i laughed so hard i started crying
wave o’ the finger, Swedish Idol. And Sebastian Karlsson … seriously. Don’t mess with good music.
UPDATE: starbucks pastry travesty
it’s good to know that starbucks is cruising the web looking for unsatisfied customers. after my outrage on monday that they had removed my favorite pastry, starbucks has decided to make amends with my tastebuds. the banana bran muffin is back. rejoice!
a starbucks pastry travesty
“sorry man, they discontinued the cinnamon chip mini-loaf.”listen, starbucks. it’s monday morning. i don’t want to go to work, but i have bills to pay. and the only thing that may get me through the next 3 hours is a grande coffee and a cinnamon chip mini loaf.
why a cinnamon chip mini loaf, you may ask? because they discontinued the banana bran muffin. why a banana bran muffin, you may ask? because they discontinued the raspberry scone.”but it was a seasonal pastry.”listen you pastry-changin’ freaks — i may be a 21st century male that has traded in his manhood for a keyboard and a $3 cup of coffee, but please allow me this one simple pleasure: don’t keep changing your freakin’ pastries!(now that I’ve written a post on how upset i am that Starbucks changes their pastry menu, i am even more saddened that this type of thing matters to me…)
A Change of Direction
As I sat there on the couch, my heart sank as I remembered all the plans I had had for the week. So many projects to get done…and now, no energy to do them.As I stood there below the mountain, I reached down and grabbed a handful of flub. My mind told me I could make it up this rock easily, but my hands were getting tired pulling up a body that refused to defy gravity.
As I finished the last $0.02 of my six-dollar-burger, I became bored with the Monday night football game. I didn’t care about these teams. So boring. I flipped channels…and flipped again. Nothing. Wow - what a waste of an evening. As I laid in bed reading, my heart decided to let me in on a secret: “The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.” (Schweitzer) I’ve been just getting by. Barely making it. Struggling to keep my head above water and sometimes being able to lazily float along. But I haven’t been living. I’ve been waiting to die. Sure, in the meantime, I may get a raise or a better job…a better house or a better _______. But in the meantime, I’m just wasting air. And then my mind pointed to a problem (not *the* problem, but *a* problem). A distraction. My heart began to race at the thought of ridding my life of one of my prized possessions:My TV.I got up from bed and went and stood in front of the TV. A wide smile flashed across my face at the thought of not having it. I couldn’t understand why I was so happy, but as I unplugged the beautiful HDTV, the newly purchased Xbox 360, and the 5.1 surround sound system, my heart kept egging me on. With each electrical cord I removed from the power strip, I felt like I was literally breaking chains. For years now, that beautiful system kept me locked to the couch. Granted, the DVR helped to postpone my capture, but I still needed to make time to view my show(s) before the next episode came around. Sure, I could pause the game to answer a question from my wife…but I found myself getting more and more frustrated at the interruption as the years went by. And once my show was over and my wife began to watch hers, I’d quietly retreat to the bedroom and sit at the computer not wanting to subject my masculinity to TV shows that required any sort of Top Modeling or Projects on Runways.And so the years have gone by, and characters such as Gregory House, Claire the Cheerleader, and Bart the orange-faced cartoon have kept me strapped in. My wife asked me when we could go out on a date, but I had a hard time thinking of something to do as I basked in the warm glow of the 1080i resolution. “I’ll think about that later…”Today is Day 13. Every night I come home and my feet try to take me to the couch only to stop midway across the tiled floor to realize that nothing is waiting for me there. The living room is now a place to read or talk to guests. And so I have to think. I have to decide what I’ll do with these few hours before sleep. I’ve cleaned, I’ve done laundry, I’ve fixed things around the house, I’ve read, I’ve played games, I’ve gone running, and I’ve gone walking. And it’s been amazing. This week will start the first real time when my wife and I have tried it together (she’s been out of the country for a few weeks). What will tonight hold? Some reading? Some talking? Some game-playing? A night out? Dancing…in our living room?!It’s this thought of the unknown that my heart asked me to create. It was this adventure that it needed. I was lulling it to sleep, but I just gave it a Red Bull. Time will not wait for me to start living my life.
The Height of Cool
Been thinking a lot lately about what I want. Honestly. What do I really want? What can I do with the next 40 years so that at 65 I can look back and say, “Yes!” ?? Is it my current job? A different job, but doing the same kind of stuff? Or maybe something totally different? Heck, I never thought I’d be where I am now 2 years ago … who knows what I could be doing in another 5!
Either way, I don’t think I’ll ever reach the level of coolness that this guy has:
One can only hope and dream.
Unforced Rhythms of Grace
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with mewatch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”“
-Matthew 11:29 (The Message)A few years ago, I was at an Easter service. A big-name Christian band was the “special guest music” after announcements and before the message. As I sat baking in the sun, the band appeared from off stage and took their places.
