Double Posting day

Hi again! I'm posting for the second time today. Originally, this was going to be my only post, but since Lz wrote about pi day, I included a post with a pi recipe!

Yesterday, I drove over to Fargo to do some Sam's Club shopping as well as hit some thrift stores looking for things Tony needs for our pumpkin parties this fall (don't ask....I'm not going to spoil the surprises....yet! Let's just say "cluck" and "grrr"!). I also spent some time at another favorite of mine....Hobby Lobby (for supplies for Tony, of course!). Side note: Hobby Lobby, in case you are not aware, is such a COOL store in so many ways! They have fantastic arrays of all kinds of hobby supplies, but even better, they are Christian owned and operated. Christian hymns are piped in, there is a Christian theme throughout the store, and what is really awesome is that at Christmas and at Easter, they take a full page ad out in most major newspapers as well as local papers where they have a store -- instead of flouting their sale items, the full-page ad is "just" the Biblical passages of Christ's birth and Christ's death & resurrection. What a great testimony!

Anyway, on the way to and from Fargo, while not catching up on family through cell phone chats, I was enjoying listening to a very old cassette of mine, "The Champion," by Carmen. While I've not kept up with his music lately, Carmen always has some fantastic songs and stories put to music. I think my all time favorite is his song on this album, named after the album. Below are the words to this song. While the music adds a dramatic touch, the words are also pretty powerful. Take a moment or two and read through them....

In the vast expanse of a timeless place,
Where silence ruled the outer space,
Ominously, towering it stood,
The symbol of a spirit war
Between the one name Lucifer,
And the Morning Star,
The ultimate of good.

Enveloped by a trillion planets,
Clean as lightning and hard as granite,
A cosmic coliseum would host the end
Of the war between the lord of sin and death,
And the Omnipotent Creator of man's first breath,
Who will decide who forever will be the Champion.

The audience for the 'Fight of the Ages' was assembled and in place.
The angels came in splendor from a star.
The saints that had gone before were there:
Jeremiah, Enoch, Job.
They were singing the "Song of Zion" on David's harp.

The demons arrived, offensive and vile,
cursing and blaspheming God.
Followed by their 'trophies' dead and gone.
Hitler, Napoleon, Pharaoh, Capone,
Tormented and vexed and grieved.
Waiting for their judgment
From the Throne.

Then a chill swept through the mammoth crowd and the demons squealed with glee,
as a sordid, vulgar, repulsive essence was felt.
Arrogantly prancing, hands held high, draped in a sparkling shroud
Trolled by demons, Satan ascended from Hell.

Then Satan cringed, the sinners groaned!
The demons reeled in pain
as a swell of powerlike silent thunder rolled
With a surge of light beyond intense,
illuminating the universe,
In resplendent glory appeared the Son of God.

Then a Persona, yes, Extraordinaire
appeared in center ring.
God the Father will oversee the duel.
Opening the Book of Life, each grandstand hushed in awe as majestically He said,
"Now here's the rules.
He'll be wounded for their transgressions, bruised for iniquities"
When He said, "By His stripes they're healed," the devil shook!
He screamed, "Sickness is my specialty.I hate that healing junk!"
God said, "You shut your face, I wrote the book!"

Then the Father looked at His only Son and said,
"You know the rules. Your blood will cleanse their sins and calm their fears."
Then He pointed His finger at Satan and said,
"And I know you know the rules.
You've been twisting them to deceive My people for years."

Satan screamed, "I'll kill you Christ!You'll never win this fight!"
The demons wheezed, "That's right, there ain't no way."
Satan jeered, "You're dead meat, Jesus,
I'm gonna bust you UP tonight!"
Jesus said, "Go ahead, make my day!"

The bell rang, the crowd cheered, the fight was on,
And the devil leaped in fury.
With all his evil tricks he came undone.
He threw his jabs of hate and lust.
A stab of pride and envy
but the hand that knew no sin blocked every one.

Forty days and nights they fought, and Satan couldn't touch Him.
Now the final blow saved for the final round.
Prophetically Christ's hands came down
And Satan struck in vengeance!
The blow of death felled Jesus to the ground.

The devils roared in victory!
The saints shocked and perplexed
as wounds appeared upon His hands and feet.
Then Satan kicked Him in His side, and blood and water flowed.
And they waited for the 10 count of defeat.

God the Father turned His head,
His tears announcing Christ was dead!
The 10 count would proclaim the battle's end.
Then Satan trembled through his sweat inunexpected horror, yet...
As God started to count by saying,
"...10..."
"Hey wait a minute, God..."
"...9..."
"Stop!You're counting wrong..."
"...8..."
His eyes are moving...
"...7..."
His fingers are twitching...
"...6..."
"Where's all this Light coming from?"
"...5..."
"He's alive!"
"...4..."
"Oh - nooooo!"
"...3..."
"And yet,"
"...2..."
"Oh...Yessssss!
"...1..."
He has won! He has won!
He's alive forevermore!
He is risen, He is Lord, He has won!
He has won! He's alive forevermore,
He is risen! He is Lord!
Proclaim the news in every tongue,
Through endless ages and beyond
Let it be voiced from mountains loud and strong
Captivity has been set free,
salvation bought for you and me
'Cause Satan is defeated,
And Jesus is
The Champion


(okay, how many of you are going to dig out your recordings to listen to it again?)