I spent some time hanging with Joe Thorn today. It was partially because he's my best friend and it's fun to catch lunch with him. But it was mostly because I wanted to go to Kiss the Sky, a nice Geneva, IL music store with a great selection, to pick up the new Eluvium album, Copia. I also picked up Bert Jansch's The Black Swan and Loney, Dear's Loney, Noir. I had to leave so many good CD's behind, stuff I've been looking for. Glad I was able to bring home a few. Photo credit to THE Joe Thorn.
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch...
The Missouri Baptist Convention has toughened its alcohol policy forpeople who receive money from the organization to start new churches.
Individuals who help found new churches were already required to sign a statement agreeing to abide by the organization's policy on alcohol consumption. Some of the new language requires those who receive money from the convention to go a step further and "teach the strong Biblical warnings of the consumption of alcohol for all Christians."
[...]
Missouri Baptist Convention interim executive director, the Rev. David Tolliver, said he did not know what precipitated the need for a policy change, saying only that the new policy "reflects the position of most Missouri Baptists."
He said the Journey was not affected by the toughened policy, because its leaders simply borrowed money from the convention to buy a new church building. "This new policy has nothing to do with them," he said. "It won't affect them."
Man, this is so cool. Poets.org has a National Poetry Map so you can click on a state and find out about local poets and poetry, the state Poet laureate, literary organizations, poetry friendly bookstores, writers conferences, etc. For example, when I click on Illinois I find out that Li Young Lee is one of our local Chicago poets (already knew that) and that Kevin Stein is our Illinois Poet laureate (didn't know that).
This is a great resource for finding local stuff as well as expanding your horizons. The more I use Poets.org, follow their RSS feed, and listen to their Poetcast (podcast), the more I love this site. Get on it.
These Billy Collins action poetry videos are just fantastic. Brilliant. He is the dude who wrote "The Lanyard" and is speaking at the Opera House here in Woodstock on Thursday. My wife and I have tickets. Enjoy these wonderful short videos. (Videos not available to embed are "Men in Space," "No Time," "Today" and "The Country."
.
Some music on the radar, but not yet on the iPod...
I have a feeling Brandi Carlile's new album, The Story, will be a good one. Her debut album was fantastic (as I pointed out last year). Her song, "The Story," was free on iTunes a few weeks back. You can see her video for "The Story," though I like this live version better. Man, what a voice.
I'm entranced by the music of Eluvium. I've been back to their My Space regularly to hear it again. Beautiful. Can't find the CD's in my local stores so I may have to order them. The new one, Copia, is getting great reviews.
Some music I'm loving and will probably post on in the near future: Besnard Lakes, Blonde Redhead, Headlights, Low, Patrick Park, and The Shins.
The spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling recollected in tranquility. –William Wordsworth
The art of doing by means of words what the painter does by means of colors. –Thomas Macaulay
What ideas feel like. –Karl Shapiro
The art that offers depth in a moment. –Molly Peacock
Memorable speech. –W.H. Auden
Perfection of form united with a significance of feeling. –T.S. Eliot
Poetry essentially is figurative language, concentrated so that its form is both expressive and evocative. --Harold Bloom in The Best Poems of the English Language
This, I believe is the ultimate direction and goal of poetry, metaphor, and symbol—to express what is inexpressible, to fuse together what still remains separate. --Robert Siegel, The Christian Imagination, 351
If you are interested in taking online poetry writing classes, you may want to look at Zarafa Tutorials. I haven't used them, but like where they are coming from. They link to Douglas Jones' interesting, short article "Men Hate Poetry."
...if you hate poetry or don't have the time or are just indifferent, consider that this might be symptomatic of some deep failure in you instead of in the poetry. And then, don't just admit to the failure and go on hanging your head. Hunt for beauty. Track it down. A passion for beauty certainly is characteristic of those great men in the past whose lives were characterized as after God's own heart. Remember David's psalms and Beowulf's celebrations, full of life and faithfulness.
I also recommend looking at the articles on poetry over at Credenda Agenda (where Jones' article is published). If you search for poetry on their site, you get many articles. Check them out.
Had no new photos and Joe Thorn was making fun of me, so I took this photo with his camera at lunch (Mmm, BW3).
Some quotes about poetry (and art) from The Christian Imagination (which happens to be a fantastic book of essays on the "practice of faith in literature and writing"). These are quotes in the book, not quotes from the book.
