I’m making a list.

Here are some random website resources from a few creative non-profity types:

• White Dot
• Mocha Club
• Kiva
• AfriGadget
• FreeRice
• Blood: Water Mission
• 100 ways to save the environment
• Toms Shoes
• Squidoo
• True North

Happy New Year!!!

PS how do you like my new layout?

I downloaded this song from Noisetrade and I was so intrigued by the words. Check ’em out…

I came stumbling into church with a hot gun in my hands

I was ready to talk to Jesus to tell him my demands

But Jesus ain’t no fool, he’s seen this kinda thing before

And He had a couple angels stop me at the front door

I said now come on that ain’t fair, you should be accessible to all

He said everybody gets a secretary even just to take their calls

So address me to my face if you think you’ve got the balls

But I ain’t playin around, boy, at all

This was not what I expected so I stiffened in my stance

And I tried hard to remember every single shitty circumstance

Then I quivered like a victim with his predator in sight

I was ready now to vindicate, I was ready to start a fight

Now you can stand right there and judge me,

shoot, you can send me straight to hell

I know you got the power, I know that fact full well

But before you do explain to me, Why suffering and why death?

And why did I pray all those years and waste all that good breath?

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Well the angels sang it under their breath by the door

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I give up, I can’t go on like this any more

Well I appreciate your kind, he said and then Jesus poured a drink

My face musta looked funny cause he said, It’s not like you think

I’m saddled with the job you know of interpreting my Dad

To a bunch of frightened people, frightened or just mad

And most of ‘em think they got it right and then he threw some ice cubes in

But most of ‘em are just dead wrong about life and death and sin

And then I got my fiancee, she’s ‘sposed to speak my mind
But sometimes she’s just chicken and then she messes it up other times

I love Christmas music. I do! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got my rules. No xmas music before Thanksgiving, no crappy xmas music, and no over the top new renditions of classics. But give me a little Barenakedladies singing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Avril Lavigne singing Oh Holy Night, and anything from Amy Grants Christmas album and I’m quite jolly.
Here’s thing though, for me Christmas time is an excuse to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the beginning of God’s inbreaking into the world in a new revolutionary way, and all that good stuff. So when I sing Christmas carols the reality is that most of the songs I sing reflect that story. Obviously there’s the occasional Rudolph story or Frosty the Snowman, but in general most songs are about Jesus. I say all that simply to make the point that I’ve got an excuse for singing Christmas songs. Singing songs is a part of the Christian tradition. It’s worship, it’s a way to learn the story, remember purpose, ect. We do it every Sunday. But if we take away that excuse, or if you don’t have that excuse, then can’t we observe that Christmas music is a little wierd? Couldn’t we say that it’s just a little odd? What other holidays or occasions do we have a whole genre of music dedicated to it? Sure on our birthday we have one special traditional song that we sing, and on Halloween there are a few creepy or goofy halloween songs. But at christmas we have whole radio stations dedicated to it’s glorious music. If it’s not about worshiping Jesus one might argue that we actually just worshiping the holiday itself! (and worry not, I’m trying to argue that Christmas must be about Jesus and that all of you who do not follow Jesus are missing the ‘reason for the season’. I actually believe that all we Christians are doing is reinterpreting a holiday season to give it purpose that has meaning for us. So I would not be inclined to be harsh towards others who want to reinterpret the Christmas season toward their own purposes).

Ok, I’ve gone on long enough. I just think that our infatuation with all things “christmasy” Santa, carols, the ‘spirit of Christmas’, elves, tinsle, etc. is kind of silly. Though I think most things that I/we do are silly if we really step back and look at thing with a Sienfeldesque eye.

I hope your Christmas was amazing!