(From theFish.com) This is an interesting time of year for me as stores pull the pink paraphernalia off the shelves and put up the Christmas items. October has become known for pink reminders everywhere of the battle against breast cancer. I am grateful for all that is done to defeat this dread disease. My dear wife just passed the five year survivor mark this year. Today a song from Martina McBride brought back waves of memories from a difficult journey. The song is called “I’m Gonna’ Love You Through It”. She dropped the phone and burst into tears The doctor just confirmed her fears Her husband held it in and held her tight Cancer don’t discriminate or care if you’re just 38 With three kids who need you in their lives He said, “I know that you’re afraid and I am, too But you’ll never be alone, I promise you” I remember facing those fears with Joni. I remember promising
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(From theFish.com) Yesterday was a convergence of reality and the random iPod shuffle. As I contemplated the thirty-third birthday (yikes) of my first born a song fired up from Kenny Chesney. In the lyric an interviewer asks a man celebrating his one hundred and second birthday about his secret to life. His response? Don’t blink The lyrics go on to describe just how quickly this earthly journey goes by. Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife Don’t blink You just might miss your babies growing like mine did Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your “better half” Of fifty years is there in bed. Wow. I am right there. I’m still a ways from the century mark though my shoulder feels that old this morning. It seems like just yesterday that I was playing sandlot baseball as
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(From theFish.com) Occasionally a song pops up in the iPod shuffle rotation that reminds me of my failed career as a disc jockey in the ‘70’s. The song is called “United We Stand” and it was recorded by a British group called the Brotherhood of Man. The message was simple. For united we stand Divided we fall And if our backs should ever be against the wall We’ll be together, together, you and I The songwriter was talking about a love relationship but the sentiment to stand united should permeate family relationships, team relationships and especially church relationships. But we know in the latter case that is too often not true. I have written a lot about how people in the church do considerable damage with actions and words that do not reflect Jesus. I have been frustrated by Christians who receive grace willingly and deny it to others. I see division in the body of Christ where we should
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(From theFish.com) A song by Brandon Heath is the inspiration for this iPod Devotional. The song is titled “Give Me Your Eyes” and the lyrics are thought provoking. Heath talks about seeing so many people in his daily journey and wondering why he doesn’t care. He writes this chorus of longing. Give me your eyes for just one second Give me your eyes so I can see Everything that I keep missing Give me your love for humanity Give me your arms for the broken hearted The ones that are far beyond my reach Give me you heart for the ones forgotten Give me your eyes so I can see Brandon Heath’s songs are full of gritty honesty. His admission is real and relevant. It is a topic all followers of Jesus must address. God did not create me to live in a “believers only” cocoon of safety. Living that kind of Christian life is so easy in America. There
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(From theFish.com) A classic rock anthem from my youth was part of the iPod rotation today. “My Generation” was our defiant statement that we wanted nothing to do with the older folks who we believed to be clueless. The song reminded me of an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal detailing how the younger generation places less value on the advice of their elders. That cultural trend has carried over into business, politics and the church. Serves us baby boomers right since we were the generation of don’t trust anyone over thirty. We rocked with The Who and sang these lyrics about how stupid my parent’s generation had been. Things they do look awful cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation) I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation) Sadly, like every generation since the Garden we did, in fact, get old. Writer Jeffrey Zaslow believes the advice gap between current generations is even wider today. Older people have always offered
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Some of the theologians I encountered did not seem like anyone I would actually want to be around on purpose. I made the crack that some theologians were to joy in Christ what nutritionists were to enjoying cheesecake. They both took something full of delight and made you feel mostly bad about it. Yet something is changing in my life. I am really seeing the need for a solid theological basis for what I believe. All of this came to mind when Sam Cooke’s classic Wonderful World popped up on the iPod. You know the one where Sam builds a strong case for academic slacking actually being a strength. Don’t know much about history Don’t know much biology Don’t know much about a science book Don’t know much about the french I took But I do know that I love you And I know that if you love me too What a wonderful world this would be I wrote an ode
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