Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

Foo Fighter's new album released today. All I can say after my third listen-through is "Ohhhhhhhh..."

While you're putting your shoes on to go buy your copy right now ($9.99 this week at Best Buy), click this link and be amazed at their new single's music video, "The Pretender": http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=986&vid=169364

Dave Grohl, I think I love you.

RAIDED

I've been going to the same chiropractor off and on for seven years here in Ft. Lauderdale, but not anymore...

Yesterday afternoon my neck was like a pretzel, so I stopped by the chiropractor's office on my way home from class (I had a 12:00pm appointment). I parked the car and walked up to the office entrance, but was abruptly halted by a police officer as I reached to open the door. "Are you a patient here?" demanded the female officer. She had enough gadgets, vests, badges and guns strapped to her to re-take Normandy. "Uhhh, yes ma'am" I stuttered in reply, taking a half step backwards. "The office is closed right now, but I need to ask you a few questions." "O- Okay." As she took my deposition, I examined her badge more closely: "US Treasury Department- Special Agent."

"What's your name, sir?" I answered and she scribbled my name on her notepad while I snuck a peek at the glock 9mm strapped to her side. "What's the best phone number to reach you at?" My eyes darted back to hers as I responded. "What kind of payment plan do you have with this office?" I glanced over her shoulder through the glass door and saw two other officers inside rummaging through files and desks, which made me cautious in my reply: "I pay monthly."

Question after question finally ended when another patient approached the door. Special Agent GI-Jane had a new target, or witness or, suspect... who knows... Anyway, I was dismissed without much explanation about what was going on. I've become friends with one of the doctors there over the years, so he called this morning to tell me there was apparently something bogus going on with the office's billing and taxes. He was ticked off because he and his wife are both suddenly jobless due to someone else's negligence and dishonesty. The raid came unannounced and without apology.

I spent all morning working in the yard, dwelling on what had happened. And it tormented me all the more when my thoughts turned introspective and I began to examine my own integrity: "What would be found if my life was suddenly raided today? No announcement, no warning, just investigators rummaging through every corner of my life. What would I be charged with?"

I may not be guilty of money laundering, tax evasion, or for that matter anything illegal by the US Justice Department's standards, but it worried me when I considered the standards of justice to which I'm truly accountable. It may be a silly picture, but think about it: if God sent special agents into your house, into your marriage, and into your office; if God Himself was the captain of an exhaustive investigation into the files on your computer... what kind of hell would you be in? Would you be suddenly jobless? Would your reputation be tainted? Would your wife still admire, family still be proud of, and friends still associate themselves with... you?

The depth at which my heart was troubled was alone enough to convict me; if I were blameless and "above reproach," I wouldn't be bothered by daily visits from God's entire investigative staff. But as it is, I know there are dark corners of my mind and heart that need correction before I'm prepared for such a raid.

Dr. D. James Kennedy passed away last week Thursday. At his memorial service, one of the speakers said, "There was nothing in James Kennedy's life that would embarrass the name of Jesus." I want that said of me at my funeral. Not that I will be able to perfect my every flaw, be sinless, or anything like that. But just to know I was not only at rest in the grace of Christ, but also wholly blameless to the best of my ability in this life.

"Keep your servant also from willfull sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression." (Psalm 19:13)
(See also I Timothy 3:2, Psalm 15:1-5, 37:18-19, 108:1-8)

Final Exam Results

The moment we've all (three) been waiting for... the results of this year's Summer School of Rock final exam are in:

1. Who is the lead singer of AC/DC?
Correct answer: Brian Johnson (’80-present); Bon Scott was the original lead singer (’73-’80) who died of excessive alcohol consumption

2. On the famous “Cowbell” sketch on SNL, what 70’s rock band does the cast portray and what’s the name of the song needing “more cowbell”?
Band: Blue Öyster Cult; Song: “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” P.S. Probably the best SNL sketch of all time; in the top 10 at the very least.

