Standing On Giants' Shoulders

John Mark McMillan's "Death in His Grave" Acoustic

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:49:00 +0000

I can't begin to tell you how awesome this song is.

From Relevant Magazine studio live session.

When will US fans start supporting youth teams like this!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:49:00 +0000

Every time I hear that American fans are fanatical is want to show them this video. It is from a little Polish soccer team and the fans that came our to support their U12(!!!!) team in a Futsal tournament. Those kids must have felt like stars. Enjoy.

Death In His Grave

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:01:00 +0000

I am loving this song. Can't wait for the show at World Cafe Live here in Philadelphia on April 15. Enjoy.

Death In His Grave (Performance Video) from john mark mcmillan on Vimeo.

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:15:00 +0000

"The real value of an object is that which one who knows its worth will give for it. He who made the soul, knew its worth, and gave His life for it."

I think its an absolutely amazing quote and speaks to our inherent worth, created in the image of God. This explains so much scripture for me. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world"

Sunday Shuffle Review #3: "Sing A Song For You" by The Luxury Liners

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:03:00 +0000

I am very excited about this week's review. I am new to The Luxury Liners and this is just a great song. The Luxury Liners are a Nashville-based indie band comprising David Dewese on guitar and vocals, Scott Carpenter on drums and David Wistermann on bass. They've released three albums and an EP since 2000. I discovered this band through a free solo album that David Dewese posted on Noisetrade.com which you can find here. Dewese is also in The Foxymorons, another pretty cool band. They are all part of a burgeoning indie movement of Christian artists that are trying to make very interesting music. Think Sufjan Stevens or Danielson Family. The Luxury Liner's website is here, their MySpace is here and their Facebook page is here.

"Sing a Song For You" comes from The Luxury Liners' 2006 album Nonetheless. It starts with a slow, low pulsing dirge with distorted vocals like through a tiny radio speaker. It sets the sad mood of the song despite the pulsing, jangling guitars that come in 40 seconds into the song. Musically, this song brings to mind early R.E.M. with a little more swirling distortion and actual decipherable vocals.

Lyrically, "Sing A Song For You" is a letter to a former love. It acknowledges the pain of a love that seems to be one-sided and still remains so.

Like many of The Luxury Liners music, there is lyrical depth alongside the melodic indie pop of the music. Its sometimes easy to lose the meaning of the words as you get wrapped up in the enjoyment of the music. This too me is just plain good music.

Below is my transcription of the lyrics. If I messed them up maybe someone can let me know so I can fix them.

There is nothing wrong with me
There is nothing right.
You were not the only one afraid.
Time can take a toll on your soul
And shake your world.
Now I'm all alone, but that's ok.

Words are not the enemy and silence is our friend.
Open up your eyes and you might see.
Trust can only hurt if you turn out to believe
Let go of that fear to be free.

All I can do is sing a song for you
You were never there for me and
I was always there for you.
All I can do is dream a dream of you
I was never up for you
You'll always know I'm still in love with you

Cast aside our history and turn another page
Start from the beginning again.
Once you hit the bottom, well there's nowhere left to turn
Set your sights on all that remains.

Your heart, it can't be found.
Who knows where you belong.

All I can do is sing a song for you
You were never there for me and
I was always there for you.
All I can do is dream a dream of you
I was never up for you
You'll always know I'm still in love with you.

Sunday Shuffle Review #2: Inbetween Days by The Cure

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:21:00 +0000

This weeks Shuffle Review landed on a song that's just plain fun and depressing in the way that only The Cure can do. "Inbetween Days" was the first single and opening track from The Cure's 1985 album Head on the the Door. This was the first Cure album I bought, discovering them in my British Alternative awakening when I went to college. The Cure, led by Robert Smith, were "the" band for black-clad suburban "rebels" too sophisticated for punks filthiness and aggression. We there was were depressed as only teenagers who wanted to be hopelessly introspective yet still have fun could be. Cure fans were emo before emo.

"Inbetween Days" was a perfect song for that attitude. It is infectiously upbeat. It takes off fast and stays like that for 2:58 until the very last note. Alternating single note synthesizer and electric guitar layer melodically on top of constantly driving acoustic guitar and percussion. This song moves and never lets up.

Lyrically the song cannot be more different. It begins with a painful expression of aging and loss

Yesterday I got so old
I felt like I could die
Yesterday I got so old
It made me want to cry

Just walk away
Your choice is made
Go on go on
And disappear
Go on go on
Away from here

From this pushing away, Smith realizes his mistakes. He needs her but has pushed her away

And I know I was wrong
When I said it was true
That it couldn't be me and be her
Inbetween without you
Without you

Verse two shifts to a please to return that goes unanswered

Yesterday I got so scared

I shivered like a child
Yesterday away from you
It froze me deep inside
Come back come back
Don't walk away
Come back come back
Come back today
Come back come back
Why can't you see
Come back come back
Come back to me

It is a sad song that you just have to dance to. It is a perfect example of the genius of Robert Smith and why The Cure captured such a fanatical following. Enjoy!! Just don't think about getting old and losing your one true love.

Sunday Shuffle Review #1: Faces by We Shot The Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:51:00 +0000

Well away we go. Now most of you probably have never heard of this band, especially here on the East Coast. I found this through my Emusic.com account. We Shot The Moon is a San Diego based indie band. "Faces"' is the fourth track from 2007's LP Fear and Love.

"Faces" has a decidedly RelientK/Blink 182 feel to it. It starts with a slow piano, string and vocal part that quickly accelerates and drops into the full band. The song keeps are really appealing groove, driven by the piano, accentuated by overdriven power chords. Musically, it is wonderful power/pop, with a great groove.

Lyrically, the song is only average. It speaks to the desire to make something special of your life.

"And if you slow down

could it ever be this fun?
in a small town
with no where else to run
give it time, figure it out
get in line, and narrow it down
you'd go farther then you ever thought you could"

While there is nothing wrong with this, frankly, its just plain bland, nothing special. In all, the lyrics are pretty forgettable

I encourage you to give this band a listen. There are free downloads of their upcoming album at http://www.weshotthemoon.com/. Check out their Myspace here for more details. Also, check out this interview from HopeCore magazine.

I'm Back

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Well I let this blog slip. I got lazy. No other good excuse. So now I'm back with a new resolve and some new features coming. The first is a regular post starting today called Sunday Shuffle Review. I'm going to but the iPod on shuffle and review whatever song comes up first. Should be interesting. I have some pretty random stuff on there. Let me know what you think.

making progress

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:48:00 +0000

we are well under way!! we hit the road at 5:30 and just crossed the New York border. continue to pray for us. We will be posting some pictures and further updates later. God bless!

Driving to Tornoto

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:59:00 +0000

I will be driving to Toronto tomorrow (Thursday) for the site visit for the mission trip Robin and I are leading this Easter. I will be mobile blogging over at the Mission Trip blog here (http://tkcstoronto09.blogspot.com/). Check out any posts over there. Unfortunately, blogger only lets you choose one blog to mobile blog to at once so I am choosing the Toronto blog for this weekend. I will be driving up Thursday and driving back Saturday.

Hanging out at Borders

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:42:00 +0000

Robin and I are doing our usual Sunday night chill out while the boys are at church. I just read about the new U2 album coming out which I am pretty excited about. then I realized that tomorrow is a day off from school and I smiled. It is little stuff like that that makes life interesting.

Penn Jillette talks about an encounter with a Christian

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:49:00 +0000

Penn Jillette is best known as the talking half of the very funny comedy duo Penn and Teller. He is also a fierce atheist. Here he tell the story of an encounter with a Christian that illustrates the importance for Christians of loving those that disagree with us and even mock us. Oh, and wow, does the camera angle amplify the "eww" factor of the hair style!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

That Mitchell and Webb Look

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:44:00 +0000

I found these clips from That Mitchell and Webb Look, a British sketch show. This show is freaking hilarious. Is there anything greater than a British sketch show (besides Jesus, my wife and my kids of course). Enjoy this one. I love the slam on the "we" of sports fans. "We won last night." "We should trade so-and-so." Its one of my pet peeves. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN1WN0YMWZU

Creation Festival 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:01:00 +0000

It looks like we are headed to this year's Creation Festival. I volunteered to work at it, which should be pretty exciting. We have a friend running the Fringe Stage so I am hoping to get assigned there. And, we might be getting an RV for the week so no more sleeping on the ground. Let the kids do that, I've earned a mattress and other comforts. Anyone planning on going, let me know. We can make our site a gathering for TKCS.

Video promotion is here. Couldn't get it to embed. Maybe someone could help.
http://www.videorocket.com/creation09/1766872

NBC doesn't want you to see this

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:06:00 +0000

NBC has refused to sell the time during the Super Bowl for this commercial. It is phenomenal.

