Thursday, December 22, 2005

Merry Christmas to all who visit my blog...



I'll be taking a blogging break after today, hopefully returning (Lord willing and if the creek don't rise, as they say in Texas), on January 4th, 2006.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish heartfelt Christmas blessings to those of you who take the time to stop by this blog. May you have a wonderful Christmas!

In my absence, I'd also like to invite you to check out some of my posts from this past year. Some are serious, some are fun--kind of like my blog itself!

Following the list of links to past blogs, as a Christmas card to my readers, I'm posting the lyrics to the wonderful Chris Rice song, "Welcome to Our World."

Best of 2005

My interview with Joni Eareckson Tada: The danger of "Million Dollar Baby"

Of Bill Maher and suffering and faith

My most admired women

Worshipping the goddess of anorexia???

I was evacuated out of the U.S. Capitol

And more harrowing adventures...

My interview with Schindler family attorney David Gibbs III

The debt I owe John Glenn

"Faithful Women":--my interview with Noel Piper


I'm in love with Taylor, the Latte Boy


What I have in common with Cindy Sheehan

My top 25 books of all time


Is anything as gripping as Handel's "Messiah"?


My favorite Christmas music

Welcome to Our World...
(For a sound clip of Chris playing the song on his The living Room Sessions Christmas CD, go here.)

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make yourself at home
Please make yourself at home

Bring your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world--Chris Rice

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Quote o' The Day

On political correctness at Christmas: "This overuse of the word 'offensive' is driving me out of my mind. Excuse me, sir, which part is more offensive, the 'peace on earth' or the 'goodwill toward men' rhetoric?"--Brad Stine

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

I created my own puzzle...

This is a pic of my daughter and my niece. Play! You can also create your own puzzle by clicking on the link.

Some of my favorite Christmas memories



Are there any Christmases past that stand out in your memory as especially wonderful, for whatever reason?

I have a few.

On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (I forget which!) of 1973, I was in my senior year of high school and my sister who lived in Utah at the time had just had a baby girl. My parents, my younger sister and younger brother and I were traveling up to Utah for Christmas, and we stopped for lunch at a ski resort in Monarch Pass, Colorado (pictured above.)

I will never forget the beauty of that Christmas lunch. We were seated near a fireplace, facing a window with a gorgeous view of people skiing down the slopes in the gently falling snow. Having lived most of my life in places where it didn't snow at Christmas, this was like walking into a live Christmas card. Beautiful! I was so filled with Christmas spirit, I was almost bursting.

One of the happiest Christmases I've spent in recent years was Christmas 2002. My oldest son was working in Ohio, and since he worked in a mall, he had Christmas Day off, but had to work both Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. We decided to take Christmas to him.

He lived in a little Victorian house in Cedarville, Ohio, where he had attended college at Cedarville University and where my second son was a student. All Jonathan's house-mates had gone home for Christmas, so we moved in. We stayed up for hours watching DVD's of Sports Night. I made Christmas goodies and we finished up our shopping at the mall where Jonathan worked.

On Christmas Day, I cooked a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and after dinner we drove around and looked at Christmas lights in the falling snow. It was wonderful...and it was the last Christmas we spent as just our immediate family, since Jonathan got married in January 2004.

Last Christmas, 2004, was also wonderful because I got to spend the holiday with my family in Texas. It was bittersweet because it was the first Christmas without my dad, who passed away in July 2004.

But it was also lovely, because I was surrounded by loved ones I normally don't get to be with at Christmas. One of the highlights was my mom taking all us "girls" to the see Ballet Austin and the Austin Symphony perform "The Nutcracker." That was truly a special occasion!


My niece Katie, my daughter Elizabeth, my beautiful mom, me, and my daughter-in-law Daylyn at "The Nutcracker"

I'm planning another trip to Texas this holiday season, and I can't wait to see my loved ones there.

What about you? Any special Christmas memories? I'd love to hear them...

Monday, December 19, 2005

Can anyone help this lady?


Looking for suggestions from lawyers, charitable workers, etc.

