For those who really want to make thankfulness the rock solid foundation of their life, music expressing thankfulness is mandatoty. This song is one of my favorites, it very nearly says it all. I'm considering playing this for my guests this Thursday. Thanksgiving is a perfect day. We are so blessed with what we don't deserve. In His grace and Mercy, God has given us good and perfect gifts. Join me in giving thanks.

Meatloaf

I don't really think I can write much about meatloaf, but come to think of it, it's pretty amazing stuff. Hot out of the oven with a good sauce or gravy, and some red potatoes and green beans, it's an awfully nice way to break bread. And it heats up really well for a sandwich the next day. Now tell me the truth, if you didn't know, would ever guess there was OATMEAL in meatloaf? Which part would that be, the meat, or the loaf? The first time I made it, I almost cooked the oatmeal before I mixed it together with the meat, I mean c'mon, nobody puts raw oatmeal flakes in recipes do they? Turns out everyone does. Well lookit here, I nearly wrote a whole paragraph about meatloaf. When's the last time you had a good meatloaf at a restaurant? You know you've found a good down-home restaurant if every Tuesday is Ethel's home made meatloaf and gravy with mashed potatoes. Yum.

I'll bet some of you didn't know there was a singer named Meat Loaf, let alone know that he sings pretty good. I heard a British announcer say he knew him when he was just a breakfast sausage. Seriously.

Sunday

This church near Gatlinburg reminded me of Sundays in the country. There's a special place in my heart for the simple things of life. Simple, yet sacred to those who believe. Nothing more than a building made of wood, a steeple, some hard wooden pews, a pulpit, some furniture for the Lord's Supper and the offering plates, a piano, maybe a stained glass window or two and a choir loft; but if there was ever a definition of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, this is it. Add a couple of dozen believers and a preacher who believes the word of God, and this modest old building became a place where every Sunday, God and his people met. May we always hold a place in our hearts for these simple country churches where generation after generation came and learned of their own desperate condition and of the remedy of God's mercy and grace.

Craig Morgan: That's What I Love About Sunday

This here fella has a pretty good idea what he likes about Sunday in the country. If you have any country roots at all, you know just what he's talking about

Rainbows

Just about a week ago, somebody at our house exclaimed "Hey Look, a rainbow". Sure enough, visible out our back sliding door was a beautiful rainbow, and I've been thinking about rainbows off and on ever since. I've never heard anyone try to fool the group into looking at a rainbow that wasn't there, as in "ha, ha, made you look", and I've also never heard anyone complain about that dog-gone rainbow ruining their day. Rainbows are beautiful and welcome, even when they aren't double deckers like the beauty in the picture above. When I see a rainbow, I'm probably not the only one who thinks about God's promise to Noah that he would never again destroy the world with a flood. Think what it would be like to never have seen a rainbow until you were middle aged. Wouldn't the first few times be amazing? If we take a bit of time to try, I'll bet we can recapture that childlike appreciation, and not just concerning rainbows.

I'll bet not too many folks have heard of moon-bow, but that will have to wait for another day.

Kermit the Frog: Rainbow Connection

I love Kermit the Frog, and I love this song. Lots of other people do too. How can you not love Kermit and rainbows? Debbie Harry is just a bonus.

Lighthouses

Can you imagine the relief and thankfulness sailors must have felt when their journey through a stormy sea had a safe ending punctuated by the welcome beacon of a lighthouse? And what of the keepers of those lighthouses? Sacrificing to live in remote and harsh conditions, willing to take on awesome responibilities for the good of others. Lighthouses harken back to a time when men and women seemed unaffected by the scourge of "entitlement". They were not only willing to risk their lives for others, they did so without demanding reward and praise, without thumping their chests and cheering themselves on. I live near the St Joseph lighthouse. I've recently visited South Haven, Manistee, and Paradise, all of which have beautiful and historic lighthouses on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. I have a cousin who REALLY likes lighthouses. Hope you like this one, G.

Music for Today: Tennesee Ernie Ford

I had to get in my "way back machine" for this one. What a beautiful baritone voice, and what a great old hymn. For the first time today, I've coordinated my music of the day with my main post, which is always about someting good for which I am thankful. Since March 2009, I have set out a new course for myself, a course on which I hope others will join me. I am determined to hold to a theme of thankfulness. When I remain thankful, many of my other problems fall right in line. Not a day goes by in which I can say "I have nothing for which to be thankful" Enjoy the music.

Music for today: Herb Albert, this Guy's in Love

I've loved this song ever since I was a little boy. Of course the words are great, all about this guy who is hopelessly and helplessly in love, hands shakin, the whole bit. And the music? Oh my. The crescendo and decrescedo back down to almost nothing, the beautifully understated horn blowing those stylistic little toots, toot toot, toot toot, toot toot toot toot toot toot .... I need your love...
What a great song. Anybody know if this predates Phil Spector's "wall of sound" technique? I t sure sounds similar to me.

Music for Today: George Winston

George Winston was one of my early piano heroes, along with Van Cliburn (okay, I also liked Elton John and Billy Joel). I fell in love with George Winston's music at a time when I needed something to calm me. Mood music, if you will. I remember walking alone in the rain at night with this music in my earphones. It was a bittersweet and beautiful time.

