Christmas Carols - The Best Of

Unfortunately, we have to endure some pretty awful Christmas carols throughout this season. Thankfully, there are enough fantastic Christmas songs to make up for the terrible ones. But as it's probably obvious to all of you,  how on earth would you know which ones are the good ones if you didn't have me and this wonderful blog?? So here it is. The best of the best. The elite. The top dogs. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Best Songs of the Season. Hold on a sec. A couple quick notes: these are in no particular order and I'm not just listing the best songs, but the best versions of said songs. Enjoy!

"Where Are You Christmas?" - Faith Hill
Faith Hill is just fantastic. The song is solid. It has classic Christmas lyrics about the world changing, and the singer rearranging. And the woman puts in two freaking modulations (key changes for the rest of you). So she automatically makes the list with this song.
Listen to the song here

"White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
If you don't absolutely love this song, then you have the looks of Ebenezer Scrooge, the heart of the Grinch (pre-growth), and the nastiness of Harry Lyme. Bing Crosby is incredible. One of the best singers of all time. And "White Christmas is the PERFECT Christmas song. P.S. It's disgusting that this blog website thinks that "Bing" is spelled wrong. What an insult.
Listen to the song here

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Dean Martin
Another amazing singer. When Dean Martin croons, the ladies swoon. This song is great because I'm a hopeless romantic. I love the idea of being by a warm fire, cuddled up with the girl of my dreams, watching the snow fall outside.
Listen to the song here

"The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole
This song brings in elements of both "White Christmas" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside". It's aptly titled "The Christmas Song" because it's the most Christmasy (not a word, I know) song out there. And Nat King Cole is the man. I love his voice. Plus, his name is "Nat".
Listen to the song here

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" - Bruce Springsteen
You just got to love this version. The Boss once again proves why he's the boss. The song is fun, fast, and enjoyable. "Hey Clarence, were you good this year so you can get a new saxophone?" Love it.
Listen to the song here

"Holly Jolly Christmas" - Burl Ives
Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman singing this song is awesome. The best version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ends with this song. Just classic, good old-fashioned Christmas enjoyment.
Listen to the song here

"You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" - Thurl Ravenscroft
First off, if you didn't know that the dude that sings this song has a name of "Thurl", you do now. What a great name! It's even better than Burl! How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of the best flicks ever (the animated version with Boris Karloff). And I love using the phrase "I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine and a half foot pole".
Listen to the song here

"Run Rudolph Run" - Chuck Berry
Another super fun song. Chuck Berry is the one the best rockers ever (also one of the first). I listen to this song year round.
Listen to the song here

"Little Saint Nick" - The Beach Boys
I love the Beach Boys' sound. Little Saint Nick is a light, fun carol and the fact that the Beach Boys wrote a Christmas song (they've actually written several) is just great.
Listen to the song here

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Judy Garland
I'm glad this made the list because there is a shortage of female artists on this list. But how could Judy not make it? The song is great on its own, first of all, but when Judy sings it, it transports the song to another level. You just have to close your eyes and listen to Judy sing to you.
Listen to the song here

"O Come Let Us Adore Him" - Hillsong
This is probably my favorite religious Christmas song. Hillsong just came out with their version and it's incredible. The song is really powerful. I'm not entirely sure why this is considered a Christmas carol, but I don't care. It's simple, yet so incredibly moving.
Listen to the song here

"Let it Snow" - Frank Sinatra
How could I not put a Christmas carol sung by old Blue Eyes? It would of been a travesty. And it doesn't matter which one. Frank's amazing regardless.
Listen to the song here.

"Beautiful World" - Jim Brickman
Whenever I watch Jim Brickman live, I can't help but smile. The way he plays and sings makes me believe that everything is going to be OK. Like I never have to worry again. "Beautiful World" has incredible lyrics as well. Just an all-around fantastic song.
Listen to the song here.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this and listening to the music as I did writing it. Have a very merry Christmas!

The Worst Christmas Songs of All Time

These guys should of never been allowed to record a Christmas song

Bing Crosby first recorded "White Christmas" in 1942. 70 years later and it's still deemed one of the greatest, most popular Christmas songs of all time. But why is that? Why is "White Christmas" so eternal, so legendary, so timeless? First reason: Irving Berlin is awesome. He wrote about the perfect Christmas setting in a way no one else can. He's a brilliant songwriter. Second reason: Bing Crosby sings it. And let's face it: Bing is king. No one compares. There is nothing better than relaxing in front of the fire on a blustery Christmas Eve night with your loved ones, with Bing softly crooning in the background, and a mug of steaming hot cocoa with extra marshmallows.

Unfortunately, they don't make 'em like they used to. Radio stations: this is your fault. The audacity you have for allowing horrific music to grace the public airways! Your taste in music can be quite appalling. Granted, it's not like we have this unlimited pool of Christmas songs to draw from to play night and day from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I'm sure the radio stations get a little desperate to mix it up a bit and not be too repetitive. Of course if it was up to me, I have a list of about 20 songs that they could play on repeat for the entire holiday season, and I'd be perfectly content. As for all the other Christmas tunes, we're better off leaving them on the proverbial shelf.

But for some songs, it wouldn't be enough to just "leave them on the shelf." Some songs need to be completely removed from the face of the earth. Some songs are so bad, I want a neurosurgeon to surgically remove any memory I have of ever listening to them. You know how people pray for their own "Christmas miracle"? Well, my Christmas miracle is to wake up to a world where the good Lord himself has destroyed any and all traces of these atrocious, awful, wanna-be Christmas carols.

You're probably wondering which songs I'm referring to. Well I took the time and pleasure to put them in a nice list here for you. That way, you can take steps to avoid these at all possible. You can thank me later. *Editor's Note: These are not in any particular order or ranking. They're all equally irritating.

"Santa Baby" - Madonna
This was actually written in the 50's for Eartha Kitt to sing. And Eartha is awesome. But then Madonna was born. I'm pretty sure the world ended. If it didn't end then, it ended in 1987 when Madonna recorded her version of "Santa Baby." Madonna attempts to mimic the style of Marilyn Monroe and fails miserably. What's worse is that there are many people who legitimately believe it's Marilyn singing. What an insult! No one can emulate Marilyn. If Michelle Williams can't do it right, then Madonna certainly can't. The song comes off as whiny, annoying, and grating on my precious ears.
Listen to the song here.

"Same Old Lang Syne" - Dan Fogelberg
Just because a song mentions Christmas Eve or snow, it doesn't mean it's a Christmas song. This song is way too depressing. It's about some dude who runs into an old flame at Tops (or Wegmans, if you're a snob), they chat it up for a few hours, and then go their separate ways. Probably the lamest thing I have heard in my entire life. Why couldn't they rekindle the love? Or do what most people do and ignore each other in the cereal aisle, hoping the other person doesn't say anything! To top it off, good old Dan Fogelberg ends the song singing how the "snow turns into rain." Dan should have his vocal cords removed so he can never sing again.
Listen to the song here.

