Me. Garth Brooks. In the same room.
Where: Schermerhorn Symphony Hall, Nashville, TN
When: November 26, 2007, apx. 10:00 pm
What: Musicians Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
And now I can die.
Okay, just kidding about the dying part, but NOT just kidding about what a momentous occasion it was for me. I have loved Garth Brooks and his music since I was a little girl growing up in Oklahoma. I literally used to cry when he would come to town and my parents wouldn't take me to see his concert because we couldn't afford it, and because it probably wasn't the ideal atmosphere for a 7 year old.
Much to my chagrin, by the time I was old enough to take myself to a Garth show, he wasn't exactly touring any more. At all. Ever. At some point he retired, really retired, from the biz and settled down with Miss Trisha Yearwood and lived on his farm in Yukon, OK and left fans like me with less than a glimmer of hope that we might ever see him again.
Just this past month Garth played eight sold-out nights of shows in Kansas City, the first time he'd been on stage in that sense in many years... and I missed that too. By the time I found out about it, tickets were being scalped on eBay for hundreds of dollars.
So today, when my friend Carolyn shot me an email and said she had some tickets to this random thing tonight and Garth was supposedly one of the presenters/performers and did I want to go, the answer was a resounding "Ef yes!"
The whole night ended up being an amazing experience of music and I want to write more on that later, but for now I'll just say that Garth was there, and he performed Elvis Presley's hit "Suspicious Minds" and it was fantabulous and I'll never forget it... how Carolyn and I clutched each others hands as we saw his trademark cowboy hat appear stage left, how he respectfully doffed said hat as the musicians he was honoring took the stage, how he grabbed Creed (yes, that Creed, from "The Office") and they sang gleefully into the mic together... seriously, it was so great!
Anyway, I want to write more later about the other wonderful musicians we saw (George freakin' Jones was also in the house, plus the bands that backed Elvis, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and many more), but for now I'd just like to end with those thoughts on my first - but hopefully not last - encounter with my very favorite entertainer.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thankful
Thanksgiving is great, no? Time off work, family, food, changing of seasons. This year I have been thinking a lot about how people say they are "thankful" for something... but thankful to whom? I know that in all things, for every blessing I have, for every small and seemingly insignificant breath I take, I am thankful to God. Not a god or some higher power, but THE God, Yahweh, I AM, who crafted the foundations of the earth and sent Christ to save me and love me, to accomplish the dual purpose of glorifying His mercy and justice.
I think most people could list the things they are thankful for, but how many of the same could articulate to whom their thanks is given? Gratitude is by nature directed at someone or something. We can certainly show gratitude to other people - I'm thankful to my parents for how they raised and loved me; I'm thankful to my husband for his caring and thoughtfulness. But what of the things I am thankful FOR? I am thankful FOR my husband... who am I thanking? His parents, for having him? Sure, I guess. But more than that, I am thankful that he is in my life, for the man he is and the man he is still becoming, for the father he will be and the home we'll have together. To whom can I send those thanks? I know who I am here to thank. I know to whom I answer for all the blessings poured out in abundance. I know that the cause of those things I am thankful for is not some cosmic force of karma or a result of my own good deeds.
Our gratitude is without much meaning unless we find that to which it deserves to be directed. I hope you know to whom you are giving thanks.
I think most people could list the things they are thankful for, but how many of the same could articulate to whom their thanks is given? Gratitude is by nature directed at someone or something. We can certainly show gratitude to other people - I'm thankful to my parents for how they raised and loved me; I'm thankful to my husband for his caring and thoughtfulness. But what of the things I am thankful FOR? I am thankful FOR my husband... who am I thanking? His parents, for having him? Sure, I guess. But more than that, I am thankful that he is in my life, for the man he is and the man he is still becoming, for the father he will be and the home we'll have together. To whom can I send those thanks? I know who I am here to thank. I know to whom I answer for all the blessings poured out in abundance. I know that the cause of those things I am thankful for is not some cosmic force of karma or a result of my own good deeds.
