Polyester, Platforms, and nice memories

So I was driving to work today and I decided to tune in to one of the dance stations I have programmed on my car radio. Here in the NYC area, we have 2 dance stations, KTU (which plays new and old dance mixes) and Mix 102.7 (which plays mostly classic dance mixes). So I’m driving and I go to KTU, and I hear those familiar words being sung:

“Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin', and we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.”

Yeah! I can groove to the Bee-Gee’s while driving. So the song ends and I jump over to Mix 102.7 and what do I hear?

“Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin', and we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.”

A-ha! Even better the second time around! Now my mind starts going from one thing to the next. I’m only 28, so I never had the privilege of going through the 70’s disco era. So during my time of going clubbing, the voices that echoed in the dance clubs where Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Puff Daddy, Ma$e, and most techno songs from the late 90’s, instead of the Bee-Gees, Blondie, Gloria Gaynor, etc. So I’ve always wondered what it would have been like. But there was 1 time I got to experience what it would have been like. Let me introduce you to a place called Polly Esthers. If you’re not familiar, Polly Esthers is a chain of retro dance clubs that play 70’s and 80’s music. There are some in NYC, Washington DC, Denver, and a few other places across the country. Anyway, during our first year of marriage, when we lived in the DC area, my wife Mica and I decided to go to Polly Esthers one Saturday night. So we get there, pay at the door, and we walk in. Now the one in DC has 2 levels. The bottom floor is all 80’s music. So you are greeted when you first walk in by the sounds of A-Ha, Tears for Fears, Prince, Bananarama, Huey Lewis, and so on. At the bar there are drinks like Purple Rain, The Ghostbuster, and Back To The Future. We hang out there for a while and I ask my wife to go upstairs. So we go upstairs and while we’re walking up, I can hear the song playing getting louder and louder. It’s “Disco Inferno”! And we walk in and what do I see? Charlie’s Angels lunchboxes displayed above the bar! Saturday Night Fever posters! Starsky and Hutch! Pictures from the movie Grease along the wall! This was awesome!! So now I got a taste of what it was like in the 70’s.

What is the point of all this? I have no freaking idea. It was just a good memory I had and it made me smile. Maybe you had a memory like that too. I think that’s an awesome thing how these memories just pop in our head, and can change how we’re feeling at that moment.

Now get on your platforms and start dancing!

Epic

I just finished reading John Eldredge's book "Epic". If you're familiar with and enjoyed Wild At Heart, then you'll enjoy this. This book is not long, it's only 104 pages, but that doesn't mean it's not good. In this book, he explains the Gospel using epic stories that we all are familiar with (Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, Braveheart, Titanic, The Matrix, and so on).

Basically the theme of the story is, why do we connect so much most stories we read and the movies we watch? Because they all are shadows of the Story of real life that we are in, with God as the Author. We have eternity written on our hearts. As Eldredge points out, notice how most stories have a common theme. In the beginning things are well, something happens later where things go wrong and there's a need of redemption, and then there's someone who plays the hero to come to the rescue at the end. And so it's the same in our life. First there was Eden, then the fall, then Jesus came to rescue us.

It's the type of book that will move you to start seeing God in unfamiliar places, and give a new appreciation for the stories we read, as well as the Story we are living ourselves. It's well written, and it will challenge those used to a silly, insipid version of Christianity. Eldredge says in the book about answering life's questions, "Christianity claims to do that for us. Not the Christianity of proper church attendance and good manners. Not the Christianity of holier-than-thou self-righteousness and dogmatism. Not another religion, thank God. That is not Christianity. Oh I know it's what most people, including the majority of Christians, think Christianity is all about. They are wrong. There is more. A lot more. And that more is what most of us have been longing for most of our lives. A Story. An Epic. Something hidden in the ancient past. Something dangerous now unfolding. Something waiting in the future for us to discover."

I couldn't agree more.

Flipping Stations part 2

I put a post last month about driving on the road and flipping through the radio stations in the car. While flipping through the stations, I've noticed what the most played songs are on Top 40 radio and Contemporary Christian Radio. Here are the top 5 songs played for each station:

Top 40 Radio:
1) "Walk Away" by Kelly Clarkson
2) "Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
3) "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
4) "Behind These Hazel Eyes" by Kelly Clarkson
5) "Because Of You" by Kelly Clarkson

Contemporary Christian Radio:
1) "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood
2) "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood
3) "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood
4) "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood
5) "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood

What's with the takeover by the American Idol girls?

