Author: Wick

How could I pass up a topic like this?  I’ve seen a video blowin’ up Facebook, and there are bits and pieces of it that really tug on my brain/heart, both as a youth pastor and a father.  The gist of the video is this:  Beyonce Knowles is successful because she gives herself over to being possessed by demonic forces (one in particular, “Sasha Fierce” ) to perform on stage.  The video goes on to connect the dots to Jay-Z as well (saying at one point he’s possessed by Frank Sinatra, by his own admission).  It’s true, they even have video footage of Beyonce and Jay-Z claiming their performance abilities come from channeling these alter egos.

But if we start saying anyone who claims to take on another name during a performance is possessed by a spirit of Satan, we may as well condemn Garth Brooks for his “Chris Gaines” days.  (which I’m okay with…he should have stayed with country)  The video goes into proving all of it’s statements with convincing footage of Beyonce and Jay-Z wearing ancient Satanic symbols, jewelry, and flashing mystic symbols even during performances.

So how do we respond?  Tell our children and young people that these artists are evidence of demonic forces attempting to take over our world via culture?  To avoid buying any of her music, or supporting artists like her and Jay-Z as a rule, because of the dangers of losing our soul for hearing someone who claims to be possessed by an alter ego, or worse, a crooner from the mid-19o0’s?  To tell anyone who enjoys hearing the Chipmunks re-mix her music they’re probably supporting the coming reign of Satan on earth? 🙂

It’s true…Jay-Z has many years of knowing/claiming a sort of “Supernatural Influence” on his success.  Hi-Jacking ancient symbology, and emblazening it into his logos, and sacrificing children on weekends….is nothing new for the rap giant.  Having a huge head, wanting to show how much power he has by claiming/grabbing any connections he can to mystical conspiracies that have existed for a long time already, is not a stretch for someone like him.  That Beyonce follows his lead into her success is no accident.  (although she did actually give up “Sasha Fierce” back in 2010, officially….so what spirit do you think she’s channeling now?)

I’m not touching the spiritual forces dialogue much, beyond shaking my head a bit that it takes a long video pulling all sorts of conspiracy-laced images and video to grab people’s attention and make them second-guess music that apparently a lot of people previously thought was great/healthy/wholesome.   Maybe these artists really do have shrines to demons in their basements, and secretly laugh when people bow to them on stage.  But my point is this:  I don’t want my kids or teens asking, “Hey, what music is made by people possessed by Satan?”  I want them to ask, “Hey, what music/art is going to help me experience the creativity and beauty of God, and the complex variety of His creation and their seasons?”

It’s true, there is a choice our children and young people (and we, even) make each day of who and what we will worship.  The end of the Superbowl show, where Beyonce tells everyone to raise their hands toward her as she “wants to feel their energy” is definitely an act of someone other than God asking for worship.  The crowd responds as any good worshipping community would…extending their hands – giving her the shallow imitation of glory she asked for.

Looking back, I realize I’ve rambled a bit on both ends here.  I think my main issue is that we recognize, whatever spiritual forces are at work – I don’t think we need to fear the ones who wave their arms and yell loudly, “I’m a demon!”, or “I’m asking for your worship!”.  Scripture describes satan as “the great deceiver”.  There are quiet, unseen and unheard forces gently guiding us into a cool complacency away from God.  Exalting self and substance over the presence and power of God.  Music that slaps on a smile, and even seems to be supported by the “Christian” community – that is actually a pale commercial substitution for God-honoring art…allowing us to be more and more content with buying and living off what humanity can provide.

