Dominion Family

These are all songs you can get on itunes. These are not my all-time favorite songs, just 10 I am enjoying this spring.

1. Nella Fantasia Il Divo
This is Ennio Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe with words. I don’t understand the words but they sound beautiful. Gabriel’s Oboe has been a family favorite for many years. I’m not sure what to think of Il Divo in general. I don’t own the album.

2. Stay Little Big Town
At first this seems like a break-up song but on the liner notes of the Road To Here CD, they explain about how the song became a song about the unexpected death of lead singer Kimberly’s husband. Poignant.

3. Mack the Knife Bobby Darin
Ok, this is kinda weird, but I just love Mack the Knife. I remember watching Bobby Darin movies on TV while growing up. His voice is so mellow.

4. You Were Meant for Me Sting
I have a lot of unusual Sting songs on my computer, even though I don’t own a single Sting or Police CD.

5. Go Rest High Upon That Mountain Vince Gill
Gospel song with tight harmony.

6. When I Said I Do Clint Black and Lisa Hartman
Great marriage song!

7. Change the World Eric Clapton
Classic rock song that never grows old. Eric seems to have lots of Christian friends, so I like to pray for him, too.

8. I’ll Be Seeing You (in all the Old Familiar Places) Tony Bennett
Another nice standard by a nice mellow voice. I love the trend of younger singers recording these old standards but it is hard to improve on Tony Bennett’s voice.

9. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning. Chris Botti & Sting
As I was saying, I like this trend whether it is Michael Buble, Rod Stewart or Linda Ronstadt.

Ok it is getting hard narrowing down the last song. Maybe I will make this a monthly series.

10. RememberJosh Groban
I have mentioned this one before but it is my favorite Josh Groban so far. I never could get into his big hit To Where You Are, it was pretty but the worldview was hard to swallow and it was sappy. Remember beautifully captures the Ancients’ desire to matter.

I would love to hear about the songs you like.

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The new Cumberland Books catalog arrived and it is as hefty as a book itself. In spite of the fact I just got a whole box in the mail from Rick and I own quite a few of the titles already, proving that I at least think like an agrarian, I am finding plenty more to drool over. They even carry a few titles in the children’s literature section I haven’t heard of. I am especially excited by a new (to me) Robert Lawson title. As usual Rick has written extensively about each book and section. This catalog will make the leisure reading pile for many a long day.

Now what did I recently order from Cumberland Books besides Herrick Kimball’s lovely book?

The 6 new Plain Talk recordings:
Russ Nellis
Chad Degenhart
Cheri Shelnutt
DJ Hammond
Dave Black
Nathan Black

Tim has beat me to the punch in listening to them but I should be able to catch up now that I finally have a vehicle that runs and has a cd player. With the kind of vehicles we usually buy running and cd players are definitely optional. I am basking in God’s goodness as I drive to baseball in my blue Honda Odyssey.
I have listened partially to Dave Black, Chad Degenhart and Cheri Shelnutt. Cheri has a musical voice and an infectious laugh. She talks a lot about herbs which used to be a hobby of mine. I still have a little herb garden with rosemary (for remembrance) and thyme. It goes along with our Ambleside folk singing and our reading of The Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare).

We also purchased The Ridgewood Boy’s CD Things I Used to Do. After listening to quite few of their podcasts, I knew I would enjoy the CD and I do. Quite a contrast to Strauss but enjoyable all the same.

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In the spirit of reciprocal links, Izzy gave us Who Are the Real Girls from Daniel Amos and I respond with Mall all Over the World. Both of which I saw performed in concert 22 years ago. I am not bragging, but who could forget.

Mannequin left!
Mannequin right!
Do the mannequin day and night
Elevator up, Escalate down
It spreads like the blob
It swallows your town

Which is almost as good as Randy Stonehill’s Stop the World I Wanna Get Off

From memory because I can’t find it online and my tape is busted:

Stop the world
I wanna get off
This is too weird for me…..
Stop the world
I wanna get off
I just got to find a planet
That is interested in sanity

dododdoodoodooddodo

It really is a pretty good song

Which reminds me of Wordsworth:

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. -Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

Maybe a guitar lick would help the old guy.

I should get to bed. It is 10:00 pm and you will rarely find me at the computer of an evening. I get giddy at about 8:30 pm.

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Time for another music post. Here are a few songs that I have been enjoying lately.

1. Praise You In This Storm Casting Crowns

Here is the first verse of this song which never fails to encourage me.

