Breathe in...breathe out...breathe in...*
I took the day off today, the first day of spring break on our campus, to get caught up on some writing projects. For inspiration, I plucked an old Audio Adrenaline CD, Underdog, off the shelf. I like Underdog for many reasons: 1.) the message of the title song; 2.) the cover art of a boy, looking a lot like a younger version of the tough in John Mellencamp's "Authority Song" video, flexing his underdeveloped bicep; 3.) the music (I know "Get Down," the CCM single, is insipid, and songs like "Mighty Good Leader" are fluff; but other songs, like "This Day," "Good Life," "Hands and Feet," the title song, the cover of Pete Townsend's "Let My Love Open the Door," the infamous "Houseplant Song," and a nice rendition of "It Is Well With My Soul," featuring Jennifer Knapp, more than make up for this album's flaws).

Like many CDs, Underdog also evokes particular memories and moods. I listened to it a lot while writing eMinistry, so I consider it one of my "writing CDs," an inspiration and a muse. Also it was a popular CD with our youth group at a time when the group was beginning to develop an identity for itself. A lot of them still love this CD. They relate to the "Underdog" message.

This morning's lectio divina was centered on Psalm 34:7 -- The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. This seems an appropriate prayer for our troops during wartime, and this is my prayer for them today. I pray, first, that they look to God for their strength and their hope, and that then God will encamp around them, protecting them, delivering them.

Well, Underdog has played through twice already this morning, and I haven't written a thing (other than this blog entry and a few terse emails). So I'd better get to it.

* The title of this passage refers to "This Day," a song on the Underdog album. Breathe in/breathe out/breathe in/And watch the day begin... Profound, no?