Friday, March 11, 2011
Celebrate something -- anything -- today, and then tell us about it.
I didn't actually celebrate anything today, because I didn't see this prompt till tonight. I have a very strong drive these days to feel productive at... anything, so I found this website that offers daily blog prompts. I don't know how long I will stick with it; I will probably only do the ones I really like.
What do I want to celebrate? I want to celebrate a few people who have produced music that I really enjoy.
David Crowder: You are bouncy and interesting and stylistically wonko. I love it. I love your crazy goatee and your afro. I enjoy your album, Church Music. Here's to you, David Crowder!
Dar Williams: Your postmodern folk/pop angst resonates with me a lot. You do well and love and loss and nostalgia. Here's to you, Dar Williams!
The Cranberries: You taught me that music could also deal with causes. Here's to you, Cranberries!
Sara Groves: You work well with Scripture. "Painting Pictures of Egypt" was a big deal for me when I was contemplating graduating from university. "Generations" is still one of the best songs I know to prompt sober reflection on the long-term consequences of today's decisions. Here's to you, Sara Groves!
Bella Sun: I'm so sad you guys divorced. I really loved seeing you play and sing together at the Java Cabana. Your music is still so great for painting to. Here's to you and your broken hearts, Bella Sun!
Joni Mitchell: Again, like Dar, you do really well with love and loss. "A Case of You" is sheer brilliance. I love your lyrics: "I am a lonely artist/I live in a box of paints/I'm frightened by the devil/and I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid/I remember the time that you told me/You said, 'Love is touching souls'/Surely you touched mine/'Cause part of you pours out of me/In these lines from time to time." Ay, I feel it. I heard you became bitter as you grew older, and I hope that doesn't stay true. Here's to you, Joni Mitchell!
Lauryn Hill: Girl, I like you crazy. I love your Unplugged album. It's so raw and so good. Here's to you, Lauryn Hill!
The Newsboys: You guys shaped my childhood road trips. I still know every word to "Shine." Here's to you, Newsboys!
Jennifer Knapp: I'm not happy with where your life has gone, but I love the music you wrote before you disappeared. I love the confessional aspect to "Martyrs and Thieves," and I sing it when I need to invite God into something and get it off my chest. Here's to you, Jennifer Knapp!
Simon and Garfunkel: Your harmony is magical. I love your poetry in your songs. I still love "Dangling Conversation" so much, and your music is so beautiful. I paint to you, wash dishes to you. I enjoy you. Here's to you, Simon and Garfunkel!
Josquin des Prez: You've been dead for centuries, but you still reliably give me goosebumps. Here's to you and your beautiful compositions, Josquin des Prez!
While I'm at it, I would like to celebrate some people I actually know.
Mom and Dad: Nobody else has shaped my life like you guys, and I love the heritage you've given me. I have so much to be thankful for in you guys. Thank you for loving Jesus like you do, for living His life out in your lives. Thank you for loving me and letting me live at your house till I was 26. Thank you for teaching me to read the Bible every day and for sharing your knowledge and passion with me. Here's to you, Mom and Dad!
Jon: I love you, poet-brother. I celebrate you in your creativity and sensitivity, your way with words, your beautiful, lyrical heart. You are brilliant and lovely, and I am tremendously proud of you. You are very loyal, and you have a big heart for other people. Here's to you, Jon-face!
Steven: I love seeing how you're growing. I love your heart for God and your thirst for Scripture. I love your desire to reach out to other people and share Christ, and I enjoy seeing how you stretch your mind to understand other faiths. Here's to you, Steven!
Cat: You've been my friend for longer than anybody. I appreciate your loyalty and the way you've extended grace to me over such a long course of friendship. Friends like you are rare. Here's to you, Cat!
Jelks4: You guys were my second home during my last two years of university. I can't tell you how I appreciate your friendship and the stories you have given me. Here's to you, Cassie, Lindsey, Miranda, and Gina!
