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Look out your window and you see the world before you. A hard tangible world that you can touch, feel, know. You are thinking, processing and drawing conclusions. Very few people debate reality, and the ones who do, have to explain away their own conscience, the very fact that they say reality is but a dream.
All this got here one way or another. Random chance? Or maybe this moving process of the universe from the beginning to now, evolution or whatever…maybe it is intelligent…maybe we can call it God. I have a higher intelligence than a bear, a fish or even a dolphin, and so it’s not hard to imagine an intelligence higher than me. I understand the difference between 2 and 3 dimensions, the ape does not. Therefore, I can easily believe in a Creator that understands the 8th, 9th, 80th dimension.
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Turn on your TV, open your newspaper, and you see brokenness, hurt, pain, destruction. Maybe by giving us free choice, God had to allow the wrong choice. People are murdering others as I speak. Suicide bombers exploding, people chanting their hate of another people, someone is being tortured by having their nails ripped off with pliers, a little girl in Uganda is raising her brothers and sisters because both her parents and all of her grandparents are dead from aids, someone’s sister just got raped by someone she thought she trusted, someone’s sweet grandmother was robbed of everything she owned, and on and on and on. Where is God in all of this? Who is going to see to it that the thieves, murderers and rapers get punished?
Maybe God had a plan. Maybe He kept a delicate balance of free choice, while at the very same time invading the natural world to fix everything. Maybe He gritted His teeth and did what He knew had to be done. Maybe He came into the human race so that He could grow up and show us that it could be done. We can love everyone while holding on to truth, making a living and being humble. We can hang out with the dirtiest, the most hate filled, the murderous without becoming one of them.
‘God, you don’t understand, this hurts” you say. ‘Yes…I do’ He says back. ‘God, I’ve been humiliated by everyone, I’ve been beaten, people hate me…you just don’t understand.” From Jesus Christ’s bloody face he manages to say ‘Yes, I do.” as He, being the Son of the Creator stepped down from the highest place to not only walk on our territory, but experience the worst kind of rejection and hatred our humans have to offer. ‘Why are you doing this, Son of God?’ you ask. And He says back “I make all things new. I love you and want you back”
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I’ve gotten to the point where I really don’t like Christmas anymore. I hate the cold short days and driving on ice and snow pack. I hate all the red and green things they sell everywhere. I’m sick of all the old classic Christmas songs. I’m not a kid anymore and so the allure of getting and opening gifts has gone, especially when I open obligatory presents that are things I neither need nor want. What is Christmas and why do we have do go through it every year?
I find when I get into that mindset, I need to screw up my thinking, shake it all up and look at this all way different. Cleanse my mind of Santa, Christmas trees, stockings, colored lights, reindeer, jingle bells and start out with a blank slate.
As a Christian I celebrate Christmas for the birth of a Jew 2000 years ago that I believe was God incarnate coming to live His life and reconcile this whole mess. So what the heck does a tree, Christmas carols (like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer), elves, wrapping paper, bows, cookies and eggnog have to do with this? I need, I MUST think about what the birth of Christ was, what it means to me and every person who lived and will live. Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, was born as prophesied as the most important step in God’s plan to redeem us. We all, given free choice chose wrong and now He’s mid plan in fixing that.
No one knows how much of humanity, this world, or time itself is left. But when I get my head right about this, it’s an exciting time. It’s time time to party because the King’s plan is motion and we’re all a part of this story. Hope this in some way helped you to get the right mindset too.
GRAND JUNCTION, CO – Local resident Josh Anderson gives up a recent hobby of writing citing The Onion as his reason for quitting. “The thought of quitting came one day when I had a funny idea to write on. I was going to write a story called “Area Man Gives Up on Life: Cites Government Spies”, and then I realized, The Onion has probably already written the story somewhere,” he said. When asked whether is fears where founded on any hard evidence Anderson said, “No, I never really saw the article or really anything in The Onion resembling anything I’ve ever written…I just figured they probably already did it.” Anderson, will give up imme
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I have some uncanny knowledge about terrestrials and their older wiser relatives, extraterrestrials. I have speculated the writings of many people who have seen UFOs, “aliens”, bigfoots, lockness monsters, boogy men, ghosts, vampires, mummies, frankensteins, greys, reptillians, excedrin. You may remember me begging them to lay eggs in my head. Well, it has finally happened, I was abducted.
