Doug Van Pelt

The Great Divorce.2

The topic of quarrelling seems to be a reoccuring theme here ... which, I guess, should come as no surprise from a book called The Great Divorce. The very strange bus trip through the air that our character is taking is ever bizarre. The funny haircut kid sitting next to him has issues that seem to stem from lack of respect. Apparently he's an unrecognized genius. He's communist, too. Suddenly a quarrel gets out of hand, shots are fired, knives are drawn and the next thing we know our man is in a different seat next to someone else. This person explains how this town -- I guess it's being called Grey Town -- is ever expanding.

(Now I might know why that band of Arkangel/Atomic Opera offspring and fugitives from Houston was called Grey Town... Those book readers down there!)

It seems that in this place people can build a house just by imagining it. Some people have described heaven that way. I'm not so sure... What happens is people move into a neighborhood/house and soon have a quarrel with a neighbor that sends them packing. Soon it happens again and again and they start looking for a house that's far away from any others. What this does is leave houses and streets and entire neighborhoods empty. A funny consequence over the people's insatiable desire to quarrel.

"Why can't we all just get along?"

The passenger next to our man explains that he's going to try and fix this problem. The solution will come in coming up with something the people need. Since they can have what they imagine, they don't need anything and they have no motivation to stay and work out conflict.

Ah-ha! Commitment is missing. They have no reason to stick around and work things out. That's what's so good about our relationships, our teams, our groups of people that we are part of. There really are tangible things and benefits (and great joy) in working through issues and enjoying each other's different gifts. It's like a synergy where the whole becomes greater and does more than its parts.

hmm....

Deadline 2, DVP 1

Deadline's been keeping me busy.
I'm on the South Beach diet now, so that's different. I don't mind it too much. I have healthy snack foods and the meals are good.
But try as I might some days it's hard to hop on the devotion first.

Besides proofing each page of HM, and making corrections alerted to me by our proofreaders (God bless 'em), I am juggling the last-minute ad sales and placing ads that arrive, etc.
Whew! It's a lot of work. I could do nothing but stay on Outlook, reading new emails, replying to ad questions, updating the "runsheet" of ads booked, and placing, double-checking ad artwork, etc. I could do nothing but that all day, but I've also got to do the proofing stuff (which I haven't even gotten a start on since I've come in).

I immediately jumped into email and the routine I described as soon as I got in today (after going by the UPS place to ship some packages out), and have yet to get to the other things. I'll try and do that devotion asap...

The Great Divorce.1

Well, if I had not been tipped off by Lewis in his PREFACE, I would really be reeling right now, as this story starts off with a man walking through a fairly desolate town. Feeling lonely and/or bored, he gets in a line at a bus stop, as that seems to be the only activity he can find.

Like me, he quickly becomes consumed with himself. A couple bickers and leaves the line, but he thinks about the fortune of moving up two spots in the line. A fight breaks out in front of him, where the shorter man gets punched and walks off. Others gripe about the "sorts of people" gathered here and leave. A woman offers her spot for money and gets outraged when shortchanged, but bumped out of line from calloused people and she marches off. There was plenty of room on the bus, so our character moves to the back -- away from these unpredictable and slightly uneasy people around him.

A young lad comes and sits next to him, stating that "I've noticed that you feel just as I do about the present company. Why on earth they insist on coming I can't imagine. They won't like it at all when we get there, and they'd really be much more comfortable at home. It's different for you and me."

This is puzzling and strange.

Our character asks the lad, "Do they like this place?" And the answer is "As much as they'd like anything. They've got cinemas and fish and chip shops and advertisements and all the sorts of things they want. The appalling lack of any intellectual life doesn't worry them."

Later they notice that they're flying. Our man looks out the window and sees the houses starting to get smaller on the horizon.

Very strange. I wonder where they're going. Perhaps it's a place where they can see the consequences of their thoughts and actions better. Maybe it's a surreal place where actions are exaggerated to a caricaturistic extreme. Or maybe it's like a heaven. Who knows?

I can relate to the guy thinking about himself and being consumed with his problems. It's hard not to spiral down into a depressed state when things seem to be going wrong. Without a healthy routine that involves talking to God, reading the Word, and talking with people, circumstances could easily defeat a person. But there is hope in prayer. There is hope in the Word. There is hope in people. Sometimes the answers to your problems might come from unexpected places. It can be hard to press on in faith when things look glum, but it is the way out of here.

To Barbara Wall Best and most long-suffering of scribes

This is the dedication of the CS Lewis book, The Great Divorce.

If you'd like to participate in a virtual book club, get ahold of this book. Lord willing, I'll start chapter one tomorrow. This has the reputation of a classic book. I'm believing for great things going in. Like I mentioned in my blog the other day, I've been meaning to read this book for years.

PREFACE

Blake wrote the Marriage of Heaven and Hell. If I have written of their Divorce, this is not because I think myself a fit antagonist for so great a genius, nor even because I feel at all sure that I know what he meant...

This is how Lewis introduces this work. He apparently is going to dissect and describe the problem with sin and its far-reaching ramifications.

Evil can be undone, but it cannot 'develop' into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, 'with backward mutters of dissevering power' -- or else not.

It's interesting how this philosophy flies in the face of much of popular social pop-philosophy today. Is man basically good? Or is there a sinful nature that makes him inherently bad? Is evil a minor flaw in the attempt to be good? Or is it a power and bent that taken to its extreme is all evil?

Lewis acknowledges his debt to a great inspiration for this book to a writer whose name he has forgotten. He read something in an American magazine of what they call "Christian hard music." It was one of the earliest incarnations of HM Magazine, when we were covering the exploding Jazz scene in Chicago and New Orleans. Lewis was hip to what these musicians were up to...

Okay, I digressed into fiction there. The magazine had something to do with 'Scientifiction.' The hero in this writing traveled into the past, but raindrops would pierce him like bullets and sandwiches could not be bitten -- for the past was un-alterable. Interesting.

The second thing Lewis wanted to end his preface with was this:

I beg readers to remember that this is a fantasy. It has of course -- or I intended it to have -- a moral. But the transmortal conditions are solely an imaginative supposal: they are not even a guess or a speculation at what may actually await us. The last thing I wish is to arouse factual curiosity about the details of the after-world.

Ah, I learned something about this book I've been longing to read: it's more like The Screwtape Letters than Mere Christianity. This is not what I expected, but it makes perfect sense.

Bluebonnets bursting with blue color

Just arrived to the office. Coffee is brewing. I saw the most beautiful bluebonnets all along the side of the road as I drove in this morning. They are just bursting with color. The blue is so striking and beautiful. It is my favorite color. I love the way it contrasts with yellow, but I digress.

