Jack Critiques Alan Jackson

On our way out to Wildwood, NJ the other day (for our summer project) we were listening to the radio; Country music as usual.  The Alan Jackson song "Where I come From" came on and Stephanie and I were talking.  I like the song and I've heard it often, but I wasn't listening intently to it when my son Jack yelled from the back seat -"Is this song based on lies?"  


I wasn't too sure in the moment what he was talking about.   Thinking about verse two I said "Well, I think he's just talking about some good food bud."  
But then the Chorus came on again, I turned it up and I knew exactly what he was referring to.  Here's how it goes:


I said where I come from
It's cornbread and chicken
Where I come from a lotta front porch sittin'
Where I come from tryin' to make a livin'
And workin' hard to get to heaven
Where I come from


I asked leadingly "What was the lie that you heard in there bud?"  And Jack proceeded to expound the theological truth that we don't work hard to get to heaven.  Salvation is free -a gift from God because he loves us.  "God doesn't love you because you work hard" he said.  And then I asked my boys "So why does God love us?"  And Joe shouted with passion and authority "For no apparent reason."  


Amen my sons.  Sorry Alan Jackson -bad theology! 
We've been talking about Grace a lot in our home and how God saves us not because we are "good" or because we "earn it" or because we are "better than anybody else" or because we are religious, or because of anything that we do, but simply because of his loving kindness -which we totally don't deserve. 


Ephesians 2:8,9 ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.


Titus 3:3-7 ³ At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 

This is Country Music

I just wanted to share a song we've been jamming to for the past couple of months.

I'm a big fan of country music, and if I had to choose an artist who consistently produces great songs it would be Brad Paisley. He's had a couple of duds, but overall it's easy for anyone to acknowledge that Paisley is at the top for a reason.

This song is one of his newest. It's released as a single at this point, and he debuted it the CMA awards a couple of months ago. This song proudly embraces all that some might consider cheesy and lame about country music and rolls it out in heartfelt two step rhythm. If you don't like country music, then it would make sense why you wouldn't like this song. But all the same, Paisley does a great job of laying out some of the basic reasons that country music appeals and connects with people.

The first lines are great:

"You're not supposed to say the word 'cancer' in a song;

And tellin' folks that Jesus is the answer can rub em wrong

It aint hip to sing about tractors, trucks, little towns and momma!

But This is Country Music and WE DO!

The country music industry is definitely a business, and in my opinion, there are some country stars who are nothing more than products of the Nashville machine. But Paisley is authentic, creative and super talented. His guitar skills are ridiculous; one guy I used to work with called him the Eddie Van-Halen of country music, and I think that is a good description. Listen to his songs and notice that he is the one playing the most complicated riffs -not some paid studio musician. And he's also written most of his own songs which is sweet.