I got an e-mail and a phone call today from a listener who is in a rather desperate situation. She financially supports her half-sister, who lives with her. Bottom line is, the woman who lives with her has a trust fund that she is unable to freely access, apparently because of the attorney who handles it.

The woman who wrote me the e-mail has a good job, meaning she doesn't qualify for most government assistance.. but her resources are being drained and she has had to go bankrupt because she supports her half-sister completely.

If anyone has any suggestions I can pass along to this lady, I would be extremely grateful! Following is the e-mail, with names deleted.

"Dear Cindy. My name is P_____. I was at the West Riverside Walmart, where your dj's are doing the radio promotion thing today (Sunday). I told them of this situation, and they suggested to contact you, while giving me your name, telephone number and email address. They also said, if you couldn't help, you might know someone who could help. Thank you for your time and attention.

At this festive time of year we all like to think that God's in his heaven and all's right with the world. It's not. My friend,[actually her half-sister] L____ and her son--who live with me, are living below the poverty line. In one of the sub-sub basements. She's looking for work, but without money for transportation(monthly bus pass), she'll be lucky to find any place willing to hire her.
(There are places that won't touch you for employment unless you CAN answer 'yes" to having reliable transportation)

L____ does have money but she'll never have direct access to it. She has a trust that was set up by her grandfather over a decade ago. I'm not sure how much its worth(nor do I really care). With a trust L____ will never have driect access to, she'll never qualify for any government assistance program, LIHEAP, or even food stamps.

When L____ isn't working, as now, I have and do totally support her and her son 100% financially.

L_____ has never been judged unfit to handle her own affairs, and the reasons for the trust set up as it is, can't be logically explained.

L_____ has a trustee by the name of attorney S_____ R____.

I can't say R_____ hasn't given her anything ever. Over the course of nearly ten years, when L_____ approaches , hat in hand, attorney R____has given L___ either checks in the precise bill amounts, or money in the precise bill amounts. But regular help for L____, from her trust, doesn't occur on a regular basis. Every time L____ has had to beg, she's had to wait around 3 weeks for an answer about a request. On a couple of occasions, L_____ has had to wait over a month for an answer to a request.

I"m not too sure about the conditions of the trust. But this is getting to a point beyond ridiculous.
It's a strange situation for L_____. She's a middle aged woman, seeking more employment and she has a trust, with which she should be able to pay bills regularly. But L____ has learned to be extremely patient when dealing with Rudy, and hope for a positive response to any request from the trust.

We had the gas shut off from May until September of this year. Even though we had been paying on it. The ONLY reason we got the gas back on,
is L____ begged a freind of hers in Michigan to loan the money to pay the gas bill.
Her friend is mailing her a copy of the paid Nicor receipt somettime this week.
(Lynn wnats the receipt for her own records, to keep track of the loan).

We're coming close to Christmas, and although L____ has requested money to pay for particular bills over the next several months, she knows, from experience, that she won't get an answer from R____ before Christmas.

The times that L_____ has requested money, it's always for the bills. It's not for spending money. I doubt if she's ever asked for spending money.

After years of watching Lynn go through requesting anything from attorney R____, I'm not holding my breath for a timely response for L____. This is just going to be a Christmas where L_____ can't pay for anything, will worry about if she'll be able to pay the upcoming bills, and she knows she won't be able to do something even vaguely special for her now nearly legally grown son. [Her son is 17.]

We have house repairs we need to make, like fixing a few roof leaks before they destroy the inside of our house. The water heater died and needs replacing. But all of our priorities right now are just to survive.

I've been forced to file bankruptcy this year. While I"m paying the legal fees from that, there will be even less money to support myself, much less help L____ and her son J_____.

Thank you for reading this."

**************

Again, any suggestions would be gratefully accepted. If you have any ideas, please e-mail me--you can click on my contact button on my sidebar.

Friday, December 16, 2005

It's FRIDAY!!!


...and yes, I'm doing the Fridays Feast meme! Join me if you will...and post your answers here, or on your own blog.

