Qualifications of Critic

First of all, a little background as to what got me thinking about this in the first place. I’ve got a friend of mine in a very successful band that just put out a new album. Yesterday I came across a couple of review that, while well written, were not what most would consider a positive. 

I find the idea of a critic interesting to say the least, especially with regard to the arts (music, film, art).  I understand that they’re allowed to have their opinion, as I am mine.  The only real difference is they get paid to share theirs.  Couple things I was thinking about….

How seriously should we take what they say?  Just because they don’t like an album doesn’t mean I won’t like it. 

How can you tell if they’re a good critic or not?  Isn’t their opinion (and mine) completely subjective?  If they don’t like an album and it ends up going platinum, should they be fired?

With all that being said, I still go looking for movie/music/book reviews on a regular basis and allow some person who I don’t know and whose taste may be completely different than mine tell me why I won’t like an album…or a movie….or a book…or whatever. 

Why should I allow their opinion to influence what I may feel or think about the object of their criticism, whether good or bad?  I shouldn’t, but I still do…and probably will do in the future.  Oh well, one day their critique may save me from wasting $20 and 2 hours on a movie that was horrible…and that they were right about (at least in my opinion).

Blog update…

…regarding the lack of blog updates…and a recommendation.

I’ve been having a tough time keeping the blog up recently.  It’s not as if I don’t have something to say.  I always do.  I just haven’t had the time (taken the time) to post to the blog.  Part of the tension rises from the fact that I don’t want to take time at work fashioning a life-changing blog.  I’m not getting paid to write personal blogs.  The last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of the computer….I do that all day at work.  I’d rather hold Grace and talk with my wife….or hold my wife and talk to Grace.  Frankly, both options sound much better than blogging. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that I want to quit blogging.  I just need to work through some scheduling issues….and not just with regard to my blog posting regularity.  I’ll let you know how that all turns out…maybe.

Meanwhile, please check out my wife’s new blog.  You’ll find out quickly that she’s much more interesting than I am.

To Be In a Band

From my friend Tucker’s blog…

At the end of the eighties, we campaigned for Martin Luther King Day. I remember, in Arizona, we got into trouble, and we had some death threats. Normally, they happen. But occasionally, you get one that the police and FBI take seriously. There was a specific threat: “Don’t go ahead with the concert. And, if you do, don’t sing ‘Pride (In the Name of Love),’ because, if you do, I am gonna blow your head off, and you won’t be able to stop this from happening.” Of course you go onstage and you put it out of your head. But I do remember actually, in the middle of “Pride,” thinking for a second: “Gosh! What if somebody was organized, or in the rafters of the building, or somebody, here and there, just had a handgun?” I just closed my eyes and sang this middle verse [Early morning, April 4 a shot rings out in the Memphis sky...], with my eyes closed, trying to concentrate and forget about this ugliness and just keep close to the beauty that’s suggested in the song. I looked up, at the end of that verse, and Adam [Bono's bass player] was standing in front of me. It was one of those moments where you know what it means to be in a band.

-Bono (Lead Singer of U2)

I’ve been thinking about this story a lot the last couple of days…desiring to have a group of friends (brothers) like that.  I thank God for the friends that I do have like that, although many of them have moved out of the area.  I also realize that God has given me a number of other good brothers at my church that I can build those types of relationships with.  Time to get started…more later.

Reorienting to What’s Important

In the midst of extremely frustrating days at the office, and today’s been no exception, it was good for me to find this song on my computer and give it a listen….a couple of times.   I hope it encourages you as well.  Courtesy of Bob Kauflin and Together for the Gospel:

Jesus Paid It All

Why Dedication?

A post from my wife discussing the reasons why we will be dedicating baby Grace at church….

Why Dedication?

 

Baby dedications.  Have you ever been to one?  Usually the family gathers in front of the church congregation and they have a prayer and maybe a few comments about the baby and family raising the child to serve the Lord and someone definitely takes pictures.

In anticipation of dedicating Grace in the coming weeks (wearing, by the way, the same dress my mother and I were each dedicated in), I’ve been giving some thought to why I want to have this little ceremony and why it seems very important to me.  Here is my conclusion:

When I got married to Paul, God gave to me the gift of a relationship to steward.  There are some very specific ways I am to steward this relationship. (ie honor/respect my husband, submit to him, etc).  I made some vows in front of God and in front of other people so that I could be kept accountable for the promises I made regarding the stewardship of this relationship.  If I begin to drift from my promises, there are about 350 people who ought to take me to task over it. 

