Scott Freeman

It’s definitely in my top 10. The video is cheesy and doesn’t match the lyrics at all. But 27 years later it still sounds fresh to me. Based on a true story.

–Sometime in the next week this humble blog should hit 100,000 on the ole stat-counter. To properly celebrate this august occasion I am offering a special promotion. The individual who is that lucky number will win a copy of either Lee Camp’s Mere Discipleship or Jimmy Dorrell’s Trolls and Truth. Good luck to you and thanks for being a part of my blog world.

–I have taken some hits in the last few weeks for my nonviolent/pacifist leanings. I am preparing a series of posts that will deal with the objections to what I feel is the best way for the church to behave. I will begin by looking at some biblical arguments often proposed to discredit non-violence: war in the OT, Jesus in the temple, etc. I’m hoping for a reasoned discourse that takes into account all of the initial reactions against peace. I look forward to discussing it with you. Any thoughts before I launch into it?

–My church fantasy football team needs help. I own Shawn Alexander and Terrell Owens. It’s been a tough week. I also own Larry Fitzgerald. I was sweating the threat of Matt Leinart being handed the ball. That would have been a trifecta of bad news.

–Anybody ever taken the GMAT? I’m taking it next week and getting paid to do it. Any pointers or things to look out for. I’m expected to fail the test but it would be cool if I didn’t.

–What’s the right way to “do” church?

–And finally, this guy is everything I hate about politics: mean-spirited, ad-hominem and hyperbolic attacks on others. Check out the dreadful ads. “Jesse Helms is back, and this time he’s black.”

Five weeks from today I will travel back to Arkansas for my 20th high school reunion. As I begin to contemplate heading back, I find myself more and more nostalgic. Over the next few weeks I will be talking a bit more about those days and sharing some videos that mark that era and my generation.

I loved high school and have a whole slew of fond memories of those days. Alas, I have not remained in contact with any of my classmates. Time moves on.

I remember a Friday in Mid-August 1985. We had just finished our last football 2-a-days. Our Senior year would officially begin on Monday. A group of us (all seniors) decided to go see St. Elmo’s Fire. The movie, so filled with themes of growing up and moving on, would resonate with me that year. It became a benchmark movie in my life.
The theme song for the movie, Man in Motion, by John Parr would become one of my favorite songs of all time. Here it is.

Here’s to you CAC class of 1986

I wish that I had a better video of this song as the words are staggering. I’ve wrestled with whether or not to blog about 9/11 today. I know that where I am at regarding that day and the aftermath may not meet the most receptive of ears at this time.
But I weep for those lives lost, not just on this particular day but the lives of all those lost
fighting the wars of man.
And I applaud the heroes of that day, those who saved, rescued and sacrificed. Heroism was pervasive and apparent on that Tuesday.
Yet, evil is all too pervasive and entwined in the hearts of man. And we have danced with the devil for so long it seems that we don’t know how to stop. War has spawned more war and violence has beget more violence.
Come quickly, Lord. May your Kingdom be made manifest, either through your triumphant return or through the righteous living of Your church.
All I can do in the aftermath of that day is consider my own response. Mark Erelli’s words ring true here. This song, The Only Way, was written shortly after the attack. He left it alone for almost five years allowing other artist to record it.
But earlier this year he released an album, Hope & Other Casualties, that burns with lament, passion and ethos. It has quickly become my favorite release in a year of stellar albums. Here are the lyrics to this beautiful song:

I read the paper
I watch the news
It seems there’s only pain and sufferin’
And there ain’t nothing I can do
It’s so senseless
I feel defenseless
So small

I could shut my windows
Bolt my doors
But if I don’t feel safe enough
To speak my mind anymore
Then what’s the use
I’ve nothing left to lose
No further to fall

(Chorus)
So I’m gonna love
I’m gonna believe
I’m gonna dream
But I’m gonna roll up my sleeve
And give everything until there’s nothing left to give
That’s the only way that I know how to live

It was a nightmare
No tongue can tell
The streets of New York City
Looked just like the gates of Hell
In a flash
The smoke and the ash
Falling down like rain

But they circled wagons
They gathered round
As they bravely pulled our brothers
And our sisters from the ground
And I know
I owe them more
Than to be afraid

(Chorus)

Why seek vengeance?
What comes of war?
I know freedom has a price
But it doesn’t keep score
It’s too much to swallow
It’s left me hollow
After all this time
All this time

I won’t tell you
What to believe
But I’m too young to be so cynical
And too old to be naive
Every action
Breeds a reaction
So let this be mine

Let me close with these words from Stanley Hauerwas:

In the face of September 11, I distrust words. I fear no matter how hard we try to say what needs to be said, what we say may threaten to explain when no explanation is possible. For me, a person seldom at a loss for words, I find my continuing reaction to September 11, 200l, to be one of silence. I simply do not know what to say. At least one of the reasons I have nothing to say is because I am a pacifist. I am, whether I like it or not, committed to Christian nonviolence. The horror, the terror, the strange beauty of the violence on September ll, calls for a response, a violent response. Being a pacifist does nothing to free me from the desire to set things right by punishing those who perpetrated such an outrage. Conflicted I remain silent, fearing any words I may say would suggest a confidence I do not have…
…If we are to preach truthfully after September 11, 200l, we must not try to say too much. We must not pretend we have an answer to explain what happened or know what response we–and who is the we?–might make. I have no pacifist foreign policy. I believe the church is God’s foreign policy. Which makes it all the more important that we be able truthfully to preach God’s word.

I’m in Houston on a short family vacation. Don’t know how much I’ll be able to blog, but I had to share this.
YouTube has a goal of making every music video ever made available on its site. For someone like me who lived on MTV in the 80′s it’s a goldmine. I thought from time to time I would share with you some of my favorites from a bygone era.
This is a great song from Honeymoon Suite called “What Does it Take?” I remember this one particular girl I was hanging out with back in the day. I wasn’t sure how to take it to the next level, if you know what I mean. She thought we were great friends, but I was interested in more.
One night she was talking about this guy she was dating and wanted to read me the words to a song that he had written her. She began to read these lyrics. The dude had passed this song off on his own.
The dilemma? Tell her the truth, that the guy was a liar, hoping that it led to a break-up and an opening. Or keep quiet.
Yeah, I told her it was a Honeymoon Suite song. Didn’t get me anywhere though.
The funny thing is, it’s pretty cheesy lyrics.
But I still love it.