Recovering Fun in the Holy Life

The Dolls

There's a Filipino in every part of the world. We know that because there's one in Pussycat Dolls. Although Nicole Scherzinger's name sounds German she has a strong Filipino lineage (her mom is Filipinabased in Hawaii). But just in case your Filipino "racial inferiority complex" tells you that Nicole takes a backup role in the Dolls, no, no, no. Nicole is the lead singer. It is Nicole's voice that you hearin "Stickwitu." Check out http://umusic.ca/thepussycatdolls/ for more details on the group members.

Stickwitu is the third single to be lifted from The Pussycat Doll's debut album, PCD. The ballad became a success in the US and it debuted at number one in the UK, making it their second consecutive number onesingle there. The single peaked at number two spot in Australia. The single entered The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Charts originally at 85, and six weeks later found it's self-sitting very comfortably at numberfive position, where it peaked.

MUSIC VIDEO. The video is basically a day in the world of the Dolls. The video starts off with the girls at a hotel being awoken by someone knocking on the door, the scenes continue to see them packing. Later on the video shows them walking to their tour bus, goofing off, stopping to sign autographs for fans. The video continues to show footage of the girls on the bus, in dance rehearsals and "practicing" the song Stickwitu. The video eventually ends with Dolls coming out of a back entrance of a building posing for some pictures. The video closes focusing in on Nicole ending the single.The video has a PG rating and as expected has a lot of women in skimpy outfits - a Dolls trademark. With the constant apeal to semi-nudity, this MTV appeals to what the apostle Paul constantly refers to as the"flesh" or the "sinful nature" which Galatians 5:17 says "desires what is contrary to the [Holy] Spirit."

THE SONG. The song connects to our aspirations to be loved, be happy and make a commitment to "stick with you." One of the purpose statements of Jesus coming here on earth is that "they may have life and have it to the fullest" (John 10:10). The love relationshipthat Jesus established is a relationship of joy. 1 Peter 1:8 commends this: "Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with aninexpressible and glorious joy." It seems that God understands our deepest longings as a MERGE of love and joy."Stickwitu" communicates this idea of the merge called "love-joy". The song says, "Nobody gonna love me better/I Must stickwitu forever/Nobody gonna take me higher/I Must stickwitu/You know how appreciate me/IMust stickwitu my baby/Nobody ever made me feel this way/I Must stickwitu."

Christians are oftentimes accused of being sadly obedient. Somebody has said that our minds are happy but our hearts do not know about it. I must admit that the temptation to see God as a cruel taskmaster seems to hound me ever so often. I often forget that Goddesires for me to exude the spiritual fruit called "joy" (Gal. 5:22).

But just when you begin to think that joy is the only thing in His mind for you, you are wrong. I think the kind of love-joy happiness that God wants is LOVE-JOY-HOLINESS kind of life. While many kids these days are lured into thinking that love-joy is the equation for a fulfilling life, think again. A Filipino research says that the what the average teenager "get now in terms of information is from their peers and the media. And this is likely to be incorrect and misleading... They get information from the wrong sources." I agree. I have observed that thestandard Filipino reason for teenage pregnancy couples is "basta nagmamahalan at masaya sila sa isa't isa."This seems to be the misinformation that Stickwitu communicates when it says, "And now/Ain't nothing else I can need/And now I'm singing 'cause you're so, so into me/I got you/We'll be making love endlessly/I'mwith you/Baby I'm with you, baby you're with me." This is no song for married couples. Play this song in a mall and you'd see teenage kids singing with it.Call it idealistic, but the Bible presents the correct way to lead lives, because it knows the reality of love, joy and holiness.

The regenerated life of Christian (1 Cor. 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!") is happy when he pleases his Father. For the pop equation "love-joy" the Bible's response is "love-joy-holiness." We always forget the"self-control" quality in the fruits of the Spirit:(Galatians 5:22-23) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."There is joy in Christ. The NET Bible puts it this way: "You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy" (1Peter 1:8).

May Christ be your "indescribable and glorious joy."