Appetizer

What is a word that your family uses that would not be considered common?--Ever since I was a very little girl, my sisters and I have called a certain hair-do a "cricket." It's when you take both sides of your hair and put them up in a pony-tail, leaving the rest of your hair down...kind of a half-ponytail? (See the pic above--that's Hayley Mills with her hair in a cricket.) You see, there's no good way to describe that hairdo--it needed a name, so my sisters and I gave it one, and to this day, that hairdo, for us, is a cricket.


An actress playing "Clara" in the Nutcracker--wearing a cricket!


Soup

What theme of calendar do you have on your wall this year?--"Castles"--actual photographs of castles, mostly in Ireland, Germany and France. Really beautiful pictures, considering I got it at the dollar store!

Salad
Name 3 people you speak with on a daily basis.--My husband Doug, my daughter Elizabeth,and God. :)

Main Course
If you could put a new tattoo on someone you know - who would it be, what would the tattoo be of, and where would you put it on them?--I wouldn't. I really don't like tattoos.

Dessert
What is the last beverage you drank out of a glass bottle?--Grape juice. Love it!

And since this is Friday, and all about frivolity...

I leave you with a quiz. Have a blessed weekend!

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city girl with a small town heart
Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome
Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand
And gorgeous Italian men - could life get any better?

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Favorite Christmas Movies?

Dianne at Unfinished Work recently blogged about her favorite Christmas movies, and it got me thinking about my own favorites--movies that instantly put me in the Christmas spirit.

Last night, I watched the Patrick Stewart version of "A Christmas Carol" on TNT, and really enjoyed it. No matter how many times I see that story, in whatever version, I never fail to be delighted when Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning, a changed man!

Following is a re-run of something I posted last year about my favorite Christmas movies. And I certainly invite you to tell me yours!

************************
My radio co-host Darren Marlar got ahold of Blockbuster's top 10 holiday rentals (my faves on the list are in boldface):

1. The Santa Clause
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the 2000 live-action version with Jim Carrey)
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. White Christmas
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the 1966 animated version)
6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. It's a Wonderful Life
8. A Christmas Story
9. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
10. The Santa Clause II



It's a Wonderful Life, is in my opinion one of the best movies of all time, let alone Christmas movie. It definitely makes my top 5 list of best movies ever.

A few of my absolute favorites that didn't make the list:

Holiday Inn--Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, the debut of "White Christmas"--what more could you ask?

Scrooged--Bill Murray at his best--a little over the top, but definitely fun and ultimately heartwarming.

Home Alone--a classic...never fails to put me in the Christmas spirit. I can't hear the theme song, "Somewhere in My Memory" without getting all emotional (click here for a sound clip.

The sequels fail to engender the same magic as the original. Home Alone 2 was all about how much pain could be inflicted on the two criminals played by Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci, and I didn't even bother with Home Alone 3.

What are YOUR favorites?

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

The one in which I'm super-blessed by Superblessed


I am the very honored recipient of the Superblessed Blog Award for Most Enjoyable Female Christian Blog (International, Non-Filipino)! Actually, I tied for the award with Shalom's Web.

Ganns of Superblessed writes: "Cindy Swanson is a great encourager who uses her gifts to testify of God's goodness, and Jan Bishop's musings on life and her faith have always served to encourage me and challenge my own faith in positive ways."

Thanks so much, Ganns...you made my day! Congratulations to the other Superblessed winners, as well.

More Christmas music stuff...

I'll admit it...some Christmas music is just awful. I hate it when people take a perfectly good Christmas carol and destroy it by making crazy, totally unwarranted changes.

However, sometimes an artist is able to put his/her flavor into the song, making it even better. I found a couple of comments I made during past Christmases about favorite Christmas music, which I now re-post:

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!

My very favorite version of this song is the one by Sixpence None the Richer, which we play here on 101QFL. Leigh Nash's oddly lovely and lilting voice, and almost childlike quality in the speaking parts, really lends itself perfectly to this whimsical tune.

