Archive - February, 2007

God Will

February 15, 2007 in Music, Theology with Comments Off

It’s outrageous to line your pockets off the misery of the poor.
Outrageous the crime some human beings must endure.
It’s a blessing to wash your face in the summer solstice rain
It’s outrageous that a man like me stand here and complain.

But I’m tired, 900 sit-ups a day.
I’m painting my hair the colour of mud, mud, OK?
I’m tired, tired, anybody care what I say? NO!
Painting my hair the colour of mud.

Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Tell me, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Ah, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?

It’s outrageous the food they try to serve in the public school.
Outrageous the way they talk to you like some kind of clinical fool
It’s a blessing to rest my head in the circle of your love.
It’s outrageous, I can’t stop thinking about the things I’m thinking of.

But I’m tired, 900 sit-ups a day.
I’m painting my hair the colour of mud, mud, OK?
I’m tired, tired, anybody care what I say? NO!
Painting my hair the colour of mud.

Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Tell me, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Ah, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Tell me, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?

God will, like he waters the flowers on the window sill.
Take me, I’m an ordinary player in the key of C,
And my will was broken by my pride and my vanity

Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
God will, like he waters the flowers on the window sill.
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?

Outrageous
Paul Simon

Wormwood on Film

February 14, 2007 in Books, Cinema, Film & Theology with Comments Off

Ralph Winter Prods. is producing a bigscreen adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel “The Screwtape Letters” with Philip Anschutz’s Walden Media.
Pic will be produced via Walden’s Bristol Bay Prods. banner (“Ray,” “Sahara”).

Pic, which Walden hopes to release in 2008, is the company’s second Lewis collaboration following “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which grossed $744 million worldwide. The sequel to that pic, “Prince Caspian,” is due out next year.

Like “Narnia,” “The Screwtape Letters” — which is described as a midbudget, primarily live-action pic — embodies Christian themes.

First published in 1942, “The Screwtape Letters” takes the form of a series of missives from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his wannabe diabolical nephew, Wormwood. As a mentor, Screwtape advises his protege on the finer points of undermining faith and promoting sin. His instructions are interspersed with observations on human nature and Christian doctrine.

Since taking over the publishing of “The Screwtape Letters” in 2001, HarperSanFrancisco has sold almost 1 million copies of the trade paperback alone.

Producing are Ralph Winter, Randy Argue and Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham.

Wow, this is pretty cool news. Winter produced a little franchise called X-Men. It didn’t make much waves at the box office… oh wait… yeah, it did!

“The Screwtape Letters” is a great book and I hope that it can translate well to film. With Winters behind it I’m sure that it will.

link

Black History Month Mix

February 12, 2007 in Music with Comments Off

1. What’s Going On (Original Detroit Mix) / Marvin Gaye
2. Uptight (Everything’s Alright) / Stevie Wonder
3. Stop! In The Name Of Love / The Supremes
4. Ain’t Too Proud To Beg / The Temptations
5. Reach Out, I’ll Be There / The Four Tops
6. Got To Give It Up / Marvin Gaye
7. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) / Marvin Gaye
8. Love’s In Need Of Love Today / Stevie Wonder
9. I Can / Nas
10. Changes / Tupac
11. The Thrill Is Gone / B.B. King
12. Everything Is Everything / Lauryn Hill
13. ‘Round Midnight / Thelonious Monk
14. Georgia / Ray Charles
15. What’d I Say, Pt. 1 / Ray Charles
16. Could You Be Loved / Bob Marley
17. Abide With Me / Thelonious Monk
18. People Get Ready / The Chambers Brothers
19. Didn’t It Rain / Mahalia Jackson
20. Freedom Road / The Blind Boys Of Alabama
21. Morning Yearning / Ben Harper
22. Please Bleed / Ben Harper
23. It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World / James Brown
24. A Change Is Gonna Come / Sam Cooke

Swimmy, Swammy, Swanson, Samsonite!

February 11, 2007 in General with Comments Off

I was way off.

None of my Grammy predictions came to pass except the Dixie Chicks for Song of the Year.

D’oh!

Music To My Ears

February 9, 2007 in Music with Comments Off

The 49th Annual Grammy Awards are this Sunday. As any good music fan and observer, I have my own ideas about who will take home awards and who will leave empty handed. Below I’ve listed the big award categories and my picks. I’ve added a little color commentary as well. Let me know what you think. Am I right or wrong? Who do you think will win?

Album Of The Year

My pick for album of the year is John Mayer’s Continuum. This is his best work to date and the album stands over and above anything else released this year. The music is textured in beautiful melodies and complex emotions. Will Mayer win though? I’m not sure.

I’m afraid that the award for Album of the Year will go to the Dixie Chicks for Taking the Long Way. While a decent album, it doesn’t live up to repeated lisening like Contiuum does. I think the Chicks will get a win, they just don’t belong or deserve to win in this category.

Consolation: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium

Record Of The Year
Record of the Year goes to the artist and to the producer(s) of a particular track. Again, this award has a chance of being (wrongly) given to the Dixie Chicks. This award should go to Gnarles Barkley for their summer anthem Crazy. The record was everywhere this year. Of course, Mary J could sweep in and take this award but I’m not convinced that will hapen

Song Of The Year
Now, if the Dixie Chicks deserve any award this year it is this one. Song of the Year is a songwriter’s award and it should go to the Chicks’ Not Ready to Make Nice. The only competion that the they have is Carrie Underwood’s Jesus Take the Wheel. Both songs a very well written but Not Ready packs a much bigger punch.