"Last Christmas" - Wham!
Everything about this song screams, "I had a one-night stand with a call-girl on Christmas Day and couldn't afford to keep her any longer. This year, I'm purchasing a mail-order bride from PersianWifeFinder.com." And that's all I have to say about that.
Listen to the song here.

"Do They Know it's Christmastime?" - Band-Aid
To enlighten you, this is the song where Bono and like 50 other big name artists in the 80's got together to sing a song to raise awareness of the hunger issue in Africa. Good intentions, but the lyrics are awful. You've heard the song a million times, but you've probably never really listened to it. So read the lyrics and you'll see why. If you're too lazy to do that, I'll just tell you. Bono is bragging that we have it better in America than the Africans do. It's kind of awkward. And yet hilarious. But regardless of how entertaining it is, it makes for a god-awful Christmas carol.
Listen to the song here.

"The 12 Pains of Christmas" - Bob Rivers
Just what we need. A Christmas carol that points out the supposed frustrating moments of the holidays. I thought carols were supposed to bring Christmas cheer, not take it away. This song is annoying, pathetic, and sung by people who clearly have zero talent. It's not even that original. But then again, most parodies aren't.
Listen to the song here.

"Wonderful Christmastime" - Paul McCartney
I'm so brave to be bashing a Paul McCartney song. This song is just downright annoying. The way he sings, "simply having a wonderful Christmastime" over and over again, makes me want to never celebrate Christmas again.
Listen to the song here.

"Christmas Shoes" - Newsong
I know, how dare I criticize a song that mentions Jesus, dying people, and cute kids! But someone needs to say it. And I'll gladly do it. While I love listening to and singing this song, and the Rob Lowe movie is something everyone should watch (HA), I do it all to make fun of it relentlessly. It is so cheesy and way over the top. It takes a great concept and beats it to an ugly, bloody pulp. The song is so bad, I envy the mother mentioned in the song because she dies and is spared ever having to hear the song. The rest of us are left to suffer. To top it off, they have a bunch of kids singing the ending. It's like putting salt on an open wound. I hate you, Newsong.
Listen to the song here.

Stay tuned to an upcoming, less ranting, more raving post about the best Christmas songs ever. But in the meantime, give me some feedback! Did I miss something? Do you actually love a song on this list? Please say no...

The Newsboys Broke My Heart

DISCLAIMER: This blog post will be mentioning mostly old-school Christian music trivia. I apologize if you have no idea who or what I'm talking about, or more likely, could care less. But if you decide to plunge into this post, your experience will be much more enjoyable if you follow all of the hyperlinks. Even if you think you know what I'm talking about, click them anyway. I put a lot of work in those. Good luck!

PROLOGUE

The good Lord always said to forgive those who've wronged you. I've heard countless messages on how important it is to forgive and move on. Messages on how bitterness and resentment can eat away at you from the inside and leave nothing left, but a shell of who you once were.

That being said, I will never forgive the Newsboys for what they did. And by never, I mean never. I am astoundingly bitter and angry towards them. I am shocked and offended and hurt. And I'm 75% certain Jesus hasn't forgiven them either. I will carry this resentment with me to the grave.

CHAPTER 1: THE STORY

Who are the Newsboys? Good question. Here's their Wikipedia page. If you're too lazy, then just know that they're a Christian rock group from Australia that got their start in the '80's and are still going strong. But they're more than just a band. These guys have been a staple, a cornerstone, in the Christian music community since they started. Plus, they're not just a cornerstone in the overall Christian community but an incredible influence on me personally.



My good-looking parents

I adored the Newsboys. In fact, they were the first "real" band I became a fan of. I remember being in elementary school where the only music I listened to was Psalty's Kids Praise and Mr. Donut Man. That stuff was awesome by the way. It was all pre-VeggieTales. But then I discovered "big people" music. Music that wasn't sung by a group of five year-olds. And the first cassette I got from the wonderful Donald and Karen Hirtzel? The Newsboys' "Going Public" album. The one with "Shine" on it. That album was freaking awesome.

As I began to immerse myself into music, I started going to concerts as well. And one of the first concerts I ever went to? Newsboys at Kingdom Bound. I was like 13 and it was amazing. I was in awe. They were incredible both in the studio and live. I had every single album of theirs. Every single one. Correction: my little brother technically owned the "Not Ashamed" album, but we shared it.

CHAPTER 2: THE GLORY DAYS

I wish I could describe to you how great it was to be a fan of the Newsboys in the '90's and early 2000's. They were so awesome. They could do no wrong. I even liked their "Love Liberty Disco" album. If you had to listen to one song by the Newsboys, this is it:

Probably their best song ever. Sung by their bassist, Phil Joel. Which reminds me of another way this band had an impact on my life. I started learning the bass guitar when I was 16 and Phil Joel was my inspiration. He was so cool (still is). He was a surfer dude, he'd play bass barefoot on stage, and held the bass like it was a double bass. I emulated him (without the long hair) perfectly. I wanted to be just like him. I'll never forget one show I went to where he sang a medley of Entertaining Angels and Jason Upton's "No Sacrifice." It was life-changing.

You're probably wondering, if this band was so great, what on earth happened? Well, let me tell you. It all started the day Peter Furler left.

Peter Furler was with the band from its inception (sans Leo DiCaprio). He was their drummer and then when the original lead singer, John James, left, Furler stepped up to the microphone (pun intended). And the Newsboys continued to be awesome. In fact, I believe they got better. In the Peter Furler era, their best albums came out, including "Thrive" and "Step Up to The Microphone".

Needless to say, I was devastated when Peter Furler said he would be stepping down. I may have cried a little. But I was optimistic. I mean, this is the Newsboys were talking about here. They're incredible. They'll have a brilliant solution and continue to be awesome... ....right?

CHAPTER 3: THE DOWNFALL

Boy, was I wrong.

They picked Michael Tait to be the front man. Yes, that Michael Tait. As in, dc Talk's Michael Tait. I won't get into dc Talk here. That's a blog post for another day. Plus, it's too depressing to think about. I listen to the "Jesus Freak" album religiously (pun intended once again) even to this day. But to enlighten you, dc Talk was another juggernaut of a Christian rock group. They were huge, just like the Newsboys. But the beauty of these two bands was that they were separate. There were the Newsboys and then there was dc Talk. Not together. Never together. It's like putting Mick Jagger and David Bowie together. It should never, ever happen. Ever.

But they did it anyway. And it was awful. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Tait is a great guy. But there's a reason why he was the third-most important member out the the three members of dc Talk. It's like when A.J. from the Backstreet Boys went solo. No one cared. Have any of you heard Tait's solo work? Of course not. You have better things to do, like file your nails or organize your sock drawer.

