Backwoods Barbie - Dolly Parton!

So, it might be a bit odd that I am writing a post about Dolly Parton’s newest album, but I’m not ashamed and to be perfectly honest, I think it’s a brilliant album!
There are many criticisms of Dolly out there, mainly about her looks, the fact that her music is of the country genre and many more; you wouldn’t need to look very hard to find some posts that harshly criticise her. However, I’d like to point out that when looking for example posts on the criticism that she has received over the years, I was surprised by the numbers of positive reviews of her in comparison.

This new album in particular has created quite a stir, as it’s her first album in a long time as well as being quite striking to see her on the front cover at first. To top it all off, the second single which will be released from it is called Jesus and Gravity, the song which she recently played on American Idol (April 2008). The fact that she dared to play this song about her beliefs on a popular TV show has of course caused outrage amongst folk who say that someone stating their beliefs in a public forum and through popular music is an outrage. Perhaps you think it is? Well, I must say that I don’t. Last time I checked the status, both in the UK and US, freedom of speech was still a right for us! Yep, and it’s a right for Dolly too. I’m interested in what people think of this in context to the performance of ‘Shout to the Lord’ on American Idol recently too! I realise that people do need to be heartfelt in performing these worship songs, afterall, isn’t the performance supposed to be going to God?  Anyway!

In relation to this, and in listening to the album a fair few times, I must say that in the production I admire her most for her storytelling within the songs. This is something that has also been which has been noted in various other reviews; check out metacritic for another opinion. The whole album is obviously self-titled in the respect that she is the Backwoods Barbie, and track 3 also called this tells us that we shouldn’t judge her just because of the way she looks, and in fact the way she looks is just a “country girl’s idea of glam.”  She obviously feels the need to respond to all the criticism she has had and apologise for just being her, and seems to give somewhat of an explanation for who she is.  But if there’s one thing this song is above all else, it’s catchy!

But then again, the majority of this album falls into that category, with a new listener finding it difficult to not sing along to the country remake of FYC’s Drives me Crazy, or the opening track Better get to Livin’ which is guaranteed to get you singing along at the choruses! 

From a Christian point of view, and quite possibly a musical point of view also, the album’s climax is Jesus and Gravity (In my opinion, although the album is so diverse while still firmly within its country roots) where she employs a backing chorus and the song culminates in nothing short of a worship experience, where Dolly Parton declares in this story that Jesus is all she needs, that He’s her friend, her strength and all she’ll ever need.  There is something both heartfelt and passionate about this song and it truly got the hairs on the back of my neck standing from the first time I heard it.

In fair criticism of the album, the last few tracks are good, but tend to both blend into one and drone on a little. They are good, musically but revert to the old-time theme of country woes, and lack the upbeat rhythm that the beginning of the CD has.

 

All in all, I would say that after 41 years of producing albums, this one is certainly amongst my favourite (and perhaps the only one I truly like). I can’t wait to see her in concert; she is a fantastic performer and an inspiration to many (though perhaps not in looks!).

DOLLY PARTON, BACKWOODS BARBIE (2008) ~ 8/10*

 

Servanthood

So, servanthood is a topic really close to my heart and today something was said which kind of got me thinking round in circles about this topic.

I’ve always had a passion for taking part in the ’servant hood’, ever since I became a Christian. I don’t know if I’ve ever really understood it, but being a part and an active part of my local church has really helped me put a head and heart passion into something that’s a little more real.

As Christians, we should want to do our best for God in ever aspect of our lives and if this is our goal then our lives will become as a servants, but not in slavery, only through our choice in freedom.
As Jesus, God came to earth as a man and through his daily life, performed so many activites which would have been classed under this heading of servanthood. He was a carpenter but yet He IS and WAS the Son of God. Even as he came to earth he displayed the features of a servant in obedience to God.
He washed the feet of his disciples and submitted himself to those who were ultimately more lowly than himself.
He hung on a cross and as people around mocked him, he asked his Father in heaven to forgive him, in true humility Christ lived for sure.

This is all I want to be. In everything we want to do there should be that element of servant humility and not a ruling pride. For as we submit ourselves to one another (Philippians talks about thinking others as better than yourself) we begin to take on the character of Christ through serving.
No matter what form this takes, whether its in prayer, teaching, prophecy, cleaning, art, and endless other options, Christ will be pleased with us as His true and faithful servants.

Everything I want to do, I want to undertake it with this mindset, and then maybe I can really focus on Him rather than on me.

 

interview with god

I found this and thought it was amazing, and yeh perhaps a word which I never use enough, beautiful - but yet it is so simple.

If you have time please please take a look at the presentation by clicking on this - An interview with God, if you dont have time to watch this, just have a wee read through the script below.

Blessings,
Clare

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

So you would like to interview me? God asked.

If you have the time I said.

God smiled. My time is eternity.
What questions do you have in mind for me?

What surprises you most about humankind?

God answered…
That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.

That they lose their health to make money…
and then lose their money to restore their health.

That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future.

“That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived.

God’s hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked…
As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn?

To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved.

To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others.

To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness.

To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.

To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.

To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings.

To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently.

To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.

“Thank you for your time,” I said humbly.

“Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?”

God smiled and said,
Just know that I am here… always.

-author unknown

 

Child Genius

This was a program on channel 4 last year called Child Genius. It showed kids who are, “geniuses”. It’s pretty amazing what some of them can do, especially Mikail Ali who, at the age of three, is the youngest Mensa member ever. Watching the show just a bit makes me a little embarrassed as this kid at 3 can add and subtract four digit numbers far more easily than I have ever been able to. I am worried that it is also far more easily than I will ever be able to! Some of them are even saying into the camera: “well, yes, I am far more intelligent than my parents or teachers.”

Tariq Nelson writes a little more about it here: http://tariqnelson.com/2007/02/09/gifted-and-trying-to-be-normal/

So, how do these parents who aren’t particularly intelligent end up with a super-intelligent child? Though I am not sure about genes and DNA issues around the matter, I am not sure it is possible to attribute the intelligence to genes etc. If anyone has any information to offer on this matter, I’d love to hear about it.

If it is not a matter of inheritance then maybe this is a nurture issue? Is there a certain way to bring up a child so as to encourage their intellectual talent? Can anyone, regardless of their age and social background, have a child who will grow into a “Child Genius.”

I was thinking today about the human need to catagorize things and how many of the greatest thinkers have been those people who have succesfully compartmentalised life. Maybe sometime someone will come up with “10 steps to growing a Child Genius.” If anyone works that out before I do can you please send me the manuscript so that I can read it. Thanks!

 

Romans 12v11 - our call to be zealous servers.

Romans twelve (specifically 12:11 today) is one of the few chapters in the bible which deals extensively with the attitudes and characteristics of our Christian life. The idea behind this, and one which I personally strongly adhere to, is that these should be carefully outworked by us in our lives rather than just ‘believed’. Today we will deal with the only one verse in chapter 12 and if you missed the first part on “Worship, Loving and Devotion” then you can check it out here. There will be more to come. Please feel free to share with me what you think on these verses.

Rom 12:11 Don’t be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord.

The Apostle Paul writes so many times about “Zeal” throughout his many letters, and as the Christian Church (I refer to this without denomination, of course!!) it is important that we begin to take heed of these words. He has spoken about the dangers of Zeal previously, in that we must be careful that our zealousness is for good (Gal 4:18) and that also we must avoid zealous Hypocrites, i.e people who looks only for others to enlarge their own ranks and nor the ranks of Christ. It is in this that this very in the book of Romans tells us its true purpose. Therefore zeal should only be used with the sole perspective of serving Christ the Lord.