O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Tale of Two Brains

Music - Leela James

One of my favorite performers is Leela James. I'm sure her style is not suited to everyone but I love to listen to her. Here are three videos of Leela singing some of her songs that I most enjoy listening to. If you like bluesy, soulful sounds, you should certainly enjoy listening to her as well. All of these songs are on her album A Change Gonna Come. There are 18 or 19 songs on that album and I could listen to all of them (and have) all day long.


Music



Don't Speak


Prayer

Southern Culture

Aaron Wilburn manages to nail southern culture from Krispy Kreme to Wal Mart to the differences between men and women... oh, and he's completely G rated so it's all good, clean humor.

Monkey Business

This little guy is having a blast with two tiger cubs! I'm betting that in just a few months he will keep his distance.

Simon's Cat

This cartoon cat is true to life! Don't dare want to do something other than what a cat wants you to do!

Baggage

I love Nicole Johnson's vignettes. I've been a fan of her dramas since the first time I saw her at a Women of Faith tour years ago. This one is about a young girl struggling to carry all of her 'bags'.

Nicole Johnson wrote, directed and cast this original sketch for the Revolve Tour. Shared with permission by Nicole Johnson and Fresh Brewed Life, Inc.

Hot Town, Summer In The City

I don't know what it's going to be like in the city today but it's going to be a scorcher here in the burbs and it's still only June. Looking ahead, I think August is going to be pretty miserable this year.


Lyrics: Lovin Spoonful - Summer In The City lyrics
Album: Lovin Spoonful Greatest Hits

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

Cool town, evening in the city
Dressing so fine and looking so pretty
Cool cat, looking for a kitty
Gonna look in every corner of the city
Till I'm wheezing like a bus stop
Running up the stairs, gonna meet you on the rooftop

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

------ instrumental break ------

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

Oh Happy Day or Ginger Gets to Play

Ginger not only got to go with me today so that I could work on improving my photography, we also stopped to play on the practice field at the recreation center. That's one of her very favorite things to do.

We made our first YouTube video to display here on our my blog. (That's enough of that Ginger.. no more growling or you will never get your own blog!)



As you can see, it is nothing fancy and yes, the wind really is that strong here today but what a nice bright sunny day it was for us to enjoy the outdoors together! Both of us got to do something we love!

The Invisible Woman

I first saw Nicole Johnson perform several years ago at a Women Of Faith Conference in Shreveport. While I loved all of the women on the stage and marveled at their humor, faith and ability to touch me in such different ways, Nicole was my favorite. I loved how she used small dramatic vignettes to get a message across that resonated with every woman present. She was deadly serious, witty and funny all in the short span of each performance and she touched me.

When I saw this video, I thought of all the times I felt invisible in my life. When I thought no one saw me or heard me or worse, that no one cared. I thought about my own daughters in particular, as mothers still raising their children and the occasional hundreds of times that my wonderful, yet perfectly normal granddaughters ignore their moms, making them too, feel that no one sees and perhaps that no one cares. It makes wonder how many times I've failed to respond to someone looking to me for comfort or validation and that perhaps I left them feeling 'invisible'. We are only human, we cannot be all things to all people, we do our best.

If you're feeling invisible today, I invite you to take a look at Nicole's video and feel better.



To my daughters, to all women who feel invisible or unimportant today, thank you for all you do while no one is looking, while no one sees.

Love You Forever

I came across this video at Heather's Faithful Froggers blog. Let me just warn you that a hanky alert is being issued. The video is comprised of various people reading from a children's book entitled Love You Forever about a mother and her son over the years. Let's just say that even the readers struggled a bit towards the end.



John (and Jamie and Dee), if you read this, know that I didn't try to rock you when you were a teenager but I wanted to (well sometimes)! Although I would never go back, I sometimes miss the children you were when you were little. Know that I love you all... forever! Mom

It won't be the Same Auld Lang Syne this year

I just wanted to add my thoughts on the passing of Dan Fogelberg this past weekend. He was one of my favorite soft rockers, with several songs that I loved listening to. I hate to admit that I didn't even know he was suffering from cancer, although he was always one of the more private stars around.

Same Auld Lang Syne was my favorite of all his songs. I also liked Missing You, Leader Of The Band and of course Longer.



Cancer is such a bastard disease.

For Emily

Love you Ems! You are one of my 'everythings'!

Uncle Jay Explains The News

Last Lecture

A dying professor gives his last lecture.

'Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.'

The Rapture Song

I enjoyed this. I found it funny, thought provoking and sweet. It also hits home right now as I am in the middle of yet another study of Revelation.

Best Recitation Of The Twenty Third Psalm Ever!

Softly and Tenderly

This is one of my favorite hymns. I love this acoustical version that I found on You Tube. Some of you may remember this song from the award winning movie, The Trip To Bountiful.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

Softly and Tenderly

Words and Music by Will L. Thompson

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

O for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!