tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-222712562024-03-12T00:51:36.937-04:00The Words of Tall PantsThe number one internet travel destination for those walking the line between profundity and absurdity.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-91565624923940633202011-04-22T18:45:00.000-04:002011-04-22T18:45:00.329-04:00Good Friday Reflection<p>Each year, Bretton Woods takes part in a Community Good Friday Service on the West side of Lansing which includes participation from Reformed, Baptist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, Grace Brethren, and any combination thereof. For tonight’s service, the five pastors will each be sharing Good Friday narratives from the perspective of different characters in the Biblical narrative. I wrote a first person narrative from Peter’s perspective, and thought it worth sharing with you all.</p> <p>I don’t claim to really know the extent of Peter’s thoughts and feelings on that night, but I hope you’ll find this a faithful rendering, and a help on your own journey to the cross.  </p> <p>Grace and peace to you this Good Friday.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2W4SWgDdeiFmxkfPf7p97cC4NVv4swYYVtQe8tEV7OQdiRxlRYxBkKjV_yHxTRNphjFolpsNL3xhmAZhhqGYyJ63KaZuxQDfbo0X-jl00_10qCdEQYfmI3hPrlp6q7IYA1NqwaA/s1600-h/Fra_Angelico_026-large%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fra_Angelico_026-large" border="0" alt="Fra_Angelico_026-large" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqBCcWrNcPnLXYNYWJqPuZcVcmd954MYcZAV5n_ZvAisaWTn3UiUrdlRYmWrZooa95dY0LemYpAz4TwmqBaFHI0UY4PZJSaz7Le3GX6P6DxXEdYZyx2KlQXSpgR23iIMWn-qpmw/?imgmax=800" width="214" height="244" /></a></p> <p>_________________________________________</p> <p><b>Good Friday 2011 | Peter’s perspective</b></p> <p>Last night, all of us got together to keep the Passover. We’re accustomed to the Lord’s idiosyncrasies. Having us approach a stranger about keeping the feast at his house was no surprise. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised when Jesus got up from the meal and bowed before each of us and began washing our feet.</p> <p>But I was. I was quite surprised, and a little offended. What business does the Lord have washing my feet? Jesus is no slave. We’ve come all the way to Jerusalem, to His Father’s temple, to the place where all authority sits, and Jesus wants to act like he doesn’t have any power? It’s just this sort of behavior that makes so many priests and teachers and crowds and authorities want to get rid of him. </p> <p><i>I’m</i> the servant. <i>I</i> serve Jesus. <i>I’ve </i>given up my livelihood to follow him, and now he wants to be <i>my</i> servant? Wash <i>my</i> feet? No, <i>I</i> needed to wash <i>his</i> feet. So I offered.</p> <p>But he said that if he didn’t wash me, then I’d have no part with him. So of course I asked him to wash all of me. If being washed by him draws me closer to him, then I want a full bath! Wash my hair, my hands, all of me!</p> <p>Then Jesus says that I’ve already bathed. I don’t need a bath. I’m already clean. </p> <p>Which is it? It’s hard to describe how confused I am. He explained something about loving one another and another thing about servants not being greater than their masters.</p> <p>But that’s not true. Masters are greater than servants. That’s why they’re masters and not servants. He’s <i>the</i> master. We should <i>all</i> bow before him and wash his feet. Jesus is being reckless, washing our feet. Somebody around here is going to get a big head if he keeps serving <i>us</i>.</p> <p>Then things got <i>really</i> disturbing. Jesus said that one of us would betray him, and that all of us would lose faith. “No way!” I told him. He’s the greatest. I wouldn’t ever lose faith in him, even if everyone else did. <i>I</i> know who this guy is. <i>I’ve</i> been walking with him for <i>three years</i>! <i>I </i>hadn’t known Jesus to be wrong before, but this time I was sure. <i>I </i>will never lose faith. <i>I’m </i>too strong for that.</p> <p>Jesus prayed for me. He prayed for all of us. He prayed that we’d be strong and spread his love throughout the world. I’m ready to get started right now. What are we waiting for?</p> <p>With stomachs full of food and wine from the Passover feast, we took a trip to the garden. It’s one of Jesus’ favorite places to come to pray. But it was late. Very late. He wanted us to stay up and pray with him. Doesn’t he understand how tired we are? We’ve been traveling, our stomachs are full, and we’re sleepy. </p> <p>He told us to keep watch. Keep watch? For what? Oh, if only I had known.</p> <p>Out of nowhere, comes that TRAITOR Judas, leading a crowd to come take Jesus away. What is going on? <i>This</i> is what we were keeping watch for? I thought we might be keeping watch for the coming of God’s Kingdom, the fall of Caesar, or even something like that day we saw Jesus on the mountain with Moses and Elijah. Anything but this…</p> <p>Anything…</p> <p>Jesus is our leader. He can’t be imprisoned. Betrayed with a kiss from Judas? I would like to cut those lips right off his face! HOW DARE HE!</p> <p>What is Jesus’ plan here? They’ve just taken him away, and the accusations are serious: making false claims and blaspheming. None of it’s true, but they’ve taken him all the same. What do I do with this? How could Jesus leave us like this? I’ve heard he might be executed for these charges. Then what will we do?</p> <p>How could he leave us alone? Is <i>that</i> why he washed our feet? Because he’s not going to lead us anymore? I’ve always trusted Jesus, but he’s always been our leader. If he’s not going to lead, I’m not sure how to follow. </p> <p>I’m so confused, scared, heartbroken. And there’s no sense in all of us getting arrested here. What do I do? </p> <p><i><<as though interrupted>></i></p> <p>What’s that? Jesus of Nazareth? Don’t know him.</p> <p><i><<in prayer>></i></p> <p>O God, what am I saying? </p> <p><i><<interrupted again>></i></p> <p>No, no, I’m not one of his followers.</p> <p><i><<in prayer>></i></p> <p>God, is this really happening? Is he really going to die?</p> <p><i><<interrupted>></i></p> <p>What’s that? My accent? I don’t know what you’re talking about</p> <p><i><<in prayer>></i></p> <p>Dear God, what have I done?</p> Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-57262731923181427852011-04-07T13:53:00.008-04:002011-04-07T14:18:04.134-04:00Gather Round the MicThough this blog has been dormant through 2011 thus far, I have been writing. I've posted a couple pieces at a blog collective called "<a href="http://www.gatherroundthemic.com/">Gather Round the Mic</a>." <br /><ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKcnFtbQ7l_bTVKX-bocSNU9Od6CbU2igH8J7n7TiVgg6zj_ldsPioMHeIHjXr_Cv31dAApEBAYiD5ZajViSDr47LKjPCWiBADcX3kt-qg2tvnEjNLIzXbc7eO4RR8D9v8sNbeg/s1600/gather-round-the-mic.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 151px; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand; STYLE: right" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592907145603979650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKcnFtbQ7l_bTVKX-bocSNU9Od6CbU2igH8J7n7TiVgg6zj_ldsPioMHeIHjXr_Cv31dAApEBAYiD5ZajViSDr47LKjPCWiBADcX3kt-qg2tvnEjNLIzXbc7eO4RR8D9v8sNbeg/s200/gather-round-the-mic.jpg" /></a> <br /><li>First, for a piece on how my media habits have shifted since becoming a father, some 4.5 years ago, <a href="http://www.gatherroundthemic.com/music/a-dads-media-habitat-shift/">click here</a>. </li><br /><li>For the site's top 10 films of 2010 list, I contributed the synopsis on <em>Toy Story 3</em>, since I had been watching it constantly and repeatedly since its release on DVD. You can <a href="http://www.gatherroundthemic.com/film/the-best-films-of-2010/">read that here</a>. </li><br /><li>And just today, I posted a reflection on the intersection between the film <em>The Invention of Lying</em> and the books <em>Love Wins</em> and <em>The Sacredness of Questioning Everything</em>. <a href="http://www.gatherroundthemic.com/blog/the-man-in-the-sky-pastor-rob-and-uncle-ben/">Read that here</a>.</li></ul>I was a bit busy in February and March due to the birth of our third child, our beautiful son, Joel Andrew. Kids are great. We love 'em. <br /><ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1PJDMGetcP5UI8Sfa6Upg3c7CKfpDIpIJGuKV91q-rFbpIhBoxURhzgoMn-XEQOS5E2tK4c7tWguoUcxZYyKjpHMGPUhGTu4h9bsED1juIvxCAv3wkHlxNvKDzPjiFLUS9ZVWQ/s1600/Addison+and+Hosea+031.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592903811938170066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1PJDMGetcP5UI8Sfa6Upg3c7CKfpDIpIJGuKV91q-rFbpIhBoxURhzgoMn-XEQOS5E2tK4c7tWguoUcxZYyKjpHMGPUhGTu4h9bsED1juIvxCAv3wkHlxNvKDzPjiFLUS9ZVWQ/s200/Addison+and+Hosea+031.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjyznItiPzb9awwEHc3yAuB6Npn3D2PNSz6dSb-ZrFmBI7_7lFtis5dfk-aG_0yLvBBhyphenhyphenxmy_u7JfaiI1tI_5Hc1PcxY6b6cHHfnZePIS1s0b-GSlv91k8VAZU_3srVfZ3nM8RA/s1600/026.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592904345090423042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjyznItiPzb9awwEHc3yAuB6Npn3D2PNSz6dSb-ZrFmBI7_7lFtis5dfk-aG_0yLvBBhyphenhyphenxmy_u7JfaiI1tI_5Hc1PcxY6b6cHHfnZePIS1s0b-GSlv91k8VAZU_3srVfZ3nM8RA/s200/026.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zqGiHhJskSOd3m_3waZhUc9j4baeLEzqlWepvvOG-HMdcKQ1jarjoFdfBoehdbeOJWpYlDdwPHEYYdCJjX1hTBwM7ziaTxwtYOwuK9F8mdzXSyj-ulx1w0lWtzjbu67rYG9jWg/s1600/024.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592904598432923874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zqGiHhJskSOd3m_3waZhUc9j4baeLEzqlWepvvOG-HMdcKQ1jarjoFdfBoehdbeOJWpYlDdwPHEYYdCJjX1hTBwM7ziaTxwtYOwuK9F8mdzXSyj-ulx1w0lWtzjbu67rYG9jWg/s200/024.JPG" /></a> </li></ul>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-29304044805311563752010-12-29T11:00:00.000-05:002010-12-29T11:00:05.474-05:00Favorite EP’s of 2010<p>My final list of 2010 is my favorite EP’s.  I’m not sure if “A Summer in 3/4 Time” is officially classified as an EP, but at 28+ minutes of non-album music, I’m counting it.  </p> <p>If you’ve read my other lists, you may notice that Sufjan Stevens has made a clean sweep.  He recorded my favorite album (“The Age of Adz”), my favorite song [“All Delighted People (Original Version)”], and now, my favorite EP (“All Delighted People”).  I had no idea this would be the year of Sufjan for me, but it became just that pretty quickly once he decided to release more than two hours of music in a matter of a couple months.  Kristian Mattson (The Tallest Man on Earth) follows pretty close behind Sufjan, also releasing a brilliant LP and EP within the year.  </p> <p>Enjoy the lists, and more importantly, enjoy the music.  I believe that the artists I’ve affirmed on these lists are paying attention to the important things of the human condition, and we do well to pay attention to their artistic achievements.  As Jonsi said so well, “everything’s full of life.”  I hope you find life in this music, as I have.</p> <p>Now, my favorite EP’s of 2010:</p> <p>5. Jens Lekman “A Summer in ¾ Time”</p> <p><img style="margin: 0px 0px 5px" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRxH64KPNSppfn7qEEjVqhCW0vtPmLXmPVcrHT8DouJG6By4zn2hA" width="231" height="231" /></p> <p>4. Sleeping at Last “October”</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTp-if2W6ag7DtkL1-U0YltgJyjq808laBksVwumfWn1rQnPbM3sC2PvLpQ8H2NlPsdrcdmdAxyOpR9sZwqOWuo7eE1TbO4wIBfqchsAQEqeDzp-1H3bEL1sDUhubVkA1wooNHbw/s1600-h/Yearbook---October3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Yearbook - October" border="0" alt="Yearbook - October" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX_T6_iLacULO2cAsMRfcS4wM4zNxcojkGp-YcGXT67ItxVBn3Xsfubz7X_M6NdrkOzx3yHQJ1K-B1Vv8_WV3dnT9pchV-vn8Jye0orUnvtVjtaVINGiHrGa58GK6lL3ZPutgLA/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></p> <p>3. Commodore Cosmos “Diplododisc”</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0KfHedXJCJ9vLJRgKgy5kR23ySPeUmdL8DGOUNfwZfm-2er0gEaD0OkNhGUvvlvV_tRK8o_MLltiBCUY5yT5K6t_azYXKXQMg7E3SS8X8bBPb4tA0i74gHP_Z0SFrzo5YAwdVQ/s1600-h/Diplododisc2.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Diplododisc" border="0" alt="Diplododisc" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtLlFpyY8JkySOZ0z6D0MiA6kck1e6jokNefS6cn692GKEmY3N9Rm7kMbtXWw25pWPqjtpZjaOoRRRWMzmnuxvPfpbiZlG3XtZEASa_Uu00bgytdojIfdJHBEep23hsm8RnhjPg/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="242" /></a></p> <p>2. The Tallest Man on Earth “Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird”</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyycIHXLnALzePrxgYkgvtyXXjKTez4b9j4LX5CMm-qzlODP9Ua1Ixve6F30ap6tLwj1H09bovQikDhSb-Ke11uQ_s1JFnPriPeLEvN2B9XDm4viHjllnQbc9x3FW91Ht5dC23A/s1600-h/Sometimes-The-Blues-Is-Just-A-Passin%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird" border="0" alt="Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-Mi0kBbBmy-FYsJPKpwmN7hjMDD_vg6HYW2xX8Tdg-VqBTpFuXbn8Ylbd_V8K2jW-roeq4frVPFb_egsKSeYj_FdvT3OxHQZAedMFsKepQpKVEhfoJWsgN83eqLw-s4rhLjUgQ/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></p> <p>1. Sufjan Stevens “All Delighted People”</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwpLiDhdyEaqbw0pU_Sa-aJIOVk-XX5RxeY8jX8vLp7w6L5uFv0Y98SVdXStXNg9D9pN0OSgxeh_g5WD_e2FIERJeJw_E0xBZYzaI8hVw6G40nQjx_rs4RXhBSeHU8e8hGR4JFg/s1600-h/All-Delighted-People-EP2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="All Delighted People EP" border="0" alt="All Delighted People EP" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilieiy7P8RAxGw7iJwbkdr33QLiAYUcqlxNkEH7Ym0mTV1AXTYVpc91evDCONH5oRyFvxEruEiVt4rWSooAqafPzEEzz-kUxPlQhQi7uncmR7U-oQWvO4GBYL3o4jT08n06oM_-A/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></p> Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-7722852562304776622010-12-28T22:43:00.001-05:002010-12-28T22:43:35.329-05:00Favorite Songs of 2010<p>My ground rules for these selections:</p> <ul> <li>One track per LP or EP</li> <li>Tracks must be among my favorites</li> </ul> <p>Pretty simple, eh?  As with the albums, I’ve linked the titles for easy preview and purchase at Amazon.  Enjoy!</p> <p>25. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Day-In-Funeralville/dp/B003M4WBDU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293592507&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band “Wedding Day in Funeralville”</a></p> <p>From the John Prine tribute “Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows,” this track is interpreted aptly by Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes fame).  Prine’s lyrics are compelling, the tune catchy and efficient.</p> <p>24. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giving-Up-The-Gun/dp/B002YP26XS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293592550&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Vampire Weekend “Giving Up the Gun”</a></p> <p>I like the “beating swords into plowshares” lyrical theme of this track, and like most Vampire Weekend songs, it’s bouncy and danceable.</p> <p>23. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-the-Sun/dp/B003BXKXW8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293592584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">She & Him “In the Sun”</a></p> <p>This was the most requested song by my daughter in 2010.  It’s a charming ditty that I gladly play over and over for my beautiful little girl.</p> <p>22. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revel-In-Contempt/dp/B0041VI5MO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293592618&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Buke and Gass “Revel In Contempt”</a></p> <p>I love the energy, I love the homemade (home invented?) instruments, and I think as time goes on, I’ll love this band more and more.</p> <p>21. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-Sick/dp/B003FBR6R6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293592650&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Broken Social Scene “World Sick”</a></p> <p>Do they really have five guitarists?  Intense.  And who can’t relate to the chorus, “I get world sick every time I take a stand”?  </p> <p>20. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/commodorecosmos" target="_blank">Commodore Cosmos “Impending Doom”</a></p> <p>Lansing’s own Commodore Cosmos bring out the big guns on this track.  The track sounds like the title suggests, ranging from tense anticipation to all out doom.  It uses quiet-loud dynamics to great effect, and it’s a great song.  I love you, Commodore Cosmos!</p> <p>19. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aint-No-Grave/dp/B00382GYXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593036&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Johnny Cash “Ain’t No Grave”</a></p> <p>It’s Johnny Cash, with Scott Avett on banjo.  Not much could go wrong here.  And it doesn’t.</p> <p>18. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Watermark/dp/B0045ODRAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593069&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Sleeping at Last “Watermark”</a></p> <p>Sleeping at Last have inspired me since I first saw them in ‘98, and this gorgeous track continues the trend, “Dive in with your eyes closed / For the life you were born to claim / And the water will be paralyzed / By the courage you contain.” </p> <p>17. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Didnt-See-It-Coming/dp/B0045IFWII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593106&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Belle & Sebastian “I Didn’t See it Coming”</a></p> <p>What a fantastic album opener.  It’s sweet, it’s beautiful, the vocals are perfect, and it’s a builder.  “Make me dance, I want to surrender.”</p> <p>16. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wrote-A-Song-For-Everyone/dp/B0041SD1Y4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593140&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Mavis Staples “Wrote a Song for Everyone”</a></p> <p>Of all the songs on “You Are Not Alone,” this is the one I find myself singing while washing the dishes.  A sign of a great song in my book.  Also, fantastic guitar tone.</p> <p>15. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Years/dp/B003H39HCE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593189&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The New Pornographers “The Crash Years”</a></p> <p>The chorus is electric, and this gem is buried in one of the verses, “Light a candle's end / You are a light turned low / And like the rest of us / You got those old eternity blues.”  Good tune.</p> <p>14. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cold-War/dp/B003L0V7AI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593224&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Janelle Monae “Cold War”</a></p> <p>Pop songs everywhere, take notes.  This is how you deliver an opening line, and this is how you sing a hook.  If that weren’t enough, the song is reflective, making you ask yourself “do you know what you’re fighting for?”</p> <p>13. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-More-Perfect-Union/dp/B00384ODA8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593315&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Titus Andronicus “A More Perfect Union”</a></p> <p>This epic rock n’ roll track references The Civil War, Springsteen, and it flat out rocks.  The energy of this track makes me believe these guys are an amazing live band.  Just a hunch.</p> <p>12. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/City-With-No-Children/dp/B003X7968E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593355&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Arcade Fire “City With No Children”</a></p> <p>“You never trust a millionaire quoting the Sermon on the Mount.”  Lines like this are why Arcade Fire is one of my favorite bands.  And what a bassline!</p> <p>11. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Curse/dp/B003CJ2MPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593405&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Josh Ritter “The Curse”</a></p> <p>Archaeologist falls in love with mummy, mummy enjoys life more than archaeologist, archaeologist becomes mummy, mummy lives on.  At least I think that’s how it goes.  It’s a beautiful, wonderfully inventive love song.</p> <p>10. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Pipedream/dp/B003M4WBYY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593440&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Avett Brothers “Spanish Pipedream”</a></p> <p>From the excellent “Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows” John Prine tribute album comes this gem.  I haven’t heard John Prine’s original, but this song is perfect for the Avett Brothers.</p> <p>9. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stranded/dp/B0041A4GZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593471&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Walkmen “Stranded”</a></p> <p>It’s a song of regret and sadness, but it doesn’t make me sad to listen to it.  The horns are the lifeblood of the song, and the vocals are spot on.</p> <p>8. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Burden-Of-Tomorrow/dp/B003EVF6HE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593507&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Tallest Man on Earth “Burden of Tomorrow”</a></p> <p>Few can sing a line like “once I held a glacier to an open flame” and make it sound completely uncontrived.  I love this man’s songs.</p> <p>7. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bury-Me-Far-My-Uniform/dp/B00381M1NC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593553&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Joe Pug “Bury Me Far (From My Uniform)”</a></p> <p>Poetic-Theo-political commentary set to a charming melody.  If you are unmoved by lines like “Do not find me justice / Just find me a grave / And then bury me far from my uniform / So God might remember my face,” check your pulse.</p> <p>6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Runaway/dp/B003KVNV98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593580&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The National “Runaway”</a></p> <p>This is a beautiful depiction of facing near insurmountable fears and difficulties, and one of the most singable melodies in The National’s catalog.</p> <p>5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sigh-No-More/dp/B0038BIQU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593610&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Mumford & Sons “Sigh No More”</a></p> <p>It’s a great song from the opening line, but from 1:50 on, it crescendos, repeating these beautiful lines, “Love it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free / Be more like the man you were made to be / There is a design, an alignment, a cry <br />Of my heart to see the beauty of love as it was made to be.”  Beautiful.</p> <p>4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Arithmetic/dp/B003DI3K9E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593640&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Jonsi “Animal Arithmetic”</a></p> <p>This frenetic song feels like it could spin out of control at any point, but it holds together until it releases into its joyous refrain.  </p> <p>3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Soul/dp/B0043X5U8M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593674&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Sufjan Stevens “Impossible Soul”</a></p> <p>The 25:35 culmination of my favorite album of the year.  It cross-references lines from nearly every other song on the album, it covers five distinct musical and emotional dynamics.  It might be unfair to call it a “song,” since it’s pretty much it’s own EP, but it’s quite an achievement.  An impossible achievement?  Couldn’t resist.</p> <p>2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Dreamer/dp/B004944Z18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593708&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Tallest Man on Earth “The Dreamer”</a></p> <p>The electric guitar is a little muddy, the imagery is beautiful as usual, and the chorus is impossibly perfect: “sometimes the blues is just a passing bird, and why can’t that always be?  Tossing aside from your birch’s crown with just enough dark to see how you’re the light over me.”  I put on this song, and just let it wash over me.</p> <p>1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Delighted-People-Original-Version/dp/B00406AHRG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1293593741&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Sufjan Stevens “All Delighted People (Original Version)”</a></p> <p>This song embodies everything that I love about Sufjan Stevens.  It might be the most epic thing I’ve ever heard, packed with wall to wall crescendo’s, and at the center, this beautiful, joyous line, “all delighted people raise their hands.”  If that weren’t enough, it borrows lyrics from one of my all-time favorite songs, Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence.”  Clocking in at nearly 12 minutes, I only wish it were longer.  You may disagree, but this is my idea of a perfect song.  My hands are still raised.</p> Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-70820653650340385872010-12-28T12:00:00.001-05:002010-12-28T12:00:04.220-05:00Favorite Albums of 2010<p>I love music. I loved a lot of music in 2010. I decided to rank the music and write about it. If you take the time to read this, congratulations! You must be a music nerd like me! Without further ado, my favorite albums of 2010:</p><p><em>(click on album titles for links to preview and download albums from Amazon)</em></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqR3l-DlElDUjXZ4ZlM0D6eOHNq8KzG2p-kGndZCjMBwgBoGwu6q88JINUNIlI0Lpj3YGiIbK1mOVFWg6xknCTEn6nsBUvmC5gQorAh3lVbs1H-ZGsCGYCXYVRQZVLaC_JuShdA/s1600-h/Saint-Bartlett-Digital-Booklet5.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Saint Bartlett [ Digital Booklet]" border="0" alt="Saint Bartlett [ Digital Booklet]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3Onw5oucFd6xLi2WSxcmA1YhAzm2xCjF-6KgRVjs0_0zp3ZB5ZVNQ42n-6RQ1dVgR0u9-rxeXDw09TLndMfO3P3FeDv6mgfq3JBKkxEZXlVa6UbvD2Hmz_r-zBGUGlqoT0SkQg/?imgmax=800" width="126" height="136" /></a>15. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saint-Bartlett-Digital-Booklet/dp/B003LWSP4C/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507387&sr=301-1">Damien Jurado “Saint Bartlett”</a></p><p>Damien Jurado is a remarkably consistent songwriter, which led me to take this one for granted a bit. I didn’t dig deep enough into these songs to rank it confidently, but, as always, it’s a beautiful collection of songs. Love the vocal echoes on opener “Cloudy Shoes.”</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPQeG7BBvgI6K6LQKoUi3mxDh1PGgoJmwl3mNDo3W82JFLSbhFIJcTpFmxUD2opV14SpzwWnLrWpkoaZn2tBKZggsx6xAbkGbY7lSb8GUfBEcwIxxrSMfx9MaWQ0XsPrzMe4hvw/s1600-h/Messenger4.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Messenger" border="0" alt="Messenger" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaNynBh5fRsijAp-TLY8olfcPmnq9Cy1n0TwlFMXOX5jkqX9AXxcRZsrbFntFUdvefwtQSO2P5nQERrfTf-4zEabyxinEGJNqCoyfu0lp0QIjtmwgj7C1Y3J6o1fMlC7gUZ_O4Q/?imgmax=800" width="126" height="132" /></a>14. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Messenger/dp/B00381NYLU/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507441&sr=301-1">Joe Pug “Messenger”</a></p><p>After 2008’s outstanding “Nation of Heat EP,” I had very high hopes for this debut LP. Pug’s songwriting is just as strong as on “Heat,” especially on heart-wrenching tracks like “Bury Me (Close to My Uniform),” but there’s something about the full band sound on this album that’s a bit too polished for my taste. Pug’s songs just feel like they need a bit more edge. I’m excited to hear whatever he comes up with next.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMkTN_jmYErRmfaQyebybC0tEvxES1wwfGjGB47AHWonIC92DiV8laNUdchXEpu_aW_UVHAUvFES2jBBCFga3RXXhYUKUdarZuXJoxeOAa6AP6XzICER_uQ5HKcfp74ixoO152A/s1600-h/Volume-23.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Volume 2" border="0" alt="Volume 2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9-fccnY8L-3p4aG5-My37M0K-Enw05U5dmudu611Si_LjaI928ADow52Q1h9pvQ7ZG-zdsJtnaVdxS_kXV7ZwCMpPqBysaTiMviB-qj-5FCiBG47oG5fju8OJz_popgBvlsZcg/?imgmax=800" width="133" height="135" /></a>13. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Volume-Two/dp/B003BXMHWW/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507489&sr=301-1">She & Him “Volume 2”</a></p><p>The orchestration is lush. The songs are gorgeous. I love this album. “Volume 1” was a minimalist pop masterpiece, and this is an apt follow-up. M. Ward’s jack-of-all-trades musicianship and Zooey Deschanel’s crystal clear voice and impeccable ear for melody make for a wonderful, albeit grammatically incorrect, musical pair.