Def Leppard-Photograph

Several months ago my bride started a photography business. She definitely has an eye for it. She recently took pictures of my son after he turned 9 years old. Looking at those pics, it's hard to believe "The Bear" is 9. Initially, I didn't think he was gonna make it. All colicky and junk. Plus, he was born at a stressful time in our lives. A new baby, loss of job, an impending move, and a new business. He definitely fed off of our stress. He barely slept until he was 2. Amazingly, now he is our best sleeper. I love this kid. He has an amazing heart. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for him. Go to www. abundantlifeimages.com to see more.

Lecrae-Background

I hired a consultant a few years back. I figure it ended up costing me about 90 thousand dollars. The particular "plan" he created for me didn't exactly work. However... A smart man told me once to "Eat the meat and spit out the bones". I can't say that I didn't learn anything. He once said that one of the biggest problems is that we get in our own way. We get in our own way. Is it pride? Is it the thought that we have all the answers? I realized that I've got nuthin'. Yeah, that's nuthin' with an n'. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. But, I can do nuthin' by my dang self. There is a point in your life that you realize that you are the problem. And to make things right, you just gotta get yourself outta the way. The "background" is not a bad place to be. Especially, if the "foreground" is taken by the Creator and the Orchestrator.

Matisyahu-King Without A Crown

I like music that gives you a little surprise.
You know what I mean?
You see this guy that looks like a nice Jewish rabbi, and then he picks up a microphone and this crazy reggae/hip-hop fusion comes flowing out.
It reminds me of a quote by Heraclitus (c.535 BC - 475 BC): "If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it; for it is hard to be sought out, and difficult".
It also reminds me of a Bible verse.
"The Son of man will come at an hour that you do not expect Him."These are words from Matthew 24:44.
The Bible teaches that Jesus will return to Earth again.
This time to remove those that have put their faith in Him to an eternal home in Heaven.
He will come like a thief in the night.  Without warning.
But unlike the title of the smooth Matisyahu, He will come this time as a KING with many crowns.
For this reason you must be ready.

The Prodigy- Firestarter

Thursday is "haircut day" for me.
Whoop-ti-doo, right?
I've seen your head, you say.
Yes, I am totally aware that a haircut for me is quite different than what it is for most.
I've dealt with this for almost 20 years now.
That was about the point that I gave up.
I was done with pretending that I wasn't losing my hair.
And so I buzzed it.
First, with just a number 3 guard all over.
Now I'm at no guard.
Why every week, you ask?
Have you ever seen Bozo?
That is me after about 3 weeks.
But, hey...don't feel sorry for me.
Cause I ain't sweating it.
Wifey/Rosie (I still need to get to that story) says that I would look weird with hair.
I'm not sure exactly how to take that.
So, sometimes I will trade with a stylist for chiropractic services.
But most times it's just me in my bathroom with a pair of clippers.
Since I can't change my hairstyle much, I usually switch up my facial hair every few months.
Although, after watching this video, I think I can still hook up this 'do.
What'cha think?

Amede Ardoin- Blues de Basile

Last week, I took my Mom to lunch for her birthday.
We met at Pappadeaux for a little Cajun celebration.
I don't care what time of year it is, Winter or Summer, if I have the chance to have some good gumbo, I'm not gonna hesitate.
In honor of our visit, I thought I would give ya'll a little Cajun music history.
Amede Ardoin is credited by Louisiana music scholars with laying the groundwork for Cajun music in the early 20th century.
He is known for his high-pitched singing voice and his skills on the Cajun accordian.
Legend has it that on his way home from playing a house dance, he was attacked by some white men that were angry because a white woman, the daughter of the house, lent Ardoin a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off of his face.
He was run over by a Model A car that crushed his head and damaged his vocal cords.
He was found alive the next morning lying in a ditch.
It was said that he went "plumb crazy" after that and he spent his last days in a mental asylum, where he supposedly died.
There are no definitive records of his death.
On a lighter note, Happy Birthday Mom!

