"It has been said that a 'Gen-Xer' differs from a savings bond, in that eventually, a savings bond will mature and earn money."

- from wikipedia

the world according to the simpsons [and wikipedia]:

Bart:  Nothing you say can upset us. We're the MTV generation.
Lisa:  We feel neither highs or lows.
Homer:  Really? What's it like?
Lisa:  Ehh. [shrugs]

it's always interesting to drive after a visit to the eye doctor. like being drunk and also on speed but with full mental capabilities...

don't worry, i made it home safe.

tonight after uband i was craving coke. the high fructose liquid goodness kind, not the line snorting addiction kind. and not just any coke -- specifically, mcdonald's coke. what the heck?

also, just before i got my fix, i had a fifteen minute discussion/argument/waste of life regarding ou's marching 110 and the mumb. which brings up two points: firstly, WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN?, and secondly, wow, i am a complete dork.

i get completely disoriented when i wander outside and have to remind myself, yes -- it actually IS february. not that i'm complaining.

in other news, visit tb for some background on "the ultimate stripper and/or band name -- Candy Gonads," and some humorously disturbing replicas of reproductive systems.

single male.
lover of God.
witty, funny, affectionate.
sees beauty in the unusual.
old enough to remember kitt from knight rider.
young enough to not need one for mid-life crisis.
tall and musical a bonus.
non-smoking a must.
inquire within.

when the music fades, all is stripped away
and i simply come
longing just to bring something that's of worth
that will bless your heart

i'll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself
is not what you have required
you search much deeper within, through the way things appear
you're looking into my heart

i'm coming back to the heart of worship
and it's all about you, it's all about you, Jesus
i'm sorry Lord for the thing i've made it
when it's all about you, it's all about you, Jesus...

words and music by matt redman. copyright 1999.

so... i'm likely to step on some toes here.

i. can't. stand. this. song.

seriously... it kills me. 'it's all about you, Jesus'? really? from where i stand, this song is all about ME. this song is about what I can do for YOU. which in the grand scheme of things is absolutely NOTHING. i can bring nothing to God that can even begin to compare to what he brings -- no, what he simply IS -- to me. and yet, here is this song, a song that i suppose can be argued is about Jesus in an indirect sort of way. and this, i argue, is the state of many modern "worship" songs of the day. it makes me very, very grumpy to think about.

today we sang "holy, holy, holy". aside from the "early in the morning our song shall rise to thee" line, this hymn is about GOD and his attributes and is full of imagery found in scripture. the only other mention of man is in context of our sinfulness. this. is. good. stuff. right. here. nothing about our feelings or how much we really, really, REALLY love singing to him. because those things change. we are fickle, broken creatures. are we worshipping God? or are we just worshipping worship? [as if you can't guess my answer.]

there is something about the old hymns that are powerful. i used to think it was just a time thing -- wow, this is cool, great melodies and lyrics from way back when, you know? what a connection to our past. but i'm realizing the reason i am drawn to these hymns isn't because of all the thees and the thous and e'ers [although those are awesome too, in their quaint little way]. it's because they are based on something solid. immutable. powerful. they are aesthetically incredible without relying on emotion or sentiment. let's face it: there's a reason these songs are still around. and i'm pretty sure it doesn't have anything to do with airplay, record sales, or how they make a stadium full of people weep during the bridge or at a sudden change in dynamics.

i'll readily admit to enjoying songs that are pretty dumb. "my glorious" by delirious [deliriou5?] would be a good example. "God is bigger than the air i breathe"? what? but man, the guitar riffs, the bass line, the drumset, the melody... it's a good kick-ass song when you want something loud to sing along with and just rock out. would i play it for corporate worship? probably not anymore [though we used to at my old church]. "obsession", also by delirious, would fall into a similar category. it's a haunting, reflective song, but not necessarily appropriate for corporate worship.

i could go on for days about this topic. i feel like i say this sort of stuff pretty often, but i always seem to get funny stares and confused looks, like i've got lobsters crawling out of my ears. am i the only one who sees this? feels this? am i the only one who cares? am i just too damn picky and self-righteous about my worship standards for music? i love worshipping through music but some days i just feel so frustrated by it all.

and now for a topic near and dear to my own physical proximity: neighbors.

it appears that the neighbors next door [remember the sitting outside in cars and hanging out in the parking lot people? yeah, them] have taken to smoking in their apartment. which, in turn, means that i get to enjoy the aromatic qualities of disgusting revolting stale secondhand smoke that somehow seeps through the walls. hey, a note to all you smokers out there: seriously, it's disgusting. you're infringing on my right to clean air and frankly i'm freaking tired of it.

end rant one.

and the next next door neighbors moved in a couple of months ago. they have a dog. smallish, nothing scary. they let it shit on our shared lawn AND THEY DON'T PICK IT UP. mind you, our dumpster is in plain view of the scene of these crimes. with the right amount of momentum and velocity and weight and a tightly sealed bag, i'm certain you could get a nice high arc and launch it right over. seriously. hey, a note to all you pet owners out there: you are in charge of a living thing. living things have needs. take care of the aftermath of those needs. what is wrong with you?

end rant two. 

I love that we can explore the entire circumference of what it means to be human, to live in the already/not yet, and not have to worry about falling off the edge. That to me is the sovereignty of God, that he keeps us from falling off the edge.

- from meegs

go here for more thoughts on the emerging church from someone else who sometimes wonders why everyone has a stick up their ass about it.