Kinda' "Blah" Night on American Idol...

Okay, I'm a little tired tonight, and it seems like the American Idol contestants were too! First of all, what a rushed production it was tonight. Everyone seemed a little out of their element. I'm not sure Paula was ever really there. When she addressed Jason's second song that he had not even sung yet, that had to be one of the most awkward exchanges I've ever seen on TV. Well, we definitely know it's a LIVE show now. And please, please, please, (and I know I've said it before) someone has got to tell the "mosh pit" not to wave their hands. Not a wave matched a song tonight. Why? Oh, why? It's beginning to make AI seem lame, and I love this show.

Briefly,
Jason Castro -- He was okay, but every week he sounds exactly the same. The "slacker" choices and attitude are not helping him. As Simon said, his performances were forgettable. In fact, I can't remember what he sang, and I just watched it. He seems to be handling the pressure of the show well; he doesn't seem to let anything get to him. (Of course, I would be a "basket case," but that's another story.)

David Cook -- He will win. I predict it now. David C. seems to be the one best prepared for the record industry. Of all the contestants remaining, I can hear his CD already, and I would definitely buy it. The selections he made tonight were good, especially since he picked songs that were not immediately recognizable. That way he could make them his own. They weren't his best of the season, but he will be safe. He also doesn't seem to be letting his emerging "front runner" status go to his head. From his attitude on stage, he seems grounded.

Brooke White -- Brooke was so much better this week. We were so glad! She seemed really nervous, and I don't want her to doubt herself. She is very talented and needs to trust in that. I disagree with Simon that the first song, "I'm a Believer" (see, I actually remembered hers!) was a "nightmare." Any song immortalized in Shrek can't be bad! It was a safe performance. I preferred her second song, "I Am, I Said." It was so authentic and heartfelt. She genuinely conveyed the song, and I hope that emotional connection will carry her through to next week. (By the way, it's pretty cool that four of the top five contestants can play instruments. That was a good twist in this year's competition!)

David Archuleta -- I just knew he would pick "Sweet Caroline" and/or "America," and he ended up picking both! He sang them both well, but something felt disingenuous about them. I felt like he didn't really connect for some reason. He didn't seem to be in full voice tonighteither, and it was one of the first times I noticed he missed some notes; his voice even cracked on "America." Something felt off to me. But he did well enough and picked good songs, so I think he will sail through.

Syesha Mercado -- Syesha did a'right tonight. (Channeling Randy.) Her performances were good, and she looked like she was enjoying herself, but I am seeing that she is much better suited for the Broadway stage or for a FOX/ABC/NBC/(insert network) sitcom than for pop icon. And hey, that's not a bad thing at all! She definitely wasn't the worst, or the best, but she fell in the middle for me.

And was it just me, or did no one really "bring it" tonight? I was beginning to wonder, could it be that Neil Diamond songs just don't work in 1 minute increments? As soon as they tried to set up a song, it was over. That was the producers fault. Overall, it was a pretty bland night. (Of course, Susan and I will still watch every moment like rabid dogs. Well, not really rabid, since we had to DVR it, but you know what I mean. We won't miss it.)

Best of the night: David Cook

Should go home: Jason Castro (but probably won't!)

Oh, and by the way, I loved the "Indiana Jones" preview! Just reminded me that I CAN'T WAIT!

P.S. after results night :( -- I am bummed Brooke is out. Why Jason, why? Somebody get those cell phones away from those teenage girls! If David Cook is voted out, I may not care who wins. (Even though I will probably still watch anyway!)

Thanks for your prayers!

By the way, thank you for everyone who has been in prayer for me this week! Thankfully, my biopsies following my back surgery showed no cancer! Thank the Lord! So, the stitches and stiff back I've been enduring have been worth it to know that I am all right. God is good!

Wicked!