The dramatic story with Eric Volz took a turn for the worst. I discovered the recent (possibly not the latest -- see this site for more up-to-date info) when waking up to the NBC News this morning. He was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Yikes! He's innocent and has several witnesses that can back him up, yet he confronted the police and pushed them to solve the murder of his ex-girlfriend and then became the chief suspect and thrown in jail. We've covered a little bit of this story on this site a few times. Here is a capsulated story on video about this posted on YouTube.

Good things come to those that wait.
I received some wonderful packages in the mail this morning. One was the new album by Wavorly, which I've been really impressed with. With their album was included a book from CS Lewis' "trilogy" of great philosophical books -- The Great Divorce (sitting alongside Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters as the first three books a new believer or newcomer to Lewis' writings should read, save for The Chronicles of Narnia.). I'm so glad to finally get my hands on a copy. It's been on an elusive list of must-read's for me for many, many years. Maybe now I'll get started (and comment on it in this blog).

I also got a package from the International Bible Society, with uncorrected proofs of The Books of the Bible (TNIV), which is written without chapter and verse separations so it can be read the way it was originally written. This should be cool to check out.

Another most excellent arrival was the new Jeff Deyo album and EPK (electronic press kit), which was all loaded onto a jump drive. This might be an advance look at many future promo releases. The postage on this little package was only 63 cents -- a far cry from the usual heavy jewel case, folder, etc.

Nice.

The new Megadeth album

I've been listening to United Abominations, the new Megadeth album. My copy of the latest issue of Revolver arrived yesterday, and there's a big article on Megadeth in there, where one of the blow-up quotes says something like: "I was saved ... I read the Bible and know the United Nations is going down." (something like that) Very interesting. There was a time when Dave Mustaine was super leary of talking about his faith in the press. This seems unusual for him.

Chapter 50 of Genesis wraps the book up. The saga of Joseph and Jacob winds down. In the last chapter Jacob had breathed his last and died. The first verse in chapter 50 describes Joseph "leaning over his father's face, wept and kissed him." He had his servants embalm his dad. "So they embalmed Israel." (that's a strange sentence to read in the Bible!) It's funny to see the text explain that it took 40 days to embalm Jacob/Israel. The Egyptians mourned 70 days. Joseph sent a message to Pharaoh to get permission to take off for a while and bury his dad. This was a big deal, since he was the practical leader and manager of Egypt and the trip and burial would probably take a long time. Pharaoh gave his permission and authorized a large party to accompany Joseph and his brothers for this.

Joseph's brothers talked to themselves, thinking that Joseph would show "his real colors now that their dad was out of the picture..." They made up a message that their dad had commanded that Joseph forgive them for their transgressions. Joseph wept when he heard their message. He brings closure to the whole drama when he tells them his response:

"Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result -- the survival of many people. Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Isn't it cool that God works on people and molds their hearts? All the dirty suspicions we have of people are just that -- dirty little suspicions that we cook up in our minds, turning them over and serving them to our imaginations to feast one (and get sick over). It's amazing, sad and funny how we can trip out on stuff in our heads. Fear and worry are like demon spirits in a way, getting into our heads and festering like sores. This is probably another good reason to stay in fellowship and maintain spiritual disciplines, like reading the Bible and praying to God. It keeps our perspective clean, encourages us, and helps tear down faulty arguments and crazy ideas in our heads.

Isn't it foolish to think the worst of someone and then come to find out that they're really solid, cool and (dare I say it) pure? We can be really dumb sometimes.

BAD robots!

Whattya think of this cover?

A blog of a different kind

Larry Van Pelt (9:28:38 AM): hi ho stevereno
Doug Van Pelt (9:29:12 AM): hello

DVP: I thought for my blog today we could interview each other. Whattya think?
LVP: okay

LVP: I'll start with a question --- what is the overall theme of the coming issue of HM?
DVP: Good question. HM in general does not have an overall theme, as we feature articles on bands with albums coming out at the time. What's fun, though, is after an issue is put together, I'll see a "theme" or common thread woven into several different articles. They're unrelated on paper, but sometimes it's as if God is saying similar things through a bunch of different people.

LVP: Does each issue of HM generally have an overriding theme?
DVP: No. We choose bands to cover/interview based on the fact that they have an album coming out. Various writers will interview the different artists and they get turned into me later. Often times I do, and that's been very exciting to see -- because it's something I haven't orchestrated.
DVP: I haven't reached that "llooking back" stage with this next issue yet...

LVP: that's cool -- so you find God's handiwork in the overall work.
That's kind of like my drawing -- I rarely see the "finished" product until the drawing is 'finished'
DVP: Drawings? What drawings are you refering to? How did you get started with those?

LVP: Like the drawing of the weightlifter -- I didn't realize the slight bump in the Jesus image was actually a gritting of the teeth.
LVP: I meant the slight bump in his cheeks

DVP: That's interesting. You have a goal in mind, but the final product can be different than the original "image" in your mind's eye...huh?
LVP: The story of my drawing is on the web sight

LVP: Jesus-With You Always
DVP: I've been there. Hasn't that site rec'd over a million hits or something like that?

LVP: Over 2 million now ... And from all continents (except no responses from Antartica yet)
LVP: Just got an e-mail from India this morning
LVP: The most interesting responses ( I get an e-mail for about every 1000 hits on the site) are from Muslim countries, where the Christians are obviously under difficult stresses.

DVP: That's neat. I'm at the end of the book of Genesis on this blog/devotional right now. What thoughts do you have when you get to the end of this book?
LVP: Genesis is quoted by Jesus more than any other book of the O.T. -- so it really is a foundational book for us

DVP: What are one or two (or three) reasons that make you believe in a "young earth?"
LVP: After many years of study my credo has become: The Bible is Trustworthy" There has been considerable research in the past several years which confirms that premise. Research in nearly all scientific fields has placed considerable doubt on the old age concept. Like the recent RATE study which found helium in "old" rocks where it couldn't possibly exist for milleniums and carbon 14 (which can remain intact for only thousands of years) was found in diamonds! And the studies which show that a world wide flood (Noah) better explains the geology and fossil record

DVP: Wow. What do you think of the recent "Global Warming" scare?
LVP: I'm wary when politicians wrap their causes in 'scientific opinions" -- and basically that's what we have here -- opinions.

DVP: I guess it's time for you to accompany my mom to get her x-rays. Try not to make her laugh too much ... it doesn't make her ribs feel too good. Any last questions for me?
LVP: No questions -- just a recommendation that you stop hugging your mother so tightly until her rib injury heals.

DVP: Okay. Have a blessed day. Thanks for being a part of the rich legacy of Christ's family by influencing your children to follow Him.

A sweet song

There is a song by my favorite Southern Rock group of all time (I'll take this band over Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Bros, The Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, .38 Special, any of those bands ... anytime), which is Blackfoot. They have a sweet ballad called "Mother."

