn't know... Polyphonic Spree.

They have a bunch of influences but the closest I could come to describing the band is "Sgt. Pepper". A lot of 60's pop in a 24 piece band.

They were just through the Denver area earlier this month and, of course, since I didn't know about them, I missed them... Maybe next time.

Free music and more free music

I just got the latest episode of the "Bored-again Christian" podcast. Number 45 to be exact.

A couple of interesting things are contained in the all (well mostly) music episode.

1. A new Switchfoot release was announced with a song that, according to the host "Just Pete", will not be on the release and will not be on the radio. It is good.
2. He played a song from Derek Webb who is giving away his album at his website. The song I heard was good enough that I thought I'd download it.

Now for the downside. Derek uses a form of viral marketing that I have never been comfortable with. Along with giving my name and email address, he requests the name and address of 5 others to get the download. I do, however, believe him when he says that they email addresses will not be retained.

In a way, this is my way of complying guilt free with his marketing techniques... Listen to the Bored-again Christian podcast, then pop from the website over to check out Derek Webb's free download.

iPods....

Just when my friend Carol Ann's iPod gave out (start reading the sad story here), Apple announced several new models. Just to make matters worse, I ran across these articles.

iPod Observer talks about MyVu glasses for the iPod. The price tag, however, is higher than even the top of the line iPod.

Then I read this post from Mark Battersons evotional Blog. On top of that, probably my favorite recent post is "Top-ten ways to redeem technology".

The bottom line? The web, iPods, blogs... It's all there for us to use for good (and God)!

A tale of air

This story starts out some time ago...

Once upon a time, in 2004, it came time to blow out the sprinkler lines. A trip to the local hardware superstores and pawn shops found nothing to help without investing a LOT of money. As a result, we drafted a "hero" of sorts, my Brother-In-Law, to come and help. Mark brought his air compressor over and we blew out the lines.

Some time later, in 2005, it came time again to blow out the lines. The air compressor that tempted me was more money than I wanted to spend but.... A new Home Depot had just been built near my house. A trip there and I found it! The air compressor I wanted to invest in... The problem was, money. My neighbor had a solution! I could borrow his! Using Mark's example, I blew out the lines. In the mean time, however, I started planning. If I asked for gift cards for Home Depot, that air compressor could be mine.

I made it through Christmas, Anniversary, Valentines Day, Fathers Day and finally, my birthday. The $$ on the gift cards covered the $$ for the air compressor. Yea!

My family and I went to Home Depot and alas, they were almost out of the model I wanted. I took the second to the last one there. Kyle and I assembled it but... OH NO! It wouldn't turn on!

Let me take you down a literative bunny trail here. For years I went to Home Depot near our old house because of prices and the things they carried. I didn't go there for customer service. When we found the one near us in Brighton had opened, one of the first things we noticed was the helpful friendly people that worked there.

I took the non-functional compressor back last weekend. There was no hassle, in fact, the only thing they did was to plug it in to verify the facts.

This one did work so I'd like to say....

Thank You to the Brigton Home Depot for your helpfulness in a time of stress and disappointment.

Where am I going?

The answer? I don't really know...

The story started several weeks ago when my friend Scott posted this video from Vintage21. Out of curiosity, I dug into their archives and found a series of messages on Revelation. Not your typical peek into what they think the "end times" are about but a look at the 7 churches mentioned and how the admonitions applied to me.

Next, I read the willzhead post on Gregory A. Boyd, purchased both his book and the book by Randall Balmer (see this and this for more...). As a result, I started listening to podcasts from Gregory Boyd's church, Woodland Hills.

Yesterday, my church started a series on Revelation as well with a similar theme as Vintage 21. I am looking forward to where that is going.

This morning, while getting ready for work, I am thinking about taking risks and my friends who help at the Denver Rescue Mission monthly. I got home and heard LifeChurch's weekly podcast on being a disciple which states that a disciple of Jesus will...

1. Has compassion for those that are helpless
2. Befriended the sinners.
3. Offends the religious people while doing the above.

So, where am I going with this.... Honestly, I haven't a clue.

A strange start to the morning...

I don't know why this happened but I found it refreshing and strange at the same time.

I remember sleeply turning off my alarm as it rang this morning, then un-characteristically, rolling over and dozing off.

A few minutes later, my wife woke me up out of my sleep. At that time, I remember dreaming (this is unusual because I don't often remember my dreams). The dream?

I was in the midst of worship singing the song Majesty...

Majesty, Majesty
Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in your hands
Majesty, Majesty
Forever I am changed by your love
In the presence of your Majesty

It's a blog-a-thon day....

Actually not. I haven't had much to put down because I have been so busy.

Jason, the worship leader from Solomon's Porch sent this link to me... Being on the worship team we all have our worst nightmares. This is one of them. Play the clip... You'll laugh, you'll cry...

You just have to love Colorado

I have been told that Colorado means "color red". After seeing the sunset Monday night from my sisters house, I'd have to agree.

The family gathering... The final chapter

Every one has flown home. We haven't heard yet who has arrived but I trust they left.... Things are returning to normal here and tomorrow, I return to work.

