Andy Summers is 67 years old today.
And Pete Quaife is 66.
The two played instrumental roles in bands I love; The Police and The Kinks respectively. I was standing over the sink washing dishes when the local BBC radio station played songs by both bands and mentioned that today, Dec. 31, was the day both were born. As I scrubbed stir-fry residue from a wok, I thought about some of my favorite bands or performers that come from the UK. Below are a few of them in video form. No, they aren’t part of the British Invasion of my parent’s generation that was ushered in by the Beetles, but they weren’t far behind.

Andy Summers opens this favorite Police song of mine.

Yes, I know what the song is about, but you gotta understand the Kinks. They never took themselves that seriously.

These guys may have been some of the most preeminent musicians ever. I never get enough Yes.

Is it possible to make a list of great British bands without Queen? NO BODY has a voice like Freddie Mercury had. (I know, I know….and I’ll probably hear it from my mom).

They weren’t there in the beginning, but Genesis easily makes my list.

It is possible to go on and on but I’ll end this list with another of my favorite British bands with Pink Floyd, the musical equivalent of Fantasia…only better (by the way, which one’s Pink?)

(Note: posted an update located here on Feb 19 after Tiger’s press conference.)

I’m a Tiger Woods groupie (well, not in the most recently reported sense). I guess I should say I have been a groupie in the golf sense since he won his last U.S. Amateur titled and blew onto the PGA tour in the mid 90s. I’ll never forget the putt on the first hole of a three hole playoff with Bob May at the 2000 PGA Championships. He charged after the putt pointing it – willing it – into the hole. Amazing.

Of course Tiger is now totally disgraced, the butt of  jokes and today sits on a boat floating somewhere near the Bahamas. His sexcapades are the talk of tabloids and mainstream media. Whereas many people couldn’t touch him on a golf course, they now liberally fire condescending criticism at him with the accuracy Tiger fires at difficult pin placements on Sundays at majors. I find it all to be pious and self-righteous.

I can’t seem to get Tiger off my mind, probably because we bought a Wii and Tiger Woods 2010 the day before news broke of his “traffic accident.” Every time I play I think about what the guy accomplished and about what has been flushed down the toilet. It reminds me how close I am to flushing my life down the toilet because of the carnal nature that battles for prominence in my life. Wish I could say I was an exception, but there really is nothing exceptional about the evil inclinations in the human heart. Whether we admit it or not there is a bit of Tiger in us all. In fact, we don’t know – and if we did are totally unwilling to admit – what we are capable of. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Paul spends the first three chapters of Romans talking about the sickness of the human heart and spends a good part of Chapter 5 explaining to us the spring from which our sin flows. Our hearts have been wicked nearly from the beginning, which makes us enemies with a holy God. He cannot allow it, has to punish it, and spiritually filthy people can’t do anything about it. What are we to do?

Absolutely nothing, except repent and believe.

God did something on our behalf and this is why I can’t think of Tiger without thinking of Christmas. An angel appears to some shepherds and speaks the most significant words ever spoken – words Tiger needs to hear: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). If God is to save Tiger – or you, or me – there had to be Christmas. He didn’t have to send Jesus to this world as a baby to grow to a man to die for the sins of the world, but in extravagant love he chose to. Literally, Immanuel, God with us. The good news of Christmas is that a Savior was born. The good news of Christmas is that regardless of what Tiger has done he can be set free from his sin. So can you.

Yes, it is easy to fire heat seeking missiles at Tiger, but what we each need is to – in great humility – admit we are spiritual failures – like Tiger – and this Christmas embrace the good news of a born Savior.

I’ve written before about rambling and posted some picture from a family ramble in the fall. This past week we’ve gotten quite a dusting of snow across our area of the UK. We dressed in our wellies and plodded up the hill. Here are some images from Saturday’s ramble through the area back of our house. Many are taken in the same location as the family ramble I previously posted.

Having just returned from Beirut, Lebanon, the Shiite Muslim majority is on my mind. Shiites make up about 15 percent of all Muslims but are a majority in countries like Iran. (Sunnis are by far the majority worldwide). The most important ten days of the year for Shiite Muslims starts December 17th. Ashura is a time when Shiites all over the world remember the brutal death of one of their leaders in 680 AD. They’ll be meeting together every day and night. As Christ followers, let’s fast and pray for Shiites Dec. 17-26. God will hear our collective voice crying out to Him for Shiites.