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Em3kgoefSYqXIC8coyR6v49tnH2T_n17bGxi61fwmsUtOomeBHOezeQz4hceUelwN0IFRrOgmD6ZnS8WNo_-80JbMe1fQQgLlWXoskjvmzivBuGbq4OOZs2T9uLrYFV1shfxIQ/s1600-h/You-Are-Not-Alone3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="You Are Not Alone" border="0" alt="You Are Not Alone" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_kX3tpBwwe7Q4awEqas7gmkihCY75hyafR2jYPwkdu2lNOaiJfKMBXnf8ytGMGeeWLh4naoQcfPAyxH_G0_2e2IUDJ6raIeZaz8_3QhYC-csWOyhdXeOG8eDgU-xixLB-GgtuQ/?imgmax=800" width="135" height="137" /></a>12. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-Alone/dp/B0041SEZ9Y/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507546&sr=301-1">Mavis Staples “You Are Not Alone”</a></p><p>I own Loretta Lynn’s “Van Lear Rose” because it was produced by Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather). I own Mavis Staples’ “You Are Not Alone” because it was produced by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco). In both cases, it’s a good match. There are some great gospel tracks, a couple Tweedy originals (including the excellent title track). My favorite is the the anthemic track, “Wrote a Song for Everyone.”</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1s14m426Y5CaXnEeugZ5v-JHtXQxR6BnpOeNYoQZUkBEMgS1O0sOngVXwb4vu-slbs6d6lY0oJfE7pMGPfABSqPV2cI5TveGdj3ytaCVnmO6rLtuPlzYs9Amn_zz0PzKZzNAcA/s1600-h/American-VI_-Aint-No-Grave3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="American VI_ Ain't No Grave" border="0" alt="American VI_ Ain't No Grave" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsM5pzWxWhp853UoM5SmTfFtuOhsvgLmvYvOcnVcy28Lvn040kPame8Vg8JJPHcV6C-KfY-oRdO1TjQIs7JM90v0cH1g_7Tq0GclItmRytZTF6D2nKUUkeIUNKRnaaIeL1ThWwKA/?imgmax=800" width="131" height="133" /></a>11. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-VI-Aint-No-Grave/dp/B00382MONS/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507595&sr=301-1">Johnny Cash “American VI: Ain’t No Grave”</a></p><p>Johnny Cash’s late-career producer, collaborator and career-reviver Rick Rubin can’t let Johnny Cash go, which means we keep getting to hear more of the wonderful recordings the legendary man left behind. When Johnny Cash sings “there ain’t no grave can hold my body down,” I believe him. Some of these songs could bring someone to tears. But not me, of course. I was just chopping onions.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsk5gTSS1h2Pms-9JNBssUXKub4ifoDmLT3ByKdJSYzfDiA1WkNj4TgeotMMNE_douNuddhcABrfPswfXqyZVXHdLHi49z6EBPFF04MOFDGsQD0xA8VpIDIu_EWJAhB5YiJ35-uw/s1600-h/Lisbon3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Lisbon" border="0" alt="Lisbon" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iWFOA7yDu95sq8Y7WziQjVgdsuRie8XIAcEoZ4yzmgPK_39ory7PZpFhsm4iItVb0WSbFLWJ4cU6cDXoG-9F7Wy8RqWBV57jC4nd6HUXd_cVIh11hNdboJ-eB8Xl8_JK84HdFA/?imgmax=800" width="139" height="141" /></a>10. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lisbon-Amazon-MP3-Exclusive/dp/B00419XLXO/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507631&sr=301-1">The Walkmen “Lisbon”</a></p><p>The Walkmen have been around for a while now (this is their 6th LP), but this is the first of theirs that I’ve really listened to. I heard “Stranded” on NPR’s All Songs Considered, and fell in love. “Stranded” remains the standout track on the album (I’m a sucker for a good horn section), but this is a solid album, beginning to end. The vocals are impassioned, the percussion inventive, the guitar work pristine. Walk on, Walkmen. Yeah, I just said that, and it was hilarious.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY75i_kVhIk_HXGWHvC0CZ-WzCDwkGbfT6BePSM8cK5s_ea_GxjdhRGuq16BErZnOpxCTgn2WXLjYAGR9fzn0TBGECgUr2lgWwBo1G-XLeS6lhNYVRrdry_LFHzGaaTs8vqZQlBw/s1600-h/Write-About-Love-Amazon-MP3-Exclusiv.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Write About Love (Amazon MP3 Exclusive)" border="0" alt="Write About Love (Amazon MP3 Exclusive)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuli2C2Y69tHphZU4VUZQ_hJv3deFC869W2MokWqPufBAFmbVRcpO8ndtRXz6wQHoG-2FFaRJNnWso-ma9fu94pnDSe7eRw-edunBP6Ea_j_rFLD8k03OpoXdaDM9uteT1VRCkoQ/?imgmax=800" width="140" height="142" /></a>9. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Write-About-Love-Amazon-Exclusive/dp/B0045IHS2G/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507674&sr=301-1">Belle & Sebastian “Write About Love”</a></p><p>Speaking of bands who have been around for awhile, Belle & Sebastian have been making “wistful pop” since the days when I was exclusively listening to Christian punk rock and ska music (i.e. the mid-late 90’s). I’ve grown to appreciate B&S over the past five years or so, but I am by no means a devout fan, though I may well be on my way to becoming one. With their 8th LP, B&S make it sound easy, something that’s far from easy to do. Great sing-along tunes.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGH34knzPJgHtKIDKu8WMt-QLx-gr_HSpwbyoogfZyKsQPsOy5l7ZyiJxYKXdcaIExg2hMQPj5chVUgkMGn9zKDxs8wZQNEC-WCzFWfGnTbl_fCgKEkqekSSTKY4AJW9VacIJbQ/s1600-h/The-ArchAndroid3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="The ArchAndroid" border="0" alt="The ArchAndroid" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMNwh2I4NdLS86zNiKznXvQ8A8DIdzvMFO2eimuqB098q5B5soYudnOFd_DB-hQpN2mLWVnQ_3B0pYrxHzfC_hlbsU9vHYmr2afSnRehz0-BoSzo9GhLUJLd8_X7vysJ9DGea1Q/?imgmax=800" width="146" height="147" /></a>8. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-ArchAndroid/dp/B003L0V758/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507716&sr=301-1">Janelle Monae “The ArchAndroid”</a></p><p>Concept album. Check. Ambitious album. Check. I don’t normally love R&B/Hip-hop, but I really love this album. A stark contrast to many of her contemporaries in the pop world, Janelle Monae evokes the classic vibe of James Brown and Marvin Gaye. Her lyrics are science fiction, inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent film “Metropolis.” Monae takes on the character of Cindi Mayweather, something of an android messiah, to explore issues of class prejudice and “other-ness.” I may well like this more and more as I continue to listen to it. Also, the tracks “Cold War” and “Tightrope” are SO the jams.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwy1LvP-Twx-9AqqQZ94zw53Rcj41HqV42d-_OErj3URKTJLfURbi3_UzcnxuGW_FZr3cgbeuBjCOrNZ6tTL-BHaAhvfstQzROjpdOsBANWc4Mpx0W8tEbKs1UMWJB5_KaG7NQw/s1600-h/High-Violet3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="High Violet" border="0" alt="High Violet" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1Gi_Z4n7TXY2nXJkIvYZD2gUqRpwGl0JAICXH9nm5_45Qtv4rC0VMPvmin-6izlIg9zeNLHI7X-o7Yjzez_0k-ORrUiu5aS2NJsQhpEP-lhJV-X85ER4jPdiKJ6YO0DzMp2_1w/?imgmax=800" width="145" height="147" /></a>7. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Violet/dp/B003KVNV4S/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507755&sr=301-1">The National “High Violet”</a></p><p>Nearly every male vocalist I listen to is a tenor, but not Matt Berninger. This is the first thing that strikes you when you listen to the National. The deep voice up front contributes to their dark, brooding aesthetic. The percussion on this album is exceptional (e.g. “Terrible Love,” and “Bloodbuzz Ohio”). The line “I was afraid I’d eat your brains” (from “Conversation 16”) makes me laugh audibly every time. I’m not sure if I should be laughing, and that’s precisely why this music is so good. These guys are masters of tension, and I gladly live in it with them.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-deC9HiwtgvEgNHcoE3j7w1T1Bbip-VHoP2jii7bZDjeBTuzQUedqKM0Kmygwrr4NlhrjzAo7uebM56JMkq8gJEqcrHjmq9bhRktapNflTAa8TNWmyzrAaMytcEl4cH2mN-BPXg/s1600-h/So-Runs-the-World-Away3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="So Runs the World Away" border="0" alt="So Runs the World Away" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHf7CUAr2G-dXlkbF6uZZ-wHulqJLLwYcqDnlPlWH_0T7zc0iAOQnmclBDNf2zeBeIt-iUQl9ZhHidhmj5NTZDpqOGoEl9Irq9C3Bh_GSNh00kDaErtk3_nu_DLFAyZvMIvJb-fA/?imgmax=800" width="145" height="147" /></a>6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/So-Runs-The-World-Away/dp/B003CJ66YK/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507793&sr=301-1">Josh Ritter “So Runs the World Away”</a></p><p>I can’t think of anybody who can top Josh Ritter as a lyricist right now. For example, in the nautically-themed epic “Another New World,” the wordplay “'Til at last all around us was fastness, one vast glassy desert of arsenic white.” Is he just showing off? Even if he is, I embrace it wholeheartedly. If I were the arguing type, I might argue that Josh Ritter is our generation’s Paul Simon. I only hope Ritter’s career continues as long as Simon’s. Another highlight: “The Curse” is about an archaeologist who falls in love with a revived mummy and then trades places with him. You gotta hear it.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9nXv8k225mTDs21lttCwTxA5ZC0kyQnwAOedU27FQaSD_2qw-eQYJ_Y2AZRNvF7rtwh3s68QAGNqjVrFHqk04tANMUjkgM86EHgCoPZDFgA9uidGznojLXwhHEvS53cvTVQrtA/s1600-h/The-Wild-Hunt-digital-booklet3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="The Wild Hunt [ digital booklet]" border="0" alt="The Wild Hunt [ digital booklet]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehKy7ikmjeDkCgU3chBlAe4KixSA7Fhw3-4mKHV8IoXYCxOS9kd_hAChVoHue0DCbWzGOPM_81oenvH83yELmN8oRuXwxej6lrxIDmawdeQ6g5Q9-6ygNeKoMM85zqoSErTmjIw/?imgmax=800" width="147" height="149" /></a>5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Wild-Hunt-Digital-Booklet/dp/B003EVBCW2/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507834&sr=301-1">The Tallest Man on Earth “The Wild Hunt”</a></p><p>Kristian Matsson is a bit of an enigma. I know that he’s from Sweden, he’s not tall, his voice projects as though he’s swallowed an amplifier, and he continues to write and record brilliant songs. I fell in love with his debut LP “Shallow Grave” in 2008, and this new collection is, for the most part, cut from the same cloth. Aside from the more spacious piano-based closer “Kids on the Run,” these are densely crafted folk masterpieces, meticulously picked on guitar and banjo, leaving much to be unpacked even after numerous listens. These songs keep on giving, and I thank The Tallest Man on Earth for each one of them.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUBLvT2d4xoyzY5qqvdX2Cn2uVqdPwRi-WkBa2gO2tqLY7uQDm2mpLbzItubPBoTseHgwITmYG4KKRg86wguu7d43yTdVpnQbDSlITaD4hoeSpxBAB8bVS38KNrRAhXmU4ZUkYA/s1600-h/Sigh-No-More3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Sigh No More" border="0" alt="Sigh No More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluBRZsemizDv-g2eiIcb99f4Nb-CmOQwVOGHouaSpvZJoyYBnMYx3ey0TsaLq3NmIjahp3xbUbsxcMS3Jemk6WUgkUz54ZQ05PflDJSmOtOyAc1g9RmZUB20pMsnWiR41yTRieA/?imgmax=800" width="152" height="154" /></a>4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sigh-No-More/dp/B0038BBA4I/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507869&sr=301-1">Mumford & Sons “Sigh No More”</a></p><p>People kept telling me to get this album, that I’d love it. I kept putting it off. I got the album. They were right. I thanked them. From the opening line of the album “Serve God, love me and mend” (from Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”) to the closing line “Get over your hill and see what you find there, with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair,” it is clear that themes of God, grace and forgiveness are at the heart of this album. They sing and play with intense passion, and they use dynamic shifts to great effect. They’re the only band I’ve heard play a banjo as violently as Scott Avett, and they put together an incredible debut album full of life and catharsis.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsksxZOTnnz5jiYu92IsjMnRAxjjFrLCyPJnGXaj7wRX2TL5gl85wepUfBqp4cwzI44wEAWtGOWYPXI_oB59sVkJ-3N7OJnQ_MVfmg8RLqPWOUbmrorZZ09VskS8EmbNguPPtZDw/s1600-h/Go4.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="Go" border="0" alt="Go" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPEy6ICzjGPzyCY06dD-NZjQ5eOk4hpxjxkFj-yEcxCo_G5FfqKMOnYwi1un3XxYzh32eR90mpQEBGvk7C9sMIllvmhfl9RJ8kXQqqtkpJyR4dY5ZlKX5B3zzimQnoMw_Xa9KYQ/?imgmax=800" width="156" height="159" /></a>3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Go/dp/B003DHULF6/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507906&sr=301-1">Jonsi “Go”</a></p><p>Icelandic band Sigur Ros has built up a ravenously devoted fan base, and the debut (English language!) solo album from singer Jón Þór Birgisson was (and is) exciting. The best way to describe this album is with one of Jonsi’s lines, from the track “Animal Arithmetic,” “every time, everyone, everything’s full of life!” This album is brimming with life. The percussion is at times so energetic and Jonsi’s voice so pure that I feel like I need to jump out of my body to enjoy it properly. Jonsi has a knack for transcendent music. His voice is a treasure, and his songs a gift. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJh49ufM_FWMAcpFZSSATpwMzllOoyH6Uvxomj-3SjjkGiJ-GS5TpBZfzwML3WCTUUk_SW80B4POCSucfAteD2dkNbyFve5epzeLs87edvdob61nGBD5EPTwGZTY0U0Qm0I7-YNQ/s1600-h/The-Suburbs3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="The Suburbs" border="0" alt="The Suburbs" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3LbX_8N4Q7FfB7DgiE-0_UKZHl3dbnBaL8ZZIAy0zrxOsT3__ManBssjlbV9Vz2HgFzeLiyLReOGFIgOBeX245ABwnJ7inHpz9brVaUcjKisUkXLe9QkHZG39XG90YdlNJ2zBg/?imgmax=800" width="155" height="156" /></a>2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Suburbs/dp/B003X73QA8/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507953&sr=301-1">Arcade Fire “The Suburbs”</a></p><p>I was really excited about this album’s release. I preordered the vinyl as soon as humanly possible, and took notes (notes I say!) during my first listen through. Arcade Fire has released three albums, and I don’t think they could be any better. “Funeral” was bombastic, refreshingly honest, full of relatable human suffering and vivid imagery. “Neon Bible” was full of critique of church, politics and pop culture, drenched in pipe organ and lyrics that speak directly to my heart. “The Suburbs” is just a fantastic rock n’ roll album. It reminds me of Springsteen (“Modern Man”), The Mamas and the Papas (“City With No Children”), and, y’know, disco (“Sprawl II”). </p><p>Lyrically, Butler is spot on as usual, with suburban gems like “Pray to God I don’t live to see the death of everything that’s wild” (from “Half Light II”). Arcade Fire’s music works, I think, because the band cares deeply about what they sing about. They do not write off the suburbs as a faceless mass of people who have forsaken the open spaces and urban centers of our nation, but look at suburban life autobiographically, noting the good and the bad therein. It’s oddly compelling subject matter, executed masterfully by a great band.