The poet's job is not to tell you what happened, but what happens: not what did take place but the kind of thing that always does take place. --Northrop Frye, The Educated Imagination
The poet is not a man who asks me to look at him; he is a man who says "look at that" and points. --C.S. Lewis, The Personal Heresy
It is the function of all art to give us some perception of an order in life, by imposing an order upon it. --T.S. Eliot, On Poetry and Poets
You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul. --George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah
A poem is the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth. --Percy B. Shelley, A Defense of Poetry
Reading poetry gives experiences there is no other way to have. It gives them quickly, suddenly, just about whenever we want. --Kenneth Koch, Making Your Own Days: The Pleasures of Reading and Writing Poetry
Poetry provides the one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning another.... We like to talk in parables and in hints and in indirections. --Robert Frost, "Education in Poetry"
Here are podcasts I enjoy, listed by category. I hope you might find some of them helpful for you. I'm leaving off my poetry podcasts for another post.
Ministry/Theology
Audition (Mars Hill Audio): Ken Myers in an NPR style commentary on culture and Christianity through Myers' commentary and interviews. This is a free spin-off of the Mars Hill Audio commentaries.
Catalyst: Covers both church leadership issues and cultural issues through interviewing Christian leaders, authors, pastors, etc. I really enjoy the Catalyst podcast, though I find myself skipping the first several minutes of pre-interview conversation about Catalyst Conference stuff and other random bits. The interview is the meat, and it's consistently thoughtful and engaging.
Church Leader Insights: Pastors Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas of The Journey Church in NYC talking together about church leadership, church growth, church planting, systems, evangelism, etc. A lot of info of what has and hasn't worked for them. I always come away with insights for pastoring and ministry, even if you don't approach ministry in quite the same way as these guys.
Covenant Worldwide: At least 15 free seminary classes are available on the topics of biblical theology, OT and NT, apologetics and outreach, the Reformation, life and letters of Paul, and more. What the heck are you waiting for?
Fermi Project: Discussions with leaders on culture, the future, the Church and the Gospel. It's hosted by Catalyst guys Gabe Lyons and Andy Crouch. It's only on episode three, but I've enjoyed it tremendously so far. A great, concise podcast.
Internet Monk Radio: Michael Spencer's thoughts on theology, ministry, his critics, yadda. The worst aspect of this podcast is his love affair for the Cincinnati Reds. Yuck. But if you can get past that, Spencer can often deliver thoughtful insights on a variety of issues. Warning: If you don't know Spencer and his online writings, some of this won't make much sense. It's for the devoted.
National New Church Conference: Interviews with conference speakers dealing with church and church planting. Have learned a lot from this podcast and highly recommend it for church leaders.
Practically Speaking: North Point boys (Andy Stanley, et al) on the Seven Practices of Effective Ministry. It's a "dead" podcast in that there are no new episodes, but their seven podcasts I have found very helpful as a pastor. I've listened to them more than once, and will listen again.
Resurgence: Mark Driscoll's missional resource that includes talks from various conferences and lectures pertaining to ministry and theology. Lots of good stuff here.
Movies
Filmspotting: A weekly podcast from Chicago featuring new movie reviews, top 5 lists, interviews and insightful film talk with Adam Kempenaar and Sam Van Hallgren. It's also found on Chicago Public Radio. Ugh, this is a great podcast. The best movie podcast I know of. Even when I disagree with a particular take on a movie, which isn't often, these guys are still compelling in their arguments. Worth every second.
Music
KEXP Live Performances: In-studio concerts at KEXP for all to hear. I've found some great new stuff from this podcast.
KEXP Song of the Day: Live performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent musicians that KEXP thinks listeners should hear along with songs from more well-known artists. Why not?
Introductions to newer bands and/or new albums through a free song.
NPR All Songs Considered: An eclectic mix of fresh music by emerging artists and breakout bands -- from NPR.org's Web-only music show. Good stuff.
Paste Culture Club: A wonderful music magazine's podcast. Always a treat.
Preaching
Capitol Hill Baptist: Pastor Mark Dever is one of the most important living Southern Baptist pastors/preachers, and a pastor who I have had a chance to talk with a bit. He has seen a remarkable change over the years of his church in D.C. Dever is obsessively expository in his approach. If you want to know the Bible, this is a great way to digest it. Dever is also well known for tackling very large sections of text, including single sermons on entire books of the Bible.
