WHAT TO SAY

Each night I sit here at this infernal machine trying to think of something eridite to say, something pithy or salient to the subject of the day, and nothing comes to mind at that time. During the day, I will have all sorts of things floating through my brain and by the night all have flown. I was not much of a diary writer when I was young and that little habit seems to have followed,
Tonight I listened to a cd of Dr. Jeremiah explaining the history of the muslim and the relationship to the prophesies from his book " What in the wrold is going on" which our Wed night group is studying. The one thing I note is that the muslim, though, having two base factions with a few minor ones, is committed to spreading the Muslim religion all over the world via their unique and lethal methods, whereas the Christian has become so splintered and fractious, the Salvation message seems in danger of being deluted and misinterpreted by the particular messinger.
Until the Christian message and the Church itself becomes a viable vehicle of Salvation, the muslim growth has nothing to slow it's progress. And the muslim message is, IS a message of hate! make no mistake about that.
We MUST redouble our efforts to take this Salvation message ,FIRST to the [socalled] Christian Churches, who have left their first love, STRENGTHEN our own Churches, and THEN take the message to the outermost parts of the world.

God Bless

IN THE QUIETNESS

As I listen to 'Soundscape' on the music channel and the variety of contemporary music offered, I also study a bit, relax a bit, play 'puter' cards a bit. Sal has gone to bed and all is quiet.
So what to write? well during the day I gripe over gas prices, the attitudes of people, rudeness of drivers on cell phones, and generally get all riled up over things I have no control over. I saw bits of football games and want to rant at the "stupidity of dropped balls, poor throws, bad play calling, and to what avail?
I sometimes need a chill pill and as I get older, almost a steady diet of chillpills.
Hard to practice what I teach in class. I want to save the world from it's perceived folly and straighten out the sheer idiocy of our government. Show people the error of their ways, then I look at my circumstance and see the mangled morass of mayhem in my own life and realize until I fix me, there's no fixing anything else.
Oh, well.
God Bless.

ANOTHER THOUGHT OF YESTERYEAR

I have been sitting here playing around, trying to think of some subject matter to expound on and drawing blanks--[happens when you get old] and I chance upon 'you tube' and what do I find? Spike Jones!!
Now for you younger folks-- you might query---- who be 'spike Jones'?
Friends, Spike came from the dance era of the 40' and 50's and was one of the more hilarious bands of all times. darn good band too! Look them up.
But as I listened and watched--I realize no more of the innocent comedy. the slapstick is gone. Now it's just foul except for a few, and they come to the border.
I have appreciated Bill Engvall and Jeff Dunham [ [Achmed the dead terrorist is a scream] and Jeff Foxworthy but after that?????????

God Bless

PERFORMERS AND WHAT DRIVES THEM

As I said at the onset of this blog; I would be indescriminate in the subject matter and tackle about anything at any time for no rational reason.
I have been on the fringe of professional music all my life, singing on the stage from the age of 5 and all through my school years. My mother was and still is [ to a point for her advanced age] a Church organist and part time concert performer. Dad was a violist and singer as well as an engineer. We were an eclectic family at best.
In my after school years I did try to get into the broadway scene and club singing as well as study voice. BUT the more I progressed the more I regressed. I found that I really didn't like the music scene so I left it for another profession.
Over the years I looked into why some make it and some don't regardless of talent level. What I have noted is this. THE NEED for affection and adoration. There is a deep seated need for being recognized and the deeper the need, the more dedication there is in striving to that goal.
I have met some well known performers and found them personally shallow in private settings and gloriously personable in a crowd.
This goes for ALL performers.
The other thing I note about performers today is that the talent pool seems to be diminishing. The drive for recognition is still as great as it has ever been, but the need to explore and train the particular talent seems less and not as important.
Mores the pity

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY

Over the past couple of years, I have been trying to find people from my past, with a low moderate success rate. I suppose it stems from a few heart attacks I had 4 years ago, thereupon I looked to close the emptyness of my yesteryears. My family moved sooooooooo much, I wound up in 14 schools in 12 years, thereby not really developing any close friends, just some aquaintences. [ maybe at least one or two I would call friends]. I have been on Classmates .com and that has been fun. But in reality how many people did I actually know well from any period? not many.
Young people who read this, look to your friends, make new ones, cherish the ones you have, soon you grow old and you will look around and find the room is mostly empty. Nobody or very few to share your past with.
I have Sally, my immediate family, and a couple of classmates [ one in particular who was special long ago] and now I look to the friends of today. But old habits do die hard and there is still no closeness, but that is my cross.
God Bless

RELATIVISM OF CHRISTIAN MUSIC

I listened to a Christian childrens program this morning and it struck me------- each generation bemoans the "popular music" of the day, and by the next generation, this very same music becomes mainstreamed into the Church worship programs.
This Childrens program was playing a series of 'kiddie' songs, one being something to the effect of " not being conformed to the world" and the next was an early Beatles hit," Help" used in a Christian setting. Didn't quite jibe with me.
But as I listen to contemporary Christian music as played on radio, I note how much of it is copied from last generations' popular music scene. Is there NO imagination left in Christian music where they cannot establish music styles that are innovative?
Now before anyone decries this passage, and avers the proper role and 'style' of Christian music deemed appropriate for Church Worship; stop and think------ What was appropriate for the Hebrew? is that what we should be listening to and Praising with? or the Catholic mass? or the Southern Gospel? Just who is it that sets the Proper music allowance for Worship?
Then again who is it that sets the proper allowance for what instruments should be used in Worship--- but I'll snap that one off in another thread.
God Bless.

SPUR OF THE MOMENT

Decided to take a trip right after Christmas. Drove to Bonita Springs, Fl in 12 hours, stayed at a pleasant motel and spent the next 5 days roving the beach and two of the most spectacular malls I have seen. This was Sally and I.
The Prominade
Coconut Point
One was well planned out, but very low occupancy ratio. Not sure why but The Prominade seems to be struggling with the economic times.
The other is HUGE laid out like a large town scene and extremely busy high occupancy rate for the retail establishments, but there is a lot of condominium space that is not occupied.
I am not impressed by much, but Coconut Point really did awaken my senses. Took all day and part of another to see it all.
The beaches are nice and the weather , perfect. BUT free public beaches and fees for parking. Oh, well we did have a great time.