My 3 Sons Mark

Do you ever imagine what your life might be? Turns out to get what we want we might need to live a different way! Jesus imagined a different world in the beattitudes and it is revolutionary, counter-intuitive, and totally not how most people live their lives. Read them in Matthew 5:3-12 (CEV translation) then listen to Imagine by John Lennon. 

This week George Benson plays Breezin in the background. Full playlist of songs is on Google Play Music, My 3 Sons. 

Whether deliberately or incidentally we will serve someone or something. I was terrible at deliberately choosing who or what I would serve but as I've gotten older and understand a little more of the gospels I think it is a lot simpler. Of course I've sifted through plenty of terrible and great advice to get to this point. I'm still not where I need to be but increasingly feel like I'm heading in the right direction. My hope for you 3 boys is that you will be able to sift through the good and bad advice and make great decisions about who and what you serve. 

Matthew 22:37-39 is the verse I quote from The Passion Translation this week. Tender Surrender by Steve Vai is the background track and the Bob Dylan song, You Gotta Serve Someone is the featured song. The full My 3 Sons playlist is available on Google Play Music.  

Be generous because we're living in paradise. I reflect on how I reject religion and look for my faith to inform every aspect of my life. We have so much and so many people telling us how we should be living. How do we respond to all this input? This week I use verses from all over the bible that help me attempt to be less religious and more of a genuine follower. 

I lean into James 1:27 as James is a really influential book in my faith. But I start back in the Old Testament with Deuteronomy 6:5 then bounce in Micah 6:8 on my way to the New Testament and Matthew 6:2-4, Matthew 23:23, and Mark 12:30-31. I remain amazed at how consistently certain messages run through the bible and think that when they're repeated so consistently there must be something to it. 

 The backing track is Spooky as performed by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. I deliberately choose this because of the name of the track and will let you determine why I thought it was apt. It is also a pretty cool tune that one of the bands I was in played. 

The song this week is Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins. He has already featured in this podcast and in many of his songs he asks really good questions. It is well worth listening to his solo albums and also those of Genesis the band that launched his career.  The full My 3 Sons playlist is on Google Play music. 

I didn't want to be me for years! Why do we pursue the life others project onto us? Actually, I think I just took this on myself when it wasn't there at all. However, don't spend your life living according to popular thinking and doing what others are. Rather be you and make your own decisions about what to wear, what to do, where to go, and what to believe. 

Song in this episode is Beverly Hills by Weezer. Backing track is The Messiah Melody by Neil Zaza (sorry that I could only find a YouTube link for this track). Full playlist of My 3 Sons available on Google Play.

This week I talk about getting what you put in. I remember being at school, in bands, riding races and getting what I deserved. Other times I don't get what was deserved both good and bad! But mostly Mum and I think life is about what you put in.  In some ways this episode follows on from the Easter Episode as the verse I use is from Luke 23:30. 

New Radicals, You Get What You Give is the song this week and the backing track is from the US Army Blues band and called Precious Lord. I don't have a link for that as it came from a CD or download and they don't seem to be on Google Play Music. 

Full playlist for all the songs from My 3 Sons podcast is on Google Play Music.

What makes me stop and think every Easter! The verse is from Mark 16:8 and even now after many years reading it and knowing what it says I still wonder what on earth happened! My hope boys is that Easter will be a moment you hit pause and refresh in your faith. Not because you've wandered away or made mistakes, but because taking a moment to reflect on where you're at, what you're doing, and how tomorrow might be is essential to living the best life you can.

This song is one of my top all songs from an incredibly talented artist who was very controversial. The Cross from Prince is musically stunning and lyrically striking. Unlike so many Christian songs that seem to tell us what to think, Prince asks as to consider the Cross. 

The background track is a guitarist called Marty Friedman and called the Last Lament (my favorite track of his has the best name, Battle of the Barbie Bandits)!

Full My 3 Sons playlist is on Google Play music.