Speak With Conviction

Hat Tip to The Rambling Prophet for this video clip from Def Poetry...

Too Funny Not to Share

Shout To The American Idol

In the last few days, I have had several church members e-mail me a link to an American Idol video. Apparently, at the end of the "Idol Gives Back" show, the remaining contestants sang a slightly altered version of Shout to the Lord (The name Jesus was replaced with the less offensive and more inclusive "shepherd"). My reaction to this is not nearly as excited as my Idol-addicted friends. It is a little more muddled. Specifically, I have three reactions:

(1) I am just not that excited about a bunch of people singing "Shout To The Lord" when I know they don't believe it, practice it, or even care. Is there and spiritual validity to that? Is it a sign that people are open to Jesus and Christianity, or was it a hook to go with the benefit proceeds? I don't know, but Jesus was removed form the song - so strike one.

(2) On the other hand, it was a song about worshipping God and, even though the singers may not have been God worshippers, at least part of the gospel was sung (nothing compares to the promise I have in You). OF course, with Jesus removed, it is an incomplete gospel - but is ti a redeemable moment? yeah...

(3) I was struck by the incredible irony of the song. 8 Idol contestants who, by definition are seeking to be their own idol, singing Shout to The Lord. It's interesting because the Bible says that they will sing that song at least once more. In the presence of Jesus Christ at the end of days, everyone will sing at least the first half of the chorus...

"Shout to the Lord all the earth let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down, and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your Name."

Only then, they'll really mean it. Me, Idol contestants, Satan Himself, will all make this declaration of the utter sovereignty of God.

Once Every 56 Years...

Something is happening that only happens every 56 years, and it is the worst possible year for it to happen. My wife and I are attempting to purchase resources we need for church planting, pay off school bills, and save a decent amount of money before I become a broke student again. We had a great financial plan all set up for the next 5 months before the move to Pittsburgh. Except for this every-56-year-phenomenon....

See there are 52 weeks to a year. Except on leap years, there are 52 weeks and a day. Every 7th leap year, or 28 years, an extra week has effectively accumulated on the calendar. No big deal. Until two weeks have accumulated on the calendar, which happens every 56 years - in this case, 2008. In 2008 there are 27 pay periods for those of us who are paid bi-weekly. Which means that my paycheck is lower by about $200/mo to evenly spread out over an extra paycheck. It would mean nothing if I were to be here for the entire year, for I would just get an extra paycheck this year. But with a June departure date, I am waving goodbye to that $200 a month as I scramble to figure out how to pay my bills. Stupid Leap Years.....