So now we have the latest version of the Newsboys. As a small blessing, Peter Furler came back as a producer and to aid in songwriting, but that's it. No singing or playing. And instead we have a 45 year-old in tight leather pants trying to sing the Breakfast Song. It's insulting. I won't even try to find a video of him singing it because I'm pretty sure God will smite me for doing so. And the albums they've come out with in the last couple of years have been sub-par. They're lacking the brilliant metaphors and wit that we have come to expect out of this group. And the stage presence they had is gone as well. It seems that now they rely more on their reputation to carry them along than anything else. Simply put, Tait tries too hard and fails miserably.

EPILOGUE

Well, there you have it. And now on with some damage control. I want to apologize first to my readers for having to endure my ranting. Second, I'm sorry, Michael Tait, for being so mean. But you should of known better. And when you leave the Newsboys, can you get dc Talk back together? Thanks. Third, I'm sorry, Newsboys, for refusing to listen to your music for the last three years. But I'm giving you the silent treatment like a 15 year-old girl would.

I'm holding onto hope because the Newsboys' long-time guitarist, Jody Davis, came back after a five-year hiatus, so maybe Peter Furler will do the same. Maybe the archangel, Gabriel, will come to him in a dream and tell him to stop being lame and get back up there and save the day. Please stand with me in fervent expectation.

Let's throw Thanksgiving a pity party

Let's face it, Thanksgiving got the holiday shaft.

Try to remember the time when you actually cared about Thanksgiving. When you actually cared about those poor Pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower, and then being starving, cold, and miserable, and then finally the Indians (excuse me, I mean Native Americans) coming to the rescue. And now, to commemorate the Native Americans (what a mouthful, is that why Chris Columbus called them Indians?) being awesome, we have a holiday. We learned that all in school, probably when we were like five years old, and it was cool because we got to spend the weeks before Thanksgiving drawing cornucopias, tracing our hands to make drawings of turkeys, making Pilgrim hats and paper feathers to stick in our hair, etc. Ah, the halcyon days of youth!

But once you get to an age where it looks ridiculous doing arts & crafts, it all goes down the tubes. Thanksgiving is no longer anything special.

For those of you who might want to argue with me, let's review what could possibly make Thanksgiving a great holiday. Here are some possibilities and why they're wrong:

1) Religion

It's not a religious holiday. Yeah, I know, the Pilgrims came to the new world to escape religious persecution. But Thanksgiving wasn't formed the day they stepped off the boat. It was founded on what happened after a horrific winter where everyone pretty much died. It's more of a celebration that they survived. Plus, no one goes to church on Thanksgiving. We either participate in the Turkey Trot, a Turkey Bowl, cook, or, if we're in NYC, attend the parade.

2) Santa Claus

We don't get presents. Which is not cool. Santa doesn't come on this day. Knowing this is almost as devastating as when I realized that Paul Revere does not come galloping on his horse into town to deliver presents on Independence Day.

3) Weather

In Buffalo, the weather always sucks on Thanksgiving. Rare is it where we can look out a window and see a beautiful, snow-covered landscape. I can remember only one year we actually had snow. And maybe one year where it was sunny and warm. Most of the time it's raining. And it's not a pleasant summer rain. It's a freezing, awful rain. Everything is muddy and gross and cold.

4) Music

There are no Thanksgiving songs. Seasonal songs don't count because most of them include snow and if you didn't skip #3, then you know that we don't get snow. In case you don't know what a seasonal song is, think of "Sleigh Ride".

5) Traditions

99% of American families have only two traditions with Thanksgiving. Food and football. Except those aren't traditions. This is America and that's all we do - eat food and watch football. Thanksgiving isn't any different. Now we just have an excuse to pig out and watch the Detroit Lions lose in the middle of the week.

6) Family

OK, I'll admit, it is nice to see the family, but that's just me. So many people I talk to don't stop complaining about having to see the in-laws or complaining about how many stops they need to make during the day. Plus, obviously, you will see them all in a month anyway for Christmas.

The bottom line is, because of these factors, no one really cares about Thanksgiving. We could of called it anything, as long as people can still eat & watch football on a random Thursday, we're all OK. And if Thanksgiving was so important, why on earth does it not get its own day, like Christmas? The third Thursday of November? Really?!?? The holiday really got boned on that one. At least Easter has a little logic involved. Something about a full moon, Lent, Jesus, vampires, or something. And who picked Thursday, anyway? Random.

All that being said, I'm glad we have Thanksgiving because I'm a pig, I like watching football, I like my family, and I still secretly draw turkeys using my hand as a stencil. And of course, there are always extenuating circumstances as to why maybe, in your specific situation, Thanksgiving is especially special. But for the collective America, it's safe to say that Thanksgiving got the shaft.

The Best and Worst Christmas Films Ever

It's about a week until Thanksgiving, so you know what that means! It's Christmastime! But really, it is. Local Buffalo radio stations like 102.5 and 96.1 have been playing seasonal music for a couple of weeks now, every retail store in America is decked out in decorations, homeowners are beginning to decorate their houses, etc, etc. And of course this stirs up some anger and irritation in people where they begin to rant and rave about how "it's too early" and "it's not even Thanksgiving yet". But not me. Personally, I love listening to Christmas music all year round. A close friend and I have been notorious for driving around Buffalo, belting out Faith Hill's "Where Are You Christmas" in July. 

I remember the movie Garden State with Zach Braff (what ever happened to him anyway?), where Natalie Portman's (the girl who turns into a swan in a later movie) character has a Christmas tree up at her house all year. That's my kind of girl. I love this time of year. So if the world starts early with Christmas, I'm on board.

But I digress. I have a purpose for this post, I truly do. Just bear with me.  Let's say that we live in a cruel, terrible world where an ordinary citizen is only allowed to watch a total of three Christmas movies each holiday season. OK, OK, stop weeping. It's merely a hypothetical situation. In the real world, we have ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas (yay!). So no worries. But back to imaginary land... You have to pick 3 movies. That's it. What would you choose? You don't have to worry because I have incredible taste in Christmas films. Below is the absolute best three Christmas movies of all time. And for good measure, below is also the absolute worst three Christmas movies of all time. And trust me, the good ones are great, and the bad ones are god-awful.

P.S. These are also Jesus' top 3 and bottom 3, so you can't argue with me. He told me himself.

