A Quote to Start Things Off

""I'd love to go to Santa Fe at some point, Emmett said, but for the time being, I need to go to New York. The panhandler stopped laughing and adopted a more serious expression. Well. that's life in a nutshell, aint it. Lovin' to go to one place and havin' to go to another. Amor Towles in the Lincoln Highway.

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Pictures of Memories I

Pictures of Memories I
Snow kidding! These "kids" now range from 17 to 23
Showing posts with label CCM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CCM. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

72 Reasons to celebrate Randy Stonehill's 72nd birthday.

Last year at this time I commemorated Sir Randy Stonehill's 71st birthday by sharing 71 of my favorite songs of his on this blog. As he is adding a candle on his birthday cake this year, I am upping my 71 song salute to a half gross.  I was able to see Randy at 2 concerts since he turned 71.  One with Phil Keaggy last Fall, and a few weeks ago I crossed the border into Missouri to catch an epic solo concert.

In tribute to that performance I am including every song I can find on the internet that he performed at that concert. All of the songs he perfformed on March 2nd in St. Louis are listed in Bold Letters (Just in case you don't know what Bold Letters look like, they look like this.)Many of his songs can be found on Spotify.  Songs I could not find on Spotify, I found on BandCamp.  Songs I could not find in either place I pulled from you-tube or Patreon.

1. Irresistable Future - Mystery Highway

 2. Faithful - Until We Have Wings 


   

 3. Get Me Out of Hollywood- Get me Out of Hollywood 

4. The Last Day - Not on Album Yet.  Video from Randy's Patreon Page 

 5. Christmas Song For All Year 'Round - Welcome To Paradise  

 6. I Love You - Born Twice  
 7. Norman's Kitchen - Born Twice 

8. Bad Fruit -The Sky Is Falling
   

 9. Still Small Voice - Celebrate This Heartbeat  
 10. Christine - Between The Glory And The Flame

 

 11. Can Hell Burn Hot Enough - Until We Have Wings

   

 12. Light Of The World - Equator
   
13. First Prayer - Welcome To Paradise



14. Keep Me Runnin' - Welcome To Paradise

  

15. Stop The World - Celebrate This Heartbeat  
  16. Sunday's Child - Mystery Highway


 17. Love Beyond Reason - Love Beyond Reason  18. Ramada Inn (Live) - Until We Have Wings  19. Everything But Love - Stonehill  20. Didn't It Rain - Until We Have Wings  21. One True Love - The Sky Is Falling  22. Until Your Love Broke Through- Love Beyond Reason  23. Celebrate This Heartbeat - Celebrate This Heartbeat  24. The Hope of Glory - The Wild Frontier  25. Modern Myth - Celebrate This Heartbeat  26. Can't Buy A Miracle - Can't Buy A Miracle  27. Leonard Has A Toaster - Lost Art Of Listening  28. Glory And The Flame - Between The Glory And The Flame  

 29. Stand Like Steel - Return To Paradise  30. Hand of God - Thirst
   

 31. Barbie Nation - Wonderama

 32. Old Clothes - Until We Have Wings

 33. Charlie The Weatherman - Stories 

 34. Try Havin' Some Faith - Spirit Walk

 35. Turning Thirty - Equator






36. Lazarus Heart - Lazarus Heart 



37. This Old Face - Lost Art Of Listening 

38. Baby Hates Clowns - Thirst 

39. Strong Hand Of Love - Welcome To Paradise 

40. Stormy Winds- Uncle Stonehill's Hat  

41. Die Young - Between The Glory And The Flame 

42. Who Will Save The Children - Celebrate This Heartbeat  

43. Arriving to Depart: Not yet on album 
(Pulled from You Tube video from Jan 24 concert, song begins at approximately 19:00)  


44. King Of Hearts: Welcome To Paradise 

45. That's The Way It Goes (Live) - Edge Of The World 


46. Shut De Do (Live) - Equator

  


