HOW BAD DOES TODD WANT THIS BOOK?

I've been trying to post this for two days...apparently the boys in Leeland have some sort of connection at blogger central and the powers that be don't want me taking on Christian music's brand new heroes.
If you happen to catch what was the start of the last Leeland post, I'll briefly state it again. I really like this record. There's some good creative stuff, some straight up rock songs, a lot of good worship material and some major hooks.
However, I've got problems with the AC radio release, "Yes, You Have." Here are the lyrics.

Verse 1
Ev'ry tree and ev'ry stone / Ev'ry rushing wind that moans
They sing Your praise / My God, they sing Your praise
Ev'ry star and open sky tell of Your glory divine
They shout Your praise/ /They shout Your praise, yeah
Chorus
You've stolen my heart/Yes, You have / You've stolen my heart/Yes, You have
You've wiped away the stains and broke away the chains / Yes, You have
Verse 2

With Your love You set me free / Three nails gave me liberty
So I'll sing Your praise / My God, I'll sing Your praise

Oh, with Your love You forgave my sin forgot my past and brought me back again
So I'll sing Your praise / I'll sing Your praise, yeah
Bridge

If I ascend into the sky or hide behind the night I cannot run
Your love is chasing me if I fall into the sea, Your hand will rescue me
No one will take Your place
Because this is all for You / Yes, this is all for You
You're the King of the world / You're the King of the world

Here's the deal - this is a great song written around a great theme: That God is a redeemer. That He destroys chains and sets us free! Something that I love singing about.
But tell me this - why would a song about God's redemption start out with a verse about rocks and trees and stars and sky? What does the first verse have to do with the chorus or second verse? I think we're seeing the Christian music industry at its ugliest here - the song's got a good melody and it's very cool, so we let it slide with a first verse that is horrible.

I also don't know that this sort of I-can't-run-from-God in the bridge thing really supports the redemption theme of the song. The bridge tries to stay true to itself by acknowledging God as "King of the world," which does support the can't-hide idea, but still does nothing to speak of God's redemption.

Listen, I'm not trying to be a songwriting jerk here, but as a writer and a worship leader, this song hacks me off. Guys like me are starving for great songs and it's extremely frustrating when you find a tune that is 50% amazing and half-lousy. I'm ashamed to say that I've written tons of songs like this and it's equally frustrating to find out my own stuff is need of major repair. But maybe in thinking this way, I can become better at this elusive thing called songwriting.

Maybe it doesn't matter - maybe it's okay for my people to sing about nature in the first verse - as long as they're focused on God.
What do you think? I'd love to know if you all find this song as unlinear as I do. I would ask, however, that you make sure your responses are led by reason and not by the fact that you are Leeland fan. They're a great band and it's a fantastic record, but this song has too many wasted opportunities.

Okay...let's talk it out, gang!

BATTLE

As far as straight-up songwriting skill goes, who wins? Rob Thomas or John Mayer...be sure and give us a reason for your vote!

Zack Kim - Super Mario Theme (WWW.ZACKKIM.COM)

Thinking of replacing Jinx with this guy...what do you think?

Edited for public viewing.

The modeling career should start any day now.

Ah...his father's son!

Smiling that close to a snake - definitely didn't get that from Dad.

Confession, Part 2

Okay, this is gonna' take some explaining. A couple of weeks ago, I followed a link on Brett and Emily Mills website to Neil McClendon's podcast. (From his church.)

And I loved it. It was a different side of Neil, and maybe that's why I dug it so much.
Neil didn't spend a lot of time on this issue, but he briefly talked about denial, which did something to me. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the fact that I don't deny myself very often. Whether it's what I eat, how I spend my free time, songs I want to play at church... I don't deny myself. That, in turn, led me to a little experiment. Lately, I've been looking for ways to deny myself the things I want (or want to do.) I think it's changing me for the better, but I'm not totally sure that I won't snap eventually and go out in a blazing glory of selfish pleasure.

