Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Tom Sawyer" (Rush)

Good Tuesday to ya friend?  How was your weekend?  Plenty to do if it wasn't raining near you?  We're hear to celebrate on this third day of the week!  Yep it is Tuesday, the day that we seek!  The rhymes are intentional, I hope you don't mind.  If you decide to leave comments, please make them all kind.  It's Tuesday let's go!  The Notes are just waiting.  You just have to read, no bother, no rating.  Relax and sit back, grab your best cup of joe!  It Tuesday and time for The Notes, here we go!!!

"Tom Sawyer" from the 1981 album Moving Pictures by Rush

Many of the songs featured at Tuesday's Musical Notes are from bands with great longevity.  These artists began their careers in the late '60s and early 70's and continue to tour and make records today.   Artists like Steve Winwood (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "While You See A Chance"), Stevie Wonder (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sir Duke"),  as well as bands like Earth, Wind, and Fire (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Spinning Wheel") and Chicago (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Alive Again") have all received the Tuesday's Musical Notes treatment.  All of these acts have experienced over 40 years of making music and having hit singles.  They have been lauded with countless awards and sold millions of albums.  

Today's Notes are no exception as we feature the band Rush.  This Candadian rock band was formed in 1968.  They self produced their eponymous debut album in 1974 with original lineup of Geddy Lee (Vocals, keyboards and bass), Alex Lifeson (backing vocals and guitar), and John Rutsey (drums).  That's right.  Drummer Neal Peart did not join the band until 2 weeks prior to the inaugural US tour, due to Rutsey's lack of desire to tour and his battle with diabetes.  Rush released their 20th studio album, Clockwork Angels, in June of 2012. It joins a discography that includes 24 gold, 11 platinum, and 3 multiplatinum albums.  This body of work formed the foundation for Rush to be  inducted into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

One of the reasons for Rush's fame is the 1981 hit, "Tom Sawyer".  It was loosely inspired by the book of the same name by Mark Twain.  Upon its release as a single it only went as high as #44 on Billboard's Hot 100. It has since become a staple at Rock radio and in 2009 was named #19 on VH1's list of greatest hard rock songs.  "Tom Sawyer" would be the song that brought Rush an entire new group of fans as its mainstream appeal would put on display their incredible musicality.  Instrumental magazines continue to feature each of the band members of Rush as top players for their particular instruments.  Yep, all of that music from three guys from Canada.  

It's been 34 years since "Tom Sawyer" was released.  Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are both 61.  Neal Peart is 62.  They have spent their lives crafting their art to be exactly what they wanted it to be. Innumerable hours of rehearsal have been the prepatory playground for the skill they exhibit each time they hit the stage.   They have inspired musicians the world over with their exquisite form of Rock and continue to push the envelope as they experiment with new sounds, time signatures, and riffs that make players marvel and attempt to "catch the mystery, catch the myth". 

It has taken over 40 years for Rush to reach this pinnacle.  There would naturally be the assumption that each of them have matured significantly in various areas of their life.  The songs of Clockwork Angels are significantly different from the songs of Rush.  The maturation process is very evident in the skill of each of the band members playing and the lyrical content of the songs.  This is the way things were designed and because of the time they have invested in their creativity, they are equipped to handle this stage of success.  "...always hopeful, yet discontent, he knows changes aren't permanent..."  

Followers of Jesus should be crafting their skills in much the same way.  We need to about utilizing every day to mature in the talents, gifts and abilities with which we have been blessed.  When the time comes for us to do the good work to which we are called, we are expertly prepared to do it in the best, most God honoring way possible.  

The Bible has story after story of how God allowed heroes of the faith to "grow up" before He challenged them to the task of their lives.  Abraham and Sarah spent 25 years maturing from the time they were promised Isaac until he was born.  Noah spent from 50-75 years "gaining wisdom" to be the patriarch of the whole world while building the ark.  David spent from 10-15 years honing his leadership skills to become King over Israel.  Moses spent 40 years hanging out with sheep before God called him to shepherd the Israelites out of Egypt.  With each of these examples, you can see that the time spent is different depending on the person and the responsibility for which they will be responsible.  God knows exactly what we need to meet the challenges that we will face.  He uses our entire environment (family, friends, acquaintances, experiences) to encounter the works that He has planned for us to do.  Ephesians 2 is a great passage that details where God found us, how He is maturing us, and those things He has outlined just for us to do.  Ephesians 2 New King James Version/The Message parallel  Our challenge is to make everyday a practice session for that good work.  Bible study, prayer, fellowship with and mentoring by other Christians, as well as being a disciple and making disciples are some of the tools in the wheelhouse at our disposal to prepare us for what lies ahead.  We have to put those tools into our hands and practice...every day to reach the pinnacle of our ability in using them and to prepare to "get right on to the friction of the day". 