47. Jesus - Breath Of God   


48. Big Ideas (In The Shrinking World) 49. Beginning Of The Living End - Lost Art of Listening





50. Broken Places - Spirit Walk  51. Hymn - Love Beyond Reason 


52. Billy Frank - The Lost Art Of Listening
 



53. Venezuela - The Sky Is Falling 





54. What Do You Want From Life? - The Wild Frontier 




55.Brighter Day - Can't Buy A Miracle  56. Get Together - The Wild Frontier 




57. Ready To Go - Welcome To Paradise 


58.Rachel Delevoryas - Wonderama  




59.In Jesus Name - Lazarus Heart  60.Last Time I Saw Eden - Spirit Walk  61. Everything You Know (Is Incorrect) - Thirst 


62.I've Got News For You (Paradise Sky Version) Welcome To Paradise - 


63. When I'm Afraid Lazarus Heart  




64.When I Look To The Mountains - Celebrate This Heartbeat 


65.Mercy In The Shadow Land - Lost Art Of Listening 


66. Backwards On Her Bike - Mystery Highway  67.Cosmetic Fixation - Equator 


68.A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept - Lazarus Heart 


69. The Keeper Of The Bear - Thirst

  



70. I Don't Ever Want To Live Without You - Return To Paradise 




71. One Last Song Before I Say Goodbye - Not yet recorded on an album





72. Life is Tough, God Is Good - Spirit Walk




 Happy Birthday Randy! I encourage anyone who spends time listening to these songs to buy some or all of them on Band  Camp.  Also you can sponsor Rand's ministry on his Patreon page.  

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Happy Birthday Randy Stonehill! A 71 song salute.

On this Day March 12th, 1951 fellow baby boomer and my favorite singer   Randy Stonehill was born in California. He turns 71 today and to celebrate I will link 71 of my favorite songs (and yes, I have that many)  of his here on this very happy birthday post.  Many of these songs can be found on Spotify.  All of these songs are available for purchase at Bandcamp. Note: Songs are listed from the album they originally appeared. The song is not always being played from that album.

1. Never Can Repay - Born Twice

 

 2. Faithful - Until We Have Wings 


   

 3. Get Me Out of Hollywood- Get me Out of Hollywood

4. Starlings - Return To Paradise 5. Christmas Song For All Year 'Round - Welcome To Paradise  

 6. I Love You - Born Twice  
 7. Norman's Kitchen - Born Twice

8. Bad Fruit -The Sky Is Falling
   

 9. Still Small Voice - Celebrate This Heartbeat  
 10. Christine - Between The Glory And The Flame

 

 11. Can Hell Burn Hot Enough - Until We Have Wings

   

 12. Light Of The World - Equator
   
13. First Prayer - Welcome To Paradise



14. Keep Me Runnin' - Welcome To Paradise

 

15. Stop The World - Celebrate This Heartbeat  
  16. Sunday's Child - Mystery Highway


17. Love Beyond Reason - Love Beyond Reason 18. Ramada Inn (Live) - Until We Have Wings 19. Everything But Love - Stonehill 20. Didn't It Rain - Until We Have Wings 21. One True Love - The Sky Is Falling 22. Until Your Love Broke Through- Love Beyond Reason 23. Celebrate This Heartbeat - Celebrate This Heartbeat 24. The Hope of Glory - The Wild Frontier 25. Modern Myth - Celebrate This Heartbeat 26. Can't Buy A Miracle - Can't Buy A Miracle 27. Leonard Has A Toaster - Lost Art Of Listening 28. Glory And The Flame - Between The Glory And The Flame  

 29. Stand Like Steel - Return To Paradise 30. Hand of God - Thirst
   

 31. Barbie Nation - Wonderama

32. Old Clothes - Until We Have Wings

33. Charlie The Weatherman - Stories 

34. Try Havin' Some Faith - Spirit Walk

35. Turning Thirty - Equator






36. Lazarus Heart - Lazarus Heart



37. This Old Face - Lost Art Of Listening

38. Baby Hates Clowns - Thirst

39. Strong Hand Of Love - Welcome To Paradise

40. Curious - Uncle Stonehill's Hat

41. Die Young - Between The Glory And The Flame

42. Who Will Save The Children - Celebrate This Heartbeat  

43. We Were All So Young - Edge Of The World

44. King Of Hearts

45. That's The Way It Goes (Live) - Edge Of The World


46. Shut De Do (Live) - Equator

 


