Inside the Art and "Beyond the Frame" - Andy Gullahorn's newest album

I've been a fan of Andy Gullahorn for about 4 years.

He is a singer/songwriter in Nash-Vegas TN.  I initially became aware of him as a "Captain Courageous" who tours frequently with Andrew Peterson.  He has some of his own albums (why do we still call them albums?) out there and just released "Beyond the Frame".

I am a big fan of his work.  I think he is one of the absolute best singers for delivery of a complex truth in a simple way.  He doesn't try to do too much with a song.  Similar to the parables being able to offend your common sense (who sells all that they own for a piece of land?) his songs hammer a point.  Some might bother you.  He lets you sit being bothered; he lets the silence speak to you.

Andy is also a master with humor.  Many songs draw out a chuckle or smile and then the point is driven home while my guard is down.

I've heard a few of his songs live at Hutchmoot and am very excited for his playing at Center Presbyterian Church in Grove City this Friday (8/23/13).  His stage presence has the listener on the edge of his seat wondering - "will this story be incredibly funny or make me cry?  Either way I'll enjoy it." 

I've had "Beyond the Frame" available to my ears for a few days now and wanted to put my thoughts to digital paper.

It is very different from his previous work and I like it.  From the start it has a different sound; a different vibe might be a better way to say it.  It plays slower and is more insightful.  There is notable piano in some songs which he had not included before.  In some of the songs (I Will, Nowhere to be Found) the intro offers a sense of the mood before the rhythm is established.  It actually feels like the mood of each song carries it more than the lyric/melody combination.

If you're familiar with his earlier works don't despair, "Skinny Jeans" and "Flash in the Pan" delivers that sense of laughter from a guy in the middle that Andy is so adept at.  It reminds me of "More of a Man" or "Nobody Wants to Work" yet makes me laugh to the level of "Workin' Man".


So I highly recommend the album.  It's a roller coaster that is worth the ride. 

GK Chesterton on Modern Authority

I was searching for a quote and came across this from A Miscellany of Men:

All our commissions, petitions, and letters to the papers are asking whether these authorities can give an account of their stewardship. And at the same moment all our laws are decreeing that they shall not give any account of their stewardship, but shall become yet more irresponsible stewards. Bills like the Feeble-Minded Bill and the Inebriate Bill (very appropriate names for them) actually arm with scorpions the hand that has chastised the Malatestas and Maleckas with whips. The inspector, the doctor, the police sergeant, the well-paid person who writes certificates and "passes" this, that, or the other; this sort of man is being trusted with more authority, apparently because he is being doubted with more reason. In one room we are asking why the Government and the great experts between them cannot sail a ship. In another room we are deciding that the Government and experts shall be allowed, without trial or discussion, to immure any one's body, damn any one's soul, and dispose of unborn generations with the levity of a pagan god. We are putting the official on the throne while he is still in the dock.

Lights and sources

(I was clearing out my "draft" folder of posts.  This was inside and was developed far enough to pass along)

I was reading The Riddle of Joy and was struck by one of the essayists thoughts on CS Lewis.  Lewis had a friend who was driven to insanity by strange inward mental/spiritual focusses.  After this Lewis never dwelt nor dabbled into the realm of focussing inward.

It drove me to an epiphany (and I'm sure there is a pity and clever way to state it) - the inner light is only a reflection of the outer lightsource.

I was digging into the depths of that thought and checked what my buddy may have said regarding these new waters.  It turns out that GK Chesterton had sounded the depths before:

Of all conceivable forms of enlightenment the worst is what these people call the Inner Light. Of all horrible religions the most horrible is the worship of the god within. Any one who knows any body knows how it would work; any one who knows any one from the Higher Thought Centre knows how it does work. That Jones shall worship the god within him turns out ultimately to mean that Jones shall worship Jones.  Let Jones worship the sun or moon, anything rather than the Inner Light; let Jones worship cats or crocodiles, if he can find any in his street, but not the god within. Christianity came into the world firstly in order to assert with violence that a man had not only to look inwards, but to look outwards, to behold with astonishment and enthusiasm a divine company and a divine captain.  The only fun of being a Christian was that a man was not left alone with the Inner Light, but definitely recognized an outer light, fair as the sun, clear as the moon, terrible as an army with banners.

VBS - Oh, What a Night

Becky & I help out here and there at VBS and had some of the older youth for service projects and such.  We had a pretty good night and as things were drawing to a close and kids are heading out with parents I was called upon - "Dan, we need you."

A good family friend had a real issue; a kitten had climbed inside the frame of their van.  It's a sturdy box structure with a cutout in the side web and it runs continuous up to the front bumper.  The size was small enough that the kitten couldn't turn around.  It sat, crying for deliverance from the situation.

First attempt were some sticks through a few holes to keep forcing it to move backwards.  Kind of like reversing a game of Kerplunk.  Didn't work.

I was able to position (doing yoga under the van) and reach into the frame and grab the tail.  The edges of the metal cutout, the tin edges of the heatshield and the heat of the catalytic converter were unfortunate obstacles but I wanted to rescue this kitten.  The frame had a small bump to tie in the front wheel structure and the kitten was on the other side.  A few attempts pulling on the tail only moved it about 3" and then it was a narrow opening requiring the tail and legs to come through at the same time.  I tried this way for about 15 minutes - pulling the tail wasn't enough and my reach wasn't enough to hook the legs to get it over the bump.  Eventually the panicked mewing stopped and we all knew the hoped and anticipated outcome wasn't to be.  This story doesn't have a happy ending.

About a dozen kids were around hoping to hold, cuddle, name and claim a distraught furball.  Their happiness would go unfed and hungry tonight.

I feel terrible.  Mostly for that family that has to carry the burden and reminder for some time longer.  Also for my 9 y/o who was feeling the weight the brokenness.  Also for my 8 y/o who was covering his ears in panic thinking that the van starting up as the family drove home would cause some further damage.  The damage had been done.

I know a curious kitten getting stuck and dying is nothing compared to the deep loss many feel.  We kick against relationships broken beyond repair, death too soon, or nature shows as unpredictable and tragic once again. 

I will admit - I like to be the hero and I wanted this to have a glorious ending.  I must also admit that I hate coming up short.  I hate seeing children suffer loss.  They don't play the mental gymnastics to make loss easier - "it was just a cat", "I can get another one", "it shouldn't have climbed in there to begin with", "why is that hole even in the frame? stupid van maker". 

They see it full on and weep.

Is it possible to receive the kingdom of God as a little child, and somehow not also see the brokenness of earth as a little child?  Probably not. Below is a video that is pushing me towards some ease.

Maybe it's a better thing,
to be more than merely innocent
to be broken and then redeemed by love
Maybe this old world is bent, but it's waking up