The Friday Five

I'm really looking forward to sharing with you guys some good reads, thoughts, listens, & follows that you may not be aware of. Some of the stuff I'll share will be new. Some of it may be reminders of how good some classic stuff really is. Either way, I hope you enjoy it & check out this week's Friday Five.

1. Music: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Soundtrack by John Williams. Sure, you could make the argument that this belongs in Nerd Corner, but you don't have to be a nerd to appreciate the genius that is John Williams. Williams has been composing iconic film scores for half a century, & he doesn't miss a beat with the latest in the Star Wars saga. In fact, in some ways this is one of his greatest. It's more subtle than some of the other scores. Yes, there's the main Star Wars theme that accompanies the opening crawl, but the pieces that he weaves together through the film are more subtle while still being powerful. My personal favorite is "Rey's Theme" which finds it's way into various pieces throughout the score. It's not nearly as in your face as the ominous Imperial March, but it sticks with you & evokes emotion.                                                                                                          
2. Quote: "No half-heartedness & no worldly fear must turn us aside from following The Light unflinchingly." ~J.R.R. Tolkien
3. Follow: Dean Inserra on Twitter. Dean is a pastor in Tallahassee, FL who is one of the best follows on Twitter. He's sarcastic, insightful, & a Patriots fan, so what's not to like. By the way, should you choose to follow Dean, be sure to be familiar with the term "jabroni."
4. Podcast: The Village Church Podcast. This podcast isn't a preaching podcast, even though theirs is one of the best. Instead, this podcast focuses on talking about how Christians can think biblically about current cultural issues like immigration, the refugee crisis, same sex marriage, & the current climate of presidential politics. All that's mixed in with a good dose of Pastor Matt Chandler's signature dry wit & serious biblical perspective.
   
5. TV: Friday Night Lights. I have to say I was surprised by this show. First, I was surprised when my wife recommended our watching it. After all, her interest in football is revealed by the fact that she usually picks a team in the Super Bowl based on their uniform colors. I gave it a try anyway, & I was surprised by how good the show is. Having been close to a high school football program in Alabama for a few years, I have to admit that the insanity portrayed in a small Texas town's love for their high school team is pretty close to the mark. It's well written & the characters are well developed. Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor is perfect, & Taylor Kitsch as Tim Riggins steals most of the scenes he's in & becomes one of the best developed, more complicated characters on the show. If you're like me & didn't give this show a shot when it was on, check it out on Netflix, & you'll be saying, "Texas forever!".