Fall Pictures

Last night was the FBC Fall Festival. The girls had a wonderful time! Charlotte spent most of the evening napping in her stroller and trying to stay warm. Claire loved the games and the slides the best. We did go through three costume ideas before Cyd found her bee outfit for a really great price at TJ Maxx that recently opened in town. Also included are a trip to Clark Farms for a hayride and to get a pumpkin, Halloween fun with friends and lots of laughs and smiles as a family.

Fall, Trains, Home, Love

I love the Fall! It's one of those times of year that I "feel" God's presence more. I'm not sure if it's the leaves changing colors, the sounds of football games, the crisp air, or the anticipation of Advent just around the corner, but there is just something magical about the fall. This song is one of my favorite by Bill Mallonee. It always reminds me of the fall. I thought about just typing in the lyrics but I think the music communicates as much as the lyrics. The video is from a house concert he did in someone's living room, not the best quality but pretty decent.

Nothing Like a Train Run Time: 5:17

Written by Bill Mallonee for CyBrenJoJosh (BMI) ©2000

nothing like the rain to bring you down
nothing like a train to take you far away
leaving here without a sound
yeah should have been gone yesterday
it was the diamonds i remember
yeah right there behind your eyes
i'm captured once again and seen through
honey your camera never lies

nothing like the leaves 'round your front door
and the stages and the pages you've been in love before
and the things you feel inside these bones
and those that won't leave you
those that won't leave you
those that won't leave you alone

you can map the lay of the land
yeah you can describe the sad terrain
let us survey all the borders
yeah but it all still looks the same
when you find there's nothing special
yeah about that big hole in your heart
'cause everybody's got one
with precious little time to talk about it

here's another song for brenda
yeah another tune for josh and joe
another postcard from the highway
my God where do these days go

Did You Know?

An excerpt from "Nothing Like a Train" was used in an episode of Felicity on May 17, 2000 (#2.22 "The Final Answer"). This came about because one of the soundmen for the show is a huge fan of Bill Mallonee. Bill has described this song as an "appalachian lullaby" and says that it's about leaving home and trying to find a sense of home on the road. In the lyrics he mentions his two sons and his first wife by name.

Appeared On…

• Audible Sigh (Pre-Release) (1999)
• Audible Sigh (2000)
• Audible Sigh (with Room Despair) (2000)
• Resplendent (Audibly Live) (2002)

Heartache

I'm sure that I have more times of heartache as a parent ahead with two daughters, but this morning was especially tough on Cyd and I. It's much harder to discipline in love as God does his children than I ever thought possible. I know that parents, if they love their children and are worth anything, they will discipline their children in an appropriate manner, but I never thought it would be as hard on the parents as it really is. The old adage, "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you" is very true.

Red Letter Christians

I promise this will be the last politically connected post I make for a while. I saw a book review a month or so ago about Tony Campolo's Red Letter Christians. I knew I had to check it out. Campolo is a voice that I love to hear speak about anything because of his wisdom and perspective on things. I also have an affinity for his thoughts because it was after hearing him preach at a Youth Evangelism Conference in Atlanta that I became a Christian. Campolo is about as evangelical and conservative as one could find theological with very progressive ideas about politics and society. Red Letter Christians challenges the reader to take to heart the explicit teachings of Christ to inform one's views of politics and citizenship. In many ways, Campolo simply challenges the reader to view politics through the lenses of an informed, biblically robust faith and not just a knee-jerk reaction to different issues. Prayer is essential for Red Letter Christians to make wise decisions about the political arena of America. There were a few times when Campolo didn't try to hide or at least soften his own bias, but overall he gets people to prayerfully reconsider why they hold the particular view they do and whether or not it is rooted in historic Christian orthodoxy. There were times I found myself readily agreeing with him and other times when I thought, "that's not very well researched and supported." The contents of the book are timely and time sensitive at the same time. A worthy reading for any Christian who wants their faith to govern their politics.

