12 things that became obsolete this decade.

Oh how things have changed.
Look to see all the things that we don't need anymore.

Calling
Landlines
Wires
Classified adds
Dial up internet
Encylopedias
CD music
Film
Film camers
Hand written letters
Catalogs
Fax

NYT: Decade End Chart

Not sure if I understand what all of these are about but interesting. It also shows how behind the times I am on some things.

Off with the pants!

For those following on FB  I mentioned that flying the day after the attempted attack I did get frisked at the airport, and camera crews were there filming it.  The funny thing was that I don't think the people that were doing the security checks actually knew what they were doing.  Since I have been back it is all over the news about new measures on flights, but it all seems to be rather reactionary.  No getting up during the last hour on flights coming into the states and no blankets, pillows or coats on you laps at that time.  The reason for this is that was the time frame that this guy used, and the explosives were sewn into his underwear.

Here is what Obama has to say on the subject.

Now since the last foiled attempt with the shoes, taking shoes off at the check points has been standard procedure. Now with the underwear mishap, are we going to have to take off our pants.

Susan

Eunice, Judith and Britta, all encouraged me to make the trip to see Susan and I am so glad that did.  She is in a lot of pain, and is dizzy and nauseous.  This has been a long hard journey for her and she is ready to be done with it.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Merry Christmas

I think Linus says it best.



Merry Christmas!

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

We sang this hymn tonight in our candle service and it is one that I really like. Not heard it so much here in Japan but the Japanese is very nice also.

Appreciated for what?

I have no idea why there was no attempt to translate the rest of the sign.

White Christmas

Is it really Christmas if you don't see "Holiday Inn" and hear Bing sing this wonderful song.

Or maybe you are more familiar with this version of the song from the movie of the same title and with Romary Clooney when she was hot and before all the toilet paper comercials.

Starbucks Christmas

Had some extra time this morning so I stopped by Starbucks in hopes of getting a Gingerbread Latte. Sad to say it was sold out, seems they have run out of the syrup, I told the guy there I thought they needed to make a special order. I mean we still have 4 more days till Christmas.

A Classic Made New

I've always enjoyed this duet, especially having it done as a duet with Steven Curtis Chapman. His harmonization rocks.

Welcome to Our World

Another great song from Michael W Smith. Full of meaning and truth. Great imagery also. Please enjoy.

Christmas Everyday

Another interesting Christmas album that I actually picked up in Taiwan, was by Kenny Rogers. Actually it is really nice there are a couple of very interesting songs.  This one, I think, is appropriate for the times with the "Happy Holidays", "Merry Christmas" debate.  Actually it takes it one further by saying we need to remember Christ and Christmas everyday. 

Please Refrain from Drunken Behavior.

No Eye Had Seen

One of my favorite Christmas albums has been Michael W. Smith's "Christmas". He first Christmas album and a great one at that. Seems like I can never get tired of the music, and it was on this album that we first heard Agnus Dei which has become a poplular praise song recently. Today's song from that album is "No Eye Had Seen", I just listened to it and it brought a tear to my eye. Michael and Amy Grant did a great colaboration on this song.

No eye had seen
No ear had heard
'Til hosts on high
Proclaimed the
birth
And heav'n brough down
(Quietly with no one watching)
Its only
child
(From the womb of perfect peace)
The son of man
(Wellspring of
our joy delivered)
The world reconciled
(Into earthly destiny)
And
song broke forth
Angelic strain
And none could help
But sing the
name
Emmanuel
(Kyrie eleison we sing)
Emmanuel
(Glory to the
newborn King)
Emmanuel
(Mortal and immortal voices)
Emmanuel
(Endless praises echoing)

Unusual Christmas Music

Something that I have found interesting over the years is how many different people put out Christmas albums. Seems like everyone is willing to jump onto the Christmas band wagon so to say. A couple I have never really understood are Barbra Steisand, and the Mormon Tabrenacle Choir. We all know that Barbra is Jewish, so why has she released 2 Christmas albums.

The one that I have, "A Christmas Album" includes the following songs:

"Jingle Bells"
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
"The Christmas
Song"
"White Christmas"
"My Favorite Things"
"The Best Gift"
"Sleep in Heavenly Peace (Silent Night)"
"Gounod's Ave Maria"
"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
"I Wonder as I Wander"
"The Lord's Prayer"

I do love her rendition of Jingle bells.

She starts out with the classic non-religous songs, but ends strong with the Christian classics. Why would she want to sing aobut the birth of Jesus, or praise Mary with Ave Maria, and The Lord's Prayer? What was she thinking. I mean I do thik it is cool that she would do it and I hope the songs made her think but still how can she sing the songs with any kind of meaning?

And speaking of singing without feeling or meaning, how about the Mormon Tabrancle's version of The Messiah? It's actually a good redition but how much life it would have if the people singing it really believed what they were singing.

Reflections on Christmas' Past

During college my Christmas music of choice was "The Messiah". It most have been my room mate Brian that got me started listening to it, but it seems like that as Christmas rolled around that was the only music playing in our dorm room. After graduating from college I was really happy to sing in Shelby's community chorus it one of their preformances of this great work. I think the director (our high school choir director) was surprised at how well I could sing given that I never sang in High School. I remember him saying how happy that I had joined the preformance.
I have also liked some of the modern re-arrangements of some of the pieces like, "The New Young Messiah". At Tamasei the tradition continues, at the PTA Christmas the Halleluja chorus is sang and for the high school Christmas worship 3 songs from the Messiah are sung.

One of my favorite songs from "The New Young Messiah" is "Surely He has born our Grief" sung by Michael English, Steve Green, and Larnelle Harris. Really it is from the Easter section, but Chirstmas is all about the coming of Christ and he came to do just that bear our grieves.



And of course we have the soulful version of the Messiah.
This one done by the Broklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Johnny Mathis

As mentioned in my previous post I believe this is that album that I picked up in the drug store and here is Johhny singing, "It's the Most Wonderful time of the Year"
And how true that is.

The Christmas Song

Facebook has been one of the reasons I haven't been posting much of late.  So I thought I'd change that and I thought I would bring you some of my favorite Christmas music.  I actually was thinking of starting this series off with one of my favorites Johnny Mathis, but this Nat King Cole version of "The Christmas Song" beat him out.  I remember buying an LP of Johnny's Christmas album in of all places a drug store that I really loved.  I'll try to find one of his songs for tomorrow.