Music that will make you dumb.

I discovered an article online today that confirmed all of my beliefs regarding the music industry today.

Please read on . . . 

"Beyonce Knowles' fans are dumb.

Admirers of the 'Crazy in Love' singer came out second from bottom in a 'Music That Makes You Dumb' study in the US, which compared students SAT results - a standardized test taken by all students hoping to go to college - with their favorite music.

US rapper Lil' Wayne was the only artist whose fans scored a lower average in their SAT tests according to the poll, while classical fans scored higher than anyone else.

Fans of indie music were credited with above average intelligence with fans of bands like Radiohead, Counting Crows and U2 scoring highly in their SATs.

Virgil Griffin, the creator of the 'Music That Makes You Dumb' study and its accompanying website, said: "I've listened to artists and afterwards thought to myself, 'Wow... loving this rubbish says a lot about someone and how much they've got going on in their head.'

"Could one's musical tastes say something about intelligence? How about SAT scores? Well, like any good scientist, I decided to see how well my personal experience matches reality."

Although the results put mainly urban artists at the bottom, fans of rock bands such as Aerosmith, Nickelback and The Used all scored low in the graph.

Music fans can see the full results at www.musicthatmakesyoudumb.virgil.gr."

I knew it.  I just knew it.  

I love the libs.

I love the library.  I love the environment it affords.  I love the community that can be created around the connection of homework.  But most of all, I love the hilarious printed materials that one, who spends enough time there, can find.  

I must confess that I didn't actually find these texts.  My friend Priscilla found them; and let me tell you how indebted to her I am.  

So here's a picture of the books I am relishing in right now.  

A Short Life of Christ and A Shorter Life of Christ.  Next to each other, on the library shelf.  Yay!  Just in case you were wondering, Christ's life was apparently short and furthermore, it can be made shorter.  

Olivia Boyda said, in her brilliance, "So it's like, is your paper due next week, or tomorrow?"

The best part of this whole deal is that The Shorter Life (clearly the superior text) is published by Zondervan, whereas the The Short Life is published by the obviously inferior Eerdmans.  

That's irony at its best.  

Here's also a cool pic of the Zondervan print inside the book.  I should probs send it to them.  Jk.

Pharisaism Exposed.

We sing this song at camp.  It's been a favorite of the younger ages for a long time.

One of the verses sings, "I don't want to be a Pharisee (x2).  Cause they're not fair you see."  

Mostly, I think we sing this song literally.  Translation then: "I don't want to be a Jewish teacher of the law."  My response then: "Sweet, I'm not.  Nor do I ever see myself being, thus I am exempt from the message of this song." 

Amidst my realigning this morning (that's for Laura), I was reading Matthew 23 and 24.  This passage discusses the errors of the actions of the Pharisees.  As I read the condemnation of the actions of the Pharissees I realized that when not taken literally, I am far from exempt from the message of that song.  

I am in fact a Pharisee.  

The text discusses at length, with many different metaphors, how the Pharisees spend all of their time making sure their outward appearance is clean and shiny while their hearts are thick with mud.  

Jesus accuses them of being double minded.  Their actions fit the bill but their motive is highly impure.  Jesus calls them on this, damning them at the same time.

I've been recently convicted of my motive behind ministry.  I've never gone so far as to view it as an avenue into heaven, but it has become automatic for me.  

I've been a part of ministry all my life.  Daughter of a minister since day 1.  As time went on opportunites arose for me to become the minister.  Children's ministry, youth ministry, camp ministry, music ministry were all at my disposal.  Since I was naturally gregarious, I partook and I fit the part well.

Only now, through my regular children's ministry and academic study of such, am I realizing that there is responsibility that goes along with ministering.  The spiritual well-being of these children is daily and weekly being placed in my hands.  Is there ever a point at which I can take that lightly?  Some might say no but I did for 8 years.  Never once did I think there was more to what I was doing than filling the time and sending them home.  But I was good at it and I looked good. 

Now however, as I realize the incredible responsiblity I have to spiritually guide, nurture and love these children, I feel sick whenever I have to do so.  Lucky for me, I am, at the same time, understanding the grace that goes along with God asking you to do his work.  He realizes that you are weak and small.  He never asks you to be able to spiritually guide, nurture and love anyone with your own strength.  That's the point.  It's not me.  

What a relief.  