(You can hear a portion here ... or here.
Anyway, one of the greatest treasures I have on this earth emitted a terrible sound last night. My precious mom took a fall and hit her back hard. I sure hope she's not aching this morning. That was a nasty spill.

Today is 10 days, 2 hours, 5 minutes and 11 seconds away from deadline. I've got to review/write the 10 to 12 "pick of the litter" bands today. Before I make the final selections, I need to listen to a few more indie/unsigned CDs that have come in since the preliminary selections. This can be a real drag, because sometimes the music we get is average at best ... and terrible at worst. It makes it so refreshing when something really good comes along.

We've got two more chapters to go in Genesis. 49 chronicles the blessing of his sons by Jacob. He starts off by saying, "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come."

That is an enticing introduction. Unfortunately, some of the sons get undressed verbally by their father's words. He prophesies to Reuben for defiling his father's bed; Simeon and Levi are cursed for their anger and violence. Wow! The first three are probably not happy to hear this pronouncement in front of their family. Beyond the veil of shame, though, probably lies the bitterness of the truth revealed. It is time to weep and repent if your wrong decisions and wayward life has gone unchecked up until now. I'm sure the other family members present were not haughty at all. They were probably full of sorrow for their brothers as well.

Judah, however, gets some exciting words spoken over him:
Judah, your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.
You are a lion's cub, O Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness -- who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his...

This sounds kind of messianic. Jesus is refered to as the "Lion of the tribe of Judah." The scepter is a king's ruling wand -- a symbol of power and authority. The part about the ruler's staff is repeated again in Ezekiel 21:27, when dominion over Jerusalem will one day be given to "whom it rightfully belongs."

Jacob's family had more than a lion's share of drama. What a story. Jacob instructed his sons to bury him with Abraham and Sarah when he died. After he finisehd giving these instructions, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Wow. I bet those last words stuck with those that heard it. I'll never forget the death of my cat. He died in my arms when he was 20 years old. I had him from when I was 9 years old, so he had become quite dear to me as a pet. His eyes were blind at this late stage of his life, as a cancer had deteriated his body, but I was holding him in my lap and petting him. He raised his head up at me, like he'd done many times before, almost to look at me. And then he laid his head down in my arms and breathed his last. It was a touching moment, as if he was in control of his body right up until the end, and then he let go. This story of Jacob reminds me of that. He had finished saying what he wanted to his sons and then he pulled his feet back up into bed, breathed his last, and then he departed.

The old SWITCHEROO

In Genesis 48 we can see a little meeting between Joseph and his father. When he had heard that his father was ill, he went to see him and he took along his two sons -- Manasseh and Ephraim. Verse two says:

When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to see you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on his bed.

Isn't it interesting that this man is called Jacob and Israel in the same sentence -- the same verse? I wonder how common it was for people to change their names back then. I wonder if they ever had problems with that.

Jacob told his son what God had told him earlier at Luz in the land of Canaan:

"I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you."

I bet those words were so important to Jacob/Israel that he found it necessary and probably pretty easy to memorize them. In much the same way that we realize we can get lots of laughs by memorizing lines from a movie, this conversation must've made a big impression on him. It says that God blessed him there, too. It's funny that the memory gets a little fuzzy after a while. Genesis 28 chronicles this earlier event:

He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and He said: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

I might have gotten alarmed about one detail of this if God had told me that. It's comforting to know that God will watch over and not leave ... until He's done what He promised. Yikes! Does that mean that God would leave Him after that point? Probably not. It's probably a figure of speech and doesn't mean that as soon as He fulfills His promise that He's going to split.

Anyway, Israel elaborates on this blessing and tells Joseph that his sons would fall under this blessing, and so on. When he saw the two sons that he'd brought, he asked who they were and had Joseph bring them over so he could bless them. Blessings are a neat subject. I believe in the principle of blessing. In fact, I would even say that "I believe in the power of blessing." I don't claim to have a clear understanding of what goes on when I bless people, but I think something significant is transacting in heaven when I speak blessings to people. I guess it's kind of like a prayer, where I am asking God for something or just talking to Him and He is hearing me. It was certainly a big deal to these people at this time in history, that's for sure.

Joseph brought his two sons over and strategically placed them oldest in front of Israel's right hand and youngest in front of his left. Joseph was thinking about the firstborn getting the greater blessing, as his tradition had specified that. However, Israel crossed his arms, placing his right hand upon the youngest (Ephraim) and his left hand on the oldest. Joseph didn't like this and took hold of his dad's hand. He said, "No, my father, this one is the first-born; put your right hand on his head." His father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations."

This wasn't the first time that a late-in-life blessing was handed down from a very old man to his children (or children's children, as in the case here). It's funny how it's a repeating theme.

I've heard it said that Jewish families today bless their children quite often (perhaps daily), speaking onto them that they will be great lawyers and doctors and bankers, etc. I'm not sure if this is true, but we sure do see a lot of Jewish lawyers, doctors, and bankers, don't we? I sure do like the concept of blessing, though. I think it's an act of love.

I hope you enjoyed the blogs from last week's SXSW events.

SXSW 2007 ... Almost Over

To call the talent present and the performances going on at South by Southwest "world class" is an understatement. A better word is just "RIDICULOUS," as it is completely mind-blowing and amazing how you can witness a world-changing performance by one artist, walk next door to another club and see another one that's being performed with "all or nothing" intensity, grit, and passion. It's a downright wonderful experience to take in. Yes, if you choose poorly you can see one crappy band (of the "trying to get signed when they should really try to find something else" variety) right after another, but you can also see nothing but buzz bands and discover why they're moving up charts "with a bullet." Kudos to the musical selection committee.



Pete Stewart played a set with his band that he coined "The Plastic Saviors" for this show. On drums behind him was his former Grammatrain partner Paul Roraback. He was showcasing songs from his new solo album, I Gave You A Desert. A few of them were kind of mellow, melodic songs, like "No One Can Save Me," which lamented: "Nobody hears me cry / they all just watch me die..." He rocked things up with his second song, which showed him punishing his low-slung guitar as he bent his knees to lower his towering frame over the mic stand to sing the words. During the song a girl came down the stairs at stage right and threw something on stage. I turned to a fireman next to me (Jay Greer) and wondered out loud what that was she tossed at Pete. "It's been awhile since a played and someone walked by and threw a condom at me," Pete shared from the stage. He then launched into "I Don't Need You," which asked the question: "Just tell me what I am supposed to do?" It was a straight-ahead low-end heavy rocker. It had a Southern Rock vibe in the bridge section with a "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" short solo section. "He then dedicated a song to "a psycho," where he wailed away with that great voice of his, singing like he kinda meant it. During "I'm Free" his guitar amp gave up the ghost and Paul Roraback and the guitarist and bassist laid out a groove and kept on playing, buying time to jam out a sweet extended section. Once plugged in, Pete turned his attention to the extended jam and it really took off, breathing that blues acid rock lifeblood that flowed through the veins of Hendrix, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Pete then closed the set thanking Paul for playing drums for him and then he switched to acoustic guitar for a spirited version of "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You." He was certainly treading dangerous waters by covering Led Zeppelin, but he really made it his own.