Cornerstone Simi: Pastor Francis Chan is fairly new on my radar, but I have enjoyed what I have heard so far.
The Journey - St. Louis: Pastor Darrin Patrick is a friend and has seen some great things happen after planting in St. Louis. A good preacher, and a young leader worth watching.
Mars Hill Church, Grand Rapids: Pastor Rob Bell is a controversial writer and speaker in the emerging church movement. I find him very engaging and biblical, though we would surely differ at points. He challenges me with living the Gospel.
Mars Hill Church, Seattle: Pastor Mark Driscoll is a different sort of controversial writer and speaker in the emerging church movement. He has been very influential in my ministry and life.
Village Church: Pastor Matt Chandler is SBC, Acts 29, and one of the best young preachers I've heard. Probably my favorite younger preacher to listen to over the last few months. Some people trip over a few of his stylistic traits at first, but please persist and you will find so much worth hearing.
Miscellaneous
This American Life: Ira Glass hosts this show of first-person stories and short fiction pieces that are touching, funny and surprising. An amazing show that takes a topic and surrounds it with pertinent stories.
Fresh Air (for Joe, "frosshhaar"): Terry Gross hosts this daily take on contemporary arts and issues. Good stuff on politics, faith, entertainment, etc. (Please no emails on her political POV, as if I don't know.) A great show nearly every day.
Writers on Writing: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett hosts this weekly show on the art and business of writing. She interviews authors, poets, literary agents, etc. A staple in my life. Great insights through great interviews.
I thought it would be on topic this National Poetry Month to mention that I read "The Lanyard" at my Mom's funeral. My brother said he hadn't cried all week until I read that poem. Something to think about concerning how poetry can matter in life, and death.
Dana Gioia's essay, "Can Poetry Matter?" (originally published in 1991, also found in his book Can Poetry Matter?) is must reading on this subject. His concern is that poetry now belongs in a subculture in America and has been lost from "the mainstream of artistic and intellectual life."
It is time to experiment, time to leave the well-ordered but stuffy classroom, time to restore a vulgar vitality to poetry and unleash the energy now trapped in the subculture. There is nothing to lose. Society has already told us that poetry is dead. Let's build a funeral pyre out of the desiccated conventions piled around us and watch the ancient, spangle-feathered, unkillable phoenix rise from the ashes.
One of my all-time favorite poems is by a famous writer of frontier/adventure novels, Louis L'Amour. "An Ember in the Dark" is found in his book of poetry, Smoke From This Altar.
An Ember in the Dark by Louis L'Amour
Faintly, along the shadowed shores of night
I saw a wilderness of stars that flamed
And fluttered as they climbed or sank, and shamed
The crouching dark with shyly twinkling light;
I saw them there, odd fragments quaintly bright,
And wondered at their presence there unclaimed,
Then thought, perhaps, that they were dreams unnamed,
That faded slow, like hope's arrested flight.Or vanished suddenly, like futile fears--
And some were old and worn like precious things
That youth preserves against encroaching years--
Some disappeared like songs that no man sings,
But one remained--an ember in the dark--
I crouched alone, and blew upon the spark
I briefly mentioned Midlake on my 3.26 post. I want to make sure everyone knows Midlake's The Trials of Van Occupanther is a fantastic album, beautiful even. It's mellow 70's soft rock-ish sound, but don't let that scare you. I think you will like it. Midlake's My Space includes some great tracks including "Roscoe" and "Head Home." Here are videos for "Head Home," "Roscoe," and "Bandits." Don't miss Midlake in concert on Fabchannel.
Andrew Bird's Armchair Apocrypha is a dazzling intellectual treat. This is swirling, mature and often gorgeous music. This is how an artist can go experimental without making you sick. Check out Bird's My Space, which includes some of my favorite songs "Imitosis" and "Heretics." If you are new to Bird, wake up to his sound through his 2005 Fabchannel concert video.
Have you picked up Arcade Fire's Neon Bible yet? If not, what's wrong with you? Kevin Cawley points to a great live video to show you AF in action. These guys are awesome.