47. Jesus - Breath Of God  


48. Big Ideas (In The Shrinking World) 49. The Gods Of Men - Love Beyond Reason




50. Broken Places - Spirit Walk 51. Hymn - Love Beyond Reason


52. Billy Frank - The Lost Art Of Listening
 



53. Venezuela - The Sky Is Falling 





54. What Do You Want From Life? - The Wild Frontier




55.Brighter Day - Can't Buy A Miracle 56. Get Together - The Wild Frontier




57. Ready To Go - Welcome To Paradise


58. Sing In Portugese - Wonderama


59.In Jesus Name - Lazarus Heart 60.Last Time I Saw Eden - Spirit Walk 61. Everything You Know (Is Incorrect) - Thirst


62.I've Got News For You (Paradise Sky Version) Welcome To Paradise -


63. Awfully Loud World - Can't Buy A Miracle 




64.When I Look To The Mountains - Celebrate This Heartbeat


65.Mercy In The Shadow Land - Lost Art Of Listening


66. Backwards On Her Bike - Mystery Highway 67.Cosmetic Fixation - Equator


68.A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept - Lazarus Heart


69. The Keeper Of The Bear - Thirst

 



70. I Don't Ever Want To Live Without You - Return To Paradise




71. Finish Well - Spirit Walk
Happy Birthday Randy! I encourage anyone who spends time listening to these songs to buy some or all of them on Bandy Camp and give Randy a gift for the wonderful music he's been giving to us for a half-century.

Friday, January 6, 2023

The Music of Poetry - The Pain That plagues Creation

Hello, Poetry Fridayers.

On the Poetry Friday that took place on June 30th, 2022.  I shared the inaugural Poetry of Music post and stated I wanted to share songs that were more like poems set to music about once a month or so.  6 months later, here I am sharing the next installment. I landed a lot closer to the or so part of my prognostication than the once a month part.  


Today's song comes from the  late Mark Heard, producer, singer, songwriter, and poet all wrapped into one.  Mark Heard died in the Summer of 1992 a few weeks after having a heart attack while performing at the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnell, Illinois.

My last post contained a bit of a lament on some of  the present difficulties associated with my life at this  time.  The Pain That Plagues Creation is a haunting  reminder that while  life is  fraught with difficulty it also equally fraught with hope.. 

The Pain That Plagues Creation
By Mark Heard

As this planet falls around the sun
Trapping us in the orbit
Creation groans in unison
Like a race of frightened orphans

The darkness of this raging storm 
Is covering up our portals
But a yearning for the light is born
In the heart of every mortal

And day to day we ache
With the pain that plagues creation
Night to night we lie awake
And await its restoration

Heaven knows our lonely ways
Heaven knows our sorrows
Heaven knows the things that we don't know
And the joy of eternal tomorrows

But through this glass we dimly see
This world as it was made
And the good we know must surely flow
From the heart of a kind creator

And day to day we ache
With the pain that plagues creation
Night to night we lie awake
And await its restoration

So hold on in this restless age
And do not fear your shadow
Your alternating tears and praise
Are prayers that surely will matter

And day to day we ache
With the pain that plagues creation
Night to night we lie awake
And await its restoration






 The Pain that Plagues Creation appears on the Mark Heard album, Eye of the Storm.  You can find the lyrics by clicking here.

Thanks for Catherine Flynn for hosting this weeks Poetry Friday at Reading To The Core.  
Thanks also to my wife Amy for listening to me read the lyrics to her even though we had already said good night.  

Love, Dave

Friday, October 21, 2022

Keith Green and Rich Mullins celebrate another posthumous birthday.

