RyanDan

Searching for a suitable song for an upcoming presentation, I stumbled across a relatively new music trio called RyanDan. Composed of identical twins from Toronto, they were part of a boy-band pop group at the turn of the millennium.

The group was so unprepared for a record deal (which they got, after walking into the Sony headquarters) they didn’t have a name. The third guy to make up the trio, Ohad Einbender, said “'We were like, who cares? We had no time. We just needed a name before the album was printed.''

Interesting.

As is this comment on their myspace page:

“We reached a point at which the two of us felt that something was missing,” explains Ryan. “Dan and I have always tried to inject a lot of emotion into our singing and we wanted audiences to focus on vocal interpretation rather than on our hair. We decided that it was time to change direction and go back to our roots … to the kind of music we listened to as children.”

The twins, Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, recently decided to return to the music world (their new CD releases in the UK tomorrow) with a decidedly with a more mature Josh Groban-style classical sound.

They are very good – and I hope their music (and indeed style) gains traction in Canada.

Source:

Jordan Michael Smith, “After the squealing” The National Post. 2 Sept. 2006. Accessed 22 Sept. 2007. Available: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/artslife/torontomag/story.html?id=98d80699-dc97-485b-bdb6-50c231865a30

Nehemiah’s Prayer

And I said, "O LORD God of heaven,the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful,I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.' They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." (Nehamiah 1:4-11 ESV)

Responding with Alacrity

I learned a new word: Alacrity. It means eagerness.

It’s a wonderful reminder that Christians must continue to respond to the gospel with alacrity - with a sense of excitement, awe and purpose. Grace is truly amazing.

Resolved: That I will continue to respond with alacrity at the message of the cross

Colossians 3: 1-4

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. - Colossians 3:1-4 (KJV)

The Gospel

By John Piper

What’s the gospel? I’ll put it in a sentence.

The Gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy. That’s the gospel.

© Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

The Family Unit

Statistics Canada released a ‘family profile’ today based on data collected in the 2006 Census.

It’s fascinating.

The majority of adults in Canada now (granted adult is anyone 15 years and older) are unmarried. That is they’ve never been married, divorced, separated or widowed.

Also of note. Common-law relationships have soared and the number of one-person households increased 11.8%, more than twice as fast as the 5.3% increase for the total population in private households.

The report noted, “Among lone-parent families, growth between 2001 and 2006 was most rapid for families headed by men. Their number increased 14.6%, more than twice the rate of growth of 6.3% among those headed by women”

Another striking figure: “The households with the slowest growth between 2001 and 2006 were those comprised of couples and children aged 24 years and under; these households edged up only 0.4%.”
Among individuals aged 20 to 24, 60.3% lived at home with their parents in 2006.

These realities certainly pose a challenge for the church.


Source: “Families and Households” Statistics Canada. Release. 12 Sept. 2007. Accessed 12 Sept. 2007. Accessed: http://statcan.ca/Daily/English/070912/d070912a.htm

Six years later

Six years ago today, also a Tuesday, so much changed.

May God continue to heal.