Avetts on eMusic

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Jason

OK, so I know I’ve been posting a lot about my boys, The Avett Brothers, lately. But it’s only because they’re so good. If you know me, you know I’m also always touting my favorite online music store, eMusic. I’ve been a subscriber since 2006 and I’m convinced they have the best online MP3 catalog. Period. If you’re interested in checking out eMusic, leave me a comment; I can send you an email and I’ll get some free downloads if you sign up.

Anyway, for a limited time, all of the Avett Brothers releases (with the exception of the new album, I and Love and You) are on sale over at eMusic. Their 2007 release Emotionalism is a steal at 6 credits, which is half price (a typical album runs for 12 credits). Anyway, I know I’m always touting these guys and this site, but I just had to share the news.

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Avetts on Ferguson

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Jason

Here’s a performance of “Laundry Room” from The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

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No U2, No Problem

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Jason

U2 week concludes with a whimper around the ol’ blog.

I was supposed to be in Atlanta right now, caught up in the rapturous sound of one of my favorite bands. Right about now, Bono should be well into the encore set of One, Walk On, and Moment of Surrender.

Instead, I’m sitting in a hospital room next to my wife who has been terribly ill for the past 15 hours.

To sum up: the little lady had a procedure done yesterday and we’re not sure if she’s had a reaction to the anesthesia, the pain meds, or if something else (dehydration?) might be the culprit. The bottom line is she’s spent most of the day with a killer headache, a burning sensation in her throat, dizziness that knocked her to her knees, and constant nausea. Not exactly a fun day for her. So obviously, when the doc decided to admit her, my plans changed. Without giving it a second thought, I knew I needed to be here with her. But now, in the calm of the night, with her head peacefully resting on her pillow and — hopefully! — no more nausea and dizziness to bother her, I can sit and reflect on the day and the concert that wasn’t. To wit, here’s my “Ode to October 6th”, to close out U2 week:

Well, October 6th hasn’t exactly been a Beautiful Day; but, you know, Some Days Are Better Than Others. My Wild Honey has had Vertigo all day. Or you might just call her The Lady With The Spinning Head. Watching her when she feels Bad is just So Cruel. It’s like being Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.  Right now, I’d do anything for a Miracle Drug to help Numb her pain. I had tickets to the U2 show tonight and my buddy asked, “Do you want me to go With or Without You?” Of course, I told him I had to Stay because, hey, wherever she goes I Will Follow. That’s what you do when you’re A Man and A Woman who are One. Besides, Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own.

In A Little While, I’ll put on my headphones and listen to all the U2 songs I’m not hearing live tonight and I’ll keep telling myself that the audio recordings are Even Better Than The Real Thing. On second thought, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight. Just Breathe, Jason. Just breathe.

So Bono, maybe I’ll catch you and the boys Another Time Another Place. Until then, I’ll Rejoice that we’re One Step Closer to being able to Exit this hospital in the morning. And you know what? A night by my wife’s side has turned out to be pretty Magnificent, The Sweetest Thing anyway. I guess there was lemonade to be made from this Lemon of a day after all!

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Already and Not Yet

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Jason

A few years ago, I started blogging as an outlet for my periodic devotional writings. While I still post the occasional devo piece, my blog has also evolved into a repository for my thoughts on a variety of things: family, politics, faith, ethics, baseball, music, movies, prayer requests…these things are the fabric of my life and, as such, comprise the content of this little blog.

When I began this little foray into the blogosphere, I was faced with a question that has befuddled many a novice blogger: What should I call this thing? I kicked around a lot of ideas, most of which were insanely cheesy, like Bybee’s Banter or Jason’s Journal or my personal favorite Jabs by JAB. (Like I said, cheesy.) None of those titles really cranked my tractor, though. After toying around with several names, I settled on Already & Not Yet, a phrase full of significance for me.

Theologians use this term to describe our eschatalogical state of being. Basically it’s the idea that as believers, we are part of God’s Kingdom already. In Luke 17, Jesus says to the Pharisees:

The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you. — Luke 17:20-21, The Message

Jesus spoke of His Kingdom as a present reality in the first century. Disciples of Christ participate in this Kingdom, His present reign. Through faith, Christ’s disciples are invited to participate in a Kingdom where peace reigns — where swords are beaten into plowshares (Isa. 2) — and the natural order of enmity is redeemed and reconciled (Isa. 11). This Kingdom life is the product of faith. And, in a very real way, followers of Christ participate in that Kingdom now, a Kingdom where the first are last, the least are the greatest, service is selfless and love endures.

But Christ’s Kingdom has yet to be fully consummated. Evil is still pervasive. The present order of the sword is yet to be redeemed. Wolf and lamb, calf and lion are yet to experience reconciliation. Thus, we live “between the times”, to borrow another phrase from the scholars. We live between what Christ has already done and what He’s yet to do. Our charge is to be the in-breaking of the Kingdom in the here and now. In short, we are called to be Kingdom come.