3. The name of the Southern Rock band whose lead singer, Ronnie Van Zant, along with several other members of the band and crew died in a plan crash in 1977?
The one and only: Lynyrd Skynyrd

4. The name of the band and the album that can, reportedly, be played simultaneously with the Wizard of Oz as a sort of psychedelic soundtrack?
Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is said to match "perfectly" with every scene in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. Personally I don't believe it, so I got the CD and the movie and now I'm just waiting for a free night to test the validity of this rumor for myself (and of course, I'll post the results of my findings here).

5. Since most of you know the answer to #4: Same band, who was their chief songwriter through the 70’s and beginning of the 80’s?
Pink Floyd's principle songwriter was Roger Waters through the 80's.

6. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones: what was their band called?
A little band called Led Zeppelin

7. What highly influential English punk rock band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and credited with initiating the punk rock movement in the UK even though they only existed for 4 years (1975-1979) and released only one studio album (plus compilations and singles)?
The Sex Pistols, when honored with their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, called the award (and I quote) "a piss stain," and refused to make an appearance at the ceremony. Bassist Sid Vicious died of an "accidental" heroin overdose but is rumored to have been murdered by the dealer who made his dose of heroin unusually potent (coroner's report: it was a dose of 99% pure heroin as opposed to the common 22% pure). Yep, sounds like punk rock.

8. This duo formed in 1957 and were together through 1970, and their hit list includes “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” and “Bridge over Troubled Water.” Hall of Fame-rs and #40 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Simon and Garfunkel. Originally formed under the name "Tom and Jerry" (thanks to Rick for that extra piece of trivia)

9. Name the band whose hits include “Come Sail Away” and “Mr. Roboto.” (Hint: it’s one misspelled word, four letters)
Styx

10. Pete Townshend was the guitarist and principal songwriter for this band that has been called “the greatest and most influential rock band of all time.”
The Who

11. What genre did the band Deep Purple help pioneer?
Deep Purple is considered one of the pioneers of heavy metal and hard rock (along with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin)

12. What band released that single that gets in your head and never leaves you alone, “More Than a Feeling”? Boston

13. It is estimated that by 1985, this band had sold over one billion discs and tapes worldwide. They are #1 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
The Beatles. P.S. One billion is a ridiculous number of records.

14. Regarded by some as “America’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band,” this group nearly fell apart between 1979 and 1984 due to substance abuse, except for the tireless efforts of then manager, Tim Collins, who reformed the band, got them help for their addictions, and made it possible for this now 38 year old rock band to still perform concerts today to sell-out crowds. (Hint: the lead singer has a daughter in the movies)
Aerosmith. Frontman Steve Tyler has a famous Hollywood daughter named Liv.

15. If you were stranded on an island and could only have one CD to listen to, which would it be?
The correct answer is U2's Joshua Tree (sorry Dan, Forrest Gump was a wrong answer; I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul).

First let me say that I was very impressed with your knowledge of classic rock. There were several who gave their answers to me in person but didn't post them here, so thanks to you guys as well. But there was one student who rose above; one shining star above the class; one student who not only answered every question correctly but also answered extra credit questions I did not ask. This person added the above-mentioned tidbit about "Tom and Jerry," knew that the week he was born "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was #1, and perhaps most impressive of all, he went through the trouble of adding an umlaut to the "O" of Blue Öyster Cult in order to properly answer question number 2. The School of Rock is therefore proud to crown Rick Hunter (aka "Tall Rick") as this year's top of the class. Rick, we have high hopes for your future. Make us proud. (Acceptance speech?)

The Great Conversation

There was a day when people talked. Today when you pass a stranger on the sidewalk, there are no conversations about life, no regard for each other's experiential wisdom (what that person has been through in life and what he's learned from it), and no social permission to breach a discussion about issues of love, or God, or... anything, really. In fact, today you're lucky to get a silent head nod and not fear for your life when walking past a stranger. But there was a time when philosophy (the love of knowledge/wisdom/truth) was considered the most important pursuit in a man's existence. And so it was normal, if not expected, to run into a stranger on the street and engage him in conversation about, for example, the nature of the human soul.

