Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
You're allowed to do it
One of my assignments from my guitar teacher this past week was to listen to the new album, Born And Raised, by John Mayer. As you could guess, this is the kind of assignment I can take on with gusto. Wow, I have really enjoyed listening to it. The quote I texted you the other day is from a short, bluesy song titled Love Is a Verb (below).
I keep finding more and more to love about this album. I knew he had a reputation of being an incredible guitar player, but I am also amazed by his lyrics and how much of his insides seem to come through in these songs. Yesterday as I was driving back from lunch, the song that grabbed me was the second on the album, The Age of Worry. One of the comments under the You tube version below said, "This song gives me chills. It has the sing-along melody of an old church hymn, the musical quality of a dramatic soundtrack, lyrics that are uplifting and inspiring, and it's peppered with hint of Irish influence."
Alive in the age of worry
As I listened to it I thought of you, and me, and many of our discussions, and some of our challenges and struggles. I have wondered if we have reached a chronological age of "worry" or if we live in an age of worry when generations before did not. I don't think I buy this second option. I believe more likely, that our anxieties are discussed more openly today, with positive and negative consequences. Sometimes discussing them seems to make them better and other times it seems to have little effect or even make them worse. However, I can't imagine a human being who doesn't bump into their own fears on a regular basis. Hiding them from others doesn't hide them from ourselves.
Build your heart an army
To defend your innocence
while you do everything wrong
What I found as I listened to this song were different feelings than I expected, positive feelings, not negative. It was interesting later, then, to see this clip of Mayer discussing his thoughts about the song. It was good to hear him describe wanting to have and give the emotions I experienced when I listened to this song. I certainly felt soothed by this song, and could identify with contracts we "sign" that end up creating anxiety in us. I like the part when he says, "this song is a series of permissions". Listening to this song somehow reminded me of the part of a church service after confession where there is a proclamation of forgiveness and a sending forth to freely live.
I keep finding more and more to love about this album. I knew he had a reputation of being an incredible guitar player, but I am also amazed by his lyrics and how much of his insides seem to come through in these songs. Yesterday as I was driving back from lunch, the song that grabbed me was the second on the album, The Age of Worry. One of the comments under the You tube version below said, "This song gives me chills. It has the sing-along melody of an old church hymn, the musical quality of a dramatic soundtrack, lyrics that are uplifting and inspiring, and it's peppered with hint of Irish influence."
Alive in the age of worry
As I listened to it I thought of you, and me, and many of our discussions, and some of our challenges and struggles. I have wondered if we have reached a chronological age of "worry" or if we live in an age of worry when generations before did not. I don't think I buy this second option. I believe more likely, that our anxieties are discussed more openly today, with positive and negative consequences. Sometimes discussing them seems to make them better and other times it seems to have little effect or even make them worse. However, I can't imagine a human being who doesn't bump into their own fears on a regular basis. Hiding them from others doesn't hide them from ourselves.
Build your heart an army
To defend your innocence
while you do everything wrong
What I found as I listened to this song were different feelings than I expected, positive feelings, not negative. It was interesting later, then, to see this clip of Mayer discussing his thoughts about the song. It was good to hear him describe wanting to have and give the emotions I experienced when I listened to this song. I certainly felt soothed by this song, and could identify with contracts we "sign" that end up creating anxiety in us. I like the part when he says, "this song is a series of permissions". Listening to this song somehow reminded me of the part of a church service after confession where there is a proclamation of forgiveness and a sending forth to freely live.
There's no time you must be home
So sleep where darkness falls
Dream your dreams but don't pretend
Make friends with who you are.
Regardless, my wish for you, in this month in the US and in this specific "age" of decision you find yourself in, is that you are free to live, even with the worry, if not in its absence.
Close your eyes and clone yourself
Build your heart an army
To defend your innocence
While you do everything wrong
Don't be scared to walk alone
Don't be scared to like it
There's no time that you must be home
So sleep where darkness falls
Alive in the age of worry
Smile in the age of worry
Go wild in the age of worry
And say worry, why should I care?
No your fight is not within
Yours is with your timing
Dream your dreams but don't pretend
Make friends with what you are
Give your heart then change your mind
You're allowed to do it
Cause God knows it's been done to you
And somehow you got through it
Alive in the age of worry
Rage in the age of worry
Sing out in the age of worry
And say worry, why should I care?
Rage in the age of worry
Act your age in the age of worry
And say worry, get out of here!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
"I wanna believe"
"Of course, along with this freedom comes the knowledge that there will be days (every day, in some fashion) where I am confronted (for better or worse) by my humanity. And I am beginning to look at it long enough to see that even when it isn't pretty, it is beautiful."
Some days this is a tough ask.
Some days this is a tough ask.