The Fair

The fair is in town this week! What excitement! we started the week off by watching the fair parade Monday just in front of the church as it marched down Main Street. This was the first time we have experienced the parade even though this is the third fair week since we have been in Statesboro. Claire got lots of candy and a Frisbee. Tuesday I helped several other volunteers from the church serve a steak lunch to the fair workers. The smiles and thank yous were overflowing. Thursday night we went to the fair. Claire loved it! Absolutely loved it! I even road a couple of rides with her. Cyd and I are not riders when it comes to the fair, although she handles it better than me. I just don't like getting on things that are assembled in a few hours and move locations each week. Claire cried when we ran out of tickets and it was time to go home. We are afraid we may have created a monster! She did have a wonderful time. The funniest thing is she waves like a little princess every time she passes us while she's riding something.

Jesus Rally 2008

Who’s in control of you’re life? We all serve someone or something, and it’s time we became informed voters about who we’re electing as Lord of our lives.

It’s time to cast your ballot.

When: November 2, 2008, 6-8pm

Where: FBC Statesboro Fellowship Hall

What: Food,Music,Speakers...Awesomeness!

This is the poster made by Bonnie Hanna and Jeremy Lavender for Jesus Rally 2008. This will be a special time to encourage teenagers, college students, and adults even to think about who they are casting their vote for as their Lord and Savior. Encourage anyone you know to come.

God's Politics

I recently finished reading God's Politics by Jim Wallis. The book is a few years old, but I picked it up a few months ago for 4-5 bucks and wanted to read it before the election. Jim Wallis is passionate about the label evangelical, because the gospel is the driving force behind his endeavors to share the love, justice, and compassion of God. Although many in the "religious right" camp would label him as a liberal and even a heretic because of his involvement with social justice issues and poverty issues. God's Politics could have been about 100 pages shorter and still said everything that needed to be said, but it's still a book that is worthy of more than a passing glance. Wallis believes that aligning the work of God as manifested in Christ Jesus with one political party over another is a grave mistake.

Those are the two ways that religion has been brought into public life in American history. The first way-God on our side-leads inevitably to triumphalism, self-righteousness, bad theology, and, often dangerous foreign policy. The second way-asking if we are on God's side-leads to much healthier things, namely, penitence and even repentance, humility, reflection, and even accountability.

God is not partisan; God is not a Republican or a Democrat. When either party tries to politicize God, or co-opt religious communities, for their political agendas, they make a terrible mistake. (p. xviii)

Wallis is known for calling people of faith to the prophetic, biblical role of speaking on behalf of those who have no voice and championing the cause of the widows and orphans. The two organizations that he works through are Sojourners and Call to Renewal. The alarm that Wallis sounds will not be readily accepted by many who have entrenched themselves with the dominant political parties or with the extremes of the religious right and the lunacy left. Those who I think will most identify with Wallis are people of my generation and younger who have begun to realize that politics cannot ultimately save people only God can, however, we are called to work for those who have no voice and bring about the righteousness of God today, not just at the apocalypse.

Deacon Ordination

Tonight we ordained two new deacons at FBC Statesboro. Dwayne Rocker and David Lavender are two Godly men who model the Christian life for people of all generations. I couldn't help but think of my own ordination service and the people who came to the front to kneel with me and encourage me. I can still remember some of those sweet prayers. I vividly remember some of my friends from high school and college who taught me so much about faith and life. The interesting thing to me is that those people, many of whom I haven't seen since that day, have a stake in my ministry today, this week. I believe this is part of what Hebrews means when it talks about the great cloud of witnesses.

There were many faces that I was thrilled to see that February day...two stand out...Sonny and Dana Stroud. They are the parents of a friend from high school, Allison, but Sonny was also the music minister when I was a teenager. There's one prayer that stands out in my mind, Melinda, Cyd's roomate from college. She leaned over and said, "I just wanted to come touch your bald head." I got to do Melinda's wedding this past May. It truly is amazing how people's lives intersect and overlap.

Sickness

That is the one word that best describes life at the Pagliarullo home the past week. Every female in the house got sick! Of course this meant that I was a busy husband and father trying although poorly at times to play doctor to my girls. Claire and Charlotte are better, but Cyd is still sick. I never realized how demanding it was to have sick children until this past week. One sick child is manageable for most people but two is an interesting dynamic. Hopefully all the sickness will be completely gone soon.