Now, don't misunderstand here, my hope is not to be a philosopher; I was a C student through high school and I still only read when I "have to." But I want to continue this "Great Conversation," as its been called by many scholars, and to be sharpened by the knowledge and life experiences of my friends (and relative strangers). At the recommendation of my good friend, Dan (Pray Your Gods blog), I would like to begin a new series called "The Great Conversation" with this purpose in mind. I, or one of my blogging friends, will start a topic of discussion under the title "The Great Conversation," open it up to discussion, and then friends with blogs can post a response (rebuttal, if you will) on their own blog page. I'll spare you further explanation, it'll make sense as we go. And so, I'll open with a statement for our first discussion:

Many families cling to a "Christian-only" policy when it comes to books, movies, and music. And while I encourage protecting the minds of young kids, it's sad to me that Christians are growing up to adulthood with a subconscious belief that everything "secular" is bad. These kids grow up to be critical (rather than discerning) of everything that doesn't have a Christian label attached.

I would submit that God can use "secular" art (literature, theater, music, etc.) to accomplish His evangelistic purposes in our world today, just as He did through ancient paganism in the centuries before Christ's first advent. In ancient Greece, they didn't have an AMC, Barnes and Noble, or Flava' Flave (it wasn't all bad in ancient Greece); what they had was the theater. The theater wasn't just another source of mind-numbing over-stimulation like much (not all) of our entertainment is today; the theater was where deep-rooted issues of politics, war, and the human condition were expressed artistically through comic, tragic, lyric, or epic portrayals. The things performed on that stage were THE stories and, in many cases, the beliefs of that culture.

One such play was called "Prometheus Bound." The tragedy opens with Prometheus, a Titan god who created man and posesses the gift of prophecy, nailed to a rock on a mountain. The play unfolds as Prometheus recounts the events leading up to his punishment: Cronos, the god of the Titans, and Zeus, the god of the Olympians, were at war with one another. Prometheus, with his gift of prophecy (his name means "Forethinker") tried to counsel Cronos in his strategy against Zeus, but Cronos would not listen. So, in order to save himself and his family, the god Prometheus defected to the Olympians, and by his counsel, Zeus defeated Cronos. But then Zeus punished Prometheus by making plans to destroy all of mankind (Zeus wants to punish him because, like all tyrants, he distrusts even his closest friends for fear of his power being taken from him). Knowing that Prometheus is compassionate to the race of men (since he created them), Zeus hides the gift of fire from mankind, leaving them utterly incapable of performing their skills/crafts of survival, which would lead to their complete destruction. But Prometheus, the god, takes on human flesh and sacrifices his life in order to save and to bring light (fire) to the race of men. As a consequence, Zeus has Prometheus nailed to a rock on a mountain, where vultures will peck out his eyes every day forever.

This story (and many other Greek plays) would have been common and extremely well-known by everybody in that time (perhaps like you and I know the story of Cinderella). So when Paul comes to Greece with the Gospel ("good news") that there was a God who left His throne in heaven to take on human flesh, in order to be the "light of the world" and save men from the curse of death by Himself being nailed to a tree on a mountain... he was speaking their language, to say the least.

Did God take a pagan play about a polytheistic war and a god-man's sacrifice and use it as an evangelistic foundation for Paul to build upon? Could God have inspired those stories in the hearts of Greek men in order to prepare them for the coming of Christ? Does God commonly use "secular" expressions to make His work known to generations of people today, as it seems He did in ancient times?

I would submit that yes, He can and He does. Perhaps we should be less guarded as a "Christian" culture and more confidently aware of what God is working in the hearts of "secular" beings that could be foundational to our witness.

Please POST your thoughts (don't keep them to yourself); the whole point of this series is for you to contribute to the conversation. And after you've commented, please check out the above-mentioned friends' blogs for their responses (Pray Your Gods and Late Night Over Pancakes).

I'll Be 80 Soon

Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week,
But I'll be 80 soon.

And then I will no longer look forward to my life;
I'll look back on what I did with it.

I realize now that I could never work hard enough
or do things great enough in this life
to ever achieve "no regrets."

"I could have done more," my elderly flesh will prod;
"If only I had known then what I know now."

