Science (non) Fiction

I’ve been looking for this on YouTube since I first saw it months and months ago and I finally found it today! This is possibly my favorite commercial of all time - I saw it last night randomly on whatever channel I’d landed on, and I still laughed out loud Enjoy!

So I went to see Music and Lyrics over the weekend (first movie I’ve ever seen by myself in the theater) - very cute and sweet movie, nothing ground-breaking, but fun - and apparently Drew and Hugh did their own singing (which I didn’t discover til I went to buy the soundtrack and looked to see who they dubbed in for their voices and realized they didn’t dub!) - who knew they could sing? So fun! (As Kari pointed out, I got all my money’s worth in just the first 5 minutes of the movie, when Hugh stars in a 1980s-style pop video, complete with tight white pants, mullet-style hair and awesome dance moves. The rest of the movie was icing on the cake - hehe.) I may have to watch it again, if not buy it, when it comes out on DVD. (Especially if Drew and Hugh do commentary!)

I also finished (a while ago) The Faith Club, written as a conversation between three women of different faith backgrounds (Islam, Christianity and Judaism). There’s a strong universalist slant, especially as the book progresses and the women discuss their common beliefs. Definitely an interesting read, and makes me want to learn more about the issues surrounding the Israel/Palestine conflict (something about which I know way too little). (Kari, I think it will make for a very interesting discussion book, for the record - even in a homogeneous group of people, but especially in a more mixed population.)

I’m also keeping up my interest in the Tudor dynasty (and all the resulting drama that came along with them) as I’m now reading Innocent Traitor by Allison Weir (about Jane Grey - it covers more of the Protestant/Catholic drama going on at the time than The Other Boleyn Girl, largely I guess because those debates weren’t going on quite yet in England). I’m also anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first three episodes of the new mini-series The Tudors, about King Henry the VIII’s reign (with Mr. Jonathan Rhys Myers as Henry - whoohoo!). So excited!

Also, tonight is Over the Rhine! in concert in Charlotte at the Visulte Theater!!! Their new album is coming out later this year, so I’m really hoping they’ll play up the new music, since I’ve loved what new music I’ve heard them do in other concerts. (I am, however, getting to be too old for late night Monday concerts - how am I supposed to get a good day’s work done tomorrow after the excitement of tonight?!?!) It won’t be quite the big group we had around this time last year, but there will be at least a few of us, back to represent our peeps for OtR.

He is risen indeed! Alleluia! (A bit late, but better late than never.)

This hymn was one of the first songs I memorized on the piano, and for years afterwards I could still play the whole thing (both hands!), though it was mostly air-piano or ‘playing’ on table-top. It’s such a joyful way to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, the fact that ‘love’s redeeming work is done’. And there was such a visceral feeling of relief to sing those words, after leaving both Tenebrae services last week without being able to rejoice in Christ’s power over death.

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

~Isaiah 53:3-6

O sacred Head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory
What bliss ’til now was Thine
Yet though despised and gory
I joy to call Thee mine

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered,
Was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
Vouchsafe me to Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow
To praise Thee, heavenly friend,
For this my dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
Lord make me Thine forever,
Nor let me faithless prove
Oh let me never, never
Abuse such dying love