It all began one day when I hit my head extremely hard. Although it hurt really bad I was good to go. Some kid saw some blood on me though and called an ambulance. I’m not sure if the kid was real. I do know that the “paramedics” (more like “paranormals”) were not human because they were so calm and efficient. Humans would have been panicking. The ambulance, which was more likely a “Q34 Morrayzip” or space-car, took me to their mothership. They rammed probes into my arms. The even put a probe in my [CENSORED].
Days and nights on their ship were all a blur to me because they euthanized me. They did countless tests on me and may even have taken a kidney. Once they gave me the cliche anal probe. The aliens didn’t speak English, rather they spoke directly to my occipital lobes which my mind translated to American.
There was one guy, looking remarkably human, who was like the main guy (like a main character in a movie). He told me there was a fracture in my spine (yeah right, so I wouldn’t wonder about the pain caused by the chip they implanted in my neck!) He said they would retain me and observe me.
Many days passed full of these “tests” and “observations”. One day, having had enough of this, I sprinted for the door. I went all over that mothership and could not find a way out! I did however see they had taken a BUNCH of other humans…hundreds.
Finally one day it was time for them to harvest my organs and then drop me in a farmer’s field with cows they had taken organs from (Remember, you must drink Organic milk and eat ORGANIC beef! The other stuff has had its organs stolen!!! Same with organic cheese and butter)
They wheeled me into a strange cold room on a rolling bed-like gurney. One of them must have punched me in the face, because I was knocked out for the entire procedure (also, I had a fat lip when I woke up)…don’t know what I did to piss him off.
When I woke up, they released me in a parking garage somewhere. When I got home I examined myself closely starting with my toes. I saw blood dots on my feet where their sharp fangs must have sucked my blood. There were more on my stomach and arms. When I got to my neck, a chill ran down my spine. There was an apparatus around my whole neck!! I took it off to see a bandage covering something. I ripped the bandage off to see stitches across a 2 or three inch slit!!! OMG I thought. They harvested something out of my neck!!! My mind raced to think of what they took!! My trachea? My esophagus? No….they took my voice box!!!!! I tried to talk and my voice sounded…normal…weird, somehow I can talk without it. I’m not sure why they put this thing on my neck, but I put it back on for fear that the incision will burst and expose my esophagus and trachea to open air which will cause them to dry out and shrivel up.
OK, well, that’s what happened to me. It’s unbelievable, I know – I was there. I plan on writing a book about it called Communion II:Revenge of the Greys. Look for it wherever great books are sold. And I will sign it too.
Inspiration flickers to life as a tiny candle flame against the seemingly unconquerable coldness of dark winter; inspiration in me that has been smothered beneath energy draining nerve pain in my arms and hands. I never realized how much your productivity hinges on your physical health until this fall and winter. But once I begin feeling the effects of pain killing narcotics, once I am comfortable without being drowsy, it only takes the right kind of music to restart the creative juices.
Then again, its not long before the song is over or my medication wears off and like the slightest breeze, circumstances extinguish them flame.
Tom, Mike and Yuri seemed to have packed up their punch and settled down for family life on their last release “Before Everything and After” Then they went home and listened to “Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo” and decided they haven’t used up all their MxPx brand extra loud punk rock just yet. Evidence of the return of a more aggressive sound is found on songs like Cold Streets, The Story and Get Me Out. Don’t think this is one of those “We better redo an old favorite album to stay popular” though. Panic is an all new offering with new experimentation heard in Cold Streets and Late again when they infuse some good old string bending rock and roll.
If you love the typical singable melodies MxPx has mastered, never fear, this album has melody as well. One such song is Wrecking Hotel Rooms which features guest Mark Hoppus of Blink 182. Another is Kicking and Screaming which will stick in your head all day.
It may have seemed like MxPx was taming on their last record, but Panic proves MxPx is still packing a pop punk punch!
