I love Pop Music

I love pop music, this is how we do it
It’s politics you can romance to
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it,
Philosophy that you can dance to

The price of oil is at an all time high and rising (yeah)
Global warming threatens life as we know it on this planet (ohh ooh)
And leaders have not committed to a plan of action on renewable energy
The food crisis is currently affecting a hundred million people world wide

I love pop music, this is how we do it
It’s politics you can romance to
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it,
Philosophy that you can dance to

Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone
Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone

There are over 6 billion people on this planet and not enough fresh drinking water (we’re in trouble)
Religious intolerance creating geopolitical instability (shine a light)
Politicians battling each other like professional wrestlers (ooh)
Further division is not the answer, division is not the answer

I love pop music, this is how we do it
It’s politics you can romance to
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it,
Philosophy that you can dance to

Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone
Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone

Turn up the radio

Greed and fear seem to be the driving forces of modern life
We’re encouraged to consume and consume with no thought of where it all comes from, and where it all goes
Our lives are accelerating as we fall out of touch with nature and ancient myth
We’re desperately in need of a brand new dream

I love pop music, this is how we do it
It’s politics you can romance to
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it,
Philosophy that you can dance to

I love pop music, this is how we do it
It’s politics you can romance to
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it,
Philosophy that you can dance to
(Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone
Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone)

I love pop music, this is how we do it
It’s politics you can romance to
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it,
Philosophy that you can dance to
(Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone
Turn up the radio
And sing along, like you’re all alone)

I heard this song @ work today.. I hadn't heard it before. I really like it. It's true, because we put music to words suddenly people feel comfortable with any lyrics. For example, Lily Allen's song, The Fear, has these lyrics

I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny
I want loads of clothes and f*** loads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them

I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
‘Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Life’s about film stars and less about mothers
It’s all about fast cars and passing each other
But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic
And that’s what makes my life so f***ing fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And its not my fault it’s how I’m program to function
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I’m killing them all on my own little mission
Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner
Now everything is cool as long as I’m getting thinner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
‘Cause I’m being taken over by fear.

Do we really know what we are listening to?

Do we care?
Check out my favourite band Family Force 5
and my favourite songs Replace Me, Never Let Me Go, Face Down, Get your Back Off the Wall and Wake the Dead

The music i listen to really does shape the way I think and act. Music has challenged me, guided me, pushed me and comforted me. Switchfoot's song, This Is Your Life, really made me think about what I was doing with my life and where I was headed.
I like that music can so easily bring us together. It somehow links us, we realise that we actually do go through the same type of stuff, we feel the same feelings and want many of the same things.

I like that music can speak to me... even when I don't want to listen.

At the moment, some of FF5's lyrics get me...

Crush me, tear me, break me, mold me
Make me what U want me to be"

"I'm on my face again
It's where i should have been
Brings me back to where i found you
Where i first fell for you
No more depending on myself
It's you and me and no one else
You stretch out your hand
And now it feels like i am falling into
Love, love, love
Can't get enough of love"
"This revolution
Starts when you're movin'"

and some other bands...

Brandon Heath - "Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see"

Starfield- "
How do we feel? How do we feel?
My Generation is aching for real
Dying for love, crying for truth
My Generation is aching for You"

Sanctus Real - "Be my light in the darkened room
I'm on my face and I'm calling you
I can't fathom all you've done for me
Everytime it finds me on my knees"

"Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly"

Through the use of music we can connect. We can express ourselves. We can share our story. Everyone has a story. Every story is important. So take some time, find out what music your neighbour likes, your boss listens to or your uni mate diggs... you might learn a lot about them. Find out why they like that song or band and their favourite song.

seXpo

Last weekend, I had the privilege of helping out xxxchurch at sexpo, Brisbane.

I first heard of xxxchurch.com back in 2004... I checked it out and fell in love with what they were doing. I loved that they saw a problem... and tackled it head on. A problem that was often side-stepped or ignored by churches around the world. Rather than standing on the outside, yelling from the sidelines, words of anger, judgment and disgust, they jumped right in. Unafraid of the 'sin' but loving the people. Unashamed of the name they bear, Jesus. Attempting to live and love just as he did/does.

Since 2004, I have been following their website. Checking out regular video blogs, updates and hatemail. They have changed/expanded/grown quite a bit over the years, the T shirts and designs have developed from "porn sucks" to more eye catching images, they now offer free accountability software and the team recently moved from one side of America to the other with the dream of Strip Church. Throughout all this change, the message remains the same, Jesus Loves Pornstars.

