CatHouse Chat

Heard on the radio

I am blessed that I can listen to KLOVE in my car (but you can listen online, too!), and this morning they played a beautiful song by Bebo Norman, off of his Between the Dreaming and the Coming True album:

I Will Lift My Eyes

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near, calm my fear
And take my doubt

Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let Mercy sing
Her melody over me
God, right here all I bring
Is all of me

'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
The Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
So hold me now

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

... and a prayer for my heart...

From the wonderful group, MercyMe - "Here With Me" from their album Undone...

I long for your embrace
Every single day
To meet you in this place
And see you face to face Will you show me?
Reveal yourself to me
Because of your mercy
I fall down on my knees And I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love You're everywhere I go
I am not alone
You call me as your own
To know you and be known You are holy
And I fall down on my knees I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love I surrender to your grace
I surrender to the one who took my place I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender: I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

Father, I want to get lost in the beauty and love You have showered upon me. Let me always remember Your blessings so that I may live in Your grace. Help me to sing songs of joy and awe to Your mercy and righteousness. Conform me to the image of Your Son, so that when I stand before You, I may see Your face and worship You in holiness!

A Prayer from a Parent's Heart

"Find Your Wings," by Mark Harris

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And If I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow

Chorus:

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way
May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

Chorus

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

Chorus

To my Darling Munchkin - I do hope that God fills your heart with dreams and faith and courage. He has given your Father and me such a blessing in you, and yet He loves you far more than we ever could. Don't ever be afraid to throw yourself and your goals into His arms, because He is faithful. If you are true to Him, He will give you the desires of your heart. I pray you grow strong in your confidence in your Heavenly Father. Your Dad and I make mistakes, and we fail, but God never will.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your path.

Tales from the iPod

After dropping the Munchkin off at school this morning, I fired up the ol' iPod and told it to play songs from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I love the BTC - it's a huge and very talented group of people who love the Lord and sing their hearts out in praise and worship. I had the opportunity a few years ago to go to New York with my old choir and premiere a worship musical there at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and it was a wonderful experience!

While we were there, they were working on songs from their (then) newest album, Live... This Is Your House, and the song that just gave me GOOSEBUMPS of joy and anticipation was "Days of Elijah."

And that's what came on my iPod this morning...

The song opens with a strong, vibrant soprano singing the clarion call of the chorus:

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!

Behold, He comes!!! As 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says,

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

And the Apostle John in the book of Revelation writes of the triumphant Return of Christ:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

What a hope that is! I do not use the word "hope" like we do today (i.e. hoping for something that may or may not happen), but as the New Testament writers use it: I have the Promise of God Himself that this will happen, so I know it will happen - I just hope it's soon!

Therefore, with that positive hope, I can proclaim the triumphant anticipation of the song:

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord:
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
'Prepare ye the way of the Lord!'

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world,
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord!

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

There's no God like Jehovah.
There's no God like Jehovah!

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

New additions to the CatHouse

UPDATE (03Jan07): Well, for some reason, I cannot get the Evoca widget to work. The FAQ i read said that by widening the right sidebar to a minimum of 220px would probably work... didn't. So, it's coming off [pout]

Well, I got jealous of my dear brother, GM Roper, who installed this COOL voice message system on his blog a little while ago... So of course *I* had to be a copycat and go get my own. I'm very glad for TypePad Widgets, because the Evoca script practically loaded itself! You'll see it there in the right-hand column (yeah, kinda hard to miss... *snicker*).

Secondly, when you come to the CatHouse, you will be enjoying some lovely classical music. There's a Real Amplify player on the left column (hard to miss that one, too), right under my "eye." It's set to auto-play which some might dislike, but even so - beautiful music!!!

I only wish they also had a Christian music option...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy... and leave me a message! ;-)

Classic Christmas? *I'll* give you CLASSIC!

               
 

This clip is from a 1977 Christmas special hosted by Bing Crosby. He and David Bowie were an unusual combination, but - oh! - they melded so beautifully! I have enjoyed Bing's voice for a long time, and I also loved a lot of Bowie's work (what the heck is he doing these days, anyway?), and this song has long been a favorite. So, please enjoy this little bit of Classic Christmas, and say thank you to the Beloved Husband for sending this link to me!

Shine on us, Lord

Lord, let Your light,
Light of Your face
Shine on us
Lord, let Your light,
Light of your face
Shine on Us
That we may be saved
That we may have life
To find our way
In the darkest night
Let Your light shine on us

Father, let the Light of the World, Your beloved Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shine in our hearts. Let His light be kindled in each lost and sinful soul, and may the warmth of His glory dwell in Your people. As He came to us in a stable so many years ago, let Him come now through the Holy Spirit in us. Let us shine Your light before all men, that they may see our good deeds and glorify You!

Lord, let Your grace
Grace from Your hand
Fall on us
Lord,let Your grace
Grace from Your hand
Fall on us
That we may be saved
That we may have life
To find our way
In the darkest night
Let Your grace fall on us

Father, give us each day Your grace to live and be faithful to You. Help us abide in this boundless grace and manifest it to each person You bring to us. Conform us to the image of Your Son, so we may bring glory to You and sing Your praises throughout the world.

