Monthly Archives: April 2007

Bone Marrow for Ethan – YOU CAN HELP!!!

Posted on by

Hey – if you’re reading this, you may already know that our nephew (ok, really 2nd cousin) is nearly 5 months old, and has been in St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis with Leukemia since his 2 month-old birthday.  He was not expected to make it through the first 72 hours or so, and has made it thus far, due to the fantastic Doctors, technology, and the all things that God has blessed.  He is in control, and He has already blessed the situation with amazing bountiful blessings.  Please see his website at http://www.ethanpowell.com. 

The need for Bone Marrow Donors is the greatest thing one can do to help right now, besides prayer.  If you will, PLEASE go to the website above and download the letter to OPRAH.  We are asking that you download it, print it, sign it, and mail it to the address listed there on the update page on Ethan’s website.  Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for praying for Ethan.  Please continue so that our Father will never doubt the faith of his children that God can heal this child.  Not only can he heal this boy, but he will!  Let’s do our part, knowing that God will do HIS, and leave that in His hands.  The fervent prayer in faith will do great things.  If you want to help sponsor a Bone Marrow Drive, go to the website and learn how.  It’s not as hard as you think. 

As Ben so habitually signs off on the updates page, PRAYER WORKS!  Please pray, but also – please PRINT out the letter and mail it.  This is not a joke, and if there are enough bone marrow donors, the numbers will work in Ethan’s favor.  But again, we don’t simply believe in statistics… God is the Master of Heaven and Earth, and the power which raised Jesus can heal this little boy.  Thank you, friends!

Are We Happy Plastic People?

Posted on by
1

I have not always listened to contemporary Christian music.  But ever-how-long it took me to get here – PRAISE GOD that I finally got on board.  There are several groups or soloists that are particularly great to me; Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay… those are just a few.  BY QUITE A SIZEABLE MARGIN though, is Casting Crowns.  All of these artists have a lot of great stuff to say, but for some particular reason, Mark Hall (lead vocals and main songwriter) and the rest of the gang put out a story that is far more penetrating than many of the others.  Mark’s not the only one talented in Casting Crowns… all of the vocalists are phenomenal, especially the violin-ripping, lady with the gorgeous voice who sings a lot of lead on verses too – Melodee DeVivo.  Intrigued by the title of this post?  Do a google search for “Happy plastic people” and see what the lyrics are… see if they don’t stir you!

With song titles like, “Love Them Like Jesus,” “What If His People Prayed,” “Stained Glass Masquerade,” “Lifesong,” and “Voice of Truth” – even the titles have a spiritual Christian’s interest peaked.  I don’t know – nor care – about where these folks are doctrinally in Jesus.  It is very clear that they are centered on the preeminence of Christ and servant-ship.  I have pasted their lyrics below to “Voice of Truth.”

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they’d have had the strength to stand

But the giant’s calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don’t seem so high
From on top of them lookin’ down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Good Post – from Edward Fudge

Posted on by
2

Interesting gracEmail from Edward Fudge today.  I’m not totally sure what I think about it… except that he is definitely on-track with a providential spirit.   Very thought provoking!

LONG RANGE PLANNING

An acquaintance of mine was recently asked to lead a committee charged with producing a five-year plan for his Lutheran church. He searched the New Testament but found nothing about long-range planning. My own investigation yielded the same results. Throughout the Gospels, for example, Jesus simply goes about doing the Father’s will. Jesus’ miracles and parables, his encounters and teachings, occur almost incidentally. “As he was going along,” the Gospel writers will say, “a certain woman came to Jesus” — and the next thing we know something happens about which we still read and talk 2,000 years later.

The same is true in Acts. Luke does not record one single planning session regarding evangelism. The early disciples are praying and waiting when Pentecost happens. Peter and John are walking to the Temple for regular prayer when they meet — and heal — a lame man. They are called into account, so they tell their questioners about Jesus. Persecution scatters the believers, and some go to Samaria. Phillip preaches there until the Spirit sends him into the desert where he meets the Ethiopian. Peter is praying when the Holy Spirit sends him to Cornelius’ house. The Antioch leadership team are in prayer when the Holy Spirit tells them to “separate Barnabas and Saul” for a special assignment which we now call the First Missionary Journey. And so the story goes.