Hopefully by now, you can see why I fell in love with this ministry.

When I was given the opportunity to serve with them at Sexpo in Brisbane I jumped at the chance. The days leading up to the porn show I was unbelievably excited and a little nervious. Excited to be a part of something bigger than me and nervous because people had warned me of what goes on in sexpo (how they know... I don't know).

I walked in on day 1... not really sure what to expect... prayed up and ready for action... oh wait... totally wrong choice of words there! I was welcomed by the xxxchurch crew. Sam, Rachel, Brian and Deb. They were so lovely and stacks of fun. I began handing out Bibles... It seemed too easy... People loved them, a few stopped and asked what we were about. Good conversations... who would have thought, coming to a porn show to find out about Jesus. Sure, there were a few people who were disgusted by it, others only stopped to talk to ask me out, or to find out if I was going to strip later, but overall, the response was amazing. We were quickly running out of Bibles, suddenly 3000 Bibles didn't seem like many.

Here I am handing some Bibles to a couple of girls.

I met some very interesting people over that weekend. From Mr Penis Man, the guy in the white suit selling "adult toys", a few American booth owners who had flown to Australia simply for sexpo, Mr Condom Kingdom booth owner, the girl that was too embarrassed to tell her Christian family that she was actually working at an "adult toy store" not organising an event and new friends.

The whole weekend wasn't spent at sexpo, I got to hang out with some pretty awesome Americans. Brian and Deb have an amazing story, one that bought tears to most of our eyes during dinner (fish N chips... my fav!). Also got to hang with Sam and Rachel, incredible couple with such a heart for people and great story to tell.

This weekend, I also learnt a lot about myself.

I learnt that I can relate to a range of different people, entering into there world and find common ground.

I learnt that with God, I can do anything.

I learnt to expect the unexpected... amazing things do happen.. Miracles happen everyday, you just gotta be prepared to look for them rather than try to shrug them off as something else.

I learnt that I am not impressed by people who try to impress others.

I tend to judge christians. (... something I need to work on).

I learnt that not a lot surprises me.

I learnt that not a lot shocks me.

I was reminded that everyone has a story, each story is different and amazing.

Since working at sexpo, I have found the most common question I am asked by Christians is "how did you cope with it?" I feel like answering, "oh, it totally messed me up... like I am sooo a sex addict now"... I mean what do they think? Are we (Christians) really that scared of the dark? Is that why we insist on hiding in our churches? Do they not realise that I took my light with me so I could see clearly the whole time? Why isn't the first question I am asked, "How many Bibles were handed out?" or "What was the response like?" It's something that annoys me... I guess it's something you gotta get used to when you step out of the box.

"Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be." (Rob Bell)

You can read more about it at xxxchurch.com.

and while you're there...check out heartsupport.com

Give me your eyes

A friend of mine showed me this song last week...
Everytime I hear this chorus I seriously get smashed...
How often do we see things, people and stuff and look the other way without a second thought?
How does God see things differently?
Imagine if the whole world was given God's eyes... even for just a short time... how would that change the world?



Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach
.Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Give me your eyes - Brandon Heath

Tragedy

209 people died in Victoria, Australia last week. Our nation will stop today for a national day of mourning. We, as a nation, have given over $100 million to help those affected; we have given clothes, furniture, cars, food, heath care items, personal care items, kind words and prayer. We have heard all about it in the media for weeks, we have come together from all across Australia and formed a sense of community that didn't seem to exist before.

Those responsible for lighting the fires that took those lives are sought after, many wanting to see them dead, or at least in jail for the rest of their lives.

209 die. Everyone stops and watches in terror. Even on the other side of the world, USA and UK and others send their condolences, expressing their shock, grief and kind words of encouragement. Even Pupa New Guinea gave $1 Million to help us rebuild and get our lives back to normal.

Every source of media is overfilled with the news, stories, photos, opinions and forecast of the happenings. The morning news has special broadcasts, extending it until lunch time, the nightly news is broadcast live from one of the refuge centers filling our homes with the screams of desperation as we watch as the survivors realise what and who they have lost.

Our newspapers debate what the consequence of arson causing multiple deaths should be. Photos of burnt homes, sad families, large groups of people with no homes, no jobs, lost family, no smiles and who could forget the image of the burnt koala taking water from a fire fighter, are printed on the pages reminding us of what is unfolding.

