Newboys "In the Hands of God" cd review

I bought two new cds the other day. Yes, I have an ipod. I just like the real thing. Call me old fashioned but there are always a stack of cds in my car. For some reason, the sound quality seems better to me with a real cd. Another reason is I detest the whole cd-transfer-to-itunes-to-ipod-with-cable process, a major pet peeve of mine. Come on, we are nearly out of the first decade of the 21st century and they can’t figure out how to offer wireless transfers of music data in a less cumbersome setup?

But, I digress, back to the cds. So, while driving along one of the busiest interstate roads in my state, I blindly plucked one of the new cds from top of the pile. Head bobbing, foot stomping, good ole solid rock worthy music immediately streamed out-- not too heavy, not too pop. I was getting into it—and then the singing started. I stopped mid-head bob from shock.

I quickly ejected the cd. Instead of it being the band I thought it would be, it was the other band’s new cd; a band better known for fun pop/rock songs like, “Go (I Wanna Send You),” “Wherever We Go” or slower worship music like “Presence (My Heart’s Desire),” “He Reigns” or “Devotion” but sure enough, the cd label said Newsboys. After I heard the distinctive vocals of Peter Furler, I knew this cd would earn membership in my personal favorites hall of fame. The cd’s first cut, “The Way We Roll” starts off with a bang and instructs us to:

Put on your backpack,
Throw out your roadmap,
God’ll use anything, check it and see.
He’s using us more than we could ever ask for,
That’s the new way we roll cause we’ve been set free!

Another fun song that gets your heart pumping and singing in the car is Dance. The song urges us to shed our self-consciousness.

Dance like no one is looking
Sing like no one can hear
Love like you’ve never been hurt before,
Live like there’s nothing to fear

Ok, I know Chris Tomlin said basically the same thing in one of his hit songs but it doesn’t hurt to reiterate this message to the masses.

One of my favorite songs on the cd , “Lead Me to the Cross” is one I sing in church. They didn’t fiddle with the original Hillsong arrangement too much either so it comes off pure and sincere, just the way it should.

With busy lives, we tend to forget we are mortal with a “finite number of heartbeats.” The song, “This is your life” doesn’t sugar coat its message. I may put these words in my profile:

This is not a warm up round…
This is your life
Treat yourself right,
Treat others right.
Live like you know you should…
Fight the good fight,
Fight for what’s right.
Do what you know you should.
Every living soul completes a finite number of heartbeats…
The devil knows you get just one shot…
Did you forget that heaven’s calling for your best shot?

That’s a good question to ponder. The Newsboys cd, “In the Hands of God” is a great addition to your collection.

Update: On March 9, 2009 the band announced that Michael Tait (formerly of dc Talk) will replace Peter Furler as the Newsboys lead singer.

Rock of Ages

You can take the girl out of the 80's but you can't always take the 80's out of the girl :)

Ok we all have vices, 80's hair bands are mine lol and fortunately, in Second Life life seems to be in a time warp. Most of us boomers must dominate the demographics because 80's concert venues abound. Great for me!

So, I spend lots of hours doing the rounds at concerts by tribute bands, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends but no matter I always have a great time! This past week alone I heard Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, 3 Doors Down and a german band called Kreation. I missed Evanescence but will catch them another time.

And, I'm even thinking about being a singer in a cover band....hey, why not. Isn't that what a second life is all about?

Stay tuned...

New Wine

We are told in the bible not to pour new wine in old wineskins. Another popular suggestion is to think out of the box. You can take each simply as advisements to go out of your comfort zone but it's really deeper.

If you think out of the box, your mind stretches. You are still you but your scope of vision has changed to include new ways to see the same issue or problem. That is good yet we are still the same person with the same heart. All we have is added vision.

In biblical times a wineskin was made out of an animal's stomach lining. Wine poured into it would ferment and the new wineskin would stretch to accomodate that process. However, if new wine is poured into the used wineskin it will burst because it can't stretch any further. So, you have to create a new wineskin and start the process all over again. This is done over and over again and each time you must recreate to accomodate the stretching.

So, it is with us. Once we accept Jesus into our life, we are created into new beings to accomodate our new hearts. The old person is left behind and you are now new.

Through my work at Wings of Hope Magazine, we glorify God through new ways. Each of us stretches out of our comfort zones to spread the Word and bring His teachings and lessons to others. We are new wineskins and Jesus is our wine.

On March 22, 2008 we held an all day event to celebrate our new print format. We blended and embraced the real world with the virtual with a debut concert by real world band, Justpassingthru! Also on stage was Dexter and Noma Falta. We know how to throw a party! It was a great day!

We have a mission and we will plow forth, envisioning a world filled with the love of Christ and hearts full of His passion. It's not been an easy path, but since when was following Jesus easy anyway?