Filed under: General
Today is my Daddy’s birthday. I wish I could be there to celebrate with him. I did, however, have the chance to spend some time with him last weekend, and got to hear him teach and preach on Sunday.
In case you didn’t know, my Daddy is the best preacher in the world. I don’t know if I’ve always realized it, but I sure was reminded of it this weekend. So often, preachers seem to have a superiority complex. They take all of their schooling and hold it over people’s heads. They pound their listeners with Greek and Hebrew—not always because it’s relevant, but just because they can. They always want the last word in any dispute and refuse to hear arguments to the contrary. Don’t get me wrong—I’m grateful for the knowledge and study of our ministers, but sometimes it’s hard to connect when they’re up on a pedestal (self-made or otherwise).
I say all this to say that my Daddy’s not like this. He’s down-to-earth. When he talks to you from the pulpit, it’s just like he would talk to you anywhere else. There’s no “preacher voice.” He genuinely cares about what he is saying and wants you to know it. He knows how to boil down a lot of big theological concepts in ways that can be understood and applied.
So often, application stops at “Read your Bible and pray everyday.” Both are important, but often more is needed. What about the Ethiopian eunuch, who asked in Acts 8:31, “How can I [understand what I am reading] unless someone explains it to me?” My Daddy knows how to apply Scripture. As we looked at Jeremiah 32 in Bible study on Sunday, Dad talked to us about our investment in heaven and what we can be doing here on earth to get ready. I walked away challenged.
My love for my father doesn’t stop at his preaching, but it’s what I wanted to point out today, even though my words are disorganized and inadequate. He’s the best (in more ways than one), and he means a lot to me. Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you!
Filed under: General
Wayne Allwine passed away on Monday. His name might not mean much to you, unless you know that he had been the voice of Mickey Mouse for the last 32 years. That’s my entire life and then some, so he’s the Mickey I grew up on, and as many of you know, I grew up in quite the Disney household. One thing I learned as I read tributes to him today is that he was married to the voice of Minnie Mouse (Russi Taylor)–how fitting. For many years, their relationship was hidden, supposedly because if they were to divorce, the headlines would inevitably have been about Mickey and Minnie splitting up. I guess that’s bad PR. But they didn’t divorce–they enjoyed 18 years of marriage and continued to work alongside each other to give voices to these beloved characters. Call me sappy, but that’s a pretty sweet story. There’ll be a new Mickey soon enough, but I’ll always remember Wayne Allwine and wanted to share this tidbit.
Filed under: Music
I’m finished with my second year of law school. That feels good. Now to the summer, which will hopefully include a job and some fun–like updating my blog every once in a while.
So I finally made a return to Nashville this past weekend (for my sister’s wedding), where I was greeted by a stack of mail. In the pile was a CD that I had been looking forward to hearing. The band is Red Shepherd and the album is Blue Skies. The band formed at FHU while I was there, but they have since moved on to Nashville.
Red Shepherd recently released their sophomore album Blue Skies, and it is clear from the opening chords of the leadoff track that this band has grown a lot over the past couple of years. The album leads off with an electric guitar solo, whereas most of the tracks on the debut album Be Here began with the strumming of an acoustic guitar. The following tracks display a fuller, more well-rounded sound, incorporating tighter harmonies and even some piano.
The album leads off with the question, “What is wrong?” and from there, the band looks outwardly and inwardly at the struggles and joys of life in an imperfect world. Aaron Johnston’s vocals are earnest and hopeful in spite of the heavy subject matter. Matt Fox, clearly influenced by past masters like Hendrix and Page, is given chances to shine on the guitar, especially on the opening track and “Glow.” Bassist Rett Wood and drummer Taylor Burgess provide a solid rhythmic foundation for the album.
The album is not without flaws (seen most notably in some unnecessary rhymes on “Made for Me,” which otherwise is a great song about the desire for a meaningful relationship), but on the whole, this album will get stuck in your head. You can really hear the hard work that went into making it. If you’re in or around Nashville, go see them—you won’t be disappointed. Visit their website or download the album here. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the northeast leg of the tour for now, but until then, this album will stay in heavy rotation.