The internet has up to the minute updates of death tallies, maps of the fires, hotlines to help find lost loved ones, ways to give to those affected and blogs from all around the world offering kind words. Here is the story in brief. There are facebook groups, Twitter updates, myspace bulletions and forums all buzzing with kind words, and offers of help.

Our radios have been playing interviews with survivors each telling their own story of survival, songs dedicated to the lost, those who lost someone and the fire fighting heroes who looked death in the eye and fought it.

209 die in a week in Australia. We all stop. It is a tragedy that affects us all and will take months, even years to rebuild.

26 500 - 30 000* die EVERYDAY due to poverty. Yesterday about 27 000 children died. Today about 26 000 children died and tomorrow another 26 000 children will die.

Few stop. Few take notice.

No national day of mourning.
No media saturated with the faces of those who died.
No one really knows who died.
No survivors telling their story about how they beat hunger.
No tearful mothers sharing with the world the hopes and dreams her son had.
No buzz across the world as we stand together to fight this evil.
No one offering words of hope.
No $100 million given by Australians in a week.
No extended special edition morning news broadcast explaining how and why this happened.
No one is hunting for those responsible for the crisis in order to bring justice, as those responsible is us.

What will it take for us to care?

Are you offended?

Did reading this make you think, "How dare she..." or "How could she.."?

Are you, right now, trying to think of what you have given or done, to justify yourself?

What will it take?

How many lives have to be lost before we stand up and fight?


Let's open our eyes..

and see what's really happening...

Here is part of a song - Give me Your eyes - Brandon Heath...


Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see


and the bridge from Jon Foreman's song, Instead of a Show...

give love to the ones who can’t love at all
give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
stand up for the ones who can’t stand up at all



*Stats from global issues

Can music be christian?

I never really understood what "christian music" was/is. I don't really get why there is such a divide between christian stuff and secular... books, movies, clothing even video games are labeled. Why do we feel the need to put everything into a little box with nice neat label...? It reminds me of all the mothers who buy those label making machines and go crazy labeling jars in the pantry, school books, boxes, food in the fridge, crates in the cupboard.. in order to organise everything.. I guess it stops them from losing stuff... or finding things in the wrong places so they always know exactly what to expect.

What makes music christian?

Is it music that is about God?

Do all the band members have to be christian?

Do any of the band members have to be christian?

What if the band members are christian but the song is about something other than God?

What if the band releases their album on the 'mainstream' market?

What if the band members are christian but they don't openly announce to the world their current spiritual state?

Do christians have to like christian music?

Does listening to secular music make a person less a christian?

For a song to be about God/Jesus does the song need to use the words God or Jesus?

Jesus died on the cross to save people, not bands, not music... people, right?

Who do we think we are?

It's funny how we (Christians) can so easily point the finger and say "look at what he did!" and "How could anyone do that?" and "What was he thinking?!" and judge (subtlety of course)... but I was thinking about it on Saturday, (work was fairly quiet and I was in a deep thinking mood)... I was also thinking about other issues that Christians so quickly point the finger and "judge" on, such as abortion, porn, self harm, homosexuality, depression, substance abuse and crime...

We (Christians) seem to have the monopoly on what is 'right' and anything else is wrong. So often we seem to express our opinions by telling an expecting girl that abortion is murder, by telling a pornstar that what she is doing is wrong and disgraceful, by telling a young girl that sleeping around is dirty and desperate and the Bible says "No" and the consequences are eternity in hell. But who are we to come into their lives at that point? where were we (the church) when the young girl was looking for love in the wrong places? Did we show her that Jesus' love is pure and more powerful and fulfilling than any boy she could hook in with? or were we too busy telling her the Bible says "NO" to sex b4 marriage?
Where were we (the church) when the young boy was looking for acceptance and started doing drugs? Were we there to show him that God accepts him no matter what the boy's father may think or say to him? Were we there when he got beat up at school?
Where were we when a father looking for help with getting his life together, as his wife left him? Where were we when nothing he did seemed good enough? Where were we when he lost it and did an extreme act, which he will never forget as long as he lives, neither will his other kids, or his ex-wife? I hope rather than simply pointing a finger and saying "the bible says 'thou shall NOT KILL' How could you!?!" We are praying, praying for him, for his other kids, for his ex-wife, for his other family, for all parents who sometimes struggle and don't know this awesome God that we have to help us out in tough times...

I guess the point I'm attempting to make is that we need to be there for people always, not just when things go really against what we would do... or when we get offended. We need to show people that Christ isn't about a bunch of rules but rather love.