Meanderings of my mind

This week began "wind down for the holidays time" at work, it seems. With our conferences over for the semester, and only one more chapel address to cover before the end of the semester, I have not been writing as much as I was. In order to stay productive, I am (mentally at this point) working on a series of stories I could do, with more in-depth interviews of students and professors in different departments.

I would like to expand my writing to stuff that is a bit more in-depth, personal profile, feature type stories, but to effectively do that, it would be good to have a good venue for publishing such things. Our department is working on switching over to a WordPress format for publishing chapel articles, etc., so I'd like to utilize that as well. However, it seems that may be slow in coming, so I have been compiling a list of the Baptist state papers so I can potentially send articles to them.

Anyways....last night I went to the Derek Webb concert at the Lincoln Theatre in downtown Raleigh. It was a cool time. I went with my friends Erin, Matt and Brandon. Derek Webb used to be the lead singer for the old-school Christian band Caedmon's Call, but broke away 6-7 years ago to write his own stuff, and to tour with his wife, Sandra McCracken, who is a very gifted artist in her own right. Her sound reminds me of Sara Groves, whose stuff I love.

Anyways, Derek's music has always been very challenging and very pro-Jesus in a radical way, so I have to say I was a bit surprised to see so many people with beers in hand at the concert. I think I have been in the Baptist realm so much I forget there is a huge segment of Christians who see nothing incompatible between having a drink and being a Christian. However, that's the way I was raised, so it should be no shock to me.

Derek said, "We certainly don't condone drunkenness, but we do condone drinking. So, go support the bar!" There was a lot of cheering to that statement (by the drinkers, I am sure) and someone said they were probably all Presbyterians. It reminded me of something J.D. Greear said at church on Sunday. "Those Presbyterians are free in Jesus all over the place!" Ha.

Anyways, Derek Webb's music continues to be challenging and original. He's a good "lyri-sologist!" I forgot how much I do love going to hear live music. Good times.

Tomorrow I am taking Ben to Greensboro, NC to meet some potential adopters. I am really praying he finds a home soon. He was so sweet this morning, but I know that does not last a long time! He gets hyper and gets to running and going crazy and I can't deal with it, so he goes back out on the deck! Poor thing needs more exercise and play-time, and I just can't do it...Is it bad that I am giving up on him? He's a good boy, he and I just have different views on our "relationship." Oh well.....