-Josh Anderson
Long time fans know where MxPx came from and will tell you this album is different. MxPx has always been melodic punk rawk (or at least since Life in General) but they have taken on “Pop Punk” full on with The Ever Passing Moment and now more than ever on Before Everything and After. If you like memorable songs with catchy melodies that are easy to sing along to, then you’ll love the new direction they have taken on this disc. The cleanness of production and simple song structures allow Mike Herrera’s voice to be showcased which is making his signature sound more evident and likeable (notably on Well Adjusted)
The CD is kicked off with Play it Loud, an anthem about them holding their own in the punk scene that features a guest appearance by the chick band The Halo Friendlies. Well Adjusted is song that sticks in your head and will most likely be featured on future “Best of” albums because it so genuinely MxPx. Other highlights on the disc include Everything Sucks (When You’re Gone) which is something we can all relate to at one time or another, and You Make Me Me which is their shout out to God whom they declare makes them everything they are.
If you love the thrash punk days of Pokinatcha and Teenage Politics you might want to hold out for their next CD.
-Josh Anderson
Out of the ashes of former bands, SMA, God’s House and Kerusso rises Five Face Down. On this, their first full length release Five Face Down display their experience gained in former pursuits as musicians. The CD was recorded in drummer Kevin Decker’s own studio Paradice Studios but could have been recorded at Island Records for all we know. The production is clean and tight revealing the guitar work of Jared Johnson and Alex Case along with the veteran timing of Decker himself. Usually bass can easily be overlooked and recorded “muddy” but we hear the aggressive bass licks of Anthony Cooper crystal clear. Evidently influenced by U2’s bono, we hear lead singer Troy Behren’s passion as a singer on tracks like “Face Down” and “If”. Lyrically the songs dig into the member’s faith and attempt to encourage as well as state their position as Christians. The disc has an underlining heavy edge with aggressive guitar licks, distortion pedal tricks and a few studio tricks thrown in for good measure. Stand out tracks are “Leave it all Behind” and “If”. Support the local scene and pick up their self titled disc at www.fivefacedown.com.
Starflyer 59 has a unique ability to stay genuinely Starflyer yet release a new album almost every year that is entirely new and explores new territory. My Island is more radio friendly like a lot of SF59 after The Fashion Focus and doesn’t have any of the smooth lounge-esque tracks like “Old” from the album Old. The songs are brighter than a lot of the “shoe gazing” material that Jason Martin and Co. are known for. Fans of Fran Ferdinand and Modest Mouse my take notice with such songs as Nice Guy and It’s Alright Blondie. With excellent composition, this latest from SF59 will be playing in your head even when you’re away from the CD.
24 Sep 2007
The Proverbs of Josh
Observations
The more you want something, the further it runs, the less attainable
Rainy days can extinguish hope, or make me contemplative
People admire strong character and stability, but they desire adventure and impulsiveness
It is good to be nice, but people would rather the approval of the rude
Possibilities are not possibilities at all unless acted upon; only one opportunity can be acted uopn at a time
Seeking wisdom has its rewards, but jealousy of the unwise is slow to leave
The Lord hates arrogance and equally do I, it’s even more disgusting when I find it in me
Melancholy is bittersweet
Strength and wisdom are admirable, but instant gratification is more desirable
Contemplation and introspection have gotten me nowhere
Passion is a difficult fire to light, even more difficult to spread
Leaders are few because great is their responsibility and lonely is their plight
Though my morality is for the Lord, the approval of people I seek
Though people care little and infrequent, I seek their approval over the Lord
The key to fulfilment is the application of talents and gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father
The perception of time shrinks as you get older
An attrocity will be remembered for a lifetime, a miracle for a day
Everyone thinks their situation is unique, everyone wants to be heard
New technology is 10 percent innovation and 90% persuasion of necesssity
You may not desire to be punctual, but everyone waiting on you wishes you to desire to be
When people leave my life I am sad for a time and then learn to live without them, but I have found they are never replaced and always welcome back
Many points are made in an argument, one conclusion made in each of the partcipants mind, and only one truth
In the end truth needs not persuasion, only revelation
Purity has little earthly reward and the days of the impatient are filled with instant gratification
Envy of the wicked comes easily, envy of the pure comes in hindsight
Quiet waiting and decernment can be confused with weak passivity
It is the man’s job to pursue the lady, her job to leave a trail
A girl’s “no” looks a lot like her “hard to get”
Rejection is like a bitter drink, a blowing out of a candel in a man’s soul
Hope is a choice to be made in the face of impending struggle
To grow up is to face struggle, to embrace the mundane
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, rain comes down on the righteous and unrighteous alike
How quickly money passes through hands that have not earned it.
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