Apparently this reviewer of the 1999 Christmas compilation album, Happy Christmas Volume Two, agrees with me: "If you buy the CD for only one song, it would have to be Sixpence None the Richer's 'You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch.' Their oddball rendition is just too much fun..." (12/17/03)

Heard Enya's version of "Silent Night"...

...on the way into work this morning, and it was eerily beautiful. It was in Gaelic, which I find strange and lovely. When I hear Irish music, something calls out to me on a deep and primitive level. Some people think there is a something deep within us that connects with the country or countries that figured prominently in our ancestry. I think there may be something to that...else why have I been inexplicably drawn to Ireland ever since I was a little girl? I have strong Irish strains on both sides of my family tree.


Enya, by the way, is the sister of Christian singer Maire (pronounced Moya)Brennan, whose voice and style is much like her sister's, but has a lot more Christian and spiritual content. I have one of her CD's, "Perfect Time," and like it very much.--(12/11/03)

Monday, December 12, 2005

A Very Brady Christmas?!?

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Very Brady Christmas

For you, it's all about sharing times with family.
Even if you all get a bit cheesy at times.


OK, just thought that would be a fun thing to do on a Monday morning.

I've been enjoying this Christmas season immensely so far. I have totally enjoyed decorating my new home (we've lived here since March). It's the first place I've ever lived that had a fireplace, so decorating the mantel and having an actual place from which to hang stockings has been cool.

Contributing to the overall Christmassy effect has been the fact that we've already had a few lovely snowfalls of the most picturesque, picture-postcard variety. Gorgeous!

And as always, I've been enjoying Christmas music to the hilt. We had our Christmas cantata at church last night...Doug and I both sang in it, and I think it turned out great. It was "If Jesus Had Not Come," by Mac Lynch and Ken Collier. Really beautiful songs, and a touching readers' theater that takes the "It's a Wonderful Life" premise and applies it to the Christmas story--what if Jesus had never been born?

Please don't ask me about Evie...

I've been getting inundated with requests for Evie Tornquist Karlsson music, lyrics, guitar chords, CD's, you name it...but the sad reply is "I don't know!"

Yes, I was able to interview Evie a year ago, and it was a great experience. In the interview, Evie mentioned that she had recorded a new Christmas album and hoped to have it available this Christmas. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get ahold of her to confirm anything. I've e-mailed her repeatedly and have not gotten a reply. Also, I really know nothing about how to find her music. I've suggested E-bay and amazon.com, but other than that, I'm stumped.

I promise, if I hear from Evie, you'll be the first to know.

Thanks for the birthday wishes...

I have to say this birthday (Saturday) was one of the nicest ones in recent memory. I got to spend a lot of quality time with my hubby, and he made it a very special day, as did other friends and loved ones.

Friday, December 09, 2005

Burlap to Cashmere's Johnny Philippidis resting at home



I've been following the situation with the B2C guitarist/vocalist who was brutally beaten and left for dead November 17 . A few days ago I reported that Philippidis had been released from Brooklyn's Lutheran Medical Center.

Well, I just got off the phone with Johnny's sister Nicole, who tells me that her brother is dividing his time between rehab and resting comfortably at his mom's house.

"I'm just so happy that so many people are praying for him," says Nicole. "I really think the prayers are working; it's almost a miracle that he's been healing so rapidly."

She's especially amazed at the success of a seven-hour reconstructive surgery, which she says "went beautifully."

Nicole is asking for continued prayers for a full recovery for Johnny, including for one of his eyes that is still swollen shut.

She says the first couple of days after Johnny emerged from a medically-induced coma were "scary," as her brother was not himself. But then, she says, "things started processing." She says Johnny has only a hazy memory of what happened to him, but doctors say that memory could easily return.

(In the meantime, authorities continue to investigate the criminal aspect of the incident. 25-year-old Jonathan Goody is a suspect in the beating.)

As for the re-uniting of Burlap to Cashmere at some point in the future, Nicole says, "Oh, yeah, that's definitely going to happen." She says a friend brought to the hospital the demo that Philippidis and his cousin Steven Delopoulos had just completed before the accident, and she says it was exciting to hear it.

