Wild Goose

On Tuesday The Sweet Sorrows aka Sammy and Kylie Horner played at Zac's. One of the songs they sang was called Wild Goose.

Most Christians will be used to the representation of the Holy Spirit as a dove. Indeed it was a dove that descended upon Jesus when he was baptised. But the Celtic church opted for another bird: the wild goose.

The thing about wild geese is that, like the Holy Spirit, they're uncontrollable. No-one can tell them what to do. And they can be noisy, challenging and even scary. 

God doesn't always appear as we might expect him to.

P.S. If I could work out how to include an MP3 track I'd put it on here.

Sammy said ...

"When I was growing up I thought of God as a sort of cosmic skinhead, out to wreck my life. A bit like Rik Mayall in Bottom.

It wasn't until later that I discovered that God likes people.

Immanuel means 'God with us'. Take away God and us and you're left with 'with'. If you ask for coffee with milk in Zac's, you'll get it all mixed up, not with the milk in a jug on the side. That's the same word as God with us. Inseparable. Even when you can't make sense of life, God is in it with you."

Sammy also sang a song about a songwriter whose girlfriend left him because he couldn't get his words to rhyme.

"She's gone to him,

because I can't get my words to rim.

My life is oh so dull,

just pick up your phone and cull

my number."

Sammy, Sean and Doris.

Zac's received some funding to commission artwork on the theme of the Beatitudes. Doris symbolises 'Blessed are those who mourn.' In her back are lots of little drawers containing things lost.

I must do another post about the artwork soon. There is still some to be completed but it's part of the vision of Zac's to use different art forms for worship and to provoke thought. To use our God-given creativity to help us be the people we were created to be.

Pobody's nerfect

On Sunday evening Sammy Horner was performing at Zac's.

Best known as main songwriter, bassist and front man of the Celtic rock combo, The Electrics, Sammy also tours alone and he's just produced a solo CD called, Songs for the Sick and Tired. If you like Celtic music, you'll love his. You can hear some on the website or his myspace.

He's Irish and intersperses his music with a wonderful narrative. He's got the blarney, all right.

He said he's often asked where he gets the inspiration for his songs. From everywhere, he replies, including a t-shirt Marge wore in one episode of The Simpsons. Here are the words of the song he wrote from that.

For as you judge so you shall be, it says so in the bible o
So please don't be too harsh on me for pobody's nerfect o.

I've tried my best to do my best because I think it's worth it o
But fail I do, yet loved I am, cause pobody's nerfect o.

And if you think you're better than the man who sits beside you o
Then be my guest and throw your stones, for pobody's nerfect o.

He's coming along to Zac's again tonight. I can't wait!