Two weeks ago, Susan and I went to see the national tour of the musical "Wicked" at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte. It is an incredible experience and a very creative story by Gregory Maguire about the "true" story behind Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (loosely based on L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz.") If you need a break today, maybe you'd enjoy this scene from the show that I found on YouTube. It features the original Broadway stars: Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. (I'm just keeping with American Idol's week of Broadway songs, and I love some great singing!)

Phantom Night!

Andrew Lloyd Webber night on American Idol! Can I sing along? So many songs to choose from...I can hear "Phantom of the Opera" in my head all night. Only because I've been singing songs from that show for TWENTY YEARS now! Now that I feel old...I guess no one will want to hear me sing "Music of the Night" after David Cook's performance tonight. I can still do it justice in the shower though!

Syesha Mercado -- I hadn't heard her song before, but she was totally in her element! Broadway may just be her calling here. She was emotive, strong, and full of herself, which seems to be her real personality, anyway! I think she is safe and she picked a great song for herself!

Jason Castro -- Okay, "Memory." Really? "Memory?" And he didn't know it was sung by a cat? Where has Jason been? Something a little silly about him singing: "I was beautiful then..." We giggled at that. Susan says that he has to go. She doesn't like "breathy" boys singing.

Brooke White -- Oh, Brooke. We like you so much! We have such positive thoughts. We try to send them your way. When you stopped and started over, that was good. Regroup. And even though you had to do that, the song was very emotional, which must have been how you were feeling. "You MUST Love Me." Hopefully, enough people will take that as a command to keep you around. We like you, we really do. After all, Jason sang "Memory." Maybe that will be enough to save you!

David Archuleta -- "Think of Me" -- I wondered about this, but Paula (yes, Paula) was right that David A. can take a song like that and make it contemporary. I liked the arrangement and it was perfect for him after all. (But the teenage girls rushing the stage before his performance was a little much! And by the way, who told the audience they could WAVE THEIR ARMS AGAIN?! -- Stop it!!!) He did great, as always!

Carly Smithson -- When at first she was going to sing "All I Ask of You" I thought: NO! But when Andrew Lloyd Webber asked her to sing "Jesus Christ Superstar" I knew it would be good, and was that not the truth? She was awesome! I had chills from the first note. This was totally one of the best performances she's had. She could do this on Broadway too. That would be a show revival I'd like to see!

David Cook -- "Music of the Night." He totally stole this one from me! More chills from the first notes. He has shown he can can sing and arrange anything. It was pretty straightforward, but he nailed the high notes. One of his best, I thought. David Cook is emerging as the one to beat, I think. I believe the judges could have been more effusive for him, though. I like his rock songs best, but for Andrew Lloyd Webber material, he did an awesome job.

Will/Should Go: Well, at this stage, I'm going to say Jason Castro. He is doing the same thing every week. I'm fearful for Brooke, though. (But we did vote twenty times for her. Hope that was enough.) I think everyone else is safe.

Best: For me, Carly Smithson and David Cook. David A. was masterful too.

I Can See...

A couple of weeks ago, I got to sing one of my very favorite songs of all time, "I Can See" by David Meece. I remember one of the first audiotapes I ever got (stay with me young folks) was "He Holds the Keys" by Steve Green. He sang "I Can See" on that album, and I would play it over and over and over. I wore it out. I would turn the stereo up as loud as it would go in my red 1983 Chevrolet Chevette with orange racing stripes and louvers on the back glass (classy, huh?). I was blessed over and over by Steve Green's tenor and the conviction and words and incredible piano music. Wow. God is so good.

Even though I was recovering from a cold (no excuses, now) I decided to sing it and I was so thankful for our organist, Laura Myers, who played the piano so beautifully! I have only tried to sing it a couple of times. It is high -- for one thing -- and I can't help but hear Steve Green sing it so effortlessly. I preached on Jesus meeting the two men on the walk to Emmaus, and I closed with "I Can See." I had some people request to hear it, so I attempted to make a video with pictures to go along with it. Pay no attention to me singing it, I hope you hear the words. In everyday life, Jesus' presence is all around us. He just wants us to see that he is with us! We are never alone, no matter what happens, no matter the circumstances; we are not alone in this world. He is there. Can you see who walks with you? Can you hear who speaks your name? Can you feel something stirring in your heart?