I don't want to be a Pharisee.   But I am.  Thanks be to God, though, I can get out of it.  

At the end of Matt. 24 he writes, "Who is then the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at he proper time?  Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes."  

I believe that this is what God has asked me to do.  By his grace I will do it until the day he comes and finds me fulfilling his will.  

By his grace I will hear, "well done."

My four year-old post-modernist.

This is my four year-old post-modernist.  

I spent the entire morning learning the history and characteristics of post-modernism.  After doing this I realized that my four year-old is a post-modernist.  

Post-modernists aruge that the beliefs a person holds are unto themselves and the beliefs of those around them have no affect on 

their beliefs what-so-ever.

So Bekah and I had had a rough morning, one day as I took care of her while her mom was at work. We were clashing at every point.  So I told her sternly to get a shirt on so we could finish getting ready to go to daycare.  She stomped off to her room and came back with her shirt on inside out and backwards.  I said to her, "Bekah, your shirt is on wrong."  She looked at me and said with distain, "It's only wrong to you."  

So there we have it ladies and gentlemen, post-modernism has pervaded every aspect of our lives.  

Even our toddlers.  

The Meaning of Everything.

So the two weeks prior to this one I clocked 35 hours in the Library working on the biggest paper of my bachelor.  Yeah.  While I was there however, I discovered a lot of amazing books. 

One of them, for instance, was entitled The Meaning of Everything. 

What a treasure. The literal meaning of everything can be found in the Archibald Library at Briercrest College, Caronport, SK Canada.  

The best part of this book is that it's only 237 pages.  The meaning of everything can be summed up in 237 pages.  Here's a glimpse for evidence.  

What's more, is that I also came upon a book called Freshwater Fishes of Canada.  Here's a picture of it in comparison to The Meaning of Everything to help you understand why it is significant.  

If you didn't notice upon first glance, it's three time the size of The Meaning of Everything.

This leads me to question why anyone would write a book that size about freshwater fishes of Canada when they could read about the meaning of everything in so much less time.  

Here's a picture of the front of Freshwater Fishes of Canada.  Note the multi-colored map of Canada with the fish hidden inside.  Perhaps the multiple colors are supposed to represent the fresh water.  

It's just so ironic.

awkward . . .

So my friend, who I will call here Flaura had this amazing convo with her friend, who I will call here Cordan. Their interaction with each other is always awkward. My life is made better because of it.
So a couple days ago she came to me and said,
"So I was in the entrance way to the caf. and one of the coat racks was missing. So Cordan walks up and I say, 'there's a coat rack missing.'"
And he says, "Hey I'm good. How are you?"
"I'm good. There's a coat rack missing."
"Oh. So how are you?"
"I'm good."
"Is that what you said?"
"No I said, there's a coat rack missing."
"Oh. Okay, well see ya."

Does that not just fill your heart with happiness and gratitude? Gatitude to Cordan for being so wonderfully socially awkward.

Then today in Apologetics class I turned to my friend Lindsey and asked "So where do you live in Regina?"
And she said, "North."
"East?"
"North."
"East."
"North."
"Not north east?"
"No. North."
"Oh."

Please allow this delightful awkwardness to make your life a little brighter.

To the Left . . .

To the left of this post was a video bar. I only wanted the one video but I didn't know how to download it directly to my post. My brilliant roomate however, discovered how and thanks to her, you can now watch the video below.
So watch it. Gather your thoughts and then read on.



So I'm taking Apologetics this semester. I am beyond excited. I've wanted to take this class for about 2 years now, so I'm pumped it worked out for me to take it this semester.
For those of you who don't know, apologetics is the defense of the faith; in Christian terms anyhow. Did you know that an apology, is not the act of saying sorry, its actually the art of making a defense. So as a Christ follower seeking to expand the kingdom, I am going to learn how I can more profitably defend my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ so that others may also come to believe.
Tyler Oakley, who I have loved from the moment I heard him make this claim, puts down an incredibly valid arugment. The argument that Christianity sounds insane. We have to admit this. Especially to those who don't believe. But the other reality is that, as believers, we have found hope in this thing we call Kingdom life. Hope that keeps us going and helps us live life to the best of our ability. The writer of the book of Hebrews calls us to always be able to give account for the hope that we have. So for those times when I inevitably encounter people like Tyler, I'm going to need to be able to do that well.
So here I go. Wish me luck.