Our gratitude is without much meaning unless we find that to which it deserves to be directed. I hope you know to whom you are giving thanks.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
Come before him with joyful songs
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Where's my face? Oh, that's right, it got rocked off.
Yep, Family Force 5 officially rocked my face off tonight! Ben and I caught their show at Rocketown, and it was just plain fun.
They are a great band I first discovered at GMA Music Week last year, playing one of the label lunches. I had heard of them but didn't think I would like their music, and I guess I was wrong! They are quite unlike anything else I listen to, but it is so stinkin' fun! Good clean music with silly lyrics about drama queens and dancing your booty off and being from the dirty (sorry, "durrrty") south. Excellent for driving fast and inner-car dancing.
If you haven't heard them, check it out at www.myspace.com/familyforce5. They're a little punk, a little rock, a little dance, a little rap, and a lot crazy. The show was so high energy... I was wearing earplugs so I couldn't really tell how loudly I was singing/screaming. I guess I must've been loud because I am a bit hoarse now. But well worth it... plus I think all the dancing and jumping I did counts as an aerobic workout.
They are a great band I first discovered at GMA Music Week last year, playing one of the label lunches. I had heard of them but didn't think I would like their music, and I guess I was wrong! They are quite unlike anything else I listen to, but it is so stinkin' fun! Good clean music with silly lyrics about drama queens and dancing your booty off and being from the dirty (sorry, "durrrty") south. Excellent for driving fast and inner-car dancing.
If you haven't heard them, check it out at www.myspace.com/familyforce5. They're a little punk, a little rock, a little dance, a little rap, and a lot crazy. The show was so high energy... I was wearing earplugs so I couldn't really tell how loudly I was singing/screaming. I guess I must've been loud because I am a bit hoarse now. But well worth it... plus I think all the dancing and jumping I did counts as an aerobic workout.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
RIGHT-of-way
Okay, this one has been a long time coming, and this morning as I sat at a stoplight and experienced this yet again, I decided I couldn't wait any more. So, I present to you this, the third in my series of blogs about driving. This one is about that mysterious circumstance, that elusive phrase... RIGHT-OF-WAY.
If you are one of the typical drivers I encounter on any given day, you have no idea what this phrase means. Or maybe you always thought people were saying "right away" or "write a way" or something else nonsensical. But no, the phrase is "Right-of-way" and it means pretty much what it sounds like - "right" gets the "way." Now this is not a slam on all my left-handed friends and family out there (what up Dad, Heather, Tim), but just a way of the world. Well, most of the world. Maybe in England they say "left-of-way?"
Understanding right-of-way comes in handy in many situations, but let's just reveal how it will help in two different scenarios, shall we?
SCENARIO ONE: Two Cars Arrive at a 4-way Stop-Sign at the Same Time
You pull up to a stop sign at the same time as another car... who goes first? Is it whoever can get their foot on the gas quickest? Or is it the person whose car cost more? Will this quickly disintegrate into a series of waves and points and confused halting? What if you both just sit there forever?
Have no fear! Right-of-way handily explains how to proceed. The person to the RIGHT gets the WAY! They go first, followed by the next person clockwise from there and so on and so forth. Unless all four cars arrived at the identical same time, or unless it is two cars facing, both of in which case someone just starts and it should proceed from there, right-of-way prevails.
SCENARIO TWO: A Green Light with No Arrow for Both Someone Turning Right and an Opposing Driver Turning Left
I can not TELL you how many people don't get this one. Okay. If you are driving, and you come to a stoplight, and it is green, and you need to turn right, guess what? YOU get to go! You are going RIGHT so you get the WAY. If you stop and look around frantically, this only encourages the other people in this scenario, the left turners.