THE BEST

3) The Santa Clause
This movie is fantastic. Tim Allen at his best (when he's not Buzz Lightyear). The entire movie is hilarious and is universal. As much as I loved it as a kid, I know I will love it just as much as a middle-aged man. This is the movie that my brother would beg for us to watch when it was his turn to pick the movie. And that was in June. And we were totally OK with it. If you don't like this movie, you probably don't have any friends.
Watch the trailer here

2) Elf
This movie was a pleasant surprise. It has been a long time since a great Christmas movie has come out before Elf did. In fact, I believe the last great film was #3 on our list. And that's a nine year difference. And Jon Favreau (the man behind the Iron Man movies) blesses us with this instant classic. Elf is freaking amazing. Will Ferrell is a genius actor. He was absolutely perfect for the role. And getting Sonny Corleone, I mean, James Caan, in it was also a brilliant move. I could outline some of the best scenes, but there are too many. A friend and I were quoting this movie together and laughing just thinking about the scenes. That's how good it is. This movie will be a timeless classic for many, many years. Just like #1 on the list.
Watch the trailer here

1) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
OK, just to clarify which Rudolph movie I'm talking about, this is the 1964 stop-motion TV special with Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman. The other ones, I am proud to say, I have never seen. And I don't plan to. Because this version, the Burl Ives one, is 47 years old and is as amazing today as I'm sure it was when my father saw it when it first aired (because he's old).  Plus it has Burl in it. And Burl is fantastic. I will have this a movie my kids see when I'm a parent and I hope they continue the tradition.
Watch clips here

Because you all will complain, here are some honorable mentions: National Lampoon Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, It's A Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, White Christmas, and A Muppet's Christmas Carol.

THE WORST

3) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure.
For the record, the longer the title, the worse the movie will be. It never fails. Case in point: this wanna-be Christmas flick. Chevy Chase intelligently stayed away from it and so the starring role went to Randy Quaid (the crazy pilot from Independence Day). I never saw it (thank the dear Lord), but I have heard from a trusted source that it's pretty darn bad. So I will continue to stay away from it.

Watch the trailer here. Oh wait never mind. The movie was so bad, I can't even find a trailer video for it.

2) Fred Claus
Most of you probably haven't seen this. Good for you. It's got Paul Giamatti playing Santa and Vince Vaughn playing his idiot brother. And speaking of idiots, this movie idiotic. It's so lame. The comedy is few and far in-between. I can't believe Rachel Weisz wanted to do this and yet wouldn't do a third Mummy movie (I still haven't forgiven her for that).
Watch the trailer here

1) Eight Crazy Nights
Let's just forget that this is technically a Hanukkah movie. It's still the same season. Question: What do you get when you add an animated movie, a musical, and Adam Sandler?  Answer: A crappy movie. The movie is crude, dirty, and pointless. And it's not even funny. It's a complete waste of time. And the animation drew the Adam Sandler character to look like the actual Adam Sandler. Didn't the creators of A Scanner Darkly do the same thing? And look how that turned out! They never learn...
Watch the trailer here

Some honorable mentions: Frosty Returns, Bad Santa, Jack Frost, Christmas with the Kranks, and Four Christmases.

Now you know which movies to watch this season, and which movies to buy DVD copies of and then burn ceremoniously in your backyard. Let me know if I missed something or if you actually think that Fred Claus was funny (because it wasn't).

Christian Artists You Should Be Listening To

Alright folks, this is for all you Christian music enthusiasts who've been living under rocks for the last year. Below, I listed some Christian music artists, their latest albums, and the top songs from those albums that you should be listening to. Some of these artists you've heard, some you haven't, and some you've heard of but never cared to check them out. But now I'm telling you to. You have no choice. So get out a pen and paper, and write this all down, then head over to iTunes and download away! Or, if you're old, get in your car and drive to Bender's Christian Supplies to get the cassette tape. Whatever works for you!

1) Hillsong United - Aftermath
By now, we all know who these guys are. They're a staple in the Christian music industry. The awesome thing is, their latest album, "Aftermath", is undoubtedly their best yet. I have a hard time picking out just 1 or 2 songs to really listen to because it's all amazing. But check out "Rhythms of Grace", "Awakening", and "Like an Avalanche". And be ready to have your mind blown because it's a tad different from the United you're used to.

2) Elevation Worship - Kingdom Come

First off, I'm super proud of Love Joy Church for knowing who these guys are. We're so hip! Love Joy's worship team has done the song "Sun Stand Still" that coincides with the book we're all reading. But seriously, the band is incredible. The CD is really powerful. The top 2 songs to check out: "The Church" and "Give Me Faith". I love their style and the lyrics are really powerful.

3) David Crowder Band - Church Music
If you never got on the DC*B bandwagon before now, shame on you. I'm disappointed. But you can get back in my good graces if you start listening to them right now. And since they're breaking up, you have a lot of catching up to do. And they're pulling out all the stops in their final albums. "Church Music" was incredible and besides their Christmas album, there will be one more coming out next year, titled "Give Us Rest (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys])". I've never been more pumped for an album to come out! Songs to check out on the "Church Music" album: "SMS (Shine)", "Alleluia, Sing", and "Oh, Happiness".

4) Gungor - Ghosts Upon the Earth
Ever since Michael Gungor went cool and changed his band's name from The Michael Gungor Band to simply Gungor, they've come out with some incredible stuff. Their latest album is even better than last year's, "Beautiful Things". And from last year's album, check out the song "Beautiful Things". From "Ghosts", listen to "This is Not the End" and "When Death Dies".

5) John Mark McMillan - Economy
Alright you psychos, it's time to stop being obsessed with JMM's hit single, "How He Loves". Seriously, it's gone too far. Granted, it's an amazing song, but I swear, if I hear one more cover of it , I'll go ballistic. So let's be mature adults, and move on. So you have to listen to his latest, "Economy." It is so freaking good. JMM is one of the best songwriters I have ever heard. The song to listen to? "Sheet of Night". (P.S. the best cover of "How He Loves" is DC*B's)

6) Jon Foreman - Any of his "Seasons" EPs
OK, so this is kind of old. These EPs came out almost 4 years ago, but I feel bad because no one knows about them. Everyone loves Switchfoot and rightly so. They're an incredible band. But their lead singer, Jon Foreman, has done some awesome solo work. They have a folksy, mellow sound to them, and the songwriting is phenomenal. I love the song "Equally Skilled".

7) United Pursuit Band - In the Night Season
This band is mind-blowing. Their songwriting, their passion, and their talent is incredible. I thought I was alone in the world in knowing who these guys were and then I met someone very cool over the summer who knew them better than me! It was at that moment that I knew that everything would be OK. This whole album is awesome but definitely check out "Kingdom". And while you're at it, try to find "Fill Me Up" because it's their best song ever and I can't find it anywhere to download. It's very sad. But not too sad because the music I can download is freaking awesome.

8) Brian and Katie Torwalt - Here On Earth

So I've known about these guys for about a day. And I love them. Incredibly talented and anointed. I'm not surprised that they're under the Jesus Culture Music record label. And it makes me want to marry a girl who can sing for the sole purpose of doing something like this. It's selfish, I know. The two songs I'm loving off the album are "Glorious" and "He is Faithful".