12 Stones- The Way I Feel

OK, I'm not gonna be productive today until I get this down.
I went to bed last night and was asleep for not quite an hour when my bride woke me up and told me that bin Laden was dead.
I laid there for a minute taking it in and decided that, unlike the Royal Wedding last week, this was something that I didn't want to miss.
So, I got up and went in the living room where we watched the reports unfold.
I'm not proud of the words that were in my head, or my first reaction that I posted on Facebook last night.
As an American, I'm glad that the number one terrorist in the world was brought to justice last night.
I'm glad that the victims from 9/11, as well as those that have sacrificed since then, may have some degree of closure from this event.
I've had alot of anger since 9/11. 
Not constant anger...situational anger, I guess you would call it.
Anger that rises whenever I watch one of the movies that were made based on the events of that day.
Anger whenever I remember the celebration on the streets in certain areas of the world when the towers fell.
You see, I have a relative that was on the way to work in the Amex building, across from the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001.
She was safe, but obviously, devastated.
I'm not sure if you ever completely heal from something like that.
So, when I heard the news last night, and even the continued processing of everything this morning, there are alot of emotions going on.
As a Christian, I know that Jesus said to love our enemies.
I read this in the Old Testament: "As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" Ez. 33:11.
I also know that God is just, and the Israelites celebrated after the defeat of Goliath, the Egyptians, etc.
But, I'm not comfortable with the open celebrations either.
I honestly don't know what the proper reaction should be to this.
I do know that I don't like feeling this way.

Journey- Don't Stop Believin'

I've always liked Journey.
Even back in my "rap music is the only cool music" stage, I remember having a cassette tape with different rap songs on it, and right smack in the middle of the tape, there was Journey's "Don't Stop Believing".
No matter where you are, it seems that when "DSB" comes on, everybody starts singing.
The last time I remember hearing it was when me and some of my buds were out on a "Fellas Night Out".
We had gone to the Atlanta Roller Derby to watch a bout. One of my boys had done some refereeing for them in the past. If you know anything about Roller Derby, they all have nicknames, even the refs. His was "Uncle Buck Nekkid". I just thought you should know that.
Then we went to Manuel's Tavern for dinner and socializing.
We then walked down N. Highland Ave. to the Dark Horse Tavern.
Underneath the Dark Horse, there is a place called 10 High.
A few nights a week, 10 High hosts "Metalsome", live band karaoke.
This is unlike anything I had seen before.
There's this rocking band that plays along while whoever wants to, grabs the mike and wails.
I'm not talking B-52's or John Denver here.
There were songs by Metallica, Faith No More, Pearl Jam, and Buck Cherry, among others.
As soft as it got was "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams and this one by Journey.
It was two girls that chose these two.
Of course, everybody in the place sang along.
None of my group "performed" that night, but we decided to pick a song and be ready for next time.
Now, should I go with Green Day or Billy Idol?
Decisions, decisions.

J.S. Bach-Mass in B Minor, BWV 232/ Agnes Dei

My friend, Alan Knox, asked a stirring question earlier this week.
He asked, "Do we prefer our Jesus to stay in a manger instead of outside an empty tomb?"
His discussion can be found in his blog at
http://www.alanknox.net/2011/04/do-we-prefer-our-jesus-to-stay-in-a-manger-instead-of-outside-an-empty-tomb/
This question has haunted me all week.
Of course, you can't have one without the other, but, maybe Easter would be the more appropriate time to exchange gifts in honor of the One that gave the ultimate gift.
I know that my celebration of Holy Week hasn't been much of a celebration thus far.
However, I have started gathering some information from different websites on great ways to celebrate and reflect on the Passion, for next year.
You'll have to tune in next year to see how I'm doing.
I pray all have a great Good Friday and a safe Happy Easter.
It's Friday...but Sunday's coming.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Alan Jackson- The Old Rugged Cross

Next week is Holy Week.
I guess the older that I get, the more the word "sacrifice" means to me.
I think of some of the sacrifices my folks had to make so that my life would be easier.
I think of the sacrifices that American troops across the globe, as well as their families back home, make to insure my freedom.
Some have paid the highest price.
And finally, I think of the Ultimate Sacrifice that was made over 2000 years ago, on a hill, in the Middle East.
A sacrifice, not only to make my life easier, or to give me freedom, (which by the way it has done), but to also secure my eternity.
The cross.
The brutal symbol of punishment and execution has become the sign pointing to true liberty and mercy for all.

