A Country Song (fb)

Todd Little introduced me to Hank Williams Jr. in seventh grade.  One Hank led to one George Strait and I was cooked- and hooked.  David Allen Coe joked about "You Never Even Call Me By My Name" being the perfect country song - or George Strait's "Amarillo by Morning" or Alabama's "Dixieland Delight."  Tricia Yearwood's "Walkaway Joe" should put a lump in your throat purely on the perfection of her voice paired with Don Henley's flawless harmony.  

Driving home yesterday I listened to the song that has become for me the perfect Country and Western song.  It is sung by the perfect country voice - compelling tone but not perfect, powerful but subtle - so easy to listen to and soooo freakin country!  Three chords that any beginner could play.  The song does what all great country songs do - heartstrings and homefires and pictures of the rural and loved ones but most of all a great story to tell.  It's a story about place, about redemption, about a return to simplicity, a story of hope.  It's a smile on your face and a tear in your eye and anxiety falling off all around you.   It could be "Highway 20 Ride" or "Pancho and Lefty"  or "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma." 

I know they say you can't go home again -I just had to come home one last time.
Ma'm I know you don't know me from Adam - but those handprints on the front porch are mine...

Country and hip-hop and rock n roll - the genre is about culture but music - music is about the heart.  The music of a generation is the catalyst and the historian and the rallying center.  If we understood the power of music, the pioneers would swing for the fence there.

Sing Together (fb)

Stacy and I had walked the length of La Rambla- the most famous street in Barcelona.  It was a beautiful spring day and we were enjoying perhaps the greatest walking city in the world.  Suddenly we heard a sound...it was singing...we followed the sound off of the main drag, through the alley, around another corner...getting louder...suddenly, a courtyard, full of English people with flags singing at the top of their lungs, hundreds of them!  We later learned that they were in town for a proper "football" match against FC Barcelona.  If you're a European football fan- you're not in the family unless you know the songs.

My faith community has only existed for about 24 months.  My family grafted in less than a year ago.  Something is happening in our weekly gatherings.  I've asked a few friends and they agree- there is a fresh mojo flowing that is drawing us together.  It happens when we sing together.  We are starting to love singing together.  

So today I'm asking "why?"  It isn't because the band is great- most weeks there isn't one.  And it isn't because we are singing the "latest and greatest."  I do believe in my little community the God of the universe is drawing near to us in lots of ways- but there is a really practical thing that I think is hugely impacting this sing thing.  It's the same thing that enabled hundreds of English football fans to converge on a courtyard in the middle of Barcelona.  For the most part we sing the same handful of songs over and over.  These are becoming "our" songs- the way "we" connect to God and to each other.

At Christmas I attended a service at the church where Stacy grew up.  My in-laws still attend there, as do many high school and college friends.  It has never been my "church" but I've been there a dozen times over the last 25 years.  So I'm there at Christmas and I'm loving it and I'm feeling like "I'm part of the family- maybe I'm the cousin 18 times removed that doesn't come around much, but I a part of the clan nonetheless."  And I reflected then that a big part of the reason I feel at home is that I know the songs.  This church has sung the same three songs, in the same peculiar 70's style (the era of the community's founding), every week for the history of the community- and I know the songs!  So when everyone stands up and starts singing "To be alive..." I'm right there with them- which means- I'm in!

Music is the language of the heart- and singing together, throughout human history, has served as glue binding communities together- defining who is in and who is out.  It is SO powerful.  So I was thinking, how could we release that power in our families, our small groups, our neighborhoods, our businesses?  I know Wal-Mart has their sing-alongs when they open new stores and train new "team members."  I dunno- maybe at 3:00 every afternoon at our office we could gather 'round and sing a rousing version of Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle" or Van Halen "Right Now."  You laugh- where do you think so many of the great hymns came from.  That's right- guys getting off work, heading to the pub for a few cool ones, then someone would start singing and everyone would join in.  Those songs were so familiar that they made for great church songs (sans the original lyrics)- everyone already knew the melody.  That's the power of corporate singing for culture creation.  I'm just saying...

Country (fb)

Listening to Lady Antebellum radio on Pandora before church this morning thinking "country is really good right now."

