Author: James Hogan

A Candle Carried Up the Steps

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I will yet catch up on my mix CDs…(as long as I don’t make more anytime soon)…so here is another one. This one is a bit of a different style for me yet again – I could call it my punk/rock mix, which it kinda is. I’ve for a while wanted to have a “Best of Greenday” CD…but I don’t quite have enough songs for a whole CD for that. So I decided to just make a whole punk CD. Why not, right? Consequently though – this isn’t the most “cheery” playlist. It’s a great soundtrack for driving furiously through Houston though!! And how do I explain it thematically…? Well, I could say it’s the cry of a heart that knows something is missing but knows not what. Or the rage of a girl who just thinks she has it all together…until she doesn’t. Or the tears of a boy who is breaking on the inside and no one knows and no one cares. Or I could let the title speak for itself. I cautiously (and somewhat guiltily) present…Lost and Not Yet Found:

1. Girlfriend – Avril Lavigne
2. The Best…Thing – Avril Lavigne
3. Sk8er Boi – Avril Lavigne
4. Complicated – Avril Lavigne
5. Hitchin’ A Ride – Greenday
6. She’s A Rebel – Greenday
7. Holiday – Greenday
8. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Greenday
9. Jesus of Suburbia – Greenday
10. Homecoming – Greenday
11. Hello Again – Lost Prophets
12. Wake Up – Lost Prophets
13. Last Train Home – Lost Prophets
14. Last Summer – Lost Prophets
15. Embers and Envelopes – Mae
16. Christie Road – Greenday
17. Wake Me Up When September Ends – Greenday
18. Time of Your Life – Greenday

I did send this CD to Laura and Caisson and I don’t remember their thoughts on it. Must remedy that and see what they thought! Also, this playlist is an interesting one for me in how many of these songs nostalgically take me back to late high school and early college days…fascinating how music does that, mm? Last Summer and Time of Your Life in particular recall very specific and special memories from end of high school…some twelve years ago now! Ah how my God has blessed me and will continue to do so. To Him be all glory – always.

Lanterns in the Sky

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Happy Friday, friends!! I really have nothing to say – it’s the end of a fairly productive week here at work and I’m happy that it’s almost time for a restful(I hope!?) weekend. We shall see!! But for now, I will thank my God for all He has granted me…even for this peppermint mocha that I am drinking now! May I always remember the faithfulness of my God. As He has loved me, so may I love others. As He has been patient with me…so may I be patient in waiting for that which I desire. Now as I ponder and think on various matters, I am at peace. My hope is in something far better than the things of this world. My hope is in something far more beautiful than anything of this earth. My heart craves the temporal vanity of this world too often. Yet eternity waits.

Oh So Woke

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Right – I was going to post a nice long meandering entry this morning at Starbucks. Sadly, when I first got here there was no convenient table near an outlet and my battery was low, thus I was restricted to writing in my notebook for a time instead. Now I don’t have long as I must be off homewards so I can have lunch and get on with the rest of my day! So this entry will have to wait…maybe tomorrow. I wanted to write on some of my concert experiences and some of my recent thoughts on suffering for Christ and really just let my fingers dance across the keyboard for a time. Alas, maybe later.

But I shall at least share my joy at this wonderful morning. Clearly I have been in Houston too long and am much corrupted by that fact…but as it was barely 80 degrees this morning, I couldn’t help but roll down the window and let my arm hang outside the car as I drove…fall is finally (basically, kinda) here and it is glorious!! And as I drove down Briar Forest Drive…I was reminded again of the goodness of the Lord. This road I drove down was adorned with many overhanging boughs and hedges of flowers and kindred things and for a time, I could feel as if I was driving down an old country road in the Scottish countryside. For a time. So my God this morning has granted me a blessed experience of the lovely world that He has made…and I remembered anew all that my God has done for me. Maybe someday I will live somewhere where I am able to more often see the beauties of the world that God has made…but for now, I shall be grateful for these quiet glimpses of forest grandeur.

Peace and love, always.

Jazz and Coffee and Sun Most Bright

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So thought it was time to post another one of my recent(eh – sort of – sometime earlier this year at least!) mix CDs. This one is a fun one, with a very brooding first 3/4…you may not know most of these songs, but I have much enjoyed this CD. I have fond memories of this CD…the first time I listened to this one was when driving to Earnie and Mandy’s wedding reception up in the country north of Houston. Driving along a winding country road to the beat of quality tunes…good times indeed. Will always remember that! (Side-note – just had Earnie and Mandy over last night…much good chat was had over chocolate chip cookies and wine. Quality combination? I say yes!)

