Listening to a NWOBHM band on the way to work always gets you in the mood for some rock magazine work. This song was on the album that I once wrote "could be responsible for the Christian heavy metal movement..." because it was branded evil and gave musicians of the faith a reason and motivation to create. It was The Number Of The Beast album by Iron Maiden. Some members of the band were involved in a car accident during the recording of this album, where they either hit a vehicle with nuns in it, or they swerved to avoid nuns and had the accident (I can't remember), and the repair bill was 666 pounds. The song "22 Acacia Avenue" is about a prostitute, and I wonder about the poor souls that live on such a street in various locations and wonder if people graffiti their homes or some such nonsense. This is why movies often use the 555 prefix on telephone numbers, so they don't ruin the life of some hapless soul, who might be named Jenny and have the number 867-5309.
:?)
Every time a noise rumbles past, I look out the window, waiting for that white truck with the letters Fed Ex to pull up and a courrier slaps an overnight envelope in my hands. Inside would be a pair of tickets to see U2 tonight. As each hour passes, I wonder if this'll be a disappointing day of no delivery. Guys I know will cry tonight, as they will be moved by one great rock band. Perhaps it will be like church at a moment or two. It should be fun.
"CHECK OUT THAT COOL GRAPHIC DESIGN IN THE NEW ISSUE OF CCM!" You won't often hear me say that (I've probably never said it), but on page 90 of the November issue (which includes a review I wrote of the new Project 86 album), there is an amazing ad with text forming the outline of a guitarist (using the mask feature in Photoshop). It's very cool. I wish I'd have done it.
Okay, Luke 18 tells a great story / parable about persistent prayer. There's a widow who keeps coming and coming to a judge (whom Jesus referes to as "unrighteous"), who relents to this woman just to stop her from bothering him. "...And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly..." I think Jesus is inviting us to pray. He's asking us to bring our cares and concerns to Him. I trust Him. I have a strong belief that anything (or at least most things) that are off-kilter or out of His will become apparent for what they are (sometimes "wants" instead of needs, and sometimes selfish desires instead of wise choices), and in those cases I can alter my requests in mid-prayer.
Right now I'm going to pray a narrow prayer: 'Lord, please protect my friends and I with Your mighty angels as we travel to Houston to see U2. I pray that You would also protect our families while we are gone. Thank You for U2. I pray that you would bless them. Thanks for seeing my parents safely home on their return trip this morning. In Jesus' Name, amen.'
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at October 28, 2005 12:19 PM