She was one of of the most prolific gospel songwriters ever, and the original power-singer. I grew up on Dottie Rambo music. (See this youtube of her recently, her health was really bad due to a botched back surgery years ago, but she was still out there singing her songs!) I mean – her music was the song of our lives. "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need," and "Remind Me, Dear Lord," and "If that isn't Love," and so many more…
In an interesting set of twists, for Mother's Day this year, my siblings and I bought my mom a 20 CD set (each representing a re-recording of 2 albums=40 Rambo albums http://www.dottierambo.net/). And Dottie died in Springfield, MO, which is where my parents are moving in one week to retire.
A half-sheet card I doodled on in mid-2004 at my office. The question (via The Message from Amos 5.23-24) was: When was the last time you sang to Me? Good question.
Best song at the Oscars this year was, surprisingly and mercifully, a GREAT song ("Falling Slowly") from the movie "Once." My daughters, Stephanie and Stormie introduced me to the movie a while back and it is a great flick! For the first 20 minutes, I was enjoying it so much I was dreading when the "real story" would start and interrupt the music, then Stormie informed me, it was, after all, a musical. It is gentle and pure and soft and well-told and you must see it! You must sing along with it!
Former buskers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are thrilled with their Oscar win for Best Original Song."When we were kids, we used to watch the Oscars every year and talked about what people were wearing," Glen said following the win. "It's amazing to be here tonight."
Marketa and Glen won the gong for their song "Falling Slowly" from hit indie movie Once which they performed at the Academy ceremony.
"There's things you have to do," said Glen, referring to the performance. "You have to keep going. If you think about the size of it and if you get swept up in it, you're gone."
Glen and Marketa beat off three separate challenges from the movie Enchanted to win the statuette."My mother was sitting beside me and she was just so nervous – she's been so nervous since we were nominated," said Glen. "I was just welling up."
"These days films are being made for different reasons like money, and art is being compromised," added Marketa. "I think people feel this film was done from a very pure point and an artistic one. I also think it's a story of love and we can all connect with that."
See Once…more than once!…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: "sing your melody, I'll sing along…"
I LOVE the internet. When, all of a sudden, a song from your way past (think 1970's and the early artists in contemporary Christian music-the ones who took the flack for what we freely enjoy today) comes to mind – you can google it and voila!
Today I am singing my head off to Janny Grein's "Covenant Woman!" And even though I haven't heard it in almost 30 years – I still remember all the words!
I am singing this song a lot these days: How He Loves, lyrics by John Mark Mcmillan
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His love and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
* * * * *
And oh, how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
* * * * *
Yeah, He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves
* * * * *
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And the heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way He loves us, oh, how He loves us…
* * * * *
Check this song out on youtube, Kim Walker leading, and stick with it to the end (it's a full 8 minutes and 49 seconds) for an amazing "love encounter." The girl can preach! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWnvBM40xxw
John 3:16 is the ultimate Valentine! He loves us…Jeanie
While in Maui, I found out that my friend Carol Ann (http://cakboliv.wordpress.com/), an extremely hip woman who has over 6000 songs on her I-Pod, has no Partridge Family songs on there. Not one. I was aghast at this discovery, so it got me to thinking.
If you were already super cool in the early 70's, I know you didn't give these bubble-gum pop songs a second look, but if you weren't yet (I was a kid, I tell you- a mere child), maybe you listened to the Partridge Family and can affirm my position that they deserve their place in American music…maybe not much of a place, but a place. And if you have never heard them, fear not, I have compiled a list of my very favorite Partridge Family songs here:
4. I Can Feel Your Heartbeat (pretty sexy, I must say – which I totally did not even understand when I was 11. I heard David Cassidy was still making hearts go pitter patter with this song in Vegas nightclubs to the over 40 crowd just a couple of years ago! "I can feel your heartbeat and you didn't even say a word…Oh, I know pretty woman that your love can be heard…You can feel my heartbeat, too, I can see you feeling me…") http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5438043450488501451&q=partridge+family&total=693&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1
Just trying to enlighten you in your search for great music!…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: C'mon get happy!