In 1980 I was hooked on "KAEZ, "Easy" 107.7" in OKC - The Gap Band, Midnight Star, the Dazz Band and other R&B bands.  Then a friend gave me a tape of Hank Williams Jr.'s Greatest Hits and I immediately fell in love with country music.  To this day I don't know why I wore that homemade tape out and memorized every song.  It's not like I could relate to "I live to love Texas wo-o-men" or "I'd love to spit some Beech Nut in that dude's eye."  I think it was the authenticity, the celebration of simple things in simple places, the stories and the pictures.  When I discovered George Strait I had found Shangri La.  I still remember seeing Alabama at the Myriad in downtown OKC and feeling obliged to take off my hat during "My Home's in Alabama" with a sense that I was on holy ground.

Since those days I've made life-changing discoveries like James Taylor, Damien Rice, Boston, Rich Mullins, Switchfoot, David Wilcox and Blue Merle.   But mostly I've just enjoyed a huge variety of music, influenced by the places and people we've hung out with through the various seasons of life.  In the last season I made the wonderful discoveries of emo and indie-rock (thanks to Blake, Joel, Judson).  But through the years I just keep finding "home" in country music.  Why?  Maybe it's...

The stories- country music is about storytelling- and it particularly celebrates the seasons of life.  You get cradle to grave including the fun of childhood, young love, parenthood, and death.  I swear I've heard that story in a hundred songs.

The pictures- country music is full of images of things I like to look at- fields and lakes and streams and tractors and bass boats and kind faces and pickup trucks and barns and dance halls and bars and farms and guitars.

The sounds- I just like the sounds of country music.  Isolate any sound and it's just nice to me.  The voice, the acoustic guitar, the fiddle, the steel guitar, the piano - just drop everything else out and if you could only hear the steel guitar it would be sweet.

Anyways- I think maybe that's why I like it.  That, plus the fact that it reminds me of driving around in Dana's old brown truck or dancing with Stacy at the Diamond Ballroom or a hundred other memories that are attached to country music.  And I just wanted to say that I think it goes through seasons and right now it's good.  Evidence?  Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, and still...George Strait.

An Often Annotated "Best Of" 2009 (fb)

BOOKS

Francis Fukuyama   The End of History and the Last Man

I have wanted to read this book for years.  If a person can get the gist of End of History and Sam Huntington's Clash of Civilizations you'd have a pretty good understanding of what's happening in the world, why it's happening, and where it might be going.

Jacqueline Novogratz  The Blue Sweater

A beautiful story by a pioneer in the empowerment of women through social entrepreneurship.  There are plenty of thinkers, I want to hear from the doers- this book filled me with hope.

Bible: The Gospels and Acts 

My focus this year was on the relationship of Jesus and the Father in the Gospels and the relationship of the Church and the Holy Spirit in Acts.  This book just keeps getting better.

Clay Shirkey  Here Comes Everybody

I have an ongoing fascination with movements- this book is as good as any if you want to understand how communications technology is changing EVERYTHING

Andres Duany  Suburban Nation

Written by the father of "new urbanism," and the man who designed Carlton Landing.  There are a bunch of holes in "new urbanism" but generally, "I'm in!"

Cory Doctorow  Little Brother

If Shirkey is too heady, here is a fun novel about the same subject- the bonus is that it is written from the perspective of a teenager so it's an insightful look into the culture of the next generation

Peter Block  Community:  The Structure of Belonging

Evidence that the secular community often understands and applies the biblical principles of community building better than the Church.  

Robert Lupton  Compassion, Justice, and the Christian Life

Here's a Christian who gets it and has been doing it.  The new manual for Christian community transformation.  All of my urban transformation friends were talking about this book this year (and Amy Newberry got to have breakfast with him!)

Jonathon Kozol  Amazing Grace

 Another book that I wanted to read for years.  It is a graphic description of life in the worst neighborhood in the country in the mid-90's from the perspective of the people who live there.  Now my friends the Biddys and the Pattersons both live near the area about which this book was written (Washington Heights and Harlem).  This book made me love people more.

Henry Drummond  The City Without a Church

This may end up being on my "top 10" all-time list.  A beautiful, concise, biblical argument for city transformation as a major expression of "Kingdom come."  