Recycled thoughts

Ever wonder if all of our "breakthrough ideas" or thoughts are really just thoughts that have been recycled throughout the course of human history? For example, could the thoughts that I post here be the same exact thoughts that some dude in England got 500 years ago, and the same that some dude in Greece got 500 years before that. It's only that after that person had those ideas, they were either buried and forgotten for a long time, only to be thought of by some other person in the future. The only difference is that one never shared his or her idea, and the other did? (Whoa, I'm starting to sound like I'm writing a script for Quantum Leap.)

Do we really think that our ideas are so revolutionary? So life changing, that all of a sudden we write a book on "10 steps how to (fill in the blank)". Like, "Wow, I just realized the key to having a successful life! I'm gonna write 10 steps on how to do it." (Whoa, now I'm starting to sound like Joel Osteen. If I put 40 steps, I would start to feel like Rick Warren.)

There are great minds out there. Some great writers put stuff out there that really challenge my thinking in an awesome way, but in reality, there's "nothing new under the sun".

Except for the Gospel. The Gospel really is the most mind blowing, radical story in the course of human history. A story that says there's a God, He came in human form, died on a cross in public shame, raises Himself from the dead, and offers forgiveness and eternal life for free. A Gospel that invites everyone from the Pope to the hookers on Times Square to experience Love. Unconditonal Love thrugh Jesus. That's one thing that doesn't change.

Caged up heart...

It would be crazy to imagine someone who has absolutely no insecurities. We all have them. Whether you admit or not....

What drives me absolutely nuts is when we play these little games with each other. You bump into someone on the street and he/she says, "Hey, how are you? How's everything?" You then reply, "Oh everything is going great!" But inside your thinking of (the fight you had earlier with your husband/wife, the secret addiction you are struggling with, the feelings of failure, constant cycle of sin you can't seem to break, depression, anger, and the list goes on..) So we build up this "layer of protection" around our heart, which then leads to insecurities, bitterness, etc...

It happens in churches too. We step in the building to see all the "shiny happy people holding hands." Someone comes up and asks how things are. "Oh just dandy, Praise the Lord!", we reply. Meanwhile our family could be falling apart at home, personal life sucks, and I could go on.

So life goes on, we put our heart in a cage, only to lock it up and throw away the key. We keep telling people how "great" things are, when things could be going really shitty..

If God loves us unconditionally, despite how messed up we are, then why don't we do it with each other, realizing that we are ALL messed up? When will we stop playing these stupid games with each other?

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we all just only talk about what sucks in life, that we all just get together and bitch about how much life sucks. If we were to be completely honest, we would talk about the good and the bad. There are beautiful things to rejoice in life. There are also times that suck when the only thing that will help us get through is brutal honesty. And to still be loved and accepted without condescension.

So if life is going great, be thankful and share it with someone.

And if things completely suck, be completeley honest. How about this the next time you bump into someone:

"How are things going?"
"Actually things suck right now. I feel like a failure and that my life is falling apart."
"Really, wow, me too, let's go get some coffee..."

Maybe over coffee you'll find the key to the cage you locked your heart in. Then you can open it up to come out and enjoy the day...

If I was on South Park, I would look like...

The Future Embrace (a review)

I was excited to get my copy of "The Future Embrace" by Billy Corgan. Being that I love the Smashing Pumpkins, and have always been intrigued by Billy Corgan, I expected to hear a great CD. And I wasn't let down.

Please note, this is not a Smashing Pumpkins album, so don't go into it expecting to hear the Pumpkins' sound. This is Billy Corgan's first solo album, after Smashing Pumpkins, and his other band Zwan. One thing you can expect to hear is Billy's trademark voice.

Where do I start? This album is a musical masterpiece. A great work of art, musically "painted" by one of the most creative people in the industry. From the beginning to end, you are taken in by songs that have elements of electronic, techno, alternative, and new wave sounds throughout the album. Having said that, the songs are not bombarded with so much background noise, that you can't take in the song. But there's enough background sounds to keep you hooked.

Throughout the album, there's thought provoking lyrics that deal with brokenness, life, love, and some that even make you think of God. I was reminded of God's presence in my life while listening to the track "A100", especially when Billy sang "You are love, you are soul, you are real to me. Some might say my love devours you whole, some might say that life is my love.."

I read an interview with him about this album, and he said that this is the one album where he went into it not caring if it fits with what's popular now, or what people's opinions would be. He just went in and did his thing. And it's a good thing he did. If only more musicians nowadays would apply that same principle, and just dove in their work not caring what is popular, or what sells the fastest albums, we'd have better quality music out there. I have a lot of respect for Billy Corgan doing his album this way, and other artists out there who aren't putting out musical garbage, but who stimulate our minds...