If you are like me, sometimes you just need some blood pumping rock music. One of my go-to groups for crank-it-up, kick butt music is Chevelle. I own Wonder What's Next and This Type of Thinking Could Do Us In, both great. Next time you need to get the blood moving watch "The Clincher" or "Get Some" or "Family System" or "Panic Prone" (may include racy language).
Colin Adams (Unashamed Workman) has started a series of posts called "Ten Questions for Expositors." His first interview is with Tim Keller.
It's cold here in central Illinois, the day after my Mom's funeral. Thanks for all your prayers. All went well as far as services and schedules go. There's no question that the more love and joy you have in your family, the more you are set up for great suffering if/when someone dies. But I gladly accept the suffering now for 34 years with a great Mom.
Please pray for my Dad who is really struggling right now, as you can expect. I have known few people who were as intertwined in life as my parents. We are going to watch the Cubs today, the Masters, and just talk a lot. My whole extended family has really been great here in Pontiac. A lot of people don't experience what I have experienced with so many relatives in one place, all who love each other very much. It's really wonderful. We will be leaving Sunday morning-ish to go home.
I missed Phriday Photos. So here are a few shots from early in the week. I was up until 4am on Tuesday trying to get some lightning photos as some strong storms passed through Woodstock (Mom died at 5:15pm later that day). Here are my favorites. There are more on my Flickr page.
I received a call on Monday from my Dad. He and Mom (who has been struggling with terminal cancer for the last 6 months) wanted all the kids and our families to come on Tuesday night for one last big discussion so we can all express some final thoughts with each other, knowing Mom had weeks left at best.
Tuesday morning my sister, Julie, called and said Dad rushed Mom to the hospital. She was throwing up blood all night. So we left as soon as we could and got to the hospital in Pontiac, IL at 2pm. We spent a few hours talking with her as much as was possible in her very weak state. She was also hallucinating, though nothing too bad. At about 5pm on Tuesday we took the kids out to get some dinner for us and Dad. After leaving Burger King my sister called. Mom died at 5:15pm on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007. We went back to the hospital immediately and spent some time mourning with many family members there.
We really thank God for getting us to Pontiac to be with her before she died, and to be here with/for my family. I few people who touched as many lives as my Mom. She was more generous than anyone I've every met. I can't think of a selfish thing she ever did. I can't think of a single time when she heard a need with one of us kids (when younger, married, whatever) and didn't act to do something about it. I'm not exaggerating.
My Mom was also a tremendous friend to my wife. Molly has very little contact with her parents, but has been "adopted" by my family. Our wedding was in my hometown because of how much she connected with my Mom and needed that support. My Mom was Molly's Mom, and I'm so thankful for the years they had together. They were very close.
I'm speaking a bit at the funeral, though not preaching. I'm really speaking on behalf of me, my brother and sister. My buddy Jason Woolever will be preaching.
Outwardly I'm doing fine. Inwardly I'm struggling. This is easily the most painful experience of my life. It's also difficult because I may not make it back to our church for Easter. I really want to get back there, but Dad needs some of us around right now. We are playing it by ear. We appreciate your prayers.
Another poem for National Poetry Month. I've posted this poem before, but I find it timely and beautiful. My Mom is nearing the end of her life (at 59). Cancer. We are headed to see her today, not knowing how many hours, days she might have left.
"The Lanyard" by Billy Collins (first heard on NPR)
The other day I was ricocheting slowly
off the blue walls of this room,
moving as if underwater from typewriter to piano,
from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,
when I found myself in the L section of the dictionary
where my eyes fell upon the word lanyard.No cookie nibbled by a French novelist
could send one into the past more suddenly—
a past where I sat at a workbench at a camp
by a deep Adirondack lake
learning how to braid long thin plastic strips
into a lanyard, a gift for my mother.I had never seen anyone use a lanyard
or wear one, if that’s what you did with them,
but that did not keep me from crossing
strand over strand again and again
until I had made a boxy
red and white lanyard for my mother.She gave me life and milk from her breasts,
and I gave her a lanyard.
She nursed me in many a sick room,
lifted spoons of medicine to my lips,
laid cold face-cloths on my forehead,
and then led me out into the airy lightand taught me to walk and swim,
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.
Here are thousands of meals, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education.
And here is your lanyard, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor.Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift—not the worn truththat you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took
the two-tone lanyard from my hand,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove
out of boredom would be enough to make us even.