They Might Be Giants-Meet The Elements

When I was in chiropractic school, I was able to live at home with my parents.
That's kind of a "good news/ bad news" scenario.
On one hand, I saved about $50,000 in student loans for housing. Good.
On the other hand, I lived with my parents.
Just kidding my folks are pretty awesome.
But because I chose to live at home, I commuted from College Park to Marietta about 5 days a week, for about 3 and a half years.
During this time, I was listening to alot of Album 88, the college-run radio station out of Georgia State University.
There was one particular DJ that I enjoyed listening to that played some of my favorites.
Everyday at the end of his show, he would play "Birdhouse in your Soul" by They Might Be Giants.
I remember when he was graduating and on his last radio show for the university, hearing him play his "swan song" for the last time.
Pardon while I reminisce.
Alright, I know.
It's true. The Giants are quirky.
But now that they are making kid's music, and good quality kid's music, I think their quirkiness is...well oddly awesome.
Check it out and let me know what you think.

Bing Crosby-Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's An Irish Lullaby)

33 days.
That's how long Ella lived in this world.
I saw her last night.
So small and so pink, lying motionless in a tiny wooden box.
I hadn't seen or talked to John, probably since high school.
We played soccer together as kids and went to school for 3 years together.
We did a little hanging out back then, but he was better friends with Lee.
Lee's wife, Darlene, sent me a message on Tuesday to tell me about Ella.
It appears that after a week, John and his wife, Mira, noticed that something was wrong.
She had a rare disease, that just a few short weeks later, claimed her young, fragile life.
What do you say to someone that is going through that?
That's what I was asking myself as I was driving to the funeral home.
I realized that it probably doesn't really matter what I say.
Today, I also realize that I needed to go see her for myself, just as much as I needed to show love and support to John and his family.
You see, the whole way home, I tried to reason with God...that He somehow made a mistake.
That led me to question some of my foundational beliefs in God.
If God is perfect and holy and good, and God created everything, where did evil come from? The Scriptures say that nothing evil comes from God, so it wasn't making sense to me.
I couldn't let it go. I searched through different passages and commentaries until I found John McArthur's words: "When God created angels and God created humans, he gave them intelligence. He gave them reason, and he gave them choice.And there is a sequence. I put those words in that order for a purpose. Intelligence gave them the ability to understand things. Reason gave them the ability to process that understanding toward behavior. And choice gave them the freedom to determine that behavior. Intelligence, reason, and choice. Bottom line: With what they knew, and with the ability they had to process that information, they would be brought to a choice. And whether angels or men, they would have the choice either to obey God or not to obey God."
I had heard this before, but what I read next brought me back.
"Evil is not a created thing. Evil is not a substance. Evil is not an entity. Evil is not a being. Evil is not a force. Evil is not some floating spirit. Evil is a lack of moral perfection. God created absolute perfection. Wherever a lack of that exists, sin exists. And that cannot exist in the nature of God or in anything that God makes. Evil comes into existence when God's creatures fall short of the standard of moral perfection."
Thank you, Lord, for Ella's life; for her parents, John and Mira; and for her Creator.
Give them peace during this extremely difficult time.
And, thank you, for your patience with your kids.
Especially me.
Ella Marie Bynum
Born: February 14, 2011
Died: March 19, 2011