Busy Week!

I wanted to post about American Idol this week and many other things, but life got in the way! We've been busy this week -- the addition on our parsonage is busily underway! I simply can't believe how quickly things have moved since last Sunday's Church Council meeting. The footings have been poured, we have a new septic tank, and the side of the house is gone and under plastic. We are so excited about the new rooms that are being added -- the new master bedroom, the TWO new bathrooms (and losing the narrow hallway one we now have), the walk-in closet in our bedroom, and the washer/dryer closet right by our bedroom! I will give updates as they come, and I will try to post a picture or two. Our dog Gabby, who is nearing 100 hates it and has been hiding out in the study away from the noise. We hope she makes it through this!

On another busy note, I had some minor surgery today. I went to the dermatologist and a couple suspcicious spots were noticed on my back. So today I went in and had them removed. All of the spots. And everything underneath. Way underneath. I just remember them talking about "understitches" under the top stitches. And for someone who's never had stitches of any kind in his 38 years, well, let's just say I'm glad it's all done. I am hopeful and prayerful that everything tests okay. I have a great doctor who has an awesome attitude and did a fantastic job. Thank you for your prayers. I know God is good. I have witnessed his mighty works in the lives and faithfulness of people around me. He is mighty to protect and to save.

Let's just say regarding American Idol that I was frankly impressed with the contestants this week. I worried about how they would handle Mariah Carey, and I thought they all did great. I do believe the judges were harsher than they should have been on the girls. I wonder if they still made comparisons to MC? I mean, c'mon ya'll, she has a 5 octave range! Who can compare to that? Very few. David Cook was probably my favorite, and I got goosebumps during David Archleta's song, which is a good sign too! Of course, I love the movie "The Prince of Egypt" anyway, so his choice was perfect. Kristy Lee being eliminated was not really a surprise, but I hope Brooke starts having better weeks. I am worried.

Everyone have a great weekend. I will try to -- even though I can't lean back or lay down. But I will try! God bless!

American Idol...Part 2

Okay, let's just say I am amazed. Tonight, American Idol got it right with "My Jesus"! "Shout to the Lord" again tonight, with the right words. Now THAT was inspirational. I am just so excited that AI used this Christian song, and it sounded incredible. You could tell that the AI contestants loved singing it too! David Cook and Carly Smithson were off the hook. I loved it.

And the reminders for Idol Gives Back...why are we not doing more in this world to help the children who are starving? Haiti, Africa, our own neighborhoods...When I think about Elizabeth in her comfortable room, soft bed...I am so thankful, yes, but also so overwhelmed with the responsibility to be Christ's hands and feet in the world. And I know that we all, individually and corporately, can make a difference if we stop, see the world in need, and try. If only we would slow down to see.

Finally, WHAT??? Michael Johns eliminated? America got this one wrong. He is a talented and good singer and a great entertainer. I am disappointed, but I think he will have a successful career singing. Even if he continues to rock the ascots. Hope to see more of what he will do. Well, that's enough for tonight. What did ya'll think?

American Idol Gives Back...Part 1

I didn't get to see American Idol tonight because I was leading a Bible Study, so I had to DVR it. But -- I caught the very end, and how excited I was to hear the Idol contestants singing -- wait for it -- "Shout to the Lord!" WOW! I'm glad that AI is reaching out with its millions of people and dollars to help children and people in need all over the world. I can't stand the thought of any child going hungry when we throw away more food than we'll ever eat. We all need that awareness, and then the show ends with -- "Shout to the Lord." A "shout out" to our Lord who gives us everything, even the voices to sing and to love one another. Maybe, just maybe, that will influence someone in the world to faith. I hope the rest of the program was like that! I couldn't believe it. Someone at AI must be connected with Jesus. And I am thankful. Well, let's see how the results go tomorrow.