The Heroine, which used to be known as Naos Project, has evolved into an even better, heavier, and more intense band. They were playing a couple clubs down from the Stewart gig, making it easy to check out afterwards. Zeke, the frontman, threw himself up and over the railing around the stage, raised his hands and basically sweat out enough bodily fluids to wash a car. I know this cuz he gave me a hug after the set.




©2007 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved

Reading a Review of SXSW Backwards

That's what you are doing if you start here at the top, but hey, you don't have to feel the energy drain of retiring late and rising in the morning to do it all over again. He he.



Leigh Nash played a short set (most every act limits their sets to about 30 minutes, with some ocassionally going for 45 minutes) on a small patio stage atop a two-story building on Congress Avenue, across the street from the Frost Bank building (a sky scraper with decorated sculpted glass pedals at the top that light up the Austin skyline; giving real visual representation to the Spanish word "rascascielo," which translates to "sky scratcher"). It created kind of a surreal environment for the performance. Leigh introduced one of her new songs from Blue On Blue by saying, "I've been kinda blue lately, but things are looking up." She sounded confident and vulnerable at the same time, giving her amazing voice wings that flew into the night sky away from her simple stand-still-while-I-sing in her little girl but also very paternal knee-length black dress. Without sounding trendy, it seems she could fly back and forth in time, performing in the 17th, 18th, 19th or 20th century as easily as this one.



As soon as the set was done, I booked it out the side door, rambled down the stairs and headed up Congress to catch what I could of Mute Math's set on the Pure Volume Outdoor Stage. My badge was probably swinging in the wind around my neck, because a couple of young girls approached me and said, "Excuse me. Do you know where Mute Math is playing?" I told 'em I was headed there and I'd show 'em. As we got closer to the 7th Avenue location on a hill, we heard the tail end of a song, applause and then silence. "This is not good," I told the disappointed girls, but then we heard the subtle sounds of poorly mic'd drumsticks attacking the metal of mic stands and the legs of a drum stool. "Do you hear that?" I asked in excitement. The parking lot stage area was fenced around, which would allow them access if they couldn't get in past a gatekeeper looking for badges. Perhaps this was open to the public or the bouncer didn't notice them, but they were able to join the large throng of people. Judging by the banter after this song, Mute Math was just getting started. This was really good news for us all, as they were sounding very "on" (though I haven't seen them have an "off" night ever, even though I came away disappointed from one of their shows about two years ago when they introduced new songs that sounded too pop upon first listen). They played a new song, called "A Voice In The Silence," with was very melodic and had the phrase "Is there a voice in the silence?" repeated in the chorus. They played "Plan B" in an alternate arrangement that was in a slower tempo with the vocal line and delivery. It was very cool to hear them reworking their own material (especially for a second performance during the festival). Normally I might not let myself watch a band's second set in a huge event like this, because there are so many great acts to catch. Sometimes you'll even pass over a good band because you'll think, 'Oh, I'll see them next month at GMA, in concert here, or maybe this summer at festivals...' You'll basically look for reasons to help you decide between seeing an 8 o'clock performance by Leigh Nash or an 8pm set by Mute Math, for example (or you can halve them in two and club hop from one to the other). I was so glad I made an exception for this set, because it sounded great in the night air with a perfect mix and it was doubly surreal to pan around at the Austin skyline that surrounded this sloped parking lot with a stage located lower than the back of the audience, but still above most of the rest of the city below. It was a beautiful sight to behold. I noticed Mute Math has just released (at live shows only until June) a live DVD. Alright!!!



I headed down 7th street next to catch a set by Listener. He was playing in a dark and narrow dive of a club with people seated on the perimeter of the room around the wall. His talk music stood out from the norm at this hiphop showcase. His sound is really cool, culling from apparent influences like Tom Waits or Nebraska-era Springsteen, but barely above a talking voice. Kind of between talking and singing, yet passionate, poetic and meaningful. Perhaps a slowed down version of Mat Kearney or even Matisyahu. Sometimes this Arkansas resident sounds not too unlike a Jewish rapper from Brooklyn. To set him apart even further, he breaks out some large knives and runs them into a chopping block, hawking them between songs like a knife salesman, often repeating his offer to answer questions if anyone in the audience has them. He describes the knife blades as being crafted by angry Japanese with handles hewn from Viking war ships. All the time a film loop is playing in the background of old-time household item commercials. During his proposed second-to-last song he used a wet rag soaked in stage blood to create a large "bleeding" stain on his chest. His upcoming departure song got nixed by a stage manager wanting to keep things running on time, which was a shame, because his percussionist was going to play a washing machine. It was the big metal kind, which he carefully and arduously removed from the stage afterwards. It's a shame we missed this, because that would be a sight and sound to behold.



Page France played over at Maggie Mae's, which was packed rather tightly, but once the previous band finished, it wasn't too hard to find the front of the stage for their performance, which recompressed with people up front once they started playing. Page France brought their great happy tunes that are not too unlike Brian Wilson meeting The Polyphonic Spree ... with a lil' Anathallo and/or Daniel Johnston or Danielson influence. Very upbeat and singable melodies with a wide array of musical spectrum, with a little glockenspeel, horns, keys, two guitars and an acoustic (along with bass and drums). They played "Weatherman," followed by a new one called "That Rabbit" and some jamming fun with "Everybody Knows." Another new one they delivered was "Here's A Telephone." A long song called "Antartica" was a rollicking musical hootnanny, almost like a cowpunk or cowbilly ditty. They closed with a song about a "Happy Ending" that really was a super high note to go out on. Everyone but the drummer stepped to the stage's edge, getting the crowd slapping along. The bassist was lost in the moment, stomping his feet so hard on the plywood stage that his two effects pedals were bouncing up and down.



