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Saturday, April 15, 2006

Knockdown Society

Last night, a buddy called me and said "hey Justin, you remember when you told me to tell you when Jimbo is playing in town?"
I said "Yes."
My buddy said, "He's playing tonight at Newby's."
I was like, "dude, I'm there."

What sucked about it was that I had gotten my wires crossed on another social engagement I thought was supposed to be the next day but it was that same night. I felt bad but I ended up going to see Jimbo, the venue was closer and it was music I really wanted to hear.

If you wonder who Jimbo Mathus is, he started a band many some years ago called "The Squirrel Nut Zippers," they are no longer together but they were amazing, so I have been wondering what his stuff was like now.
Jimbo has switched from the 20's and 30's style throwback swing to blues, which makes sense, because he moved to Clarksdale Mississippi (think Delta Blues). I couldn't stay the whole night, I had forgotten my earplugs so my ears were ringing and he didn't start twill 12:30 or 1:00 in the morning. The part of the show I saw kicked... well you know that part of the body that gets kicked when things are awesome.

So I walked away from the night in awe that I had met Jimbo Mathus.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

GI Jesus


I try not to often judge the military. For you to really understand my point on this take into account that I am a democrat and oppose voted the non-military direction in the last presidential election (does everyone understand my aloofness?) The reason I try to keep from making moral and ethical decisions on how and to what length a governement can defend iteself is because I don't think Jesus made that distinction with the military. I pull that from his interaction with the Roman centurian, I once heard a military chaplin say that Jesus redily helped a man who was an officer of a millitary that was occupying another country. Jesus' goal was not to comment on the for or against of the military in that instance.

THE PRIOR STATEMENT WAS NOT MY POINT JUST A PATH I HAD TO TAKE TO GET TO MY POINT. So for eveyrone who is on either side of why I am wrong just relax for a minute, I really want to talk about millitary chaplency.

I don't understand the millitary I don't have the stomach or the will to do the things enlisted and officers have to do, but that doesn't mean there isn't work that needs to be done there. On a very small level I might have an iota of understanding what a soldier goes through here or abroad, and those aren't situations I feel like I can minister to.

My friend Josh got swore in today as an officer in the Air Force, planning on going into service as a chaplin. I got to watch him take his oath. I was proud to be there, because I know Josh and understand that he is walking into a different world and am proud of him and all the men who choose to try and be instruments of calm in chaos. Something that always gets me about military chaplins is that they don't carry guns, yet they aren't affraid to step onto the battle field. God Bless and God speed.

Take into account all ye nay sayers before you respond about my either too conservative or libral view on the millitary, I am talking about chaplins, and I would take issue with anyone who has a problem with military chaplency.

Monday, April 10, 2006

The dead shall rise


Easter is a wonderful time. The flowers are blossoming the grass is turning green, even Jesus is rising from the dead. My faith tradition has never been that big into Easter, and with their anabaptist roots I understand why, but I am a big fan of Easter. To me it resembles hope, and it is set in the season of rebirth.

The most wonderful thing about this season, other than Jesus I mean come he is just a given, the reeses peanut butter egg. The funny thing is that the reeses peanut butter egg is better than normal reeses cups. I don't know how that works but it is fact, just like the three main facts about ninja's. So good tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy, and have an egg, and if you want to send me an Easter gift that isn't money, reeses peanut butter eggs.