BIG BANDS

Well, intrepid readers, I have rediscovered Big Band music, that brand of jazz that early twentieth-century Americans (and others) love. It is quite nostalgic and heart-warming to listen to and read about the Big Band era and its legion of musicians who created a style and sound of music unique and truly America. Born out of the Great Depression and World War II, big band captures the heart and soul of America as it was coming through some very hard and dark times in the world. Music was a major means of escaping, if only through the ears, mind, and heart, from the big bad world.

Every generation of people needs its artistic expression to overcome the evils of Satan's kingdom. I'm not saying big band--or any other--music is particularly evil or good. But music that does not in its primary focus glorify God, as does music by Christians, is sinful. However, in the overall economy of God's common grace which He sheds upon all, music can be seen in its broader context of glorifying God. In a Christian worldview, all things glorify God, because God will not allow anything or anyone to rob Him of the glory due to His Name. He will put down ALL pride which thinks otherwise.

Hence, the Christian can see God's grace in all things. Even big band music.

Today's post is a continuation of the second paragraph of yesterday's post, which I composed the morning after I started it. 

Right now, I'm using Safari 3 Public Beta for Windows as an Internet browser. So far, so good. 

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH

I am currently listening to RC Sproul online (www.ligonier.org), and I wish to accomplish two things (at least) in today's blogpost: (a) tout the virtue of LISTENING to RC Sproul; and, (b) blogging for what it's worth.

It is now a day later, and I'm listening to Tom Shrader on CDROM deliver an excellent series of lectures on sexuality in the context of Biblical Christianity. 

BLOGGING A DEAD HORSE

I am blogging to you today because I wish to perpetuate the notion that my blog is worth reading. I occasionally address topics on current events or faith. But by and large, I waste precious cyberspace and bandwidth with my egocentric diatribes.

I have frequently considered changing the name of my blog to something more thematic, like "Blog To Self," or even "Blog For Nothing." Apparently, I haven't found my true theme yet. Perhaps "Blogging a Dead Horse" would be a more appropriate blogname.

You see, half the fun of blogging is pretending that someone is actually reading it!!! The other half is listening to RC Sproul online.

I have exhausted my subject matter at this point. Blog your mind.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

I thought this might be a catchy title to today's post. I am listening to Bill Bennett online at Townhall.com. I have read some of his book, "America: the Last Best Hope."

A GOOD WAY TO BLOG

One good way to blog is to play audio while doing it. Have a high-speed Internet connection that will allow you to listen to media while you ponder and post your thoughts.  

STINK BLOG

Once again, I am pondering a name change to my blog, wondering if (and hoping) it will change the apparent lack of interest in reading my blog.  Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I wonder if my blog "stinks."  At least I can practice being boring rather than coming at it without any practice! 

In a previous post, I mentioned "stream of consciousness." I don't fully comprehend the meaning of that term. But I do, however, pretend to sound like I know what it means. For one thing, I am able to type a lot more quickly when I am "on a roll." How's that for a highbrow definition?

Another thing I like to do when blogging is to pretend I am introducing a new topic to the discussion (What discussion? I'm talking to myself!) The internet is the only place where you can legitimately talk to yourself whilest untold multitudes of people are listening--or not. 

I have found from experience that the only way for people to find my blog is for me to use key words that they are searching with using Google or some other search engine to find something that will whet their appetite for information. Hence, the Internet is the vehicle with which more and more tech-savvy people will want to fill their otherwise empty heads with a world of stuff that will drown their sense of ...well, you know what I mean.

As I fast approach the point of this whole diatribe, I am left to consider what may be termed "Spirit-led blogging." I was born again by the Spirit of God, the Creator of the universe. He has spiritually made Himself known to me, mainly through His Word (the Bible) and other people whom He has regenerated as well. I can discern more and more what is of Him and what isn't.

I must wind up my post here, as I am getting impatient with the whole idea of blogging to myself. What insights are to be gained by my continuance of this futile exercise in self-aggrandizement?  

None.

BLAH, BLAH, BLOG

This blogging thing is so addictive that I just had to return to my blog and blog some more. Blogs away!

At the risk of sounding redundant if not vain and pointless, I would like to take this opportunity to say that personal computing is addictive:

...the more you learn, the more you will want to learn;
...and its corollary: the more you can do, the more you will want to do
...and the more you know how to do, the more you will want to know how to do what it is you don't know how to do yet.

Is that... "clear?"

Well, no great shakes there. It's all common sense, really.

As I was saying (or not saying), PCing is chill!!! I believe that is the correct contemporary vernacular. If not, oh well. You know what I mean.

I haven't thought of a title for today's entry, but I imagine necessity will force me to come up with a succinct phrase of relevant import, such as "Today's Post," or something original like that.

Well, I sense the imminence of impending termination as I seek to wind up this post. Hasta la vista!

A BLOG BY ANY OTHER NAME

Yes, that great cyberbard William Mousepointe said, "A blog by any other name is still a blog."

The biggest challenge to keeping a blog is finding a topic to blog about. How original can I be? Am I being stale, aimless, pointless? Does it glorify God?

I leave the answers to these questions to you. Perhaps as a Christian I can inspire you to seek God while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.

I want to wish all Americans a Happy Fourth of July!!!

Praise God for all the military protecting and fighting for our freedom! May God keep this country firmly established on the foundation of His Word.