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St Patrick’s Day

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St. Patrick’s Day is awesome.  I am wearing green right now, and i love seeing a lot of other people around wearing green.  It’s fantastic.  It’s awesome for a number of reasons, really.  

Firstly, it’s a holiday after a Saint of the Church who brought Christianity to Ireland.  

Secondly, a LOT of people get pinched for not wearing green, which is hilarious.  

Thirdly, people consume green things – such as eggs, various meats, beer, etc. I’ve never had a green brew before – perhaps today is the day to start. 

Fourthly, People talk about gold and clovers and other Irish things, which leads to amusing conversations. 

Fifthly, It’s a total open door to talk about St. Patrick and what he did – which was evangelize a whole contenent in a totally new way.  By sharing the Gospel through loving practically and sharing generously.  

George Hunter III wrote a great book on this – the Celtic Way of Evangelism.  We have a lot to learn from ole St. Pat. 

PatPatrickPatrick

President Obama Goes Out On a Limb

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Even President Obama fills out a NCAA Tournament Bracket – and he picked all 4 Number One Seeds to make the Final Four.  Way to take some chances there, President.  Way to make some bold predictions there, President. 

But then again, I think I might like that he picked the obvious choices to advance.  While I don’t quite agree to all of President Obama’s policies, I like that he’s playing it safe – at least when it comes to this silly little tournament that everyone gets so worked up about.  I like Playing it Safe every so often.  I think it’s just prudent sometimes.  

 

In other news, Robert Plant, the legendary lead singer of (in my opinion) the Greatest Band of All Time Led Zeppelin, was on the Dave Letterman show back in February.  It was a fascinating interview.  He talks about his encounter with Elvis, and much more.  If you love music, or Elvis, or Zeppelin, you’ll love this interview.  Great Stuff.

 

 

 

Poor Old Lu

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When I plug my Ipod into my car stereo it automatically jumps to a random song.

I am always interested to see what song comes up. The other day I got a little Tina Turner, day before that I got Barry White – i felt a little strange listing to Barry White while driving down the road, but hey…i’m alright with that.

I did that yesterday and it went to one of my favorite songs back in Middle and High School. I had forgotten about this song and had not thought about this band in a very long time.

But this song came on and I realized how deep and poignant are the lyrics and the music.

And i realized how there is great poetry in the songs we listen to. This is one of those songs that has a great poetic flair.

This song is a prayer. A very interesting one. It’s by the band Poor Old Lu – a Christian band that broke up in the late 90’s but their music sounds like it was made yesterday. They remind me a little of The Cure.

This is the song Rail:

Jesus tie these hands
I used to think
That every thing I touched
Turned gold
But it don’t
It turns cold

And reason guides this man
Like spring, and fall
And wind to sand
I sway, I sway,
I cannot stand

What do I do,
When it seems I relate to Judas
More than You
And I can’t ever
I can’t ever
See the end…

Jesus help me see
It’s not about consequence
It’s peace
And I won’t seek
On my own knees

And grace is over me
It’s true I feel, I know it’s real
But will I live
What I believe

Some food for thought for me this day…Here’s to Poor Old Lu – my band of the week. May my prayers be as sincere and authentic as this one.

Pooroldlu

Veils of the Morning

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I read this great line this morning from the poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree??by Yeats. I thought I would share…

And I shall have some peace there, for peace come dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings…

Beautiful imagery, isn't it? ??It kind of reminds me of what Heaven might be like.

The Punch of Brevity

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William Blake knew something of brevity. While he did write long stories and poems, it is his shorter ones i like most. 

I think he understood the whole “less is more” concept. 

Brevity has a certain punch to it which i really appreciate. 

Here is one of my favorites of his:

 

He who binds to himself a joy 

Does the winged life destroy; 

   But he who kisses joy as it flies

Lives in eternity’s sunrise.

                –Eternity by William Blake

May we live the winged life…

2011 – Back to the Stanza

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Earlier this year I decided to read at least one poem every day. I used to read a lot of poetry, but have gotten out of the habit over the last couple of years. Well, I’m getting back to it. 

I heard once that it is the poets who are the guardians of language. I think this is true.  Some think poetry is fluffy and frilly and pointless.  And some of it is, to be sure.  But a lot of poetry is incredibly deep and moving and thought-provoking and powerful.  For it is one thing to write a thought or communicate a point.  But it is entirely another to craft that thought or idea into a work of art that fits together like a puzzle piece. There is a lot to learn from that.

So this year so far I have been alternating between William Blake and W.B. Yeats – two of my favorites. I thought I would post the ones that particularly stand out to me. 

 

Here’s one that really made me think:

 

 

I Dreamt a Dream! what can it mean?

And that I was a maiden Queen: 

Guarded by an Angel mild:

Witless woe, was ne’er beguil’d!

 

And I wept both night and day

And he wip’d my tears away

And I wept both day and night

And hid from him my heart’s delight.

 

So he took his wings and fled:

Then the morn blush’d rosy red:

I dried my tears & armed my fears,

With ten thousand shields and spears.

 

Soon my Angel came again; 

I was arm’d, he came in vain:

For the time of youth was fled

And gray hairs were on my head.

                 –The Angel by William Blake

To Laugh

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