MOVIES

Last Chance Harvey w/ Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson

The last of about six movies I saw on planes to and from China.  I had forgotten how moving it is to see amazing actors tell a great story.  I was moved by this piece of art. 

The Blind Side

Yes- I cried all through it- it's the racial deal for me.

Avatar

Another piece of art that moved me not by the story or acting but by the sheer technology of it.  IMAX 3D may be the only "in theatre" movies I see in the future.

War Dance

Again, it's the racial thing.  Reality and hope.

Saints and Soldiers

Surprised me- a great film about leadership, community, and mission.

Good Hair

Again... 

THEMES

Humility

In America you are defined not by your family name, your gender, class or caste- you are defined by your vocation.  I started 2009 carrying five business cards, fumbling through the question "what do you do? a.k.a. what are you worth?".  I am a man who loves Jesus and I am a family man.  Sometimes I get to build communities.  At the end of '09 I'm really content with that.

Community Building

What do Church, New Urbanism, Sustainable Agriculture, Social Entrepreneurship, empowering women, and Young Life have in common?  Community building.

City Transformation through Church

Relationships with young Church leaders is a treasure the Lord let me continue to invest in '09.  Tim Ulrich, Ben Nockles, Brad and Mirella Watson, Eric Mixon, Graham Ripple and many others were ongoing joy, then I was blessed with new ones like the Bandys, Eddie Coates, Matt Lowery, Ray Sanders and the Newberrys- I could cry right now I feel so outrageously privileged.

Social Entrepreneurship

It's really happening and it's called Bloom.  Neil Boyd, David Ridgeway, Su Crawford and Kami Humphreys are world-changers and I get to hang with them.  80,000 women will be empowered in the next 7 years- Lagos here we come!

Racism

I used to believe that Islam was the greatest barrier to "Kingdom come" in our generation but it's not, it's racism- that's the bugger bear.  Racial reconciliation isn't "a" thing, it's "the" thing and it is definitely the fire that continues to grow in my heart.

Transition

Dave Helm says the journey is the destination- right on.  Was my heart softer toward God and toward people in 2009 than it was in 2008?  Yep.

Family

Time with Stacy and the kids is my treasure of 2009.  We made up for some lost time in the most fun ways- family became "lightweight, low-maintenance" again- love it.

PANDORA STATIONS

Rich Mullins Radio

The Weepies Radio

Nickel Creek Radio

Flowy Alt-Pop (based on the We Are Scientists song After Hours from the Nick & Nora’s  Infinite Playlist soundtrack)

Death Cab for Cutie Radio

TECHNOLOGIES

Iphone

If you don't think this is the best tech tool you've ever had it means you don't have one yet.  It is the tech hub of my schedule, networks, and critical information.  It "saved" me many times this year.

Garmin 305

Became my go-to gadget for training.  Like most gadgets, you just have to take the time to know how to make it work for you.

Evernote

I love organizational tools- this one is awesome- once again- if you know how to use it.

 PLACES

Carlton Landing

I was against this place when I first heard of it- now I feel so honored to help build it.  It will be the most special place in Oklahoma- at least for the people who spend time there.  It will be a place of vision, healing, connection, and community.

The Grove Park Inn and Asheville

Has become our "Lost Valley Ranch" of the east- the place that feels like home.  I could spend lots of time in Asheville given the time and mulah.

Low Country South Carolina

Has our favorite food, architecture, culture, and now many of our favorite people (Breens and Cockrams).

Lake Arcadia- Edmond

Discovered mountain-biking this year with Jake.  Also discovered trail running so this has become a special place.

China

 Finally- and it didn't disappoint.  Now I get it.

Year of Africa and Pacific Northwest to come?

 Will it be 2010 for Africa?  Which country?  Countries?  And what about the Pac Northwest esp Portland?  I'm connected at the heart to the Watsons, so it's inevitable that wherever they are will be a special place for me.

SONGS

This year I wasn't drawn to that touch-feely indie-folky emo crap (which I love:)), it was the year of the anthem- what Stacy calls "ooo-shaka" songs

I Run to You  Lady Antebellum

Fans  Kings of Leon

I Gotta Feeling  The Black Eyed Peas

I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight  U2

I Want to Know You  Phillip Rice

How He Loves David Crowder

Viva La Vida  Coldplay

Revelation Song  Kari Jobe

Breathe on Me Todd Fields

Favorite of the year, right up there with some of Charlie Hall's songs as an all-time favorite that says a lot about what I want to be about.  Forever, you are the God of my story, write every line for your glory, breathe on me

Magnificent (fb, maybe fc now- forgot to post)

Lifelong dream fulfilled Sunday night- a couple of them actually/maybe?

