A Message

Ok Living Room blog, we were supposed to do personal updates a while ago, but I didn’t feel like it at the time. And surprisingly enough I didn’t do it, but I feel like it now, and you will discover why, I’m very sure. Since blogger world is an optional read, I feel free to go on and on, and you can read all, none, little, who cares.

As every Torontonian should know there are COLDPLAY concerts on tonight and tomorrow, and alas I do not have tickets. The problem is not that I don’t have tickets, since I already saw them on this tour in Montreal. Its that I have class during when I could get tickets, and I usually hyperventilate with excitement at the very thought of a Coldplay concert.

For all of you out in the music nether world I will gladly inform you that Coldplay, whether you love their music than you love the air you breath, or whether you hate their music and find it inescapably depressing, they are the best showmen you will likely see. The energy in a Coldplay concert is absolutely metaphysical… I have no clue how they do it but if it came in drug form I would likely become an addict. (If you know of a drug approximate please don’t tell me because I would end up on the street and wouldn’t be able to donate blood anymore.) I can say this with complete confidence since I have gone to a Coldplay concert with a guy who didn’t like them (he just wanted to come to Montreal) and he did admit that it was amazingly fantastic.

The reason I see this as life update blog-worthy is because I need to tell you what I think experiencing a Coldplay concert is like. I have been to two – one for their 2nd and 3rd albums – and I am convinced that it gives you just a little taste of heaven. Not a joke! Not blasphemy either. The music grabs you, in every part of your being and you are part of the collective crowd but you enjoy in a unique, individual way. I can only say that I feel blissful, euphoric… honestly I think that heaven will be that awesome, only more so.

Unfortunately, I can get terribly emotional with Coldplay music, especially since their songs, and particularly their albums, are intrinsically tied to periods in my life. For example, Parachutes was the summer I worked at camp and X & Y is India and Scotland. Their music makes me aspire to my youthful dreams of supreme greatness, not in the worldly sense, but some pure abstract sense (that’s right, abstract). Its like living like you never thought possible and letting the world know exactly what its like thorough and incredible guitar riff.

Ok, enough, enough. A few closing remarks, Johnny’s ma boy (Johnny Buckland, the guitarist). I’d also like to give a shout out to Will Champion, Guy Berryman and Chris Martin to put on another surreal concert tonight and tomorrow, which I’m sure they will have no problem doing. I encourage any Coldplay lovers not to read biographies or stupid articles about the personal lives of the band – all that bull ruins the mystery of the songs. Not because it reveals anything directly but because it makes you think of them as flawed people, which they are, but it actually all about the music. This is how I justify highly enjoying Oasis.

Bethany <><

Hello to all!

Hey everyone,

I just felt compelled to post here to let you all know how much I love you.

I know I'm not the greatest at correspondance, I tend to get distracted, write letters I never send, etc etc. But I want you to know that doesn't mean I've forgotten about you. On the contrary, I think of you guys a lot. I miss you for a lot of reasons. I miss each of you individually, for your quirks and personalities. I miss conversations over coffee, beer, msn. But I also miss you guys collectively. I miss livingroom. Having a group like you that I can share with and listen to and worship with... that is such a blessing. Returning home to that is something I very much look forward to.

So, like I mentioned, I felt compelled to let you know how much you are loved and appreciated. I keep you with me everywhere I go, in though and in prayer.

peace

I just read this and thought I'd share it

God, you have prepared in peace the path I must follow today. Help me to walk straight on that path. If I speak, remove lies from my lips. If I am hungry, take away from me all complaint. If I have plenty, destroy pride in me. May I go through the day calling on you, you, O Lord, who know no other Lord.

--an Ethiopian prayer.

And, for something completely different, check out this most hilarious thing in the world (Eric just sent me the link).

Guess who got a present

Hee hee. Rachel is the best!

By the way, I did my wine-before-breakfast sermon yesterday, and it went really really well. Really. God seemed very near to me through most of the preparation and during the actual sermon-giving. Over and over again, I was being called out of my nervousness, to instead look at God, and not think about what other people would think of me. It was very good.

Beyond that, people actually received what I had to say! (Picture Todd saying, "Receive this!") The whole experience was good.

My friend Allison Guy came to provide moral support. Though we have known each other very well for years and years, she has never been to one of my God Things before; I'm sure it was a bizarre but hopefully good experience for her. She is going to blog about it, so be sure and check it out.