Friend, how have you allowed God to grow you?  What have you done to partner with Him to prepare you for the challenges and good works He has planned for you?  How have you become more like Jesus today?  What have you consistently practiced over the last, 5, 10, 20, 30, or more years that has prepared you for a moment you may face today?  Are you ready?

"Ready To Fly" the title track from the 2003 album by FFH

'Til Tuesday,

 

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Roxanne" (The Police)

Welcome to Tuesday!  It's time for your weekly visit to the land where words are accompanied by notes of all shapes and pitches.  As you enter this realm, you quickly realize that the aforementioned partnership of word and note results in a plethora of ideas.  Some of these ideas are very worthwhile, some of them are nonsensical fun, and others are deeply disturbing.  Our song of the day is one, that upon further reflection of the lyrical content, must be considered thought provoking, heart breaking and disturbing all at once.   Today's Musical Notes must come with a disclaimer.  As you might guess by today's featured song, we will be dealing with subject matter that may not be suitable for those under certain ages.  Your discretion as to who you share today's Notes is totally up to you.  We will certainly attempt to be as delicate as possible tackling a very indelicate subject as we progress today.  Strap on your seat belts...let's get started.

Many new bands have experienced the anguish when their debut single tanks.  Such was the case in 1978 when The Police released their debut single in the UK, "Roxanne" from the 1978 album Outlandos d'Amour.  Upon initial release "Roxanne", a song about the redemption of a prostitute,  would receive very little airplay and be heavily criticized by the few music reviewers who took the time to listen to it.  The Police would continue in their efforts to get their album into the mainstream and would release a second single, "Can't Stand Losing You", which was received warmly enough to justify the reissue of "Roxanne"  as a world wide release.  It would be the first single released by The Police in the US and would chart on Billboard's Hot 100 peaking at #32.  With Tuesday's Musical Notes feature song, here are The Police:

"Roxanne" from the 1978 album Outlandos d'Amour by The Police

If you read the lyrics to the #388 song on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of all times list, you quickly discover that it is a song of redemption.  "Roxanne" has found someone who loves her without condition and is willing to forgive her past lifestyle.  She is shown that there is an alternative to the lifestyle that she had been part of for most of her life.  She is also shown the fact that there is someone who is willing to fight to save her from that lifestyle.  

Sting has said that he wrote "Roxanne"  while The Police were on tour in the band's infancy and were staying where they could afford a room.  The band saw a poster for an upcoming performance of Cyrano De Bergerac and took the name from the female protagonist.  Their accommodations for the night was a hotel in the red light district of Paris.  It was an area that was notorious for promiscuity and deviancy.  It was an area not frequented by the "elite" of society.  These "elect" were quick to indite the residents of the area and their profession as being lower class.  This predilection to judge has not changed.   We have come to a point however, that we must realize that sexual sin is prevalent in every kind of "lighted" district in the world.  We have heard the stories from the White House to the pulpit of how "credible", "integrity-filled" individuals have succumbed to the temptation of sexual sin.  

The Bible is not devoid of story after story of those who have fallen to the devices of the evil one in this manner.   Sexual sin in the form of homosexuality was so rampant in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that it is one of the reasons those cities were destroyed by God.  (begin in Genesis 18 NKJV)   King David was so enamored with another man's wife that he had an adulterous affair with her and then had her husband killed in an attempt to cover up the affair.  (2 Samuel 11 NKJV)  One of David's sons, Amnon, raped one of David's daughters, Tamar.  2 Samuel 13 NKJV  Exodus 22:19 New King James Version, Leviticus 18:23 NKJV, and Deuteronomy 27:21 NKJV  are all admonitions of having "relations" with animals.  Why would there need to be a warning against this deviant act if it were not occurring?  Based on these particular incidents, one could surmise that sexual sin has been around since sin itself reared its head.