Dream 1:  See U2 live
Dream 2:  OU Stadium filled with a nameless faceless church celebrating Jesus and his kingdom

I haven't fully processed this stuff (imagine that), but my heart is excited by these thoughts:

The theme Sunday night was, "hey Church, be the church!"  It began with a call to worship- about five songs, with comments from the worship leader, all about the greatness of God.  It then entered into a time of acknowledging how hard this life is, how much we need grace, need each other, need to be encouraged.  It ended with a challenge to take love to one another and to the world (John 17).  Everything in a spirit of grace, humility, and courage.  And in a spirit of rock n' roll- which is *** awesome.

It was what celebration should be- almost a "once in a decade" type gathering of the church in a region- extravagant, over the top, loud, excellent, intentional, inclusive, and...beer.

Many times over the past nine years I've walked the campus praying for revival in our state, in Norman, and pictured as if it were happening NOW, this gathering- I just never had a clue as to how it could happen without some evangelical organization and its leaders hyping it, organizing it, telling everyone in advance what was "supposed" to happen, owning it, controlling it, screwing it up.  Something miraculous would have to happen to unify this diverse group- to make it a diverse group.

A miracle has occurred in our lifetime.  Bono and his little band have managed to avoid being identified with American Evangelicalism.  Because of that fact, this ordinary dude from Dublin has the authority to point Presidents, Premiers, Prime Ministers, and Kings toward the Kingdom- with fierce boldness.  He also has the mojo to gather people in stadiums- by the tens of thousands.

Where is the racial diversity?  I wonder if God is doing with Tyler Perry what he has done with Bono?  Who are the other unifiers?  How powerful are the arts for connecting with the heart and uniting?

OK- how do I know it was "the church" gathered.  I don't.  My bible tells me that's not my problem to solve- I'm not the "sorter" as much as my nature wants to be.  I don't know the story of the dude in front of me pounding brew two fists at a time- I know this.  When Bono led Amazing Grace he got it.  Did he walk with Jesus as a child and something was reawakened.  Is he a leader in his church and he never realized that church is a lifestyle that can be lived at U2 concerts?  Is he a broken man who didn't realize that there is hope and that hope has a name?

Still processing...

Foo Fighters on ACL (fb)

I’m moved, “mildly fascinated,” “that was freakin’ awesome!,” wanting more after watching the Foo Fighters for the last hour.  Austin City Limits is “pretty much my favorite TV show ever.”  It’s as close to seeing a live show as you can get.  Everyone respects ACL- you don’t want to screw up or be an ass on it- you bring your best.  Lyle Lovett is always amazing, I thought Joss Stone was unreal- but what I just saw may be at the very top for me. 

Dave Grohl was the drummer for Nirvana from 1990 until 1994 when lead singer/songwriter Kurt Cobain died and so did Nirvana.  Grohl was the drummer for the hottest rock band in the world in 1994.  I’m sure he thought, “this is as good as it will ever get.”  He played guitar and wrote songs to pass the time while Nirvana toured.  He never showed anyone his songs because he was touring with genius songwriter Cobain. 

In 1995, when Nirvana was done, Grohl could have played drums for any band he wanted.  Instead he overcame insecurity and fear, found some faith, and emerged as a leader, lead singer, song writer- guitar player.  He started working on his songs and formed a band called the Foo Fighters.  Since then they have won six Grammy awards, including four “best rock album” awards. 

On ACL Grohl absolutely took control of his band and the audience and he led with passion, heart, humility.  He led like someone who isn’t afraid.  He made the audience a part of the show.  He played his guitar like a drummer who loves melody- percussive but with these beautiful melodies.   The arrangements were creative but not indulgent- just lots of “wow”- attention to detail, dynamics.   My guess is that these guys rehearse more and just worker harder than the other guys.  My guess is that Dave Grohl is actually just getting started and he believes his best work is always in the future.   That kind of thing inspires me.