May we be homes and families that continue to think, dialogue, and pray about the lives we live; the cultural choices we make, and what they’re supporting.  May we have confidence in the powerful presence of God, and worship Him alone.  We’ve not been given a Spirit of Fear/Anxiety, but  a Spirit of power, of Love, and of self-discipline.  Breathe deep…and enjoy those Chipmunks…:)

Here we go again with another “Five Minute Friday” post!  To learn more about “Five Minute Friday” (FMF), check out the linked image here.  Basically, each week there’s a word given for you to write about.  You start writing, no back-tracking, editing, etc.  At the end of 5 minutes, you stop.  Then you post it, and share in the community of words that were birthed during these 24-ish hours.  It’s cool stuff.
So here’s this week’s response to the word: “ordinary”

We avoid these things like a disease.  Because if you’re truly enjoying life, if you’re doing it right, if you’re the spectacular employee, father, husband, friend, etc…there’s no such thing as “ordinary”.  It’s the same with “average”.  You may as well put a giant stamp on whatever is being described that says, “I didn’t really try.”

But perhaps, there’s more beauty in the ordinary than we give credit.  In a world that’s based on how fast our brains can process information, images, and sales pitches – our hearts are lagging behind.  Our hearts need time to process what a moment feels like.  The gentle breaths of a 3 year old sleeping next to you.  The frigid sunrise as you’re driving early to work.  The unique patterns of frost as the window takes time to melt.  These “ordinary” moments that don’t require any sort of extra “effort”, don’t ask us to “try harder” in order to make a better product.  They are moments we experience every day, quietly slipping by as our brains search for the next really important thing to notice.

I’m a youth pastor, and by the public image of this job – I realize the first thought many people have is how entertaining/fun youth ministries can be.  I won’t argue, I’ve got an obnoxiously fun personality at times.  But I like to think that our ministry, and my personal life as well, are characterized less by requiring the “super (-ficially valuable)”, and more by embracing the ordinary.  Because I think that by embracing the ordinary, we connect ourselves with an incredible God who has already spoken His “Good” over such things…

stop.

Sounds like I’ve got a few thoughts on this, eh?

I just finished watching the movie “Robot & Frank“, available now through Redbox.  A great movie, especially compared to some of the trash you’ll find opening just about any weekend at the box office lately.  This is where I’ll slap on my “grumpy old man who doesn’t understand what happened to quality art in film” face and sulk.  More movies like this should be in theaters for us to choose from, instead of thin romance plots, crass comedies, or predictably over the top action movies.  Movies that pause, and take deep breaths to allow us to both be entertained and challenged to think/feel.

Although I can’t pretend I’m 100% sophisticated muse-ment, when the book I’ve been captured by lately is the most recent installment of the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.  I found it at the dollar store, after not even knowing it existed.  Apparently a few years ago a new author picked up permission to add one more book to the incredibly imaginative British comedy science fiction series.  It’s definitely a froody new bit of story, worth checking out if you’re hip to the franchise, or a talking mouse.  GUIDE NOTE: The last time a talking mouse was connected to reading a Christian parenting blog and made itself publicly known, things did not go well.  In fact, you may not be surprised to find out before escaping to his home planet of Cheeseterius, the mouse known as “Chuck” seemed to inspire his own line of pizza restaurant/arcades.  This is ironic because of the one illegal substance on the planet of Cheeseterius – badly recorded digital background video game music.

In the past 24 hours, I’ve played “Princess-Opoly” twice.  That’s two times more than I found myself excited to try it when I first saw the box.  But for real, it’s a game my girls LOVE to play, and as long as I can avoid getting all “competitive” with them, it’s safe for us.  Nevermind the fact that it feels like child trafficking to say things like “I just bought Princess Tatiana for 2 weeks allowance.”, and my girls have informed me that my curtsy needs more than a little work.   I’ve also been taught the difference between a curtsy and a Grande Plie’, which is good because sometimes you just don’t want to send the wrong message.

By now you’re probably greatful that the only time I usually write without much editing/forethought is on “#FiveMinuteFriday“, and those topics are all generally inspiring/uplifting.  Because of that, I think I’ll sneak a little encouraging adoption update in here to reward you.  Are you ready?  We’ve been told that we are “next on the list” in regards to receiving a referral!  What does that mean?  Well, it means that any day/moment, we could get a phone call informing us of a child/story that has been approved for an adoptive family – and we’ll have 72 hours to accept.

Speaking of which……I haven’t played my djembe in a while.

I wish there was a drum circle I could join at a moments notice….:)