Dustin Kensrue held court on the outdoor stage at the Red Eyed Fly. One of his first songs was "Mr. State Trooper" by Springsteen. He played "Bread & Wine" with a Johnny Cash-like delivery. He did "Please Come Home" to a very appreciative crowd that seemed to know his just released solo material. Of course, they all gave up a hearty cheer when he mentioned his band Thrice. Dustin's not only a good singer, but a hard strummer that can get a lot of sound from an acoustic guitar. When he played "Consider The Ravens," he asked the crowd to get out their car keys and shake them like makeshift tamborines to help keep time and add a little spice. He played a great version of the Elvis Costello classic "Radio, Radio." When he played his song "Pistol," he started to replace the second verse with the last one by mistake, catching himself and starting that phrase again without really throwing the song off its pace. The laughing crowd totally let him get away with it. He donned his harmonica neck holster for "I Believe." I'm always amazed at the dexterity of players that can pull that off well. Dustin started "Mary, Don't You Weep," but couldn't remember the words and he realized it just as he was about to start. He apologized, admitting, "I didn't prepare for this show. I was so traumatized by yesterday..." (where a club sound crew pulled the plug on him during another set). Instead he played a surprising (and under appreciated) Counting Crows cover, "Round Here," which he delivered well. He played a Thrice song, "Stare At The Sun." He returned to his solo album for "I Need You Before," and then he played the Radiohead classic, "Creep," which the crowd ate up.



Bosque Brown put on a performance at 1am in the corner of a restaurant that was up on the 18th floor of the high-rise Hilton Garden Inn. Another beautiful setting for a cozy, intimate concert. Her twangy sweet voice was accompanied by violin, steel pedal guitar, electric, and a drummer sitting still most of the time (Ocassionally playing along with brushes and kick drum).




©2007 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved

SXSW_2007.3 (part one)

Day Three, where are you?
The times and days start to flow together as one big mass of stream of chronology as the late nights and walking around start stacking on top of one another. This day started with a very pleasant interview (for the HM Magazine Podcast) with Dustin Kensrue (Thrice frontman, who has a splendid new solo album that just came out). Lord willing, if the recording levels turn out right, you'll hear this in a future podcast, along with his latest single.



After that I marched downhill for the Paste Magazine shindig at Maggie Mae's. Their whirligig was fantastic, as juicy smoked BBQ brisket, potato salad, chicken was piled high. Before grabbing a plate I went to the restroom to freshen up and I noticed that voice as I walked past the stage. It was the lovely Rosie Thomas crooning away with Denison Witmer on a couple chairs atop a small stage that would present some killer music for this packed and getting larger by the hour party. Rosie was reading lyrics from a notepad during the first song, accompaning herself, along with Denison, on acoustic guitars. Her beautiful voice filled the club all the way to the balcony overlooking the club upstairs. Denny Wit sang a lead song and they both harmonized on "Carry The Weight." What a treat.



Eisley played an upbeat set that made them seem more rock than pretty voices, although each harmonized voice was just lush and pristine. They started off with "Beautiful Things" and then followed it with a song off their new album (which should hit sometime in June). It was called "I Could Be There For You" and it was sung with strong harmony vocals. They followed it with "Golly Sandra," which was dedicated to those from Texas (who speak with a slow drawl and actually say words like "golly"). Another new one was called "Invasion," based on a book they'd recently read about an alien invasion. It started off with a cool spacy intro, which could've been coaxed out of the guitar or synth (or both). They closed with another new one, "Many Funerals," which featured a cool call and response vocal approach (as well as their trademark swirling harmonies, albeit a little more straightforward than airy).



The Coldwar Kids played to a bursting-at-the-seems crowd, jamming their rock hard, fast, and passionate. I was reminded of the John Lennon classic tune "Cold Turkey" by the minor guitar sounds and vocals of many of their songs. Now I know why this band is buzzing so loudly. They're really good, melodic, and load some heavy hooks in their songs.



Afterwards I went over to the Austin Convention Center, where Direct TV has set up those studio/stages. The Bat Bar was showcasing The Polyphonic Spree, which I'd never seen live before. I couldn't resist the opportunity to take it in. Boy, what I glad I did. They were a phenomenally wonderful experience. Sporting about 20 people on stage, from six microphone weilding dancer/backup singers to a walking percussionist, a piano player, bass, guitar, someone who played a giant hanging xylophone, a giant stringed harp, and about six other instruments I can't remember. It was a memorable and wonderful thing to experience. Think of all the best moments from Pink Floyd's The Wall (you know, those songs you'll want to sing along to, minus the progressive jamming) ... with a little bit of that summertime fun of The Beach Boys. Bombastic, sweet cherry pop, and feel-good lymerics are the easiest way to describe this thing. Every note seems to be searching for joy. With just a touch of over-the-topness in grandeous terms (like a symphonic Queen rock opera, maybe), these songs were extremely good. I now consider myself a fan.




©2007 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved

SXSW_2007.2

Day 2 saw me trying to rise up early in vain, instead saying, "To heck with catching that 11am movie on Kurt Cobain. Instead I drove in late and got involved in the "good parking lots that take credit cards are full" and the "gridlock" traffic situations. After spending 45 minutes driving in giant loops in and around downtown Austin, my friend Tony Shore (the doctor) bailed me out with a wad of cash that I threw at the parking garage gate keeper as I sped up the ramp to the ninth floor. We both knew that, at 4:35 in the afternoon, all the food from the 2-5pm SPV Records and Metal Maniacs Magazine party would be long gone -- only leaving us the smell of good Texas (Iron Works) BBQ in the air over the empty food trays. Much to our surprise, though, the spreads were full and dripping with flavor. Score one for the metal label.



As we walked outside, we noticed a cool looking band all clad in white jumpsuits (Colourmusic) playing some harmonized smart rock. On the schedule was After Eight, a talented band I'd hoped to see. Little did I know that they were playing their hearts out next door as I stuffed my face with potato salad and beef brisket. (A special "I'm sorry" goes out to all the vegans that might read this).



The first show I caught Thursday night was one Sarah Kelly, who was performing at the Ameoba Music showcase about a mile east of downtown Austin. She belted out tunes that showed off why someone would handpick her from the millions of musical talents out there. She's got a set of pipes that might rival a young Janis Joplin, and she's even got moppy long hair to boot. While competing with a screamo band not too far away (whose sound bled over during each between-song pause), Miss Kelly introduced her last song with: "This is about as much of my heart as I can put into a song." She certainly let it fly. A sweet sounding violin and acoustic guitar and drums accompanied her on the piano.



After trekking on foot from East Austin all the way past Congress Avenue just to duck into the Viper Room in Austin party for a can of my favorite energy drink. You see, Monster Energy Drink was one of the sponsors. It was funny, because a zealous and angry bouncer destined for prime time was guarding the door. I had thought it was a free party instead of one of these "invitation only" affairs. After standing in the roped-off line, thinking my plans were dashed, I saw someone with a snake-like laminate flash it in front of this bouncer guy. I recognized the logo and thought, 'I got one of those in the mail.' After rifling through my backpack, I found it and was inside (only after having to wave my driver's license and prove that I was over 21, haha -- that makes an old guy feel good). Once inside I noticed that I was in coolsville. This was the "in" place to be (or so thought all the black-clad beautiful people inside). It was wall-to-wall with people "mingling" and looking around at each person in the room, sizing everyone up for a game of "values clarification" of another kind. The arrogance was so thick in the place, it was hard to walk through. People were dressed in rock and roll garb as if they were living their "seen to be seen" dreams in Hollywood, California. After making the rounds, looking for an iced tub of the blue Monster Energy Drink, I sauntered up to the bar and asked if they were serving it. He popped one open and handed it to me and said, "That'll be three bucks." Funny thing is I had spent my last two dollars in cash to help split a cab fair with a friend earlier, so I handed the drink back to the bartender and left that alien nation of a club scene behind. I felt free again once out on the sidewalk, stepping around a silicon-enhanced rock chick giving the bouncer a big "won't you let me in now" hug.
Ugh!