It was wonderful seeing everyone together!

What a busy weekend...

This weekend, we are celebrating my parents 50th anniversary. It actually happened back at the end of July but their wish for their anniversary was not the normal party but a chance to get together with their children and grandchildren.

To that end, my sister Jane and her husband as well as my family have hosted the rest of the family. My sister lives a few miles away so this has been fairly convenient.

Friday started the affair. My parents, one niece and her boyfriend flew in first, my first trip to the airport. Then my brother and another niece flew in, trip number 2. My final trip was to meet my sister-in-law.

Events this week have included:

• family time
• barbecue at our house
• trips to Starbucks and Dazbog
• a wonderful lunch at my sisters
• Church together
  
• Sunday dinner Bucca De Beppo
• Ice Cream cake
• A trip to the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder
• A trip to Boulder Falls west of Boulder

Still planned?

• Casa Bonita
• Downtown Denver - specifically a pilgrimage to the Hard Rock

Loosing my religion...

For those not familiar with the band R.E.M., you can start breathing easier now... This was the title of a song.

It is also the title of an excellent message from Liquid Church.

In the message, Tim challenges the reader to consider trying to loose their religion while keeping their faith.

This is something I have been trying to do since High School when we went through a study on Romans called "How to be a Christian without being Religious". I say trying because, honestly, I am more successful sometimes than others.

Technology meets old school

I am trying out a new technology for awhile....

Actually, it is a bunch of old technologies presented in a new way.... One Year Bible Blog

If you want to subscribe, you can use http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/atom.xml in your rss reader or you can have it email the posts to you.

What I like:

• Passages in the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. By default, the link to the reading is in "The Message", although thinking about it, that may be because that is my default.
  
• Commentaries about the passages you read.
• A new set each day.
• The ability to subscribe and not go to the site every day.
  

What I am not sure about? It seems to be a lot of information to get through.

Book Review - "Thy Kingdom Come..."

After reading willzhead's "Disowning Conservative Politics Is Costly for an Evangelical Pastor" and subsequently posting this, I ordered both Randall Balmers "Thy Kingdom Come..." and Gregory A. Boyd's "Myth of a Christian Nation...". Yesterday, I finished reading "Thy Kingdom Come..." and was challenged.

As a sort of brief book report, let me say that my political leanings are somewhat to the left of many I associate with. Lately, especially since starting to blog, I have become increasingly concerned about how those with the same prinicple faith as mine are letting their political views and faith perspectives intermingle, to the point where we are pushing people away from the grace and redemption that Christ offers rather than drawing them nearer.

Let me start out by stating that I emailed Randall Balmer yesterday starting off with "... While I don't agree with everything in the book, it challenges my thoughts as well as confirms many of my feelings about the Church today. ...". His reply later yesterday included "... I'd be worried if you (or anyone else) agreed with everything I have to say...". If I read the book correctly, Randall is a democrat and approaches this book from that perspective.

His preface and conclusions are quite long and convicting. They are, however, well worth reading! Chapters are:

1. Strange Bedfellows: The Abortion Myth, Homosexuality, and the Ruse of Selective Literalism
2. Where Have All the Baptists Gone? Roy's Rock, Roger Williams, and the First Ammendment
3. Deconstructing Democracy: School Vouchers, Homeschooling, and the War on Public Education
4. Creationism by Design: The Religious Right's Quest for Intellectual Legitimacy
5. Voices in the Wilderness: Evangelicals and the Environment

In this book, he attacks many "Sacred Cows", even a few of mine. On the other hand, I am not afraid to challenge my thoughts with a well thought out argument, especially when he approaches the argument from a Biblical perspective.

I would recommend this book if you fall into one of the following categories:

• If you are willing to be challenged intellectually, politically or spiritually
• If you are interested in seeing the Kingdom of God grow
• If you are a political misfit (self-descriptive)
• If you have been bothered by the seeming fusion of politics and church

Thanks Randall for writing this book!

P.S: I just started reading "Myth of a Christian Nation..." and am looking forward to writing about it as well.

Today in Music History

You may have noticed (or maybe not) a couple of new podcasts on the list on the left. They are from the Denver Post. I have enjoyed both "Today in Music History" and "LyricsUndercover" quite a bit. They are short so that is even better.

As I am writing this, KOA played the Beatles "Happy Birthday" and mentioned Broncos Coach Mike Shanannahan's birthday yesterday, got a little excited because, you see, today in music history is a special day for me as it is my day in "birth" history, or in simpler terms, my birthday.

This is the last year that I can say that I am thirty-somethingteen, next year it will be fourty-ten.

To listen to Today in Music History click here!

With or Without Reason

Today, this song has been floating in my head. The song was done by "The Call".