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg9B202wMSsM6QxwKKXjW6FxcyV8sLRYhZgSAnCflbdZSpiu7wiaBak_tAOqTfMlhmUk1dy5poaHz3AUx0DyEbltvZRwjPWc40GRA8EA2M9GhfVSmK9FgFqJAOF13rGaYmfdxCw/s1600-h/The-Age-Of-Adz3.jpg"><img style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" title="The Age Of Adz" border="0" alt="The Age Of Adz" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieszYqfERPffI03y4VoEXj8p1IS_8DL3JjtD5rCmB2RP-B1Nghyphenhyphenixc1K2ZbiUP35wlI8Q1RtbF7Y4YXMHOC8sEFOsObO6xpXwS7U3C_Shy8YQv9Jrhz8bwDGkdY6Ay4dRn0cyp0g/?imgmax=800" width="176" height="179" /></a>1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Age-of-Adz/dp/B0043X7WLA/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293507990&sr=301-1">Sufjan Stevens “The Age of Adz”</a></p><p>I was giddy with excitement on the day that (surprise!) Sufjan released a 58 minute EP (“All Delighted People”) with no forewarning whatsoever. It was just there, new Sufjan music. Sneak attack. And it was awesome. Not long after, there came news of a forthcoming LP. It came with a fair amount of explanation, summed up by: different/electronic/concept/outsider artist Royal Robertson/different. Also, different. Many were worried how it could live up to “Illinois,” his 2005 masterpiece. I was more worried that it could compare to the amazing EP he had just released! I preordered Adz on vinyl, and was giddy to listen to it. “Futile Devices” came over the speakers, and I was confused. This wasn’t very different. But then came the opening “brown noise” of “Too Much.” A bit dancy, a repeating chorus, minimal lyrics. I’m starting to get into the groove, and when the chilling horns of “The Age of Adz” enter at track 3, I’m hooked. I can’t say I “got it” immediately, but I knew I liked this. </p><p>Then I went with my good friend Jon Mickelson to see Sufjan in concert. This was the moment it all came together. Sufjan was having fun. He was dancing. His choreography was cheesy, but authentic. It was like he was experiencing the sort of joy I experience when I dance with my little kids in the living room after a long day at work. This is not to say that these songs are simplistic. They are as intricate as can be. I saw a 10 piece band (with 2 drummers, facing one another from opposite sides of the stage, playing mostly in unison throughout the show) bring these songs to life. And in the middle was Sufjan, perhaps my favorite artist, being brought to life again, after a five year semi-hiatus. </p><p>And I came back to the album. If you’ve listened to it less than ten times, you haven’t listened enough. It keeps giving, coming to life more and more with each listen. The profane moment on “I Want to Be Well” becomes a prayer, a cry, a plea to God, to doctors, to anyone who can help, to bring relief to an aching body/soul/mind, and now! You realize what an achievement “Impossible Soul” really is. Seriously, it’s over 25 minutes long, and you come to realize, as Sufjan said , introducing the piece at the concert, “everything that has happened so far has been leading up to this moment.” It’s a remarkably self-aware idea, that one is an “Impossible Soul,” and it requires 5 episodes to explore that idea fully. </p><p>After years of frustration with the idea of songwriting, Sufjan found inspiration amid great suffering and in an affinity with outsider artist Royal Robertson. I probably like Sufjan Stevens a bit too much, but what can I say? I think I’ve said it already.</p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Coming soon: My favorite EP’s and Songs from 2010</em></p>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-199844497020126262010-03-11T16:41:00.007-05:002010-03-11T17:02:36.479-05:00Glenn Beck and Social Justice<a href="http://falconlibrary.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/social-justice.312132658_std.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 289px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 189px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://falconlibrary.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/social-justice.312132658_std.jpg" /></a> <div>If you haven't heard about Glenn Beck urging his listeners to leave their church if the church's website mentions "social justice" in a positive light, you can read about it <a href="http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/03/08/glenn-beck-urges-listeners-to-leave-churches-that-preach-social/">here</a>.<br /><br />Much has been made about his statements, and in response, I found myself getting into an interesting discussion of the topic on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">everybody's favorite social network</a>. I feel pretty good about one of my responses, and have deemed it blogworthy. So here is my response to a friend, and maybe you, if you share a bit of Beck's skepticism about "social justice."<br /><br /><em>Thanks for the thoughts!<br /><br />I agree that the term "social justice" can embody a lot of different beliefs, many of which contradict the Bible, or at least a reasonable interpretation of it.<br /><br />When the church talks about justice, I'd rather use a descriptor like "Biblical justice", but even in adjusting the language, the social implications of the pursuit of Biblical justice are numerous and unavoidable. So a balance must be maintained. Pursuit of social justice without Biblical reflection can spiral into mere humanistic liberalism.<br /><br />BUT, there are many, many, great churches out there that consist of many, many Godly people, who do have a strong emphasis on Biblically rooted social justice pursuits, and are not bothered by using the term social justice to describe what they do. One of my heroes of the 20th Century, Martin Luther King, Jr., would not have been emboldened to pursue nonviolent resistance to a segregated America were it not for his strong vision of the Kingdom of God characterized primarily by love and justice with all their infinitely social implications. Catholic Social Teaching, one of the strongest components of the Catholic Church, is committed to a pursuit of social justice that is ardently on the side of the poor, radically pro-life, and attempts to embody the Gospel in all its many-sided compelling beauty.<br /><br />So I hope we won't throw out the baby with the bathwater. It is a personal choice whether or not to align oneself with a church that is comfortable with self-identifying with the term "social justice," some of which are committed to a Christ-shaped Gospel commitment, and some of which are teetering on the brink of the aforementioned humanistic liberalism.<br /><br />But Mr. Beck's exhortation for his listeners to see the use of the term itself as not only a red flag and a place to raise questions, but a reason to leave your church is...well...overstated, to say the least. It demonizes a whole category of churches, and in the process attempts to eliminate the need for discernment by making up our minds for us.<br /><br />And I do think that if we take his words at face value, they are undeniably a play on the fears of his listeners: fears of liberalism, socialism, and even communism and Nazism. These are genuine fears, but exploiting those fears with church people from a political bully pulpit is something that I don't appreciate as a pastor. And I pray that these words don't come across as from my very tall religious bully pulpit :)</em> </div>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-14561184808189846232010-03-04T13:40:00.004-05:002010-03-04T15:03:02.267-05:00"Hospice" by The Antlers | A Pastoral Reflection<a href="http://thisishardcoreshow.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/hospice-by-the-antlers_5u1ixuvpkb4x_full.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 232px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://thisishardcoreshow.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/hospice-by-the-antlers_5u1ixuvpkb4x_full.jpg" /></a>Instantaneous information and access are cardinal virtues of our time, and reflections on albums released eight months ago are decidedly uncool. Reviews come out at or before the release of an album, and a revisit is only appropriate within the confines of "Best of" lists. Or 5, 10, 20, or 25 years later, when it has become a classic.<br /><br />Well, <em>Hospice</em>, by The Antlers was released last summer to much critical acclaim, but I didn't hear about it until the year end lists started coming out in November and December. I didn't acquire the album until last week, and am grateful to receive its witness. Now this is not a blanket recommendation of the album. It's dark, haunting, brooding, at times nightmarish, and everything else you'd expect from an album entitled <em>Hospice</em>. But as someone who interacts with hospital patients, dying people, and grieving families on a semi-regular basis, I find the albums's stark honesty devastatingly beautiful.<br /><br />I won't attempt to reconstruct the entire narrative of the album, nor review it, but only to share some ways in which its poetry has spoken truth into me as a pastoral caregiver. The opening lines are telling: "I wish that I had known in that first minute we met, the unpayable debt that I owed you. Because you'd been abused by the bone that refused you, and you hired me to make up for that." As a pastor, I often enter situations completely oblivious to the stories of one or more of the people immersed in a difficult situation. History, upbringing, core convictions, and biases toward tall people influence the coming conversation and subsequent relationship long before I enter a room. Expectations are rarely clear, and after the fact, we pine, with The Antlers, for a little foreknowledge, background, anything that would have prepared us for what's about to transpire.<br /><br />In <em>Hospice</em>, Sylvia is the patient who grew up with an abusive father, and has become an abusive patient to her caregiver. The caregiver isn't faultless, as a lack of boundaries has allowed this abuse to escalate. He wants to be more than a caregiver. He wants to be her savior. On the song "Atrophy," over sparse but slowly building instrumentation, he confesses: "I'm bound to your bedside, your eulogy singer. I'd happily take all those bullets inside you and put them inside of myself." After these lines, the music builds to a cacophonic roar before pulling back to the singular voice, nearly whispering "Someone, oh anyone, Tell me how to stop this. She's screaming, expiring, and I'm her only witness." Later, in the heartwrenching song "Two," the caregiver mourns that "There's no open doors, and there's no way to get through, there's no other witnesses, just us two."<br /><br />In my ongoing dialogues with God, this line has entered my mind more than once. "There's no other witnesses, just us two." Yesterday, it struck me why this line refuses to leave me alone. Much like the tragic protagonist of <em>Hospice</em>, I have been guilty of overidentifying and overinvesting. There have been times where I have assumed this responsibility of sole witness to the sufferings of another. Even while confessing with my lips that God is with them in their pain and suffering, I have been guilty of making it about me. Pastoral care should never be something that I need in order to feel useful as a pastor. It should not be the place where I pick at the things I hate in myself that I happen to see in others.<br /><br />I, more than anyone should be the one to point to and embrace the third witness. And when it feels like "just us two," the time is ripe to embrace the presence of that mysterious Other, the self-giving God who knows the deepest suffering that human life has to offer, both in the pain of a Son who suffered the worst sort of death imaginable, and of the Father, who had to witness the unbearable tragedy. On the other side of suffering <em>with</em> Christ is hope. Tragically, for the isolated and suffocating suffering of <em>Hospice</em>, there is no other side, even after Sylvia's death. From the Epilogue, "When I try to move my arms sometimes, they weigh too much to lift. I think you buried me awake (my one and only parting gift.) But you return to me at night, just when I think I may have fallen asleep. Your face is up against mine, and I'm too terrified to speak."<br /><br />I'm sure <em>Hospice</em> will continue to provide me with rich reflections appropriate for such a time as this Lenten season, and will serve as an ongoing reminder that caring for the hurting is a sacred task, and should never be attempted alone. The Kingdom of God gives us a hopeful alternative to the nightmares of <em>Hospice</em>. Not a sparing from suffering, but the promise of hope, the joy of resurrection.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-17882239187194420172010-02-23T16:12:00.004-05:002010-02-23T16:41:58.603-05:00The Forest For the Trees and All That Jazz<a href="http://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/Million%20Miles%20in%20a%20Thousand.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 232px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/Million%20Miles%20in%20a%20Thousand.png" /></a>"He said to me I was a tree in a story about a forest, and that it was arrogant of me to believe any differently. And he told me the story of the forest is better than the story of the tree." - <em>A Million Miles in a Thousand Years</em>, p. 198<br /><br />As the story goes, these words were proverbially whispered into Donald Miller's ear by Victor Frankl. And now they're being whispered into mine. I've heard the adage about not losing the forest for the trees over and again, but I'd never found it as liberating as the whispered words of Frankl.<br /><br />As a pastor, it seems that I am charged with the cultivation of a small section of the forest. This means sometimes paying extra attention to certain trees at certain times. Yet my ultimate call is to serve the forest. My call is to recount the story of the forest to a bunch of trees, and hope that they can see beyond themselves enough to get excited about the forest which they've been planted in all along. My call is to lead our little section of the forest faithfully, that we may bring glory to the One who created and planted the entire forest.<br /><br />The metaphor falls apart if I try to take it too much further, as the differences between trees and people become too great, but it seems to work well to illustrate community. As far as I know, trees don't have thoughts, but how silly would it be for a single tree to think the entire forest revolved around it? Or that it could survive without all the other trees? Or without water and sun?