More doxology (theology and action together)

I am musically challenged. So much of me wants to learn how to play an instrument, but alas, I can only beat box and whistle. Learning an instrument is still on my life's list.

Despite my apparent inability to read music, change key, or control my pitch (but I have some mean vibrato), I love to listen to the music. And I love to stop and just listen to people sing the words.

As a tangent, I seem to follow a hymn or praise song's flow of thought better when it is written in prose format rather than with the musical staff. Probably speaks towards how my brain functions logically and analytically instead of musically.

I wanted to share the first and fourth verses of a song we sang this morning in chapel. The words were written by Horatius Bonar in 1866.

Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God, in ev'ry part with praise.
That my whole being may proclaim Thy being and Thy ways.
Not for the lip of praise alone, nor e'en the praising heart
I ask but for a life made up of praise in ev'ry part!

So shall each fear, each fret, each care be turned into a song,
And ev'ry winding of the way the echo shall prolong;
So shall no part of day or night from sacredness be free;
But all my life, in ev'ry step be fellowship with Thee.

CHORUS: Praise, all my life, all of my days. [repeat]

Related Post: From Wonder to Praise to Action

Aliens...strangers...visitors...friends

Today I took a mid-afternoon break from my studies and watched a movie called The Visitor. It has a very touching story of friendship and the transforming power of love...and how often we are the ones changed when we least expect it.

The content of the movie deals with issues of immigration and cultural diversity in our 21st century global context. It naturally has political undertones but they never take center stage. The barriers are broken down through friendship and communication; relating through common language and in this movie the music carries the beat of the story.

It is a slow, developing movie. Often what was not said narrates the plot and develops the characters. It was powerful to watch the transformation of a man, impacted by people because of unexpected circumstances. It entered into his life, his very soul and gave him new life.

And all that Jazz

I am chewing on a lot of thoughts these days but don't have too much time for spittin' 'em out. But I do have a pithy post today.

I was in a McDonald's this morning (by the way, the nicest McD's I've ever been in my whole life) and heard a good jazz song in the bathroom (also one of the cleaner McD's bathrooms I've been in too).

No profound depth, no hidden meaning, no cute spin...I think I would like to listen to jazz more often. I don't know a whole lot about it, but I think (or perhaps feel is a better word) it has something to say.

I could not find the video of Cliff Huxtable teaching Olivia jazz via Pop Goes the Weasel. The video below is Cliff, Theo, and the Blues.

From wonder to praise to action (theology to doxology to praxis)

A new semester has begun. I have enjoyed posting this summer but will probably slow down somewhat due to my course load. I hope to still post something once a week.

After sitting in the library reading for an hour an half from Berkhof's Systematic Theology, I closed the book overwhelmed with the amount of beautiful information and slightly exhausted from the the theological reflection.

I was reminded of a quote I had stashed away on a desktop sticky from J.I. Packer. I don't remember the source where I got it but I did jot that it came from A Quest for Godliness (p. 15).

If our theology does not quicken the conscience and soften the heart,
it actually hardens both;

if it does not encourage the commitment of faith,
it reinforces the detachment of unbelief;

if it fails to promote humility,
it inevitably feeds pride.

It is a beautiful journey to grow in the knowledge, fear, awe, wonder, renown, wisdom, understanding, and praise of God. He is good, wise...and so gracious! As long as it is called today, let us encourage each other so not to be hardened. How can we be when he turns the heart of stone into a living one!