Etta James- At Last

It's finally here.
I've been waiting all year, since last year, that is.
March Madness is upon us.
There was a time in my life when I didn't give a rip about college basketball.
Then came that fateful night.
It was March 28, 1992.
I was hanging out with my boys at Hooters, minding my own business.
There was alot of people there that night yelling at the TVs.
A game was on.
It was Duke vs. Kentucky.
I wasn't paying much attention at first, but as the game went on, even a casual observer could tell that this one was going down to the wire.
Back and forth it went.
Then came overtime. Both teams wanted it.
At the end of the game, Duke trailed Kentucky 103-102 with 2.1 seconds left in the game.
I was paying attention at this point.
Duke had the ball, but had to travel the length of the court with not a lot of time.
Grant Hill threw the ball in. He tossed a pass the length of the court to Christian Laettner.
Laettner caught the ball, dribbled once, turned, and at the buzzer, sank what has been called simply "The Shot", to give the Blue Devils the win.
I remember there was a guy at Hooter's that I didn't care so much for that was a Kentucky fan. After listening to his smart remarks all night, I had decided that I was hoping Duke won.
After they won the way that they did, I was a fan.
Incidentally, Duke went on to defeat Michigan that year to win the National Championship.

Linkin Park- In The End

Back in college, my friend, Rob and I, would spend most nights at a club in midtown Atlanta called The Masquerade.
The club is actually still there.
It's kind of a dark, spooky place, where you feel like you should probably shower before and after you go in.
The club has three levels: Heaven is upstairs, where live bands played often. Purgatory was on the middle level, where there was a game room and places to sit and chat.
Hell was the bottom level, where DJ's would play the latest house, techno, industrial, and other dance music.
It definitely drew an interesting crowd.
But it was fun and that was our spot.
It also was our spot partly because another one of our boys, Tony, worked there as security.
In fact, one night, after lingering too long at the open bar, Rob wouldn't quit stage-diving and Tony threatened to throw him out.
We saw some cool bands there.
The Skatenigs. Spiritualized. The Jesus and Mary Chain.
One of my favorites was Stuck Mojo.
Stuck Mojo were pioneers in the rap/metal fusion.
Their shows were always very lively.
Because of them, groups like Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Linkin Park rose to popularity in the early to mid 90's.
Here's some Linkin Park mashing it up with one of their chart-toppers.

Dr. John- Iko Iko

Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, begins in a couple of days, so I thought I would give everyone a little taste of New Orleans.
The song tells of a Mardi Gras parade collision between two Mardi Gras Indian tribes.
The lyrics tell of a "spy boy" or a lookout for one tribe encountering the "flag boy" or flag carrier for another tribe. He threatens to set the flag on fire.
The original version was written in 1953 by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford in New Orleans.
It has been covered, however, by many artists such as the Neville Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, The Grateful Dead, and Dave Matthews.
It has also been featured in many films such as "K-9", "The Little Vampire", "Rain Man", and "The Hangover".
This version, from New Orleans' own, Dr. John, is featured on his "Dr. John's Gumbo" as well as the compilation, "New Orleans Party Classics".
Anyone for some gumbo and King Cake?

Tim McGraw/Gwyneth Paltrow- Me and Tennessee

Coldplay frontman wrote a song for his wife.
His wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, just happens to be the star of a recently released film, "Country Strong".
The movie is about a fallen country singer that is working toward a comeback.
In the process, romantic complications occur between Paltrow's character, her husband/manager played by Tim McGraw, a rising star played by Garrett Hedlund, and a beauty queen turned singer played by Leighton Meestor.
The soundtrack contains songs by Trace Adkins, Hank Jr., Patty Loveless, Ronnie Dunn, Faith Hill, and others, including songs by Paltrow, Hedlund, Meestor, and my favorite, this one from McGraw and Paltrow.
I recently read an old article on Tim McGraw, and it made me like him more than I already did.
He is a very humble guy that lives daily thinking that this dream will be over.
Not if he keeps making songs like this.

Rolling Stones-Jumpin' Jack Flash

The lyrics of this song make me think of somebody that's out of control, yet keeps telling themselves that it's still "alright".
Kinda like Charlie Sheen.
It appears that Mr. Sheen is on a downward spiral.
He's a very talented guy, and like many I hate to see it happen.
I pray that he gets help before his lifestyle catches up to him.
Both for his sake, and his kid's sakes.
The other Charlie, drummer Charlie Watts, appears to be out of control, too, on this clip. WOW!

