Shuffle Playlist

/ Jason Morris / 2 Comments

So, I continually get these notes via facebook about favorite songs, top albums, and music that changed ones life. I have yet to compile a list of any of these. The ones that I really like are those that tell you to put your iPod/mp3 player on shuffle and list the next 25 songs that play. I prefer this because it takes much less thought. It reveals what a person really listens to, rather than what they would put on a list of their top albums or songs of all-time (because, let’s face it…we’ll all try to impress one another by seeing who can list the most obscure tracks and albums). Anyway, I decided to set my iTunes on shuffle and started writing down the next 25 songs that played. I’m not claiming that any of these are my favorite songs of all time. But, they are on my iTunes playlist…so I must have at least liked them enough to download/sync them onto iTunes. Here’s the list:

  1. Orbits – Medeski, Martin, and Wood
  2. Get to the Table On Time – M. Ward
  3. Mansioned – Chin Up Chin Up
  4. Kamera – Wilco
  5. High and Dry – Radiohead
  6. As the Sea Holds Creatures Vast and True – Tommy Guerrero
  7. Better Together – Jack Johnson
  8. Sierra Leon – The Derek Trucks Band
  9. My Flying Saucer – Billy Bragg & Wilco
  10. Home – The Redwalls
  11. I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
  12. Someday the Waves – Iron & Wine
  13. Gagging Order – Radiohead
  14. Bandits – Billy Cobham
  15. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 – The Flaming Lips
  16. Minor Threat – Minor Threat
  17. Pass the Mic – Beastie Boys
  18. Bend to the Road – Calexico
  19. Tea & Cake – The Sea & Cake
  20. Seglopur – Sigur Ros
  21. Maybe I’m Right – Pete Yorn
  22. Break The Same – Mute Math
  23. Screw the Law – Black Flag
  24. Wholly Yours – The David Crowder Band
  25. The Scientist – Coldplay

Wisdom from Prevention

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One of the numerous magazines Emily receives at home is Prevention. Sometimes when I am overcome by boredom, I will thumb through the pages of this magazine. Today I found a short article that just might have some helpful information. 

The article is called “Hot Secret for Instant Bonding.” Sounds kind of racy, doesn’t it? Well, here is what it says:

“Want to feel closer to a loved one? Just hand her a hot drink: Clutching a steaming beverage – whether coffee, cocoa, or tea – can elicit a flood of positive feelings, according to a Yale University study. This may be because people associate physical warmth with emotional warmth, say the researchers. Study subjects held cups of either hot or iced coffee; those gripping warm mugs were more appreciative of friendliness in others – and also felt more generous and trusting themselves.”

Given the results of this study, I’m beginning to think that it would be beneficial to use this information when preparing for meetings. When I know that we might be dealing with difficult subject matter, I should make sure that everyone has a warm beverage. Maybe even cranking the heat up a degree would be helpful???

 So, if you have to have a stressful discussion with a friend, family member, or co-worker, be sure to bring them a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa!

What’s Your Problem?

/ Jason Morris / Leave a comment

As I’ve been preparing for this Sunday’s teaching, I have continually been coming back to Philippians 2:14-15. These verses say, “In every thing you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.”

These are powerful words that have a lot to say to us. I will explore these words in greater detail on Sunday morning. I’m wondering what thoughts come to your mind when you hear these words???

For me, I’ve come to find that too often the things we complain and argue about are often the small things. We let our minor differences create major problems. Rather than humble ourselves and realize that we’re majoring on the minors, we take minor things and blow them up. These small things end up causing division, quarrels, controversies, and an unhealthy environment. For an example, I know a person who left his church because of a fight about the color of paint used in a Sunday school room. And, when he shared this with me, I think he thought I was going to tell him he was right!

What do you complain and argue about? Why?

Cast Your Vote…

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Now, I’m not promising to go with the results…However, I truly would like your input.

This Sunday, I’ll be following up our message on seeking out God’s healing. There are a couple of directions I’m thinking about heading.

One is to talk about how as healed and forgiven followers of Christ, we are not supposed to let the triumphs of the wicked weigh us down. Instead, we are called on to do the good that God has called us to…without grumbling and complaining. I’m thinking a good sermon title would be “No Whiners.”

The second path is to talk about how as healed and forgiven followers of Christ, we are called to pursue unity, peace, humility, love, and compassion. We are called to focus on doing good and avoiding evil. And, we are called to always be prepared to give an answer for why we have hope. A potential title for the message is “Unity…Peace…Compassion…Humility…Love…Are You Kidding Me?”

So, what do you think? “No Whiners” or “Are You Kidding Me?” What do you think we need to wrestle with?

In order to find out the direction I go, you will have to join us for worship at Center Chapel on Sunday morning (or simply check out the website and watch the video).

Healing…

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This is a small taste of my soap-box rant from this mornings message:

We’re so desperate to find healing, wholeness, and positive affirmations that we’ll look anywhere for it…church, the Bible (these are good places to search)…but when we feel like those are coming up empty, we consult other religions (maybe they have the answer), we ring up our local psychic, we look to  Oprah’s book club, books, like the Secret (a NY Times Best seller), these books tell us that if we just think good things, good things will happen. The truth is, if  we want to find healing…we need to look to the Source of healing…and not fill our minds with Oprah’s trash. But, it’s not just Oprah’s book club that perverts what wholeness is all about…just visit the Christian bookstore and look at the bestsellers. You’ll find books about experiencing “Your Best Life Now” These books tell us what we want to hear. They tell us to run after the things we want because God wants you to have them. It tells you to think good, happy thoughts and good, happy things will happen. Because, after all, God wants you to have your best life now.  I don’t want to shatter this for you…but, have you read the Bible? Your best life now? Is that what this is all about? Because when I read the Scriptures…it talks about not storing up treasures in this world, but in heaven…it talks about how our best life isn’t in the now…our best life is in the world to come. Does God want us to enjoy life? Sure! But, he also told us to expect trials, temptations, persecution, suffering, pain… We’re in need of healing and wholeness and the only One capable of giving us what we need is our Heavenly Father.