What Matters More?

I read an article about Derek Webb and his battle with his record label, INO, over the release of his solo album “Stockholm Syndrome”. The battle was centered around a lyric in a song on the new album causing a delay in its scheduled release. I actually had the opportunity to witness first hand Webb and the infamous song with the questionable word. I was at the Revelation Generation Festival, it’s a fairly large two day Christian music festival and the year I went it included five stages, the New York, Philadelphia, Nashville, Urban and Come & Live, with over 50 artists and speakers, one of which was Webb. 

Friday night, I spent my evening traipsing between two stages, the New York and the Philadelphia stages, watching artists like Matthew West, Haste the Day, Delirious?, Emery, Jars of Clay, Underoath and MercyMe! It started at about 3pm and was done by around 10pm. Saturday was a much more grueling schedule; I had to run to all five stages to see all the artists I had come to see. The gates opened around 10am and the first act on the Philadelphia stage was And Then There Were None at around 11am and the last act, Switchfoot, hit the New York stage around 8:50pm! A long with a bunch of lesser known groups, too numerous to mention, I made sure I saw, The Fold, August Burns Red, B. Reith, Needtobreathe, Barlow Girl, Impending Doom, Relient K and last stop was the Nashville stage with Derek Webb.

I must admit I was a little apprehensive upon entering the tent, but I liked Webb before I had read the article, so I guess it was just plain curiosity that brought me there. So there he is up on the stage, alone, just him and his guitar, just playing and it didn’t seem so scary, so I pulled up a seat. Since I own only one of his albums, “Mockingbird”, I have to admit that I’m not all that familiar with his solo stuff since he left Caedmon’s Call. Not much of a talker, he seemed kind of nervous as he was explaining that he never really had a hit song, but the closest he had come was a song that was used on the show “Grey’s Anatomy”, the words of which had my 19 year old, unsaved daughter twitching in her seat, but it wasn’t until he played a song "What Matters More" from his new album, that she really became uncomfortable, it’s the one with the tainted lyric. The song contains a line referring to how we don’t give an “s-word” about others, so there it was in a nutshell! Probably one of the most common sayings in the English language, but is it necessary for an artist who professes a faith in Christ, to use such language in his songs? So the question is really what does matter more to Webb? 

To me, it's obviously his artistic freedom that matters more to him, more than using discretion when choosing his words. So whatever point he was trying to get across in the song is now lost, because the focus is on the word and not the intended meaning behind the song. The saddest part was that the audience didn’t seem to mind it at all, even with young children present! But I felt I had to leave and was a little embarrassed about having taken the time to give him a listen. Had I any desire to continue following Webb's music, it was quickly extinguished, what would be the point? What could he possibly offer me, something new, maybe something different? Apparently not, just the same old drone as most of the secular mainstream music out there these days! I could have listened to Green Day or Lincoln Park and gotten the same effect. Listening to his songs one hears a lot of sarcasm, mostly political in nature and rather crude descriptions of things in everyday life, which I could let slide, if there was something of value hidden in it somewhere, but I found his use of this word far more offensive than the Newsboys use of “elephant dung” in their song “Reality”. Dung is actually mentioned many times in the Bible, but somehow the use of modern slang in the lyrics of songwriters of faith just doesn’t seem appropriate. 

Maybe it was just because I was tired and sun burnt, that I took offense, but I think not. I still think it is much better to sacrifice one’s art instead of one’s sense of right and wrong or the integrity of the heart. I think most people have a tendency to use art as a license to sin. Although Jesus sat, ate and spent most of his time with hardcore sinners, I don’t think he would have used coarse language among them just to fit in or to make a point. So whatever arguments Derek Webb might use to justify his actions, I think they would be a bit flawed based on the following verse from 1 Corinthians 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything.” Was Webb letting his sense of artistic freedom in his music, master him? If he was looking for a hit, I think it's a miss!

Webb and INO later came to some kind of agreement, the album was then released in two versions, a "clean" and an "uncensored" version, which just makes me wonder why? If he was so proud of his original version, why release an alternate version? Was he sincere or just trying to corner both markets? My bet was on the latter!

The Vanishing Girl

The bell clanged loudly; it was time to go back to class. It was my duty, being the newest and youngest teacher at King Elementary School, in the ghetto, to supervise the children at recess and herd them back into the building when it ended.

I was busily doing so when I noticed a little Negro girl pressed close against the schoolyard’s iron fence, looking in from the outside. She appeared to be a year or so younger than the children in my class of first graders. She wore a handed down blue dress which was clean and neatly ironed, an old red jacket and sneakers without socks. Her hair was combed and braided with care, blue ribbons adorned each end. Her brown eyes, wide with wonder and excitement, disclosed that she had been watching the school children play. A tiny brown finger rested on her pale lips as if to hold back a secret wish ready to burst forth.

