Stuff I Love Playlist

I have always been moved by music...maybe to a fault. I can put on happy music if I am a puddle glum and next thing I know I will be dancing around feeling so much better. The thing with me is I like so many types of music and have so many favorite artists. Many of these artists and I share totally different world views, but I dare say I know excellence when I hear it. First time I heard Dave Matthews I knew I was hearing something pretty awesome and unique, but and it was obvious from some of his lyrics that he and I have very different beliefs, but I can still enjoy it.

When listening to a particular song I will ofter exclaim, "Oh, I just love this song!" It has become quite a joke because I "love" so many songs. Jim thinks I just love anything that comes on the radio, but that is really not the case. There are plenty of songs which I detest, but I do have an inordinately huge list of songs I justLOVE! As I bat this post out, I am listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's, "The Lee Shore".....and guess what? I just love that song. It is on my "stuff I love" playlist.

Joni Mitchell is one of my favorites and yes, I know she is acquired taste and there are a lot of folks who can't stomach that high falsetto with vibrato. I am not always crazy about that either, but her melodies and especially her lyrics meld together so perfectly! What can I say? She is also a painter and her paintings are another expression of her ability to create excellence. I think I have been following her since 1968 and when I became a Christian a knew Joni and I were on different paths and I no longer held her same view of the world. I once heard Joni say in an interview (after spending some time with Johnny Cash and his wife, who were Christians) that she envied them and their ability to believe. She even mentioned that she was brought to tears. Now that is a paraphrase and I can't remember if I read it in Rolling Stone (which I subscribed to for several years) or heard it on a Dick Cavett....but I remember when I heard her express her feelings thinking how I felt the same way. Now years later I am a believer, but I still remember having those same emotions and remember and understand that feeling and at times I just pray for her. The prayers of many are one reason I was found.

Mark Farner of Grand Funk is one performer I enjoy who has come to faith in Jesus. He has changed the words to "Some Kind of Wonderful" from "a sweet loving woman" to "a sweet loving savior" and I have both versions on my iPod. Van Morrison is another artist who has come to faith and hopefully, there are many more and I just don't know them. When I found out Van Morrison had become a Christian it totally changed my understanding of "Have I Told You Lately". It is the perfect "hymn" to sing to give praise and thanks and I play it often to give me to express my praise to God.

There were many years where I abstained from my some of my favorite artists because I didn't think they glorified God in any way and I thought I should listen to music which exclusively glorified God. I probably didn't listen to Joni Mitchell at all for about 10 years! But with the advent of iTunes I have become reacquainted with Joni and Frank (Zappa), Cream, Grand Funk, Boston, the Beatles, and Leonard Cohen. Maybe I have strayed, but I know their talents are God given and I try to celebrate their abilities. There are some songs I still refrain from listening to if I can help it as I feel they are written purposefully to thumb their nose at God and are to stir up rebellion....just not appealing in the least.

Okay, so what am I listening to right this moment on my "stuff I love" playlist. It is "The Swallow Song" written by Richard Farina in 1964 and performed with his wife, Mimi. I knew Richard was killed in a motorcycle accident years ago, but have learned his wife, Mimi (Joan Baez's sister) has also passed. "Come wander quietly and listen to the wind...."I feel this song I have known for 43 years is an old friend. There are those songs which are those I need to hear from time to time and this is one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHNSAK-iWy0

One genre I have come to late....last 15 years.... is Blue Grass. I just love good blue grass and especially when fused with other kinds of music. Jim and I traveled to Lafayette to see Ricky Scaggs and the Kentucky Thunder AND Bruce Hornsby! I loved hearing "Mandolin Rain" done with the influence of the Kentucky Thunder....which has a "fiddle player" named Andy Leftwich who hails from White House, TN. a place Jim and I have stayed many times on our trips from north to south. Andy wowed us and we will not forget his name. Jim is not a blue grass fan, but he was so very impressed with everyone that night. He does know talent even if it is not his favorite genre. (He even admits Frank Zappa is amazing, but he won't be listening to Enchidna's Arf anytime soon..hahha.)

So here is a partial list of "stuff I love". I won't dump the whole list on you! I know it is going to be different from your "stuff", but I hope you will investigate some of these tunes and give them a whirl. You might end up loving them like I do. And while there is no Stones, Joe Walsh, CCR or Moody Blues....well, it seems this list is quite deficient to say the least, but like Jim says, "You love all the songs on the radio!"

"Stuff I Love" Playlist:

Agnes Dei - Michael W. Smith
Amazing Grace my Chains are Gone - Newton/Tomlin
Ants Marching - Dave Matthews
At Last - Etta James
Be Thou My Vision- ALL versions
Birdland - Weather Report
Blessed Be Your Name - Newsboys
Blue - Joni Mitchell
Blue Motel Room - Joni Mitchell
Bookends - Simon and Garfunkle
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 - Bach
The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkle
Carey - Joni Mitchell
The Circle Game - Joni Mitchell
Classical Gas - Mason Williams
Clocks - Coldplay
Come Monday - Jimmie Buffett
Cosmic Debris - Frank Zappa
Crimson and Clover - Tommy James
Crossroads (Live) - Cream
Crusin' - Smoky Robinson or Huey Lewis and Gwenneth Paltrow
Day Dream - Lovin' Spoonful
Disco Inferno - The Trammps
The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines - Joni Mitchell
Echidna's Arf - Ensemble Ambrosius (Zappa)
El Condor Pasa - Simon and Garfunkle
Even Now - Barry Manilow
Fame - David Bowie
Fiddler in the Hood - Bowfire
Finally Woken - Jem
Fire - Jimi Hendrix
Fixing a Hole - Beatles
Footstompin' Music - Grand Funk
For the Longest Time - Billy Joel
From the Beginning - ELP
Get Back - The Beatles
Girl Talk - Julie London
Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Groove is in the Heart - Deelite
Had I a Golden Thread - Judy Collins
Have a Little Faith in Me - Keb Mo
He's a Personal Savior- Gaithers
Hold me Jesus - Rich Mullins
Honesty - Billy Joel
How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin
Hyden: Trumpet Concerto in E Flat
Hypnotized - Fleetwod Mac
If You Don't Know Me By Now - Teddy Pendergrass
In My Life - Beatles or Judy Collins
Independence Day - Martina McBride
I've Always Thought - Tommy Emmanuel
It's Amazing - Jem
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis
Jack and Diane - John Cougar Mellancamp
Jesus is Just Alright - Doobie Brothers
Kathy's Song - Simon and Garfunkle
Kiss By a Rose - Seal
L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole
The Lee Shore - CSNY
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg - Michel Legrand
Long Time Gone
Long Way to Go - Alice Cooper
Luckiest - Ben Folds
Lucky Girl - Joni Mitchell
Mais Que Nada - Sergio Mendes
Make Me an Angel - Bonnie Raitt
Man I was Lonely - Paul McCartney
Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
Moondance - Van Morrison
My Life - Billy Joel
My Romance - done by several
Night in the City - Joni Mitchell
No Way to Say Goodbye - Leonard Cohen
Noreen's Nocturne - Oscar Peterson
Oh Happy Day - Edwin Hawkins
The Old Landmark - Gaithers
Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes
Oye Como Va - Santana
Pack up Your Sorrows - Richard Farina
The Prayer - Andrew Bocelli & Celine Dion
Pretty Polly - Judy Collins
Pride and Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Reelin' in the Years - Steely Dann
Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin
Riders on the Storm - Doors
River - Joni Mitchell
Rosanna - Toto
Roundabout - Yes
Route 66 - Nat or Natalie Cole or Ella or Oscar Peterson
She's Not There - Zombies
Shower the People - James Taylor
Simple Gifts - Judy Collins
Sit Down Honey - Elf
Smokin' - Boston
So Long Frank Lloyd Wright - Simon and Garfunkle
Some Kind of Wonderful - Grand Funk/Mark Farner
Someday Soon - Joni Mitchell
Songs for Aging Children - Joni Mitchell
Soul Sacrifice - Santana
Statesboro Blues - Allman Brothers
Stormy - Santana
Suddenly I See - K. T. Tunstall
Sunny - Bobby Hebb
A Swallow Song - Richard Farina
This Boy - The Beatles
Time of the Season - Zombies
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Waltz for Debby - Oscar Peterson
Wedding Song - Peter, Paul and Mary
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
What I Am - Dave Matthews
When I Fall in Love - Celine Dion
Where are You Going - Godspell
Where do We Go From Here? - Alan Parsons
You Can Close Your Eyes - James Taylor
You're Worthy of My Praise - Charlie Hall

I really could go on and on...and yep, I just love them all :).

EASTER Texas Style!!!!!

In my humble opinion, Easter is the GREATEST holiday the world celebrates... it is because of Easter we have HOPE. It is because of what happened on Easter that thankfulness and praise wells up within my heart and these two videos express my feelings perfectly!

Thanks Lora for sending this link!

Dance Your Shoes Off

2nd Baptist in Houston, TX.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KX2-J6uS-o

Way to go TEXAS!!!

This was first done in Budapest, Hungary last year:

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5dSIL358NM

Yay Budapest!!!

I pray you know the joy of salvation through Jesus Christ this Easter!

John 10:9 I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live eternally).

It's All Happening at the Zoo.....

Bath time is always a favorite part of my trip. Nothing like a freshly bathed little boy!!!!!

There was no shortage of bike pushers! Frazier is loving his little bike.

This is Randi's grandfater, James sharing a birthday cake....making our birthday wishes.

Caught! But who wouldn't want just a little taste!? On the window sill you can see my salad garden....chives, swiss chard, and tomatoes. I think it will be great in a couple months.

Josh and Frazier had to research the white tiger at the Tyler Zoo....and below this is how we found him.

Frazier really loved watching the penquins zooming around. I think being a penquin looks like a lot of fun!

This red fox was just the cutest fox ever. He was my favorite for some strange reason. We have a red fox in our neighborhood, but have never had a good look like this....maybe this is what I have been waiting for.

Feed the birds....tupance a bag, tupance, tupance, tupance a bag.....this is from Mary Poppins if you don't recognize this little ditty.

Josh and Frazier taking studying the lions!

Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo....

I do believe it! I do believe it's true! Sing along with me!

Ok, I will start at the beginning. Last week was our spring break, so I took the opportunity to get some doctors appts. out of the way, clean out a closet or two.....and go to see the other Andersons. I have been looking forward to spending some time with our son, his sweet wife and their adorable little boy. Here are pictures of my break. I decided to leave out the doctor and closet pics. (You're welcome. :) I think you can gather from the pictures that a good time..... a really good time was had by all. Thanks so much Josh and Randi for sharing your zoo trip with us and for the yummy food and the surprise birthday cake and my new salad garden! Miss you all already!