Music – Page 8 – LOVE | ACCEPT

Hope Iz

Iz once wrote “For without hope I cannot live.” He told a story in the song Hawai’i ’78 Introduction about his father who died of a broken heart. The pressures of life exerted so much force upon the man that what hope he had was unable to push back. Every morning we’re confronted with word of a new slaughter, another on the job shotgun rampage, stories of the best and brightest cheating, and the never ending rancor of political debate that continues to rise in its shrillness. Is it even possible to have hope?

Iz had hope. Paul had hope. I have hope. When the lyrics point you to a hope found somewhere at the end of the rainbow, remember that the rainbow is an arc, not a line up past the clouds. That arch begins and ends right where you are after having touched the heavens. You are made in the image of the one who wants to give you hope, not only in the future, but right now.

Technorati tags: Christianity, Hope, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, faith

Peace, Love & Understanding

Jesus didn’t leave the Church behind so that we would form these little fortresses of safety to keep the world at bay until He returns. Our mission was to continue His ministry among those who needed it the most. Let’s take a moment today to think about what it means to ‘be’ the church rather than just belonging to the church. Declan sings about our mission…

This is for Addie

This song from Casting Crowns puts to music the church’s failure implied in my earlier post on Addie Kubisiak (read). We can get so turned inward that we fail to see those around us in dire need of our love and acceptance and the Lord’s forgiveness. Find a space for her in your prayers today…

A Zevon Saturday

A Warren Zevon album, even just a song, can certainly make you reflective in the cold depths of winter. Before the world knew that Warren would soon be gone, many spoke well.

We Failed Arrested Teen

18 year old Addie Kubisiak sits in a Douglas County jail this morning, insulated from the bitter cold outside, but colder inside as she faces the consequences of a decision she made in the past (story here). Though the details about the birth and subsequent death of her baby have yet to be reported, her actions that followed and resulted in her arrest and being charged with first degree murder should reflect back on the Church with the intensity of the glare of the sun reflecting off of the icy snow. The abortion industry will point to the enormous shame and stress of the apparently secret pregnancy as justification for even greater access to their services.

Where were we? Babies do not spontaneously appear. A gestation period of nine months gave us more than adequate time for a follower of Christ to love as we are loved. How does a troubled woman like this fail to gain our attention? Is it possible that the circle she ran in was totally bereft of Christians and their influence? The Church, especially those among us who adhere to the missional ideals, must apply ourselves to countering the historic judgmentalism that shunned people rather than loving them. All it would have taken is one Christian to come alongside this woman and shown her love and acceptance while supporting her through the trouble she was facing and we might not have been following this story today.

Where was I…

Green Grass and High Tides Forever

Should this technically be called a reunion, even making concessions for the deceased? Who cares, it’s the Florida Guitar Army, the only band to take the stage of the Oakland Coliseum after an earthquake made the lighting truss swing like a first grader, the only band with enough cool to bring back the twin drummer setup…