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Dancing in the Kettle
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An old man once wrote "Beloved, do not think it strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened to you..." Now that Michael was born of the
spirit he was about to receive a first
hand lesson into the meaning of this verse and strange would not come
close to
describing the experience. More like an exercise in faith and the
strength of their foundation for it was as if a flood was cast out to
carry Michael away...
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The night started as many do,
Michael, in the comfort of his basement bedroom, listening to music.
But
like any other night, this night was full of meaningful expressions.
Once again, Michael was the receiver of a spiritual guest. Suddenly, a
song that should have been one of love and joy took on a new meaning as
the mouthpiece for an invisible, yet present, spiritual entity. One of
the songs on the album bellowed out "I want to see another world." Only
this time, it was clear to Michael the request had turned into a
demand.
The spirit was asking Michael to prove himself as being from God by
showing her another world. She wanted a Miracle and she wanted to
Michael to know that it was not a request. The moments after the album
ended, there was a tense moment in the air. The voice of the accuser
rang out in Michael's ear "well, boy, are you capable of showing me the
miracle or are you a fake just like the rest." Michael sat pondering
what the meaning of this might be. Was the accuser trying to get
Michael to act out in pride as the accuser tempted Jesus over and over?
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Then, Michael remembered that
he had recently purchased a Paul McCartney album named, of all things,
Venus and Mars. "Sitting in the
stand
of the sports arena - Waiting
for the show to begin - Red
lights, green lights, strawberry wine - A good friend of mine, follow the stars - Venus and Mars - Are alright tonight" And off the
two went for a ride into the night. The songlist is a great indicator
starting with Venus And Mars, movin on to the Rock Show (Christ being
the Rock of our Salvation), on to Love In Song (as Christ filled the
air), then You Gave Me The Answer, Magneto And Titanium Man, Letting
Go,
Venus And Mars Reprise, Spirits Of Ancient Egypt, Medicine Jar, Call Me
Back Again, Listen To What The Man Said (Jesus is the Man), Treat Her
Gently-Lonely Old People, CrossroadZoo Gang, Lunch Box/Odd Sox, ending
in My Carnival. It only seemed appropriate that the next album would be
yet another work of Mr. McCarney, Band on the Run. |
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"Well,
The Rain Exploded With A Mighty Crash - As We Fell Into The Sun, - And The First One Said To The Second
One
There - I Hope You're Having
Fun. - Band On The Run, Band
On
The Run. - And The Jailer Man
And Sailor Sam - Were
Searching
Every One - For The Band On
The
Run, Band On The Run - Band On
The Run, Band On The Run. -
Well, The Undertaker Drew A Heavy Sigh - Seeing No One Else Had Come, - And A Bell Was Ringing In The Village
Square - For The Rabbits On
The
Run. - Band On The Run, Band
On
The Run. - And The Jailer Man
And Sailor Sam - Were
Searching
Every One - For The Band On
The
Run, Band On The Run - Band On
The Run, Band On The Run." And run Michael did. He took off
down
the road so fast the darkness in the room was left wondering where he
went. It was as if Michael had stepped inside of a sport car then
sped off as the songs rang out. "Climb
on the back and we'll go for a ride in the sky."
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As the band carried Michael down
the road, the next leg of the journey was to begin. Michael now began
to
find comfort in his new surroundings. He was riding along in a vehicle
that only God himself could have built for him. It was as if it was a
custom made limo, complete with driver. Michael was about to enter
another strange phase. Enter Little Feat. Noteably, Michael's favorite
band of the day. And Time Loves a Hero, a seeminly appropriate record
for the time. You see, Michael never fancied himself anything more than
what he was. If God would have it that he was born to travel this path
of dreams and visions, then certainly Michael would follow. But
Michael never felt different or separated from those he loved. Time
Loves a Hero was for all intents and purposes, a sanity check.