New Year's Resolutions, sort of

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:40:00 +0000

Ok, who am I kidding. These aren't quite resolutions, that's way too much pressure to actually, I don't know, follow up on them. Think of these as New Year's Best Attempts. So here's my list:

Spend way, way more time with Robin and the boys.
Be there. I know what that means, that's all that matters.
Post more than last year. I've been way too slow in posting here to the blog.
Exercise. Last year I dropped almost all the weight I was trying to. Now it's time to actually get in shape.
Keep up with lesson plans and grading. Man, I get lazy sometimes.
Play guitar regularly with a group of other musicians. Frankly, I typed "Join a band." But it looked real sad coming from a 41, almost 42, year old.
Pray for preaching opportunities. I miss it.
Write a detailed study of 1 John. I've been reading this little book and want to swim in it.
Read a book at least every two weeks.
Get to the darkroom a few times. I have a bunch of negatives to print out

Comments anyone?

View from the Pew, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 03:53:00 +0000

Here I am introducing a, hopefully, recurring feature. Every once in a while I get distracted during the sermon and start flipping through my Bible and see where I end up. Sometimes I'll let scripture take me on a little journey through some connected verses. Here I'll talk about some of these passages. Please comments as you'd like.

The first is from Isaiah 63:9. It says:

In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.

I was floored by the very first line. The God of the universe sees the distress of His people and shares in their distress. Is there no greater love than this. The writers of the New Testament used the work agape to describe this kind of love. This us the love that cares more for the pain and distress of others. I can't help but think of a friend of mine going through a very difficult time. I have felt their pain so many times and realized that I was starting to understand agape when I began to ask God to let me bear this pain instead of them. This is what God was telling the nation of Israel through the prophet. God is feeling my hurts and pains, my stress and insecurities. In my most difficult times, I am never, never alone. God is not only there with me, but He takes my pain on Himself.

A friend tells me of a dream they had. In the darkness of a tunnel they could go no farther. Just at the moment of giving up hope, God appears and carries my friend to safety. I was reminded of that story when I came to this last line. "He lifted them up and carried them..." When I cannot go one step farther, God carries me, maybe like a baby, maybe like a soldier carrying a wounded comrade, a Shepherd carrying a wounded lamb. My God, My Saviour. What love, what mercy, what grace. That God would care for a messed up, rebellious sinner such as I. I am humbled and bowed before such a God as this.

Hoping you Calvinists have a sense of humor

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:26:00 +0000

This was posted on the internetmonk blog. It's a really great site and well worth a visit. This song is a little funny piece and is not meant to mock Calvinists. If you are offended just consider that it might be God's sovereign will that this was posted. Enjoy.

Sophomore's Rule (this time)

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:36:00 +0000

The sophomore's ruled the Christmas skits this year. (It hurt, I was involved in both the Senior and Junior skits) Well done. Here is the link to their video. Funniest I've seen at King's. Enjoy.

TKCS dance! from Zacsirav0 on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:39:00 +0000

Ah, the first day of vacation!! Over two whole weeks this year. I am looking forward to a much calmer run up to Christmas Day instead of only the one day we usually get. So we should have plenty of time to get everything done, unless I spend the time watching Fox Soccer Channel or the Arrested Development box sets. I think this may be the year I actually miss the students a bit. See you all in 2009. Its going to be great to spend a bunch of lazy time with Robin and the boys after so many weeks of burning candles at both ends. So Merry Xmas everyone.

Toronto Missions Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:27:00 +0000

Hey. Thought I'd point you over to the blog for the Toronto Missions Team. Robin and I will be leading a team of seven terrific high school students from King's to minister with CSM in Canada during Easter break next spring. Check in and see what's going on.

JYO or JOY

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:50:00 +0000

This year I have been thinking quite a bit about the nature of love. It is well known that the Bible uses three Greek words for love: eros, phileo and agape. I think these first two are somewhat natural, they seem hardwired into our human nature. To love physically, to be stimulated and adore the person in a way described by eros or to feel the concern and caring for another human being on the basis of a shared creation in God's image, as in phileo, are not easy to be sure, because they do require us to think outside of our selfish natures. But there is something super-human about agape. Agape is that the self-sacrificing love for someone without any benefit to yourself. It is the direct opposite of selfishness because it gives up any claim for the self. It does not care about the nature of the one who is loved.