<br /><br />May we live for the Kingdom of God, not our kingdom. And when our kingdom comes crashing down around us, may the Kingdom be made evident in the loving words and works of His church. And may we be so caught up in the magnetic pull of the Kingdom that we forget our kingdom ever existed.<br /><br />The story of the King and His Kingdom is better than the story of little kingdom that tried to compete.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-91693057689541317792010-01-13T10:53:00.006-05:002010-01-13T11:21:59.294-05:00This Blowhard Preacher<a href="http://convergencereview.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/bluelikejazz.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 164px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 259px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://convergencereview.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/bluelikejazz.jpg" /></a><br />I have recently begun re-reading <u>Blue Like Jazz</u> in preparation for taking on Donald Miller's latest book, <u>A Million Miles in a Thousand Years</u> (which, as I understand, is grounded in the experience/revelation Mr. Miller had through the process of adapting <u>Jazz</u> into a film).<br /><br />I am re-reading <u>Jazz</u> because it's been about four years since I read it, and I sense that the experience will enhance my reading of <u>A Million Miles</u>. Donald Miller is hilarious. His stream of consciousness seems to lack an edit button, and we as readers are better for it.<br /><br />Early in the book, Miller is reflecting on how as an aspiring author, he didn't own a television, and didn't watch much of it. It is undignified and shallow for a writer to debase themselves with the stuff of television. But one day, all that changed...<br /><br /><em>A couple of years ago, however, I visited a church in the suburbs, and there was this blowhard preacher talking about how television rots your brain. He said that when we are watching television our minds are working no harder than when we are sleeping. I thought that sounded heavenly. I bought one that afternoon. (</em>Donald Miller, <u>Blue Like Jazz</u>, p. 15.)<br /><br />Maybe you have to actually be a preacher to find this as funny as I do. But when I read this line Monday morning, the preschoolers and teachers in the building probably thought there was something wrong with me. Or that I was wasting time watching <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBbMAJgBymA&feature=related">silly YouTube videos</a> again. I was an embodied LOL.<br /><br />Bearing the message of the Gospel and the Kingdom is serious stuff, but I don't want to take <em>myself</em> too seriously. Blowhard preachers are funny, but not in a good way. At least not if you're the preacher. Thanks for keeping us honest, Don.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-64993987019362101922010-01-11T14:46:00.007-05:002010-01-11T15:34:44.445-05:00New Year's Resolution | Getting Out of My Head<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSKg1RojOzDJdLg73cgEpVqeqHZSTKxb-vAoYdb2Et8Z0iKpccL5tZxiQLxQtvY7UVfyOzRlvNTY5vXX945jNf7-ND9v2FT970rbIkza_Vx6qqRDX7d2nqeeBIpnxZ2ievvPJVw/s1600-h/0104100919.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 296px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 215px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425581993854938834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSKg1RojOzDJdLg73cgEpVqeqHZSTKxb-vAoYdb2Et8Z0iKpccL5tZxiQLxQtvY7UVfyOzRlvNTY5vXX945jNf7-ND9v2FT970rbIkza_Vx6qqRDX7d2nqeeBIpnxZ2ievvPJVw/s320/0104100919.jpg" /></a><br />I never make New Year's resolutions. Usually because I think I'm above that sort of thing. As you know, New Year's resolutions have this reputation of not being helpful. They rarely make it out of January (or so I hear), and the skeptic inside me has wondered: why bother? Well this year, I spontaneously made a resolution. It's practical, measurable and will hopefully preserve my sanity a bit. In 2010, I resolve to spend a half-hour of each of my workdays READING.<br /><br />This is not reading for sermon or Bible study prep. Just reading. I hope to spend a half-hour a day reading at home as well, but that's not part of the resolution. Thirty minutes a day. Should be doable.<br /><br />A little background on why this resolution is of particular importance to me in 2010.<br /><br />It may seem at first counterintuitive, or maybe it will give voice to what you've always suspected or known, but I think that pastors have a tendency to be self-absorbed. We are not all self-absorbed (notice I said "tendency"), but we spend a lot of time with our own thoughts, speaking our interpretations to a (sometimes) captive audience, and we are generally immersed in situations where "faking it" is much easier than seeking the help of others. Many pastors exist in a minefield, and left unchecked, those mines start exploding, leaving the pastor badly injured and their families and churches barraged with shrapnel. But you have probably already heard (or experienced) some of those stories.<br /><br />Anyway, as I come to the end of my first year in pastoral ministry, I sense a strong need to get outside of my own head each day. I do this by sharing difficult situations with friends, journaling, taking my alloted time off, dancing with my wife and kids, pretending my kitchen is a karaoke bar, composing absurdist limericks, and by reading.<br /><br />The sermon I preach cannot be the only one I hear each week. I crave the perspective of great thinkers and prophets of ages past and present. I am never tempted to ignore the voices of the musician/poets of the age (as evidenced by my previous two posts), but reading the prophetic words of great novelists, essayists and theologians doesn't come as naturally. It requires more work. It isn't part of my rhythm. It can feel like academic rigor. Plus, I'm pretty good at pretending to be well read.<br /><br />I need this resolution, and eleven days in, it's going pretty well. I sure hope my resolution makes it past January.<br /><br /><em>How about you? Any pressing resolutions for you in 2010? Thoughts on the concept of the resolution? Suggestions for good books? </em>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-71875095709345050632010-01-04T23:24:00.004-05:002010-01-05T23:45:08.275-05:00Favorite Music of the Aughts, Overall Top 10I listed my top five albums from each year of the decade affectionately known as the aughts, but it's another animal to come up with my overall top 10 of the decade. This has been an arduous, yet enlightening endeavor. And now...on to the sonic sustenance.<br /><br /><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ZXs5OQI6L._SL500_AA280_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 152px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ZXs5OQI6L._SL500_AA280_.jpg" /></a>10. Bill Mallonee and Vigilantes of Love, <em>Audible Sigh</em> (2000)<br /><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ZXs5OQI6L._SL500_AA280_.jpg"></a><br />As the decade began, I was listening to ska and punk rock almost exclusively. I would never have guessed that by 2002 I would be drawn in by this album. But Marcie and I saw Bill Mallonee play a solo show with Derek Webb and the Normals, and I absolutely fell in love with these songs. It is a nearly perfect country/folk/americana gem. This album taught me the meaning of the word 'resplendent.' Twice.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmZjIdoM7Ygp__6khNwwH1_0VZOXso90yaC2VW4v7XCrxai52ynAC_i0ElwSkJqXv42Co4ipudN1Jv94UI4q7MFu0N0im1pPTBI1c4JqI7Thoi6sCqWywYJ0sNj3_Am34a4Rn/s320/u2_-_all_that_you_can_t_leave_behind_front.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 149px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 146px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmZjIdoM7Ygp__6khNwwH1_0VZOXso90yaC2VW4v7XCrxai52ynAC_i0ElwSkJqXv42Co4ipudN1Jv94UI4q7MFu0N0im1pPTBI1c4JqI7Thoi6sCqWywYJ0sNj3_Am34a4Rn/s320/u2_-_all_that_you_can_t_leave_behind_front.jpg" /></a>9. U2, <em>All That You Can't Leave Behind</em> (2000)<br />I am one of the few stubborn people who think that <em>Pop</em> and <em>Zooropa</em> were actually pretty good albums, but this is the album that put U2 back on top, and made them my favorite band for the first half of the decade. Sure, I've heard "Beautiful Day" a few too many times over the past ten years, but I won't hold that against them. This is both a collection of great singles, and a great album. It also gets points for being one of the albums that my wife also loved this decade. Leave it behind...<br /><br /><a href="http://newamsterdam-forever.com/Music/files/page20_blog_entry1_1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 147px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://newamsterdam-forever.com/Music/files/page20_blog_entry1_1.jpg" /></a>8. The Decemberists, <em>The Crane Wife</em> (2006)<br /><br />Curious fact about <em>The Crane Wife:</em> it was not my favorite album based on a Japanese Folk Tale released in 2006. More on that later. As much as I wanted to, I was unable to give the Decemberists the top spot in any given year. If one would, this would be it. It embodies everything I love about the Decemberists: old-time colloquialisms, an epic three-part suite, great melodies and cautionary tales, all capped off by a beautiful folk sing-along that could be (and is) appreciated even by the legendary Pete Seeger. Hear all the bombs fade away...<br /><br /><a href="http://cdn.7static.com/static/img/sleeveart/00/000/142/0000014259_182.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://cdn.7static.com/static/img/sleeveart/00/000/142/0000014259_182.jpg" /></a>7. Johnny Cash, <em>American IV: The Man Comes Around</em> (2002)<br />"The Man Comes Around" might be the best song Johnny Cash wrote in his illustrious career. What Rick Rubin did for the legendary Cash's career was and continues to be a gift to the world, and this was the best of the bunch. Cash breathed new life into songs like "Hurt" (also the best music video of the decade), "Personal Jesus," and "Desperado." The man Johnny Cash is larger than life, and on <em>American IV</em> the music is stripped down to its barest elements, leaving the singularly authoritative yet comforting voice of Johnny Cash to shine. We'll meet again...<br /><br /><a href="http://thesteinbergprinciple.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/the_white_stripes_-_elephant1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 157px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 149px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://thesteinbergprinciple.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/the_white_stripes_-_elephant1.jpg" /></a>6. The White Stripes, <em>Elephant</em> (2003)<br />If you are able to somehow resist "Seven Nation Army," check your pulse. The blues/rock duo explosion that is The White Stripes hit full stride (they were always 'in stride') on this album. This album is chock full of great songs, from the whimsical to the profound, with guitar riffs that just won't quit. It's hard to describe what makes The White Stripes so exceptional as a band. Maybe that's precisely why they're so exceptional. I got a fever, and the only prescription is Jack and Meg. Oh girl, you have no faith in medicine...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.soundstagedirect.com/media/wilco_yankee_hotel_foxtrot.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 151px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.soundstagedirect.com/media/wilco_yankee_hotel_foxtrot.jpg" /></a>5. Wilco, <em>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</em> (2002)<br />It is a testament to the significance of albums 1-4 that this one is not higher than 5. As I think of <em>YHF</em>, my mind is flooded with some of my favorite lines, lyrics and melodies of all time. I'm the man who loves you. I am trying to break your heart. You gotta learn how to die if you wanna wanna be alive. The combination of layered noise and ridiculously catchy hooks makes for pure sonic bliss. This was my first Wilco album, and it has led to the purchase of all the others. I've got reservations about so many things, but not about you...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lib.washington.edu/media/pitchfork/images/kid_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 151px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.lib.washington.edu/media/pitchfork/images/kid_a.jpg" /></a>4. Radiohead, <em>Kid A</em> (2000)<br />My decade was forever changed by <em>Kid A</em>. In some sense, it ruined me. I was unable to enjoy some of the music I once loved after <em>Kid A</em>. I began expecting more from the music I listened to. When I first started dating Marcie, I would drive from Chicago to West Michigan fairly frequently, and I would listen to this album and question existence as I knew it, Thom Yorke's voice singing "I'm not here. This isn't happening." Was he serious? Have I been in the car too long? I am still unpacking the riches of this album. And I steal its opening lyric for my sermons with regularity. Everything in its right place...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.onetimesone.com/music-reviews/anathallo-floating-world.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 151px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 149px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.onetimesone.com/music-reviews/anathallo-floating-world.jpg" /></a>3. Anathallo, <em>Floating World</em> (2006)<br /><em>This</em> is my favorite album released in 2006 based on a Japanese folktale (see #8). If I hadn't bought <em>Kid A</em> in 2000, I probably would have no interest in Anathallo. Too complex, too difficult too follow, not immediately catchy enough. But sometimes I sense that this is the album I had been searching for ever since hearing <em>Kid A</em>. The beauty that flows from this album is almost too much, beginning with the intricately designed arwork. I'm a decent drummer, but even after 3-4 years, I am still baffled by many of this album's syncopations. I want to skip like a stone from a stronger arm...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Sufjan_Stevens/illionis_album_art_sufjan_stevens.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 144px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Sufjan_Stevens/illionis_album_art_sufjan_stevens.jpg" /></a>2. Sufjan Stevens, <em>Come On Feel the Illinoise!