Mute Math played a pretty small club with a tiny stage. The place was packed when they went on, nailing their 11 pm set time start on the button, flying through songs that have been staples of their concerts for the past year -- "Typical," "Chaos," "We All Break The Same" and "Reset." Like any really good and interesting band, there's always something different to notice. I had never picked up on Paul Meaney using his voice as an instrument before. His "ah ahs" would fill the air just like any of the other members of the band will dress up and add rolls and flair to parts of songs. It was pretty cool to be about six inches from the flying elbows, drumsticks, and sweat from their drummer. I had gotten to the club while the previous band was playing and was able to grab one of those "the stage is in my hands" spots. I was afraid my white shirt would get splattered with blood from this guy's stage antics, but I made it through the 45-minute set unscathed.



I stuck around for Lenny's 1am set, which started for them the previous night when their van broke down. The shop they took it into was able to get it up and running by morning, and they drove 17+ hours from Jackson, TN all the way to Austin, arriving just 90 minutes or so prior to their set. They were in the process of earning a stripe or two. They sounded pretty good, with a second guitarist that adds a lot of depth, with chiming leads to accompany the rhythm. Many times, too, he matched the vocal lines (like the song "Something's Gonna Change"). The vocals were not separated from the mix very much, with two speakers acting as the "mains" and standing on poles just 4 feet apart from each other. It didn't provide for much of a stereo effect. The band ended with "Rapture," making for a solid but not spectacular SXSW showing.




©2007 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved

SXSW 2007

This annual five-day massive music party began with the convergance of thousands of people upon the fine city of Austin, Texas. This meant lines for registration pick-up. Over 32 parties kicked into gear with tunes and food, and music was heard in every nook and cranny available within a one or two square mile radius from downtown.



Between The Trees played a nice 20-minute set on a covered stage, while their audience happily listened along to a slight mist/drizzle. The vocals floated high in the air as the band played along with high energy to the flavor of the month melodic rock stylings. Their songs make a strong and valiant effort to stay in your head long after their set was over. This band is going to have their name dropped and talked about on an increasing level as the year goes by. You can just tell it'll happen for 'em.



The Fold played as part of the Tooth & Nail Showcase over at Spiro's. As usual, it was a packed affair with lots of younger-than-21-year-olds, which is cool, because the label is so popular with a wide age range of fans. To introduce the song "Medicine," a Fold member taunted the audience with: "Come on, Austin! Even my mom will dance to this song." Nice.



Showbread came on and sort of rocked the house. You wouldn't tell by their performance (because they put out on stage with no hesitation), but the low level mix of their vocals was so poor that it took away all the exciting dynamics that their vocals bring to their sound. It makes you realize how important and fun their dueling vocalists are. It's like "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." It improved over the course of their set, but their first song was almost karaoke, I swear. Near the end of the set, between banter about the March Madness bracket choices (alligators and vampire hunters), Josh Dails stated that they "formed this band ... tell people ... being a Christian isn't about rules ... being punished for not doing this ... but being loved so much that you want to live your life for someone..." and the crowd offered a giant roar of approval. That is kinda neat to see at a "secular" event like this, where bands show their wares and predominantly let their music do the talking. 0% pretense and 100% authenticity. Cool beans.



Anberlin suffered much of the same vocal mix problems, except it was much worse. It really was like karaoke for the first song, but Stephen Christian didn't visibly let it bother him. Perhaps the monitor mix was good...? "Clap Your Hands" reverberated from the stage and they then flew into "Never Take Friendship Personal." Audio problems aside, the band was really on, and Stephen used the small stage to good effect. "Adelaide" and "Paperthin Hymn" both sounded good (especially with the vocal levels coming up over the rest of the band finally late into the set. During "Dismantle Repair" Christian's vocals sounded desperate, which was great.



[Like my new shirt?
That's former HM staffer Andrew Hazen in the background]
MxPx came on at 1am, after a long setup. Though they played through mix problems, it wasn't as bad as Anberlin's. They coyly talked about other sound problems, vowing to forge ahead, Mike stating that they would "Make it happen, as opposed to 'Let It Happen.'" The band really threw themselves into their performance, giving their all like pro's. "This Is My Life and This Is My Life Story," Mike shouted out as he passionately gave himself to the words.



The Smoking Popes played on another stage down the street (one fine detail of the wonderment of SXSW is the ability to hop from one club to another and take in multiple sets during the course of a night). They sounded so good. It was easy to hear why the band has such a devoted following. They played many new songs, which sounded real sweet. Josh Caterer's vocals are really good, reminding these ears of Phil Keaggy (of all people). A great way to end a long, long night.



And thus the great Canadian comedian Doug Giesbrecht (pictured above) looked at me with one finger raised up, "One down, four to go."



This is one of two stages that Direct TV will be filming shows for its "Live at SXSW" coverage. Massive, well constructed set design.




©2007 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved

I'll Stop The World By Melting Glue

Today is the first day of SXSW. I will be leaving soon and not returning until 2am. Whew! I'm planning on going to that one showcase that's sponsored by Monster Energy Drink (to get me through the long day/night).

I have been surely tested with my own advice about not being grumpy, short, and non-friendly on the phone. Sigh. I've failed miserably thus far.

sigh.

I'm so glad that God is not cynical like we are. When I plead for mercy and forgiveness, He grants it. That is amazing grace (and amazing mercy), right there, folks.

I finished transcribing the interview I did with Ogre of Skinny Puppy last night. It was a good one, where both of us opened up and shared. When was the last time a non-believer asked you to share the story of how and why you came to Christ? That's freaking cool!

Trying to throw your arms around the world

I finished the book Bono last night. It was a great read, featuring conversations between the singer and a friend named Mitshka (sp?).

In Genesis 47, we see Joseph bringing five of his brothers before Pharaoh. The first thing Pharaoh asks them is just what Joseph had trained them about: "What is your occupation?" They answered just as they were told: "Shepherds, just as our fathers were." Pharaoh granted their request to settle in Goshen. He did them one better, too. He told them to settle in the "best part of the land" and he also told them about his posting on Craig's List: "If you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock."