And now I'm speaking to you, person turning left on green with no arrow. YOU are turning left, and as I've made clear, the term is RIGHT of WAY. So you must wait until there are no opposing cars turning right, or until you get an arrow.
POP QUIZ! In the following picture, all three cars arrived at the stop sign at the same time. Who goes first?
The answer is.... the YELLOW car! Followed by... the GREY car! Followed by the blue car! Does it matter if the blue car man is impatient and wants to go first? NO, because he doesn't have the right of way!
Questions? Confusions? Concerns you might be a violator of these rules? Leave 'em in the comments. Don't worry, I'll let you know.
If you are one of the typical drivers I encounter on any given day, you have no idea what this phrase means. Or maybe you always thought people were saying "right away" or "write a way" or something else nonsensical. But no, the phrase is "Right-of-way" and it means pretty much what it sounds like - "right" gets the "way." Now this is not a slam on all my left-handed friends and family out there (what up Dad, Heather, Tim), but just a way of the world. Well, most of the world. Maybe in England they say "left-of-way?"
Understanding right-of-way comes in handy in many situations, but let's just reveal how it will help in two different scenarios, shall we?
SCENARIO ONE: Two Cars Arrive at a 4-way Stop-Sign at the Same Time
You pull up to a stop sign at the same time as another car... who goes first? Is it whoever can get their foot on the gas quickest? Or is it the person whose car cost more? Will this quickly disintegrate into a series of waves and points and confused halting? What if you both just sit there forever?
Have no fear! Right-of-way handily explains how to proceed. The person to the RIGHT gets the WAY! They go first, followed by the next person clockwise from there and so on and so forth. Unless all four cars arrived at the identical same time, or unless it is two cars facing, both of in which case someone just starts and it should proceed from there, right-of-way prevails.
SCENARIO TWO: A Green Light with No Arrow for Both Someone Turning Right and an Opposing Driver Turning Left
I can not TELL you how many people don't get this one. Okay. If you are driving, and you come to a stoplight, and it is green, and you need to turn right, guess what? YOU get to go! You are going RIGHT so you get the WAY. If you stop and look around frantically, this only encourages the other people in this scenario, the left turners.
And now I'm speaking to you, person turning left on green with no arrow. YOU are turning left, and as I've made clear, the term is RIGHT of WAY. So you must wait until there are no opposing cars turning right, or until you get an arrow.
POP QUIZ! In the following picture, all three cars arrived at the stop sign at the same time. Who goes first?
The answer is.... the YELLOW car! Followed by... the GREY car! Followed by the blue car! Does it matter if the blue car man is impatient and wants to go first? NO, because he doesn't have the right of way!
Questions? Confusions? Concerns you might be a violator of these rules? Leave 'em in the comments. Don't worry, I'll let you know.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Fun With Lists
Hey everyone, I started a "101 in 1001" list, and I'm tracking the progress I make at http://amys101in1001.blogspot.com. Check it out! For more on the idea, here is where it originated: http://www.triplux.com/dayzero/
As soon as I finish the lists, I'll also have a page for the 101 books to read and 101 movies to watch.
As soon as I finish the lists, I'll also have a page for the 101 books to read and 101 movies to watch.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Oh no she didn't
This past Sunday, a lady honked at me because she didn't yield as she was turning onto the street where I was driving, and I had to swerve to keep from plowing into her. For reals!
Hey lady, wherever you are - if you are turning right at a light onto a street where the speed limit is 50 mph, you best be yielding or you will get a face full of my Toyota Highlander! Especially if the lane you are turning into is ending and those cars will be busy merging. It is not my job to drive for you, no matter how loud you honk! Now pipe down and review the rules of merging in my handy-dandy blog from a few weeks ago.
Also, apologies to my own gender, but even though I didn't see for sure that it was a woman, I'd bet money on it. Men do a lot of ignorant things while driving, to be sure, but the sense of entitlement with which this driver pulled into traffic and the indignant staccato of the honking which followed definitely had a female air about it.
