Song for Tim

So hear we go - humour is the order of the day. But so too is love. And so I thought I'd share with you this song that I wrote for my housemate Tim a couple of months back when I saw him studying in level three of the library as I was on my way to the toilet. It was such a pleasant surprise that I almost fell over the cleaner's bin. For those of you not in the know, it's based on a song entitled 'Beautiful Girl', by 'Flight of the Conchords'. Enjoy...

Looking round house,
I can tell that you
Are the most intelligent guy in the... downstairs bedroom.
In the downstairs bedroom.
Oooh.

And when you're in the lounge,
If Karen's not around,
I bet you are definitely in the top three
Bestest of mates in the lounge
(If there's no Soph)

And when I saw you in the library
I thought what...is...he...doing...
On Level 3
How did we get a genius like that to a library like this -
Good one Bath!!!
Ohhhh what a uni, Bath!

I asked the librarian if she's going to make a move on you,
She's not sure,
I said "lady do you mind if I do?".
She says she doesn't mind
but I can tell she kinda minds
but I'm gonna do it anyway.

I see you sitting all alone sitting in silent mode
I dim the noise down very low, here we go
You're so intelligent
You could be a historian
You're so intelligent
You could be a physicist in the US
You're so intelligent
You could be a part...time...economist

And then to seal the deal
I do my maths,
I do my A-level maths

It's twelve oh two
Just me and you
And seven other dudes
Around you in the silent study

I draw you near
Let's get outta here.
Let's get on Al's scooter
I'll move the wireless router!

Now I can't believe
That I'm sharing my internet with the most intelligent guy I have ever seen
With a router
Ooooooohhh.

Why don't we leave?
Let's go to my house and we can foos each other up on the table
Oh no. I don't mind taking it slow-ho-ho, no-ho-ho, yeah (10-1).

Cause you're so intelligent
Like a TV
Or a high-class dolphin
You're so intelligent
Mmm, you could be a part-time economist.

But you'd probably have to keep your auditing job -
A part-time economist!
Spending part of your time, modelling (econometrics),
and part of your time, next to meeeeeeeeee!

My kitchen is usually tidier than this...

Truth or the easy option?

I've just been to the commissioning of some new Salvation Army officers (ministers) and it was a very interesting, inspiring and challenging time, as these things often are.

But whilst these occasions are often a source of inspiration, they can often be a source of frustration too. In the afternoon meeting, in which the ceremony took place, there was a song entitled 'Dear Lord, I do surrender'. Now this is one of those songs that has a sentiment that a lot of other songs express too. "I'm giving up life and following God" the songs will say, and it makes it sound incredibly easy. I often nowadays fall silent during these songs and just try to contemplate what it means, and this happened again when we got to the second verse:

Too long at ease in Zion
I’ve been content to dwell,
While multitudes are dying
And sinking into Hell.
I can no more be careless,
And say there’s naught to do,
The fields are white to harvest
And labourers are few.

How on earth can you not be challenged by that verse? People are on their way to Hell and I'm saying I'm going to respond? That's not something to say lightly. And yet the third verse confirms:

O hear, thou God of Heaven,
The vows that now I make!

So everyone there was making a vow to give their life to God and live for him. But surely no matter what their intentions the song makes no sense. Either they're lying and they're not giving their lives to God, or else, if hundereds of people in the room and millions more who have song are telling the truth, then the 'labourers' really aren't that few.

I suppose what I'm saying is that for our songs to have any meaning, we have to think about what we're singing and be honest in what we proclaim. It's easy to go along with the crowd, but harder to stand there and say "you know what, I don't know if I'm actually ready for this yet". I'm really hoping that the Church will rediscover a deep longing to proclaim truth (even if it means making ourselves look like 'bad Christians') and not just do what's expected. If we're content with anything less than truth, if we're content with not being challenged, 'content to dwell', then we won't be changed, and neither will this world.