</em> (2005)<br />The singular genius of Sufjan Stevens is stunning to me. Fans like me suffer from a fear that he will never record another proper studio album, but even if he doesn't, this one will stand the test of time. I never knew the state I grew up in could inspire such songs of beauty and bewilderment. Sufjan weaves personal, geographical and spiritual stories into this album which has become itself a new mythology. It is at once frail and triumphant, simple and endlessly complex, stripped down and layered, distant and personal. I fell in love again. All things go...<br /><br /><a href="http://writeabite.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/neon-bible.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 152px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 153px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://writeabite.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/neon-bible.jpg" /></a>1. Arcade Fire, <em>Neon Bible</em> (2007)<br />Right up until about two weeks ago, I thought <em>Illinois</em> would be #1. But then I realized something. For me, listening to <em>Neon Bible</em> is an event that consumes me. Unlike <em>Illinois</em>, I cannot use this as background music. It demands my full attention at each listen, and with each listen, such attention is rewarded. Almost everyone considers <em>Funeral</em> to be the superior Arcade Fire album, and "everyone" might be right, but <em>Neon Bible</em> connects deep to my spirit in a way that no other album does. "Intervention" has left me in tears on more than one occasion. "The Well and the Lighthouse" gives me chills. I can't avoid using the term prophetic to describe this album drenched in skepticism, truth, life and hope. The lions and the lambs ain't sleeping yet...Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-61142554459140225912010-01-04T21:52:00.006-05:002010-01-04T23:19:16.587-05:00Favorite Music of the Aughts, Year By YearThis has been a great decade for music. The way I listen has been turned upside down. My tastes have shifted significantly over the years. As I look back on the decade, I find that my life has been enriched by these albums, and they have provided the soundtrack for some of the greatest moments in my life. The journey of discovering new music is in many ways a spiritual journey. These great artists put word and melody to the questions, aches, celebrations and absurdities of being human.<br /><br />My relationship with these songs and albums and artists is always shifting, so this is only a snapshot. All of my year end lists from previous years have changed, and a year from now, they will likely change again. This ebb and flow is to me a beautiful thing.<br /><br />These are the five albums from each year of this great decade (affectionately known as "the aughts") that resonate with me most (for now):<br /><br /><strong>2000</strong><br /><br /><ol><li>Radiohead, <em>Kid A</em></li><li>U2, <em>All That You Can't Leave Behind</em></li><li>Bill Mallonee, <em>Audible Sigh</em></li><li>Pedro the Lion, <em>Winners Never Quit</em></li><li>Coldplay, <em>Parachutes</em></li></ol><strong>2001</strong><br /><br /><ol><li>Jimmy Eat World, <em>Bleed American</em></li><li>Radiohead, <em>Amnesiac</em></li><li>Bob Dylan, <em>Love and Theft</em></li><li>The White Stripes, <em>White Blood Cells</em></li><li>Explosions in the Sky, <em>Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever</em></li></ol><strong>2002</strong><br /><ol><li>Wilco, <em>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</em></li><li>Johnny Cash, <em>American IV: The Man Comes Around</em></li><li>Sigur Ros, <em>()</em></li><li>The Flaming Lips, <em>Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots</em></li><li>Blindside, <em>Silence</em></li></ol><strong>2003</strong><br /><ol><li>The White Stripes, <em>Elephant</em></li><li>Death Cab for Cutie, <em>Transatlanticism</em></li><li>Sufjan Stevens, <em>Greetings from Michigan</em></li><li>Radiohead, <em>Hail to the Thief</em></li><li>Over the Rhine, <em>Ohio</em></li></ol><strong>2004</strong><br /><ol><li>Arcade Fire, <em>Funeral</em></li><li>Wilco, <em>A Ghost is Born</em></li><li>mewithoutYou, <em>Catch For Us the Foxes</em></li><li>Sufjan Stevens, <em>Seven Swans</em></li><li>Loretta Lynn, <em>Van Lear Rose</em></li></ol><strong>2005</strong><br /><ol><li>Sufjan Stevens, <em>Come On, Feel the Illinoise!</em></li><li>The White Stripes, <em>Get Behind Me, Satan</em></li><li>Bright Eyes, <em>I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning</em></li><li>David Crowder Band, <em>A Collision (or 3 + 4 = 7)</em></li><li>Iron & Wine, <em>Our Endless Numbered Days</em></li></ol><strong>2006</strong><br /><ol><li>Anathallo, <em>Floating World</em></li><li>The Decemberists, <em>The Crane Wife</em></li><li>Sleeping at Last, <em>Keep No Score</em></li><li>Josh Ritter, <em>The Animal Years</em></li><li>Over the Rhine, <em>Snow Angel</em></li></ol><strong>2007</strong><br /><ol><li>Arcade Fire, <em>Neon Bible</em></li><li>Wilco, <em>Sky Blue Sky</em></li><li>Radiohead, <em>In Rainbows</em></li><li>Andrew Bird, <em>Armchair Apocrypha</em></li><li>The National,<em> Boxer</em></li></ol><strong>2008</strong><br /><ol><li>Fleet Foxes, <em>Fleet Foxes</em></li><li>She & Him, <em>Volume 1</em></li><li>Anathallo, <em>Canopy Glow</em></li><li>Bon Iver, <em>For Emma, Forever Ago</em></li><li>The Tallest Man on Earth, <em>Shallow Grave</em></li></ol><strong>2009 </strong>(with microblog descriptions)<br /><ol><li>The Low Anthem, <em>Oh My God, Charlie Darwin</em> - "Charlie Darwin" is bar none the most beautiful song I heard this year. Endlessly intriguing, gorgeous songs.</li><li>The Avett Brothers, <em>I and Love and You</em> - Tempted to put this at number one. Maybe I didn't because it's too perfect. I'm a sucker for the Rick Rubin touch.</li><li>The Decemberists, <em>The Hazards of Love</em> - Epic. Beautiful. Disturbing. Tragic. Hopeful. Words true of every Decemberists album, but especially this one.</li><li>The Mountain Goats, <em>The Life of the World to Come</em> - Makes me wish I had gotten into The Mountain Goats earlier. John Darnielle is a brilliant lyricist.</li><li>Wilco, <em>Wilco (the album)</em> - Another great album from one of our nation's greatest bands. Wilco will love you, baby.</li><li>Sufjan Stevens, <em>The BQE</em> - I don't have much to compare this to, since I don't listen to many symphonies, but Sufjan's essay alone is worth the $15.</li><li>David Bazan, <em>Curse Your Branches</em> - The former Pedro the Lion frontman has committed his deepest questions to song, and it feels tragically sacred.</li><li>Andrew Bird, <em>Noble Beast</em> - Andrew, I could listen to you whistle all day...</li><li>Phoenix, <em>Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix</em> - Disappointed at first, but when I crank up the volume and dance, I realize this is great pop music.</li><li>U2, <em>No Line On the Horizon</em> - "Moment of Surrender" saves this album for me. I sense that they need to pare back their sound on the next one.</li><li>M. Ward, <em>Hold Time</em> - M. Ward is remarkably consistent as a songwriter, arranger and producer. His music seems to transcend time and space.</li><li>The Swell Season, <em>Strict Joy</em> - "Man" and "woman" from the film <em>Once</em> fall in love (in real life), break up (also in real life), and write songs about it.</li><li>Patrick Watson, <em>Wooden Arms</em> - Lush orchestration, inventive percussion, and a song about "Where the Wild Things Are." Need anything else?</li><li>Sleeping at Last, <em>Storyboards</em> - Another solid album from one of my favorite bands, but I haven't connected with it like past albums.</li><li>Animal Collective, <em>Merriweather Post Pavillion</em> - I've tried to get into AnCo, but I just can't quite get there. This is the best AnCo I've heard, though.</li></ol>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-26648552066051637452009-08-27T11:46:00.004-04:002009-08-27T12:15:59.935-04:00LingonberriesSwedish-Americans can be annoying in their Swedish pride. Depending on what part of the USA in which you reside, you may be painfully aware of this fact, or blissfully ignorant. I know it well, being of this heritage myself. And though I agree that it can be annoying, I contribute to it. In fact, this is the coffee mug I drink from at work, inherited from my desperately Swede-centric Uncle Bryce:-)<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lex8zJoQ7Zsyc15qJN8lzDz8Dk7bsy1_fCJCUNc5Di-MWDaMNjf8v0CyggLo-zMdbvqGTz0SP5kXpvm3oHKwZcXaTyo4jqZN8N1Pu69yctk05-a-Dm9EiOYGzlKZq5IiHBpQgg/s1600-h/Swede+Mug..jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lex8zJoQ7Zsyc15qJN8lzDz8Dk7bsy1_fCJCUNc5Di-MWDaMNjf8v0CyggLo-zMdbvqGTz0SP5kXpvm3oHKwZcXaTyo4jqZN8N1Pu69yctk05-a-Dm9EiOYGzlKZq5IiHBpQgg/s320/Swede+Mug..jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374671741029036274" /></a><br /></div>But I am a black sheep in the Swedish-American community. Is it because I married a Danish-American? No. I like to think the Scandinavian-Americans are past these silly divisions, though I'm probably wrong.<div><br /></div><div>No, I am guilty of something far drastic, something that is personally and morally reprehensible in the eyes of many. Are you ready for it? </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't put lingonberries on my Swedish pancakes. There. I said it. True confession.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now you may be thinking, "what's the big deal? The man's entitled to his own taste, right?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>A bit of background: Lingonberries are tiny, red berries, probably most closely related to the cranberry. When stewed into a jam-like sauce, it is a truly beautiful thing, and a unique contribution from the Scandinavians. In the minds of most, this berry confection is a perfect complement to a heaping helping of Swedish pancakes, a wonderfully ethnocentric breakfast, hopefully served on a blue and white porcelain plate.</div><div><br /></div><div>My refusal to put lingonberries on my Swedish pancakes is not because I dislike the magic red sauce. I love lingonberries. I repeat:</div><div><br /></div><div>I love lingonberries.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, I also love Swedish pancakes. I mean, I love Swedish pancakes. It's really not healthy. I am a ruthless and irrational defender of the goodness of the greatest breakfast food on the planet. And this is why I cannot bear to cover them in lingonberries. Lingonberries are wonderful, but they are powerful, and when slathered upon the culinary perfection of a Swedish pancake, they overwhelm its scintillating flavors. I find a simple coat of butter to draw out the natural goodness of the pancake better than lingonberries. </div><div><br /></div><div>Swedish pancakes need no savior, and so I eat them with butter only. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I save the lingonberries for those foods which are in need of redemption: whole wheat toast, rye toast, biscuits, and when I'm really in an international mood, an English muffin. </div><div><br /></div><div>So if you're ever in Rockford, IL, and find your taste buds craving the sort of salvation that only comes through Scandinavian cuisine, do yourself a favor and stop by the <a href="http://www.stockholminn.com/">Stockholm Inn</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I suppose you can make your own decision about the lingonberries. <br /><br /></div>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-34780946610742380832009-08-05T10:17:00.002-04:002009-08-05T10:21:15.987-04:00Shared Pregnancy - Labor Of Love (LOL) 5K Walk/RunRun with me, or walk if you prefer. Help set up, hand out water, or cheer for runners. It's for the kids, you know? No better way to spend the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.signmeup.com/NN2V4K7">Shared Pregnancy - Labor Of Love (LOL) 5K Walk/Run</a><br /><br />Shared via <a href="http://addthis.com/">AddThis</a>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-58859886620797819812009-07-26T17:51:00.008-04:002009-07-26T18:06:32.156-04:00Family of FourWelcome to our world, Hosea. Welcome to our world.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EZtJHzMLbf_3q1cBVVJgmhI7YtAy4mxYauOqu19DWuv0qmEBfiAnEAIPwC6AbpvHlB7aKss8Ngm9PXVjL9Rk9zFTCH2_n231Ae-2OUZrF5wyZaTm_ZhaHN-BVqT7gFJ040Zryg/s1600-h/P7060342.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362890128729728690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EZtJHzMLbf_3q1cBVVJgmhI7YtAy4mxYauOqu19DWuv0qmEBfiAnEAIPwC6AbpvHlB7aKss8Ngm9PXVjL9Rk9zFTCH2_n231Ae-2OUZrF5wyZaTm_ZhaHN-BVqT7gFJ040Zryg/s320/P7060342.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Our beautiful children, Addison and Hosea.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V04-ab9InfIzdVUy2im5YHLxAgSTP1GIacUsrQ9kur3f_VNOafHtIqsV76wN43kN70y_rmKRQElVskRRNG3MVfNLQpjuBrJRf4aESW311D3JrpNbTW4D-OXoTnocCiFEeGaYcQ/s1600-h/P7060353.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362890894674145106" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V04-ab9InfIzdVUy2im5YHLxAgSTP1GIacUsrQ9kur3f_VNOafHtIqsV76wN43kN70y_rmKRQElVskRRNG3MVfNLQpjuBrJRf4aESW311D3JrpNbTW4D-OXoTnocCiFEeGaYcQ/s320/P7060353.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The new family of four.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraE8epHLl16ko04YBGKc5LEYJPEagax7Kjon7iw0CACN86PFH6YamKa08NXakK6GTqaIL7GFLGuRX2hDZ1VA09uuDYsjnmI5nxsLrfLiY52jUH7MXSDG2xYmIWdfZ9Vwp-epVOA/s1600-h/P7060373.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362891670390214322" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraE8epHLl16ko04YBGKc5LEYJPEagax7Kjon7iw0CACN86PFH6YamKa08NXakK6GTqaIL7GFLGuRX2hDZ1VA09uuDYsjnmI5nxsLrfLiY52jUH7MXSDG2xYmIWdfZ9Vwp-epVOA/s320/P7060373.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />That's a good lookin' boy right there.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA2HlKOSug_slujpf-m-Vd-CfpOxVa7amIV2vLNwIZtYrqqYRVF8X19WgP4_J_Mci-KxETseNGy7Jy4V-sfdEbDyTHHRDDcp0TGaFNBMnr0qVO73TiwShclCy7F5FKBygioP5xg/s1600-h/P7070402.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362891379080772978" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA2HlKOSug_slujpf-m-Vd-CfpOxVa7amIV2vLNwIZtYrqqYRVF8X19WgP4_J_Mci-KxETseNGy7Jy4V-sfdEbDyTHHRDDcp0TGaFNBMnr0qVO73TiwShclCy7F5FKBygioP5xg/s320/P7070402.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We are enjoying our new life as a family of four with all its adjustments and compromises and joys. It hasn't been quite as earth-shatteringly different as it was when Addison was born, but there is definitely a new vibe in the Gates house. And I like it.<br /><br />Tomorrow, Hosea will be three weeks old, and, as they say, "it's already hard to imagine life without him."Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-27609585018878278432009-07-21T10:41:00.004-04:002009-07-21T10:58:26.225-04:00HOSEA! (And a "Streaky" Blogger)<div>First off, the Gates family is now a family of four! Hosea Daniel Thomas Gates was born at 2:48pm on Monday, July 6. He was 8 lb. even, and 21 1/2 inches long. Pictures are forthcoming. For now, let's just say we love him lots. And lots.</div><div><br /></div>In baseball, there are a lot of people who are characterized as "streaky" hitters. They look like MVP's for a few weeks, and look like career minor-leaguers the next. <div><br /></div><div>In my own blogging, I am very streaky. As the circumstances of my life change, my blogging frequency ebbs and flows. Since I've started full-time ministry again, with weekly sermon writing, pastoral visits, and a whole list of other things, I haven't felt the need to blog so much. </div><div><br /></div><div>But, as you can tell, I'm blogging today, and I feel like there will be more to come soon. So be ye forewarned. Grace and peace, my friends.</div>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-40600410765897847582009-02-12T09:09:00.006-05:002009-02-12T09:33:28.656-05:00This New LifeThough I started in the office on Monday, my first official function as pastor of Bretton Woods Covenant Church was attending the <a href="http://www.covchurch.org/midwinter">Covenant Midwinter Conference</a>, the annual denominational gathering of the pastors and missionaries of the <a href="http://www.covchurch.org/">Evangelical Covenant Church</a>. It is difficult to describe how it felt to walk around with a nametag that read "Bretton Woods Covenant Church, Lansing, MI." It was great to sit once more under the teachings of my former professor, Klyne Snodgrass, to participate in workshops with John Wenrich, Al Tizon and Wayne Gordon, and to hear a powerful message from Gary Haugen. It was an invigorating experience, yet a bit of a whirlwind. I was reminded again and again of the centrality of the word of God, a truth that comes alive as I sit in the office this week preparing to proclaim the word. <br /><br />So beginning in my first call to pastoral ministry is like settling into a new life. It's a life God and I have been preparing for a long time, but it is now a reality. This feels like a transition from 'student' to 'pastor', but I know I won't be a very good pastor unless I remain a student. I am a student of Scripture, a student of peoples' lives, a student of the city of Lansing, etc. There's something to all that 'lifelong learning' talk I've heard.<br /><br />Though it is only my fourth day, I have to say I am encouraged. I am excited about the ministry at Bretton Woods, and I love all it entails: visiting the sick, crafting sermons, envisioning God's ministry for the church, and loving people from all different walks of life who are united in the power of the gospel. <br /><br />I know there will be less encouraging times when I'll have to recall this vitality, when I'll struggle to believe it. But I thank God for this day, and for all the wonderful people who've made these first stages of transition so smooth.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-13084620800510502132009-01-29T11:54:00.004-05:002009-01-29T12:17:25.871-05:00Hope and Prophetic ImaginationSince 'hope' has become a bit of a buzz word in this world in which we live, I was struck by these words on the subject from Walter Brueggemann's <em>The Prophetic Imagination</em>. He is basically looking at what the Old Testamen prophets, in the tradition of Moses, have to offer those of us seeking to be a prophetic voice today. For Brueggemann, true hope is truly subversive to the status quo. Okay, onto the quote:<br /><br /><blockquote>Speech about hope cannot be explanatory and scientifically argumentative; rather, it must be lyrical in the sense that it touches the hopeless person at many different points. More than that, however, speech about hope must be primally theological, which is to say that it must be in the language of covenant between a personal God and a community. Promise belongs to the world of trusting speech and faithful listening. It will not be reduced to the "cool" language of philosophy or the private discourse of psychology. <em>It will finally be about God and us, about his faithfulness that vetoes our faithlessness.</em> Those who would be prophetic need to embrace that absurd practice and that subversive activity. (p. 65, italics mine)</blockquote>Into what and whom do we place our hope? Brueggemann insists that hope grows in the most unlikely places, places of exile and anguish, and it can only come from the one who stands in freedom from the restraints of the cosmos, the Lord God Almighty. It's a beautiful thing.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-71298057532539318122009-01-26T14:20:00.008-05:002009-01-26T15:00:41.470-05:00I'm a Pastor!<a href="http://www.reverendfun.com/add_toon_info.php?date=20070404&language=en"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 385px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 364px" alt="" src="http://www.reverendfun.com/add_toon_info.php?date=20070404&language=en" border="0" /></a>As of about an hour ago, I am officially the Pastor of Bretton Woods Covenant Church in Lansing, MI. My first day in the office will be Monday, February 9 and my first Sunday will be February 15. It's incredible. Marcie and I (and a whole lot of our friends and family) have been praying for this moment for years, and now it's here. It's surreal, it's exciting, and it's sacred. I can't wait to get started. So my days as a stay at home dad are numbered, and I will enjoy them to the best of my ability.<br /><br />It's truly humbling to be living into this call, a call which I first sensed a little more than 10 years ago and now am able to realize as the pastor of this wonderful little church in Lansing. I'd refer you to the website, but it's not currently functional. I think the pastor should get to fixing that right away.<br /><br />So thank you to all who pray for us. We sense that God has made this happen, and we know many of you have prayed for just that. We look forward to life in Lansing, and thank God that it's only an hour away from where we live now.<br /><br />Now it is with great enthusiasm that I now say "Go Lugnuts!" (the single-A baseball team in Lansing), and with slightly less enthusiasm, yet endless respect for Tom Izzo, I say "Go Spartans?!?" I'll have to work on that.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-49179769466332582332009-01-14T22:35:00.008-05:002009-01-14T23:44:50.688-05:00Washington AdventuresWe had a great time in Washington this weekend. It was an adventure: flooding, an overcrowded Motel 6 in Centralia, Bob almost stuck in Portland, the Country Cousin, Vis almost stuck in Portland, the bowling alley u-turn debacle, Devyn and Ryan getting married...the list goes on. And it was all a blast. Here are some pics to highlight the adventure. We flew in on Thursday morning, and arrived in Seattle at about 11am Pacific time. We decided to spend the day there before heading down to Centralia (and the floods). We did fairly typical touristy stuff, since it was our first time in Seattle. <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlVc1spnKmnnueWOKRlDptKE1iw8g4NPZYvIIoAedGTiZqPARYhCZG_qIn0hQc_Fv9Bg9SI1BIPrtUkvHfnur9QzD6dcQeyP1Yn-db77dnbXqKI1V4lOQq6TTolVYFmA-r-3t6w/s1600-h/washington+space+needle+skyline.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291370171648998402 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlVc1spnKmnnueWOKRlDptKE1iw8g4NPZYvIIoAedGTiZqPARYhCZG_qIn0hQc_Fv9Bg9SI1BIPrtUkvHfnur9QzD6dcQeyP1Yn-db77dnbXqKI1V4lOQq6TTolVYFmA-r-3t6w/s320/washington+space+needle+skyline.JPG" border=0></A> <br />We went up in the space needle, and this is what we saw... <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXENTLjcfecSzoLrpZKcRSmM13L_seUfF2mYdi6ZlZ1H2r5vH8VmWlUdRi5w3X9t0SJLhKq6gspQe1s3G8GN8lXsJTSTLls502_RUF0ZKNjAC97B2CzFgmQyvPkrPWEfXnMX7lQ/s1600-h/washington+space+needle+mountains.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291370160134578082 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXENTLjcfecSzoLrpZKcRSmM13L_seUfF2mYdi6ZlZ1H2r5vH8VmWlUdRi5w3X9t0SJLhKq6gspQe1s3G8GN8lXsJTSTLls502_RUF0ZKNjAC97B2CzFgmQyvPkrPWEfXnMX7lQ/s320/washington+space+needle+mountains.JPG" border=0></A> <br />...and this... <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf3BoHa_tEXgIhMESIghOqdJXZ9t4an2s0WSJVVxVZP6W38a4xiTP33CkPxG6pDRBKyK0En8FDuf435iiuLl8mYvzGIHmYYiCiIIj7wyKo_ntb1ZBtumW8DI6RMOf6EXEHewmww/s1600-h/washington+space+needle+needle.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291370162883853362 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf3BoHa_tEXgIhMESIghOqdJXZ9t4an2s0WSJVVxVZP6W38a4xiTP33CkPxG6pDRBKyK0En8FDuf435iiuLl8mYvzGIHmYYiCiIIj7wyKo_ntb1ZBtumW8DI6RMOf6EXEHewmww/s320/washington+space+needle+needle.JPG" border=0></A> <br />...and of course, the tip of the needle itself (taken from within the needle's observatory deck)... <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkEChy0afPauFNeyAIv5vMY7cZHmyZbTQ5erK22HO_1-zhw2HmEVKMHVxBOmX-mR2opvgVRhg7rKO2kIkww9pqEjDZPWMOg4AMz1tZ5RTPmjAsurqhm6PRjeYZPlcy1D4Esb75g/s1600-h/washington+space+needle+helicopter.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291370155008276642 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkEChy0afPauFNeyAIv5vMY7cZHmyZbTQ5erK22HO_1-zhw2HmEVKMHVxBOmX-mR2opvgVRhg7rKO2kIkww9pqEjDZPWMOg4AMz1tZ5RTPmjAsurqhm6PRjeYZPlcy1D4Esb75g/s320/washington+space+needle+helicopter.JPG" border=0></A> <br />...and a helicopter took off down below. <br /><br />Very nice. After the needle, we headed down to Pike's Place Market...fish, fruit, various locally produced goods. It was cool. Touristy, but not in a bad way. <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNH44oApZSYkhbIA2a_Zb3MRcUG5xp4rE_S1zxh1cG_19Zsrpku8jdkCLV1_RT0JciKX4BuwHTHruxmJDPACH_M6ztjIETaFdlItJMeUPO2_x72pD5x-CdyvUeI0Y1jvkE4kFfg/s1600-h/washington+fish+kissing.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291372284125042082 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNH44oApZSYkhbIA2a_Zb3MRcUG5xp4rE_S1zxh1cG_19Zsrpku8jdkCLV1_RT0JciKX4BuwHTHruxmJDPACH_M6ztjIETaFdlItJMeUPO2_x72pD5x-CdyvUeI0Y1jvkE4kFfg/s320/washington+fish+kissing.JPG" border=0></A> <br />If I could kiss an ugly fish every day, I would... <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AZFSx8t59HnMaaosz0BQygrOBlKJvFcJP2Likh7IML9F-NFHDgm35MyLXhIr8N_7ljj2IPuQzl8nAKQ2H4wxglXGpWrSkc_tFa41j-rGzZe9Rc6dJ3iIByRkqExJmaX0W7KIcw/s1600-h/washington+brass+piggy+bank+pikes+place.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291372280921918818 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AZFSx8t59HnMaaosz0BQygrOBlKJvFcJP2Likh7IML9F-NFHDgm35MyLXhIr8N_7ljj2IPuQzl8nAKQ2H4wxglXGpWrSkc_tFa41j-rGzZe9Rc6dJ3iIByRkqExJmaX0W7KIcw/s320/washington+brass+piggy+bank+pikes+place.JPG" border=0></A> <br />...I'll consider rotating this picture someday, but for now, you're gonna have to sit sideways. <br /><br />We went to Tumwater Falls on Friday. We couldn't get into the park itself because of all the flooding, but we were able to observe. Check out this current. I wouldn't want to fall in, that's for sure.<br /><OBJECT class=BLOG_video_class id=BLOG_video-182cd5e8a4fe62c8 height=266 width=320 contentId="182cd5e8a4fe62c8"></OBJECT><br />Once again, please sit sideways. <br /><br />And alas, there was a wedding. I was honored to be part of the ceremony, and all my ushering practice paid off. I think I did a spot on job, and I even got to seat the mother of the groom. Take that, groomsmen!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggCI88i5mxFnqDdkIPNciB3vdN8zFu1Sik7lHv3f8Mrpiz0g4DC8C7kyiGToUyU-c282qcAreLMaw1ybMBRn5GJtLlNMctexUA6xHjdGJJ5byaFIFZLb5TAmGamgj9TKzIyzAWw/s1600-h/washington+all+church+3.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggCI88i5mxFnqDdkIPNciB3vdN8zFu1Sik7lHv3f8Mrpiz0g4DC8C7kyiGToUyU-c282qcAreLMaw1ybMBRn5GJtLlNMctexUA6xHjdGJJ5byaFIFZLb5TAmGamgj9TKzIyzAWw/s320/washington+all+church+3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291375174375897218" /></a><br />The whole motley crue.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieI3g8L5e7Ht6A6JafXC38J9d1zUaaXiq-MKZt5drGnienPMjiA6TyhLDZS3MX8XnsEW9Voa5XkDPykQQALJBkKwpId6F9umCG-W7crXEM52QpAcNMqTfL80hSy6e7CV0p7HsY0Q/s1600-h/washington+ryan+devyn+2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieI3g8L5e7Ht6A6JafXC38J9d1zUaaXiq-MKZt5drGnienPMjiA6TyhLDZS3MX8XnsEW9Voa5XkDPykQQALJBkKwpId6F9umCG-W7crXEM52QpAcNMqTfL80hSy6e7CV0p7HsY0Q/s320/washington+ryan+devyn+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291375189177104466" /></a><br />The happy couple.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPPZ2s6WXapKdCuo8jQzTmkLElUyHxYN5_b1OGIqOvtDqf27Qa3vM9tJkSLvuunCpYsyG7POk_qWABjSF8A_bM0VcWhougULOi40q88m16RAZgbfsNwqycarsloAsXPup4mcFoA/s1600-h/washington+vis+andrew.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPPZ2s6WXapKdCuo8jQzTmkLElUyHxYN5_b1OGIqOvtDqf27Qa3vM9tJkSLvuunCpYsyG7POk_qWABjSF8A_bM0VcWhougULOi40q88m16RAZgbfsNwqycarsloAsXPup4mcFoA/s320/washington+vis+andrew.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291375185744744370" /></a><br />Me and the Vis.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXki2oQ4m6vBypprzoCLSpyxCETnLUBhhjFDpOv-XUSnF23JklvafuGbsgfIG1Us6b349UXX4ZmYUA4KDTKs3iGO7WKJwj7XS7si_zkoXooJMnxhgRha6KxgeZBE4UzhfwlmWG6g/s1600-h/washington+andrew+marcie+reception.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXki2oQ4m6vBypprzoCLSpyxCETnLUBhhjFDpOv-XUSnF23JklvafuGbsgfIG1Us6b349UXX4ZmYUA4KDTKs3iGO7WKJwj7XS7si_zkoXooJMnxhgRha6KxgeZBE4UzhfwlmWG6g/s320/washington+andrew+marcie+reception.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291375182179447266" /></a><br />...the other happy couple.<br /><br />We had a blast, but we were ready to get home to Addison. Almost four days without her was enough. <br /><br />And if you're ever in Centralia, WA, be sure to stop at the Country Cousin, and ask about the oil painting of Burt Reynolds. It's a doozy.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-18975245552395913692009-01-07T22:40:00.004-05:002009-01-07T22:52:00.813-05:00Headed to WashingtonMarcie and I will be in Washington (the state, not the district) for the next few days. First to Seattle, then to Centralia. Our dear friends Ryan and Devyn will be wed there on Saturday, and I will be an usher. I take my role very seriously, and have been practicing at local restaurants. Aside from a few awkward glances and that one guy who punched me in the face, people seem to be satisfied with my ushering skillz (yes, that's skillz, not skills). Maybe I can get some more practice in at the airports on the way...