Already & not yet also describes our present soteriological status. Through faith, we experience the full pardon of our sin already; we stand justified before God because of our association with the blood of Christ. And yet, we still await the judgment when the final pronouncement shall be made and we will experience forgiveness and mercy in an ultimate, eternal way. So, from a certain point of view, salvation is both already and not yet.

I chose this concept as a title for my blog for both its theological implications and its resonance with me as a marker of my developing identity as a disciple. Here’s what I wrote about this a few years ago:

My blog’s title, Already & Not Yet, succinctly expresses not only a theological truth but a developing worldview for me. Life is lived “already and not yet”. It’s about who we find ourselves to be in this moment coupled with the recognition that we’ve not fully arrived. It expresses something about how we are to value life lived today with a nod toward the hopeful anticipation of something more on the horizon. It’s acknowledging that I’m a member of a Kingdom that is both a present reality and a future development. It calls me to live faithfully as a member of this inbreaking Kingdom NOW with an understanding that the beauty of this life is fully realized in a Kingdom yet to come. It is this beautiful tension that most fully expresses the most fundamental truths of the abundant life that is ours in Christ. On my good days and, perhaps most especially, on my bad days, I desperately need to be reminded that I am both “already” and “not yet”. This is a truth I hold most dear.

These words serve as a reminder that I’m not a finished product. Indeed, I need to be reminded of who I already am — as a disciple, as a husband, as a father, as a minister. And I should also keep in mind that I’m not yet who He intends me to be. I’m still arriving. I pray I always will be.

Today I praise God for what He’s already done for me and in me.

And I praise Him for what He’s yet to do.

May Your Kingdom dwell in me, O Jesus, my Lord…

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Cheap Music: Relient K

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Jason

I don’t really like ’em, but if you’re into Relient K, their latest album is only $3.99 over at the Amazon MP3 store. I sort of gave up on most CCM a few years back. But hey, if you like them, go save some money. Enjoy.

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MLB Playoffs 2009

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Jason

A few months ago, on another blog, I made my MLB preseason predictions. Normally I stink at these, but this year I did pretty well. At least in the AL. Here’s what I said back in April:

AL East: Boston Red Sox

AL Central: Minnesota Twins

AL West: Los Angeles Angels

AL Wild Card: New York Yankees

Obviously, I thought the Red Sox were the better team heading into the season. I thought they had a pitching advantage over the Yankees. In fact, I still might say that. But the Bronx Bombers have simply been the best team in baseball this year. But there’s a chance I still might have all four playoff teams right, even if I missed on Yanks / Sox. If the Twins can win on Tuesday at the Metrodome, then I’ll be four-for=four. Pretty cool.

Here’s what I said about the NL:

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central: Chicago Cubs

NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks

NL Wild Card: New York Mets

OK, so here’s the part where I remind you that I’m normally terrible at these things. At least I got Philly right. And to be honest, everybody had the Cubs at the start of the season. Nobody knew Chris Carpenter would reassert himself as a Cy Young-caliber pitcher for the Cards; this was also before they acquired Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday. And I don’t remember anybody picking the Rockies to contend either, so I don’t feel bad about missing that one. Where it really went off the tracks was when I picked the D-Backs to win the West. But I’ll lump that pick in with the Mets; I chose the D-Backs based on their one-two punch of Dan Haren and Brandon Webb. Who knew Webb would only make one start? As for the Mets…ugh. Injuries took them out of contention by Memorial Day. Pretty rough.

Now that it’s playoff time, I’ll make a whole new set of predictions. As Mike & Mike say, these predictions are sure to go wrong. But here you go:

ALDS: Yankees over Twins / Tigers. It doesn’t matter who wins Tuesday. The Yanks will pummel whoever it is. Neither the Twins nor the Tigers have the pitching to keep the Yankees bats at bay. Sabathia and Burnett will earn those fat contracts in this series. I’m even predicting a big series for ARod. Yanks in four.

ALDS: Angels over Red Sox. Man, I bet these guys are tired of facing off against each other in the Division Series. Actually, as one-sided as this series has been, the Angels are the ones who have to be dreading this showdown. After losing in 2004, 2007, and 2008, I’m thinking the Halos are due to exorcise their demons against the vaunted Sawx. I love their lineup depth (an MLB-best .285 team batting average). They’re pitching better than anybody else of late (an MLB-best 2.96ERA in September). And with a banged up Jon Lester and a struggling Josh Beckett, Boston looks as beatable as they’ve been in a while. I see L.A. getting it done in five.

NLDS: Phillies over Rockies. Philly looks pretty tough with Lee and Hamels at the top of the rotation. If they’re smart, they’ll plug J.A. Happ in the #3 spot and ride their lefties as far as they’ll take them. The Rockies have been a great story this year. You look at this club and you wonder how they won so many games. But they catch the ball well, they get timely hits from their veterans, and their starting pitching has been outstanding (7th best starters ERA in the majors). I think this is a really evenly matched series. But Philly’s experience last year makes the difference (although their bullpen terrifies me). The Fightin’ Phils in five. (I also adore alliteration.)