So now, God has given to us another relationship: a daughter.  Again, there are some very specific ways I am to steward this relationship.  For example, I am to raise her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  I am to discipline her in such a way that she learns to love Godliness and hate folly.  I am to steward this gift.  So I think it is important that, once again, I get up in front of God and other people to make some vows about how I will raise this child.  The ceremony is not so much about Grace as a baby; it’s more about Paul and me as parents and about promises we will make regarding the stewardship of this amazing new relationship.  I want to be held accountable in the physical right now, because I know that I will be held accountable before God.  Something to be considered with a little trepidation, I think.

Oh yes, and someone will definitely take pictures. 

Baby Grace

My blog posts have been limited (nonexistent) as of late for good reason.  Grace Elizabeth Majack was born on Sunday October 26th.  Mom labored for about 10 hours (with no drugs…she’s amazing) and delivered Grace at 8:22 am.  She weighed 8 pounds and was 20.25 inches long.  Needless to say, the last week has been one of the most amazing in my life…

Pictures of our baby can be viewed here. 

My semi-regular blog posts should resume in the near future. 

I’m not sure how you rationalize a vote for Obama….

….If you consider yourself Pro-Life.  If anything, it speaks to how important (or unimportant) the Pro-Life issue is in this election.  For us, it’s not just an issue, it’s THE issue, especially given the impact this election will have on abortion in America.   Following is a number of articles discussing the importance of this issue….and this election:

An article by Robert George (Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton,  Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions) discussing Obama’s abortion views and declaring him the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever.  This article is a must read. 

Robert George responds to Obama’s statements regarding the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which he voted against and said was ‘unnecessary’.   

Justin Taylor has an overview of the Freedom of Choice Act, which Obama has promised will be the first thing he’ll sign as President here.  Why is this a big issue?  No more parental consent for abortions for teens.  Government funding (our tax money) for abortions at any stage of the pregnancy.  Hospitals/Physicians will not have a choice regarding the performance of abortion….among other things. 

Randy Alcorn answers the question:  ‘As a Christian, should we vote for who we think should lead our country solely based upon their stance on abortion?’ He looks at this issue with a view towards our own history and political fights over things such as slavery, as well as looking to Scripture. 

Here’s an article titled ‘Pro-Life Politicians Have Made a Difference, Pro-Life Laws Work’ that looks at the gains made the last 35 years from the pro-life movement. 

Finally, a good article by Albert Mohler called ‘The Abortion Question and the Future’.  It’s a good overall summary of the articles by Robert George above, but also addresses the issue of fatigue amongst pro-life voters.

HT(Justin Taylor, Randy Alcorn)

Contemplating Doppelgangers

I was up in Seattle for a class on Emotional Intelligence the other day and one of the other participants in the class reminded me of someone….and I couldn’t put my finger on it.  It took me a couple hours but I finally figured it out.  The guy looked exactly Peter Griffin from the Family Guy.  It was uncanny.  Same body type, same facial features, same glasses, same outfit (except his pants were blue instead of green).  I’ve never seen a real person who looked so much like a cartoon character. 

Anyway, it got me thinking about my famous doppelgangers.  I’ve had a few people in the past mention that I look like some famous people…so I thought I’d post some pictures of me and my famous doppelgangers to see you think.  Here’s a few pictures of me to refresh your memory:

And here are a few of the famous people that some have said I look like:

 

1.  Balky Bartokomous from Perfect Strangers:

2.  The guy from Blues Clues:

Finally, a couple of my own suggestions.  I think that this picture makes me look like a young Burt Lancaster or Tom Selleck:

 

 

I would be interested to hear your thoughts….better yet…let’s take a poll:

Update:  Just in case you were wondering, the ‘I look like a young Tom Selleck’ is meant to be a joke….or is it?!?!

Getting Close….

We’re just about a week away from the due date of our first baby, whose name is Grace (insert middle name we haven’t picked yet) Majack.  We’re very excited for her to arrive, especially Catrina, who is doing most all of the work.  We had another appointment today with Dr. Holly, and found out that dilation has begun.  When Dr. Holly told us we ‘were at a 1′, Catrina, in her glass-is-half-full way exclaimed:  “Only 9 more to go!”. 

I’m excited for baby Grace to make her appearance, nervous when I think about what we (mostly Catrina) has to go through to get her here, and not sure what we’re going to do with her after we bring her home.  For now, I am praying for a safe labor and delivery for Grace and for Catrina.  I can’t wait to see what life is life with a baby….and am hoping that she looks like her mother!

 

The best way to conduct important theological discussions…

By Church Readerboard:

(HT:  C. Michael Patton at Parchment and Pen)