The acceptance of sexual sin into the mainstream has been slowly etching its way onto the landscape of America.  We have come from a Puritanical mindset, to the "scandal" of Ricky and Lucy Ricardo going to sleep in separate beds,  to the credence of "friends with benefits".   I am not convinced that any of these tenets are exactly what God had in mind when He told Adam and Eve to "be fruitful and multiply" in Genesis 1.

²⁶ Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”


For many, believers included, it is very difficult to separate the act from the person, or in other words, the sin from the sinner.  When did the church begin to lack compassion for those who frequent the "red light" districts or are employed by strip clubs.  How long has it been since we looked at the "practicing homosexual" as someone whom the blood of Jesus can redeem?  When will we realize and admit that adultery and pornography are sexual sins which even church members/Christians are susceptible and actively fall prey? 
 

While the Bible is replete with example after example of sexual sin, it is also filled with spectacular hope.  Jesus.  He died so that God would no longer look on us and see our sin, sexual or otherwise.  He only sees the blood of Jesus that washes us white as snow.   (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV)  Jesus lived a life without sin and provided the paradigm of how to treat those entrapped by sexual sin when He first revealed His deity to the adulterous woman at the well.  (John 4 New International Version) Jesus demonstrated forgiveness as He showed compassion on the "sinful" woman who washed His feet with her hair. (Luke 7:36-50 NKJV)   Jesus showed incredible love as He cried out to God, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:32-34 NKJV)  Christian friend, why should we do any less for those we encounter that are involved in sexual sin?  God has gloriously forgiven sin...not just your sins, but the sins that do not happen to be temptations to you right now as well.  


One word of caution.  While the Bible does reveal that God is just and willing to forgive us from our sins, 1 John 1:9, there is something we must do.  We must strive every day of our lives to put on the mind of Christ and turn away from that sin.  This is called being repentant.  Asking God to forgive you of a sin, sexual or otherwise, and then returning back to the habit, lifestyle, or practice of that sin is not repentance and does not result in forgiveness.  ( I Corinthians 6:9-20 NKJV/Holman Christian Standard Bible parallel)  But those who are truly repentant, truly sorry for their sin and daily strive to turn away from it, those are the folks whom Jesus forgives.  In their book, Experiencing God At Home, Tom and Richard Blackaby put the idea this way:  "Without repentance from sin, faith in Christ, and surrender to Christ's will, people will not experience conversion." 



So what should be our attitudes toward those trapped in sexual sin, if we are Christ followers?  Admonish the sin, love the sinner.   Never be condoning or accepting of sin, but always be accepting of the individual.  Pray for those trapped in sexual sins, that God would provide an organization or individual who can show them the way out.   We recently heard one mission effort that was comprised of a pastor's wife hanging out in the lobby of a strip club.  (Nashville Stripper Ministry Is An Answer To Pastor's Wife's Prayer - The Tennessean, May 30, 2014)   Think of tangible ways of showing God's love to your friends who are engaged in the homosexual lifestyle.  Refer them to Exodus International   XXX Church is a church that is engaged in seeing the deliverance from the trap of pornography.  Encourage those involved in adultery to seek out guidance and acceptance from a men or women's ministry.  Be a listening ear and provide Biblical information, not emotional opinions, on a person's sexual sin.  

Today's feature song could easily have been called "Rahab".  She was a prostitute who aided in the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites.  She is also named in the "Faith Hall Of Fame" as well as being listed in the genealogy of Jesus. You can read her story here:  Joshua 2 NKJV, Hebrews 11 NKJV, and Matthew 1 NKJV.  From Rahab's story we can draw great hope that regardless of our sin, it has no power when surrendered to the power of God.


God is the creator who loves.  He is the redeemer who sent His son to die so we can be with Him forever.  Regardless of your sin, He calls out to you and lets you know that ..."You don't have to put on the red light".


"Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave from the 2012 album Love Come To Life


'Til Tuesday


Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walk Of Life" (Dire Straits)

Hello again, hello!  Welcome to a joyful day!  This is a day just waiting for you to find the humor around every corner, the laughter waiting somewhere down the road, and the elation of getting to experience it all.  Welcome to Tuesday!!!  It's time for Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  Welcome to your new happy place!!!

