a coherent collection of random statements regarding God, words and tunes

More Random Notes From a Summer Vacation

Pretty much in the order they occur to me....

1) One thing that's been jumping in my face regularly the last few weeks during (due to?) this fast period, and from multiple sources, is the importance of "expectancy." Meaning, when we set aside time or things or whatever to actually give God something to work with in our lives, do we really expect that God is gonna show up?

So I've been working on developing that sense of expectancy lately. And at the same time, realizing how much "expectancy" doesn't bear resemblance to "expectations." Bring your own agenda, even with the best of intentions, and expect to be disappointed -- or at least to do more damage than good, and not least of all to yrself. And that's not just with God; that's life in general. Turn to God and say, "This is your gig, do what you will" (or the old-fashioned but still effective "not my will, but thine") and things have a tendency to fall into line easier, because they're left in the hands of someone who can draw a line correctly. And that's kind of where I'm at right now.

2)  Sort of on a similar note: Returning to tuneage yesterday after a few weeks (in this case while cruising the foothills with my youngest daughter, who's getting her license in November), it was actually a nice feeling to realize that I can finally retire that Divine Comedy album I'd ranted about a few months back. It's still arguably the best album of the decade, and "Perfect Lovesong" is.... well, a perfect love song, and one that still works well in my noticeably more lightened state... but fortunately I'm not in that trapped, angry, useless state I was lingering in earlier this year (and which most of Regeneration spoke to perfectly). So thanks again, Neil Hannon, and we'll no doubt meet again up somewhere down the road. Just not this part.

3) Still don't want to talk too much about work yet, but let's just say that my pastor buddies out there should be receiving an attachment in the next week or so. I've been working on an idea (encompassing a bunch of other ideas) near and dear to my heart, and suffice to say it's something I'm not currently seeing out there. Short version: It's a curriculum designed to help people get from disciples to disciplers, using an approach that's significantly more relational than "I tell you what to do/plug you into my slot," let alone the popular models of ministry out there that say, "Give people skills, and they'll develop character." Say what? Doing comes out of being (or at least should), and that's kind of my square one here.

My apologies if that was more cryptical than infomational -- a two-year curriculum that I'm still working through the details on doesn't boil down all that easily. Anyway, I'm going to be looking for feedback from those who might actually use such a thing before I present it here at work, so watch yr inboxes later this week. (Addendum: Yo phreak, yr e-mail bounced; give me something I can work with.)

4) And on the props-to-the-wife front: Marion's been accepted to another show, in Estes Park. She is once again pumped. September's going to be a busy month, what with all this newfound celebrity & artists' receptions and such. I'm adding her site(s) on the Links side too, while I'm thinking about it.

5) Oh yes, and since I currently can't post it elsewhere :

This week's rotation:

Bill Mallonee -- Locket Full of Moonlight
Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- Emerson, Lake & Palmer / Tarkus (yes, you read that right)
Bruce Cockburn -- Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws
French Frith Kaiser Thompson -- Live Love Larf Loaf
Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- Trilogy / Brain Salad Surgery (I can explain... no, really...)
The Waterboys -- Universal Hall
Sparks -- Lil' Beethoven

So, about that ELP stuff: Said youngest daughter (who is quite the British Invasion fan, especially The Kinks and The Who -- yes, Obi Wan has taught her well ) has been asking me a lot lately about what I was listening to when I was 16, so I took the trouble to download a bunch of ELP and Yes, and de-b.s.'d the former into what's actually a couple pretty good CDs.

Oh yes, and on that note (and since she'd heard some of their stuff while she was away on her missions trip) also downloaded my first rock-and-roll love as well. I.e., I spent last night sucking in the bombastic self-parodying viscerality that WAS Queen. I'm reminded that for all the credit Freddie Mercury deserved (and yes, all the pimpslapping too -- Jazz was so bad that I literally took it outside and shot it), Brian May was and is the real deal -- aside from being a true original on the guitar, there was a song or two of his nearly on every album that was b.s.-free and capable of ripping your heart out (let's just say that songs like "Some Day One Day" and "Long Away" have aged REALLY well).

Yes, this IS carl talking. Why do you ask?

Anyway, until next time. Maybe back to new music by then (and if so, probably Okkervil River & St. Vincent). Then again... remember, expectancy, not expectation.

Posted by: burninglight at 15:28 | link | comments (5)

Comments:

#1  22 August 2007 - 05:51

 

Good to get the update my friend. I got your email and will be commenting back to you. Have a great day.
Monty

Anonymous

#2  22 August 2007 - 13:20

 

Yo Montell: I will be waiting with baited breath. :) Like I said, a lot of stuff I've felt strongly about for awhile, and finally had the bandwidth & ability to try to wrap my head around. Had a good conversation with a fellow editor/writer here who's been through the wars with his own stuff (and at times, sold it to others instead as a result). He liked it a lot, and just reminded me that there'll be a "good fight" up ahead. :)

burninglight

#3  23 August 2007 - 18:13

 

Yo phreak: It's on its way. What up?

burninglight

#4  23 August 2007 - 18:15

 

i have been loving ELP and Van Der Graaf....

and pete hammill...

and....

well some other stuff you would not be interested in... more of the same you would EXPECT from me...

prog.

but good word on expectancy - that anticipation can be a good thing - making us a bit more present, bit more alert, a bit more aware as we await.

Anonymous

#5  23 August 2007 - 20:01

 

Thanks.

I deleted yr first e-mail, so's you know where it went. Don't want yr personal info falling into undesirable hands, and believe me, we gots those around here. :P

burninglight

Comments: