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When Music Was King

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I caught a Journey concert in Houston from 1981 on PBS. It was back when the band was in their prime, when Steve Perry was at his peak as a vocal performer.

But man, they weren’t exactly GQ, were they? Neil Schon had some interesting facial expressions while playing guitar, including some that looked like breathing exercises. Steve Perry had the whole head tilt to the right whenever he went for a high note. And they all looked like they were wearing Mom jeans.

But none of that mattered because the music was great.

Lately, it feels like image is everything and the music has become secondary. The result is that you get a lot of ear candy pop music that is utterly disposable and instantly forgettable.

There’s a reason why a lot of great bands in the 70’s didn’t have videos or their faces on their album covers. They weren’t exactly the prettiest people in the world, but man did they make some great and lasting music.

I still think the best decade for music was the 70’s, even though I’m a child of the 80’s. Just thought I should state that for the record, in case you were wondering.

 

 

 

 

Check One off the Bucket List

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I can (almost) officially check one off the bucket list.

My bucket list is a bit vague and indefinite, but one very clear and definite goal of mine has been to see U2 live in concert. I missed out in 2014 when they played at Vanderbilt Stadium here in Nashville.

I’d decided then that I’d probably missed my chance. I mean, these guys have been around for nearly 40 years. How much longer will they go through the grind of a world tour?

Well, this time came around and I grabbed my chance. Actually, I grabbed, missed, almost gave up again, checked back, grabbed for good, and succeeded.

The first time I tried to purchased a ticket, I couldn’t find any that were under $200, counting fees and taxes. That was where the part about almost giving up again came in.

Tonight, I decided to give it one more shot.

I went to ticketmaster.com and looked for tickets. Lo and behold, I found one that was under $100. I supposed for a bucket list item, that’s reasonably cheap. Also, it’s in the extreme nosebleed section of Bridgestone Arena. But at least it’s inside. I’m going.

There would be a happy dance right now if I weren’t so frickin’ tired. But I’m celebrating on the inside.

I’ve been a fan of U2 since The Joshua Tree in 1987. I own every one of their albums (including the new one, Songs of Experience, which arrived in the mail today) and a few of their concert DVDs. I admire Bono’s outspokenness about the causes he believes in– and most notably, about his faith in Jesus.

I can think of very few other bands that have not only survived but remained relevant for as long as they have. I can’t think of a single other band that has lasted as long with the same lineup.

My next bucket list (in case you’re wondering) is to dine at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant, which will probably also mean me traveling out west.

 

Another Christmas Carol

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“It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve and Scrooge was conscious of a thousand odors, each one connected with a thousand thoughts and hopes and joys and cares long, long forgotten” (from The Muppet Christmas Carol).

Yeah, I finally got around to this one. It was as delightfully muppet-y as I’d hoped it would be. I think I’ve now seen just about every important adaptation of A Christmas Carol that’s ever been put on film.

As stated before, my very favorite adaptation is still the 1951 British version starring Alastair Sims. That’s always required viewing for me every Christmas season. But this one will be added to my list of favorites.

Now matter how many times I’ve seen it in all its various incarnations, the truth of the story always hits home with me. Christmas may be a day on the calendar, but the spirit of Christmas isn’t limited to 24 hours. It’s all the days of the year, ever year for as long as we live.

Christmas above all isn’t about presents and decorations. It’s about remembering those who have enriched our lives but who are no longer with us. It’s about family and friends gathered together to celebrate another year come and gone. It’s about the God who became flesh and was born into the world and dwelt among us, showing that even though we could never get to God, He could (and did) come to us in Jesus.

My prayer for all of us this season is that we don’t get so lost in the commercialism and fast-paced hustle that we forget about the tiny baby lying in a manger. I’m praying we can all celebrate the Advent of Emmanuel, who’s coming changed the world.

And yes, it was great seeing all my favorite Muppet characters (even Beaker), especially Gonzo as Mr. Charles Dickens and Rizzo the Rat as himself.

Taylor Swift-a-thons and The Walking Dead

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I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift in the Jeep on my daily commute from work each day. My plan has been to start with her very first album and go through all the way to her latest release. So far, so good. My favorite at this point is Speak Now. It’s a little bit country AND a little bit rock ‘n’ roll.

I know I’m not her primary demographic, but I’m a sucker for a song that paints a picture in my mind, and she does that well. She’s a legit good songwriter.

As for The Walking Dead, I’m finally caught up. Again.

I thought I was only one episode behind, but as it turns out, another slipped in under the radar while I was napping (apparently). So I did a two-fer and now I’m current.

I can’t say how I’d respond in the midst of the undead apocalypse. I’m pretty sure I’d find a comfy hiding spot and try to wait it out. If you’re not a fan, I suggest you skip the next paragraph or so.

I do think that at some point before the season’s over, Negan and Company will be going down. They’d gotten arrogant, careless, and sloppy from being in power too long, and now it’s costing them big time. I just hope that Rick’s crew doesn’t turn into another version of the Saviors and lose their humanity in the process.

Anyway, work today was good, but it had its stresses. Still, having stress at work is still better than having stress about having no work. Been there, done that. Having a job is a blessing, even if it’s not the one you want and even if it’s not something you particularly like. Besides, I have to keep my cat in the comfortably lifestyle she’s grown accustomed to.

 

One Year Later

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I hadn’t given a thought to it until I saw a reminder on my Facebook memories. A year ago, a deadly wildfire was spreading through Sevier County and Gatlinburg, costing many lives and destroying millions of dollars worth of property, including many people’s homes.

It’s amazing how things can change in the span of one year. Gatlinburg is rebuilding and people are learning how to live with a new normal. I was there a few months ago, and the spirit of friendliness and community that made it such a great place to visit is still there, perhaps made even stronger by all the tragedy.

Where there’s community and cooperation, not even wildfires can keep a town like Gatlinburg down for long. It makes my heart happy to see them still going strong and building to be even better and stronger in the future.

 

Another Excerpt from Narnia

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But how could it be true, sir?” said Peter.

“Why do you say that?” asked the Professor.

“Well, for one thing,” said Peter, “if it was real why doesn’t everyone find this country every time they go to the wardrobe? I mean, there was nothing there when we looked; even Lucy didn’t pretend there was.”

“What has that to do with it?” said the Professor.

“Well, sir, if things are real, they’re there all the time.”

“Are they?” said the Professor; and Peter did not know quite what to say.

“But there was no time,” said Susan. “Lucy had had no time to have gone anywhere, even if there was such a place. She came running after us the very moment we were out of the room. It was less than a minute, and she pretended to have been away for hours.”

“That is the very thing that makes her story so likely to be true,” said the Professor. “If there really is a door in this house that leads to some other world (and I should warn you that this is a very strange house, and even I know very little about it)—if, I say, she had got into another world, I should not be at all surprised to find that the other world had a separate time of its own; so that however long you stayed there it would never take up any of our time. On the other hand, I don’t think many girls of her age would invent that idea for themselves. If she had been pretending, she would have hidden for a reasonable time before coming out and telling her story.”

“But do you really mean, sir,” said Peter, “that there could be other worlds—all over the place, just round the corner—like that?”

“Nothing is more probable,” said the Professor, taking off his spectacles and beginning to polish them, while he muttered to himself, “I wonder what they do teach them at these schools.”

“But what are we to do?” said Susan. She felt that the conversation was beginning to get off the point.

“My dear young lady,” said the Professor, suddenly looking up with a very sharp expression at both of them, “there is one plan which no one has yet suggested and which is well worth trying.”

“What’s that?” said Susan.

“We might all try minding our own business,” said he. And that was the end of that conversation.

From The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Compiled in A Year with Aslan

Post-Thanksgiving Pre-Advent Thoughts

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Apparently, this will be one of those odd years where Advent doesn’t immediately follow Thanksgiving. According to my understanding, Advent begins next Sunday. I’m not exactly an expert on these things, so it may very well be that I’m wrong about this. If so, be gentle.

Today seemed like a good day to look at old memories on Facebook and Timehop. I’m reminded that two years ago I was dog-sitting in McKay’s Mill for a very lovable and friendly dog named Millie who has since crossed the rainbow bridge.

I also see pictures of my late beloved Lucy, who was looking very contented and well-fed at the time. Part of me still wonders if I missed a clue that might have helped her live a little longer. Most of me knows that she was deeply loved and had a very good life. I was blessed to have her for those 17 years.

I also finally got around to one of the classics of modern cinema. I’m talking about Weekend at Bernie’s. No, it was not a great piece of filmmaking by any stretch, but it was a good representation of the good and bad of 80’s movies.

Today ends the extended version of the weekend known as Thanksgiving/Black Friday. I got caught up on my sleep, made it through a migraine on Saturday, and had a lovely day today.

I’m not sure what to read out of The Book of Common Prayer next. I guess I’ll get a head start on the Advent readings. It’s never too early to start getting my heart ready for the celebration of the promised Messiah.

Here’s a little taste:

“What is coming upon the world is the Light of the World. It is Christ. That is the comfort of it. The challenge of it is that it has not come yet. Only the hope for it has come, only the longing for it. In the meantime we are in the dark, and the dark, God knows, is also in us. We watch and wait for a holiness to heal us and hallow us, to liberate us from the dark. Advent is like the hush in a theater just before the curtain rises. It is like the hazy ring around the winter moon that means the coming of snow which will turn the night to silver. Soon. But for the time being, our time, darkness is where we are” (Frederick Buechner, The Hungering Dark).

Living Out the Gospel

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“Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!” (1 Peter 4:7-11, The Message)

The Message translation is hit-or-miss in my book. Sometimes, it misses the mark in capturing the original intent of the author and gets too loose with its paraphrasing. But when it’s on, it’s dead on. Like this passage form 1 Peter 4.

That’s the gist of the gospel right there, spelled out in black and white. Faith isn’t genuine unless it shows itself in good works. Love isn’t genuine unless it goes beyond mere words and takes hands and feet toward the less fortunate in very tangible ways.

It’s not just social justice without addressing the spiritual need for salvation, and it’s not just a call for repentance without meeting their physical needs. It’s both.

Most of all, it’s about loving people in the same way that God in Jesus loved you. Of course, that’s impossible by merely human standards. It only becomes possible when you serve out of the overflow of God’s love.

As my favorite pastor put it, when you receive God’s love, it’s like trying to contain the ocean in a thimble. When that love of God spills out onto those around you, that’s the basis on which you’re loving people with God’s love and serving them from the overflow and not from your own resources.

 

Another Update on Peanut

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On my last Peanut update, I reported that she’d doubled in size. Well, I’m fairly certain that she’s doubled in size again. She weighs 8.2 pounds at 7 months old. I have no idea how big she’ll be when she’s done growing, but I’m positive she’ll be way bigger than my Lucy ever was.

She’s still 100% kitten. She has massive amounts of energy. She also has two modes of existence– full throttle and stop. She’s either a blur of fur or she’s asleep. There’s no in between.

She still likes to have her belly rubbed and is still very grateful for having been rescued back on June 30.

That’s why I advocate for adoption and rescuing cats and dogs. If you’re still stuck between buying from a breeder or rescuing from a shelter, I’d go with the shelter. Those are the animals that really need a good home and will always return the favor by being loyal and affectionate.

Life’s better with a pet. Studies have shown that dogs and cats can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. But one caveat– don’t get a pet unless you’re willing to stick with them for their whole life and truly take care of them and love them like they love you.

That’s it. Peanut’s still helping my heart heal after Lucy’s passing. I’m hoping and praying she has a good, long life. I’m praying she knows how much she’s loved just as much as she’s let me know how much she loves me.

 

 

Thanksgiving 2017

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“I think that is a better thing than thanksgiving: thanks-living. How is this to be done? By a general cheerfulness of manner, by an obedience to the command of Him by whose mercy we live, by a perpetual, constant delighting of ourselves in the Lord, and by a submission of our desires to His will” (Charles Spurgeon).

“Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving” (Amy Grant).

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings” (William Arthur Ward).

It’s in the books. Another Thanksgiving has come and gone (or will be gone in about 1 hour and 47 minutes).

It was a low-key affair with just the immediate family dining at Cracker Barrel. They had all the essential Thanksgiving dinner prerequisites at a reasonable price ($12.99) and only a short wait to be seated (20 minutes).

Not to say that I don’t miss the extended family gathered together around the dining room table. I do. In fact, today for a brief moment I was imagining myself back at my Grandmother’s house on Dee Road and I promise I could almost smell the home cooked goodness in the kitchen and fresh baked rolls on the table. I think at that moment, I’d have given up all the money in my savings account to be able to go back there for five minutes.

Still, I have wonderful memories to be thankful for. Plus so much else. Like finding two Cracker Barrel gift cards in my wallet that more than covered my meal. Or just the gift of waking up this morning.

I’m still finding that one thing every day to be thankful for. Some days, it’s easier to find than on others, but every day there’s always something, no matter how small.