Damian Marley-Welcome to Jamrock

Well, the Grammys were just held in LA a few weeks ago.
I must say, it was probably one of the best Grammy shows that I recall seeing.
There were some very nice performances in all genres (loved Bruno Mars, Eminem, and Mick Jagger.)
There were also a few awards given out that were well-deserved.
But I want to flash back to the 2006 show.
It was there that Damian "Junior Gong" Marley picked up two trophies, one for Best Reggae Album, and one for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the song "Welcome to Jamrock".
This song is true reggae.
Marley covers the issues of crime, poverty, and political corruption as part of the harsh realities of Jamaica.
He paints a picture quite different than the "Come to Jamaica and Feel Alright" commercials.
In this sense, he truly carries on his father's legacy encouraging Jamaicans to stand together and also urging those in charge to do something about the injustices.

Flame-Surrender

surrender-v. 1. to yield to the possession or power of. 2. to give oneself up. 3. to abandon or relinquish.
On May 14, 1945, the defeated Nazi General Jodl put his signature on a piece of paper indicating SURRENDER.
On Palm Sunday, 1865, General Robert E. Lee met General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of the McClean house at Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaling the SURRENDER of the attempt of the Southern States to create a separate nation.
In Tokyo Bay, on September 2, 1945, aboard the battleship, USS Missouri, Japan officially SURRENDERed to the Allied forces.
In the Summer of 1977, at a beachfront chapel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a 7-year-old, Brian Gregg SURRENDERed the control of his destiny to Jesus. Although, on a daily basis, he continues to attempt coups to retake control, the grace offered him at the original SURRENDER urges him to be recaptured.
"Unconditional SURRENDER is an accomplished fact."-Dwight Eisenhower

Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells- Once Upon A Time

It's Valentine's Week as well as Black History month, so this song fits both.
A beautiful duet performed by two of the industry's finest.
Both, however, left us too soon.
Marvin was shot to death by his father.
Mary lost a battle to throat cancer after a lifelong struggle with illness.
But it was their lives, not their deaths, that were most remarkable.
Both rose from the inner-city projects to become successful musicians.
Both were responsible for bringing "black music" to popularity.
(I've always hated the term "black music". Music has no color.)
The song itself speaks to my life with Wifey aka Rosie.
"I never knew what love could do til I met you."
I love you!

Bee Gees- Night Fever

I was just listening to my Mp3 whilst doing some neck stretching.
I must have had it on random because I went from Rob Thomas to OutKast to Kid Cudi to Matchbox Twenty to Bob Dylan.
Now, I realize some people just can't do that.
They need one genre at a time, and that's cool.
Wifey is like that.
(By the way, Wifey's new name is Rosie. I'll explain in a later post.)
And I guess sometimes I get in the mood for a certain sound.
But I just love music.
I guess that's why I enjoy doing this blog so much.
There are so many talented people with so many different sounds.
(Another by the way, how did you like the Black Eyed Peas halftime show?)
Pretty different...and pretty awesome (except the sound quality).
In this blog, I like to feature songs from the whole sound spectrum.
Some, you may have heard a million times.
But others, it may be a first hear.
Tonight, I just had the Night Fever.
Confession: I never saw "Saturday Night Fever" all the way through until a couple of years ago.
"There is something going down, and i can feel it."

Andrea Bocelli- Con Te Partiro

Wifey and I have a date planned for tomorrow night.
Nothing gets me in the mood for a date more than Bocelli.
And it's not like we're going to a fancy restaurant or an opera.
Maybe a Hawks game.
Maybe a play.
Maybe improv comedy.
But, when you love the one you're with and enjoy spending time together, it ain't gotta be frou frou to be romantic.
This is from a live performance in Tuscany, a truly romantic place that we would like to visit one day.
It is also found on his "Romanza" release.