Known as a wonderfully gifted guitarist, Nicole says Johnny Philippidis has only picked up a guitar once in recent days--and that was to tune the guitar of a friend. But we can all continue to hope and pray that his talents will be fully restored in the not-too-distant future.

Happy Birthday to Me!


Well, it's actually tomorrow, but since I normally don't blog on the weekennds, I thought I'd jump the gun a little. This may be the last birthday that I claim, so I'm going to milk this one to the hilt!

Everyone have a blessed and joyful weekend!

Thursday, December 08, 2005

2005 Carol of the Year

Every year, Christmas carol expert William Studwell declares a "Carol of the Year." This year, Studwell's choice is "Angels We Have Heard on High."

Studwell, a Northern Illinois University professor emeritus now retired and living in Indiana, knows his stuff when it comes to Christmas carols.


Christmas carol expert William Studwell

A family Christmas gift exchange in the 70's started Studwell on his path to carol expertise. When the exchange called for handmade gifts, Studwell put together a pamphlet about carols, doing the research and creating the book himself.



Since then, Studwell has written four books and more than 50 journal articles about carols. I was able to interview him earlier this week for my interview show, "Weekend Rockford." Studwell tells me that I have been interviewing him for about 15 years now--time flies!

What qualifies "Angels We Have Heard on High" as 2005 Carol of the Year? Says Studwell, "It has a very fine main melody--aesthetic, sensitive, graceful--sophisticated, actually. It's high quality, and has a tremendously elastic refrain that you can do so much with. And the words are good too...it just kind of carries you over the mountains, over the clouds...and the 'Gloria in excelsis Deo' just elevates you!"

Studwell says, other than it being French and probably from the late 18th century, the exact origins of the song are unclear. He believes it was probably written, not by a peasant or a troubadour, but by someone with some education and musical knowledge.

The song was first published in 1855, probably some 100 years after it was written.

Will Christmas carols survive political correctness?

I had to ask this Christmas carol expert what he thinks about the current trend of either replacing or butchering traditional carols in the interest of political correctness. Predictably, he's disturbed.

"Very much so," says Studwell. "I'm a centrist--I'm not one of those left-wing crazies or right-wing crazies--but political correctness is absolutely ridiculous...It's getting worse, but there's a big counter-offensive, and I believe it will ultimately fail."

Studwell says there's already a "tremendous backlash" to the attack on Christmas, and he believes Christmas carols will survive. "Carols should live on for many, many years. Long live the carol."

What's YOUR favorite traditional Christmas carol? I love many of them, but I think I have to go with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." I find it soul-stirring, joyful, and packed full of theology all at the same time!

Go here for more information on the history of "Angels We Have Heard on High."

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

And the Grinchiness goes on...and on...


John Whitehead

I never thought I'd see the day that it was deemed politically incorrect and intolerant to say the word "Christmas" at CHRISTMAS, but folks, we're there.

Not a day goes by that we don't hear about some large retailer refusing to use the word in their brochures or in-store signage, and public schools continue to think they have to change the lyrics of Christmas carols beloved for centuries and forbid kids from exchanging Christmas cards.

There are stirrings of a major backlash, though. Americans are famous for not wanted to be told what they can and cannot say. Even Saturday Night Live had a skit last week obviously poking fun at the Christmas nay-sayers, with a choir singing "Silent night, regular night," and "How Ya Doin'?" instead of the Hallelujah Chorus. We can only hope the backlash gains momentum.

Meantime, the Alliance Defense Fund has launched a campaign they're calling Say Christmas: "ADF wants all Americans to know the Truth—that they have the freedom to celebrate Christmas publicly, joyfully, and without fear—for generations to come! We are launching our annual national Christmas Project™ to spread the message, “Merry Christmas. It’s okay to say it.™”

And in the spirit of the season--yep, the CHRISTMAS season...I'm re-posting an interview I did last year with John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute.
It remains timely!

My interview with John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute

CINDY: John, thank you so much for being with us today.

JOHN: Thank you for having me on.

CINDY: We're having some people call in and tell us some things that are
going on around the area in relation to Christmas programs in local public schools, specifically the Harlem School District [in northern Illinois.]

And apparently they had a Christmas program and some parents called us upset because the use of the word Christmas was specifically banned, apparently, from the music...to the extent that instead of singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" they changed it to "We Wish You a Happy Season"..."O Christmas Tree" changed to "O Turkey Dear"...and "The Twelve Day of Christmas" they actually changed to a cute little song about McDonald's.

And it got us thinking, what exactly is allowed? What can be done as far as Christmas?

And that took me to your website, John, to the Rutherford Institute website. You have a thing there called The Twelve Rules of Christmas that goes into detail explaining about that. And I want to get into that, but first of all, John, for people who may not be familiar with it, what is the Rutherford Institute?


JOHN: It's an organization I started a little over 20 years ago to fight in the courtroom and educate on public issues.

We've taken on literally thousands of lawsuits over the years since then, and when we take a case we do not charge, that was the idea. I raise money from public donations and when we take on a case we make sure the client doesn't have to pay, because most people can't afford lawyers and they can't afford a court battle. We use attorneys across the country in all 50 states that donate their time, and without that, we couldn't move forward.

So that's what we do, and we specialize in religious freedom over the years and have won number of cases.

CINDY: Well John, it seems to me--maybe it's just my imagination--but it seems to me that this Christmas is worse than it's ever been, as far as the thought police and the politically correct police being out and about making sure that this holiday, which is in fact the celebration of Jesus' birth, is completely taken away from Christ and from any mention of Jesus.

Is that my imagination or do you see it getting worse in some quarters?

"...more ludicrous and crazy each year"

JOHN: It's happening all over the country. It's not getting better, it's getting worse, you're absolutely correct. You know, we really started seeing these cases worsen in the mid-90's. And I thought, with some Christian resurgence in the country and those kind of things, that maybe things would get better. But the thing is, it has worsened; the cases become more ludicrous and more crazy each year. There is, in my opinion, and I don't know where it's coming from, but if you want to use the word "agenda" in the public schools of America to completely secularize the public schools,and specifically, do away with any Christian references.

We had a weird case four or five years ago where in a Christmas play a child wore in a green and red scarf and the child was told he couldn't wear the scarf because it was the "Christian" color. So, it's gotten worse, I mean, just some of the examples you've given me of what's happening in your area. The "O Turkey Dear" is one of the craziest things I've ever heard, or singing hymns to McDonald's of all places.

So it's gotten worse, yeah. And the thing is that we emphasize with our Twelve Rules of Christmas, is that none of this stuff is illegal. You can celebrate Christmas in the schools, you can do all kinds of things.

"Offend no one"

What it is, and you nailed it, is political correctness, and the golden rule of our public schools which is "Don't offend anyone...offend no one." So that's what's happening. But I think, unfortunately, a lot of schools allow Hannukah and Kwaanza (but) at the same time they don't allow any kind of Christian references in songs.

CINDY: You were saying their mantra is "Don't offend anyone," but they ARE offending a sizable group of people, and that's the Christians.

JOHN: Exactly. I think the one group they don't care about offending is the Christians.

CINDY: Tell me about...as far as the Christmas songs...what is allowed?

JOHN: Well, you can have Christmas songs and Christmas plays, as long as it's part of a larger program where you have the so-called secular songs. You can sing "O Come All Ye Faithful" or the traditional Christmas songs. You can teach about it in the classroom, the Christmas holiday...you can mention the baby Jesus and Joseph and Mary...you know, Luke 2, in the New Testament--you can tell that, that's history. As long as it's taught objectively and it's part of history. So there's all kinds of things teachers and students can do.

Yeah, you can have Christmas programs in the schools. The only reason they're not occurring is that the schools just don't want to do it.



CINDY: What should parents do to battle this kind of political correctness that's run amuck?