That Wasn't Me
Hang on, just hang on for a minute
I've got something to say
I'm not asking you to move on or forget it
But these are better days
To be wrong all along and admit is not amazing grace
But to be loved like a song you remember
Even when you've changed
Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you see, that wasn't me
That wasn't me, that wasn't me
When you're lost you will toss every lucky coin you'll ever trust
And you will hide from your god like he ever turns his back on us
And you'll fall all the way to the bottom and land on your own knife
But you'll learn who you are even if it doesn't take your life
Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you see, that wasn't me
That wasn't me, that wasn't me
But I want you to know that you'll be never alone
I wanna believe do I make myself a blessing to everyone I meet
When you fall I will get you on your feet
Do I spend time with my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
When that's what you see, that will be me
That will be me, that will be me
That will be me
I've got something to say
I'm not asking you to move on or forget it
But these are better days
To be wrong all along and admit is not amazing grace
But to be loved like a song you remember
Even when you've changed
Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you see, that wasn't me
That wasn't me, that wasn't me
When you're lost you will toss every lucky coin you'll ever trust
And you will hide from your god like he ever turns his back on us
And you'll fall all the way to the bottom and land on your own knife
But you'll learn who you are even if it doesn't take your life
Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you see, that wasn't me
That wasn't me, that wasn't me
But I want you to know that you'll be never alone
I wanna believe do I make myself a blessing to everyone I meet
When you fall I will get you on your feet
Do I spend time with my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
When that's what you see, that will be me
That will be me, that will be me
That will be me
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Heaven
Still trying to get a post together on the first chapter of The Predicament of Belief. In the meantime...
If I pictured myself living in England and walking the streets of Cambridge, there would be a really great soundtrack playing behind the events, through the days, and with the people sharing life with me. I don't know what soundtrack is carrying you through the days, but I am certain you have your own. If by chance you find a few hours or days that allow you to listen to something different, I have a suggestion.
There is a new CD by The Walkmen, entitled Heaven. It has been the soundtrack in my car and in my head this week as I drive around Lubbock, drop off kids, sit in the office, and go through these days. It will be part of the soundtrack of life this summer for me. This may not be England, and my walks (runs) may be in 30 mph winds and 98 degrees but this is the life I have and I'd just as soon have it be heaven as hell. This music may do nothing for you, but I thought I would share. Here is the video for the title track. It shows snapshots of the band through the years.
Something about the pictures in the booklet with the CD caught my attention. These guys are entering early middle age and appear to all have kids... somehow there music sounds like that to me. Here is a brief trailer, with the song Line by Line, they released for the album.
And finally, I found this quote from the band's web page regarding the album.
"All five members of the band have kids now and if the impact of parenthood is hard to pin down in a single lyric, there is definitely a new openness and emotional honesty to the songs. Most importantly, the old gang mentality has deepened, becoming something worthwhile and lasting. “I’m very proud of what we’ve done. We’ve stayed friends and those friendships have grown,” says Bauer. “We have survival experience and real love that children generate in your life.” Heaven is a definitive statement of purpose and commitment, from a band at the peak of its powers that is finally winning the recognition it deserves."
So with the life Holly and I have been living... kids, in-laws, parents, patients, each other... I was struck by a line in the quote above.
Heaven is a definitive statement of purpose and commitment...
Are they describing an album or something a bit bigger?
If I pictured myself living in England and walking the streets of Cambridge, there would be a really great soundtrack playing behind the events, through the days, and with the people sharing life with me. I don't know what soundtrack is carrying you through the days, but I am certain you have your own. If by chance you find a few hours or days that allow you to listen to something different, I have a suggestion.
There is a new CD by The Walkmen, entitled Heaven. It has been the soundtrack in my car and in my head this week as I drive around Lubbock, drop off kids, sit in the office, and go through these days. It will be part of the soundtrack of life this summer for me. This may not be England, and my walks (runs) may be in 30 mph winds and 98 degrees but this is the life I have and I'd just as soon have it be heaven as hell. This music may do nothing for you, but I thought I would share. Here is the video for the title track. It shows snapshots of the band through the years.
Something about the pictures in the booklet with the CD caught my attention. These guys are entering early middle age and appear to all have kids... somehow there music sounds like that to me. Here is a brief trailer, with the song Line by Line, they released for the album.
And finally, I found this quote from the band's web page regarding the album.
"All five members of the band have kids now and if the impact of parenthood is hard to pin down in a single lyric, there is definitely a new openness and emotional honesty to the songs. Most importantly, the old gang mentality has deepened, becoming something worthwhile and lasting. “I’m very proud of what we’ve done. We’ve stayed friends and those friendships have grown,” says Bauer. “We have survival experience and real love that children generate in your life.” Heaven is a definitive statement of purpose and commitment, from a band at the peak of its powers that is finally winning the recognition it deserves."
So with the life Holly and I have been living... kids, in-laws, parents, patients, each other... I was struck by a line in the quote above.
Heaven is a definitive statement of purpose and commitment...
Are they describing an album or something a bit bigger?
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