Perhaps there is a place in church for human wisdom and long-range planning, for budgets and business meetings and strategy sessions. But God’s work certainly doesn’t depend on them. Too often, our own ideas become confused with God’s agenda, and our own plans and proposals simply blind us to the higher purposes of heaven. Perhaps we ought instead to spend our time seeking God’s will, waiting on his guidance, praying for his enabling, surrendering to his leading, following his direction, and walking in the Spirit. We pray, “Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.” This is God’s thing. He has to make it happen. And he gets all the credit.

Do you KNOW him? Sometimes I’m not sure I do…

Posted on by
1

I read one of the most practically challenging passages of scripture I can remember reading tonight.  Oh I’ve been over it many times… but I’m not sure if I can remember hearing it like tonight.

I John 2
1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

 3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

There’s not much more that needs to be said in this post.  All I’ll try to say is this; we try to teach our children to “be like Jesus” and “make God happy.”  Lord, I need your help.  I want your love made complete in me, and to know you.  May I become more familiar with the steps the Master took, and the character and love he demonstrated daily. 

The Best-est Bass Ever…

Posted on by
2

I try to stay as balanced as I can on a lot of Barbershop issues.  There’s the constant effort to try and get a quartet sound to be a “lock” between 4 voices.  The neat thing about this particular hobby to me in regards to quartetting is this; you take 4 individuals of different background, and their voices, their life experiences, etc. are all different.  After work, and work, and more work through duetting, trio-ing, and all kinds of unison singing stuff, you try to get your 4 different voices to match and make a 4-part chord sound like a siren… it’s solid, and exciting.

So as I’ve continued to listen to different Bass singers – there are several who come to mind.  (remember… I’m a product of my generation, so forgive my overlooking of stellar bass singers of the older days!)  Depending on the genre of music, there are some phenomenal low-note singers out there who have made quite a name for themselves.  There’s the bass for Take 6 – Alvin Chea, whose rich deep vocals are truly bass notes.  Then there are men from many other outstanding vocal groups around the country, not the least of which is the solid voice of Bill Gaither of Gaither Vocal Band.  While Bill is getting older, he still cranks out a solid bass sound that’s pretty.  But in terms of accuracy, attention to pitch, intervals, voice timbre and brains, I can’t think of anyone that outranks the bass of the 1978 International Champion Barbershop Quartet bass, the Bluegrass Student Union’s  Rick Staab (pictured with glasses in the quartet).  Sure, there are others that would clearly make the top of some other folks’ list; Jeff Oxley would probably be very close if not tied for 1st on my own list (Bass of 2 Gold medal combo’s, The Rapscallions of 1984, and Acoustix of 1991, also a Silver in Max Q, the current 2nd place quartet).  Jeff has arguably the most gorgeous voice in the Barbershop genre of music, and a range that is unparalleled.   Smoothness, pitch, and rhythm-meister Greg Hollander of Michigan Jake (2001 International Champion BBShop quartet), and Jayson Van Hook from Four Voices for depth, youth, and the wow-factor, (the 2002 International Quartet Champion), and Jay Hawkins for pure lock and ring, brains, and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet (1987 Champs, Interstate Rivals, and 1995 Champs, Marquis).

Rick has a unique ability to sing bass like a lead singer.  For those of you who don’t know what I mean, he is so smooth and lyrical that he merely sings the low notes, and not like a guy trying to crank out the bottom stuff with power.  It’s so smooth and air-driven that no one could possibly doubt the new intelligence this guy brought to the bass part (even though “intelligent bass” is an oxymoron 🙂  While BSU (Bluegrass Student Union) is retired, Rick is still young and can make any bass-melody sound like a great lead singer – simply lower notes!  He has a grasp of artistry and tuning, and voice texture that is appropriate for the context of songs.  He can crank the low stuff with smooth power, yet not be brash or the least bit strained singing higher notes.  As hard as it is to isolate his “great songs”, here are some of the songs he demonstrates his amazing ability on…

  • Slap That Bass
  • Minnie the Moocher
  • Mills Brothers Medley
  • Swanee… and many more!

The Bluegrass Student Union was a trend-setting quartet of teh 70’s and their style and song selection has led right up until the modern day with its influence.  If you don’t have their CD’s, you should buy at least one… and if you have a $60 bill and you don’t know how to spend it, buy Legacy, the BSU’s 3-disc compilation of (almost) “all” of their stuff.  What a fun hobby… Barbershop Harmony is something that can be stereotyped to be sure, but no one can argue the precision of tuning, rhythm, and passion that some of the best champions have established as they have left their legacies.

p.s.  NO, I DON’T get a commission off of Bluegrass Student Union’s CD sales!