Back to the mix…there is also a few more foreign language songs than I usually would put on a CD. I think I have Portuguese, French and Arabic all represented! I know at least Caisson and Laura like this one, since I sent them one copy when I first made it!!
Laura was just listening to it when I called her the other day. Anyways…let me present…Long My Imprisoned Spirit Lay:

1. Silence – Portishead
2. The Rip – Portishead
3. Sour Times – Portishead
4. Lise – Emilie Simon
5. To The Dancers in the Rain – Emilie Simon
6. Demier Lit – Emilie Simon
7. Desert – Emilie Simon
8. Ya Sidi – Orange Blossom
9. We Carry On – Portishead
10. Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul – The Glitch Mob
11. Fortune Days – The Glitch Mob
12. Small – Portishead
13. Sing it Out – Switchfoot
14. Hello Hurricane – Switchfoot
15. Lightning – Morningsiders
16. Empress – Morningsiders
17. I Built a Home – The Branches
18. Fight to Keep – Run River North

Expressly Yours

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I’m listening to my Enfield playlist as I sit here in Starbucks and I have to say – I forgot how amazing these songs are!!! Oh how I love so many of these classic hymns. There is a Fountain, And Can It Be?, Jesus I My Cross Have Taken, O The Deep Deep Love of Jesus…etc, etc, etc. Gorgeousness. I’m tempted to write ALL THE VERSES from one of my very favourites – Jesus, I my Cross Have Taken…but I shall spare you this time. I’m pretty sure I’ve done that sometime in the past. And I’m pretty sure I will do it again sometime in the future.

It is good to remember the mercies of the Lord.

And while I’m in a pondering mood, thought I’d write some thoughts I was thinking last night. Was wearing one of my favourite shirts – a nice bright blue shirt with the words “HONOUR”, “LOYALTY”, “VALOUR” superimposed over a lion rampant. It’s interesting that these words are (apparently) held in such high esteem and I was wondering – what do those words really signify to people today? According to the Oxford English, honour means “high respect” or “great esteem” or “the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right”. In the same, loyalty means “the quality of being loyal” or “a strong feeling of support or allegiance”. As for valour…”great courage in the face of danger, especially battle”. Do those words truly mean anything to most of us these days though…or are they just empty concepts that make us feel better about ourselves? What do we have high respect or great esteem for? Or do we just crave that esteem for ourselves? What are we truly loyal to? Or whom? And when do we show great courage these days? Is it in day-to-day life or just in the contrived fantasies of our mind?

I think we like to think more highly of ourselves than we ought and it is self-flattering to think that we exhibit these qualities of honour, loyalty and valour in our everyday lives. But do we truly? Is there a higher calling that beckons us to live in such a way? I would say there is. But it is not in the way most would commonly think. We ought to live in such a way that every action of our life brings great honour and glory to our God. We ought to live in such a way that everything we do proves our loyalty and faithfulness to our God. And we ought to live our lives coloured by valour and courage in the face of trials and tribulations and all that stands against us as we strive to please our God. Do these things come easy? Of course not. And we are frail creatures and oft exhibit the opposite virtues…we feel shamed, unfaithful and craven as we disobey our God in thought, word and deed. But. But. If we truly put our faith in Christ for our salvation – God has saved us! Not because of deeds that we have done. But because of His great love.

And so because God loved us when we were so eminently unlovable and because our God has filled us with His Holy Spirit and because Christ daily intercedes for us before the Father…now we can exhibit these qualities of godly honour, godly loyalty and godly valour. Let us remember that. We can do all things through Christ who grants us strength. Go forth this day and honour God in all things. Go forth this day and seek to be loyal to God in every word you speak. Seek to live in valour before our God. For truly, He is our Lord. He is our God. And He loves us.

What a wondrous thing it is to be known by God. We are His dearly loved children. Amen and amen.

A Fountain Flowing

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Hello friends – happy Saturday!! I have a few moments in Starbucks this morning, and as I sip my peppermint mocha…decided I should catch up(a bit) on sharing my mix-CDs playlists. I haven’t done it for quite some time and I’ve burned some four(I think?) new mixes in the past months. Anyways – this one is going back a ways…but it is a good one, I say. So let me share…A Blinding Jewel of Light and Beauty:

1. A Mess Like This – The Dø
2. Lost Boy – Ruth B
3. 1901 – Birdy
4. Empty Gold – Halsey
5. Ace of Hearts – Zella Day
6. Song for Lovers – The Dø
7. My Heart Got Caught on Your Sleeve – Lucius
8. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight – Birdy
9. Sleeping In – The Postal Service
10. Don’t Make Me a Target – Spoon
11. The A Team – Birdy
12. The Sun – The Naked and Famous
13. Until We Get There – Lucius
14. Infinity – The XX
15. Foxbeard – Run River North
16. Till The End of Time – A Boy And His Kite
17. You’ll Find Your Way – Andrew Peterson
18. Always – Switchfoot
19. O Day of Peace – Josh Garrels

A pretty solid mix, if I do say so myself. I’m trying to think if there’s any themes I want to talk about from above…but really, it just follows my typical pattern of messiness and yearning and chasing solace and lostness in the beginning two-thirds…then finally it turns and a new hope is revealed. I’m pretty fond of this one.

Have a most gorgeous day, my dear ones.