Dr. Thomas: Your quiet strength and thoughtfulness were a big deal for me. I really enjoyed having you for a professor. You always made me think more about whatever we talked about with your questions, and I appreciate your letting me hang out with your family whenever I visited Jackson. Here's to you, Dr. Thomas!
Mrs. Darlington: I loved being in your English class. I loved your boldness for our faith in a system that really discouraged it. Here's to you, Mrs. Darlington!
Mrs. Proffer: You helped me to love the arts in a deeper way than I would have had I not switched into your humanities class senior year. You are an excellent teacher. Heres' to you, Mrs. Proffer!
Mrs. Rouse: You were a little intense, which was why I wanted you for a teacher. You taught us how to write essays, and your tireless work helped shape the writer I needed to be in order to write my way through university and seminary. Here's to you, Mrs. Rouse!
Dr. Gray: I hope someday to be used of God in even half the way you have been. You are a hero. Here's to you, Dr. Gray!
Krystal: I loved getting to know you during all those lunchtimes at MABTS. I miss you scads, and I love your heart for Jesus. Here's to you, Krystal!
Cary Beth: You have been an encouragement to me for as long as I have known you. You make me love Jesus more, and I enjoy spending time with you so much. I love your stories and sense of humor and your excitement about the things of God. Here's to you, Cary Beth!
Billy and Estelle, Kevin, Amanda, and Ava Jo: I love you guys so much. You really made me part of your family when I was at Mt. Pleasant, and you are true friends. I love your passion for serving Jesus where you are, and it has been a true privilege to know you. Your hearts are incredibly generous, and I can't even tell you how I appreciate you. Here's to you, McClures!
Amber: You put a lot of neat things into my life--neat concepts, ways of thinking, music, passion for Him in a broken world. Here's to you, Amber!
Ben, Lela, and Jessica: I loved being able to hang out with you guys. Our WaHo nights are great memories. I still can't believe you stayed up with me till like 3 in the morning discussing spiritual gifts out of that Institutes in Basic Youth Conflicts book! Here's to you guys!
Karlena: You have been tremendously patient with me in this last time of transition and figuring things out. I appreciate your honesty and willingness to listen and to call me out on stuff. Here's to you, Karlena!
Alysia: I appreciate your introducing me to Peace Portal, and I appreciate your friendship. I've needed friends badly here, and it was a good thing we met last summer. I appreciate your delight in worshiping God. You have a stellar voice. Here's to you, Alysia!
Amy Evans: You rock so much. I love how you love Jesus. I love how serious you are about Him and how serious you have been since I met you in '08. It's a huge encouragement. Here's to you, Amy Evans!
If you aren't on this list, please don't be hurt. It's not because you're not important; it's because it's nearly midnight, and my brain has conked right out. Assume the best of me?
Praises
- I've reconnected with one of my friends here. We had lost touch some, but I got to visit her and her family yesterday. It was a good time.
- Things are picking up at the Centre. We're seeing a couple more ways to reach our community, and it's nice to see things moving up. We have also gained a couple more volunteers, which is cool.
- Pray that I would intentionally share the gospel. It is really easy not to talk to people in public, because many people are reading or texting or listening to music, and people don't talk to each other much if they don't know each other. I have felt so timid recently, and the truth is that I do have good news to share. Pray that I will have wisdom and creativity and boldness to share it.
- Pray against discouragement and loneliness. Sometimes I feel very isolated and unproductive, and it is difficult to bear in mind that most of what happens here now will echo in eternity in a way I cannot now grasp.
- Pray for wisdom in connecting with my friends from the various communities I run around in. Pray for wisdom in priorities and for open doors to connect with people. Pray that God would give me eyes to see their needs.
- Pray for open hearts to accept the gospel, open doors to share it, and open windows of heaven as God pours out His blessings.
- Pray for the conference we're holding April 30. Pray that, like at the wedding at Cana, Jesus would make up for where we lack with something of His own, even better, that would glorify Him.
1 comment:
What a great post! I'm so glad that you are blogging, and I'm so glad to read it! Thank you for the shot out! :) I feel the same way about you. So thankful for your friendship and place in my life! Praying! :)
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