Music Monday 7.21.08

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I put off getting the new Coldplay until I really felt like I had to have it. X&Y just didn't work for me. But now that I have Viva la Vida and I'm really enjoying it.  How about you?  Do you like it?

A new She & Him video: "Why do you let me stay here?"

If you haven't heard the Avett Brothers sing "Murder in the City" yet, you need to. Here's the MP3. Pitchfork thinks there are some overlooked 2008 albums you should check out. Odds are some of them will be quite weird. But I know some of them are wonderful.

Can't remember if I put up this great Bon Iver video before. It doesn't embed correctly (too wide), so just go watch it. 

Radiohead continues to do weird 'n' wonderful things. Like in their new "House of Cards" video...

Family Updates

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DSC_00012008-04-23Two quick family updates.

Molly & Chiari: Molly has received a prescription to get some MRI's done and now has an appointment on Thursday of this week.  These will be sent to her surgeon to see if they note any significant changes or problems.  They are also going to check her CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) flow to see if/how much it's blocked, I believe through another MRI.  If there's anything I know about Molly and her Chiari issues it's that laying still in one position for long at all is very painful and frustrating for her.  Getting the MRI's will be an ordeal.

Her symptoms have been pretty bad.  Every day is painful and she often feels nauseous (a symptom she never felt before with Chiari).  The one thing we are happy about is that she isn't struggling much with balance issues.  A few bad stretches, but not like last year.  Thanks for your prayers.  I'll update when something happens.

Elijah the All-Star: We finally got the schedule for Elijah's all-star games, not that you care.  But we were very surprised to find out the first game is this Sunday morning at 9:30am.  We knew he could have a Sunday game, but we never assumed it would be in the morning.  We felt compelled to have him play since they only have a 12 player roster and at try-outs they said you have to be able to play all games (that was before the schedule came out).  But we also felt compelled to show our son and those on the team that we have priorities that trump baseball.

So I pulled Elijah in to my office and showed him the schedule.  He looked at me puzzled by the Sunday morning game.  I asked him what he thought he should do.  He said, "Go to church."  No fight, no tears, no depression, no struggle, no whining.  He has his priorities in order.  I'm very, very proud of my little boy, and this Sunday we will be missing an all-star game in order to worship the one who made the stars.  Geez, that was cheesy.

The Big 5: Romantic Movies

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SayAnythingYeah, that's right.  It's time to pour yourself and your significant other some Courvoisier and warm up in front of 120 minutes of pure romance...

What are your Big 5 romantic movies? 

It's ok.  I know some of you will mention cheesy stuff.  No worries.  Others will mention movies that don't seem all that romantic.  But this is YOUR Big 5, no one else's.  And sure, mention a romantic comedy if you like.  But just because there is a relationship in the movie doesn't make it romantic.  It should sweep her off her feet or shine a light on her Prince Charming.  It may find her in need of rescue!  It may find him fighting for her life!  Please, nothing steamy.  Let's leave that for after the movie (pre-married couples not included).

Music Monday 7.14.08

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I'm really digging Cut Copy's (MySpace) In Ghost Colours lately.  Fun music, play it loud and dance.  "Feel the Love" is a favorite. Here's "Hearts on Fire"...

and "Lights and Music"...

Need to see some new Death Cab for Cutie?  I knew it!  Here you go...

One last piece of video goodness comes from the really wonderful Fleet Foxes (MySpace) off their self-titled album.  Here's "White Winter Hymnal"...

sub•text

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SuburbanhousesJoe Thorn and I have launched a new blog and ministry called sub•text, on the preaching and practice of the gospel in the suburban context.  The blog includes new articles we are writing on suburban mission, quick hits on the latest relevant news and information, interviews with pastors, theologians, church planters and authors concerning suburban mission, and more.  We are also planning a forum for fall 2008 with Al Hsu, author of The Suburban Christian.  More forums are in the works for early 2009.  Head over to sub•text and join the conversation.

The Big 5: Books that Changed Your Mind

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Free-your-mind-steve-sawyerYou have beliefs, doctrinal convictions, mission convictions, and much more.  Some of those are different than what they used to be.  Maybe someone helped to change your mind.  At times there's a book that challenged us and helped to change our minds.

What are your Big 5 books that changed your mind?

This won't work unless you give us a phrase or two on what actually changed about your thinking, beliefs, doctrines, whatever.  You may not have 5, and that's fine.  Oh, and if you want to cheat and use a book of the Bible, I'll let that slide here.  Please only do that once, though.

Lots-o-Links 7.9.08

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Joe Thorn and I have an announcement coming on Friday.  Stay tuned.