Lord, let Your love
Love with no end
Come over us
Lord, let Your love
Love with no end
Come over us
That we may be saved
That we may have life
To find our way
In the darkest night
Let Your love come over us

Dear Father, let us remember the love You showed us when You gave us Your wonderful Son. Let us remember His life among us, showing us who You are and how very much You love us. Let us remember the infinite love of Jesus, who gave Himself up to the Cross for the love of His church. Help us radiate that sacrificial love in our own lives. Set us apart and sanctify us to Your service so all the world may marvel and praise Your holy name.

Let Your light shine on us

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [...]

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-4, 9-14, NKJV)

(Submitted to the Carnival of Christmas and the Christmas Alliance)

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christ, Carnival of Christmas, Christmas Alliance, music, scripture

There's a Rose in Bethlehem...

...With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent, holy night

So begins the title track of Selah's Christmas album, Rose of Bethlehem. I've enjoyed this group's beautiful, harmonic singing, especially since they add tunes and rhythms unfamiliar to American ears. Their songs are also theologically sound, and remind me of the Great God I love and serve.

This song continues

There's a fragrance much like hope
That it sends upon the wind
Reaching out to every soul
From a lowly manger's crib

Chorus:
Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
Colored red like mercy's blood
Tis the flower of our faith
Tis the blossom of God's love

Though its bloom is fresh with youth
Surely what will be He knows
For a tear of morning dew
Is rolling down the Rose

Chorus

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent, holy night

Two thousand years ago, Christ came softly and graciously into this tired and sin-cursed world. His pure and perfect beauty, the beauty of God made flesh, shines out through the centuries to all the world. The glory He gave to His Father in His faithful life and in the thorns He wore at His death, the hope and salvation He won for His children must ever be at the forefront of our minds.

Remember, although He was born to live among us - "Immanuel," God dwelling with us - He was also born to die for us. And so during this wonderous season, let us lift our minds and voices and spirits to praise and glorify the God who came to give us abundant life...

... His life.

"Glory to God in the Highest,
And on Earth,
Peace,
Goodwill to men..."

(Linked at the Carnival of Christmas and at the Christmas Alliance.)

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christ, Carnival of Christmas, Christmas Alliance, Selah, Rose of Bethlehem, music

Sing we now of Christmas

From Michael W. Smith's album, Christmas Collection (it was originally on Christmastime), comes this lovely song. He has a boys' choir singing it, and the harmony and beauty are wonderful!

Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Of the Lord and Savior
We the tidings tell
Sing we Noel
For Christ our Lord is born
Sing we Noel
For Christ our Lord is born
Angels from on high
May shepherds come and see
He's born in Bethlehem
A blessed family
Glory to God
For Christ our King is born
Glory to God
For Christ our King is born
Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Sing we all Noel

This medly, "Sing We Now of Christmas/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/Emmanuel," is joyous and triumphant, and finishes with the simple anthem:

Emmanuel, emmanuel
Emmanuel, emmanuel
Wonderful counselor
Lord of life, lord of all
He is the prince of peace,
Mighty god, holy one
Emmanuel, emmanuel

"Emmanuel" - "God with us!" I love the indescribable miracle of Christmas: that God Himself would come down and dwell with us, teach us, heal us... and eventually die for us. But the glory of Christmas, paired with the redemption of Easter, is the purpose for which Christ came...

... And I thank Him for it every day!

"Even so, come Lord Jesus! Maranatha!"

(Linked to the Christmas Alliance, and the Carnival of Christmas II - make sure YOU send your submissions in!)

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christ, carols, music, Carnival of Christmas, Christmas Alliance

It's a Newsboys morning, I guess...

I have loved this song since it came out on the Newsboys' album, Adoration... Here's a video on their website.

It's the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It's the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God's holy fire
It's every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir

It's all God's children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
It's all God's children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

Let it rise about the four winds
Caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals
To the faithful gathered underground
Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation
Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples
None rings truer than this

And all the powers of darkness
Tremble at what they've just heard
'Cause all the powers of darkness
Can't drown out a single word

When all God's children sing out
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
All God's people singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

    Technorati : Christian, Newsboys, music

This morning's selections from the iPod

First up is Rich Mullins' "Sometimes by Step," which I've loved for the longest time. My favorite part is:

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

And then there's Avalon's "Take You at Your Word"

Your word is life,
Your word is love,
Your word is true. . .
Everybody's looking for something to believe in
Lord, I find the faithful are few and far between
The more I read about You
The less I've cause to doubt you
What You say Lord,
You mean Now I've seen
I can take You at Your word
And my heart can rest assured
Lord I love you, Oh, I trust You
As I live I've learned
That I can take You at Your word
Your name is written here on the my life in love and kindness
Your word is hidden here in my heart to guard my soul
I've heard the gospel of
You're redeeming love
What You say, Lord, You do
I know it's true
Your word is life,
Your word is love,
Your word is true
Say You, say Your word to me
Lord, Your word is a lamp to my feet
And Your word is a light to my path

And, finally, Casting Crowns (an excellent band which debuted about three years ago, and keeps getting better) "Glory"

You are holy in this place
You are worthy of my praise and we worship You
Jesus we worship You
(You're the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
You're the Master of the Universe
You're the Ruler of all Nations
And we sing to You,

When You call my name, I'll run to You
I'll do anything You ask me to
Falling on my knees I worship You, my Lord )
We give You GLORY <We give You GLORY>
We give You GLORY <We give You GLORY>

Mmmmm! God is good, He is good all the time, and I love to praise Him!

Our Great God

This past week I've been enjoying my "Christian Favs" playlist on my iPod (BTW, anyone able to tell me how to put them on my current laptop??), and Fernando Ortega's song, "Our Great God" from his Storm album. Actually, I prefer the duet he did with Mac Powell (Third Day) on City on a Hill: Sing Alleluia, but for some reason, it's disappeared from my iPod. I guess I'll have to see if I can dig out the CD....

Anyway, it's a gorgeous, dramatic song, and here are the lyrics:

(Words and Music by Fernando Ortega and Johnnie Mac Powell)

Eternal God unchanging
Mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love unfailing
In grace and mercy shown

Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around Your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night
In praise to You alone

Chorus:

Hallelujah
Glory be to our great God
Hallelujah
Glory be to our great God

Lord we are weak and frail
Helpless in the storm
Surround us with Your angels
Hold us in Your arms

Our cold and ruthless enemy
His pleasure is our harm
Rise up O Lord and he will flee
Before our sovereign God

Chorus

Let every creature in the sea and
Every flying bird
Let every mountain every field
And valley of the earth

Let all the moons and all the stars
In all the universe
Sing praises to the living God
Who rules them by His Word

Chorus

*sigh* Just... uplifting!

"He Is" by Aaron Jeoffrey

I finally wrestled back my iPod from the Darling Munchkin - who had let the battery die, thankyouverymuch - and was listening to some of the songs on my "Christian Favs" list. It's been a long time since I've heard this song by the father-son group, Aaron Jeoffrey (I don't believe they're recording anymore...), and I'd forgotten how awesome it is - because it reminds me of how awesome *HE* is!

All praise, all glory, all honor be unto Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lamb upon the throne!

In Genesis, He's the breath of Life
In Exodus, the passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our high priest
Numbers, the fire by night
Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice
In Joshua, He is salvation's choice
Judges, Law giver
In Ruth, the kinsman redeemer
First and Second Samuel, our trusted prophet
In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign
Ezra, true and faithful scribe
Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage
In Job, the timeless redeemer
In Psalms, He is our morning song
In Proverbs, wisdom's cry
Ecclesiastes, the time and season
In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is, He is, He is

In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet
In Lamentations, the cry for Israel
Ezekiel, He's the call from sin
In Daniel, the stranger in the fire
In Hosea, He is forever faithful
In Joel, He's the Spirits power
In Amos, the arms that carry us
In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior
In Jonah, He's the great missionary
In Micah, the promise of peace
In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival
In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage
In Zechariah, our fountain
In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

He is, He is, He is

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah
In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven
In Romans, He's the grace of God
In Corinthians, the power of love
In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin
Ephesians, our glorious treasure
Philippians, the servants heart
In Colossians, He's the Godhead trinity
Thessalonians, our coming King
In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor
In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant
In James, the one who heals the sick.
In First and Second Peter, he is our Shepherd
In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride
In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and the Lord of Lords

He is, He is, He is

The prince of peace
The Son of man
The Lamb of God

The great I am

He's the alpha and omega
Our God and our Savior
He is Jesus Christ Lord and when time is no more

He is, He is

Hawaiian Style

I'm in Hawaii, right?

So, that means I need to listen to Hawaiian music while I enjoy my morning coffee! I like KAPA radio - it's got a good mix of old stuff and new. Modern Hawaiian music - even a lot in the Hawaiian language - is a robust and productive musical style...

... Anyone know how I might be able to find this stuff on iTunes or somewhere on the web?

(Oh - and why aren't you listening?!)

Lord, Have Mercy: In memory of Timothy A. Roy

"Lord, Have Mercy" sung by David Proffitt .... (UPDATE: Well, for some odd reason, this file isn't uploading to TPad properly... sorry about that, because it's an incredibly beautiful song. Thanks for letting me know, David !)

It is my honor to remember Timothy A. Roy, a Sergeant in the NYPD bus squad.

He is survived by his wife, Stacey, and three children. This brave man loved the outdoors and golf, and enjoyed vacations with his family.

Sgt Roy came from a family which served: his late father was a firefighter, as were three of his brothers. He began his career in the NYPD in July of 1985, he was promoted to sergeant in March 1991, and assigned to the Traffic Control Division in November 1995.

Although Sgt Roy was on his way to Traffic Court that morning, he showed no hesitation offering his services in the rescue operations. After witnessing the first plane crash into the first tower, he called his wife on his cell phone to tell her he would not be home that evening due to the rescue operations.

And when one of the Towers fell that terrible day, Sgt Roy was in it. He had served honorably for sixteen years, and he was 36 years old.

Sgt Roy was well respected, known as a good squad leader and supervisor, a man of integrity and dedication. On his memorial page, many friends stopped by and left their respects:

Timmy, for 5 years I had the pleasure of putting up with your antics and trying to keep up with your energy level. I will miss you dearly, whether it was the ashes you flicked on my desk or the fun we had breaking the other guys in, you'll always be a dear friend. But I also know that no one will miss you you more than you wife kids. I know they were everything to you and I'm certain they realize that.

I was not surprised at all that you were in the middle of the action and most of all you made sure your men were unhurt. God bless you Tim. You were one of the guys. Love and prayers, Mike

-- Sgt Michael Flanning

Timmy was one of my Sgts. He was the best of the bunch, and was always the first one in, in an emergency. He was a hard working, honest cop whose integrity was beyond reproach.He always backed his cops and looked out for them and he will be sorely missed. He is survived by a wife and three children, and both Timmy and his family will never be forgotten. May he and all the other brave Police and Firemen who made the supreme sacrifice on that dreary day REST IN PEACE and NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

-- LT. Jim Williams

I pray for this family, which had this good man taken from them so early.

And I thank God above for all the men and women He has given us who serve so selflessly, with bravery and dedication, and honor.

Thank you, Sgt Roy. Thank you.

In God We Still Trust"

Here's your Monday morning wake-up ("WAKE UP, America!") video.

Mom showed me this when I was last down in Orlando, and one of my friends, Seth, just asked me a question which reminded me that I hadn't posted it. So - here it is:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Diamond Rio - "In God We Still Trust"

The lyrics:

You place your hand on His bible, when you swear to tell the truth.
His name is on our greatest monuments an' all our money too.
An' when we pledge allegiance, there's no doubt where we stand:
There's no separation, we're one nation under Him.

In God, we still trust here in America,
He's the one we turn to every time the going gets rough.
He is the source of all our strength, the one who watches over us.
Here in America, in God, we still trust.

Now there are those among us,
Who wanna push Him out.
And erase his name from everything,
This country's all about.
From the schoolhouse to the courthouse,
They're silencing His word,
An' now it's time for all believers,
To make our voices heard.

In God, we still trust here in America,
He's the one we turn to every time the goin' gets rough.
He is the source of all our strength, the one who watches over us.
Here in America, in God, we still trust.
Here in America,
Here in America,
Here in America, in God, we still trust.
Here in America, in God, we still trust.
Here in America

Dear Father, call us back to You. This glorious country was founded in prayer and love for You. We earned our freedom by Your power and Your grace. You have uniquely blessed us with a rich land; a wide, generous land teeming with variety and beauty. The work of Your hand is before us each and every day, and we rarely lift our hands in praise and thanksgiving.

Call us back to You, Lord! Send Your Spirit like a fire, and revive us again!

Techorati Tags: Diamond Rio, video, music, country music, In God We Trust

GREAT concert Friday night!

We had so much fun!

We got to the Crossings at the Dan at about 5:30 - the gates opened at 6 p.m., and the crowd was pretty big...

We met Kelly and her daughter, Heather, who had gotten tickets (GOOD ones! Seven rows back on the left side of the Pavillion) via the Dierks Bentley Fan Club. The Munchkin and Heather hit it off right away, and had fun visiting back and forth.

The gates opened right on time, and we went in with the crowd - who were mostly there for the unassigned lawn seating. Note to self: Next time, when you buy assigned seats, you can get there later... However, the lawn seating was very attractive: the venue is small and pretty intimate for headliners like Chris Cagle and Trace Adkins to visit (IMO - I'm used to bigger cities' stadiums).

As you can see, it's an open area, and the covered seating is relatively limited. However, it's very friendly-feeling: family oriented, casual crowd, and the ages ranged from 80-ish all the way on down.

Fighting Words

PREACH it, Trace!

"Fighting Words," from Trace Adkins' new album, Dangerous Man. [source for lyrics]

Alright

Everyone knows I'm the hard workin' peace lovin' type
I walk a thousand miles out of my way
Just to keep from a fight
Poke fun at the way that I talk
Or this hat that I wear
You can say what you want about me
See if I care

But one slip of the tongue 'bout my God Or my mama
Or this flag that I wear on my shirt
You'll see a side of me man
That I don't think you wanna
Cause them there's fightin' words

Now don't get me wrong
I've swapped skin now and then in my youth
I was all for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
Now the older I get
The less I wanna stand toe to toe
But before you go runnin' your mouth
I think you oughta know

That one slip of the tongue 'bout my God
Or my mama
Or this flag that I wear on my shirt
You'll see a side of me man
That I don't think you wanna
Cause them there's fightin' words

Chevrolet or Ford
The south or the north
That ain't gonna get me worked up
But I'll draw the line
Everytime when it comes to the things that I love

So one slip of the tongue 'bout my dog
Or my woman
Or this country that I proudly serve
You'll see a side of me man
That you damn sure don't wanna
Cause them there's fightin' words
Yeah, them's fightin' words
Ahh them's fightin' words, Hoss

(spoken)

Excuse me
First amendment?
Son, the first amendment protects you from the government
Not from me
You can say whatever you want to out there
You come within reach of me
I'll exercise my right to give you a good ol' country ass whoopin'
Is what I'll do for you
By God

Trace...

... is ON! ... and he's HOT!(Geeze, these photos from my cell phone are... crappy! But, I've got - and hubby's got - MUCH better photos with our real cameras... I'll post 'em tomorrow...)

PREACH it Chris!

'What a Beautiful Day' - I TOLD YOU he would play it!

Chris Cagle is ON!

... and the Hubby's pix are gonna be AWESOME!

At the concert - waiting to start

We're ready to rock 'n' roll - COUNTRY style! Sorry, no video, ;cause it's against the rules, but I'll post the pics we take!

Friday Night fun!

Trace Adkins will be playing the Crossings at Danville tonight - and I get to go!!!

The Beloved Husband and I are taking the Darling Munchkin, and we're going to enjoy Chris Cagle, who is opening for Trace. Chris has lots of good songs: "Miss Me, Baby," "Laredo," "Country By the Grace of God," "Chicks Dig It," and so many others: he's going to be a great opener, especially since he's pretty much a headliner himself!

Trace, of course, will be singing several songs off is newest album Dangerous Man, most notably "Honky Tonk Badonkabonk." I'm sure he'll include past hits, like "Chrome," "I'm Tryin'," "Then They Do," "Don't Lie," "Every Light in the House Is On," "Songs About Me," and - I hope and PRAY - "Arlington."

And absolutely beautiful song!

Hm, and here's "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," since it's his most current hit:

It's a little raunchy for me, but - MAN! - what a bounce! Good, no-nonsense dancing music!!

... I think we're going to have FUN!

Broken Bridges

I just watched this music video: Lindsay Haun singing "Broken," (UPDATE: lyrics here) from the soundtrack to Broken Bridges. Go watch it: the lyrics are wonderful, and Ms. Haun's voice is beautiful!

I think I'm going to have to see this movie (which stars Toby Keith... AND Burt Reynolds!) when it comes out on September 7th...

 

Yet another reason why I love Country Music!

Shannon Brown has a lovely, wonderful song called "Corn Fed" from the album of the same name.

We don't flip the bird, we don't cuss an' scream,
When the cars don't move when the light turns green.
We don't lock our doors when we leave the house,
There ain't nobody here that we'd keep out.
That's the way we do it in our town, yeah.

You never hear me apologise,
For growin' up strong, growin' up right.
Livin' life by the Golden Rule.
Say: "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank You."
Green fields for miles an' miles,
Ain't nothin' but country on the radio dial.
I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred,
Corn fed.

Ain't no burnin' flags on our Court House Square.
You see Old Glory flyin' everywhere.
There ain't no Valley joint with five-star atmosphere.
Daddy's home-grown beet's what's for dinner here.
An we wash it down with a tall, cold beer, yeah.

You never hear me apologise,
For growin' up strong, growin' up right.
Livin' life by the Golden Rule.
Say: "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank You."
Green fields for miles an' miles,
Ain't nothin' but country on the radio dial.
I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred,
Corn fed.

Rooster crows, six a.m.;
John Deere pulling that plow again.
Spit on your face, hands in the dirt,
Ain't nothin' better on God's great earth.

You never hear me apologise,
For growin' up strong, growin' up right.
Livin' life by the Golden Rule.
Say: "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank You."
Green fields for miles an' miles,
Ain't nothin' but country on the radio dial.
I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred;
Well, I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred,
Corn fed.
Corn fed.
Corn fed.
Corn fed.

How 'bout you?

Where do you stand? Who are you?

For me, Eric Chruch's song off of his Sinners Like Me album (which will be realesed on 18July) says it very, very well:

I know where I come from:
How 'bout you?
I don't need baggy clothes,
Or rings in my nose to be cool.
The scars on my knuckles,
Match these scuffs on these cowboy boots.
An' there's a whole lot more like me:
How 'bout you?

I punch the clock tryin' to make it to the top:
How 'bout you?
I ain't got no blue-blood trust fund,
I can dip in to.
Yeah, I wish Uncle Sam would give a damn,
About the man who's collar's blue.
But if he don't, hell, I'll make it on my own:
How 'bout you?

An' how 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
To tell the truth,
I think we're the chosen few.
But that's just me:
How 'bout you?

I still say: "Yes, Ma'am" to my Momma:
How 'bout you?
If I shake your hand, look you in the eye,
You can bet your ass, it'll be the truth.
I cover my heart with my hat,
When they fly that Red, White and Blue,
Just like my Daddy taught me:
How 'bout you?

An' how 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
To tell the truth,
I think we're the chosen few.
But that's just me:
Well, how 'bout you?

I like my country rockin':
How 'bout you?
Just put me on a stage, man,
Turn it up an' I'll turn it loose.
Yeah, give me a crowd that's redneck an' loud,
We'll raise the roof.
Yeah, I might just stay all night long.

How 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
To tell the truth,
I think we're the chosen few.
An' how 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
'Cause, man, I know where I come from:
How 'bout you?

Matthew West - "More"

Beautiful lyrics (even better with music!): (UPDATED - new link, and the rest of the lyrics)

Take a look at the mountain
Stretching a mile high
Take a look at the ocean
Far as your eye can see
And think of Me Take a look at the desert
Do you feel like a grain of sand?
I am with you wherever
Where you go is where I am And I'm always thinking of you
Take a look around you
I'm spelling it out one by one
(Chorus)
I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you yesterday and today
And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more Just a face in the city
Just a tear on a crowded street
But you are one in a million
And you belong to Me And I want you to know
That I'm not letting go
Even when you come undone (Chorus)
I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you yesterday and today
And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more Shine for Me
Shine for Me
Shine on, shine on
Shine for Me (Chorus)
I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you yesterday and today
And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more Than the sun
and the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for me too
I love you, yesterday and today
Through the joy and the pain
I'll say it again and again
I love you more
I love you more And I see you
And I made you
And I love you more than you can imagine
More than you can fathom
I love you more than the sun
And you shine for Me (All emphasis mine - R'cat)

God's love constantly astonishes me. It is amazing how patient, how kind, and how gracious He is to me - to all humanity!

How easy it would be to love Him and praise Him at all times, if we were to keep our minds and hearts focused on the depth and breadth of His faithfulness, holiness, and mercy. As the beautiful old hymn proclaims: "Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing/ My great Redeemer's praise,/ The glories of my God and King,/ The triumphs of His grace!"

Linked in for open trackbacks at Adam's Blog and Third World County.

Heard this morning on KLOVE radio...

Rich Mullins, "Awesome God!"

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
with wisdom, pow'r and love
Our God is an awesome God

Oh yes. Yes, He is!

Watching (and enjoying) now....

STOMP: Out Loud...

I remember these people from my high school days. Not music and dance in their "traditional" sense - but the rhythm, and tones and synchronized actions combine into a mezmerising, intriguing, and absorbing attraction.

If you've never seen/heard/experienced STOMP, I strongly urge you to do so!

More reasons why I love Country Music

Some quick snippets from several songs I listened to on our drive into Virginia Beach last night..

Brooks & Dunn, "I Believe"

Old man Wrigley lived in that white house
Down the street where i grew up
Momma used to send me over with things
We struck a friendship up
I spent a few long summers out on his old porch swing

Says he was in the war when in the navy
Lost his wife, lost his baby
Broke down and asked him one time
How ya keep from going crazy
He said I'll see my wife and son in just a little while
I asked him what he meant
He looked at me and smiled, said

I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
Oh i believe

Carrie Underwood, "Jesus, Take the Wheel"

And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Tim McGraw, "Drugs or Jesus"

Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
There's not much space between us
Drugs or Jesus

Everybody wants acceptance
We all just want some proof

Everyone's just looking for the truth
Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
We follow the roads that lead us
To drugs or Jesus
To drugs or Jesus
Oh I need you Jesus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah

Rodney Atkins, "If You're Going Through Hell"

Well, you know those times when you feel like
There's a sign there on your back.
Says: "I don't mind if you kick me;
"Seems like everybody has."
Things go from bad to worse:
You think they can't get worse than that an' then they do.

You step off the straight an' narrow,
An' you don't know where you are.
Use the needle of your compass,
To sew up your broken heart.
Ask directions from a genie,
In a bottle of Jim Beam an' she lies to you.

Well, that's when you learn the truth:
If you're goin' through hell,
Keep on goin'.
Don't slow down:
If you're scared don't show it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.

*sigh* I love popular music that doesn't shy away from the foundation that has made this country strong!

Say WHAT?!

From Conservative Voice News: Pink Floyd Leader Urged by Palestinians to Boycott Israel

Representatives from a Palestinian group are pressuring Roger Waters, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, to cancel a scheduled rock concert in Tel Aviv in June as a protest against Israeli policy towards the Palestinians.

A coalition of activists, cultural organizations and other Palestinian supporters have sent a letter to Mr. Waters asking him to remove the Israeli city from his summer concert tour. Waters has been vocal about his strong opposition to the 450-mile security wall being built by Israel to protect them from terrorist attacks.

Fortunately (well, so far - he may cave), in spite of being against the security wall, Roger Waters isn't planning to cancel:

But Waters responded to the letter when he was interviewed by the British media. He stated: "I am happy to play to anybody who believes in peace. I don't discriminate between any of my fans, wherever they live. Being an Israeli does not disbar from being a human being."

Good for him. But, geeze, if he caves, I know someone who is gonna be really pissed, 'cause she loves Pink Floyd!

Hey, if the Paleo-swinians are so concerned about Israel's "atrocities" against them, perhaps they ought to take some advice from another "rock star" and take a long, hard look at the "Man in the Mirror."

Seven songs - Sunday Thoughts edition

Seven songs I'm currently re-playing in my head. [head in hands, shaking back and forth mournfully]

Yeah, I got tagged again! Well, considering that I haven't posted much at all this week, that's fair All right (gee, David, where DO people come up with these things?), let's see what I come up with...

Hm, it seems that I have a lot of Christian music running through my head today, so I'm going to put it all together and make it a Sunday Thoughts version of the meme. So, look below the fold and see what's been running through my brain and reminding me of the Love which surpasses all understanding!

For other lucky XMRadio subscribers...

I have been a subscriber to XM Radio since December, 2004, thanks to the Beloved Husband™'s very thoughtful Christmas gift that year. I really enjoy being able to listen to Steve, E.D., and Brian on Fox&Friends in the morning (FoxNews), I loooove channel 168 (FoxNews Talk), and also Highway 16 (Country Hits).

However, just recently, I "discovered" channel 113, which is XM Pops - Classical's Greatest Hits. I love it! I've heard Gershwin, Strauss, Dvorak, Beethoven, Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin (!!!), the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (baaaad theology, goooooood music!!!), Copeland, some guy playing classics on a harmonica (don't knock it: it was brilliant!)... Oh, and just now they were playing Gilbert and Sullivan's "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General," from the Pirates of Penzance.

Now, why didn't I have the sense to appreciate this really awesome stuff when I was younger?

I love XM Radio!

I love Country music, 2.0

Just saw Books & Dunn's video, "Believe." Oh, yeah. Yeah, yes, absolutely!

I challenge anyone to post, with proof, any other music genre (except Contemporary Christian or similar lists, obviously - loaded dice) which is as unconcerned about having overtly religious hits in the top-40. Well, actually, "unconcerned" is the wrong word. Um, how about... "proactive"? "Unashamed"? "Joyful"?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brooks & Dunn: Believe , from their album, Hillbilly Deluxe.

