My 10 Favorite Things of the Decade

"10 Favorite Things of the Decade" doesn't come around every year...so, I thought I'd better take advantage of something as cool as the best of the decade. I couldn't really figure out a semi-meaningful 1 to 10 list...so, in no particular order, I present 10 of my favorite things of 2000 - 2010.

Brazil: My wife and I spent 3 months the country of Brazil early in the decade. Most of this time was in an apartment across the street from three bars in a relatively-poor section of the city of Maceio. The prolonged exposure to another culture helped us realize that we are not better than everyone in the world, we are only better than rich Americans. ...this seems to be an improvement.

Barilla: Somehow I ended up working at the best pasta company in the world. It's provided alot of free food, some reminders that rich Americans aren't so bad, and some good opportunities to stretch myself. However, it is my job, so, I'd prefer not to spend too much off-the-clock time writing about it. Next item...

Bruce Springsteen: You don't understand...I'm used to it.

Conferences: During the last 3-4 years, good things have happened as I've gone to different conferences. My top 3: Together for the Gospel, The Gospel Coalition, and the Leadership Summit. ...I know it appears to be a which-one-doesn't-belong multiple choice question, but it's not.

Rhapsody: My one acknowledged splurge every month. Nine bucks a months and I can listen to whatever music I want to. It's worth every penny.***

Church: Grace Bible Church (Stilwell, KS), CrossWay Community Church (Kenosha, WI), CrossWay Community Church (Milwaukee, WI). Everything else (except family) is not comparable to the good that has come from these three churches.

Books: Books are probably my favorite way to learn things. And...(while acknowledging that reading books is actually more beneficial) I'm pretty sure that buying them, putting them on the shelf, and not reading them helps make me smarter.

Documentaries: Over the last decade, I've grown to love documentaries. Once you've seen some good documentaries, you'll never go back to boring, made-up, action-adventure movies. Some of my favorite: Spellbound, The Fog of War, Man on Wire, Genghis Blues, Born into Brothels...there are many more.

Warkens: If Andy or Emily stumble across this, don't let this go to your head (especially Emily, who I will continue to treat with the same respect that I always have). Nothing else on this list is so specific, but, when I thought over all the hard things that my wife and I have gone through in the last 10 years...every time something difficult occurs the Gliddens turn their heads and the Warkens are right there next to them. I'd list some of them, but they are too personal for a blog post. In addition to the above, I laugh alot when I'm with them.

Family: Things got off to a good start early in the decade when my hot wife said that she'd marry me. ...because of her, I now have in-laws which means double the Christmas presents and birthday presents. In addition to presents, I was lucky, because they are all pretty awesome people.

Then, I finished up the decade with a daughter. She's only been around for about 1/10 of the decade...but, I think, because of her, it's been my favorite 1/10.

Also, in regards to family...once or twice a year the extended Glidden family reunites for the greater good of society. Sometimes I feel like these moments are the only time everything in the world is pretty much perfect. It's sort of like I have to keep putting my favorite movie on pause to go do a bunch of household chores...but, every time I get to watch another 5 minutes of the movie, it makes me glad I did the chores. In addition...I laugh alot when I'm with them.

Well...that's all I've got for you. I haven't used the word Decade this much since second grade when we learned the difference between a decade and a score (a rarely used word, probably because of the rising popularity of sports over the last few decades). Hopefully in 10 years I'll have something better to do than blog about my favorite things.

Joshua

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***As if a "My 10 Favorite..." list wasn't self-indulgent enough. Here are some of the songs that tousled my brain around over the last 10 years and said "music is a good thing" (not necessarily released in the decade...but, they frequently brought my finger to the "repeat" button for one reason or another). No Surrender, Cadillac Ranch, Lonesome Day - Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis and the Cool - The Gaslight Anthem, Breakdown - Jack Johnson, Mercy Mercy Mercy - Cannonball Adderley, Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way - Waylon Jennings, I'm A Rocker - The Raspberries, Shame - The Avett Brothers, Sunshine - Matt Costa, Stuck Between Stations - The Hold Steady, The Temporary Blues - The Features, Vincent O'Brien - M. Ward, Reach For the Sun - The Polyphonic Spree

Best Albums of 2009

I have no business making any concrete arguments for the "best-ness" of any of these albums. I really don't listen to enough music to elevate my thoughts to any status that includes the word "credibility". I'm not even 100% positive that all of these albums came out in 2009...which, I think, sums things up. But, still, I'd like to be clear...if the top five albums on my list aren't on yours, then your list is probably full of pretentious indie-rock that nobody listens to except awkwardly shaven music snobs. With these thoughts in mind, please take note of the 10 Best Albums of 2009...

10. The Show - Yonder Mountain String Band
9. Joy - Phish
8. Wilco - Wilco
7. Raditude - Weezer
6. Be Set Free - Langhorne Slim
5. Hazards of Love - The Decemberists
4. Working on a Dream - Bruce Springsteen
3. Some Kind of Salvation - The Features
2. Elvis Perkins in Dearland - Elvis Perkins
1. I and Love and You - The Avett Brothers

(I also kind-of liked the albums by Monsters of Folk, U2, Regina Spector, and Muse...and, to get it off my chest, I just put the Wilco album at number 8 because I didn't want you to know that I actually listened to Phish and a bluegrass band more than the much hipper Wilco.)

Evangelism and Felt Frailties

"Everybody's life includes things which cause dissatisfaction and shame. Everyone has a bad conscience about some things in his past, matters in which he has fallen short of the standard which he set for himself, or which was expected of him by others. The danger is that in our evangelism we should content ourselves with evoking thoughts of these things and making people feel uncomfortable about them, and then depicting Christ as the One who saves us from these elements of ourselves, without even raising the question of our relationship with God. But this is just the question that has to be raised when we speak about sin...

"To preach sin means not to make capital out of people's felt frailties (the brainwasher's trick), but to measure their lives by the holy law of God."
- J. I. Packer (Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God)