Pentecost and big surprises

12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.

Acts 2

Me:  Do you know what that was?
Cop: I have no idea! That is the craziest shit I’ve ever seen in my life, AND I’M A COP!
Me: Ha. Yeah, it was weird.
Cop: You wanna sign up to be in the NYPD?
Me: No thanks.

Improv Everywhere

A year or so ago, Improv Everywhere did one of their famous pranks/performance art pieces at Grand Central Station. Watching the video can give you a sense of what it must have been like for these people. Consternation, amazement, disbelief were probably just a few of the different ways people reacted to the scene.

In a similar way, Pentecost threw people off completely. What did it mean? Why did it happen? Of course, the Improv event was timed, scheduled, planned, but the people watching it didn’t know that. The observers at Pentecost didn’t know what was transpiring either.

It is now around 2000 years since the birth of the church. Two thousand years. Yet we are still amazed. We are amazed at what God has done for us, in us and through us. Share your amazement. Happy Pentecost!

Rain

[originally posted with youtube vids, but not saved due to migration]

Might as well make the best of it, because here it comes again.

Here are some songs that talk about rain; some of which I like, some of which just get stuck in my head when it’s raining, some of which I never heard until I started searching for rain songs.

Eurythmics: Here Comes the Rain Again

personal note: I saw Annie Lennox sing this live, while it was raining.

BJ Thomas: Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head (I saw BJ Thomas sing this, but it was not raining.)

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Have You Ever Seen the Rain and Who’ll Stop the Rain (thanks Leah)

Rihanna: The Umbrella Song Not really my musical preference, but it’s definitely a rain song.

The Beatles: Rain (with some sunshine, too)

Madonna: Rain

Tom Waits: More than Rain

Carpenters: Rainy Days and Mondays (wish I had vid. for the Cracker remake)

There’s a million more. Purple Rain, I’m Only Happy When it Rains. Rain seems to be a good topic for music. Snow doesn’t seem to have as wide a reach. Lots of sunshine songs though. If I ever see the sun for 12 hours straight again, maybe I’ll post those next.