So where does this kind of love come from? It certainly cannot come from within us. Our depraved sin natures are incapable of this kind of love. I was intrigued by the command in the Matthew's gospel. Jesus tells us to "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39) I realized something remarkable that I hadn't noticed before, which is the implication in those last two words. If we are to love others, we must first love ourselves. We usually think of this as the epitome of self-centeredness. But here Jesus tells us that in order to love others, we must find an equal measure of love for ourselves. Now I spent the better part of high school and college hating myself. To the point when someone said I should just be myself, a said "Why? I fu#*ing hate myself." So where does this love come from? How can we move from self-centeredness or self-loathing to and agape love of self?

It certainly comes from nowhere within ourselves. But look what John tells us in his first letter. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." (I John 3:16) It is only when we can understand that God loves us, the real us, the messed up, selfish, sinning, rebellious us. He loves us when we ignore Him, when we turn away from Him in disgust and when we spit in His face. He loves us even when we have no idea why to love ourselves and loves us without expecting anything in return. In all of this we are faced with one inescapable fact: We are worth the love of God. My goodness, the all-powerful, creator and sustainer of the universe God sees me and says "I love you!" There is something about me that is worthy of God's love and that is something I find almost unbelievable.

It is this that becomes the basis for our love of others. If God can love even me, then God can love anyone. I can love anyone because God sees something worthy in them, too. I know that because He found something worthy in me.

When we consider the meaning of love, we need to change around that common acronym of JOY. We have typically explained it as Jesus-Others-You. But this is not the way the Bible describes love. Love begins with God's agape love for me, which leads to my love for myself, which leads to my love for others. It is only when we pervert love to what it provides me instead of what I do for others, that this sequence, Jesus-You-Others, becomes unbiblical. I have found true love in God's love for me. In this I am able to find meaning and worth in myself. It is only then that I can truly love others.

Happy Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:04:00 +0000

Wishing all a happy Thanksgiving. It's times like these that I reflect back on the year and thank God for all I have and all the things God has blessed me with.

To Write Love On Her Arms

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:54:00 +0000

Last Monday, I traveled over to a coffeehouse in Newtown Square in Pennsylvania (btw, I hate driving in the Philadelphia suburbs and I hate coffeehouses, a twofer) to attend an event by To Write Love On Her Arms. TWLOHA is an awareness and support organization for people dealing with depression, suicide and self-injury. I was a very moving experience. I got there about twenty minutes early and the place was already filled. They ended up holding two events simultaneously. For those of us outside, Josh Moore and Zach Williams sang, standing on flimsy chairs while we all shivered in the cold. Inside, they held a talk about the organization and the work they do. Halfway through they switched. At the end, we all went in for the question and answer session. I was tremendously moved by the number of hurting people there and thinking about the hundreds and thousands from our area that weren't. Many of these (mostly) teens had been through so much and were searching anywhere for hope in their lives. I could describe more but watch this video about that night and pray for all those that are suffering. They are all around you. And God loves each and every one.

Oh and I know most of you read this blog through my Facebook Notes. Please go to the actual blog by going here: http://www.jacksavidge.blogspot.com. You can watch the linked videos there.

Helpless

noreply@blogger.com (Jack Savidge) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:23:00 +0000

OK, so I have been a teacher at The King's Christian School, my alma mater, for going on six years now, three years teaching 5th grade, one year teaching both 5th grade and high school and now in my 2nd year teaching only high school. For a variety of reasons, mostly that I had not felt I was making any impact on the students at all, during last school year I had resolved to not come back for this year. I had done the research and had even filled out the application for Denver Seminary. But for some reason, it just didn't feel right.

So I asked God to let me make a difference. I needed to be broken and realize that I really did care about my students, not just as young scholars, but to truly care about them. What I did not anticipate was how unbelievably painful and hard this would be. I have had to be open to hearing some things that are just hard to listen to, to open myself honestly about the stupidity of my past and to just listen. What was most difficult was just not having many answers for these young men and women. Now, here is what is so frustrating. I am a fixer. Give me a problem and I'll give you a solution, maybe even one that works. But most times I am impotent to help at all. And this week I realized something important, something transformative, something downright humbling.

I am helpless. Helpless. And in this I realized that God was waiting for me to realize this. Helpless to fix each and every problem. Helpless to say the right thing. Helpless. I realize now that in doing all I could to solve these problems I was pushing God away and inserting myself. It was conceit and idolatry. God wants me to embrace my helplessness so that his grace could come through.

So here I am, helpless. I have resolved to meet God right here, where my helplessness meets His grace. I think this is where He wants me. I am scared, petrified, anxious. But I am excited to see God's power at work.

Please God, work through the messed up creature that is me and bring healing to these hurting kids. I am helpless before You and pray that You meet me here. I stand aside and ask that You take control.