Cruciformity

I’ve been playing my guitar and listening to music a fair bit recently. My friend Nick has been lending me CDs that he thinks that I’d like, and he gets it right most of the time. Anyway, the latest is Nick Drake’s Pink Moon and it is such a beautiful album (thanks Nick!). If you’re looking for something down-beat or something to play in the background, this would be well worth investigating. This was published back in 1972, his third and final album before he died aged 26 just two years later. The recording captures his voice and guitar so wonderfully, his songs are varied and interesting. It’s just great stuff.

His is a sad story, and his lyrics reflect this. You could say that he told it like he saw it, and for someone who suffered depression and sleeplessness and died by over-medication well before his time, I guess he’s not a sunny-side-up kind of guy. Nevertheless, his poetry is beautiful, and matches his music perfectly. You need to listen to the whole album when you get the chance.

Please have a listen to track 6: Things behind the Sun

I’ve been back at College this week and it’s already taking its toll. There’s a 2 Timothy 1 exegetical, a Zechariah 8 exegetical, Australian Church History research, and, of couse, my Project reading. Add to that the regular lecture readings and bible study prep. And then, I’m preaching on the middle section of Revelation over the next few weeks.

All of this suggests that I may have been a little bit relaxed in my holiday study plans. There’s my bean bag, sitting in the corner with a guilty look on its zipper.

But, in case you were worried, I have blogging resolve.

I’ve had a good (though eclectic) selection of music to get me through a few long days. Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Ray LaMontagne’s Till The Sun Turns Black. And I’ve had flashback to Daft Punk’s Homework. I (mis)spent some time on Youtube this afternoon and found this YouTube Daft Punk goodie:

Don’t know if you’ve heard of them but the Dodos have quickly become my new favourites.

I’m right into their 2007 album Visiter which is a great guitar/percussion combo. I love that they major on cool natural beats and combine it with syncopated guitar, sweet melodie and down to earth lyrics. It’s beautifully textured and a refreshingly upbeat sound, salvaging what’s left of a great long  Summer.Definitely worth a listen or five. I also love the fact that they’ve played gigs at schools, having heaps of fun with the kids, and the artwork for Visiter actually came from one of them. So cool.

Since Visiter, they’ve produced another album that I haven’t had a chance to hear yet, but it includes another chap on the Vibrophone. Don’t know much about it but I’m looking forward to it.

Check out some reviews of the band here, here, and here. See also their myspace page here.

Check out the first two tracks of their debut album, Visiter. Yes, do it now!

This weekend I’ll be playing guitar at church for the first time. At least the first time with my dear family at CBTB.

For those who already do this kind of thing or are thinking of doing it down the track, my friend Cedric pointed me to this masterclass video that is definitely worth checking out. It’s by a guy in the UK called Dave Clifton - a guy with chops and a great vision for what church music is trying to achieve. I had no idea that the guitar was so versatile!

There were a few CDs I really got into in 2007, and one of them was ‘Orphans’ by Tom Waits. I love his sound: deep, rough voice with a variety of folky/bluesy sounds, upbeat and downbeat. I love his words: I can’t vouch for all his lyrics (or language) but, generally, they’re rich and deep. It’s great music to study to!

One of the things that I heard about him was that when he’s written a song he goes and buries it down in the shed somewhere for a few months to stew. He then digs it up again to see if it’s worth keeping or changing or recording. Isn’t that cool! Has anyone else heard that story?? Sometimes I think I should do that kind of thing for my sermons… Anyway, Tom’s both familiar and unlike any artist I’ve heard but definitely worth checking out.

For fellow fans or those interested, Ben Myers has written a little piece on Tom Waits the Theologian. It’s good, check it out: http://faith-theology.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html

While people that are different can be refreshing, reminding us of the things we truly value or pushing us out the ruts that our lives tend to settle into, they can also be distasteful. Some differences are distasteful before they’re understood to be refreshing. Other things immediately bring a smile to your face, while other differences are and remain just plain distasteful.

Before I reflect on Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians, I’m curious to know what people know about Ben Fold’s words in the song I mentioned in the previous post: “Not the same”. What kind of impact do you think that this story’s had on the artist? Refreshing or distasteful?? Neither? Have a read and tell me what you think happened…

You took a trip and climbed a tree
At Robert Sledge’s party
And there you stayed ’till morning came
And you were not the same after that
You gave your life to Jesus Christ
And after all your friends went home
You came down, you looked around
And you were not the same after that
(Ahhh ahhh)
You were not the same after that
(Ahhh ahhh)
You were not the same after that
You see ‘em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
You’ve got one good trick and you’re hanging on you’re hanging on…
To it
You took the word and made it heard
And eased the people’s pain and for that
You were idolised, immortalised
And you were not the same after that
Walking tall, you’d bought it all
And you were not the same after that
Till someone died on the waterslide
And you were not the same after that
You see ‘em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
You’ve got one good trick and you’re hanging on you’re hanging on to it
(ooh ooh ooh ooh)
(YOU WERE NOT THE SAME!)
You see ‘em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
You’ve got one good trick and you’re hanging on you’re hanging on:
You’re hanging on:
You’re hanging on:

sorry, it’s been a while since i last posted. i’ve been finding it difficult to find the time - it seems like there’s always something important to do...