In the world of Contemporary Music their are few bigger names than Keith Green and Rich Mullins. Admittedly, there are literally  bigger names as the aforementioned take up only 5 combined syllables and fit comfortably  on the 1/3 of the first line of this text.  Their actual names may be small but their impact on the lives of believers has been great indeed,

Keith Green share many of the same attributes including the same birthday, today, October 21st (Keith in 1953, and Rich in 1955). They were both gifted musicians and lyricists.  They both were outspoken in their faith and counter cultural in their approach to ministry.  They also died very young in vehicular accidents.  

Due to a plane crash in 1982, Keith Green did not live to see his 30th birthday and Mullins who covered a Green song on the 1992 tribute album No Compromise died in a car crash in 1997, just over a month before his 42nd birthday.  


  

Green before his conversion to Christianity was headed to a career as a rock and roll teen sensation.  The below footage is from a guest appearance on the panel show I've got a Secret when he was 11 years old.  After revealing his secret The youngster performs one of the songs he composed.  


     

It is no secret that the music, the vulnerability, and the passion of both Green and Mullins has informed my own journey.  It is fitting that they shared the same birthday , the same passion for Christ and the same method of expressing that passion.  They also share a place in my heart for how their music and ministry still inspires me to this day.

Thursday, June 30, 2022

The Poetry of Music: How Can They Live Without Jesus

 I have really enjoyed my short time as part of the Poetry Friday community.  Up until a month ago or so, I would just occasionally see links to it on some of the blogs I follow.  It wasn't until 4 weeks ago that I started posting there.

I love music, and I have a very eclectic taste in music.  There are many things I enjoy about music, but I think overall I am drawn to the lyrics.  Today's "Poem" is actually lyrics from a song that I think would make excellent poetry.  I think once a month or so, I will share some of these songs here and post them as well to Poetry Friday, which by the way is being hosted this week by Janice at Salt City Verse.

Today's Poem/Song is How Can They Live Without Jesus by the late Keith  Green. 

Before I reveal the lyrics, a few quick comments about them and the writer.  Keith Green was a contemporary Christian musician (CCM)  from the mid-'70s to the late '80s who died in a plane crash in 1982. He was a gifted pianist, singer, and songwriter. 

This song has a very strong and clear Christian message. It is a message that many may take umbrage with.  I don't share it here to be divisive or evangelical.  While I agree with the tone and the message of the song, I share it here because I think it's great poetry. I find it thought-provoking, and at the same time, it is enjoyable.  

How Can They Live Without Jesus 

How can they live without Jesus? 

How can they live without Gods love?

How can they feel so at home down here,

When there's so much more up above?


Throwing away the things that matter,

They hold on to things that don't.

The world has gone crazy, 

But soon maybe,

A lot more are gonna know.


For maybe they don't understand it

Or maybe they just haven't heard

Or maybe we're not doing all we can

Living up to His Holy Word.


'Cause phonies have come 

And wrongs been done

Even killing in Jesus' name

And if you've been burned,

Here's what I've learned:

The Lord's not the one to blame.


For He's just not religion

With steeples and bells 

Or a salesman who will sell you

The things you just want to hear


For His love was such

That he suffered so much

To cause some of us

Just to follow, follow


So many laughing at Jesus

While the funnies thing That He's done

Is love this old stubborn rebellious world

While their hate for him just goes on


And love just like that

Will bring Him back

for the few, He can call his friends

The ones He's found true

Who've made it through

Enduring until the end

The ones He's found true

Who've made it through

Enduring until the end


If you are interested in hearing the song, here is a rendition by the CCM vocal group, Glad.






How can they live without Jesus appears on the Kieth Green album, No Compromise.  


I wrote a poem this week which will have to keep until next Poetry Friday.  For more of this week's, festivities click here.


Sunday, April 17, 2022

I May Have This Read at my Funeral


 Today is Easter Sunday.  Well it still is in my time zone.  After church today I was driving to a family gathering and I heard this song. The song is over 30 years old and I have heard it plenty of times.  As I listened to it today and reflected upon the lyrics and thought about it in the context of Easter.  I realized I'm accepted by Christ, and He loved me so much to die for my sins and his resurrection shows that His love is packed with power.  I hope these lyrics minister to you today as much as they did to me .