The rest of my weekend was great!
Hey lady, wherever you are - if you are turning right at a light onto a street where the speed limit is 50 mph, you best be yielding or you will get a face full of my Toyota Highlander! Especially if the lane you are turning into is ending and those cars will be busy merging. It is not my job to drive for you, no matter how loud you honk! Now pipe down and review the rules of merging in my handy-dandy blog from a few weeks ago.
Also, apologies to my own gender, but even though I didn't see for sure that it was a woman, I'd bet money on it. Men do a lot of ignorant things while driving, to be sure, but the sense of entitlement with which this driver pulled into traffic and the indignant staccato of the honking which followed definitely had a female air about it.
The rest of my weekend was great!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Rock of Ages
I love having a new appreciation for something old. I feel excited that I am able to connect to something - a song, a poem, a work of art, an idea - that has great meaning to past peoples and generations. I experienced this recently with the hymn "Rock of Ages."
Chris Rice recently released a hymns project with all the songs done very simply, just vocals, acoustic guitar, and piano, and generally in a fairly traditional arrangement. I think the simplicity of his versions really helped reframe these songs I've heard a million times and made me more attentive to the words than ever before. As I listened to the song "Rock of Ages" - a song I haven't thought of in a rather long time - I was just moved to tears at how exquisitely the lyricist captured the truths of redemption and salvation.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure:
Save from wrath and make me pure
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy laws demands
Could my zeal no respite know
Could my tears forever flow
These for sin could not atone
Thou must save, and Thou alone
Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to the cross I cling
Naked come to Thee for dress
Helpless look to Thee for grace
Foul, I to the fountain fly
Wash me Savior or I die
While I draw this fleeting breath
When my eyes are closed in death
When I rise to worlds unknown
And behold Thee on Thy throne
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee.
In the first verse, it speaks of Christ's death being the double cure. Chris (our pastor) spoke on this just last Sunday: we were saved not only from sin, but from God's wrath against that sin in us!
I also love the line that says, "Wash me Savior or I die." It is so stark and simple - outside of Christ there is only death.
Anyway, just wanted to share how that song had affected me recently. Hope you can see it in a new light, too!
Chris Rice recently released a hymns project with all the songs done very simply, just vocals, acoustic guitar, and piano, and generally in a fairly traditional arrangement. I think the simplicity of his versions really helped reframe these songs I've heard a million times and made me more attentive to the words than ever before. As I listened to the song "Rock of Ages" - a song I haven't thought of in a rather long time - I was just moved to tears at how exquisitely the lyricist captured the truths of redemption and salvation.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure:
Save from wrath and make me pure
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy laws demands
Could my zeal no respite know
Could my tears forever flow
These for sin could not atone
Thou must save, and Thou alone
Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to the cross I cling
Naked come to Thee for dress
Helpless look to Thee for grace
Foul, I to the fountain fly
Wash me Savior or I die
While I draw this fleeting breath
When my eyes are closed in death
When I rise to worlds unknown
And behold Thee on Thy throne
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee.
In the first verse, it speaks of Christ's death being the double cure. Chris (our pastor) spoke on this just last Sunday: we were saved not only from sin, but from God's wrath against that sin in us!
I also love the line that says, "Wash me Savior or I die." It is so stark and simple - outside of Christ there is only death.
Anyway, just wanted to share how that song had affected me recently. Hope you can see it in a new light, too!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Other blog...
Hey, I have a few new blogs at my myspace page, here. One is my Emmy fashion wrap-up, and the other is one of those stupid survey things. I couldn't help it. I must tell people about my life and believe they will find it fascinating.
Also, please go immediately to my friend Heather's page and read her delightful blog about our favorite Cardinal, catcher Yadier Molina.
And don't worry, I'm not abandoning this blog. I'll be back!
Also, please go immediately to my friend Heather's page and read her delightful blog about our favorite Cardinal, catcher Yadier Molina.