NLDS: Cardinals over Dodgers. I haven’t been showing the Dodgers much love all season. When they reeled off all those home wins to begin the season, I chalked it up to luck. Even when they gelled together in the absence of lineup anchor Manny Ramirez, I refused to believe. They eventually came back to earth a little, fending off the surging Rockies on the final weekend to secure the division title. Sure, they ended up leading the majors in ERA. Sure, the Cardinals don’t hit lefties well and will have to face Clayton Kershaw and Randy Wolf in the first two games. But I still can’t get excited about them. The Cardinals are a more complete team than they were at the start of the season. In Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, the Redbirds have the best one-two punch in the majors this season. The additions of Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa give the Cards one of the deepest lineups in the league. And, oh yeah, we also have that Pujols guy. This should be a great matchup, but I like the Cards to win in five.

ALCS: Yankees over Angels. Here’s what this one comes down to for me: bullpen play. Brian Fuentes has been inconsistent. Mo Rivera is the best closer of all-time. There you go. This series will be a real treat. The Angels have the second best record in the majors, but the Yankees are just too tough. I think they win this one in six.

NLCS: Phillies over Cards. The Philly bullpen is just an absolute mess. I can only hope Jolly Challie keeps trotting Brad Lidge out there in pressure situations. But this is the matchup the Cards have to be dreading. For whatever reason, we’ve been just awful against lefties this year. And Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are two of the league’s best. And J.A. Happ is a better bet than Joel Piniero in Game 3. These teams have some substantial flaws, but one of them has to go to the Series. As much as I’d like for it to be my Cardinals, I think the Phillies will give them some real trouble. Phillies in seven.

World Series: Yankees over Philly. Jeter finally gets that 5th ring. ARod gets the postseason monkey off his back. And the Yanks will christen New Yankee Stadium with a championship. Honestly, this is the same situation we’ve been in for a couple of years: the best teams will square off in the ALCS, not the World Series. But I really like the Yankees and I don’t think any of these teams will be able to knock them off this year. Yankees win in five.

Later I’ll post my MLB awards for the season.

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U2: Grace

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Jason

U2’s first album of this decade, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, was in many ways a return to the classic U2 sound of the 1980s. During the ’90s, the band satirized the whole rock star motif with Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop. Outrageous, over-the-top personas and glitzy, kitsch tours (see: PopMart) were the vehicles U2 used to critique an entire decade of excess, greed, consumerism, and decadence.

But with the dawning of a new millennium came a reinvented U2…all over again. The experimentalism of the ’90s yielded a return back to the bands simple rock roots. In a very real way, All That You Can’t Leave Behind was the re-embrace of the U2 sound of The Joshua Tree and The Unfotgettable Fire: a guitar, three chords, and the truth.

The last song on the album has always been one of my favorites. “Grace” is such a beautiful, lilting soliloquy on the reverberations of grace in a world gone mad:

Grace
It’s a name for a girl
It’s also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything

I love this song because the music is the message. Gentle synthesizers cresting and receding around Bono’s softly spoken tenor. I love this song because it sweeps me up and takes me back to those moments when “you can hear the strings”, when (to borrow N.T. Wright’s beautiful phrase) the world has been put to rights, if only for a moment. I love this song because it reminds me of grace’s beauty and simplicity.

Grace finds goodness in everything. Indeed.

I know it won’t be on the playlist tomorrow night, but any discussion of my favorite U2 songs has to include “Grace”.

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Avetts on Amazon

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Jason

Looks like it’s all things Avett Brothers, all the time here at the ol’ blog.

Just letting you know the boys’ stellar 2007 release “Emotionalism” is only $5.00 at the Amazon MP3 store. Go get it.

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Avetts on Letterman

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Jason
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U2: Walk On

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Jason

“Walk On”, from the album All That You Can’t Leave Behind, has been one of my favorite songs for the past few years. Dedicated to Burmese activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the song has always been imbued with a prophetic, inspired tone. But in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, “Walk On” has evolved into a sweeping anthem of perseverance and hope in the midst of adversity. 10 days after the terrorist attacks, U2 performed “Walk On” on the telethon “A Tribute to Heroes“. This is where this ode to activism was transformed into a hymn for a hurting nation.

And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it’s a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong

Walk on, walk on
What you got, they can’t steal it
No they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight…

You’re packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom

Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t deny it
Can’t sell it or buy it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight

And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Home…hard to know what it is if you never had one
Home…I can’t say where it is but I know I’m going home
That’s where the heart is

I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Lyrics like these take on a whole new meaning in light of September 11th. “Walk On” will articulates all of the pain and fear and doubt that plagued those days for me (“when your glass heart should crack / and for a second you turn back”). But the song is equally honest in reflecting on how we find purpose in pain: “And I know it aches / And your heart it breaks / And you can only take so much / Walk on…walk on.” In a moment of extreme and even justifiable anger, Bono’s lyric reminds us how we heal: by leaving it behind. As the chorus of “hallelujahs” rise at the end, we lift our eyes above for solace and strength and hope.

And we keep on walking.

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