<br /><br />And for those who take listmaking as seriously as I, there was a glaring omission on my top albums list. I mistakenly omitted the wonderful album "Parc Avenue" by a band called Plants & Animals from the list. I would put it at number eight. There, I feel better now.<br /><br />Lately I've been spending a lot of time with Addison, enjoying reading Walter Brueggemann's classic "The Prophetic Imagination," and working toward preparing a sermon on 1 Corinthians 3. The peace of Christ be with you all.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-19133465794606426112009-01-03T00:26:00.001-05:002009-01-03T00:28:40.567-05:00My Favorite Albums | 2008Happy New Year! It's 2009, and it's a perfect time to think back on 2008. One of my favorite things to do every year is to look back at the great new music I discovered each year. '08 was an eventful year and a good one (for a lot of reasons), and these albums provided a good hunk of my soundtrack for the year that will be remembered as <em>ought eight</em>.<br /><br /><em>14-15 - The Best Albums that were released in 2008 but don't really count as '08 albums having been disqualified due to various and obvious violations of common law qualifications for a 2008 Album:</em><br /><br />15. <strong>Colin Meloy - Colin Meloy Sings LIVE!</strong> - Released in '08, but recorded live in '06, before Meloy's band, the Decemberists released their masterpiece "The Crane Wife." It's too old and too 'live' to count in a list of 2008 albums, but it's wonderful; the work of a master songsmith stripped down to naught but his sweet guitar and articulate vocals.<br /><br />14. <strong>Danielson - Trying Hartz</strong> - This two disc, career spanning collection of material from the Danielson Famile, Brother Danielson and DanielsonShip is a must own for silly people like me who've been meaning to "get into" Danielson for years, but didn't know where to start. There's no new material here, but there is some previously unreleased live stuff, I believe.<br /><br /><em>1-13 - The 2008 albums which qualify as legitimate 2008 albums which I listened to, liked, and ranked in order based on how much I liked them:</em><br /><br />13. <strong>My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges</strong> - MMJ is a good rock and roll band. I really liked their 2006 release, "Z," and this was a worthy follow up.<br /><br />12. <strong>The Submarines - Honeysuckle Weeks</strong> - This duo sings that song from the iPod commercial: "Every day we wake up, choose love, choose light..." The album is catchy, quirky and interesting. It's a perfect album for a sunny day.<br /><br />11. <strong>The Bridges - Limits of the Sky</strong> - Everybody knows I'm a sucker for family bands: The Partridge Family (ha!), The Danielson Famile, Hanson (LOL), The Jonas Brothers (tee-hee), Chevelle, etc. The Bridges rise above 'family as gimmick' and just make good music. It's Americana/Folk/Pop done right.<br /><br />10. <strong>Beck - Modern Guilt</strong> - When I heard that Beck was collaborating with DJ Danger Mouse on this release, I figured it would be absolutely 'off the chain.' I was a bit underwhelmed by the results. It's a solid album, for sure, but I expected more. Maybe it'll grow on me in 2009.<br /><br />9. <strong>Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst</strong> - I was underwhelmed by this one as well. It's not as consistent as his best efforts ("Lifted..." and "I'm Wide Awake..."), but there are certainly some gems, like "Lenders in the Temple." It's hard when someone's set the bar so high for themselves.<br /><br />8. <strong>The Hold Steady - Stay Positive</strong> - Straight up down and dirty rock n' roll out of Minnesota's twin cities. Somehow, the lyrical style reminds me of David Bazan (Pedro the Lion), though the music is far different. The Hold Steady are just great rock n' roll storytellers.<br /><br />7. <strong>Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs</strong> - I love how Death Cab continues to stretch themselves artistically even after achieving ridiculous amounts of critical and financial success. These guys are doing something right. If it weren't for the lame mathematical metaphor of "Long Division," this album may have been a notch higher on the list.<br /><br />6. <strong>She & Him - Volume 1</strong> - Thanks to Paste Magazine for picking this #1 and reminding me that M. Ward did something this year. His "Post-War" album is one of my favorite of the past few years, and this collaboration with actress/singer/songwriter Zooey Deschanel seems a perfect match. This album goes down easy, and I mean that as a compliment.<br /><br />5. <strong>Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust</strong> - This album actually dropped down my list as the year went on. After the first few listens, I was convinced it was one of my favorite albums of all time, let alone 2008. I was taken aback by how different it was from previous albums, and I loved it. Yet as I get used to "new" Sigur Ros, I still like it, but I remember 'old' Sigur Ros with greater affection. I have to be honest; I'll probably like anything they put out. They're simply great.<br /><br />4. <strong>Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago</strong> - Possibly the most hyped album of 2008 by the indie crowd, and with good reason. It's a great album. It brings together two of my favorite genres, folk and atmospheric indie rock, in a way I've never heard. It could well be the quintessential 'winter' album. I'm not sure what that means, but it feels true to me when I listen to it this winter.<br /><br />3. <strong>The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave</strong> - He's from Sweden, and he's called The Tallest Man on Earth. Being a 6'9" Swedish-American, it seems that there must be some cosmic forces drawing me to listen to his music. Whatever the role of the cosmos in the process, I absolutely love this album. I'm fairly certain that I will be able to listen to it hundreds of times without tiring of it, as there will always be another metaphor to unpack or a turn of phrase to deconstruct. He's an old-school finger picker on both guitar and banjo, and he sings with conviction.<br /><br />2. <strong>Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes</strong> - "White Winter Hymnal" is my daughter's new favorite song...brilliant. It's odd to hear my 2 year old singing about little heads falling in the snow, but it's cool. This album is incredible. It gets better with every listen. It's as smooth as butter, obviously influenced by Brian Wilson yet utterly creative. This album somehow seems to equally embody all four seasons, as though it could have come from a California summer, autumn in Tennessee or a Siberian winter just as easily as rainy Seattle (from whence it actually did come). It's accessible, too. Case in point: my mom was riding in the car with us this week as we listened to this album. We only got through the album's first three songs (we listened to "White Winter Hymnal" about 7 times, per Addison's request), but when we arrived at a bookstore, she bought the album. My mom bought it. It's that good.<br /><br />1. <strong>Anathallo - Canopy Glow</strong> - Not everyone loves Anathallo as much as I do, but for some reason, they are a band in tune with my soul. This album is great from the first note to the last. I didn't really think they could top their 2006 epic "Floating World," but I think they did. The album is focused and tight, and the melodies are gorgeous. "All The First Pages" is my favorite song of 2008, and "Italo" is my daughter's runner up to Fleet Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal." I hope Anathallo is able to continue to make music for a very long time. I will listen. Yes, I will listen again and again.<br />~<br />Thanks to all the artists who continue to make great music year in and year out. I certainly do appreciate it, and I know that somehow the world is better for it. It is good for humans, created in God's image, to create beautiful things for our brothers and sisters to enjoy. So enjoy the list, and I hope, the music.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-23553638937677878052008-12-26T22:59:00.004-05:002008-12-27T00:29:54.953-05:00Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51J%2Bj1uUqqL._SL160_OU01_SS160_.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51J%2Bj1uUqqL._SL160_OU01_SS160_.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I got a chance to briefly meet and hear papers from some wonderful scholars at the Symposium on the Theological Interpretation of Scripture held at North Park Theological Seminary early this fall. The theme of the symposium was "The Idolatry of Security." Different presenters took the topic in different directions, some focusing on national security, others on personal security, and still others on eschatological security. I found Scott Bader-Saye from the University of Scranton to be particularly engaging. Ironically, Bader-Saye presented on a Thursday night, causing me to miss my weekly viewing of a new episode of <em>The Office</em> (which takes place in Scranton, PA).<br /><br />Well, now that I'm done with seminary, I have finally been able to dig into Bader-Saye's 2007 book from the Christian Practice of Everyday Life series, <em>Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear</em>. Bader-Saye does a remarkable job of maintaining balance in his treatment of a very touchy subject. He manages to look at fear from many angles without losing focus on the primary goal, which is to help his readers "...live into the joyful freedom of those children of God who have learned to put fear in its place."<br /><br />Bader-Saye argues that fear is the shadow side of love; all fear is somewhere rooted in a love for something or someone. So in a sense, in order to squelch all fear, we would have to squelch all love. Most of us can agree that this is a bad idea. Following the wisdom of Aquinas, Bader-Saye urges us not to become fearless, but to make sure our fears are rightly ordered. We must question whether our fears are imminent, powerful, threating, and legitimate. We need to question whether we're overrreacting to the objects of our fear. Are we lashing out, closing up, and losing the joy of life? Are we opening ourselves up to manipulation?<br /><br />Our fears can be properly ordered when understood within the right narrative, and when they don't paralyze us from doing good. Bader-Saye suggests three virtuous practices to help us properly order our fears: hospitality, peacemaking and generosity. All three of these ask us to risk, and all three of these can be potential threats to our security, but all three of these help us to truly preserve the love which our fearful instincts fight so hard to protect.<br /><br />I've laid out some of the nuts and bolts, but it must be noted that Bader-Saye writes in a very engaging way, using plenty of examples from pop culture and stories from real life to narrate his points. He quotes lyrics from U2, Dashboard Confessional, Bruce Springsteen and Tim McGraw, analyzes films like the <em>Star Wars</em> saga and <em>Pieces of April</em>, and engages the literature of Elie Wiesel and C. S. Lewis. And of course he deals throughout with the political landscape and its relentless use of fear as a motivational tool to mobilize Americans on the right and left.<br /><br />Bader-Saye deals with the doctrine of Providence, a doctrine largely (and sadly) forgotten outside of the Reformed tradition and sadly distorted in the great injustices of Manifest Destiny, etc. Yet the author insists that the providence of God is precisely what we must trust if we are to put fear in its place. He writes, "Providence is the conviction that through it all God's story cannot be lost, and thus God's hopes for the human story cannot be thwarted."<br /><br />I think he's on to something. So <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Following-Culture-Christian-Practice-Everyday/dp/1587431920">buy it</a>, read it, and have your friends read it so you can discuss it and together change the world.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-43551679779452248642008-12-22T08:58:00.003-05:002008-12-22T09:08:12.268-05:00Jesus is My Friend<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-NOZU2iPA8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-NOZU2iPA8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Many of you have probably already seen this by now, but I wanted to post it for those who haven't yet. I'll refrain from sharing my thoughts about it for now. Comments seem unnecessary when it comes to this gem.Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22271256.post-80942961215455413232008-12-18T12:00:00.005-05:002008-12-18T12:26:24.952-05:00Confessions of a Stay at Home Dad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ayQJOAXfMn2VPZRZOD3K2NmwnK8gBLbsavCxxKEvKlUrEklpD0cODHcm5zCLmUcqBLFmozMy5mk31tdd-o8yA-gcfUPs-JDLeYr2tDBctDy00-Av_4y6nvgm_LAouduBfUdpKA/s1600-h/daddy+addie+niagara.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281181974652399522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ayQJOAXfMn2VPZRZOD3K2NmwnK8gBLbsavCxxKEvKlUrEklpD0cODHcm5zCLmUcqBLFmozMy5mk31tdd-o8yA-gcfUPs-JDLeYr2tDBctDy00-Av_4y6nvgm_LAouduBfUdpKA/s400/daddy+addie+niagara.jpg" border="0" /></a>Mark my words: being a stay at home dad is harder than seminary. It's wonderful to able to spend so much time with Addison. It's an absolute joy. But it is not easy to be constantly in demand. Sure, it's flattering to have a beautiful girl asking me to play with her (cards, toys, blocks, movies, games, fort-building, etc.) all day long, but when I'm trying to clean and cook and run errands and relax all at the same time, it becomes a bit overwhelming. I think I'll settle into a pattern, but I haven't yet. <div> </div><div>So here's a huge thank you to all the stay at home parents of this world, and a huge apology to all of you who have been told that you "don't work" because you're a stay at home parent. You work. </div><div></div><br /><div>I know being a pastor is a high demand position, but it's nothing compared to raising a two-year old. </div><div></div><br /><div>And it's so rewarding. Crazy rewarding. I love you Addison!</div>Andrew Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12840695908367592652noreply@blogger.com0