If you're coming to ricoblog as a result of reading the article in the spring 2005 issue of The Classic, check out this post for more info.

Update: Responding to my Mom, yeah -- a few folks have emailed. I know the copies are still being mailed (just rec'd my own regular copy on Friday), so if you're reading this, and you know me from those NWC years, drop me a line at textgeek (a-t.) gmail (do t.) com.

The Rhapsody Radish had a link to an artist I'd never heard of before — Justin Rosolino.

I've been listening to his album Wonderlust since I read about it. The description at the Radish is pretty much spot-on. Also, check out lyrics like these (complete album lyrics available online), from a song titled "Oprah" (audio sample available here):

VERSE I
Me and Oprah Winfrey met for coffee with St. Augustine in Amsterdam last Thursday afternoon
She made conversation with such perfect calculation while quietly I scribbled down this tune

PreChorus:
She tried her best to have the best intentions,
In as much as intentions can be
she asked us, “why do bad things have to happen
to good people like Stedman and me?”

CHORUS:
It’s the same conversation we’ve had so long
But I’m still waiting, and I’m still waiting
the radio stations play the same old song
But I’m still waiting I’m still waiting

Verse II
we began to psychoanalyze our opinions as they came to mind,
and she said she’d like to hear our point of view
She said “I just do what my heart tells me to, cause if it feels right, then it must be true. But wicked things are what wicked people do.”

PreChorus II
Now Augustine grew visibly uncomfortable
So she asked him if he disagreed
He said that no one ever thinks that they’re the wicked ones,
so just how honest do you think we can be?

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
I can tell myself it’s alright, it’s OK
And imagine some self-centered secrets away,
“It’s a cruel, cruel world”, I hear everyone say
But ain’t you and I who made it that way?

CHORUS

(Words and music by Justin Rosolino)

And if that isn't enough, the last track (an instrumental simply titled "29") is incredible. Check this guy out, even if it is just listening to the samples on the artist's web page.

I'll get back to bibliobloggin' at some point soon, but when I run across stuff like this I just have to mention it.

Update: Searching around for more info brought me to Paste Music's site, where two full tracks are available for download. I'd recommend "Legacy" above "Again", personally.

Cheers and best wishes to Dr. Jim Davila and his blog, PaleoJudaica, as today is PaleoJudaica's second birthday.

I don't have a lot of biblioblogs in my blog aggregator (I use SharpReader, if you must know), but PaleoJudaica has been in there for over a year. That Dr. Davila occasionally checks out my little prairie outpost of biblioblogdom is all the more encouragement to be vigilant in blogging.

Thanks again, Dr. Davila!

[all track links require RealRhapsody]

The Blind Boys of Alabama have released a new album, and it is available on Rhapsody. Here's a link to the Rhapsody Radish, a Rhapsody link blog, with a link to the album page on Rhapsody.

The album's title song, (Jesus Hits Like The) Atom Bomb, is a remake of the version originally sung by a group called The Pilgrim Travelers. The Soul Stirrers. A group called The Pilgrim Travelers has also done a version of the song. I only know about the song because awhile back Bob mentioned it to me (I don't recall where he heard it from), and another colleague at Logos dutifully looked it up in Rhapsody so we could all hear it. The song was originally written in the early 1950's 1949 — quite timely (perhaps a bit too timely) for a song about an atom bomb. Here's the chorus:

Everybody's worried
About that atom bomb
No one seems worried
About the day my Lord shall come

(You'd better) set your house in order
He may be comin' soon
And then he'll hit like an atom bomb
When he comes, when he comes.

More info on the album and the song is available at Christianity Today.

If you dig gospel, the The Blind Boys of Alabama are highly recommended.

Checking the ricoblog referrer logs, I noted a search for the unicode string "γινώσκω". I was curious to see what else might come up. The top hit was:

A Discourse Analysis of I Corinthians

This is a doctoral dissertation (supervised by Richard Longacre) from Ralph Bruce Terry (whom I am not familiar with). But it sounds like it could be fun to peruse.

Ed Cook reminds us today is Palm Sunday. So this morning I spent some time reading the accounts of the triumphal entry and I'd like to keep these readings going through Easter.

As such, I'm curious to know if Marc Goodacre (NT Gateway Weblog) or Stephen Carlson (Hypotyposeis) have recommendations for a presentation that aligns the accounts and provides readings for each day of the week through the resurrection. I don't have a modern synopsis in print at home. I do have an older copy of Huck (ninth edition) I picked up in a used bookstore awhile back that will suffice in a pinch.

If Dr. Goodacre, Dr. Carlson or anyone else can point to a reputable online source to use this week, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Update: Here's a table I whipped up for those who may be interested. Any errors here are mine; I am most definitely not a synoptician. I started in Mark and looked for the instances of new days, then did the same in Luke, then split Matthew up as best I could. All links are to the ESV.

Update: Dr. Goodacre responds with a link to a Passion/Resurrection synopsis. Thanks!

Folks reading about ricoblog in Northwestern College's alumni publication The Classic have started to trickle in. Welcome! Here are a few bits of info that may come in handy:

• If you know me from NWC, please feel free to leave a comment on this post or drop me an email if you'd like to update me on what's going on in your life — spouse, kids, job, whatever. You obviously know a bit about what I've been up to, feel free to tell me what you've been up to! I'd really like to know. You can send email to: textgeek (a-t) gmail (d-o-t) com.
• How does one get an article about himself (or herself) published in The Classic? Well, I didn't really try. I just updated them via this web form. If you're an NWC alum, you should really do the same — they may have pages to burn for you too! Here's a little more background on how it all happened. 
• If you want to see more pictures of my kayak (photos from every stage of the building process) check out my Kayak Building pages.
• If you'd like to know more about my Pastoral Epistles study, check out my Pastoral Epistles pages. If you'd like to commit to reading rough drafts and offering serious feedback, please let me know.
• More information about my employer and our way-cool Bible software, Logos Bible Software.

Thanks for dropping by. And I'm not joking or just being nice — if you know me from Northwestern College, I really would like to hear about what you've been up to for the past few years. Please do drop me a message. If you'd like, I can make sure you're on my yearly Christmas email update — just mention it and I'll add you to the address book.

I'd also like to say thanks to Duane Beeson and Amy Scheer for their work and David Scherrer (and Susan Grainger!) for some excellent photography. Everyone I've spoken to about the article thinks it is accurate and well written — so thanks!

Go Red Raiders!

Amy and I went for a walk along the Padilla Bay shore trail in the Skagit flats this past Saturday. It was windy and chilly, but it was clear. I had no idea there was an old barn/shed/structure out there. Finding a barn away from power lines is a trick (I know, I've been looking as I've been driving/riding through Whatcom county over the past year or so). Unfortunately, there's an oil refinery in the background that you can see a little smoke from.

Next time I'm out there, I'm guessing there will be less wind. I think I'll put on the wide angle lense and get a wider view of the scene. Until then, this should suffice:

More photos (only two more from Padilla Bay) are, of course, on my photo page.

Those interested in photographs of old structures might also like this one from the "English Camp" on San Juan Island. This building dates back to the 1800's. I've really got to get there in the spring or early summer this year, when the grass is green. More photos are available.