"And what I know now at 80 years of age
is that everything under the sun will fade
And that the only true moments of life that I've made
Are those moments when I loved a neighbor
Are those moments when I heard a friend
Are those moments I reached out to a stranger
Are those moments I didn't pretend."

"Shame that is took me these twenty-nine thousand and two hundred days
To finally make sense of what was worth all that wait:
The world was drowning slowly and I knew that they would die,
But I stayed safe on the lifeboat and turned a blind eye."

Maybe not next birthday, maybe not next year,
But I'll be 80 soon
And their death is my biggest fear.

"Only one life and it will soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last." - Unknown Author

Just When I Thought That My Grace Was Gone

Just when I thought that my grace was gone,
You covered my shame and called me your son;
Just when I thought I failed my last time,
Your stripes stood the trial for my petty crime.

Just when I thought that I'd gone too far,
You patiently drew me back under your arm;
Just when I thought that all hope was lost,
You gave me Your Word, no matter the cost.

Just when I thought that my grace was gone,
You told me that Your love was far and beyond
All of the notions and motions and calm
That I choose to rest in instead of your palm.

Summer School of Rock: Final Exam

Well, the summer is officially over, which means it's final exam time for the Summer School of Rock. It's been a great summer. I've learned a lot, heard a ton of new (old) music, and feel just one step closer to "capable" in a conversation about classic rock. Like I said at the outset of this experiment, my goal this summer was simply to "catch up" on the era of 60's and 70's rock that I missed out on as a twenty-something. I still have a lot to learn, of course, but I think I accomplished my goal fairly efficiently. If I gave myself a letter grade for the course, I think it would be a B+. If I had had more time to commit to it, it would have been a solid A, but alas, I'm not paid to read about Zeppelin or study Pink Floyd CDs.

What would your grade be? Below is a test from my School of Rock learnings:
1. Who is the lead singer of AC/DC?

2. On the famous “Cowbell” sketch on SNL, what 70’s rock band does the cast portray and what’s the name of the song needing “more cowbell”?

3. The name of the Southern Rock band whose lead singer, Ronnie Van Zant, along with several other members of the band and crew died in a plan crash in 1977?

4. The name of the band and the album that can, reportedly, be played simultaneously with The Wizard of Oz as a sort of psychedelic soundtrack?

5. Since most of you know the answer to #4: Same band, who was their chief songwriter through the 70’s and beginning of the 80’s?

6. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones: what was their band called?

7. What highly influential English punk rock band was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and credited with initiating the punk rock movement in the UK even though they only existed for 4 years (1975-1979) and released only one studio album (plus compilations and singles)?

8. This duo formed in 1957 and were together through 1970, and their hit list includes “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” and “Bridge over Troubled Water.” Hall of Fame-rs and #40 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

9. Name the band whose hits include “Come Sail Away” and “Mr. Roboto.” (Hint: it’s one misspelled word, four letters)

10. Pete Townshend was the guitarist and principal songwriter for this band that has been called “the greatest and most influential rock band of all time.”

11. What genre did the band Deep Purple help pioneer?

12. What band released that single that gets in your head and never leaves you alone, “More Than a Feeling”?

13. It is estimated that by 1985, this band had sold over one billion discs and tapes worldwide. They are #1 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

14. Regarded by some as “America’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band,” this group nearly fell apart between 1979 and 1984 due to substance abuse, except for the tireless efforts of then manager, Tim Collins, who reformed the band, got them help for their addictions, and made it possible for this now 38 year old rock band to still perform concerts today to sell-out crowds. (Hint: the lead singer has a daughter in the movies)

15. If you were stranded on an island and could only have one CD to listen to, which would it be?

It's been an eye-opening summer learning about these artists who shaped not only the direction of music but the culture at large. I've always known that music can change the world, but until I dug into researching these bands and saw how their music directly influenced movements, reforms, and the makeup of entire countries, I didn't fully appreciate how deep that truth runs. I look forward to semester 2 of Summer School of Rock in Summer, 2008.

Check back soon for the answers to the final exam questions above. Post your answers so we can all see how brilliant you are.