What's with the chihuahuas?

We actually watched American Idol on the same night it aired! I couldn't help but respond to the singers on "inspirational" night. Not sure if I was necessarily inspired by the songs of the night. But they were a'right.

Michael Johns: Was a little worried about taking on Aerosmith -- but he did pretty good. If he hadn't done the high pitch "Dream On" I would've been greatly disappointed. Overall, he was good! DON'T talk back -- it was out of character for him, I thought. Still wondering what's up with the scarves. Who is his fashion advisor? It's too distracting. Next week he'll be wearing a dickie.

Syesha Mercado: Syesha good. Syesha not Fantasia. But actually, she rocked this song, I think. It's always dangerous to do a song that a former Idol winner has sung, but let me tell you, I didn't know she had that high note in her! Go, girl! (Can I get by with that?) She was great and actually one of my favorites of the night.

Jason Castro: I like this version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow," especially as it was used in "50 First Dates" with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The ukelele was a little cheesy (no offense to ukelele players out there) but it worked for him. I wouldn't have raved like the judges did, but maybe they heard something we didn't.

Kristy Lee Cook: I like Martina McBride, so when I heard she was singing "Anyway" I worried about the song choice. But she did a great job! This song has a great message, and I think she sold it. Best for her.

David Cook: I usually like David Cook, but tonight I didn't. Maybe it was the song. I didn't get it. Didn't hear the words. It sounded angry for an inspirational song. So I was a little bummed for him. I kept thinking the jacket was a little "strait-jackety" (new word) also. I know someone's in trouble if Susan and I keep talking while he/she is performing. I would just skip this song on his CD. But I think he's safe.

Carly Smithson: Oh no, another Queen song. Susan gets a little defensive about those. She did pretty good, but I could tell that she was distracted somehow. She just didn't seem comfortable. But she has a powerful voice. She may be in danger though. The judges seem to have turned against her.

David Archuleta: Wow. Every week I have to remind myself he's 17. When he sings, he is far beyond his years. When he's himself, you can tell he's still a teenager. I cannot imagine. At 17, I would have been a basketcase. I wouldn't have been able to stutter my name, much less sing on TV. He was so comfortable at the piano and his performance was so natural. He has a pure voice and talent. "Angels" was a great choice, and what an inspirational song. Whatever happens on AI, he is going places! I hope we get to hear him for years.

Brooke White: Susan and I love Brooke. She is so genuine. I enjoyed her song tonight, "You've Got a Friend." It wasn't a powerhouse performance, but it was a simple, heartfelt rendition. I worried about her afterwards, though. She looked so sad. I hope she sticks around. C'mon, America, get it right!

Will go: I hate to say it, but I think Syesha or Carly will go home based on this week. Syesha for singing a former AI winner's song or Carly for her uncomfortable performance. But they are all really good. I haven't had any real moments where I have the "all over chills" when someone sings. I am waiting still. David A. has come close.

Not sure what all the chihuahua talk was all about. Must be an inside joke.

Can't Wait Until Almost Summer...

I can't believe it's almost been twenty years since the last Indiana Jones movie. I am so excited about the release of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" that I have the date -- May 22 -- and the movie as my desktop wallpaper. Something about these movies makes me feel like a kid again. Nothing like jumping at every scary thing jumping out at you and getting so tense as Indy scrapes through another tight spot. I'm especially looking forward to seeing how Harrison Ford stands the test of time as Indiana Jones. He's amazing to be 65 and doing these stunts. I can't walk across the room without tripping. If you want to go with me, save the date -- May 22. (Susan doesn't care for these movies. She thinks I'm a nerd. And she's right! Hey -- she married me knowing it. God loves nerds too.)

Why Methodists Don't Have Baptistries...

I "borrowed" this from Travis Cottrell...Now I understand why we don't have baptistries in United Methodist Churches! Imagine the cleanup! I've had fish biting me in a lake during a baptism, but this takes the cake. Enjoy!