24 May 2010

Patterns

So, I'm in the throes of a baby craze. that's lasted about 2 years. which is fine. at least by me.
But I'm taking advantage of this time of waiting to make some home-made stuff for our future BABIES!!!! ...ahem.
I've decided to start with bibs and burp rags because, honestly, you need at least a dozen of those, and they don't need to look perfect because they'll be covered in gunk.

Step one is to steal (or take with permission) my mother's old sewing machine.
Step two is to put it in our back room now that there's (theoretically) space for it.
Step three is to buy the fabric (which may become step one, as that's clearly the most fun of all of these steps).
Step four is to sew one of each of the patterns I've found and figure out which I like best.
Step five is to find a baby to try them on and see if they fit okay.
Step six is to sew a dozen or so of the favs.
Step seven is to find a place to put them until the appointed time.

Mkay, one step at a time. :D [BABIES! WHEEEEE!]

19 May 2010

Look, I'm Sorry But

seriously. We need to talk. Every time I listen to Christian radio, I get upset. For several reasons, if I leave it on long enough to listen to several songs.

Reason 1: I'm so bored. and slightly annoyed at the noises coming in my ear. This is not fully their fault, as I'm a weirdo with music.

Reason 2: Several songs don't actually sound like the person singing genuinely relies on God. A lot od christian songs sound like a person reminding themselves of things in the Bible over and over again... which is fine. BUT. That isn't a relationship with God. It's a relationship with the Bible. which is not the best that God is offering to us: the fullness of relationship with the constancy of God's character as laid out in the Bible. I know that sounds snotty, and to some it may sound... heretical or something. but really. I'm not interested in just reading and trying to change my life by remembering things. I'm not that inherently good... or something. diligent. well-meaning. disciplined. take your pick. I need moment-to-moment saving by a living God, who uses allllll sorts of different ways to redeem my time here, including reminding me of His Word in a timely manner or bringing me to the passage that I need to be refreshed. Blahblahblah honestly to me it comes down to I can tell after one chorus that I don't want this person's faith, and I'm not sure s/he knows that there's more than that.

Reason 3: There are frequently basically cover songs. I heard two back-to-back. I don't understand why this is so frequent in christian music, other than a lack of new material. which is completely bizarre to me. It's JESUS we're singing to and about! That's like saying there's nothing new or dynamic about my marriage, but even worse! I'm not sure if it's vanity that causes people to think they want to redo a song; I'm tending to think not, since the people involved are christians. Perhaps they're thinking that the song hasn't been heard enough? Which is not tru in the case of either song I heard. In fact, both have already been played to death. and both of the songs pretty much neutered the songs, making them sound like pretty songs with smooth harmonies and everything sounding... tranquil. I don't get it. Singing of the holiness of God, of His power and beauty and how we'll be with Him forever and see Him as He is. I don't get it.

Reason 4: I'm just so bored. Musically and lyrically. Everything was structured either the same or missing a bridge or tag. so bored. and several of the songs were not mixed well. Nothing was really raw or fully honest. I know songs are written for other people, but as worshipers, don't we want to usher people into the presence of God? If so, shouldn't we be ushering them in honesty? Should we be hiding things from the Lord, cooling our hearts, simply because we are int eh presenc of other humans? I mean... it won't be like that in Heaven. so. sooner or later, we're going to be emotionally naked in front of one another. Why hide now? Freedom is waiting; it's not just waiting, but hungry people are silently clamoring for it. FREEDOM! It's not found in hiding from the light that exposes and unshackles. Let's do this, brothers and sisters.

Not that I'm an awesome songwriter. I'm really not. I'm working on it. But I'm also not looking to put my songs in the ears of christians and prechristians everywhere. and I hate being bored.