Dark Horse: Corinne Bailey Rae’s Put You Records On

Best New Artist
Hands down, Best New Artist belongs to Corinne Bailey Rae. She has incredible talent and has been blowing up every since her album dropped stateside this past summer. I have a bit of a crush on Mrs. Rae so I might be a bit bias.

So these are the 4 big awards that everybody cares about. I am no expert so I expect to wake up Monday morning only to find that I was way off on my predictions. We shall see.

I listed a couple of other Grammy picks below. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. See ya Monday.

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
One- Mary J. Blige & U2

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
The Saints Are Coming- U2 & Green Day
or
Talk- Coldplay

Best Rock Song
When You Were Young- the Killers
or
Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
See the Morning- Chris Tomlin

Best Reggae Album
Youth- Matisyahu

Official Grammy Website
Yahoo! Grammy Page
Complete List of Awards

My Birthday Is Coming Up

February 8, 2007 in Guilty Pleasure, Shameless Self Promotion, U2 with Comments Off

Just sayin.’

BTW, there are only ten of these so…. hurry.

New Baby and the Mother of All Burgers

February 7, 2007 in Guilty Pleasure, Ministry, My Wife Rules, Stories, Thanksgiving with 3 Comments

Last night we went downtown to Big Baylor because my good friend, Brian, and his wife, Amanda, had a beautiful baby girl on Monday. I have known Brian since elementary and I am proud as punch for him and Amanda. Baby and mother are doing well and both looked good. What a joy! While we were at the hospital, Zac, Amber and their baby stopped by as did my parents. After congratulations and hugs, my parents offered to take us out for dinner. I’ve never turned down a free meal and neither had Zac so we graciously accepted their offer. My dad offered up a place called Red Hot and Blue which serves Memphis style barbecue. I had never been to one but had always wanted to. After another round of congrats and hugs we headed out for some grub.

Side note: I love being a member of the clergy and not paying for hospital parking! It is one of our rare perks.

Sandy and I were the first ones to arrive. While we were waiting for our table to get set up I noticed a placard advertising the new specials. One item caught my attention.

allin.jpg

The “Have Your Cake and Eat It Too” Burger consisted of a burger stacked with pulled pork and onion straws. For some reason I was mesmerized. I wasn’t the only one. Zac and Dad ordered one too.

Surprisingly, it was one of the greatest burgers I have ever eaten. Well done Red Hot and Blue. Well done.

Of course the food paled in comparison to spending the evening with friends and family. Good conversation with good people trumps good food every time!

Only One Shopping Week Left

February 6, 2007 in General with Comments Off

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Here at Kicking at the Darkness I want to help you avoid some of the really bad gifts that are out there. With the help of Amazon.com, I now present Worst. Valentine’s Gifts. Ever.

Knife Set w/ Unique Holder (pictured)
Fresh Whole Rabbit
Wolf Urine Lure- 32oz.
Barbed Wire
Tick Removal Tool

I hope you enjoyed this public service announcement. Like my grandma always said, “Friends don’t let friends buy Wolf Urine.”

Have a great day eveyone!

One Step Closer to Knowing

February 5, 2007 in Music, Popular Culture with Comments Off

Commenting on the settlement, Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO said, “We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future.”

Commenting on the settlement on behalf of the shareholders of Apple Corps, Neil Aspinall, manager of Apple Corps said, “It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on. The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them.”

Peaceful co-operation? Carefully worded statement Mr. Aspinall. Co-operation is quite different from cooperation. Do you mean working toward the same end (cooperation) or seperate companies leaving each other be (co-operation)? Which is it!?!?!?!?!

I just want to know one thing:

Does this mean that the Beatles are coming to iTunes or not?

I’m looking forward to a carefully worded email in my inbox good sir.

link
via

Bap-Ba-Bap

February 5, 2007 in Discipleship, Firm on the Rock, Guilty Pleasure, Ministry, Music, The Word with Comments Off

This morning I sat down at my desk and fired up iTunes. I hit the shuffle button and then play.

“Higher Love” by Steve Winwood began flowing forth from the speakers on my desk. I didn’t even know that I had that song!!!

I am a huge sucker for any song with synthesizer and this ong brings it out in full force.

As I listened to it again this morning I realized that I really only knew the chorus. Yes, it is an awesome chours but I began to really hear the lyrics of the verses today for the first time. I’ve posted the entire song with synthesizer annotation (Bap-Ba-Bap) for your enlightenment below. What a great song and an even greater reminder to keep telling the world about the true Higher Love that they are seeking. Like Message in a Bottle, the world is looking for acceptance and belonging. Never forget and be ready to tell those around you where you hope is. If you’ve got a case of the Mondays let the synthesizer take you into the presence of Higher Love!!! Bap-Ba-Bap!

Think about it, there must be higher love
Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above
Without it, life is a wasted time
Look inside your heart, I’ll look inside mine
Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind and we try to see
Falling behind in what could be

Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring me a higher love
Wheres that higher love I keep thinking of?

Worlds are turning and were just hanging on
Facing our fear and standing out there alone
A yearning, and its real to me
There must be someone who’s feeling for me
Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind and we try to see
Falling behind in what could be

Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring me a higher love
Wheres that higher love I keep thinking of?

Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring be a higher love
I could rise above on a higher love

I will wait for it
I’m not too late for it
Until then, I’ll sing my song
To cheer the night along
Bring it…oh bring it…

I could light the night up with my soul on fire
I could make the sun shine from pure desire
Let me feel that love come over me
Let me feel how strong it could be

Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring me a higher love
Where’s that higher love I keep thinking of?
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