Random Dozen and the 365 Project’s Demise

I’ve already tried and failed at the 365 project this year. I’m not going to beat myself up about it as with other failed beginning-of-the-year goals. Deep down, there is a very analytical/sequential AND a very random/abstract aspect to my personality. Yes we all have it, but when I take ‘those’ personality tests, I’ve scored equal in both categories.  And for the 365 project, well,  random has blossomed and I’ve missed days of photos.  I’ve made peace that it won’t be this year for a photoblog. Ah, well.  I will post some pictures here this year if they strike me or are images I think are worth sharing.I have a new point and shoot 10 MP that I love and want to use.

Last year, I received a challenge from one of my facebook friends last year to hit the shuffle on my iPod and record what came up.  Interesting exercise that I’ve done quite a few times since then, usually surprised at what comes up. I’m exanding the list and am posting my random dozen songs shuffled from my iPod today.  As those Mp3 geeks know, the shuffle mode can be deep in meaning as the songs come up or mean nothing. I claim no deep thought on these, people.  But I have highlighted ones that seem to apply to my day. Look up the lyrics. Ponder.  Comment if u like.

2009 will be a wild ride for me at work. I imagine this randomness will continue. Stay tuned.

Dozen Random Songs for January 9

1 ) Another Woman by Moby

2 ) Crash into Me by Dave Matthews Band

3 ) Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own by U2

4 ) Philosophy by Ben Folds

5 ) We are Family by Sister Sledge

6 ) X & Y by Coldplay

7 ) Beautiful Day by U2

8 ) Maybe Tomorrow by Stereophonics

9 ) Diggin’ Your Scene by Smash Mouth

10) Stand Up by Dave Matthews Band

11) Rise by Flobots

12) Dirty Laundry by Eagles

first 10 and the kingdom

I subscribe to the David Crowder blog. This week, a blog asked this of me:

“Grab your preferred digital media player and push play in shuffle mode. Report here in the comments the first 10 tunes that pop up. Cheating is prohibited, as it would be in poor taste. This will decide whether you are a likable person or not, at least that’s what my friend Jack told me. When he said this, the part about being a likable person, I panicked, but it turned out he was kidding. Sort of. He did seem genuinely bothered by the two Bee Gees tunes though. I mean, 2 out of 10! That’s quite a lot of Bee Gees really, but what I’m trying to say is don’t cheat.”

So I grabbed my MP3 player, and, pressed “Shuffle”. Let me tell you the temptation to cheat is very hard to ignore. I mean, this list was supposed to define in 10 songs my musical profile, my musical TASTE. :-0 Here was mine.

* Stay (Wasting Time) by Dave Matthews Band / Live at Folsom Field
* Fireworks by Moby / 18
* Never Finish By Leigh Nash / Blue on Blue
* Go-Go Gadget Gospel by Gnarls Barkley / St. Elsewhere
* One Day by KT Tunstall / KT Tunstall’s Acoustic
* Breathe Me By Sia / Colour the Small One
* November by Duncan Sheik / Duncan Sheik
* One Chance by Modest Mouse / Good News for People Who Love Bad News
* #41 by Dave Matthews Band / Live at Radio City
* Gratitude by India Arie / Voyage to India
Hmmm. In general, my 10 songs were an eclectic collection, no Bee Gees or other interesting randomness on the list. No embarrassing “Frankie Goes to Hollywood” or other 80’s misfit reared its ugly head. Of course, what I’ve loaded or bought and put on my MP3 is not my entire musical taste history, I must confess. I’ve had my, er, moments of weakness. Stuff I really can’t bear to listen to anymore and I wouldn’t load onto my MP3 in the first place. My musical ear has progressed and changed throughout my life. Rarely do I delve into the past in music to ‘relive’ my wonder or high school existence. A few college tunes (from Springsteen, Joel, Madonna, Modern English or Soft Cell) occasionally peek out from behind the curtain of the past. But I digress.

What this seemingly meaningless exercise brought to light is our culture’s obsession with the perception of who we are based on what we consume. These perceptions come in many forms. The most obvious are how we dress, what we look like, who we hang out with, where we spend our free time, where we live, what our house looks like, what music we listen to, what kind of car we drive, and the list goes on and on. I do confess to utilizing one or other of these to assess, judge and react to people in particular situations. Which in retrospect is not so cool (that’s putting it rather mildly). This leads me to ask the question, “Does God care about my musical tastes? The label in my clothes? The coffee brand I drink? Of course I can’t speak for God, but based on what I understand about the Divine, I’d have to say. . .well, no.

The kingdom of God is not based on branding or human perception of acceptable practices. The kingdom of God is God’s vision, not ours. Jesus himself had the best ‘in’ on this vision. As followers of Jesus, we must emulate this vision through what we read in the Bible and practice in our lives. In the 4 translations of the Bible, here are more than 140 Kingdom references in the New Testament. Here are two to ponder:

“I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama – compared to him I’m a mere stagehand – will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. Matthew 3:11 The Message

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. –Matthew 5:48 The Message

Change from the inside out. Grow up. Listen to the fire that God puts in your heart. Live generously and graciously towards others they way God does for you. A little less surface, a little more grace. I’d say that’s part of the kingdom’s top ten, and those never go out of fashion.

For those who live according to the world are concerned with the things of the world, but those who live according to the kingdom of God with the things of the kingdom of God. The concern of the world is death, but the concern of the kingdom of God is life and peace. For the concern of the world is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; and those who are of the world cannot please God. — Romans 8:5-9

Trying to live for the kingdom and not for what I consume,
Deana