Watching: PBR Finals

The first week-end of the PBR Final is complete. The Brazilian Guilherme Marchi has moved to the number one position over the "bad boy" Justin McBride (2005 World Champion). I'm happy for McBride to slip in the standings. In all fairness, he is a great bullrider and has dominated all season. But too much is made of him and I get tired of the hype. The Finals will continue next week-end, beginning on Thursday and culminating with two events on Sunday. Watching the Finals is an annual family event. We tend to favor the Brazilians and/or the underdogs. Marchi has come close to winning in the last two years. Last year was a highlight with Adriano Moraes winning his third world title.

Doesn't Get Any Sweeter Than This

How cute is that?

On Radiohead and Keith Green and the Church

Radiohead's highly anticipated album "In Rainbows" was available for download this morning. I've seen no figures yet as to how successful the download was. This is being hailed as a groundbreaking, as a major artist/band is thumbing their nose at the industry.

Corky has already posted something on this but I couldn't help reflect this morning about Keith Green's break with his friends at his record label, Sparrow Records. His convictions would no longer allow him to charge for the gospel and the album, released in 1980, was available for "whatever you could pay", both in concerts and by mail. Keith joked that it was the "worst selling album of all time". According to Wikipedia, by 1982, 200,000 units had "sold".

Alas, to my knowledge, none of Keith's friends in the industry followed suit and Contemporary Christian Music became an industry.

Though Radiohead's motives aren't as "sanctified", I have to wonder if the church, rarely at the forefront of social change, will be reminded of the prophetic voice it heard in 1980 and be challenged once again to offer the gospel at no charge.

What I'm Missing Right Now

Fall in New England. Even though this is a picture of New Hampshire, it is very close to what we saw on a regular basis this time of year while living in RI. Honestly, the water of the bay was that blue, the buildings that picturesque, the leaves that beautiful. I can remember rounding one particular bend where you could see the bay, a stone fence, brightly colored fall leaves in the trees and a pumpkin patch! Living in Rhode Island in the Fall of the year was one of God's greatest gifts to our family.