To Blog Or Not To Blog

Warning - this will be a fairly random and possibly incoherent post tonight. I really don't have much of a clue what to write about. So, since I started this blog to serve as a record of things I go through in life, I guess it has the right to be pretty random sometimes.

I haven't posted anything in about 12 days - and the last time I posted, I did a song spotlight on a Rolling Stones song! So, what's going on with me? For starters, I've made some technical transitions - in anticipation of needing extra space for the little one coming in November, we have moved to a laptop and a somewhat slower internet connection. For some reason, I don't seem as drawn to posting things anymore with the change of computer and change of scenery. That probably doesn't make any sense. I've also been working a little extra at work for a few weeks, which slowly drags on me, and I eventually get more tired, go to bed earlier, etc. Also, I decided to put down my best blog material, the John Owen book. If you recall, the Owen book was really a rewritten version of three of his books - one of the mortification of sins, another on temptation, and the final one on indwelling sin. Well, after reading and getting A LOT out of the first two books, the final book was about the same length as the other two combined, and I also decided that I read enough about the power of sin for awhile. So I'm in a book transition. I think I'm going to try and read two books at once - "The Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis and "The God-Entranced Vision of All Things" by John Piper / Justin Taylor about the legacy of Jonathan Edwards. I'm also going to reading through Joshua and possibly A.W. Pink's "Gleanings in Joshua." Yeah, we'll see how that goes. If I have something good to share, I promise I'll try. There's probably not a day that goes by that I don't think of giving up on blogging for life. There are so many out there already, is there really a need for one more as weak as mine? We'll see. Also, I should probably confess (as I will at 6 AM tomorrow morning to my accountability brothers) that too much of my free time has gone to fantasy football activities. It's that time of year again -- for me, fantasy football slows down after the season starts. Anyway...

I did manage to pick up some new music this last week. I had come to point where I had almost worn out the music that I had. Long overdue, I finally joined Caedmon's Call's Guild for a whopping lifetime fee of $10. This enabled me to order a few CDs of theirs that I didn't yet have. I plan on sharing the lyrics from one song that I particularly liked. Also, the result of hours of internet searching for good music, I came across what I believe is a winner: Sovereign Grace Ministries and their Valley of Vision CD. It seems as there is this collection of Puritan prayers and devotions out there that is printed as 'The Valley of Vision,' and every song on this CD was inspired by prayers in that book. What a grand idea for a worship CD. It's really good too - probably not quite on the level of an Indelible Grace or Red Mountain Music hymn CD, but it's a little different (and it's an added bonus if you order the Valley of Vision book to go with it).

Anyway, let me share some lyrics (for someone as completely and utterly incapable in anything related to music as myself, I sure share a lot of music on here)...
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Song Title: Potiphar's Door
Artist: Caedmon's Call
Album: The Guild Collection, Volume II
Writer: Aaron Tate

When I was a little boy, I couldn't know the cost of going to war
When I counted 'em and walked that aisle, you know that I couldn't count that high
But now I can count that high
And I'm counting: 1, 2, 3, 4
Don't wanna fight this good fight no more

So I'm knocking on Potiphar's door sayin'
"Hey, on second thought, I might be in for some more"
So I'm knocking on Potiphar's door
While the keeper of the keys and the knocker on the door says
"Don't you live for what I died for"

So I'm staring' through the window screen
Wishing I could do all those things Ive seen
I know it's sin that leads to death but it looks like fun to me
And fun is the one thing I need
Because this race has knocked the wind all out of me

There are so many things I wish I had done before I repented
And when I said it, sometimes I wonder if I really meant it
I have this bad habit of raisin' the dead
And inviting them to eat at the table in my head

The old house it has been plundered, the deed has changed hands
The owner is all bound up and exiled to a foreign land

Why this song: I'll keep it short tonight. Simply speaking, I got a new CD, and this song immediately grabbed my attention from the first time I heard the chorus. One thing I've always loved about Caedmon's Call is their willingness to sing songs that most Christian artists would never think of singing.

Why I like it: Because, unfortunately, I can relate. Granted, I've never been in a situation like Joseph was in Potiphar's house, but the similarities are all around me. There isn't a day that goes by that something on a billboard or on television isn't begging for the gaze of my eyes or time in my thoughts. And there have certainly been days that I get tired of fighting the good fight or running the race. But as I've said over and over again on this blog, we as Christians must fight. We have to. Our lives depend on it.

Related Scripture: Genesis 39

Favorite line: "Don't you live for what I died for." One of the best tools in fighting sin and temptation is to remember that our Lord died for the very sins that tempt us. And shame on us if we live for those things. Ultimately, I don't think that's the best tool (which I believe is finding a greater love to replace the 'love' of sin) -- but this one works well. The Holy Spirit isn't' silent in the heart of a believer...we have to shut him up or refuse to listen.

That's all I have time for tonight. This song is a good one, and it's really catchy too. That Aaron Tate guy can really write some good songs. Later guys - press on.