"Christian" Music has forever been ruined for me.

First it was South Park.

Then The Wittenburg Door.

Now, I can't listen to it on the radio or in church without giggling a little. Why? Read On....

I was never a fan of Contemporary "Christian" music to begin with. I mean, some of it is ok, but the rest of it to me is redundant, repetitive, and boring. To me, it doesn't praise the Lord, it's all about ME! ME! ME! Jesus save ME! Jesus help ME! MY relationship with you. Ad naseum....

It was kind of a secret. Something you can laugh about with your atheist and agnostic friends, but not something I would bring up at church. Then I realized I wasn't alone with the summer edition of Wittenburg Door's guide to Contemporary Christian Music : http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/your-guide-contemporary-christian-music

before that though, was a South Park episode where the boys decide they want to start Christian Rock Band (for the platinum record , not to inspire). It really funny if you can get past the language. IMO. It does make a point about the music. Basically they take old love songs and at the end of each line, they say, "Jesus". One example is "Three Times a Lady" by the Commodores is changed to "Three Times my Savior". Funny because I swear I've heard the same thing on Sunday.

If you love CCM and it works for you, by all means keep listening. I'm not sure the collection on my ipod would inspire you the same way it inspires me. On the other hand, if CCM lovers think this music is going to appeal to the young nominally religious crowd, they should probably rethink their game plan. If I'm annoyed by the sound of the music, I am pretty sure the message will be lost on me.

I'm just glad I'm not alone in my annoyance. Thanks SP and WD!

Dolphus Weary and notes in the margin.

My little one and I went today to listen to a speaker at church, Dr Dolphus Weary. Google him for his biography, that's not what I want to spend space on.

He spoke briefly about his book, I Ain't Comin Back and spoke a lot about race within the Christian community. If you read my blog at all, you know I've lost my Jesus, so I find speakers who talk about "Christian community" fascinating. Throw in my personal interest of urban plights and I am one captivated audience member. I could have listened to him for another 90 minutes.

On his biographical information sheet, I wrote in the margins... Not every note will become a blog entry, but most will ;) Here we go in order my notes:

• Racism no more in the body of Christ
• How is God preparing us for this?
• How do you arrive at your own answers?
• Where does compassion lead us?
• How do we bring God here now?
• Where are you running to? Where are you running from?
• We allow other things to get in the way of dealing with racism (the elephant)
• What positive influence to I give to my family?
  
• More to do with exposure than intelligence
• The gospel must break across historical barriers
• The problem with poor communicities is they aren't exposed to people who open up their world
• We don't have relationships. Relationships take time
• Be willing to be a learner
• Help me understand your lens.
• Planning. working. dreaming.
• people are quick work, but slow to build relationship

Out of context to someone who didn't hear his talk today, these things might seem odd and random. But each one elicits a strong emotion from me. Each one screams at me based on things I want to accomplish in my life, and things I've done.

Our vision, whether it's at COR or in another capacity, should be to reconcile and walk together.

Erring on the Side of Mercy

erring on the side of mercy......

Seems simple enough. If you're not sure, EOTSOM. Right?

In a situation would you rather judge or EOTSOM?

[Not sure I'll ever use this acronym/abbreviation again, but I'm not sure I want to type it out again and again and feel lazy to c/p LOL ]

When I err on the side of mercy and it appears I made the "wrong" choice, did I really?

Baby Jesus, forgive me!

Christmas is all about The Baby. I mean, who doesn't like The Baby? It's a great story and full of hope and face it... (most) babies are just darn cute. I have no doubt that the holy glow about Jesus made him cuter than most.

Even Talladega Nights paid homage to The Baby before every dinner:

Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces... new born infant jesus,don't even know a word yet.

or

Dear Lord Baby Jesus, I want to thank you for this wonderful meal, my two beautiful son's, Walker and Texas Ranger, and my Red-Hot Smokin' Wife, Carley

or

Dear Lord baby Jesus, lyin' there in your ghost manger, just lookin' at your Baby Einstein developmental videos, learnin' 'bout shapes and colors. I would like to thank you for bringin' me and my mama together, and also that my kids no longer sound like retarded gang-bangers.

Usually, I don't even like those types of movies, but this cracked me up. So, why does Baby Jesus need to forgive me?

