Monday, February 13, 2006

Discovering things that have been around a while

Thanks to a friend's kindness, I've discovered The Choir. Oh my goodness, where have these guys been all my life?! Awesome musicianship, excellent lyrics, infectious and inventive tunes -- they're the whole package. I wish I'd found them sooner -- they've been around about 20 years. But there were many many years when I had absolutely no budget for new music and I was dependent on the radio. Not a good way to find new stuff, believe me.

Then yesterday, our pastor used a good quote from a book in his sermon and I remembered that I had the book, but had never read it. The book: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, by Eugene Peterson. I picked up a copy of it at a garage sale a few years ago, but never got around to reading it. So last night I found it and started reading it and am thinking I should have read it a lot sooner. The book was written in 1980, but it seems even more relevant today, with it's call to patience on the Christian journey. This is an excellent, challenging meditation on the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120-134), not a Christian self-help book. What I've read so far reminds me that there is joy in walking with God, but no promises of ease and comfort. But when troubles come, and they will, I have the assurance of knowing my God is with me. Peterson is a good writer, and a sound scholar, and this book is worth your time.

2 comments:

Pilgrim said...

I love Peterson's writing. I read that one a long while back, and gave it away,and am sorry.

I haven't heard The Choir, but think I read they were good friends with Mark Heard, whose music I like.

lindaruth said...

You might like The Lost Dogs, too. They're a little more country, but I like them anyway. The Choir is more rock/alternative. :)