And the rain of a storm at sea
The waves crashing over your back
And you’re crying out for me But as the ocean rages
I am sleeping in the boat
But I have a plan, I’m holding your hand
And I’m keeping you afloat “(my apologies to Caedmon’s Call for using them. Up until they lost Derek Webb, they were a great band)Now, it’s not in every song, I understand. But there’s this sense in modern-day Christianity that every negative should be followed by a positive. No one wants to hear that you’re suffering unless you follow it up with a “…but I’m praying about, and I know God will see me through.” We can’t even sing a song about not being able to find peace here on earth (see U2 song above) without tacking a cheery slant on the end.I hate to tell you, church, but life doesn’t work that way. Sometimes it takes longer than a 3 minute pop song to hear the voice of God. There have been moments in my life that have left deep, crooked, disgusting scars…and years have past, but still nothing has returned to its previous state. We have this attitude that people will “come around” if given enough time. Life will return to normal once they get a new job, or get into a different school, or find a new bride. Sometimes it does. But sometimes it doesn’t. I know in the depth of my heart that the Lord will see me through this — I really do trust Him…but that doesn’t change my hurt. Before I experienced great loss, I had the same attitude. I never had time to listen. And even when I did, I felt the need to finish up the conversation quickly — finish it off with some colorful paper and a big bow: “Mmmmm. Wow, that’s tough. I’ll definitely be praying for you.” And I’d smirk and smile — maybe a pat on the back — and I’m off. Why do we feel the need to fix it? Why can’t we just sit and be still? Read Psalm 22. Now imagine those that hurt, the needy, the doubtful. They come into our church. They find you at lunch. They sit on the curb alone. And they say: “I call to God all the day long. No answer. Nothing.” (verse 1, The Message). Can’t we be patient? Can’t we cry alongside them? Can’t we give them time? Let the hurt hurt. Let the questioning question. Be gentle. Be compassionate. Despite what you think or have experienced, you have no idea what that person is going through. But if you take the time to pour love onto the hurting, God will use you as a messenger. A messenger that shows God’s softness — His peacefulness. “When [Jesus] looked out over the crowds, his heart broke.” (Matthew 9:36)Does your heart truly break for those around you? Be quick to listen. Offer a kind word when asked, but don’t force it. And in all things: love. Love with the same love that was shown to you on the cross. Be merciful because you’ve been shown mercy. Be patient because God is endlessly patient with you.Sometimes it takes 30 verses of doubting to reach one verse of declaration:”Our children and their children
will get in on this
As the word is passed along
from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived
will hear the good news
that God does what he says.”
Derek Webb Interview
a little excerpt from the article on Derek Webb in the latest edition of Relevant. RM: What does it mean on your new album when it says dont label my music?
DW: Its more of a personal liberty type comment, more than put a label on my music that I listen to so that I can discern between what is safe and right and what is dangerous and wrong. The whole secular/Christian thing, which is a total fiction, rather than just teaching me to listen to the Spirit and have the Spirit guide me into the truth and learn how to discern truth and beauty and find it in all kinds of places, which is more of the Francis Schaeffer model. Discern truth and beauty and dont put your faith in categories.Dont let your local Christian bookstore do your thinking for you and believe that everything they have there for sale is good and spiritually beneficial to you. If anything, we have proven that the Church unfortunately is identified with really poor art. The Church certainly does not have the market cornered on beauty. A lot of what we do is not very beautiful. The art we make is not very good. A lot of the songs I have heard on Christian radio are just outright misrepresentations of the character of God.I think you have to learn to discern and look elsewhere and say, I need to learn how to engage with a God everywhere I can find truth and beauty, regardless of the intention of the maker of that art. I really believe that is a more biblical worldview. It also keeps us from being people who live in fear. There is no room for living in fear. There is no reason to be afraid. There is no reason to be fearful of secular music. We should learn how to chew on the meat, spit out the bones, to discern the truth and beauty, to commend that rather than to be just completely fearful and put all our security in these categories that dont mean anything. Its a dangerous way to live.
first shot at a decent piece
this is new for me. very new sound and i’m having to study lots of other music to know how to write for it. no pedals, no 18” A-customs to hit…just layers. here we go…
new goals
silent retreat
contemplation
communion
reflection”…a life fueled by thirst.”
slow down
You never cared for the windows and stairs
But the rooms with the views always treated you fair
And now all I can see
Are the leaves and the treesParking was difficult but similar medical
A raise with good pay and it’s our lucky day
But you lost every year
Pushing paper and fear
Let me catch up with you
Slow down slow down
If you keep moving too fast
Nothing good will lastThis place is a riot the kids won’t keep quiet
Make them watch TV till they’re falling asleep
And then it’s my time
My wife and my wineSlow down slow down
Let me catch up with you
Slow down slow down
If you keep moving too fast
Nothing good will last
Each deserving appliance and business alliance
We watch the balances trading allowances
And every dream that was fresh in my mind
Has now faded away with each bill that I pay
Hi there, I'm Jon.
Writer. Musician. Adventurer. Nerd.
Purveyor of GIFs and dad jokes.