Steven Halpern-Interstellar Light

It has long been said that "music calms the savage beast."
And it has definitely helped me to relax on more than one occasion.
But does music really have healing properties?
For many, there's not any question.
The field of music therapy has been around for over 60 years, but it has gained more popularity in the last 10 years.
Whether it is for chronic illness, such as Alzheimer's or autism, or recovery from a stroke, or times of acute stress, music therapy is an effective balm for many afflictions.
Most music therapists are primarily active in hospitals, nursing homes, special needs classrooms, and rehab centers.
"Music might provide an alternative entry point to the brain, because it can unlock so many different doors into an injured or ill brain," said Dr. Gottfried Schlaug, a Harvard University neurologist.
Steven Halpern has been a proponent of theories which emphasize the healing properties of music.
In fact, he has released over 50 albums since 1975.
This is from his 2003 recording, "Music For Healing Mind, Body, & Spirit".
Sit back, relax, and be healthy.

Artur Rubinstein-Chopin-Nocturnes, Op. 27, No. 2 in D Flat

I love hearing stories of child prodigies.
And Artur Rubinstein was just that.
Rubinstein was born in Poland in 1887, the youngest of eight kids to a well-to-do Polish-Jewish family.
It has been said that at the age of two, he became fascinated with the piano while watching his elder sister's piano lessons.
He also demonstrated perfect pitch at age 2.
Really?
At the age of four, the great Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim, heard him play and began mentoring him.
At the age of 10, he moved to Berlin to continue his studies, and at 13 he made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic.
He then began studying with Karl Heinrich Barth, an associate of Brahms (think the lullaby dude).
So get this.
Barth was a pupil of a guy named Franz Liszt.
Liszt studied under Carl Czerny.
And Carl Czerny had been taught by none other than Beethoven.
Not a bad lineage.
But this Rubinstein was a player in every sense of the word.
He once stated: "It is said of me that when I was young I divided my time impartially among wine, women and song. I deny this categorically. Ninety percent of my interests were women."
Nonetheless, he continued performing up until the age of 89 when his eyesight got the best of him.
He died in 1982 at the age of 95.
Watch him play.
Not a single piece of sheet music.
Effortless. Incredible. Beautiful.

Trono de Mexico-Te Recordare'

I used to wonder why many people from Mexico enjoy wearing cowboy hats and boots.
Then it dawned on me.
Duh!!!
They come from some of the original "cowboy" land.
So they should be able to get away with it more than the average Joe.
I'm still not so sure about these suits, though.
I guess if it worked for Liberace.
Wait...did it work for Liberace?
By the way, I hear they are making a movie on the life of Liberace.
I think I just set the world record for having the most Liberaces in one blog post.
Back to our friends from Durango.
The lead singer actually wears a sweater and some jeans in a couple of scenes in this video.
My Spanish isn't great but I think she's telling him, "I liked you better in that suit."
Some chicas, ya know?
So superficial.
I guess she gets to him, cause he's back in cowboy gear by the end of the video.
You wuss.

Zero 7- In The Waiting Line

Wifey and I teach kindergarten Sunday School.
I've been doing it for five years now. Wifey joined me last year.
Thank God she did.
She totally balances me and helps me to realize and appreciate the simple things in life, oh such as, you will probably go to jail if you spank that child.
Apparently, a demonstration on stoning is not on our curriculum.
I'm way kidding...for the most part.
There is usually only one or two kids a year that you spend the entire hour and a half calling their name.
Two weeks ago, I was trying to get this one kid's attention, and so I called his name five times. This little dude was straight ignoring me.
So, I got everyone's attention.
"I'm going to give you all a life lesson. If someone calls your name, turn around and see where the voice is. They may be trying to tell you that there is a giant boulder about to fall on your head."
Of course, now all of the kids are looking up at the ceiling, and John the Baptist has no chance.
Anyway, once a month, our church puts on Kidzplace during Sunday School.
This is where grades K-4 gather together in one place, and some of the older elementary school kids and some of the middle school kids , teach a lesson through a skit, song and dance.
This month's virtue was "patience".
In the beginning, someone noted that patience is harder for adults than it is for kids.
I think they're on to something.
Whether it's trying to lose weight, pay off debts, or wait for vacation, it just never seems to happen fast enough.
But patience is a discipline that leads to victory. Get-rich-quick doesn't work. Body re-shaping doesn't happen overnight. It's a journey.
But it's a journey that is worth the effort...and the patience.
Here's something to listen to to help pass the time.