"What it takes is a fight"

JOHN: Get educated, number one. I'd get a copy of "The Twelve Rules of Christmas" which you can download from our website, or call our toll-free number (1-800-225-1791) we can give you a free copy of the pamphlet. Take it to your teacher, take it to your schools right now, get it right away, and say "This is legal, why aren't you doing it?" I'd pressure 'em, get together a group of parents that are concerned...go to them in a group.

Usually it takes one parent that says, "Hey, I don't like these Christian Christmas songs," and they cancel 'em. Unfortunately, the Christians very seldom stand up.

So, what it takes is a fight. You have to get educated and go in armed with your pamphlets. You know, we've actually written schools and threatened to sue them, and the reason they back down is it's not against the law. And the reason we
send those letters or call schools is because parents call us and say, "We want you to stand up for us," and you have to stand up and fight back.

"One parent can change history"

CINDY: Do you know of instances where parents have gone to the school board and actually gotten things changed, just through being vocal?

JOHN: Yes. That's the key, being vocal. To show you, we just won a case in northern Virginia where the PTA ,to raise money, the parents could buy bricks to put around the flagpole, and they could put names or symbols. So a few parents bought the bricks for 25 dollars and put a little cross on them and their child's name, and one parent complained that they didn't like the crosses... and the school went out and took metal plates and put over those bricks.

We sued the school and won in court, but it took that one parent to change, then we had to go in and file a lawsuit to get those right back. But like I said, one parent can change history.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Burlap to Cashmere's Johnny Philippidis released from hospital


Johnny Philippidis of the recently reunited Burlap to Cashmere was to be released from the hospital yesterday after being brutally beaten and left for dead on November 17.
Neil Gorman, public relations director of Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, left a voice message for me yesterday saying the Philippidis family was busy arranging his discharge yesterday. Gorman says he spoke with Johnny yesterday and that he was "looking good." He says the discharge is good news, as Philippidis will be able to continue his recovery at home.

I'm hoping to hear from a member of the Philippidis family to get more details about Johnny's condition, but until then, we can hopefully construe his discharge as a positive sign. Please continue to pray for his recovery.

Monday, December 05, 2005

You have GOT to see this...



A man in Mason, Ohio got incredibly creative with his Christmas lights, choreographing them to music in an amazing display. Go to my colleague Darren Marlar's website and click on the link there.

And in case you're cynical (like me), Snopes.com confirms the veracity of the story here:

"This display was the work of Carson Williams of Mason, Ohio, who spent about three hours sequencing the 88 Light-O-Rama channels that control the 16,000 Christmas lights in his 2004 holiday lighting spectacular. The musical accompaniment is broadcast over a low-power radio station so that it is only audible to visitors tuned in to the correct frquency and doesn't disturb the neighbors."

The music Williams used is the Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter." Which reminds me...although I'm not crazy about all of the Trans Siberian Orchestra's stuff, I really do like "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo" and "A Mad Russian's Christmas"--they're so wildly, in-your-face joyful!



I've loved your comments so far about your favorite Christmas music. Some of your favorites prompted a "how could I have forgotten!?" reaction for me...like Steven Curtis Chapman's "The Music of Christmas." Steven has a new Christmas CD out this year, "All I Really Want for Christmas." Don't miss the track in which one of Steven's adopted daughers, Shaohanna, recites the Christmas story. Adorable.

And it only seems appropriate at this time for me to post my pic with Steven, taken a few years ago at the Gospel Music Association Convention. As I've said many times, Steven is the real deal when it comes to Christian musicians who authentically live out their faith. I've been delighted to be able to interview him a couple of times.



Please keep the Christmas music suggestions and favorites coming...I'm lovin' it!

Friday, December 02, 2005

My favorite Christmas music...

OK, I have to say, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas music! There are certain Christmas albums that are staples for me during this season. More on some of those in a moment...but first, to tell you about a few newer ones that I'm now enjoying.

My Radio 91 co-worker, Charmel, was kind enough to give me a copy of Point of Grace's new CD, Winter Wonderland. Now, as you'll read in a moment, the first POG Christmas CD is one of my all-time favorites, but after just a few listens to this new one, I can tell it's going to take its place among my favorites as well.