And don't worry, I'm not abandoning this blog. I'll be back!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Face of Love
So right now I am totally digging on Sanctus Real's album Face of Love. I know, I know, that cd came out in 2006 and I am a bit behind the times. These guys were at Music in the Rockies, and as I listened and rocked out with J-Fratt in the third row, I realized, "Wow, I really love their music!" The lead singer has an amazing voice that just grows on me more and more every time I hear it.
Anyway, if you've turned on a Christian radio station in the past year I'm sure you've heard their beautiful song, "Face of Love." I love the lyrics, and they are just soothing to me... I often have a hard time reconciling my head and my heart when it comes to faith, and I like to be reminded that what I don't know about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit in my mind can still be believed and trusted with my heart.
I'm not saying this very well... just read this song, okay?
I've seen Your face in stained glass and colored lights
and pictures of You looking to the sky
You've been portrayed a thousand different ways
but my heart can see You better than my eyes
cause it's love that paints the portrait of Your life
the face of love
the face of love
You look more like love every day
I've read Your words in the pages of Your life
and I've imagined what You are like
I may not know the shape of Your face
but I can feel Your heart changing mine
and Your love still proves You're alive
the face of love
the face of love
You look more like love every day
and You are the face that changed the whole world
no one too lost for You to love
no one too low for You to serve
so give us the grace to change the world
no one too lost for me to love
no one too low for me to serve
let us see, let us be Your face
let us be Your face
Sometimes I cry wishing that I could just see Jesus's face and put my hand in his and FEEL it, you know? Like Thomas, a little, I guess - I don't doubt Jesus is real, but man it'd be easier if I could just give him a big hug. So this song soothes that ache a little. I may not know the shape of his face, but I can feel his heart changing mine, and maybe I can even be his face, his love, to someone in need. Could there be a higher honor, a more weighty responsibility, than to be the face of Christ?
Anyway, if you've turned on a Christian radio station in the past year I'm sure you've heard their beautiful song, "Face of Love." I love the lyrics, and they are just soothing to me... I often have a hard time reconciling my head and my heart when it comes to faith, and I like to be reminded that what I don't know about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit in my mind can still be believed and trusted with my heart.
I'm not saying this very well... just read this song, okay?
I've seen Your face in stained glass and colored lights
and pictures of You looking to the sky
You've been portrayed a thousand different ways
but my heart can see You better than my eyes
cause it's love that paints the portrait of Your life
the face of love
the face of love
You look more like love every day
I've read Your words in the pages of Your life
and I've imagined what You are like
I may not know the shape of Your face
but I can feel Your heart changing mine
and Your love still proves You're alive
the face of love
the face of love
You look more like love every day
and You are the face that changed the whole world
no one too lost for You to love
no one too low for You to serve
so give us the grace to change the world
no one too lost for me to love
no one too low for me to serve
let us see, let us be Your face
let us be Your face
Sometimes I cry wishing that I could just see Jesus's face and put my hand in his and FEEL it, you know? Like Thomas, a little, I guess - I don't doubt Jesus is real, but man it'd be easier if I could just give him a big hug. So this song soothes that ache a little. I may not know the shape of his face, but I can feel his heart changing mine, and maybe I can even be his face, his love, to someone in need. Could there be a higher honor, a more weighty responsibility, than to be the face of Christ?
Monday, September 10, 2007
A New Venture
Hey everyone! I wanted to let you all know that I have started a website for all the stuff I make, which I am starting to sell as custom made projects. So take a look here, at Sweet Things. If you are interested, you know where to find me!
Also, if I have ever made something for you, chances are I was not forward thinking enough to take a picture of it for my archives... soooo shoot me an email and we'll get in touch!
Also, if I have ever made something for you, chances are I was not forward thinking enough to take a picture of it for my archives... soooo shoot me an email and we'll get in touch!
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