Justin Childers has some great questions from John Bunyan.  Do these characterize your life?

If you haven't found it yet, Re:Lit (Resurgence Literature) has a new site.

In sports news, I'm enjoying following the Tour de France, though it doesn't come close to the Lance years.  And good news for the Cubs comes in a trade for two pitchers.

I remember years ago hearing Mark Dever talk about the book The Gospel Blimp by Joseph Bayly, a book on how to do and not to do evangelism.  The author's sons have put up the comic book version for your enjoyment.  Well worth checking out.

Andy Davis talks "Dangers in Reforming a Church."  Thoughtful.

How can you encourage expressiveness in worship?  Some thoughts from Bob Kauflin.

Jonathan Dodson: Help on leading an organic church and Driscoll on movements.

Chuck Lawless on evangelistic goal setting.

Jeremy Pryor: 3 powerful tools for discipleship.

Craig Groeschel: 10 lessons on developing people.

Matt Chandler audio: Creating pathways for spiritual formation.

Quite coddling your kids.  Please!  And don't miss the excellent TED video in the article.

Tony Morgan: 9 do's and don'ts for ministry growth.

Prepare for Keller's book The Prodigal God by listening to his sermon The Prodigal Sons.

Here We Go Again

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DSC_00112007-08-07I was hoping this post would never come.  It has.

My wife, Molly, has started to see symptoms from her Chiari I Malformation again.  It's pretty close to as bad as her pre-surgery days.  Her surgery was July 13th, 2007.  She is having great tension in her neck and shoulders.  Her hands and feet become numb if she sits for long at all, like a 5 minute car ride.  She is having some balance issues and minor issues with thinking and completing thoughts.  She feels all day long like she has chugged a bunch of coffee and is jittery and tense.  I watched her on both Sunday and Monday barely able to hold a bottle of contact solution as she tried to get contacts in her eyes.  Her last remaining symptom from last year, a kind of body jolt, has multiplied and become more severe.  So far the symptoms have only gotten worse day by day.

I know many of you prayed for Molly and our family last year.  For a year she has been nearly symptom free.  Things have changed, and we don't know why.  And we don't know what this means for the future.  She could see her symptoms go away on their own.  We've been told that can happen.  We also know it isn't odd for someone like Molly to have multiple surgeries.  The doctor has asked for new MRI's to check her Chiari and CSF flow.  After he views those we should know more.  We aren't sure how fast we will get the prescription and hear from him.  I will keep you posted.  Please pray.

Here are my posts about Molly & Chiari from over the last year.

Music Monday 7.7.08

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In music news...

The Avett Brothers have signed with Columbia Records and are recording with Rick Rubin.  Wow!  Either they are going to sell out which will lead me to rip their faces off, or they are about to put together the greatest Avett album of all time.  I'm voting for the second since they have yet to let me down.  In case you have forgotten how awesome they are...

Everyone is talking about NoiseTrade.  Ok, not everyone.  Not even most folks.  But it's worth checking out if you want to pay what you like for Derek Webb's The Ringing Bell or a handful of other albums. 

Music...

I've been listening to the new Sam Phillips.  Yeah, something about her scares me, including her former life in Christian music.  But her great album Don't Do Anything is fantastic.  You need to check out her "Tiny Desk Concert" with Bob Boilen's All Songs Considered.  Here's another taste...

I was introduced to Damien Jurado when he opened for Okkervil River last year in Milwaukee.  I liked his stuff, but haven't searched it out or bought any.  But every time I hear something new from him I'm interested, like with this free MP3 "Where Lies My Tarp."  (via, including interview)

Music Monday 6.30.08

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It's an all video Music Monday. Enjoy!

Just got an email from Amy at Original Signal Recordings to drop a hint about David Ford's new video for "I'm Alright Now." It's not only one of my favorite songs from Ford, the video is another great example of his musical abilities. Wonderful. You may also care to know there is a colorful word in the song.

Fleet Foxes in a Black Cab. Well, only one fox, but he's still fleet...

Vampire Weekend on SNL...

Keller, Hell and The Prodigal God

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080208_SO0Xkeller_vl-verticalSome who read The Reason for God found Keller a bit light on the issue of "hell."  Keller's article, "The Importance of Hell" may just alleviate those concerns. (via)

Alex Chediak interviews Keller on The Prodigal God, Keller's new book out in October.  Pre-order it here.  While I can't wait to read it (*cough*...someone send me a...*cough*...preview copy...*cough*), I hope summer doesn't push past us too quickly just for the sake of reading a book.