Tennessee Ernie Ford- How Great Thou Art

Oh Lord.
My God.
When i in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
i see the stars.
i hear the rolling thunder.
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour, God, to Thee.
"How great Thou art!"

Avenged Sevenfold-Unholy Confessions

I mentioned on my last post that many times these days, I find the sacred amidst the secular.
Here's a good example...from an unlikely place.
The realm of death metal.
The band "Avenged Sevenfold" is not a Christian band. I'm sorry...the bio says that they're not "religious", so maybe there's hope, right?
Anyway...on to the story.
The name, "Avenged Sevenfold", does have Biblical roots.
In the Genesis 4 account of Cain and Abel, we have two brothers, children of Adam and Eve, bringing an offering to God.
One brother, Abel, has his offering accepted and God is pleased.
The other brother, Cain, had his offering "disrespected" by God.
We are not given a particular reason for this.
But based on character, we can suppose that it was probably in the attitude that it was brought.
At any rate, Cain gets jealous, lures his brother out in the field, and kills him.
This is the first murder in history, and it was performed by his own brother.
We shouldn't be surprised, therefore, when we hear that a gunmen has slain innocent people.
Cain lost the war against his flesh, and the enemy had him.
God curses Cain and makes him a fugitive of the land.
He complains to God that being a vagabond will make him an open target for someone.
Gen 4:15 "And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, he will be avenged sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him."
And there you have it.

Lecrae-Overdose

I grew up on rap music.
I remember the first time that I heard Run-DMC's first album.
I hadn't heard anything like it before.
You can ask anybody that I went to high school or hung out with then, I knew of just about everybody that was in the rap game at that time.
And that was all I listened to.
The madre and padre listened to country (which I used to call "anti-music" but lately have begun to appreciate much of the genre).
But after I gave my life back to Christ in the early 90's, I went through a period of time where I only listened to Christian music.
I feel like I needed some time to simply focus on Him...to recenter.
During that time I also abstained from any alcoholic beverages and R-rated movies. It was a healing process.
This took about 10 years.
So one day at Lifeway, after purchasing a book or CD or something, they gave me a compilation CD for free.
There was an artist named T-Bone with a song on it called "Psychowestcoastridermuzic".
Gospel rap.
I never knew such a thing existed.
Over the next few years, artists like T-Bone, Ill Harmonics, KJ-52, Pigeon John, and John Reuben gave me what I needed for my hip-hop fix.
Obviously, since then, I have lifted my ban.
I feel like I am in a stronger place of self-control and have realized that evidences of the sacred can be found many times in the "secular".
I still love me some Christian hip-hop, though.
And Lecrae's latest release, "Rehab:The Overdose" does not disappoint.

Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs- Beg Steal or Borrow

"What would you dare to dream for your life if you knew that you could not fail?"
I listened to this question again recently as I was contemplating the new year.
The question came from Brian Tracy, a time management and success "guru".
It was during a lesson that he was teaching on goal-setting.
Why do so many people drift through life, without purpose or intention?
Tracy says, "If you are not working toward your own set of goals, you are doomed forever to be working toward the goals of someone else."
He says that everyone is working on goals. But sometimes the goals you are working on are not your own.
I sat down before the new year started and followed his advice.
I wrote down on a sheet of paper everything that I would like to do, have, or be in the next 5 years.
Then, I broke them down into A, B, and C goals, with A goals being the most important.
I then listed all the A goals on a separate sheet of paper and listed them in the order of priority.
The A1 goal is your "major definite purpose" for the year.
Finally, I wrote down several action steps under my A1 goal that would lead me to completion.
Then, I review my goal sheet every day and ask myself, "What are you going to do today to help you reach your goal?"
It's not too late.
January is not even half over.
Write down some goals and get after them.
"Young man, full of big plans,
You thinkin' about tomorrow."