Old man Wrigley lived in that white house
Down the street where i grew up
Momma used to send me over with things
We struck a freindship up
I spent a few long summers out on his old porch swing
Says he was in the war when in the navy
Lost his wife, lost his baby
Broke down and asked him one time
How ya keep from going crazy
He said I'll see my wife and son in just a little while
I asked him what he meant
He looked at me and smiled, said

(Chorus) I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
Oh i believe

Few years later i was off at college
Talkin' to mom on the phone one night
Getting all caught up on the gossip
The ins and outs of the small town life
She said oh by the way son, old man Wrigley's died.
Later on that night, i laid there thinkin' back
Thought 'bout a couple long-lost summers
I didn't know whether to cry or laugh
If there was ever anybody desevred a ticket to the other side
It'd be that sweet old man who looked me in the eye, said

(Chorus)

I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
I can't quote the book
The chapter or the verse
You can't tell me it all ends
In a slow ride in a hearse
You know I'm more and more convinced
The longer that i live
Yeah, this can't be
No, this can't be
No, this can't be all there is

(Chorus)

When I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
I believe
Oh, I
I believe
I believe
I believe
I believe
I believe

If this doesn't move you, then you need a heart and soul transplant.

[This is David, again, crossposting from third world county. R'Cat has the collection of these Flash presentations linked in her upper right-hand corner, but I felt they needed another plug to keep them up front—especially now.]

Just CLICK HERE or on the pic below. Honor, Sacrifice, Duty.

If viewing th video doesn't move you, I really don't want to know you. (R'Cat may be more generous, but she's not me, 'K? :-)

Trackback linked at: MacStansbury, TMH's Bacon Bits, Right Wing Nation and Soldiers' Angel

Seat Warmin'

'K, now... just a lil crossposting (sorta) from third world county to kinda keep R'Cat's blog seat warm for her while she's cattin' around with family. (Wait. That didn't sound right. Oh, man, am I getting in deeper trouble here or what? heh heh).

So, here's a neat lil site you may or may not know about: Putfile.com.

Well, it may seem a lil clunky, may be less than wholly reliable and may just be around for a short while, like so many of these things seem to be, when I saw but Putfile mentioned at Dr. Phat Tony’s, I knew it fit my three criteria for a website/software I needed to check out:

• It promises to do something I need to do, want to do or at least have some sort of peripheral interest in doing (pretty broad, eh? ;-)
  


• It is easily accessible/usable, no matter which of my computers I access it from


• It fits with my “I’ll pay whatever I have to for what I need, but everything else better be as darned near free as can be” criterion.
  

So, signed up. Made an mp3 from a wav file I’d recorded and uploaded that. Oops. Upload failed the first time. Server error. Tried again. Says it worked. Let’s see how the code that’s supposed to load it works.

Click here to listen to 'Lifes Railway to Heaven'


Worked fine. BTW, this is an example of the kind of music that can easily be found in America’s Third World County™. I just took an old 19th Century gospel tune that some of the old folks around here like a lot and kinda Bluegrassed it up a lil bit. My arrangement/recording is kinda repetitive. If I have the time someday, I’ll spend time polishing it, adding a tad more variation, etc.


Recorded with Roland Soundcanvas (SCC-1 and SD-35) midi. Original midi sequencing done with Encore music transcription software and PowerTracks Pro7.

I know my Redeemer lives!

(Gak! I can't believe I had such an embarrassing oopsie in the title! Fixed now. *grf!*)

Nicole C. Mullens recorded a beautiful song, "Redeemer," on her solo debut album in 2000. It meshes in with the quote from Job in my previous post, and I thought it, too, fit in with today's mood.

Here are the lyrics:

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning
Who told the ocean you an only come this far?
Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

The very same God that spins things in orbit
He runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory

Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life wihtin me cry
I know my Redeemer, He lives

To take away my shame 
And He lives forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now He's alive
And there's a new day

And I know my Redeemer, He lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

Saturday Sun

Just some linky stuff...

Get 'em while they're hot! Beethoven's symphonies numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9 from the BBC's Philharmonic under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda are available for download here for a limited time. These are all high-quality mp3 files, and so they are rather large for music files, especially for folks unused to downloading large music works. But they are well worth the download. Very Good Stuff.

If you want to listen to some von Karajan interpretations of Beethoven's symphonies numer 7 and 9, Diane has them up on her radioblog listing at Diane's Stuff. Also Very Good Stuff.

The Carnival of the Recipes is up over at Anywhere But Here. Good eats, great treats.

A continuing series on the Declaration of Independence speaking to the current scene here through Monday. Citizenship is costly. We must continue to pay the price if we want to continue to enjoy the benefits.

Here's a delightful discovery: Collecting My Thoughts. It's a text-dense blog by a retired librarian who's a real live thinking literate person. Always thoughtful and thought-provoking.

Kathleen Parker had a piece well worth reading yesterday. In case you missed it, here is "Family's feud with a fascist future."

It's July 2. Have you re-read The Declaration of Independence recently? Well, if not, here's your chance.

And while you're at it, here's some interesting background to the First Amendment to the Constitution. And you thought Roger Williams was a singer? That's Roger Whittaker (and what kinda old fogy are you to be thinking of him, anyway? :-)

Want more linky goodness? After you've surfed a while off Romeocat's blogroll, CLICK on over to my place and surf a few of the out-of-the way links both on my blogroll and my (sparse) links collection. I think that surfing a person's blogroll/links collection can be as interesting as their blog is. In the case of my blog, sometimes moreso.