My pastor likes to do that, describe some biblical action in a modern day equivalent. Joseph (and now his family) had so much favor with Pharaoh. It was crazy. Here he was -- on top of the world -- when before he had been thrown in a ditch and left for dead.

This is a good story to give someone battling with depression or suicide some perspective. Joseph was thrown into prison, perhaps relegated to rotting for the rest of his soon-to-be-shortened life. Not too much time had passed when he was the second most powerful man in the earth. That's a huge rags to riches story. The problem with problems is we often can't see the future. We don't know that we won't have that amazing girlfriend or job or gig or circumstances in the next year or two or five. We don't know if or when the cloud will lift, but it just might be soon. Making it through tough times is rough, but things can drastically change for the better. You just never know.

Israel/Jacob was a good man. When Joseph brought him before Pharaoh, it must've been a proud moment, like when a college football player brings his parents before the coach. An interesting thing happened at the beginning and end of this meeting, however. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Later on, when he was 147 and knew he was close to dying, he made Joseph put his hand under his thigh and swear to him that he'd bury him in the land of his fathers. Joseph swore to him "and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff." That is cool to see someone who is weak use all their strength to do something like worship God. What a great example.

A renegade rides a runaway train...

The Egyptians were racist.
When Jacob came to Goshen to meet up with Joseph, he brought all of his family and livestock. They brought along their possessions, too, even though Pharaoh told them they needn't, as "all of Egypt would be theirs." When they arrived to Goshen, Joseph got his chariot and went to meet his dad. When they met, Joseph wept. Jacob said, "Now I can die, because I've seen with my own eyes that you are alive." Joseph told them when they were asked what their occupation was to answer "tending livestock," as "all shepherds are detestable to Egyptians. Those Egyptians sure seemed like an arrogant bunch.

It's interesting that God spoke to Jacob, who was now called Israel, in a vision after he stopped in Beersheba on the way to Goshen and offered sacrifices to God. The Lord spoke to him, saying, "Jacob, Jacob! ... Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

It's interesting that God still addressed him as Jacob, at least in that vision. It appears that He promised that Joseph would be there when he died, and "close his eyes."

Phone/Visit Advice to Self:

When someone calls you...

And, A) You're annoyed because you're busy...

Remember: They might be lonely and need a friend.
When history is over and you're in eternity, will you look back at the project or job you were working on and think,'Man, I'm glad I blew Jim off with that phone call quick, because I was able to get this job done on time!' ???
Nope. You probably won't regret unfinished work, missed deadlines or wish you had worked harder. You might have insight into special divine appointments -- some of which you cancelled or blew off (or failed to do the right thing about) -- and those will be the things you regret.

Spending time with people.

So, I'm preaching right now, but I'm preaching to myself (if anyone else gets anything out of it, that's great ... I just hope I can listen to my own advice here...). The next time you get a phone call or an unexpected visit, try this:

a) spend some time with them. have a laugh or two. try to make the other person focus on just what is being shared between the two of you at the moment (a joke, a story, laughter, spiritual encouragement, scripture, whatever).

b) don't let yourself get distracted. if you are working for someone else, your boss is not going to be happy if he/she sees you holding the phone to your ear for 45 minutes, listening as your friend rambles on and on about whatever. at a certain point (after you've actually given yourself to the person, maybe even for a couple minutes) step up and say, "i'm sorry, but i've gotta go. i've enjoyed talking to you."

c) what you've done is you have not been annoyed from the very first second, sending your "i'm annoyed and wish you'd go away" vibe that will surely, certainly come across sooner or later (probably immediately in the tone of your voice and the "uh-huh" non-commital un-responses you're giving them). you've put the annoyed feelings aside, given yourself to this person (even if just for a few moments), and you've also set boundaries so that you don't feel used by the other person. you gave freely. you measured out a time and given yourself totally to it, but then finished it and went back to whatever it is you were busy with.

whew!
big sigh.
I hope I can do that.

[There will be a test]

Then Joseph could no longer control himself...

...before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

Wow. Talk about some kind of drama. Here was one of the most powerful men in the earth freaking out in front of them. And he drops the bomb that he is Joseph -- the brother they sold into slavery and had convinced their dad that he was dead. But God, Who somehow lives outside of time, knew this was all going to happen and he tipped the parties off with the dreams he gave Joseph.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don't delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me -- you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute."

Wow. God set this all in motion ... and Joseph was smart enough to figure that out. He wasn't blind to the invisible hand of God. He didn't just look at his outward circumstances and think, 'Surely, I have become a great man.' He knew it was God's doing.

It's also interesting how he mentions: "...God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth..." This is like part of the "scarlet thread of redemption" that is woven through the entire Bible. God is saving a remnant for Himself and for the blessing and betterment of the entire world.

Yes, God's people (us) are supposed to be a blessing to the world.

It's up to us not to sit on our self-righteous high horses and serve and bless those around us.

It's true: sometimes the ones we are blessing and serving will not appreciate it. They might even mock us and make us feel bad. But our calling and our purpose is to make this a better place. This news might fly in the face of some theology out there, but the Bible makes a clear and consistent statement throughout the entire counsel of His Word, and it starts with the "Abrahamic Covenant," which says: "You will be a blessing to all the nations."

We can look back at these events and be thankful that this happened, for we are benefactors of it.

Pharaoh heard about this and heaped blessings upon Joseph's family. He told them not to worry about packing their possessions, because "the best of all Egypt will be yours." Wow. He set them up with carts and animals to help transport Joseph's family back. This was amazing.

And to top it all off, when Jacob heard about it he was revived in spirit. He didn't believe it at first, of course, and had to be convinced, but it eventually seaped in and he believed.

Why do I love Jesus?

...Because I am a sinner.

I'm dumb enough to feel sorry for myself sometimes when things go wrong; but I'm also smart enough to know that I deserve to be mercilessly beat up, left for dead, starved ... and then tortured until I'm finished. Jesus forgave me. I needed His forgiveness desperately. Now that He's pardoned me, accepted me, and forgotten about my past (by choice, not by feeble-ness), I am grateful to Him. You never forget those people that treat you nice. I can't forget the love and mercy that God has shown me. This gratitude, this love, this realization is what motivates me to follow Him.

In chapter 44 of Genesis, we see more of the drama we've been following unfold. Joseph has fed the brothers, released Simeon, and saw Benjamin. As they left, Joseph had his steward stash the silver they had brought in their sacks. He also put a silver cup in Benjamin's sack. Later he chased after them and accused them of stealing. He searched their sacks and found the cup. They freaked out, knowing that the one caught stealing would be punished. They returned to the city and the rest of the chapter chronicles Judah pleading his case for Benjamin's release. He explained to Joseph how they couldn't possibly have their dad's only other son from his wife Rachel be taken away.

I wonder how hard it was for Joseph to conceal his own emotions as all this played out in front of him. He had these guys fooled and intimidated, for sure. He was the second most powerful man in the world, no doubt. He even told these guys that he can "find things out by divination."