"I'm Accepted" 
by Degarmo & Key | from the 1989 album The Pledge

I May not be rich
Don't wear fashion clothes
Don't live in a mansion
Don't have much that shows
Never won a contest in popularity
Don't have much to offer 
But Jesus still loves me

I'm accepted, accepted
I'm accepted by the one who matters most.

Never set a record in sports agility
Never was magnetic in personality
That don't really matter
I'll do the best I can
'Cause there's a God above me
Who loves me like I am

I'm accepted, accepted
I'm accepted by the one who matters most.


If you think you're a loser
When you fail it seems at everything you do
Just remember there's a Savior
And you are worth enough
He gave his life for you

I'm accepted, accepted
I'm accepted by the one who matters most.
I'm accepted, accepted
I'm accepted by the one who matters most.
I'm accepted, accepted
I'm accepted by the one who matters most.






Wednesday, July 7, 2021

The Lost Art of Listening (to an Album)

In late 2020 Randy Stonehill released a new album entitled "Lost Art of Listening". At Christmastime 2020 I became the fortunate recipient of said album. I was instantly intrigued by the title. It got me thinking that listening to an album, a process that I grew up on, is becoming an increasingly lost art, ESPECIALLY in this digital age.

Pandora , Spotify Sirius XM, and You Tube have changed the landscape of how we consume music these days. C.D. Players, Turntables and the like have been replaced with phones, smart speaker and Roku. The days of listening to an album from beginning to end have been put on an endangered list by the very conveniences that have sprung up around us. I also have had until very recently the majority of my CDs, and cassettes packed in boxes in my house since our move. I had sold most of my record albums to Half Priced Books prior to our move. A friend just returned about 60 albums I had lent him prior to our move and gave me a record player to put them on line. The only working cassette player we own is in the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee I gave my son when he graduated high school last year, so technically, I don't even own that anymore. I won't even have the severely limited access I have to it now when he moves out.

My process for listening to an album is as intricate and as simple as I am. Ideally, I'd like to set aside a couple hours and really dig into the album. These days unencumbered hours are a luxury, so I'll generally settle for a casual listen while attending to the everyday business of family life. This initial listen the album becomes is a little more than background noise and does not yield many if any lasting impressions. This type of listen is a first step though. I equate it to walking a few blocks very day especially when you can't make your usual step count.

After this initial listen or sometimes concurrent with the initial listen I try to pore through the album materials (or the J-card as they call it in the biz). Stonehill's J-card was quite extensive , often difficult for my quinquagenarian eyes to handle but filled with lots of great information.

For my second listen, I waited until I had some undisturbed free time. With everyone out of the house., I let the music , singing, and lyrics hit me where I was. This was as freeing as it was challenging since it is counterintuitive these days to try to do just one thing at a time.

After some time passed, I listened to the album in it's entirety a few more times. These listens help me get a real sense of the album but I was still short of my goal of being able to convey that sense to others. To achieve that goal I decided to listen to each song back to back and describe the songs while in the act of listening.

Here are my observations . . .

Mercy in the Shadowland - The first song starts with strains of a hopeful melancholy that mixes world weariness with the promises of unspeakable joy both in the present journey and our permanent destination. Featured Lyrics: We'll find our rest if we just confess our sad estate. OhJesus said The Poor in spirit shall walk through Heaven's gate

This Old Face- Whimsical wisdom amid evocative imagery is one of the thing's I've come to expect from Uncle Rand these many years and This Old Face does not disappoint. This song could be titled turning 70 as this is something Stonehill, born in 52, will be doing sooner than later. Featured lyrics: It's been weathered by the wind of sadness and of sin but it shines whenever Heaven's love appears.:

Beginning of the Living End - Stonehill goes into full rock and roll mode with this bluesy guitar driven altar call. Featured lyrics: Every soul is a precious jewel, everyone should count the cost. We should all take a wake up call from the thief upon the cross.