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The album starts out with Hi
Roller. It certainly has fit the pattern of events for Michael. "Well now Jack, say hi, it's a sight to
see - It's a queen of hearts,
and her fancy's free - Well
now ace in the hole, and it feels so nice - Well I'm just a fool, in a pair of dice - All I'm growin' impatience - And live this ah - Fooled my brother on a sucker bet
- I'm down and out in a ten
round bout - But don't throw
the fight - we ain't lost yet -
We ain't lost yet " Certainly, if Michael's work was his own,
this
road would have turned into a very hard road to travel. By all design,
the album would have taken the very wind out of Michael's sails. If
Michael was a fake, the next few songs would certainly expose that as "Well they say time loves a hero but only time will tell - If he's real, he's a legend from heaven - If he ain't he was sent here from hell - Hear me well - Seein' ain't always believin' - Just make sure it's the truth that
you're seein' - Eyes
sometimes
lie, eyes sometimes lie -
They can be real deceivin'" Michael was confronted with a
thought. If you are the real thing, time will tell. If not, he was a
child of hell. Pretty heavy theme for a young man thrust into a dream
life.
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Up next, the twist that always
seems to accompany the turn. Still speaking to the spirit that
apparently had come along for the ride. That spirit of doubt and
condemnation that was lurking in the shadows waiting for that moment of
vulnerability in which it could accuse Michael of being less than what
he was. That spirit was there, waiting. So, the message of the next
song
was "My baby called me up - She
said, "Why don't you ever take me out? - Pick me up in your brand new
car - You shake the short change from your old fruit jar" - I put on my
dancin' shoes - We headed straight for the rhythm and blues - The music
was hot, but my baby was not - I've got a rocket in my pocket."
It
was a perfect fit for the spirit that a few albums earlier was
demanding of Michael a miracle. Michael was becoming aware that the
chains that were designed to catch and bind him were now being used to
bind his accuser.
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After a Day at the Dog Races, it
was time for a good, old fashioned Old Folks Boogie. "Off our rockers, actin' crazy - With the
right medication we won't be lazy - Doin' the old folks boogie - Down
on
the farm - Wheelchairs, they was locked arm in arm - Paired off
pacemakers with matchin' alarms - Gives us jus' one more chance - To
spin one more yarn - And you know that you're over the hill - When your
mind makes a promise that your body can't fill - Doin' the old folks
boogie - And boogie we will - 'Cause to us the thought's as good as a
thrill - Back at the home, - No time is your own, - Facillities there,
they're all out on loan - The bank forclose, and your bankruptcy shows
-
And your credit creeps to an all-time low - So you know, that you're
over the hill - When your mind makes a promise that your body can't
fill
- Try and get a rise from an atrophied muscle, - And the nerves in your
thigh just quivers and fizzles - So you know, that you're over the hill
- When your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill." It
was clear to Michael that God was speaking to the spirit who was
pursuing his child.
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The next song is about an old
train that has been runnin' for a long long time. It closes with "Once the leader of the wild, wild west -
Hurricane livin' been a lifelong song - Now you're cast of steel and
cast aside - Broken dreams maybe, but you haven't died." It was
a
message of salvation. That there was still time but with a distinct
feeling that time was running out. The next song defined the spirits
predicament in terms Michael could understand as it states "Ridin' on that New Delhi freight train - Ridin' on that New Delhi line - Ridin' on that New Delhi freight train - And left my life behind, left my life
behind." It painted the sad and lonely images of one who had
left
God behind in their pursuit of self.
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Taking things a little further,
Feat defined Keeping up with the Jones as a disease this spirit
had a bad case of "And she said
"Small change don't make no sense - and your words are worthless too - And ya best bring home more bacon,
darlin', - or you and me is
through" - Keepin' up with
the
Joneses is killing me - Go on
and hang that man who says the best things in life are for free - Keepin' up with the Joneses is killing
me - She's just one more bad
habit I was too blind to see." Michael understood the lessons of
God's word not to love the things of this world or to get caught up in
the cares of the world. That was exactly what the spirit of darkness
had
been trying to do to Michael for the past year. And now, that darkness
was being exposed for what it was. The record ends with a sad reminder
called Missing You. It was as if God was speaking to his fallen angel
reminding her how much he was missing her. Michael felt like his role
was reduced to that of watching as events had unfolded.
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