Everyday Encounter...
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Ever have one of those moments where you start listening to a song and you kind of recognise the voice but it just doesn't quite fit with the music you're hearing?
My friend Sarah introduced me to the Arctic Monkeys way back when she got their first album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" before they properly made it big. And then I kept up with them into the second album, but after that they drifted off my radar. Coming back into listening in 2022 with "The Car" I realised I'd missed a lot. There was a whole musical journey that had gone on in the four albums in between! The voice was the same, but the rest of it left me thinking that I ain't quite where I think I am!
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Anti-heroes are complicated and misunderstood... And I find them fascinating!
Are they heroes? Don't they kind of look a lot like the villain? Do the ends really justify the means? A while ago I did a podcast with a friend of mine thinking about the "Black Adam" film and theology, and I talked a bit about anti-heroes there. But what about me? Here's something you probably need to hear: In case nobody told you today: You're special In case nobody made you believe: You're special Well, I will always love you the same: You're special I'm so glad that you're still with us, Broken, but damn, you're still perfect Nothing I need to add. There’s a house that I regularly drive past that has John 3:3 on a big sign on the wall at the end of their drive. There’s a box next to it offering free bibles. The heart is there, but I would need to sit opposite and see what effect it actually has as an evangelistic endeavour. That said, it had an impact on me.
The verse is in the context of the story of Nicodemus, a religious man who is willing to ask questions of Jesus. He does it quietly and discerningly in the night, and Jesus invests the time in hearing what he’s saying, hearing what he perhaps isn’t saying, and helping him re-frame what is being asked. Nicodemus wants to know about the Kingdom of God. And here are a couple of key verses that Jesus comes back at him with, including the verse on the wall… Another quick one... I'm tempted to turn it into a quiz: Lewis Capaldi or King Solomon? Love Song or Ecclesiastes? Pointless or Meaningless? Here's an idea: Have a listen to this song, then read Ecclesiastes.
I've set out to start with music rather than themes, but sometimes there are patterns in the things we hear and observe. Sometimes because we're predictable in what we listen to, and sometimes it's because we're more aware of what we need to be aware of.... The more you think about yellow cars, the more you see!
This is another song about what's going on around us, and not being able to avoid it. We shouldn't try and avoid it all. This song is a little different though. Doddie Weir was retiring from Rugby when I started paying an interest in it. He's been more on my radar since he retired and since his MND diagnosis than he was before.
The tune of "Doddie's Dream" apparently was written without him in mind, but thinking about hope in 2020, and that we all needed a little hope. Doddie was someone who was bringing people hope through his charity and so it was later given his name. "You're always trying to see yourself through the eyes of someone else" There's a degree of pressure on us when we do that.
To “hold a mirror up to" is a phrase meaning “to take a look at oneself objectively to examine or reflect on things (issues) stemming from the reality of reflection; to reveal to someone about the way they look (differently) to the rest of the world (so that they can reflect upon themselves); expose, show up, bring to light (some (unpleasant) aspects to oneself)”. Community done badly holds up images of the ideal alongside the mirror and tells us all the ways we don't measure up. This one is about forgiveness. Watch this long, uncomfortable and difficult TED talk, and then have a listen to the song. Sometimes songs just get an "AMEN!" This is one of those. And I think it speaks for itself as a song... I'm not sure what I can add! Anyone else feel it? |
Every-Day EncounterIf you'd rather listen and come to your own conclusions about the eclectic mix of songs I worked through in Lent 2023, here's the Spotify Playlist! Archives
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