How you gonna tell your story
Are you gonna tell it rue
Either with or without reason
Love has paid the price for you

How you gonna cure this feeling
How you gonna right this wrong
Either with or without reason
The weaker do protect the strong

Listen in your hour of pain
Either in or out of season
The hunters still pursue the game

(chorus)
Oh, there's somebody waiting
Oh, there's somebody near
Oh, there's somebody waiting
Oh, there's somebody here

Now lately I've begun to wonder
Just who is talking when you speak
Either with or without reason
The stronger still pursue the weak

The wisest of the fools can tell you
Anything you want to hear
Either with or without reason
These are truths you hold so dear

[chorus]

I dedicate this inner chamber
I dedicate this harvest toil
Either with or without reason
The language of the heart takes hold

Now don't you see that love offends us
When it rises up against this waste
either with or without reason
Evidence of sin and grace

[Chorus]

Oh No!

I found one side effect during the conversion from the old to the beta of Blogger.... It sent all my posts as new to those who subscribe.... Let's hope that isn't a bug but simply an undocumented feature.

Rabbit Season or Duck Season

It has started again. That debate on rabbits or ducks. In this case, however, it is donkeys and elephants or, if you don't follow yet, Republicans and Democrats.

Last week, I got a call asking if they can "count" on my support for their candidate. Consider the fact that it is still early in the debates. Add to that the fact that I haven't been registered for either party for many many years... What do I say? "No, they can't count on my vote".

I am, as an observer to the process, amazed on the longevity (or lack of it) of the mudslinging cease fire. How often have we heard the news reports play the sound bite stating "I intend to run a clean, respectful campaign". Then, the next advertisement of a political nature does exactly the opposite....

"It's Rabbit Season"... "No, Duck Season"...

I can't believe they let me have it!

My blogging company (essentially google) has a beta version of it's software available. Originally, I was told it was for "invitees" and new accounts only.

This morning, I logged in and they allowed me to switch. You can see some of the new features here... http://buzz.blogger.com/2006/08/blogger-in-beta.html.

I will start exploring when I have time!

Dancing like David....

This entry has been several years in the making...

Years ago, the church we attended, regularly sang a song called "David Danced". The lyrics went like this.

When the spirit of the Lord
moves upon my heart
I will dance like David danced
When the spirit of the Lord
moves upon my heart
I will dance like David danced

I will dance, I will dance
I will dance, like David danced
I will dance, I will dance
I will dance, like David danced

This summer, we had listened to a message series at church called "21", one of the messages was titled "Party".

This morning, I happened to be listening to a track from Yonder Mountain String Band and started wondering what made them the next in the generation of Jam Bands along with Phish and String Cheese Incident that are gaining popularity since The Grateful Dead are now without Jerry Garcia?

While wikipeda explains the Jam Band as mostly improvisational, I think that teams with the ability of the audience to become uninhibited (some chemically induced) because without their audience or fans, the band doesn't have a reason to be.

I wonder if that is some of our problem in the church... Here we have an all powerful God that we "worship" but our worship is inhibited. Unlike David who stripped down to his underwear (ok, the Old Testament version -- his ephod) we let those around us, or impressions of those around us, determine our actions and depth of worship. In 2002, an article by Mark Buchanan was published in Christianity Today called "Dance of the Godstruck". The article talks about Uzzahs attempt to bring home the Ark from the conquerors and Davids success at the same task. It is well worth reading.

The final paragraph reads:

David was that kind of man. Where his fretful priest and his scornful wife could only see a gilded box and frenzied crowd, he could see God. The temptation is to think men like David, at such moments, are half-crazy, not fully engaged with reality. The truth is that precisely at such moments they are the ones who truly see.

I suspect that if we were to truly worship like David did, freely and uninhibited, those in the world around us would be much more attracted to our God.

In his series on "Wired for Worship", Mark Batterson (TheaterChurch) has the following key points in 2 different messages (it has been a while since I listened so I don't remember which ones).

...if you aren’t willing to look foolish you’re foolish.

and

“If God doesn’t exist then worship is insanity. You’re worshipping someone that isn’t real. But if God exists then nothing is more logical or reasonable than worship.”

Matt Redman wrote a song called "Undignified" about the same incident with David, it's lyrics read.

i will dance i will sing to be mad for my king
nothing lord is hindering the passion in my soul
i will dance i will sing to be mad for my king
nothing lord is hindering the passion in my soul

(chorus)
and ill become even more undignified than this
some would say its foolishness but
ill become even more undignified than this
some would say its foolishness

Pipe Dreams

Every since I was young, I appreciated animated video. Not the anime that is so popular in Japan but the great quality drawning and cell work that made up things like Disney's "Fantasia".

I remember being on a business trip and going to see "Sister Act" on a Saturday while I was there. The preview for "The Lion King" came on and my jaw dropped. When it was over, I turned to my colleague, Pete and said, "Did you notice the depth of field that they had created?". It was amazing detail. Since then, we have seen the "Toy Story" series, the "Shrek" series, the "Ice Age" series. All those show great quality video.

Four or five years ago, while watching TechTV (now merged with G4), I saw two different Animusic video shorts, "Future Retro" and "Stick Figures". I since have purchased their first video. I recently found my favorite on that DVD on Google Video so I can share it with you! If you want to see more, here is the search results for their videos.