Prodigal

I'm usually on the tail end of "new music" that's out - on mainstream radio. I've been loving that song "Apologize" - remix version from "Timbaland." It's on iTunes - but check out the group that actually wrote and originally performed the song - OneRepublic. They have a song on their album called "Prodigal." Here's the lyrics. I wonder if they meant to shine the Gospel so clearly:We say good-bye I turn my back Run away, run away So predictable Not far from here You see me crack Like a bone, like a bone I'm so breakable And I take…
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New Music, again . . .

I haven't been blogging much lately, but have also been in the middle of the seasonal marathon, which ends early this year, due to a bizarre spring equinox and a moon phase schedule. Anyway, we're doing some new music lately in church, which led me to realize that I haven't updated our music list lately - so here's the new stuff, on top of the old stuff.NEW - Steve Fee:Glorious OneAll Because of JesusNEW - Vicky Beeching:The Wonder of the CrossGreat is Your GloryKeith Getty and Stuart Townend:The Power of the CrossIn Christ AloneBrenton Brown:Everlasting GodDave Lubben:Lay it DownRonnie Freeman:NEW…
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Let the children come . . .

We're sitting around the dinner table last night, discussing school, and our days, etc. Drake has been listening to his mom's rehearsal CD, and there's a song called "The Real Jesus," by downhere. Mandy says - Drake, tell dad what the song means. Drake says - "Dad - it's someone that wants to be born again, he ASKING for someone to show him who Jesus really is." I told him "great answer," to which he responds "yeah, and I didn't even need help."
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The Christmas Program

There is a specific moment and experience that happens for me during our Christmas programs - and it's occurred over the past few years, with each program. It's the moment when we get ready to start the first song, and I sit at the piano - and watch Linus - the character created by Charles Shultz back in the 60's, finally explain what Christmas is really all about. It's actually one of the hardest parts for me to make it through without getting teary, as it's such a simple reminder of where our focus needs to be. And this morning…
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New CD's Available

Just in time for Christmas - I'm releasing the last two seasonal programs that we've done, on CD. And they're great! Last year's Christmas program - "Do You Know Him" and this year's Palm Sunday program - "The Revelation Song," are going to be available at the welcome desk starting this Sunday.
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Time to start thinking about Easter

This year, Palm Sunday and Easter border our spring break, so we're planning a "not really Palm Sunday Spectacular Spectacular," for March 9. Yes. March 9. That Sunday also has the added bonus of being "Spring Forward" Sunday for Daylight Savings Time.So I thought it might benefit Mom and the 4 others that read this to know WHY Easter is so early this year (March 23). Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that follows the first day of Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere). Clear?So - mom, and the 4 others, please tell the choir that…
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He was going deaf, and crazy . . .

and writing incredible music. Music always reveals things to me as only music can - through its unique transcendence - but lately I'm going through a classical music phase - especially classical piano. I have this one piano student that's working on the Moonlight Sonata - by Beethoven. The emotion that he [Beethoven] wrapped up in that piece of music is so thick . . . I wonder if a non-musical type can sense it. He wrote it when he was 31, and had been dealing with the symptoms of going deaf for about 3 years. He had a constant…
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It's not that I lied . . .

it's just that I intentionally avoided ever touching an iPhone. Until this guy - let's call him "Bob" got one. And he let me see it, and then I had to have one. And it is quite possibly the coolest piece of technology that I've ever had/used - and I've used some pretty cool technology.From a phone standpoint, I have improved reception in my office and home (still have the same wireless service). From a technology standpoint - it's like having my Mac on my hip. Email is seamless, safari is fast, and it connects to wi-fi networks.
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