Typically when I ask people what kind of music they like they answer, "All kinds," which usually means no kind in particular. "What's your favorite band?" "I just listen to whatever is on the radio." Ugh. I know too many people who thoughtlessly consume too much in life: TV, movies, art, music, etc. One lesson I learned from the example of Joe Thorn a couple of years ago is to think about whatever it is I do. I have learned to be more intentional about knowing what I do and why I do it, what I hear and why I listen to it, etc. So at the outset of this Music Monday I encourage you to think redemptively about music instead of only consuming it.
I recently moved outside my genre comfort zone and picked up LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver. This is a blend of sorts: rock, disco, dance, yadda. It was receiving tremendous reviews and I just had to give it a shot. Metacritic has it at a combined score of 90 which is very high. Some quotes...
MusicOMH...
Taken end to end, Sound Of Silver is a thrilling, exhilarating ride on a fast machine. Murphy's hyperactive compositions have rhythm, energy, feeling and bite - and while dance music will claim it, that needn't restrict its coverage. You'd be mad to miss out on one of this year's essential albums.
Dusted...
Make no mistake – the beats are still rigid, dabbling in taut funk and squelching electro as much as snotty punk moves and glorious polyrhythms. These nine songs, however, ring with a clarity of purpose and a true intent that was previously altogether lacking, presenting a far more cohesive image of Murphy and his many strengths. More than anything else, for the first time it becomes obvious that there’s a real human heart that beats somewhere beneath Murphy’s keyboards and drum machines.
Pitchfork...
Sound of Silver, his second as LCD Soundsystem, is as close to a perfect hybrid of dance and rock music's values as you're likely to ever hear.
Play Louder...
'Sound Of Silver' is the album of the year
The Guardian...
This is dance-rock for grown-ups: extraordinary.
I understand through an article in Under the Radar that James Murphy (Mr. LCD himself, wikipedia) wrote most of the lyrics on the day the songs were recorded. Sheesh. And for your enjoyment it appears that LCD Sounsystem's My Space appears to have all tracks available. I recommend you make your introduction with "Time to Get Away," "North American Scum," and "Us vs. Them." Geez, listen to any of them. Also check out this LCD Soundsystem promo video featuring "North American Scum."
Really great stuff, great album. Pick it up.
April is National Poetry Month and I hope to provide a number of posts this month with some good poems, links, and encouragement to make poetry a regular part of your diet. I'll have some stuff for aspiring poets as well.
A few quick links to start off the month.
A lot of great stuff on NPM from Poets.org.
Receive a poem a day in your inbox this month.
Scholastic gives some helpful links for teachers.
Charles Bernstein says he is Against National Poetry Month, As Such.
Listen to W.H. Auden (died 1973) read his poem First Things First. (bio, wikipedia)
The Next Poem by Dana Gioia (link)
How much better it seems now
than when it is finally done–
the unforgettable first line,
the cunning way the stanzas run.The rhymes soft-spoken and suggestive
are barely audible at first,
an appetite not yet acknowledged
like the inkling of a thirst.While gradually the form appears
as each line is coaxed aloud–
the architecture of a room
seen from the middle of a crowd.The music that of common speech
but slanted so that each detail
sounds unexpected as a sharp
inserted in a simple scale.No jumble box of imagery
dumped glumly in the reader's lap
or elegantly packaged junk
the unsuspecting must unwrap.But words that could direct a friend
precisely to an unknown place,
those few unshakeable details
that no confusion can erase.And the real subject left unspoken
but unmistakable to those
who don't expect a jungle parrot
in the black and white of prose.How much better it seems now
than when it is finally written.
How hungrily one waits to feel
the bright lure seized, the old hook bitten.
A smattering of shtuff...
Update on sabbatical last week. I was greatly encouraged by Jonathan Edwards' Personal Narrative. I also listened (again) Tim Keller's "Being the Church in Our Culture" and "Doing Justice" from the Reform & Resurge conference last year. Every time I hear Keller I stop at some point and freak out by how good it is.
Melinda Penner on Luther's A Simple Way to Pray
Email yourself in the future
GOOD Magazine (Bright Orange, video)
Spider-Man 3 is coming
Comic Relief 2007
A great way to keep me from eating your egg salad
I went downtown Woodstock and grabbed a few photos a few evenings back. This is our local theater. And we purchased new bikes for all of our kids. Elijah looks happy, eh?
