What I got....for Christmas that is...

Click to see my list....

"Tolkien turkey"

We have just come to the end of a full and enjoyable Christmas Day. We've talked to family in California and England; we've feasted on lamb and ham and mince pies with brandy butter (only once a year...) and finally we've just watched "The Return of the King - extended edition" (4 hours and 10 minutes worth). Tolkien's epic reminds us of the battle we are involved in and return to after the joy of the season. He also reminds us that it is in the small hobbit-sized acts of goodness and character that the battle is won and that 'greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.'

It's beginning to "sound" a lot like Christmas...

Last night, our church together with some other friends, went carol singing. This was a tradition in England that was a big part of the run-up to this wonderful season. Somehow, the sound of carols being sung outside a home draws the spirit of Christ ever closer to that house. We left the church in a caravan of vehicles, armed with bells, guitar and shaker and before the night was over we had visited seven individual homes, a nursing home and the foyer of our local WALMART to bring some christmas cheer. I lost my voice but all agreed that carol singing is a wonderful tradition that brings joy to the ears and hearts that hear it. "We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!"

In the Swing

We're having two Christmas parties today for our day and night students and tonight we've been singing carols and having a great time.
Also tonight one of our students came in just to tell us that she had passed the writing test on the GED and how excited she was. It makes all the effort worthwhile when you see the fruit of your labors....As I said to her,"That is the best Christmas present you could have given me!"

Christmas Music

I'm listening to more Christmas music this year than ever before. There has been an increase in the number of holiday-specific releases over the last few years. Many are little more than attempts to 'cash in' on the current popularity of the artist and consequently the music performed is pretty lightweight. I have highlighted a couple of releases that I think are worthy of mention. "Bethlehem" by Brian McKnight stands out by virtue of the amount of original material as well as the breadth of the styles contained therein. The only downside to the experience is to realize that since this CD was released in 1998, Brian's marriage has ended in divorce...which tends to nullify certain of the sentiments he expresses on the album.
"Christmas Worship" by John Tesh surprised me, because I had felt that John's new 'worship' direction deprived us of his undoubted original composing skill which had graced his earlier recordings such as "AVALON" and "ONE WORLD". However his foray into modern worship has allowed his skill as an arranger and adapter of other works to come to the forefront. The result is an extremely well performed and arranged selection of christmas favorites as well as two of the best 'new' christmas songs in years, "This is your gift" and "Without You".

Counting down the days...

It's just about two weeks until Christmas and already the strain is beginning to tell! Each year poses new challenges... The pressure of the commercialism, the rising tide of excitement at home, keeping within a budget!
The hardest part of the season is maintaining a focus upon the real meaning of the season and allowing the natural sequence of the advent calendar to guide our journey into this most blessed and holy time.
You almost have to make a conscious choice to turn off the TV and retreat, to simplify, simplify, simplify!

Money can't buy you love or keep it....I guess...

NEW YORK — Money — not even $149 million — can't buy you love.
Juan Rodriguez , who collected the huge windfall in the Mega Millions lottery last month, is now on the outs with his wife, the New York Post reported Saturday. Iris Rodriguez wants a divorce from her husband of 17 years, and she filed the paperwork just 10 days after Juan bought the winning ticket on Nov. 19.
Iris Rodriguez is seeking a portion of her husband's huge lottery check, the Post said. Rodriguez, 49, opted to take his winnings in a single lump-sum payment of $88.5 million before taxes.
Although the couple appeared together at a news conference after Rodriguez matched the winning numbers, his wife had previously given him the boot over his financial difficulties. Rodriguez had filed for bankruptcy a month before his lottery win, and court papers showed he had just 78 cents in a savings account and owed $44,000 to creditors.

I guess that the Beatles were right after all! This is a made for T.V. movie if I ever I saw one. Better yet, some one needs to turn this into a musical comedy. The damage that lotteries have done to the work ethic and the notion that thrift and hard work are the keys to success have been replaced by players clubs at Casinos and a trip to the local convenient store for a powerball ticket or two. Meanwhile families continue to struggle to put food on the table and at the same time are consumed with the hope of quick riches. We all struggle to some extent or the other with lure of the American Dream, but lately many have sought to take a short cut. Paul reminds us in the New Testament that an athlete only wins the prize when they compete according to the rules....and as far as God is concerned, the rules have not changed!

We're definitely not in New Jersey...

We had the pleasure of attending the local High School Show Choir Christmas concert tonight.
It was a mixture of singing and dancing, well done considering the talent pool available in a small Mississippi town. There was also neat blend of the sacred and the secular with mentions of both Jesus and Santa Claus.(In fact Santa Claus was played by one of my church members!)
However in other parts of the country, for instance - New Jersey..... The religious theme would have been conspicuously absent while in Denver; no religious theme ( aka christianity) is permitted in their 'Holiday' parade!
What 'Holiday' do they imagine we are celebrating anyway? As our teenagers are prone to say...."Duh!!"
Visit Mississippi......... where we still pray "in Jesus' name" at ball games.

