Leaving for Promisekeepers

This weekend, it's off to Illinois for a Promisekeepers Conference called Manhood 2008. I will take all the good parts in and discard the bad. (Yes, you will get a full report Will) This is sort of an experiment because I don't believe all the things a Christian is "supposed" to believe although I do have a curiousity about a higher power somewhere, somewhere on the order of Einstein or Spinoza. I may have some interesting side conversations. Instead of saying I don't believe I could say I am struggling with my faith. It would be interesting how much openness there is to someone who is struggling, how much empathy there will be from people fairly set in their thinking. That's my test---how much empathy will I find out there? A complete update is coming up on my upcoming post when I return from Illinois.

Wish me a safe trip. The GPS is set for its destination. (No recalculating allowed :) )



Other Notes:

If you have time, check out Richard Shindell's youtube new song called STATE OF THE UNION. It has a powerful political message.


STATE OF THE UNION

by Richard Shindell

Capo V
Asus2: 002200


Intro: (Em)(Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)

That (Em)nice easy (G)mark at the (C)edge of the (G)parkA (C)slam dunk if (G)ever I've (C)seen (D)oneI (Em)don't know what (G)happened;
I just (C)let it go (G)byI (C)guess maybe (D)out of res(Em)pect (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
This old (Em)town is my (G)home, and I'm (C)not so far (G)goneBut I (C)don't feel like (G)anyone (C)else(D)
And it (Em)didn't seem (G)right to (C)add to the (G)wrongI de(C)cided to (D)get me some (Em)help
If (C)not now, then when, I was (D)asking my(Em)self(C)Over and (G)over a(D)gain
Make it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junkI've (C)heard it can (D)happen that (Em)way (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
I went (Em)down to the (G)clinic on a (C)hundred and (G)tenAnd I (C)got on the (G)methadone (C)pro(D)gramI (Em)waited on (G)line every (C)morning at (G)nineFor my (C)little white (D)cup, my re(Em)prieve (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
It was (Em)going o(G)kay, I was (C)feeling al(G)rightI (C)even got (G)back with my (C)daughter(D)I (Em)lost a few (G)friends who were (C)anything (G)butI just (C)took it one (D)day at a (Em)time
If (C)not now, then when, I was (D)asking my(Em)self(C)Over and (G)over a(D)gainMake it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junkThey (C)say it can (D)happen that (Em)way (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
I (Em)can't say for (G)sure how it (C)all fell a(G)part(C)One thing just (G)led to an(C)other(D)(Em)Next thing I (G)knew, I had (C)stolen a (G)carAnd was (C)flying straight (D)up to the (Em)Bronx (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
I must have (Em)lost the old (G)touch, 'cause I (C)blew through a (G)tollThey (C)caught me just (G)outside of (C)Rye(D)Sporting (Em)all that re(G)mained of my (C)new-found re(G)solveA (C)shirt that said (D)NYP(Em)D
Some (C)shred of my soul could (D)almost be(Em)lieveThat the (C)Lord sent those (G)cruisers for (D)meMake it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junk
But it (C)don't always (D)happen that (Em)way (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
At the (Em)halfway (G)house we're (C)sitting a(G)round(C)Watching the (G)State of the (C)Union(D)And I'm (Em)rolling that (G)stone right (C)back up the (G)hill(C)Watching the (D)mud coming (Em)down (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)
And the (Em)President's (G)up there, (C)grinning that (G)grin(C)Thinking he's (G)some kind of (C)John (D)WayneAnd we're (Em)howling and (G)cheering all this (C)talk about (G)drillingAnd (C)shooting our (D)way out of (Em)this
If (C)not now, then when, I'm (D)asking my(Em)self(C)Over and (G)over a(D)gain
Make it (Em)right, get (G)free, get (C)rid of the (Asus2)junkBut it (C)don't always (D)happen that (Em)way (Cmaj7)(Em)(Cmaj7)(Em)