Thinly Veiled Threat -The rock show continues and slows the tempo down a notch but ratchets up the lyrical intensity with a song that could be titled the vanity vanity it's all vanity blues Featured lyrics: History repeats like a nightmare you never can forget. All our grand inventions promise us a better world and yet, they leaves us bruised and bloody and they mock us like a thinly veiled threat.

She Loves Me -

A love song about the unfathomable divinity of romantic love. As a man who is constantly amazed by the love I share with my wife this song resonates throughout my marriage, Featured Lyrics: I am much more blessed than a man can be. The beauty of her soul brings me to my knees.

Coyote Moon Every album has a song that can get blipped over in the course of the initial hearings. It wasn't until I listened to this song twice in a row that I really heard the haunting simplicity of comfort found within it. The truth in this song is an oasis. If this album were available on vinyl, Coyote Moon would make a great last song for the first side. That way, you could ruminate over it's beauty as you flipped the disc. Featured Lyrics: Here we begin hearts on the wind laughing carefree children. But then one day, they run away cause nothing stays the same,

Still Not Over You This is vintage Stonehill, 3 different verses as examples of the theme; interspersed with a bridge and a crafty guitar interlude. It's A 5 paragraph essay for the soul, with enough originality to get it placed on the top of the pile. Featured Lyrics: (I chose the bridge cause it actually has the word bridge in it and I'm all for symmetry) Some bridges we cross, some bridges we burn sometimes the scars remind us what we learn. Sometimes you just have to turn and go the other way.

Billy Frank -A song by one of my favorite artists about one of my personal heroes, It's no big surprise that I love it. What is surprising about this love letter to Billy Graham is how Stonehill paints him in human colors and not with stain glassed hues. Featured Lyrics: You were just a Carolina boy who dreamed of playing ball who turned your heart to heaven when you heard a higher call.

Since this is my favorite song on the album I'll add some bonus lyrics:

You;ve been the voice of truth to presidents and kings.

But you've never been impressed by such things

Nothing is more precious in your sight

Than Jesus Christ the Savior crucified.

The next 3 songs are called father trilogy. This led me to tweak my process just a tad; instead of listening to each song in the trilogy twice in a row, I listened to the entire trilogy back to back . In short, I tried to experience it and thus chronicle it in the way I felt this section was meant to be experienced.

Leonard Has a Toaster Stonehill again uses comedy to broach a serious subject, family dysfunction. This song is at least somewhat autobiographical as Randy is the youngest son of the late Leonard Stonehill. As to whether the toaster is actual, vegetable or mineral, I don't know. Featured Lyrics: Age to age the dysfunction carries on, like the passing of some toxic baton.

Where Are You The 2nd song in the trilogy walks us through the pains and difficulties of having a loved one with Alzheimer's. Leonard Stonehill passed away in 2014 with Alzheimer's so this song is likely part of Randy's actual journey. Musically, vocally, and poetically Where Are You evokes memories of early Stonehill masterpieces.. Featured Lyrics: I'm becoming a stranger in your distant eyes. I am wrestling the weight of my despair. I keep wishing I could hold you close enough to heal you like some sacred prayer.

Goodbye Old Friend We say goodbye to the trilogy as Sir Stonehill serenades his father with a tender tearjerker laced with hope and regret. Again, one featured lyric is not enough Featured Lyrics 1: There's a certain tug of war between a father and a son. Words we spoke in anger , damage that's been done. I guess were both just broken like the fences we never got to mend. Featured Lyrics 2: I should have thanked you so much more for listening to my song. For all the caring things you did to help me carry on. There with me like a dusty long lost letter I always meant to send.

For the last 3 songs of the album I went back to the listen twice while composing strategy utilized prior to the trilogy

Worry About Money Billy Sprague once had an album called Serious Fun. This album could certainly be title Serious Whimsey or perhaps Juxtaposition Jukebox. Worry About Money is a down home bluegrass foot stomper that at the same time is a biblically accurate rebuke of how the material world has altered our spiritual priorities. Featured Lyrics: Money is a thing that we all need. It can serve you well but for heaven's sake it's always been the frosting never been the cake.