When the last of my wards was safely in the door, I looked for her, but she was gone. Had I only imagined her? As I looked around at the aging apartments across the street, I didn’t see her, but looking down by the fence I noticed a blue ribbon laying there on the ground! Perhaps I will see her in the school over the coming years!

I AM

I was regretting the past
and fearing the future.
Suddenly my Lord was speaking:
“My name is I AM”
He paused.
I waited. He continued,
“When you live in the past
with its mistakes and regrets,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WAS.
When you live in the future,
with its problems and fears,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WILL BE.
When you live in this moment
it is not hard. I am here,
My name is I AM.”

by Helen Mallicoat

Dream Vs Reality

By C.S. Bosse
 

When I was young,
I dreamed of a knight in shining armor, a picket fence,
Someone to love and protect me,
We would grow old together.

When I was young,

I dreamed of a family, children of my own,
Loving little ones who’d hang on every word I said,
I’d care for them, tuck them safely into bed.

When I was young,

I had this dream of how my life should be,
But now I’m older and somehow
Life just isn’t how I dreamed it would be.

What I got,

A man deep in depression after losing his job,
Not at all the father I’d hoped he would be,
Sometimes I wonder if he even loves me.

What I got,

Children sweet and innocent while they were young,
Now they’ve grown up to become unruly,
Sometimes I wonder where I went wrong.

What I got,

Just isn’t what I dreamed it would be,
But I know there’s a reason it has to be,
There’s someone up there looking out for me.

And He put me here because He knew

That it is just where I needed to be,
So I would find my way to Him.

So although I didn’t get all that I dreamed,

I’m thankful for what I got,
And that He put me right where He wants me

I know there’s a reason I’m here

Although it’s not always clear
Because I believe He wants what’s best for me.

So now I’ll stay and I’ll pray to God

Knowing that it will all be ok
When I enter Heaven on that day.

Song of the Carpenter King

By C.S. Bosse

Jesus, carpenter of the soul 
Gone ahead to prepare room for us
In Heaven’s golden estate
Jesus, born to a carpenter by trade
But God has made no mistake
Sent to rebuild a world torn asunder

Jesus born to be King

So let all creation sing
Of the carpenter King
Sent to repair the damage done
The battle he has won

Jesus, the carpenter of life

A million broken and empty hearts
He’s come to mend in love
Jesus, the cornerstone was made
He left His throne above
And came down to give us life

Jesus born to be King

So let all creation sing
Of the carpenter King
Sent to repair the damage done
The battle he has won

Jesus, the Father’s only Son

Has made restoration for our sin  
Built a home for all eternity
Jesus, the good Sheppard
Will return one day
To lead us in His Kingdom 

Jesus born to be King

So let all creation sing
Of the carpenter King
Sent to repair the damage done
The battle He has won

Tragedy In Life

One of the most tragic things I have ever heard of happened back in May of 2008. The teenage son of the Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman was returning home when he struck and killed one of his younger adopted sisters with the vehicle he was driving as she ran to greet him. His parents, older brother and two other adopted sisters were all close by and were left in shocked horror as this sad story unfolded. How and why? They were a tight knit family with a strong faith in God, why would God choose to take away one of their beloved daughters in this manner? Especially one who expressed a strong desire to know God? 

The Lord's ways are not our ways; we do not see the total picture of life, only God can! But we do see the impact God has on our lives and the lives of others and we trust that what he does is for our good, no matter how devastating it seems at the time! Our suffering actually brings us closer to God as we depend on Him for comfort and help getting through life's trials!

The Chapman family must have felt a lot like Job from the Old Testament, who lost everything, his wealth, his family, and even his health, but never gave up his faith in God. Neither he nor Ezekiel who lost his wife, cursed God or felt any hate towards Him, their attitude was one of understanding "that to have God was to have everything"! Steven and his family did not blame their son, but just as Job did, they embraced their sorrow and held on even tighter to God and each other! In time they were able to share their loss and grief with the world and in doing so, offered help and comfort to others feeling the pain of loss. They are now confident that their little princess is with Jesus in Heaven just as she wanted to be!

As a memorial to their precious child, they all got tattoos! The lesson here is one of trusting the Lord in all our circumstances, whether good or bad and being able to show more compassion and mercy toward others by doing so. Steven wrote the song “Cinderella” which was dedicated to her memory; we all have our ways of dealing with loss and sorrow. Over the years since this tragic loss, the Lord has blessed and strengthened Steven Curtis Chapman and his family! His story is truly an amazing one of faith, hope and love! 

Amazing insight by George Carlin

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate. 

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't share this with anyone....Who cares?

George Carlin