Well, first of all for laughing at that movie.

Mostly though, it has to do with Christmas. Christmas Eve to be exact. This should be a time of celebration of His birth. Instead, millions of parents across the country come home from midnight candlelight service and turn into a amateur Santa Claus. That is not the bad part... the bad part is what comes out of my mouth when it's 2am and I can't figure out why the playhouse is not fitting together. (No way am I buying her a bike for Christmas) Seriously, I don't celebrate my daughters birthday by a barrage of evil thoughts and words only suitable for HBO against toy makers and why instructions always seem to lack one important piece of information. So, why does this seem impossible to avoid on Christmas Eve?

I may pray in the wee hours Christmas morning, but it is admittedly a selfish prayer. Somewhere along the lines of, "Dear Lord, Pllllllleeeeease help me figure how why piece H is not snapping together with piece G. " In retrospect, there is nothing holy about staying up until 230am on Christmas morning being Santa Claus.

This is why my parents always gave me socks and underwear. They don't need instructions.

WTF is wrong with people?

When for the sake of a bargain, you are willing to step over (and on) a lifeless body... these are problems of humanity that go beyond terrorists, defaulting mortgages, and our economic crisis. Humanity in that moment lost its soul.

This man was over 250 pounds, yet people in the search of a tv that is 50% off, decided that their wallet was more important than his life.

I am appalled beyond words.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/nyregion/30walmart.html?em

Does Being Moderate Mean Apathetic?

Why does it seem these types are the majority? Are they? Is there no one else out there?

[Can any body hear me? *insert Pink Floyd riff here*]

I know there are alternative Christian perspectives. I know there are others out there that do not carry so much baggage. Does there really seem to be a need within the Christian faith for exclusivity, prejudice, and rigid dogma? Closed communion comes to mind. Since when did Jesus only let certain people come to Him?

As a Methodist, I enjoy being in the middle of the road (or at least our congregation is and I won't pretend to know enough about UMC to speak for the denomination). Maybe it is better to say, my church is welcoming to those who are middle of the road, liberal, and even conservative. We seem to have a good mix.

What is it about the moderates (Liberals who chose a church who might be right of their leanings, and Conservatives who tolerate a church who sometimes is a little too welcoming) that allow the Fallwells and Phelps of the world define Christianity? Is it our laid back nature to say, "Let them be?"

While that may have worked for The Beatles (or did it?), I am not sure it is working for me. I want to stand up and shout : YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR MANY OF US. But I am not a fan of shouting alone.

Thousands of passive church goers who join together to sing praises doesn't make media headlines in the same way protesting funerals and blaming hurricanes on the gays does.

We're boring. We're tolerant people who keep to ourselves. We have our opinions, but we don't force them on others. We are not threatening in anyway.

Chance and Coincidence

Tonight I ran into a member of my church at the mall. My little one was at gymnastics and I was out of moisturizer. In theory, I could run over to the mall, get in and out quickly, and be back before she noticed I was not in the bleachers. Mission accomplished.

While making a mad dash past the perfume counter in Dillards (my eyes! my eyes!) I ran into a member of my church (we're everywhere). She was in my first Disciple class, started at COR-West with me, but I hadn't seen her or her kids in awhile. I had 10 minutes and we tried to do 9mos of catch up in that time. It was awesome and I miss her!

I told her I was batting about .250 for attendance this year. I'm struggling and my heart isn't in it. She informed me they started going back to main campus. She asked why I was struggling and I tried to sum it up succinct manner, which does not match my personality frankly! haha.

The short answer I gave her: The church seems to be going in so many directions, yet the sense of community I miss is even more evasive than 2 years ago when I first met her.

She replied, "yeah, if I was sick and in the hospital, you'll never have the phone tree calling on my behalf." Yet we both keep attending. When she asked why, I said... I have been going there for 10 years. I was 21 when I started. I walked the hymnals over from the old church. I have seen our church grow and struggle. To me, when I visit other churches, I feel like I'm cheating on my boyfriend and if I officially quit... I think it would hurt worse than a breakup.

We exchanged cell #s and promised to find each other on facebook. Not only is it nice to run into someone from church, but someone who understands my struggle and is sharing it for her and her family. Maybe community at COR isn't lost afterall.