Angel of the Highway - This beautiful song is an encouragement of staying on the road God put you on. Featured Lyrics: It's true I'm always travelling guess that's just where I belong. Moving on from town to town with a prayer and a lover's song.

Dance Behind the Laughing Sky -

If the Lost Art of Listening is an Epistle from Stonehill to his listeners, Dance Behind the Laughing Sky is a worthy benediction.. Consider the opening lines:

Majesty on High, speaks a Holy Word and breathes a billion stars.

Love's the reason why, He molds us in his hands and tell us who we are.

Life is so much more than just a waking dream a road where dark shadows entwine.

Listening to an album may be a lost art, but Lost Art of Listening makes that art priceless.

For more on this album:

1. Read the review in CCM Magazine.

2. Watch Stonehill's 2017 appearance on More Than a Song at Dave Out Loud. It features live performances of Worry About Money and Beginning of the Living End

The Lost Art of Listening is available at Stonehill.com for $15.00. It makes an excellent Christmas present, and I speak from experience. :  

Sunday, June 6, 2021

Here's a song some members of the Kinzinger Family probably haven't heard.

At the end of last November, I wrote a post about 10 things I'd like to see the Republican Party like to address going forward after the 2020 presidential election. One of these things was a distancing from Donald Trump. It isn't something that I think is greatly needed but not something I had great hope in happening. After the attacks in Washington, I hoped this would be the last straw for those aligning themselves with Trump. This happened with some Republicans but clearly not most Republicans.

One person who did not only distant himself from Trump but actually spoke out against him was Adam Kinzinger, a U.S. congressman from my home state of Illinois. Kinzinger was one of 10 Republican members of Congress to vote to impeach Trump earlier this year. Standing up to the highest-ranking member of your party takes guts and earned Kinzinger a great deal of respect in my opinion. It would be no surprise to hear that not everyone in the Republican Party holds my opinion about Kinzinger. It turns out that not everyone in Kinzinger's own family agrees with me.

Earlier this year Kinzinger received a letter signed by 11 of his family members denouncing the congressman. Here are some quotes from the letter.

"Oh my, what a disappointment you are to us and to God! We were once so proud of your accomplishments! Instead, you go against your Christian principles and join the 'devil’s army' "

"You won’t convince us otherwise with your horrible, rude accusations of President Trump! (To embrace a party that believes in abortion and socialism is the ultimate sin.)"

"It is now most embarrassing to us that we are related to you. You have embarrassed the Kinzinger family name,"

"We are thoroughly disgusted with you!! And, oh by the way, we are calling for your removal from office," 

This letter from Kinzinger's family members was written about 6 months ago just a few days after the capitol was stormed. I meant to write about this months ago as I thought there were some valued lessons to be learned from this incident. 6 months later I will just let the music and lyrics of Susan Ashton make my point.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5StYBDRxi6AdNgjtjMo7T2?si=bd2647ddcf3547af

Agree to Disagree

Standing on this battlefield of strong opinion
Among the verbal brush and briar
Plenty of weaponry and ammunition
We say ready aim fire.

So you argue points of logic until I'm put in my place
And I argue my convictions until I'm blue in the face but.

We just keep on going round in circles
Lost, found, life is such a mystery
We search and we find opposing answers
Maybe we should just agree to disagree.

Can we meet on neutral ground?
For surrender
And carve a path for restitution
Because my love for you is surely strong enough
To find some kind of resolution.

Cause we can have our differences
And that won't change the way I feel
About you and about me and about God
And His whole deal but.

We just keep on going round in circles
Lost, found, life is such a mystery
We search and we find opposing answers
Maybe we should just agree to disagree.

Cause we are getting nowhere fast
When the concrete and the supernatural clash
So we will stand at other ends with all this stuff
But can't we find a common thread in love.

And in our thirsting quest for knowledge
Maybe one day we will find
That I finally see it your way
Or you finally see it mine.

We just keep on going round in circles
Lost, found, life is such a mystery
We search and we find opposing answers
Maybe we should just agree to disagree...

A to Z 2023 Road Trip

#AtoZChallenge 2023 RoadTrip