Geraldine.
I remember
Dinosaurs and heroes
On the wood-grain
Linoleum.
I remember
A pallet at
Your bed-side.
I remember
Your face,
Sunken and fell.
Grandma.

If a terrorist attack occurs in your neighborhood, please consult this handy guide.

On a similar note, don't you just love how the anti-war crowd is trotting out the Pope as evidence that Bush should call off the war? Why don't they consult his holiness when issues like abortion come up? How about divorce? Homosexuality?

Michael Moore is an ass. This war is evil, according to Michael. His major sources are the Pope (who I'm sure Mr. Moore always agrees with) and, get ready for this . . . the Dixie Chicks! Well, I can't argue with evidence like that.

Damn the Discovery Channel! Damn them to hell! Have they no respect for the work I do that contributes to the security of this country? Don't they understand that what I do is very important and directly impacts the troops in the field? Why, why, why would they do this to me? Why would they schedule Junkyard Wars right before I go to work? I'm going to be late every day now. Damn them. Damn them all.

One of the saddest days I can remember was the day that Rich Mullins died. The greatest Christian songwriter in the world had died in a Jeep accident. One of the few antidotes to CCM dreck had left us and I was left wondering why. Since then, my question has been: Who will take his place? Who will fill the void of a poet who has one eye focused squarely on the difficult life of a Christian, and the other on tradition?

Well, friends, I’ve finally found him. He’s here. His first two albums gave me cause for optimism, but his third . . . oh, man. Let me introduce you all to Andrew Peterson, the heir apparent. His new album, Love and Thunder, is wonderful. He, like Rich always did, is ever mindful of the beauty of God’s creation while not forgetting the Creator. He is also mindful of the struggle of a Christian man to find God when He doesn’t seem to be around.

The highlights for me, of this record are Family Man, a song about the joy of “trading in my Mustang for a Minivan,” Canaan Bound, a song about God’s promises fulfilled, and Let There Be Light. This last one throws a great nod to the music of Bill Monroe and Chet Atkins, making for a beautiful tribute to music past, as well as a commentary on music present.

Go buy this. It’s the best.


NEXT UP: The successor to Mark Heard!