They were in a good place for their souls, though. They were begging and starting to come clean about their crimes. If God's purposes are around this kind of attitude, some really cool things can happen as a result.

Why did you reveal too much?

In Genesis 43 Israel asks his sons, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?" Like most all of us, he's blaming someone or something for the present circumstances. Instead of just dealing with the reality of the situation, he wants to complain about how it started.

After being persuaded, Israel said: "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift -- a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."

They packed pistachio nuts!!! I love those things. If I were Joseph, that would have cinched the deal.

When Joseph saw his youngest brother, Benjamin, he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." Then he took off, because he was deeply moved and had to find a place to cry alone. He wept. He let it all out. Then he washed up, composed himself, and returned. It's funny that they didn't eat together, because Egyptians were racists who thought it detestable to eat with Hebrews. All the brothers sat at the table according to age and Benjamin's portions were five times as much as the others. Perhaps this was one of Joseph's coy little jokes to play on the brothers, who were victims, as it were, of favoritism.

We must all fight for our lives...

I am so getting into Muse. Allan Aguirre tipped me off to them a few years ago, and I've been really enjoying their last two albums.

Every once in a while the Bible makes me laugh. And each time it also validates it as a living book and an authentic one, because it presents life in real terms. Case in point: Genesis 42

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?"

That is hilarious. He's kind of kicking them in the rear, calling them on being goofy and lazy.

He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die."

Thus unfolds the drama of what began a while ago with Joseph's brothers becoming jealous, hateful, and murderous of Joseph. When his brothers arrived, they bowed down to the governor in charge, thus fulfilling what Joseph saw in his dream way back when. He acted like a stranger and spoke harshly to the brothers, who didn't recognize him. Joseph accused them of being spies. When they told him that they were a family of 12 sons, "the youngest of which is at home with his father and the other is no more." Joseph demanded that they bring the youngest son to him.

The guilt of their crime is still with these brothers. They assume that this has come upon them because of what they did. "We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen..." They felt it. They felt it hard. Joseph could hear these things they were saying, and he turned his back and wept in private. He bound up Simeon in front of the others and sent them home with orders to bring the youngest to him. He gave them sacks full of grain and had their silver money put back in them, which they later discovered, making them even more nervous. When they arrive home and tell their father of the orders, he doesn't want to let Benjiman go.

Poor guy. He's been through the supposed death of Joseph and now he doesn't want to lose Benjiman.

Biscuit - Mary - Martha

They're all here -- along with me and my daughters. We spent the night here last night, as my wife had a slumber party with some of her girlie friends. All the pets enjoyed being in the house together and Mary didn't cry too much in the middle of the night. She's an outdoor cat and is used to prowling between 1 and 5am, I guess.

Have a blessed weekend. I recommend breathing outside air, if weather permits.

I have to rave about my neighbor out here in the country -- Eddie. He went out in his 4-wheel drive pickup looking and calling for Biscuit Thursday night. And then I got in the pickup and we went 4-wheeling all over some surrounding ranch property. This is called "going out of your way" to help a neighbor. That is so awesome. Giving = Love = Giving. I love that.

Biscuit's Back

I looked out of the window at 5:30 am and saw Biscuit there. It sure was great to see him. If he could only talk, I'd love to hear about his night. His return ended a sleepless night of anguish for me.

Praise God for answered prayer. It was difficult to navigate through the emotions of hope and hopelessness. At times I tried to taste what it would feel like if he came home. At other times it was hard not to be down, fearing the worst. When you're really panic-ed about something, it's hard to keep that cool calm that most of us like to cruise in. Either way, sometimes there's no "correct" emotion to be feeling. So I just try to maintain a conversation with God and/or keep praying.

I'm so glad this one turned out good. It really seemed bleak there for a good while.

Biscuit is missing

Our dog, the beloved Biscuit, ran off this evening. I just got back after searching for him for five hours. I have no idea where or how far he could've gone in those five hours. I let him run around outside for about 20 minutes at the end of the day, playing with a white dog we'd never seen before.

When it was time to leave, he was no where to be found -- neither was the white dog. I went over to my nearest neighbor (Eddie), who helped me look around. He told me a little bit of info about our neighbors, and I searched over where this white dog was apparently from. I found him and some of his friends, but no Biscuit. I called another friend, named Tornado, who helped by looking around and calling some other neighbors. I joined up with Eddie and we went four-wheeling around with a spotlight. Afterwards I went out on foot with my spotlight and walked over to where the white dog lives. It was a ways away. I found the white dog and his friends. They stayed with me for the next couple of hours. After I got back to the office, I got in the car and drove in other directions, staying in first gear and going pretty slow. The two dogs came with me on foot. They were real troopers. I kept telling the white dog that he'd better help, since he was (probably) the one that got Biscuit to run off.

Now I'm back at the office and plan on spending the night here, just in case Biscuit finds his way home. I've been praying a lot, asking God to help me find Biscuit. I feel pretty low right now.

A Big BUT

"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

That is extreme confidence. Confidence in hearing God and confidence that God will do what He says. Here Joseph is, brought up out of prison, allowed to shave and change clothes, standing before the most powerful man on earth... He was brought out of prison for one task, and the first thing he says is: "I cannot do it." I wonder how long he waited to finish his sentence. I wonder if Pharaoh's facial expression changed during that lull.

After Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams, Joseph tells him that "God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do." This is an amazing statement. My previous interpretations of this passage always revolved around how God was setting this up for Joseph to get where he was later to be. I kind of ignored the fact that God was blessing an Egyptian Pharoah. Joseph repeats this earlier phrase when he interprets the dream: "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do." That is a great privilege. Joseph is also going out of his way to difuse the reaction to his wonderful gift of dream interpretation. It is God doing the work, not him. Even though a little bit of bragging might have helped get him out of jail, he refused to take the glory.

No sooner had he walked out of prison, being led by guards no doubt, is he given a ring, fine linens, a gold chain necklace, and he rode around in a chariot, where men shouted before him, "Make way!" What a turn around. He was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt. He was given the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. Joseph was only 30 when all this happened. Quite a heady turnaround for the young man.

Joseph stockpiled a fifth of the grain during the plentiful years of Egypt, preparing for the seven years of famine to follow. The grain was so much in abundance that records stopped being kept. Joseph had two sons, the first of which was named Manasseh, which meant "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." The second was named Ephraim, and he pronounced, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." It is obvious by these statements that he hadn't forgotten the tragic events that brought him to Egypt, but it was a kind of "forgiveness forgetting" that he applied to these memories. This would help explain how God forgives and forgets. He doesn't actually forget, like an imperfect mind loses information once stored there, but He applies a forgiveness that doesn't budge an inch to bitterness.