Online shopping.

I'm doing a lot of my Christmas shopping online this year. Over the past couple of years I have purchased Musical instruments, digital recorders, manufactured CD's and jewellery from websites. I have had little problem and have been impressed with the quality and speed of service. I'm grateful of an alternative to long check-out queues and lack of variety in local small town retailers. Also not having to spend a fortune on gas to travel to either Memphis or Jackson (100+ miles away) means that I have more money to spend on that special gift.
Maybe you haven't tried online shopping yet....Go on have a go!

A movie that moves me

courtesy of jnthnmoore

Thankful for...

I'm thankful for:

A family to love and a family who loves me...
A job I enjoy...
Having a job...
A musical ear....
The power of choice....
The power of Faith...
A appreciation of art and literature...
My health...
Friends...
Brothers and Sisters in Christ...
An opportunity to serve....
A sense of humor...

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Players and fans exchanged punches in the stands in one of the worst NBA brawls ever..

O.K.! Enough already......We have taken our addiction to sports and fame to an all time low. It's time for some honest to goodness criminal charges to be filed, with jail time and heavy fines levied. Maybe then and only then will pro-athletes get the message that they don't necessarily have to be role models but they do have to obey the normal rules of civilized behavior. It's time for the Commissioners of the various pro sports to take charge.

My favorite CD to listen to ...at the moment!

courtesy of jnthnmoore

My Latest CD available at AMAZON.COM

courtesy of jnthnmoore

Margaret Hassan....just a thought

"Marines found the mutilated body of what they believe was a Western woman on a street in Fallujah recently but the body has not yet been identified, although it is believed to be that of Hassan."
Two lines from a news report about an aid worker who devoted many years of faithful service to the Iraqi people. This woman spoke out against the invasion and gave her life to helping children. She was brutally used by the insurgents and the sound of Arab outrage has been deafening! How come?
Is it because for many of the male dominated Arab media she was only a woman, thus not worthy of consideration? Or maybe it is simply that to address the overwhelming brutality of what is happening everyday in Iraq would necessitate them confronting their own demons of centuries old abuse and degredation of women.....just a thought....

Steamed!

When I was young I was first a Cub Scout and then a Boy Scout. My troop was sponsored by our local church but apart from the occasional church parade as it was called, the program consisted of knot tying, fire building, hiking, first aid, citizenship, volunteering....in fact all the positive character building that, hopefully has contributed to the man I am today.
Now I hear that the ACLU has effectively stymied the armed forces from sponsoring troops on its bases because of the Scouts stance against homosexuality and its promotion of generic faith.
Unless children are being forced against their will to join Boy Scouts then the ACLU should leave well alone.
Where are civil liberties being violated? Someone please enlighten me?

Playing my song just for you...

As much as I love to pontificate about all things political and religious, I have to remember that my primary love and calling is to create music. Music has two primary objectives....as worship and as entertainment. Both are forms of artistic expression. Though some might disavow my belief in music as worship, it is apparent to me that all music elevates or demeans the spirit to a greater or lesser extent beyond our own realm of understanding. All music is offered with the intent to connect and to provoke a response. And so I continue in the fond belief that music can change us and maybe that's what we need right now in the the broken and torn places in our world....somebody needs to begin to sing!

Drake's Prayer comes to mind.

While we're on the subject .....of Iraq and the continuing battle against the insurgency. It is important to keep in mind the lessons of life and history. Jesus told a parable once of a man who went into battle before taking into account whether or not he had the resources to complete the mission. When he attempted later to pull back from the brink of conflict, he appeared a fool.
Sir Francis Drake wrote the following prayer before the battle of Cadiz in 1587:

'OH LORD GOD, when Thou givest to Thy servants to endeavor any great matter, grant us also to know it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory.'

Whether or not it was foolish to embark on the quest of democratization, there is now no turning back. The task must be completed or democracy itself will appear the fool.

Playing my song just for you...

courtesy of jnthnmoore

Not walking in his shoes.

The report coming out of Fallujah of a marine apparently shooting an unarmed insurgent will, no doubt, cause an eruption in the world press of Abu Ghraib proportions.
It should be noted, however that the fight we are engaged in is not a conventional war. The other side are not adhering to the same rules of military conduct and time and again use deception to lure our soldiers in to ambush and death. It appears that this particular ruse backfired (pardon the pun) this time.
I'm holding my breath waiting for the onslaught of righteous indignation from the liberal media over this 'tragedy'....the same media that has been strangely unmoved by multiple beheadings.