Just yesterday, Radiohead released their latest album - someone i read said that it’s possibly their finest work yet.  Now he’s reserved his judgement and this is usually a good thing, but experience says that radiohead albums only get better the more you listen. Let me say without equivocation - this is a GOOD album. Inspired by the early stuff, made room for by Kid A and Amnesiac, what Hail to the Thief was trying to be and what The Eraser couldn’t be - ‘In Rainbows’ is a gem.

And if the music isn’t cool enough - what only to adds to the coolness is that they’ve skipped the middle man and are offering it through their own website. This means that no one had access to the music before anyone else. AND it’s all for the price of… well, whatever you want to pay! That’s right, they’re mavericks, breaking social conventions. Cool.

Here are the lyrics for one of the songs that I really like - Faust ARP. Don’t ask me what the title means or, for that matter, what any of the lyrics really mean; they’re notoriously impenetrable. But, if you cross your eyes a little, I think you’ll get the idea. They serve, I think, as a collage of words and spell out experiences that people all relate to.

Have a read. But even better download (if you can) and have a listen: www.radiohead.com. I’d love to hear your comments!

Wakey wakey
rise and shine
it’s on again, off again, on again
watch me fall
like dominos
in pretty patterns
Fingers in the blackbird pie
i’m tingling tingling tingling
it’s what you feel now
what you ought to, what you ought to
reasonable and sensible
dead from the neck up
because im stuffed, stuffed, stuffed
we thought you had it in you
but no, no, no
for no real reason

Squeeze the tubes and empty bottles
take a bow take a bow take a bow
it’s what you feel now
what you ought to
what you ought to
an elephant thats in the room is
tumbling tumbling tumbling
in duplicate and duplicate
plastic bags and
duplicate and triplicate
dead from the neck up
guess im stuffed, stuffed, stuffed
we thought you had it in you
but no, no, no
exactly where do you get off
Is enough is enough is enough
I love you but enough is enough, enough
a last stop
There’s no real reason

you’ve got a head full of feathers
you got melted to butter

At the 8am service this morning I was struck by the words of one of the songs that we sang. I’m usually not in my finest form at this time of the morning, and add to that the temperature drop when you enter that building it’s striking that anything at all manages to cross my mind! But honestly, I was very moved as I was given words to express what I long to say - How sweet the name of Jesus sounds! I’ve been humming the tune all day!

I looked down at the author and, behold, it was our good friend John Newton. I have to find out some more and report back about this man. In the meantime, enjoy with me his song…

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

’Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,

My Shield and Hiding Place,

My never failing treasury, filled

With boundless stores of grace!

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,

Although with sin defiled;

Satan accuses me in vain,

And I am owned a child.

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

O Prophet, Priest and King,

My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Phil. 1:3-8, NIV)

It’s almost embarrassing to read how open Paul is as he expresses his feelings to the Philippians in the opening of his letter to them. He really loves them, and it so joyful in the knowledge that they are partners with him in the gospel and share with him in God’s grace.

I’ve just spent some time on holidays back in Canberra and have been struck with how utterly refreshing it’s been to see my precious friends and family. Like Paul and the Philippians, I had great moments of expressing this kind of joy to others and others expressing it to me. Some of the people I haven’t seen or spoken to for a few months, but then others it’s been a number of years. It sounds all a little bit over-sentimental, doesn’t it? Well, bear with me while I describe some of what happened…

I was involved in a group called Boys Brigade in the mid-nineties and, although not large group of people, the men that lead this group are spectacular servants of Christ and are still leading this group! They’re like parents to me and it was wonderful to talk to Mike and Bela about their joy in growing young lads in the knowledge of Christ.

It was great as well, to get back to St Matts and see my many dear friends there. There were some going strongly, and others struggling. But in both cases, it was great to share our experiences and to reflect on our hope in Christ. I had to bear the brunt of way too much coffee, but I absolutely loved these conversations - they really meant a lot to me.

I also went to Focal Point, the mid-year conference for the FOCUS, the Christian group I was involved in at uni. Here, I saw some good friends and and (characteristically, at this conference) looked deeply into God’s word. It was a real joy to rejoice with others in the gift of God’s Spirit living in us.

Also, although we hang out almost every day at College, Dan and I hit the town in Canberra and shared a memorable night together. I also spent time in Melbourne with Steve, a mate from St Matt’s. The weather was dismal, but it meant that we spent a lot of reflecting on questions of faith, and encouraging each other in various aspects of life.

I’m disappointed because there were others that I didn’t have time to see and spend time with. Two weeks rest isn’t enough, I want more!!

Is it right for me to feel this way and to express this? I think so. Like Paul, I have these people in my heart. As Paul says, this feeling is only right as it is the same as that of Christ Jesus. These people have raised me and loved me, they have nurtured me in ministry and born the fruit of my service among them. In the times when I pressed, I know their love and support of me; their partnership in the gospel. One day we’ll be brought to be in his rest together with all of those in Christ. I look forward to seeing my precious friends and family all together with our Lord Jesus!