Brian Eno-Emerald and Lime

My morning started off like an improvised episode of Hee-Haw when all the characters are talking at once.
Not that my kids are the least bit country but that is the first loud and obnoxious show I thought of.
Wifey has the weekend off, and boy does she deserve it.
The last month of the year for her was spent following behind the kids with a puke bucket, or washing puke sheets, or scrubbing puke floors.
Not necessarily the most memorable of holidays this year.
Although the snow we got on Christmas was nice; and everybody, at least at some point, felt well enough to go out and play in it.
That was short-lived because as soon as we thought it was over, it returned and we canceled our New Year's Disney trip.
So...to say that my wife needs some time off is an understatement.
At this point, I'm just hoping she comes back.
I've mentioned our weekends off before, but I've got to say again how healthy this is for our relationship and our family life.
It's great to be able to sleep when you want, eat when and what you want, and do whatever the heck you want.
I know she will come back refreshed and be able to give from a full tank instead of a physically and emotionally drained one.
But for now, it's me and the kiddos.
Which is cool. I don't get this time very often.
I just wished kids eased into morning instead of being human roosters that all need something first thing in the morning.
In a perfect world, they would quietly float downstairs at about 10:30 to the sounds of Brian Eno's "Emerald and Lime".
But, I'll be OK.
There's coffee made.

Steve Martin-Pretty Flowers

Wifey (I'm taking suggestions for a more endearing title for the queen) and I are going on a date tomorrow night. Yee-hah!!!
Actually, she is taking the weekend off and she invited me to be a small part of it and thankfully her mom hasn't started back to school yet so she can watch the kiddos.
So, after work I'm going to meet her for dinner at Maggiano's and then later on we're going to The Punchline.
The Punchline is a comedy club in Sandy Springs, just outside the Atlanta perimeter.
"Last Comic Standing" winner from a few years back, John Heffron is performing.
This dude is a riot.
One year for her birthday, I gave Wifey a "comedy weekend". We went to see John one night, and then we saw Bill Cosby the next night.
She married me so she must like funny.
Anyways, we're both looking forward to the night out tomorrow sans chirdren.
Speaking of funny, I never would have guessed that funnyman Steve Martin would ever have a number one album anywhere except the comedy charts.
But his album, "The Crow: New Songs For The Five-String Banjo" has topped the US Bluegrass charts.
Martin used to play the banjo in some of his comedic routines, so I guess it shouldn't be a far stretch.
It just kind of caught me off guard.
I mean, I would dance around and sing to "King Tut" when I was a kid.
"When I die, now don't think I'm a nut,
Don't want no fancy funeral, just one like old King Tut."
Best wishes to an obviously, very talented individual.

Bruce Springsteen- Because The Night

In 1989 MTV aired the very first MTV Unplugged show.
The first show featured the group Squeeze, singer-songwriter Syd Straw, and former lead guitarist for The Cars, Elliot Easton.
Since then, anybody that's somebody has been featured on the popular show.
It has been said that the inspiration for the show came from the popularity informal musical performances as was documented on The Beatles' "Let it Be" film as well as Elvis Presley's televised 1968 Comeback Special.
Over 100 performances have been filmed and, unfortunately, I have seen only a few.
My most memorable are Eric Clapton, Nirvana, and 10,000 Maniacs. The 10K Maniacs version of "Because the Night" reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first time the group broke the top forty.
This song, however, was first written by Bruce Springsteen (another Unplugged alumnus).
In 1977 and 1978 he was writing material for his album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town". There were several songs that was written during that time that didn't make the album..."Because the Night" being one of them.
The Patti Smith group was in the studio next door and engineer/producer Jimmy Iovine was working on both albums. He gave her a tape of the song and it ended up becoming the first single released on their "Easter" album.
Although the song was never released on any of Springsteen's studio albums, he would perform it live, even during the "Darkness" tour in the late 70's.
Until the recent release of "The Promise" box set, the only commercially-released Springsteen version was found on the "Live 1975-1985" album.