Some Partridge Family quotes:
Laurie: All you guys think we're interested in is being cheerleaders or homecoming queens. And then, if we're real lucky, we can all grow up to be Playboy Bunnies.
Danny: I've been a kid and I've been an adult. And believe me, adultery isn't what it's cracked up to be.
An exchange between their manager, Reuben Kincaid, and Danny (played by Danny Bonaduce, who was already very irreverent and wry at the age of 10) – Reuben: Tell me, did your mother ever tell you not to play in traffic? Danny: Of course. Reuben: Too bad.
I pulled out that classic Christmas album, “A Partridge Family Christmas Card” featuring the vocal stylings of David Cassidy.
Yeah, that’s right, baby! I am a child of the 70’s. So – I still like to hear The Partridge Family singing Christmas carols once or twice each Christmas season. I try not to go public with that fact very often, but there it is.
But I am really wondering about their version of “Frosty the Snowman,” and what David Cassidy was thinking when he recorded it?
If you have never heard it, and I really recommend you go immediately to your local Salvation Army or Goodwill store and seek to purchase your own copy, imagine this well-loved and much-sang song, slowed down…slowed waaaaaaay down. Imagine a white guy (David Cassidy a.k.a. Keith Partridge) singing as “soulfully” as he can. Imagine his eyes closed as he sings it with deep feeling. Imagine this song sounding so gospel, so deeply pleading, that it would sound appropriate at a Billy Graham Crusade altar invitation time. Imagine singing “Frosty the Snowman,” with so much feeling that you must stop and focus on said snowman -right now!?
The other day I was listening to the same song by different, more upbeat performers and the words did give me pause (check it out here), but now I am wondering if David Cassidy knew way before I pondered the possibility – that Frosty IS, indeed, a Christ-figure?
Don’t worry. The season is just getting started. Lots more thoughts where these came from!…Jeanie
It's a balmy 76-degrees here in the Denver area today, much like yesterday. Because of his recent surgery, Dave was unable to join every neighbor on our block in putting up their lights and decorations for Christmas over the weekend (before the snow falls later this week), but the block was brilliantly sparkling last night as the night fell earlier than the day before.
I am puttering around the house getting ready for Thanksgiving and have an XFM station playing assorted Christmas music. I opened my front door and heard some one else playing their Mariah Carey Christmas CD loudly as they did yard work.
I have heard, "Frosty the Snowman" at least 3 times this morning. When you are washing baseboard trim, you have no choice but to really ponder the words.
Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty the Snowman is a fairytale they say
He was made of snow but the children know
How he came to life one day…
Frosty the Snowman was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me.
The song goes on to explain how the sun was hot and Frosty knew his time was limited so he encouraged the kids to follow him to have some fun before he melted away. Apparently they all went to the village square and got pretty rowdy, daring the authorities to catch them. Frosty even got right up in a traffic cop's face and did not follow the orders to stop. He had to take off, finally…
But he waved good-bye saying "Don't you cry –
I'll be back again someday."
So here is what I am wondering: Is Frosty a type of Christ? Does he represent Jesus coming to earth and ticking off the religious Pharisees? Does Frosty's death and promise to return reflect the death of Jesus Christ and His promise to return?
Or is this whole Frosty thing a way to indoctrinate innocent children with re-incarnation nonsense?
Hey, I am just kidding around…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Dig out the Christmas CDs…buy the Brad Paisley Christmas CD…
Innocently channel-surfing last night, I came upon a Bluegrass-ish sounding group singing a song so parallel to the current cry of my heart, I was just arrested in awe. I think perhaps I have reached the “Ecclesiastes-time” of my life, a time where you are realizing so much has just been pointless and “vanity, all vanity.”
Yet, hope is renewed when I realize that in the middle of it all, despite all the water that has gone under the bridge, the love of the Father has remained. He is faithful. He holds my life, still. And lest I come across too melancholy, please know that I am full of gratefulness for the life I have. I am blessed beyond what I deserve. I am surrounded by good friends and sweet family. I am loved even when I am not very loving. I have food on the table, shelter and clothes to wear. I am getting some wisdom in my old age. And I am only halfway through! Yea!!