If you watch very much reality television, you realize very quickly, that the people involved consider themselves to be on a journey.  With every elimination, getting voted off the island, not receiving the rose, you see someone, usually very emotional, talk about the thankfulness that they have had for the experience and describing their 15 minutes of fame as a "journey".  Here at The Notes, we choose to think of a "journey" as something that is significantly longer than a television semiseason.  In fact, the lives that we are blessed to receive while on this planet should be looked at through the lens of totality.  Only this way, can you see one's real journey as a...walk of life.

"Walk Of Life" - Dire Straits from the 1985 #1 album Brothers In Arms - US video  

and here's what the journey looks like in Great Britain

"Walk Of Life" - Dire Straits from the 1985 #1 album Brothers In Arms - United Kingdom video 

For a 9 week period in 1985, Dire Strait's album Brothers in Arms sailed into the #1 spot on the Billboard weekly ranking.  Riding the waves of popularity from their first hit single, "Sultans Of Swing" from 1978's Dire Straits, and combined by the strength of the #1 single "Money For Nothing", which was one of MTV's most often played videos in 1985, Dire Straits saw overnight success as Brothers In Arms became the first album to sell over 1 million of the relatively new (remember this was 1985) cd format.  The cd is now 33 years old and its sales have slowed in recent years due to the explosion of streaming and digital downloads.  The Notes is not convinced that we have seen the end of the cd's "Walk Of Life".  (Here's a fascinating article from 2012 that provides a little more insight into the cd:  The Compact Disc Turns 30 - CNN.com September 28, 2012). 

The producer of Brothers In Arms did not want to include "Walk of Life" on the album, however, he was outvoted by the band and the song found its way to #7 on Billboard's Hot 100.  It's upbeat, instantly recognized synthesizer introduction,  reference to some of Rock-N-Roll's great songs, and the "sporty" nostalgia of its US video makes "Walk Of Life" one of those rare songs that causes a smile to come on your face and a tap to begin in your toe. 

In the chaotic world which we live, this type of song is far too uncommon.  It is a song that draws the listener in as it is a better, more joyful alternative to much of the angst driven, sappy break-up, songs that populate iTunes and what is left of the airwaves.  When given the opportunity for airtime, these joy-ridden songs become instant classics and extremely popular.  "Don't Worry Be Happy", "Walking On Sunshine" (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walking On Sunshine"), or the more recent "Happy" are all songs the exude the confidence and emotions that most wish to embrace.  So many times, however, we don't allow ourselves to have the alternative to sorrow and pain.  We don't choose joy.

Dictionary.com defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation".  It is an emotion that so many people in our world are seeking.  As always, Tuesday's Musical Notes defaults to the Bible as our source for defining this emotion.  As we study this word in The Word, we must be cautious as we soon find that far too many "Christian" folks don't choose to embrace the joy that God provides.

187 - the number of times "joy" or a derivative is used in the King James Version of the Bible

242 - the number of times "joy" or a derivative is used in the New International Version of the Bible
211 - the number of times "joy" or a derivative is used in the New American Standard Version of the Bible

124 - the number of times "joy" or a derivative is used in The Message paraphrase of the Bible

         and for perspective...

15 - the number of times "hell" or a derivative is used in the New International Version of the Bible

Based on these numbers, what should be the focus for the Christian life?  Why do we live the Christian life more concerned about attempting to stay out of hell when God's Word instructs us to live as David who begged God to daily restore the "joy of our salvation"?  What testimony do each of these lifestyles portray to the pre-Christians we interact with daily?  If you were at your local shopping center, could you be identified as a Christian because of your joy?  In a world filled with darkness, do you think you might stand out if the light of your joy was evident?   

Let's face it.  Most folks don't want to be set apart from the crowd.  But in 1 Peter we are instructed to do just that.

