The Unforgettable Fire – U2’s Best…

 Reason to celebrate – the remastered 25th anniversary edition of this – my personal favorite – U2  record has arrived.  This is the record that helped the band turn the corner and paved the way to  the iconic Joshua Tree and infamy.  Working with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, U2 never  sounded as punk and raw again.  

 And even though the album was recorded in and features a cover photo of Slane Castle, this is the  record where they began turning their attention toward America and began forming what I consider to be one of their distinctives through the years – a prophetic voice directed to our country.  This distinctive climaxed during the Zooropa Tour when they unabashedly telephoned George Bush every night from stage, but on this album it’s still subtle and quiet, coming through in songs about Elvis, Martin Luther King, and the 4th of July.  Beautiful.

Why Dallas Willard Sometimes Frustrates Me

“A missional church, in a wording often used today, is actually one that cannot be stopped from increasing, because it grows by contiguity – skin on skin.”

 

Why I Love Dallas Willard

 

 ”Life is primarily devoted to work.  All legitimate work is devoted to the creation of value, of what is good to a lesser or greater degree.  That was God’s plan.  He not only creates; he creates creators – you and me.  One of the saddest things in human life is the desecration of work in a loveless world.  Discipleship to Jesus, properly guided by pastors, enables individuals to find in their work a divine calling and see the hand of God in their efforts to create what is good and to serve others in love.”  

 

 

 

One of my favorite lines from my new favorite TV show, Mad Men:

“We let the creatives be unproductive so they can be productive.”  

Vintage Cardinals

In 1985 I remember feeling somewhat taken aback by the amount of complaining, whining, and basic bellyaching - that erupted from the St. Louis Cardinals (fans and players) after losing the World Series.  As most folks who live along the I-70 corridor remember, the cause of the whining wasn’t a series deciding call or even a game deciding call.  It wasn’t even a call involving home plate.  It was simply a blown call at 1st base…the kind of thing that happens now and again in the course of a baseball game.  I remember the missed call, but I also remember the Cardinals dropping easy foul balls, throwing wild pitches, and blundering plays in that particular inning.  No doubt it was a frustrating inning for the Cardinals, but I was stunned afterwards that Cardinals fans (and players) didn’t seem to remember any of the shoddy fielding…they only remembered – and incessantly whined about – the botched call.  Indeed, history has shown that the Cardinal’s allegiance actually believe they lost a seven game series from one missed call  - at 1st base no less.  I have a friend who since says about the Cardinals, “they never lose…they’re always cheated.”    

A few days ago Matt Holliday let the third out of (what appeared to be) a Cardinals win in the first round of the NL Playoffs bounce off his groin allowing the Los Angeles Dodgers to rally and beat the Cardinals in a three game sweep.  A post game interview with Cardinal’s pitcher Adam Wainwright revealed the following quote:

“It’s not fair that they (the Dodgers fans) can bring white towels to a game which uses a white ball.  Why can’t they wave Dodger’s blue towels?  Something should be done about this.  It’s not fair.”

When I saw this interview I smiled.  Classic Cardinals!

I keep thinking this book will finally set on my shelf for a while, but occasions that call for it keep coming up.  So foundational.  So articulate.  So indespensible.  I’m excited for our house church conversations revolving around Mr. Wright’s book this fall.

The 4 Fundamental Worldview Questions…

…according to Dallas Willard.  Feel free to give them a try…

1. What is Reality?
2. Who is Really Well-Off?
3. Who is Truly Good?
4. How Does One Become Truly Good?

Did Anyone Else See This…

or did I just dream it?  I swear I turned on the Royals game this past weekend (perhaps Saturday night) and my beloved Royals were batting.  The bases were loaded with no outs.  John Buck was up to bat and had a 3-0 count.  Let me reiterate: the bases were loaded and the batter had a three balls/no strikes count.  

The Royals proceeded to make three outs without scoring a run.  Did that happen?  Can that happen?  Surely it was a bad dream…

 

 

“You are meant to Deepen!”

 

                      -Madeleine L’Engle A Wind in the Door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defending Donnie Darko

 Not that this gem needs defending.  Donnie Darko is one of my all-time favorite movies and may be, perhaps, the one movie I’ve watched most often (at least as an adult).  Indeed, one of the first activities Beggars Table did as a church was watch this movie together as a “film discussion” night.  By the way, Donnie Darko is playing this Friday on the roof of the downtown library…an absolute must.  

The reason I am “defending” DD is because after my brother-in-law watched it with me while visiting this summer, he smugly suggested that the movie simply seemed like the product of some kid’s whim and nothing more than another exercise in style over substance (a bifurcation I don’t believe in, by the way).  Please understand, I have the highest regard for my brother-in-law and respect his opinion greatly (except in sports – where he personifies my mortal enemy – an avid Yankee and Tar Heel fan).  His reaction to this revered movie, however, merits a response, and I can think of no better time than as I prepare and look forward to seeing it for perhaps the eleventh time on the roof of the downtown library Friday night.

One of the joys of Donnie Darko is that it’s open to interpretation and can be viewed through a wide array of lenses (this is perhaps why it lends itself so easily to repeated viewings).  I have finally identified one of the lenses through which I often watch this move and one of the reason I love it so.  I see Donnie Darko (the character) as embodying the essence of the prophet, i.e. the “Truth Teller”.  

In the alternative universe in which Donnie finds himself he is engulfed with a calling.  Of course this calling is to “save the world”, but the way in which he goes about doing this is most curious.  He is, more or less, laden with the responsibility to tell and expose truth.  Donnie’s truth telling permeates almost every scene, whether he’s confronting the ignorant school system, exposing a child-porn ring, or even when pontificating about the Smurfs.  I believe the movie is particularly poignant in conveying the burden and sadness that often accompanies the role of prophet.  Speaking truth to the culture inherently places the truth-teller outside of the culture and in a position of great scrutiny.  Who is this person who dares to speak the truth?  The overwhelming consensus is he must be crazy.  Thus Donnie Darko finds himself on medication and regularly seeing a psychologist who regularly uses hypnotherapy, etc.  The beauty of it – Donnie himself isn’t even sure that he’s not crazy.  Yet he faithfully continues to do what he can’t help but do – expose lies and falseness in the surrounding culture – at the expense of his own sanity, reputation, and social standing.  

Just one interpretation of this brilliant movie.  I’ll be at the library Friday night – hope to see you there (my brother-in-law is invited because in our country, everyone deserves a second chance).