This is the song I am singing today (though my taste these days runs a different direction, this has the familiar sound of my childhood, Gospel-music upbringing)~
People change and seasons end
Dreams scatter in the wind
But You are my constant friend
And Your love like an umbrella covers me
Lightening flashes all around
Tears wash away the ground
But still, I am safe and sound…
You and me? We’re engraved in His hand, written on His heart, watched over and comforted. Be blessed in knowing that…Jeanie
NOTE TO MY FRIENDS: The song, “Umbrella” is by The Isaacs, a family group. I LOVE the internet. You can find anything! Watch and hear the song here:
What is so stinking hard about that? Why is this the commandment we not only break regularly, but with great pride? "Oh, I am so swamped…I am soooo busy…I have this going and that going and – and – and…" And we are defeated and tired and broken down and lost in fatigue wondering where our spark has gone? There has to be more than this to life, right? Weren't we created for something more?
Here's how everybody knows when you haven't been keeping the Sabbath holy and making every effort to enter the rest God has for you…that's right – it is a GIFT! (see Hebrews 4). When:
you're crabby
you're habitually tired, worn out, fatigued
you have no joy, but deep frown lines
you are too important to be able to take a day off from work
you are restless, you allow no one around you any rest, either
you are burned out, stressed out
you can't breathe
you're unhumanly tired, but cannot sleep
you have general flu-like achiness all over, you swell up
your heart beats rapidly and you feel nervous
you feel like everything is about to blow up in your face
your mind is dull, even when you are working, you cannot seem to do it well, so you keep at it around-the-clock, 24/7 trying and trying and trying to no avail
Everybody knows. I do because, well, you know, it takes one to know one. I know for myself that when I move away from this gift of rest from God, from this invitation to keep one day of the week separate and holy and peaceful and restful, I fall right back into my striving, workaholism ways making me and everyone around me miserable. The more time I put into work, the less I get accomplished.
At the Sabbath rest intensive I attended recently (www.getthewordout.cc) Mary Jean gave us a list about what Sabbath, a day set apart to the Lord, a day to keep holy, really is. I want to share some that hit me between the eyes here. She said it is more than the absence of work. A Sabbath…
…gives us permission to stop…frees us from the need to be finished…gives us time to remember…is comfort…is time in God's Presence…allows the mind to rest in the heart, helps us surrender to quality time…is being still and knowing…makes me uniquely poised for God's Presence…is a time to play…is a time to pay attention…is prayerful thankfulness instead of prayerful petition…is an acknowledgement that we have enough…makes me unflinchingly useless – nothing will get done or be checked off my list; no goal will be accomplished, nothing will be measured…is time to ask the right questions: Lord, are your really first in my life? Am I seeing You? Am I hearing You?…is time to relax without guilt…is about trust – turning over to God all the things I am holding on to so tightly…is a day to which all other days have no claim…is a day to STOP doing what you ought to do…is for ceasing from the necessary and embracing that which gives life…doesn't let the future have power over our present…is for spending time producing nothing but adrenaline, laughter and memories…is a day God meant to fuss over us with, not us over it!
…is Father's gift to indulge us, bless us, heal us
Oh, my goodness – how would the Church look different if we would accept and receive and repent and obey in this one area alone? How would I look different, more like the woman God saw when He created me? How healed would our bodies and minds be? Would sleeping hard from playing hard bring the sweet sleep of our youth back? Would our brain chemicals get renewed and would we quit turning to food and pain pills and other chemical solutions for what ails us?
Work 6, rest 1…What is so hard about that and why do each of us believe we are the only person to whom that does not apply?…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Remember Him. Remember the Sabbath He made for me. Keep it holy. Get a life, get a healed life. Work 6 – no more than 6, then rest 1. Period. Trust Him. (That just made me think of an old Keith Green song, "Doing our best, pray that it's blessed, and then don't worry-He'll take care of the rest!")