Ladies and gentlemen, don't be afraid of change. Jesus won't hate you if you suspend your overuse of albums from 2003 (or 1993) and if you say goodbye to Michael W. Smith, Don Moen, and Chris Tomlin (at least temporarily). Stay up with the times, realize that there is incredible music out there to be discovered, and download like crazy! (Or buy CDs, but c'mon, who does that anymore?)



Let me know if I missed something amazing!

Why Facebook is destroying America (and the world)

So why is Facebook destroying everything we know and love?

One word: Accountability.

The biggest issue with Facebook is that no one is accountable for their actions on this blessed/cursed social networking site. People can just post, comment, link, like, tag, etc., etc., etc. whatever they want at any time they want, wherever they want to. And seldom are there repercussions for those actions.

I suppose if a dude posts that he got totally wasted last night, he might not nail that job interview the next day, or if the girl posts provocative photos, her father might ground her. That stuff is obvious. But what about the more seemingly trivial posts and comments. The ones that seem harmless. Who's watching out for those? No one. Absolutely no one.

What posts I'm talking about, you ask? Here's a list for you:

1) Any posts from someone who has seven more posts for the day. No one is that interesting. Please stop.
2) The dude who posts full chapters of the Bible. How about you just tell us the reference and we'll look it up ourselves.
3) The girl whose only posts are song lyrics. If you can't think of anything to say, log off.
4) The girl who comments on every post of every single friend she has, every day. You're trying way too hard and no one likes you.
5) The person who posts 50 pictures from the downtown drinking fest they were at last night. If there's anything more unattractive than you, it's you when you're drunk.
6) The person who comments on photos or posts from years ago. No one else wants to reminisce. You just brought up a time we probably all want to forget.
7) Girls whose only photos of themselves are with the "duckface." It is rarely, if ever, attractive. Just smile. You'll be surprised at how gorgeous girls can be if they would just smile.
7b) Guys who do the duckface. You need to be taken out back and shot
8) People who use Facebook to constantly gripe about every issue they have. If your grandmother is in the hospital, then yes, you can let us know. If you're fighting with your 7th boyfriend in the last 3 months, we could care less.
9) Disastrously bad spelling. You most likely have a full keyboard in front of you and some form of spellcheck. Type like someone who spent at least one day in school.

And my favorite...

10) People who put hashtags in their posts. I'll make this very simple for you people. HASHTAGS ARE FOR TWITTER. They don't work in Facebook (if you even know what they're for). So you can stop.

My last issue is for those that can say that they don't do any of the above, yet do something just as wrong. A wise man once said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." I'm calling out all you enablers out there. The ones that comment and applaud these wrongdoers, telling them that it's ok to use Facebook in such a delinquent way. It is the friends of these misusers of Facebook that have an obligation of holding them to a higher standard.

So to answer the question, who's holding these people accountable?

We all should.

FEEDBACK: Do you have another issue with how people use Facebook? Please share below!

My life up until this point...

I've been on a much needed sabbatical from worship leading for about four months now. It's been probably the most enlightening, educational, and incredible experience I've ever had. It's crazy what God will show you when you shut up, stop doing whatever it is you're doing, and listen.

While most of my time this past summer has been spent focused on growing spiritually, receiving healing in certain areas of my life, and just getting some desperately needed rest, I've also used the last four months to hone my musical talents (or lack thereof). I've listened to more artists, discovered more new bands, written more music, and practiced more than ever before. It's been amazing.

I plan on using this blog to share with you all some artists that have really impressed me and the songs they've written. Hillsong United, Elevation Worship, and Jesus Culture all have some incredible stuff that has blown me away both spiritually and musically. And they are just three bands. There is so much more out there.

So while I'm becoming increasingly anxious to jump on the worship team bandwagon again, I'm making the most of my break to sharpen myself both spiritually and musically (my two greatest passions), and I hope to show you all some amazing music as well!

Side hugs & Jesus Jukes,

Greg

Halloween is the best holiday EVER

OK, I don't really think that Halloween is the best holiday ever. I was just trying to get your attention. You see, as Christians, we have no idea how to handle this holiday. As in other topics such as this, we end up going on one extreme side or the other.


Being totally honest, I feel like Halloween has gotten the shaft by Christians. I know that Halloween has less than stellar origins. All of this talk of druids, paganism, and sacrifices make it a little unnerving to people. Plus, the whole idea of scary stories, costumes, and darker decorations is contradictory to the light, innocent pastel colors of other holidays that make people feel warm and fuzzy. Sometimes I wonder if Christians don't like to celebrate it simply because it's the one major holiday that doesn't have religious origins. 

I have to admit though, I like Halloween. And it comes down to two reasons: 1) I love candy and 2) I love Fall (maybe also because I love toilet papering houses).

Let me be frank, who really cares of the origins of Halloween? When two adorable little kids dressed up as a princess and a teenage mutant ninja turtle show up at your doorstep, yelling out "trick or treat" in singsong voices, are you going to scream at them for being heathens, leave them with a copy of the Gospel of John, and anoint them with oil? Of course not! You're going to give them each a couple of fun-sized Kit Kat bars (my personal favorite) and send them along. And you'll smile, thinking about how desperate they are to eat that deliciousness but mom won't let them because she has to check for razor blades first.

Well guess what, Halloween-hater, you just unwittingly endorsed Halloween. Your argument is invalid.

The only other point I have is how Halloween can be a time to appreciate the season. Fall is by far my favorite season (I'll probably save most of the gushing for a separate post). The colors, apple cider, cool evenings, pumpkins, etc, it's the best. When I think of Halloween, I think of Fall. It's a beautiful time of year and a way to celebrate it without thinking about psycho family members, Black Friday, and icy roads.


Bottom line, if you have a serious beef with Halloween, lighten up. In this day and age, no one is sacrificing virgins, or worshiping goats. Instead, we're dressing up as ghosts and Spiderman, and getting loads of candy. We're chaperoning kids down streets for hours. We're chasing punk teenagers off our property with a water hose. We're carving pumpkins and drinking hot apple cider (ew). We're watching Nightmare on Elm Street for the eightieth time and still freaking out. We've secretly DVRed Casper (not me, I swear). Let's enjoy it!


Here's a video for some smiles. (I apologize for the random song playing over it)

So so-called inherent evils of rock and roll

One of the greatest debates between the older generations and the younger. As good, kind Christians, what's the policy of having rock music on your iPod? You can thank Audio Adrenaline for addressing this issue:

Enjoy.

The fail-proof formula to see if you're getting into heaven

One of the greatest theological debates of our time is in answering the question, "How does one get into heaven?" A valid question, indeed. While this may be looking at it too "black-and-white," most people fall into one of two categories. Good works or grace. Some of the other labels are "the law or grace", "religion or relationship", "Old Testament or New", etc. Well, I'm not here to judge one or the other. In fact, Pastor Robert Morris has a great teaching on how both are relevant today. Regardless of what side of the fence you're on, I have developed a infallible, mathematical formula to determine your eternal destination. You can thank me later.

For the "grace" people, the formula fairly straightforward.

----
Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior = Heaven-bound
----

Simple and to the point. Hard to get confused. Sure, there's a bit more to it, but read Romans and John to start off and you'll be OK.

For the more "law-abiding" ones, it gets a bit harried. Wish me luck as I try to type this out.

----
(The age you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior) + (The number of Republicans you voted for) + (How many church-approved instruments you play) - (The number of times you held the hand of a girl or guy outside of marriage) / [(The number of boyfriends or girlfriends you had before marriage - How many kids you have that are following the Lord) + (The number of tattoos on your body - Your average tithe amount)] + (How many Bible college classes you've taken - How many non-Bible college classes you've taken)   =   Heaven-bound 
----

Let's face it. We're all screwed.



EDITOR'S NOTE: I would also like to point out that if you did not vote for Bush in both the 2000 and 2004 elections, you have a zero chance of making it past the Pearly Gates. George is Jesus' home-boy.

The inevitable downfall of Facebook

Facebook can be undeniably described as a juggernaut. USA Today reported that as of the end of June 2011, there are more than 750 million users. That's a lot of a people. Comparing apples to apples, MySpace has only 20 million. Everyone has a Facebook account. I mean, my freaking dog has one. You can do just about anything via Facebook. From the simple status updates and pictures uploads to extensive gaming and other application usage. For a new user to first log on to Facebook, it is quite impossible to fathom every tool, every gadget, and every app available to use. Actually, it's just as impossible for a veteran Facebook user.

I happen to be one of those veterans. Facebook was originally just open to college students. Plus, not every college was even part of it, but my alma mater, UB, was. Facebook came out in 2004, which is when I started using it, in my freshman year. It was awesome. It was a great way, as I was a new student not knowing many people, for me to connect with my classmates, as well as to stay in touch with my high school friends.

I'd say that the first milestone that caused FB to become huge, but also to lose some of its uniqueness and charm, was when FB administrators allowed everyone to use it, not just college students. The floodgates were open. The next thing you know, FB adds millions of features, allows people to build apps and publish them, introduces games (curse you, Zynga!), and now here we are today. And I hear rumors that they are far from over in the whole, "let's do more!" business model. Fantastic.

It's just that it's all way too much. Wouldn't you agree? I mean, of all the people you know, how many are actually using FB for more than the standard status updates, commenting, and picture sharing? Oh sure, there's that one really annoying friend that posts on your wall that they "answered a question about you" and if you "allow" their app, you can "read it." Oh joy! I totally want some 30-something lady I met randomly at a social function of some sort five years to tell me if she thinks I'm cute! I'm dying to know!

Or the whole "poke" function. Really???? I mean, come on. It is a lot more creepy than anything else.

The bottom line, Facebook went too far. They didn't know when to stop. They didn't quit while they were ahead. Shall I continue? I have a lot more of those sayings to use.

I feel like those old people that complain about cell phones and computers and how life was better when there were only 10 channels on TV and the operator knew everyone's phone number. Oh, how I long for the simpler life of a Facebook from another era....an era that was merely five or so years ago. 

If you had to be really honest with yourself, how many of you would complain if FB just axed everything but the basics of the site? How many of you would experience a great loss and pain for not being able to plant crops, kill mafia, instant message like it's 2001, and play family feud? I feel like all of our lives would be infinitely better...

But that won't happen. Facebook is just too greedy. They'll crash and burn before they ever dial things back, a la MySpace.

Want my solution? It's one word. Twitter.

The Top 10 Christian Songs Of All Time

I've been a Christian virtually my entire life. My parents became Christians when I was two years old and so, as far back as I remember, I've been going to church, living in a Christian house, and the like. My parents have always been awesome. But they did have some pretty firm rules while growing up (of which I am grateful). For instance, I wasn't allowed to watch PG-13 movies until I was 15 and every other TV channel was blocked. Included in that was what kind of music I was allowed to listen to. To give you an idea, I though the rapper Eminem spelled his name "M & M".

Consequently, the only music I listened to was Christian music. And I've always loved music and so naturally, I listened to a lot of Christian music. Truth be told, compared to all of the music out there in the world, Christian music represents of very small percentage. Furthermore, most Christians were like me and only listened to that kind of music. So it comes to no surprise that we'd all gravitate to a few songs that really appealed to us. Additionally, because of the relatively low output of songs year after year, some of these songs we loved remain our favorites today. Almost to the point of obsession.

I now have the great privilege of listing what I believe to be the top 10 Christian songs of all time. And boy, was it fun writing this up. This is mostly subjective, but I am doubtful that anyone will dispute that any of these songs deserves to be up here, just maybe in a different order.

I had a couple of issues to address in writing this, however. The first dealt with the inclusion of some straight-up worship songs. Do they deserve immunity from getting roasted (however lightly)? Maybe yes, maybe no. I decided to compromise and limit the worship songs to only a few. The other issue I came across was selecting songs that were written in the early 1980s or earlier. I'm sure there were some great ones from those days, but none that I can think of (besides #2 on this list) that have lived on as much as these have and as powerfully.

So sit back and enjoy the show!

THE LIST

10. He Reigns - Newsboys 

In the 1990s and early 2000s, I don't think there was a more popular Christian band than the Newsboys. They were phenomenal musicians and songwriters, and their live shows were epic. It was no surprise that when they released their first worship album, Adoration, in 2003, the world freaked out. People were hoping for the Newsboys to do this for a long time. And the best song on the album was titled "He Reigns." It was a solid song; classic Peter Furler singing about people all over the world declaring that God reigns. It was rocky enough to make the radio airwaves and worshipful enough to find its way into churches, albeit for a short time.

Listen/Watch here. P.S. I love Phil Joel's hair.

9. Christmas Shoes - Newsong

I'm sorry, but I just HAD to put this song on the list. I couldn't resist. Most of you know this song as the super sappy, depressing, Christmas song about a poor boy, his dying mother, and a pair of shoes. Newsong even had the audacity to have little kids sing the ending refrains of the song. It pulled at everyone's heartstrings, including the mainstream media, and became a sensation. On local radio, it was played every fifth song on Star 102.5 during the Christmas season. It became movies (starring Rob Lowe!), plays, and more. It came out in 2000 and is still going strong today. I don't believe we'll ever escape its omnipresence. Or its cheesiness.

Listen/Watch here.

8. Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns

Casting Crowns came out of nowhere. One minute they're a no-name youth band from a small church, the next thing you know, they're playing to sold-out crowds across the country. And it all started with their first, self-titled album. Voice of Truth was a solid track. Appealing to people of all ages. It was cool sounding enough, but had deep enough lyrics that made it popular with just about everyone. I thought it was awesome when I was 16. And my parents thought it was awesome in their 40s. That song and that album cemented Casting Crowns' place in the Christian music community as a powerhouse not long after its release.

Listen/Watch here.

7. Shout to the Lord - Hillsong/Darlene Zschech
Quite honestly, I'm a little nervous to be talking about this song. I'm afraid if I make fun of it, I will become a pariah in the Christian circles. I'm not entirely sure why people are absolutely crazy about this song, but they are. A little background first: the song came out in Hillsong's prime. Unfortunately, Hillsong has been overshadowed by their little brother, Hillsong United, for a few years now, and they have yet to come out with a solid album like they did in the mid- to late 90s. But those mid-90s songs were super popular. Not only "Shout to the Lord," but also "All Things Are Possible" and "This is How We Overcome," to name a few. Ah, fond memories. But "Shout to the Lord", I'm convinced, will never die. The song came out in 1994 and is still in CCLI's top 25 list, at number 14, no less. That's impressive. Plus, the American Idol contestants did it only a few years ago and it made iTunes' top 10 list for a few weeks. Personally, I think it's a bit dated, but one can't discount its influence and popularity.
Listen/Watch Hillsong's version here.
Listen/Watch American Idol's version here. I apologize that the first person you see in the video is Ryan Seacrest.

6. Jesus Freak - dcTalk
Now this is my kind of music. I was a HUGE fan of dcTalk in their heyday. If they ever came back, I would jump back on that bandwagon. And this song, I believe, is their best ever. Or at least in the top 3. The song represented the rebellious side of Christians (if there is one). It was challenging, loud, and fun. It was one of my first cassette tapes when it came out in 1995 and I still have it to this day (plus on CD). Plus, the whole album was amazing. I guarantee I still have the whole album memorized.
Listen/Watch here.

5. Breakfast - Newsboys
Speaking of epic, classic, Christian songs, how can you forget the Breakfast song by the Newsboys? I don't think people realize how influential this song is. For hundreds of years, people have viewed Christians as stuffy, prudish, holier-than-thou snobs. And then the Newsboys come out with a hilarious, catchy tune that shows the world that Christians can be fun too. All while teaching that they don't serve breakfast in hell. What a great lesson for kids and adults alike. It also did a good job loosening up those Christians that truly were a bit stuffy.
Listen here.

4. You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
I have to be straight with you all. I hate this song. I never liked it. But for some reason, everyone else did. Let the record show that Josh Groban didn't write this. A guy named Rolf Lovland did. But it was Groban's version that made it such a hit. The girls liked it for Josh Groban (he's so dreamy), my choir teacher in high school liked it because it made for a good concert tune, and Christians, I believe, liked it because the whole world liked it. There's nothing like a Christian song getting validation from the secular world for it to suddenly become popular (see #1). I read reports that said it was one of the most covered songs of all time. Good for Josh, the only one-hit wonder on the list.
Listen/Watch here.

3. Here I Am to Worship - Tim Hughes
This worship song can be roped in there right alongside number 7 on the list, "Shout to the Lord." - a worship song that will never die. For whatever reason, this song really hit home for millions of Christians. It even sounds good in Spanish. A little more recent than "Shout to the Lord", coming out in 2001, but yet another song that has power behind it that will move people for years to come. And I have to admit, I haven't heard it in a while and then at the DC*B show I went to last year, they played it and it sounded incredible. I guess all a song like that needs is a little touching up and it will just keep on playing. It also introduced Tim Hughes to the world as another excellent British worship leader like Matt Redman or Martin Smith.
Listen here.

2. Amazing Grace - Traditional Hymn
It was tough not making this song number 1, but it certainly deserves the number 2 slot. Can you think of a more popular worship song? The song is truly immortal. It's the one worship song that will be accepted by super conservative Methodists and crazy Pentacostals alike. Old people adore it, and young people graciously accept it (especially since Chris Tomlin did a remake of it). Nevertheless, everything about the song is incredibly awesome. The story behind it, the words of it, etc. There's something about it that, even though it is almost 250 years old, it still resonates in the hearts of Christians across the globe. On top of that, the song's history was made into a major motion picture.
Listen/Watch Chris Tomlin's version here.
Watch the Amazing Grace movie trailer here. It stars Mr. Fantastic and Albus Dumbledore

1. I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe

No question that this song is number one. The main reason? It's the only Christian song to be downloaded more than 1 million times. Plus, everyone was obsessed with this song. I remember being at a MercyMe concert and as soon as the opening notes on the piano started playing, the reaction was deafening. It was the loudest I've ever heard a crowd at a Christian concert. I'll never forget when this song went viral in mainstream circles. It's sad that it happened under extremely tragic circumstances. Major radio stations across the nation played this after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occured on February 1, 2003. It became a bigger hit than ever before. But for good reason. It is truly an amazing song. I get chills to this day listening to it. Don't deny it, you do too.

Listen/Watch here.

Honorable Mentions

Shine - Newsboys

Who Am I - Casting Crowns

Dare You to Move - Switchfoot

Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman

Colored People - dcTalk

How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin

So there you have it. The list. I'd appreciate any comments. Let me know if I missed something. I'm sure I did. But it sure was fun. It brought back a lot of fond, sometimes cheesy, always wonderful memories.

References:

CCLI

YouTube

Wikipedia

As an aside, in my research for this post, I came across this website. It was incredibly entertaining. The author believes that "Imagine" by John Lennon and "Fix You" by Coldplay are both worship songs. I encourage you to visit the site and laugh along with me at its ridiculousness.

Stuff My Dad Says

I saw an ad for a show a while back starring William Shatner titled "$#*! My Dad Says." It looked god-awful. And go figure, it was promptly canceled. Apparently, it was based on book that was written about the author's father (surprise) and what it was like living with him. That's about all I know about it. But it gave me an idea.

I once wrote a blog post about my dad and how freakin' awesome he is. He's taught me a lot and has shaped me into the man I am. He truly is my hero (cliche alert). Thinking about that terrible show with Shatner made me think about everything my dad has said over the years. There's been one topic that he's always talked about that, at this point in my life, has more of an impact than anything else. Diligence.

My dad is the hardest worker I know. He never stops. He's always working on something, always taking care of something, etc. Not only does he work 60+ hours a week at his regular job week in and week out, but when he gets home, he just keeps on going. He thrives off his "honey do" list. He looks forward to his many "projects."

