harbarger theory: faith is easier sung than done

harbarger theory: faith is easier sung than done



Some accuse praise music as being 7-11 songs. You know ... the same 7 words sung 11 times. And some are. Some find this vacuous and others find this to be a modern version of the chant that allows the singer to be transported into the presence of God. I can agree both ways. But some old hymns are just as vacuous and just as transporting, aren't they?



It's not about the music STYLE, as much as it is about the singer's perspective, the quality of the lyric, the ability of the music leader and the distractions or lack-thereof.



As for me, I like powerful modern worship music. As time goes on, I find I like the more modern stuff better than the 80's and early 90's stuff, but some of that has power as well.



However, I agree with Brian McLaren that we need less "I love Jesus" music and more "I serve the world" music. Not only should it transport me into the presence of God, but the music should also kick me out the door into serving the world.



All that being said, it's so much easier to sing about loving God and even about loving my neighbor (near, far and really, really far) than it is putting that into action in my everyday life. But, that's the rub, isn't it? I sing about it. I read the Word about it. I hear (and preach) sermons about it. And then ... I need to DO something about it.



Yep, that's my theory.

harbarger theory: faith is easier sung than done

BTW: this excellent cartoon is the wonderful work of Jon Birch, a Brit who creates a brilliant cartoon blog at The Further Adventures Of ASBO Jesus. Check it out!

something completely different

I like Monty Python. They had a show "Now For Something Completely Different." This is not that drastic, but I liked it. This is not my usual "harbarger theory," but that's the thing that's different. A blog I like to read is "Don't Eat Alone" and the blogger (Milton Brasher) posted this . I liked it. I hope you do, too. Those rascally AIG'ers.

harbarger theory: lent is not lint.

From my Appalachian heritage and speech patterns, I don't make a pronunciation distinction between "lent" and "lint." I don't say a difference. I don't hear a difference. If I somehow stumble into saying "lent" instead of "lint," then you can just know that it was unconscious and unnoticed.

But, in my heart, there is a tremendous ... world-changing ... difference between Lent ... this season of preparation where we forsake a beloved pasttime or add a new discipline to our lives to help us to get our heads around (in a very, very small way) of the sacrifice of Christ ... and lint ... this fluffy stuff that grows in our dryer filter or in our belly-buttons. Lint is stuff we can discard (or collect to start campfires with!) and Lent is a tool that helps us focus our hearts.

A good and wise friend (thank you Naomi!) e-mailed me this week suggesting that maybe ... just maybe ... we should NOT pick up those things that we lived without during Lent, since most of them are things like caffeine, chocolate, etc and then next year, getting rid of another destructive habit. A commendable idea, I might say!!

But, let me share with you why I don't do it that way. If you remember my post about Messy Foods then you'll know that I believe life is to be live OUT LOUD with fun and hilarity and stuff on my shirt. I believe that God gave us all kinds of wonderful things like mud and chocolate and coffee beans and that we are to use them and to revel in them.

John the Baptist came preaching austerity. Jesus came preaching abundance. Fasting is a good thing. But, I don't believe that we are to live "fasting lives." We are to live abundant lives biting into juicy peaches and letting the nectar run down our chins.

Therefore, when Lent is over, I'll be back to having the occasional "high-test," that is caffeinated latte. I urge you to fast when it's appropriate and to feast when it's appropriate.

Lent is powerful and important. Lint is trash. But, Lent is not life. Life is life.

harbarger theory: lent is not lint.

harbarger theory: better to have it and not need it

harbarger theory: it's always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I have to admit that my long history in the Boy Scouts drilled this into me, but I still live by this rule. Whether it's packing for a trip (I always bring my leatherman and a flashlight) or for an outdoor concert or whatever, I tend to prepare for the unexpected.

I recently had a great time at coffee with an old friend and former Superintendent and I wondered what he wanted to talk about. It turns out he just wanted to pick my meager brain (not much there anymore, I'm afraid!), but I ran through so many scenarios before we met. I wanted to be prepared.

But, isn't that a life lesson? If we are prepared for the unexpected ... then, don't they become the sorta expected? Aren't we then even MORE primed to deal with what we don't expect? I think so. We plan, we think ahead and then we dance to whatever music is playing. The more dance moves we have, the better we dance. (Not that I can dance, but I can sling a metaphor!)

Noah built the Ark in the desert. He planned ahead. He did what needed done to get the job done even when it looked silly. It doesn't have to be raining when you start preparing for the flood. That's what I say!!

We don't know what the future holds. The economy is still getting worse. Loved ones still get sick. War rages on and on. But, we can prepare ourselves to deal with it though loving God and loving our neighbors with all we have. Maybe loving is all we really can hang onto in the end, eh?

Anyway, I try to plan for rain and hope for sunshine.

harbarger theory: it's always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.