we are into a new book book study. the title is 'UnChristian' Its written to address why the church struggles to attract younger generation to Christianity. How Christians are perceived, how their actions cause those perceptions. and 'hopefully' to raise self awareness of how our actions do matter greatly. I am excited about it.
And hope its more engaging than the current book I am reading. "the Great Emergence" Phyllis Tickle. Her thought is: about every 500 years since the ministry of Christ and maybe even before the Church / Religion has undergone a major renovation. Pushing it to new territory, and bringing about internal change as well.
right now I have gotten past Martin Luther, but still stuck discussing 18th century philosophers, psychologists and thinkers who shaped the modern world. Its a pretty broad overview and events just fly by. I am hoping she has something intersting to say about what it is exactly that is currently so revolutionary, or who, or why they are causing us to rethink christianity. we shall see.
bike ride today was wonderful. I got some sun on my neck, it was chilly so I had layers and long sleeves, pants.
When is it ok to ask for a raise? when you think you are going to get one already? when you really really need one? When you know your wife is pregnant? Everyone else is getting one, why not you? I have no idea. I suppose part of it is based on what you're contributing, part on what your reason can be dicerned by where your heart is. not that that has any thing to do with buisness decisions, we are the only ones who have to live with our decisions so its more personal question I guess.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Earth and All Stars
partly in response to a blog posting i read on the song: Earth and All Stars" by Herbert F. Brokering (b. 1926)
1. Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,
sing to the Lord a new song!
O victory, loud shouting army,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Refrain:
He has done maaaarvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!
2. Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees, loud rustling leaves,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
3. Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre, loud humming cellos,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
4. Engines and steel, loud pounding hammers,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams, loud building workers,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
5. Classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band, loud cheering people,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
6. Knowledge and truth, loud sounding wisdom,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son, loud praying members,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
The author starts out with some normal ideas. planets, stars, the universe, all praising God. then he goes on in later verses to add in some weather, and musical instruments all tyical church nouns to an extent, we have other songs with these words, King David praises the Lord through music, and voice. there are a couple of adjectives that you just don't see every day in verse. and then the song gets really weird...
loud boiling test tubes. No doubt a wild and imaginative author may have penned other words to describe the love of praising God. but I suppose by this time in the song we realize this is not your average song. So here is where we need to stop and reflect, on test tubes.
Think of it, test tubes quite a modern day instrument of technology used to inspect and quantify the world surrounding us. This may be old technology compared to the atom smashers and x-ray microscopes of today and the future. But at the time quite high-tech. (maybe comparable to an ipod or .mp3 in music tools?) Born in 1926 Herbert Brokering has about 80 years on me or so. I have never met him, don't know who he is other than these lyrics. I like you thought this was the craziest song I had ever heard. Its always caused discussion with my friends, and at exactly the same points. "loud boiling test tubes? Classrooms? cheering people? " fruity, tacky, never meant to be sung in a Church. but then what IS meant to be sung in a church? I think the author has hit on a very wonderful theme, all that is around us, and even the things we do not know or have yet to discover still praise the Lord. The songs we sing have meaning when we put meaningful words into the song and hearts into singing them. I like the thought of singing a traditional song that was writting by someone my grandparents age that makes me smile and laugh. The author knew what he was talking about when he wrote Sing to the Lord a new song. Whats next? do we sing about blackberries? youtube? Survivor Series? one can only hope this generation is as creative.
1. Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,
sing to the Lord a new song!
O victory, loud shouting army,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Refrain:
He has done maaaarvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!
2. Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees, loud rustling leaves,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
3. Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre, loud humming cellos,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
4. Engines and steel, loud pounding hammers,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams, loud building workers,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
5. Classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band, loud cheering people,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
6. Knowledge and truth, loud sounding wisdom,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son, loud praying members,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
The author starts out with some normal ideas. planets, stars, the universe, all praising God. then he goes on in later verses to add in some weather, and musical instruments all tyical church nouns to an extent, we have other songs with these words, King David praises the Lord through music, and voice. there are a couple of adjectives that you just don't see every day in verse. and then the song gets really weird...
loud boiling test tubes. No doubt a wild and imaginative author may have penned other words to describe the love of praising God. but I suppose by this time in the song we realize this is not your average song. So here is where we need to stop and reflect, on test tubes.
Think of it, test tubes quite a modern day instrument of technology used to inspect and quantify the world surrounding us. This may be old technology compared to the atom smashers and x-ray microscopes of today and the future. But at the time quite high-tech. (maybe comparable to an ipod or .mp3 in music tools?) Born in 1926 Herbert Brokering has about 80 years on me or so. I have never met him, don't know who he is other than these lyrics. I like you thought this was the craziest song I had ever heard. Its always caused discussion with my friends, and at exactly the same points. "loud boiling test tubes? Classrooms? cheering people? " fruity, tacky, never meant to be sung in a Church. but then what IS meant to be sung in a church? I think the author has hit on a very wonderful theme, all that is around us, and even the things we do not know or have yet to discover still praise the Lord. The songs we sing have meaning when we put meaningful words into the song and hearts into singing them. I like the thought of singing a traditional song that was writting by someone my grandparents age that makes me smile and laugh. The author knew what he was talking about when he wrote Sing to the Lord a new song. Whats next? do we sing about blackberries? youtube? Survivor Series? one can only hope this generation is as creative.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)