Holy Calamity

"Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind."

-C.S. Lewis

It is safe to say that if not for the Holy Spirit in my life, I would be nothing more than a decrepit shell; a hollow box whose purpose was lost with its contents, and forgotten as swiftly as it's structure dilapidates. The only purpose I have is in the Lord. The only validity I can claim is through atonement. It is not merely vindication that blood has brought me, but authentication to go and live a vindicated life. There are days when the money is stacked no higher than the rubbers of my shoes. There are days that hold nothing more than reminders of bills and decisions masked with feigned importance, tricking me into thinking I should sacrifice sleep in exchange for worrying them away. There are days that I look at Job and envy his disposition. There are days that are simply emotive for no reason. Regardless of what these days hold, I still find joy in repentance. I may not be happy every day but I am nonetheless joyful. Rest in peace Bob. You were a wonderful man who a handful of us had the pleasure of knowing. You will be missed. You will not be forgotten. And you are most certainly still loved.

Robert Bigoness, 1929 - 2011

http://listen.grooveshark.com/s/Further+Up/2sPqpD?src=5

Zursday

There's not much I can say about this video that it doesn't say for itself. Nick Bertke, otherwise known as Pogo, has an unmatched talent in the realm of mixing sound bites and compositions. There are many who attempt to duplicate the caliber of production that Nick spawns but there are none who succeed...at least not in my book. If you are a fan of ambient music and/or classic Disney films, then pop open a bottle of wine and put on your jam jams, it's going to be a long night of swimming through post-work, musical bliss-water. Follow these links for information on how to remove your mind from your skull via blowing technique. Enjoy.

http://www.pogomix.net/downloads/

http://www.last.fm/music/Pogo

It's been a week.

Mark then, Christian, Jesus does not suffer so as to exclude your suffering. He bears

a cross, not that you may escape it, but that you may endure it. Christ exempts you

from sin, but not from sorrow. Remember that, and expect to suffer.

--Spurgeon

That being said, here's a video that is neat.

Hump Day

"Christian, if thou wouldst know the path of duty, take God for thy compass; if thou wouldst steer thy ship through the dark billows, put the tiller into the hand of the Almighty. Many a rock might be escaped, if we would let our Father take the helm; many a shoal or quicksand we might well avoid, if we would leave to His sovereign will to choose and to command." --Spurgeon

If ever there were a time to heed Spurgeon's advice, it is the present. I do not base this assertion on the current state of the economy, though it is grim at best. Nor do I base it on the rising homeless population and the declining working population, though both are in fact rising and falling, respectively. There is nothing happening in the world that is any worse than the world our fathers' fathers knew. This statement would have been equally true one thousand years ago, one hundred years ago, and twenty years ago. If ever there were a time to relinquish control of your life (since any control you think you might have is a facade built out of denial anyway) and wholly and willingly surrender to the Father to guide and direct, it is the present. It is now. Will we ever be able to yield entirely to the Father? Is 100 a realistic percentage? It is difficult to say, but based on the fact that we are infants who revel in sin and binge in infidelities when it comes to our faith, no we cannot. Our selfish nature will inevitably regain control. So we must make it a daily practice to acknowledge the Lord as the only being who merits dominion over our lives. Perpetual surrender is the only way to survive every day.

Thanks for Commenting!

I appreciate the comments. It's nice to know people actually read this, even if those people just so happen to be 8 of my close friends. It still counts. Sorry for the inactivity the past few days, I have been under the weather and have therefore been using said under-the-weatherness (?) as an excuse for doing as close to nothing as one man can do. I feel as though I am on the way out of said sickness so I am blogging in celebration. It's a balmy 10 degrees here in our nation's capital (that's Kansas City for those of you who didn't know) and I have included a video that reflects these wonderful and not at all miserable temperatures.

GTLK from Andrey Muratov on Vimeo.

Bustin Free Bird

453, 474, 029. That's how many views the video for Justin Bieber's "Baby" has. Coincidentally, that is also the number of times my gag reflex triggered both when I found that out and when I attempted to watch that video. The upside is that I have discovered a new game. It's called, "How long can I endure 'Baby' before my eyes start to bleed bile?" So far, my record is 0.03 seconds. Think you can beat it? Feel free to try and then post your scores in the comment section. In an attempt to counter-balance the tumorous, anti-intellectual pile of tween-boppy cancer that is destroying America, I have included a video of Craig D'Andrea. Enjoy.

Back in the Saddle

Chances are you've at least heard of Motorhead. You may not thrash out to the ear-blistering tunes of this British, balls-out metal, but you've at least heard the name. The information given in this post will most likely be of no interest to you, as I am promoting both the movie Lemmy and the upcoming Motorhead show in KC. Lemmy Kilmister, the bass player/frontman for Motorhead, is a 65-year-old man who is still touring and still living the way only a Rock N Rolla can. The movie is a documentary showing you exactly what that entails. Sure, a lot of Motorhead songs sound the same, and there are much more talented bass players in the world (Les Claypool, Victor, John Paul Jones), and seeing a crusty old man pound whiskey and grope on groupies might fall under the category of "off-turning" for some. But, at the end of the day, there is just a magnetic quality about Motorhead's music that is simply unavoidable. There is still living-legend-blood screaming through Lemmy's veins and, musical taste aside, handle-bar moustaches are just plain cool. So, with no more ado, here is the trailer for the movie, some links to some sites, and a song. Binge on the bourbon-soaked, denim-wrapped, adrenaline-fueled, moustache-driven metal.

Theater in KC screening Lemmy this weekend: http://www.screenland.com/index.html

Tickets for Motorhead in concert: http://www.themidland.theatere.org

http://listen.grooveshark.com/s/We+Are+Motorhead/36VPLD?src=5