Covered Bridges

Covered bridges take us back to a simpler time and place, when life was slower and we traveled at a pace closer to the speed of life. A wooden covered bridge in the fall is a simple pleasure. Wouldn't it be beautiful on one of these last warm days of fall if you could enjoy a relaxing picnic in the shadow of a coveed bridge? Perhaps take a fishing pole and drown some worms. Take a nap under a tree while reading some Robert Frost. Life is good.

Music for Today: Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole is simply unforgettable. I intended to post "Autumn Leaves" (of course), but I came across this version of "Love is a many spendored thing" with the beautiful autumn slideshow and I knew it was perfect. If you like Nat, I recommend taking a minute to look up his YouTube videos when you get a chance.

Favorite Time of Year

Fall is the favorite season of many people. The end of the tomatoes and the beginning of the apples. Evening fires in the backyard. Beautiful fall colors like the ones above, along the Grand River near Grand Ledge, Michigan. Football. Clear, crisp air with low humidity. We have so much for which to be thankful.

Food for Today: Kentucky Fried Pilgrimage

I made it to Mecca, I am assured of Fried Chicken in eternity. Corbin, Kentucky is the birthplace of KFC, and this is the very first "Sanders Cafe". This is where it all started. The chicken here was the same as at all KFCs, and they did not have the buffet (lucky for them). The story of how KFC began is at least as interesting as Ray Kroc and the McDonald's story, in my opinion, but when you have a few minutes, follow the links and read them for yourselves (no, I don't get paid for you following the links). The Sunday buffet at the local KFC is about as good as it gets, but I'll bet there are a few folks who prefer the golden arches. What do you think, is it Mickey D's or KFC?

Teachers are the bomb.

What can I say, I like teachers. Both my grandmothers were teachers, my mom was a teacher, my wife is a teacher, and my daughter is a teacher. Teachers do a great job and deserve thanks from all of us. Here's a couple of reasons:

1. Recent educational research on the effect good teachers have on student learning is quantifying what we knew all along. Good teachers are the single most important factor in learning. A huge book with educators (and others) right now is Outliers, written by Malcolm Caldwell. Take a look at Caldwell's recent article, "Most Likely to Succeed". This is not the shallow fluff we have seen popularized in recent years, but it's worth the effort.

2. When asked who influenced us most, an almost universal reply is first the name of a parent, followed by the name of a favorite teacher. What a great responsibility teachers have, and how wonderful that so many of them live up to it.

Music for today: What a Wonderful World

I know I threatend you with Opera for today, but I just couldn't do it. This Louis Armstrong performance is classic. It's exactly the mood I desire for this place. Tomorrow is Friday folks, and it's a wonderful world. I promise you opera before too much longer.

Music For Today: And Can it Be

Yesterday I promised not to play Country music today. Well, here's a hymn. I recently answered the question "What is the best song ever written?" with this song. The words were written by Charles Wesley in 1738, and the music was added in 1825. It is the perfect Hymn, the best. If you don't like hymns, listen one time anyway, and you can say you heard the very best. If you still don't like hymns, ok, but at least you gave it a try. By the way, the last verse is best, and the next to last (the penultimate) is second best, so don't turn this off before the whole thing plays. Tomorrow? Maybe Opera.

Beauty Surrounds Us

Here in Michigan, you can see a beautiful sunrise over Lake Huron and a matching sunset over Lake Michigan on the same day if you drive from one coast to the other. Did you ever wonder what purpose there could be for each day beginning and ending in beauty? Do you figure it just happened to evolve that way after billions of years of mostly dull gray? How do you feel when you take time to gaze at such majestic beauty? Doesn't it just seem RIGHT to take a few minutes and acknowledge the beauty and majesty that could never have been created by man? It does to me.

Music for Today: I Love....

This music will change often, to stay fresh, but previous days will stay live and then be archived, in case you find one you like.

Today's music is a country song, so you have fair warning, but take my word for it, the video itself is worth the 2 minutes, and you'll feel better after you take a listen.

Don't worry, tomorrow won't be country. I'll try to mix things up a bit.

Music for today: PS 22 Chorus

The link at the bottom of this article is one of the best uses of YouTube I've ever seen. Public School 22 in Brooklyn presents this grade school chorus and teacher who sing these songs from the heart, openly declaring their love for the music and the message. My favorite is "Eye of the Tiger", and it always brings a tear to my eye, I'm not ashamed to admit. Would to God we would all find something to believe in and throw our whole beings into.

I've got a new Goal in Life!

Good things happen every day. All around us there are things we can enjoy and share with others, hoping that they will find enjoyment in these same simple pleasures. Too often, overwhelmingly negative influences blind us to the positive.
This place will be a celebration of all that is good in life. The things that make it all worth it. The moments and days that make you rejoice to be alive.
I have recently changed my goal in life. I had the same goal as many people in that I just wanted to be happy. Was that so much to ask? And so I struggled through life, making a noble attempt to strive for happiness. I worked hard at it, but found happiness to be slippery and illusive. Just when I thought I had it, at least in some measure, there it went, running away from me again.
My new goal is thankfulness. I have so much for which to be thankful, so many good things that I surely don't deserve. Thankfulness has been much easier to catch and hold on to. It doesn't run away from me nearly so often as happiness did, and it is much easier to recapture. Oh and guess what else I found out? When I am thankful, I'm happy. Who would have guessed?