Older men have a knack for ranting and raving about how things were when they were my age. My dad is as guilty as anyone with this. He'll bring up how he had multiple jobs when he was my age. About how in his first apartment, he only had a mattress for a bed, a cooler for a fridge, and a Coleman stove for a heating source. Simply put, he's always done what he had to. He sacrificed what needed to be sacrificed. And now he's reaping the benefits. He has more time, more funds, and more freedom to do the things he loves.

What a reality check. Here I am griping about my one little job when I don't have a mortgage, a wife, or kids to worry about. How often I struggle with finances when my expenses pale in comparison to my parents. I want to reap the benefits from the hard work I've never done. What's wrong? What am I missing?

I am lacking diligence. To dumb it way down, diligence equals hard work. But it's so much more than that. It's taking a second job to pay the bills. It's saving every penny to reach a goal. It's sacrificing your own dreams for the sake of your loved ones. It's being selfless. It's being focused. It's being driven.

My dad has always had focus and drive. He sees what he wants and he goes for it. He wants a car, so he saves every penny to pay for it. He wants a family, so he works as hard as possible to support them. He wants the best for his kids, so he forgoes his own desires to make real the desires of his children.

What an amazing example! It makes me want to do an about-face with my own selfish habits and get my life straight. My father has always understood what's important and understood what it took to obtain what's important. Regardless what the term "important" means to you, if it truly is important, you'll have the determination to get it.

And that's my life lesson for the day. I tell myself that I want this or I want that. But how badly do I want them? How hard am I truly working for them? Your character is revealed by your actions. What do your actions say about you?




P.S. Happy birthday, Pops!

Letter to a 6-year Old Girl from God (Sort of...)

A six-year-old Scottish girl named Lulu wrote a letter to God. It was brief but to the point:


“To God, How did you get invented?”

Lulu's father is not a believer, but sends Lulu to a Scottish Church primary ("elementary") school. Rather than ignoring her letter or choosing to answer it himself, Lulu's father sent her letter to various church leaders-- the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Presbyterians, who sent no reply;and the Scottish Catholics, who sent a theologically complex reply. Thankfully, he also sent it to the Archbishop of Canterbury (Anglican), Rowan Williams, who sent this sweet letter in reply:

"Dear Lulu,

Your dad has sent on your letter and asked if I have any answers. It’s a difficult one! But I think God might reply a bit like this –

‘Dear Lulu – Nobody invented me – but lots of people discovered me and were quite surprised. They discovered me when they looked round at the world and thought it was really beautiful or really mysterious and wondered where it came from. They discovered me when they were very very quiet on their own and felt a sort of peace and love they hadn’t expected.

Then they invented ideas about me – some of them sensible and some of them not very sensible. From time to time I sent them some hints – specially in the life of Jesus – to help them get closer to what I’m really like.

But there was nothing and nobody around before me to invent me. Rather like somebody who writes a story in a book, I started making up the story of the world and eventually invented human beings like you who could ask me awkward questions!’

And then he’d send you lots of love and sign off. I know he doesn’t usually write letters, so I have to do the best I can on his behalf. Lots of love from me too.

+Archbishop Rowan"

If you're looking for a complex, tightly put-together apologetic, this is certainly not it. If you're looking for a theologically comprehensive exposition of the Gospel complete with atonement theories, this is not it. This is written to a 6-year old. It is simple and humble and filled with tenderness. It is warm and personal not abstract and argumentative. There is no shaming of the girl for her question or the phrasing of it or the presupposition behind it. The Archbishop "sees" the little girl and writes of a God who "sees" her too.
Maybe there is something to learn from this approach...

Story courtesy of http://www.glennpackiam.typepad.com/

Life's Little Lessons (I love alliteration)

I've wanted to come back on and blog a bit for awhile, but I couldn't bring myself to. So many things going on, so much "upheaval" (for lack of a better word) in my life, I probably would of just ranted and raved on this things for 3 hours. So maybe now, I'll be more succint.

I've been learning a lot over the past couple of months. There are two ways of learning - the easy way and the hard way. Unfortunately for me, all of my learning lately has been the hard way. But if you think you can get away with not learning the "hard way" for your entire life, you're in for a surprise, because that's what I thought. Or at least what I was banking on.

Sorry for being vague.

I think the most important thing I learned is that truth is paramount.

Truth.

What a crazy, complex word in only one syllable. Yet, it is this word that will either make your life the most rewarding, blessed life imaginable, or the most miserable, pathetic life possible. Jesus once said that the truth will set you free. Very cliche, I know. But He couldn't have been more accurate. It's insane to believe how deceptive and betraying secrets, lies, and falsities are to one's livelihood. It can destroy you. And while some things can destroy your from the outside in, and others from the inside out, dishonesty destroys you from all directions. And you won't see it coming.

So how does one live a life of truth and transparency? It's easy, actually. Here's a simple Truth for Idiots, step-by-step guide in making your life awesome.

1) Baby steps.
In honor of Bill Murray, start simple. Choose to be straightforward about the most mundane of things. If you can be honest about little stuff, it will develop a habit of being honest about the big stuff

2) Realize how insignificant and inadequate you are.
This probably should have been #1. Pride is a real truth killer. If you're in the mindset that you can handle everything on your own and you don't need help, you're screwed. As soon as you realize you need help - from God, your mom, your rabbi, your pen pal - then you have a good shot.

3) Man up.
You have to own up to your mistakes. Take responsibility. Admit you messed up. Ask for forgiveness. And if you ask for forgiveness, guess what? You'll get it. Want to know why? Because #4 is as important as the rest.

4) Realize that the people around you are on your side.
Whether it's your folks, your significant other, or your goldfish, they actually care about you and want the best for you. These are the people that, (here comes a Bruno Mars reference) would catch a grenade for you, or (and some Mat Kearney) would take a bullet for you. They will always be there to help, support, and encourage; never hinder or discourage. Just understand that if you push them away too much, you'll wake up one day and they'll all be gone.


That's it. Pretty easy, right? I sure hope so, because I need to abide by this more than anyone. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.


Fin.

I miss blogging

Wow, I missed this. Blogging is genius. It enables people. It provides an opportunity. Many times no one will ever read their blog, because there are a lot more blogs than interested readers (plus a lot of bloggers aren't that interesting), but that sometimes makes for a better blog because they'll have no restraint in their opinions.

I don't think I utilize this platform enough. But to prevent rambling on, I'll keep this brief. Below is a synopsis of what's been going in my life.

1) New job - I now work selling Verizon FiOS. You should buy it, it's awesome (only if you live in Tonawanda, Amherst, Williamsville, Kenmore, West Seneca, Orchard Park, or Hamburg).

2) Worship team sabbatical - It started and soon it will be ending. It was a lovely break but I'm ready to get back on the horse.

3) Holidays - Came and went. They were good. Food, family, fun.

4) New year - 2011 baby!

-GH