1 Peter 2:9

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;  (King James Version)

We live in a world that is on the fast track to a place where God does not exist.  We live in a world that has as its main temptation a good life filled with all the trappings one may amass.  We show folks through the praise of the One who has called us out of darkness in to His MARVELOUS light that there is a better alternative.  This joy-filled alternative should be so attractive, that those living in the "world" around us want to have what we have.  Peace, joy, and ultimately an unconditional love are all things that we as created beings crave.  It is in the DNA that God spoke into existence.  If we as Christians will begin exuding the joy of our salvation, showing the peace in the midst of the storms of our lives, and love others as God loves us (regardless of their political affiliation, cultural background, sexual preference, or any of the other "discriminatory" things that are outlawed for hiring purposes), others will soon be drawn to us, allowing for the explanation of our joy.  God can draw people to Himself and use us as the magnets if we will only allow the incredible emotion of joy to come through our...walk of life...ooo woo hoo.

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Anticipation" (Carly Simon)

Welcome to... wait for it...Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  It's the first Tuesday of April or as we have come to know it at the Notes..,.Turnaround Tuesday!  It's the day where we reimagine a Tuesday Musical Note of the past that has never made it's way into the blogosphere...only a few folk's email boxes.  Are you ready?  Is the tension building?  Do I hear timpani crescendoing?  Que the flashback or more appropriately the turnaround music and let's zoom back to March of 2011 with a look at a...wait for it ... song.

Late '70s and 80's Heinz Ketchup commercial

 

A generation of people grew up knowing who Carly Simon was because of this commercial.  "Anticipation" wound up being Heinz Ketchup's theme song for over a decade in the 70's and early 80's.  "It's keeping me waaaiiiiittttiiiinnnnggg.  It's slow good!"

 

Perhaps you  remember the song "Anticipation" before it was a ketchup commercial.  It went to number 3 on the charts and was the title track for Carly Simon's 2nd album.  What you may not know is that she wrote the hit while waiting on a date with another 70's superstar Cat Stevens ("Peace Train", "Morning Has Broken").  The song speaks about the stress or anxiety around the process of waiting. 

"Anticipation" the title track from the 1971 album by Carly Simon

   
Regardless of what kind of ketchup you like, it never seems to come out quickly enough.  Are you a tapper or do you use a knife or fork handle to make it come out quicker,do you just wait or do you resolve to only buy squeezable ketchup in the future?  We live in such a society of instant gratification, squeezable ketchup, impulse purchasing and viral video that we sometimes miss one of the most important principles for us to learn.....patience.  

The history of man is replete with example after example of those who waited for good things to happen in their lives.  The invention of the light bulb is one such example. It is a story that spans nearly 3 decades as Thomas Alva Edison and many others figured out..."a thousand ways how not to make a light bulb".  You can read more of the story here: The History of the Invention of the Lightbulb from Ideafinder.com 

The chronicle of man that is included in the Bible is filled with those who had to master the practice of patience.  Abraham was 100 years old before he had the child God had promised.  Joseph was a heralded son, then slave, then exalted, then a prisoner, and once again rose to being the 2nd in command of a nation.  His story can be found beginning in Genesis 37 New International Version of the Bible and The Message Paraphrase of the Bible Parallel.  There is an entire book of the Bible dedicated to displaying an example of patience.  It is the book of Job.  A man named Simeon was waiting in anticipation of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2 New International Version/The Message Parallel.  God continues to be patient in anticipation of people choosing to believe that He sent Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for the wrong doing in which we are involved.

 

Maybe you have heard that God answers our prayers in 3 ways, yes, no, or wait.  While we may not always like the "no" answer, it seems that the hardest answer for us to endure is when God's reply is for us to  wait.  Our sound byte, 140 character or less culture finds us demanding that we get our results now.  That just isn't how God works sometimes.  Remember, He is the maker of time itself.  He can do as He pleases when he pleases.  Our role is to worship and serve in the capacity to which He has led us. Regardless of the answer to our prayers.   Let me pose a couple of questions for us all to ponder.  How long will God need to be patient for you to believe in Jesus?  What "work" is God waiting in anticipation for you to do. How good are the prospects that your day has been "outwardly" focused instead of "inwardly"?  How long will you put off that divine appointment of telling the Gospel to the one that God has prepared for you to tell?   Let's hope and pray that today we aren't keeping  God singing...wait for it... "Anticipation.....is making me wait....it's keeping me waiting".



"Faithful" by Chris Tomlin from the 2010 album And If Our God Is For Us 

'Til Tuesday,


 

Serving Him by serving you,

Randy W. Cross