Another one I'm enjoying for the second year is the soundtrack to the movie "Elf." It includes a lot of happy, lighthearted classics sung by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold--including a song my son Jonathan absolutely detests: "Santa Baby," sung by Eartha Kitt.

For a more contemplative and worshipful mood...My husband surprised me the other day with Handel's Messiah, performed by the London Philharmonic and boxed with a lovely Thomas Kinkade print. I've never had a really good recording of Messiah, which I've always loved (and recently blogged about), so I was thrilled.

James Taylor has always been one of my favorite singers, so I'm really enjoying his Christmas CD...several favorites sung in his inimitable laid-back, folksy style. His version of "Go Tell it on the Mountain" is vintage James. I love it.

Another of my favorites this year can't be bought in stores. My son Justin compiled a CD that he calls "Soulful Christmas." It includes Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas," a few from Kirk Franklin and the Family, Stevie Wonder, Take 6 and others. I'm loving it!
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Here's something I wrote a few years ago about Christmas music, lifted from my website:

The Soundtrack of Christmas


Christmas music I love...

There are certain musical sounds that have formed the backdrop of Christmas for me...some in years past,and some in more recent years. I can remember growing up to the lilting sounds of Brenda Lee's "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"! In junior high,I was introduced by an incredible music teacher to the majesty and wonder of Handel's "Messiah." The strains of "For Unto Us a Son is Born" never fail to stir me, and I could make a good case for "The Hallelujah Chorus" being sung in Heaven!

When I was in Bible college, Evie Tornquist was all the rage. I still enjoy Evie's "Come On,Ring those Bells"!

Years ago,my sister gave me a Christmas tape of the Oak Ridge Boys. I've since lost it, and would love to have the CD. I can remember playing it for my little sons at night while they went to sleep during the Christmas season.

Some of my favorite Christmas music is more contemporary, but several have quickly become standards in our home. Here are a few:



For the fourth year I'm thoroughly enjoying Michael W. Smith's "Christmastime." I heartily recommend it.

No one is going to pretend Smitty is an awesome vocalist, but he is, in my opinion,a musical genius, and there is something endearing about his voice, too. The arrangements and orchestration are absolutely gorgeous as well. This is one of my very favorite Christmas albums. It is the perfect, joyous blend of the lighthearted and the reverent. Now I can't imagine the Christmas season without it.

His first Christmas album (I believe it was just titled "Christmas"), also remains a Christmas season staple for me, but it has a much different tone. The first album is more quiet and worshipful overall.

All of Amy Grant's Christmas albums are great,but my personal favorite is "Home for Christmas." It has become a seasonal classic in our home.


Also once again enjoying Point of Grace's Christmas C-D...I believe it's called "A Christmas Story." Lush, shimmery, angelic female four-part harmony, with a nice balance of the sacred and the secular.

And one of the best Christmas albums EVER...4Him's "Season of Love". I can't come up with enough superlatives for this one. . 4Him's version of "Little Drummer Boy" is one of my favorites...and "Strange Way to Save the World" is beautiful and poignant. A must-have!
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Ok, time to share. What are YOUR favorites/recommendations?

Thursday, December 01, 2005

I've been tagged again!


David Fisher of Pilgrim Scribblings tagged me with what he calls a Trinity of Questions:

1. What comes to mind/what is your heart's response when you think of or hear the word..."CALVARY"?--Amazing love, grace and mercy of which I am so unworthy but for which I am eternally grateful.

2. What would you like to have inscribed on your tombstone?--Probably just something like "loving wife and mother." I wish I could come up with something really clever, like Benjamin Franklin's:

"The Body of
B. Franklin, Printer
Like the Cover of an old Book
Its Contents turn out
And Stript of its Lettering & Guilding
Lies here. Food for Worms
For, it will as he believed
appear once more
In a new and more elegant Edition
corrected and improved
By the Author"

3. Which attribute of God do you find yourself revelling in the most? --The fact that He is Love...because that's what I need the most. I also love the sovereignty of God...I take great comfort in the fact that everything in my life happens according to His plan. Nothing takes Him by surprise.
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