Just Five years ago, mission workers said there weren’t any Shiite believers in their areas. Three years ago there was a handful of Shiites following Christ, and now there are many, many Shiites following Him Ashura is a most holy 10 day observance for Shiites (195 million) around the world.  It’s a period of 10 days of remembrance of their founder, Imam Hussein (Muhammad’s grandson), who was killed in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD.  Shiites go into deep mourning and sometime flagellate themselves in their grief.  While we celebrate this joyful time of God’s great gift to us through His Son, millions of Shiites will be mourning the death of Hussein.

Here’s how you can pray:

17th-Shiites are a people who fear God, but many of them fear evil spirits. Today pray that many Shiites will know the Son and will experience His power over the spirit world.

18th-Shiites place great importance on dreams and visions.  Ask the Father to give them dreams and visions that will help them follow the Son.

19th-On this 3rd day of Ashura, pray that when Shiites see the Son in a dream or vision, that they will be eager and bold to tell others about Him.

20th-Today pray that followers of the Son among Shiites will have spiritual wisdom and understanding. Ask that they will hear God’s voice and be prepared to do whatever He tells them, even if it means being, doing, or saying the uncomfortable or impossible.  Ask God to move believers – all of us – out of our comfort zones to reach more Shiites.

21st–Ask God to grow followers of the Son into men, women and children of faith who will live and share truth among Shiites in ways the Shiites can receive, despite the cost to them as His followers.

22nd–Pray that Shiites men will be devout and respected men of God who will lead their entire households and communities to fear God and to follow the Son.

23rd–Pray today that Shiites households will gather together to hear God’s Word and that they will hear, understand and tell the story of the Son in their homes and throughout their communities.

24th–Ask that Shiites religious leaders will hear the truth of the Word and will adhere to the teachings of the Son as their Supreme Leader and that Shiites communities will give their allegiance completely to the Son to emulate Him and follow His teaching.

25th-Whether through His spoken or written Word, through followers of the Son, or through a dream or miraculous healing, pray that Shiites will encounter the Son and follow Him.

26th-Shiites believe God forgives sins and answers prayers more readily on this day.  Please pray this prayer for Shiites and their communities:

Dear Father, You are the One who sent down Your Son to this blood stained earth to form a New Kingdom that is not of this world. We humbly ask You to reveal your Son to Shiites communities all over the world. We ask You to change Shiite’s mourning into dancing. Lead them from this season of great grief to passionately celebrate Your salvation.  All for Your Glory!

Here are some resources:

Download a ten-day prayer guide in five languages to print and share: http://www.shbride.blogspot.com/

Download a video and slideshow of Ashura:

http://www.cryoutnow.org/videogallery/index.html

Download stories of what God is doing among Shiites:

http://25minutes.org/

October 23, 1983 was a big deal in my hometown, a military town. I was nearly two months into my senior year of high school when news flashed through the community that 241 US servicemen, including 220 Marines had been killed in a suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon.

The bombing occurred at about the midpoint of the Lebanese Civil War that lasted 15 years (1975-1990). Images of smoldering rubble that moments before had been an apartment building seemed to be a staple on the nightly news. I became familiar with the term “Green Line,” but confess I never listened closely enough to know what it meant. Did any American? Would it have made a difference if we had? Lebanon seemed so far away and I watched from the safety of my home with relief that it was somebody else’s problem…Until that barracks was bombed. That single incident defined Beirut for me.

Driving down the Green Line yesterday I saw bombed out buildings standing as reminders of a war-torn nation. I did the math and realized if I’d been Lebanese I’d have probably been a fighter in that war. Having just turned 18 in Sept., 1983, I’m certain it would have been unavoidable unless of course I’d been in a family with means to leave. Most couldn’t.

The people of Beirut live with a looming stress of possible attacks from neighboring countries and possible outbreak of another civil war while dealing with the almost constant assassination of the country’s leadership since one of the more influential leaders was killed Feb. 14, 2006. The Green Line divided West (Muslim) and East (Christian) Beirut and drove the migration of people’s from one side to another. The war is over and the line is physically gone, but in many ways remains emotionally and mentally. For nearly three decades I’ve wondered what possible reason anyone could have that would warrant someone coming here.

Now that I’m here, I know: People. People warrant coming here.

Despite the uncertainty of life – or because of it – and the fatalism that consumes many Lebanese Shiites (the majority Muslim population here), are finding hope in Jesus. About His coming it was said by the Heralding Angel, “Peace on earth, goodwill among men. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Please pause and pray that many Shiites both in Lebanon and the millions around the world would know the peace of reconciliation with God. Pray that this Christmas season Good News of great joy will be proclaimed among THIS precious people and that God would bring many to faith.