Maybe some of my seminary pals can help me, but I keep wondering what Jesus meant when He told us to deny ourselves and take up the cross. Was he just talking about denying ourselves our desire to sin or was there something else? Do we get more Christ-like by denying ourselves simple, sinless things?

What do you think?

Confession, Part 1

John Mayer's new record is pretty good, folks...

I heard this today...

"My calling for this church and for Jesus is a beautiful yard."

rather serious:::

Okay, gang...

What's your worst ministry fear? What's the thing you dread the most in your place of service?

HOW CAN I GO ON?

First of all, let me thank everyone for their contributions to the Derek Webb discussion. All joking aside, I think it's important for people who like each other to talk about art and music and religion in a setting that's safe. I don't know that my opinion has changed about Derek's music, but that's okay. There's plenty music for everybody.

However, this Derek Webb discussion has highlighted another aspect of my own personality/existence that I am finding increasingly disturbing.

I don't like coffee.
I'm ashamed of myself. I've tried, guys, and - well, it disgusts me.
Here's the problem - if I don't like Derek Webb and I don't like coffee, can I . . . I mean, is there any way for me to . . .

How can I be a cool minister in the millenium if I don't like Derek Webb or coffee?
Can someone out there give me an answer? Is there anything I can do to prove to people that I'm authentic, that I'm all about community, that I love asking questions and joining others on the journey to true, authentic, communal, (insert cool modern-day Christian trait here) life?

Help me.

SORRY GUYS

So I went and took advantage of Derek's free album download. (It's an amazing idea.)
I listend to Mockingbird.
I'm sorry.
I just don't get it.
I'm confused as a musician, a songwriter, and a Christ follower.

I'm all about songs asking questions and making us think deeper, but shouldn't they lead us to some sort of truth? For me, Derek's stuff just doesn't do it.

What exactly are Derek Webb's songs are supposed to do to us....

Jonah bought a 4-pack of G.I. Joe figures Friday night.
Naturally, we had to play with them as soon as we came home.
I've never had so much fun in my life.

Why do we feel the need to explain ourselves when we drop a call?

I'm talking to somebody on their cell phone and we get disconnected and they immediately call back and give me their explanation...

"Sorry, man. My battery is almost dead."

"I'm driving through Diboll and there's, like, no coverage here."

"My phone is messing up, man."

Here's the thing - I'm familiar with cellphones, okay? I don't need you to tell me why it happened.

In fact, why not tell a lie? Why not make it something good so that I'm pleasantly surprised when you call back.

"Sorry, man...I had just knocked off a liquor store and needed to focus on my driving. Cops, you know?"

"My bad, Todd. I had to rob this wino."

Make it something cool!

Can anybody tell me why this game was called DONKEY Kong? Was there a donkey that I didn't know about?

Got this email from Jinkins...

Please allow me to make a silly request. Could you spell it "Jinx" instead of "Jinks"? It means a lot to me....and to others, I'm sure.

I think car horns should have degrees...

You know when you're behind somebody at a light and they don't notice it's green? Most of us give them a friendly litte tap on the horn to say . . . Pardon me, friend - it's time to move on.

But when the roles are reversed and I'm first in line and somebody taps their horn at me, I get FURIOUS. ("I'm going, for crying out loud!")

I think every car should have a horn with three settings.

#1. Friendly beep beep to remind someone to move along. (Excuse me, brother...)
#2. Lengthy honk for warn the other person of danger. (Oh no, I'm gonna' hit you...)
#3. Jet-engine/ACDC concert combo for moments of pure rage. (I HOPE YOU DIE...)

Check this out: all the jerks who read this post are gonna' comment with something like this -
I DON'T GIVE FRIENDLY HONKS
THEY BETTER NOT BE IN MY WAY
PEOPLE IN LUFKIN DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE
I GET MAD AND I HONK, MAN.

Oh, they won't say it now, because I called them on it. But they wanted to.

"Todd forgot to link us, Chet. He just...totally forgot."

"Honey, honey...he did a whole new template. These things take time. I'm sure he'll get to it. For now, take solace in these hands of mine which happen to have enormous fingers."