To The Shops

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So I was planning on writing a long and interesting entry here today. Really!! I’m here at Starbucks for the first time in a while – just felt like getting out and about and being somewhat public in my coffee-drinking and computering – and I thought surely I’d then feel in the mood to write for a while. Sadly, that has not turned out to be the case. I have been (mildly) productive at least. Gotten a few correspondences written and just now written my shopping list – planning a dinner of baked cod and mashed potatoes tonight and it shall be glorious – this I declare!!

Any other news? I suppose I could ramble on and on about nothing in particular, but that doesn’t sound appealing at the moment. Just know that it is a quiet September morning here and although not all is as I would wish it, I trust in the Lord. Truly a lesson I need to be learning of late. Sometimes it seems I try to make things happen of my own volition and that…doesn’t always work. Yet it is also no good to simply sit back and “wait for God to work”. It’s a balance of having faith in my God that He is working…and also taking steps in faith, trusting God that He is working in and through me, each and every day. Oh that I would ponder on the mercies and glories of God more. The things of this world are pale and thin indeed when compared to the glories of knowing my God.

Remember that, always.

Peace, my friends – peace and love.

A Dream Near Realised

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A lovely morning. The air is cool(for Texas!), the peppermint mocha is hot and I slowly wake up here at my desk. I much enjoyed my reading this morning…as I read a few chapters in 2 Samuel(the ark being brought into Jerusalem – oh how David celebrated at the glory of His God! And the promise of God that the Davidic kingdom would be…forever. A achingly sweet herald of Christ who is promised). Also read some in one of my favourite books – Hebrews. Oh how wonderful…it stirred my soul. And it reminded me that too often I let myself be distracted and weighed down by things that do not matter. Too often do I seek pleasure and satisfaction in the dregs of this world instead of looking to Him that sits at the right hand of God. Oh why does my passion wax and wane so? If only I could be consistent in my honour and love for Christ. I am weak. But gloriously, wondrously – my God is strong and holds me close. And on my commute – listened to some of one of Dominic’s old sermons on 2 Peter 2(coincidentally – the sermon that was preached the evening service the week Mom and Dad were in Aberdeen with me – what sweet memories I have of that time!!). Listening to Dominic preach on the grave dangers of false teaching and the high regard in which we should hold the truth of God’s revelation to us reminded me yet again how I am most insufficient in and of myself. Do I get angry at the slights that are constantly made against my Lord and God? Do I defend the honour of my Lord in my life with my thoughts, words and deeds? Sadly I must confess I am oh too imperfect. I am most unworthy. But – glory be to Christ – that matters not. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. For me.

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you;
and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is
good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods,
through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have
no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood
is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering
for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also,
that He might sanctify the people through His old blood,
suffered outside the gate.

So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
For here we do not have a lasting city,
but we are seeking the city which is to come.
-Hebrews 13:7-14

Cauldrons and Kernels

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Ingredients: Four cans tomato sauce. Two cans stewed tomatoes. Two baby cans tomato paste. 1 can water. Small amount of sugar. Copious amounts of: celery salt, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, ground black pepper. Chopped: two green peppers, 1 white onion.
Directions: Cook until done
Addendum: Delicious amounts of spicy italian sausage(cooked, please)
Further directions: Blend all until…smooth?

Result: Delicious concoction?

I don’t know if I would go that far, but it is more tasty than many things I have eaten, this is for sure.

It was fun seeing Julie today for the first time in…weeks? We had a most wonderful chat. Driving in much Houston traffic constrained by many flooded roads was not as nice.

I also was somewhat productive in mailing a nice fat letter off to far away lands of St. Louis.

Also – my phone decided to rebel as it apparently does not want to celebrate its fourth birthday this month!! After literally hours of research and trial and error and some fun phone hacking, I think I have stomped out the rebellion. For now.

This is a bit of an odd format for an entry – I know!! I am in a bit of a spacey and meditative mood just now, methinks.

Following the closure of this post, I will begin evening reading time. (I have just finished David Copperfield – marvelously overwritten and I care not – the characters were so beautifully drawn, I was pulled speedily through the story!) I have just now(as of last night) begun The Yearling. A long treasured book that I have not read since I was a boy. So far – wonderful.

Now I truly shall bid you all adieu. It has been a long and strange week here in the rain-sodden land of Houston. God is sovereign and God is good. Always.

Love and peace, dear friends.

Renewed

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So I’ve been reading through Deuteronomy of late, and while I’ve known for a while how wonderful of a book it is…I think I appreciate it even more as I have read through it this past time! There are many reasons why this latest read has encouraged me, but I think I just appreciate the fact that the laws God gives are a reflection of who God is. And at the end of the day, obeying God is – as according to the words of Deut 12:28 – doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord Almighty. Do we truly care about what God thinks? We should long to obey and please Him – not because it will benefit us(though it will!), but because to obey God, pleases God. And as a child of my Father God, oh do I wish to please my Lord. A small excerpt from my Psalm reading this morning that echos my heart…

My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
I have told of my ways,
and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So I will meditate on Your wonders.
My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
Remove the false way from me,
And graciously grant me Your law.
I have chosen the faithful way;
I have placed Your ordinances before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
I shall run the way of Your commandments,
For You will enlarge my heart.
-Psalm 119:25-32