*VBG*

Hello Everybody

Well, R'cat has invited me to help out with some postings while she tours, rights wrongs and otherwise gets this country on track.  What a daunting task she has set before me.  Oh, I forgot to introduce myself.  I'm GM Roper, attorney for the late Obo Neykundu, General Manager of Nigerian Mines Consolidated....

Whoops, wrong intro... Sorry about that!  Actually, I really am GM Roper and my blog is GM"s Corner "Where Truth, Honesty and Integrity Are Honored Above All Else!"  My politics are decidedly conservative, I love humor on a blog, all seriousness all the time makes for dull reading.  I was recently inducted into The Wide Awakes, an honor for me, and the source of no small amount embarrassment for those that know me.  At any rate, I hope that I do R'cat proud while she takes on the evil doers in America.

I'll be back, and in the meantime, don't be afraid to visit my blog too.  Any friend of R'cats is already a friend of mine.

Dueling Music

Okaaayy... Jeremy brought up the idea of introducing new links/bloggers and R'Cat stamped APPROVAL all over it, so...

Here are a few of my fav new (some just new to me) bloggers, some cool music links, etc. If you notice the comments to Jeremy's first post, there's a wide diversity of tastes mentioned between R'Cat, Jeremy and me there. Beethoven, Megadeth and AC/DC cover a pretty wide range. But I'll bet R'Cat and jeremy have even wider tastes than their fav group mentions indicate, and I know I'm not permanently stuck in the Classical period. :-)

That said, here's a roundup of recent links to some very good music on the web. YMMV (and I'm sure Jeremy will post a link to his Megadeth post but--Oh! too late, I just did. :-)

The Beeb is offering downloads of new performances of all of Beethoven's symphonies this month. I've listened to numbers one through five, so far, and they are very credible performances. LARGE files, so be warned. I've had one person tell me her DSL connection got swamped. YMMV.

Keep the Coffee Coming is a great site! It's a combo audio/picto/diarist blog featuring some of the best music you may have missed or neglected. Today's mp3 (audioblog) posts feature Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks and Peter, Paul and Mary. Yesterday's mp3 posts included Eddie from Ohio and Connie Kaldor. Good stuff, Maynard. (BTW, I found Keep the Coffee Coming via a link from my now fav coffeeblogger--actually coffee-tea-cocoa blogger: Christine of Morning Coffee and Afternoon Tea.)

Streaming music radio? Yes. Radio Wales has a bit of everything: 30s and 40s jazz and big band, Celtic folk, new pop and rock and just about everything in between. You can select a program and play it out of sequence or listen live. Requires Real Player or Real Player Alternative. Be sure to catch Frank Henessy's Celtic Heartbeat. Wonderful Celtic folk music!

A friend and I were having one of those "catch me if you can" email discussions the other night. He's in Melbourne, Australia and I'm here in America's Third World County™. In the course of the conversation, it came out that we were both listening to the same Vivaldi piece on 4MBS Classic 103.7 in... Brisbane, Australia. heh. indeed. (Are you listening, Glenn? The sincerest form of flattery, indeed. heh.)

And speaking of Australia and music, here's one of the most unique music-related sites I've seen. Ever wonder where you'd put a pipe organ in your home? Well, neither have I, but there's this guy...

I've a lot more in the music area, but those will suffice.

Non-music new-to-me bloggers with interesting blogs? In contemporary commentary, The English Guy is new to me in the last couple of weeks. I've found his comments to be insightful and well-stated. Contemporary culture, current events, wry observations and the occasional link to something wacky. Rich's site is a varied read.

Soliloquoy is a working writer's blog. Nancy does some thoughtful exploration of her world. Her posts remind me to take thought to my own daily experiences. Book and movie reviews, observations, articles published elsewhere. An eclectic journal. Some good reads, quite different to much of my poly-social blog reads.

Yeh, I understand On Location With Rick Lee had an Instalaunche a week or two ago, but in case you've missed the site, DO check it out. Rick's a commercial photographer with an artist's eye. Loads and loads of purty picksures.

Looking forward to some of Jeremy's links.

Back to normal Cathouse Chat...

:-)

Montgomery Gentry says it right:

From Cowboy Lyrics,  Montgomery Gentry - You Do Your Thing Lyrics.

Put me on a mountain,
Way back in the back woods
Put me on a lake with pickin on the line
Put me 'round a campfire cookin' something I just cleaned
You do your thing, I'll do mine

I ain't tradin' in my family's safety
Just to save a little gas
And I'll pray to God any place, any time
And you can bet I'll pick up the phone if Uncle Sam calls me up
You do your thing, I'll do mine

Hey, I'll worry about me
You just worry about you
And I'll believe what I believe
And you believe what you believe too

I ain't gonna spare the rod
Cuz that ain't what my daddy did
And I sure know the difference between wrong and right
You know, to me it's all just common sense
A broken rule, a consequence
You do your thing, I'll do mine

Hey, I'll worry about me
You just worry about you
And I'll believe what I believe
And you believe what you believe too

I'm gonna keep on working hard
Make my money the old-fashioned way
I don't wanna piece of someone else's pie
If I don't get my fill on life I ain't gonna blame no one but me
You do your thing, I'll do mine

You ain't gonna be my judge
Cuz my judge will judge us all one day
You do your thing, I'll do mine.