I was sure by now God you would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
that it’s still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear your whisper through the rain,
I’m with you
and as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And i’ll praise you in this storm
and i will lift my hands
that you are who you are
no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
you hold in your hand
you never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm

2. When Did You Fall In Love Chris Rice

My dh, Tim, came in from work one day and said he had just heard a great love song on the radio. Turned out it was by Christian artist Chris Rice. I miss you, Tim.

3. Stranger to Holiness Steve Camp

Recently Carmon linked to the song He Covers Me by Steve Camp. When I clicked on it took me to the album that had this old favorite of mine Stranger to Holiness. He Covers Me is also a great song from this group of songs.

4. Let Everything Else Go Phil Keaggy with Randy Stonehill

While I was searching around iTunes I ran across this old favorite of Phil Keaggy’s only this time it is a duet with Randy Stonehill. This is one of Phil’s prettiest songs. The duet isn’t the cleanest version of it but it is great to hear the guys singing together.

5. One Voice Wailin’ Jennys

We recently heard the Wailin’ Jennys on A Prairie Home Companion. Not that I recommend that you listen to Garrison Keillor. Poor guy, he can get quite antagonistic towards Christians sometimes but lately he seems to have toned it down a bit. I immediately loved the sound of this group from Canada. Call it folk music.

6. Long Time Traveller Wailin’ Jennys

7. Always On Your Side Sherly Crow with Sting

Pure pop but this is a great duet.

8. Gravity Vienna Teng

I also like her Harbor and Lullaby for a Stormy Night. I got all 3 of these free and they also came loaded on my husbands new laptop.

9.Holy is His Name John Michael Talbot

I know, I only like really old Christian songs. But this is a timeless rendition of Mary’s Song from Luke 1.

10. Who I Am

Ok, to keep this mostly inspirational and to show that I am not hopelessly stuck in the late 70’s, here is another encouraging song from Casting Crowns.

I am always in the market for good Christian music. Suggestions welcomed.

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I guess you have seen the little Moms For Modesty button on my sidebar. I am definitely a mom for modesty. Modesty is one of the bees in my bonnet. When Emily grew out of 6x the troubles began. Her shoe size has also been a bit of a problem. She is a little girl with adult sized feet. She isn’t going to be short and round like her mother but tall and willowy like the Rollinseseses.

It has been a struggle. I mostly buy her clothes on Ebay because I can choose the labels I like: Laura Ashley, Hannah Andersson etc. The real problem though is that when we go to church we see lots of older girls being immodest. I do not like to be judgmental but it gets discouraging. I listened to some of the Mahaney’s talks on modesty and they suggest speaking lovingly to Christian girls and women who dress immodestly but I just can’t see that working. I am sure I would feel bad if someone spoke to me. I know the point isn’t whether or not I feel bad but these things are hard to get right. I guess I am becoming an old fuddy-duddy muttering in the pew, but where will it end?

The Mahaneys are speaking about Christian music this week. As a long time listener to Glad I love reading Bob Kauflin’s stuff.

The really confusing thing is that while I am discouraged over how the girls dress at church, some families are discouraged that our boys listen to country music. Well that is discouraging, isn’t it? How could good boys raised on Bach, Handel and Haydn like country music? I admit I do like an occasional country song. I sometimes even get teary over a country song. I can be brutally sardonic but sometimes country music breaks down the barriers.

How about this?

He said,”I just climbed out of a cottonwood tree”
I was runin’ from some honey bees
Drip dryin’ in the summer breeze
After jumpin’ into Calico creek
I was walkin’ down an old dirt road
Past a field of hay that had just been mowed
Man I wish you’d just left me alone
‘Cause I was almost home

Or this?

Dear Son, I know I ain’t written,
But sittin’ here tonight, alone in the kitchen, it occurs to me,
I might not have said, so I’ll say it now:
Son, you make me proud.

I hold it up and show my buddies,
Like we ain’t scared and our boots ain’t muddy, but no one laughs,
‘Cause there ain’t nothing funny when a soldier cries.
An’ I just wipe me eyes.
I fold it up an’ put it in my shirt,
Pick up my gun an’ get back to work.
An’ it keeps me driving me on,
Waiting on letters from home.

Or this?

Remember when thirty seemed so old
Now lookn’ back it’s just a steppin’ stone
To where we are,
Where we’ve been
Said we’d do it all again
Remember when
Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won’t be sad, we’ll be glad
For all the life we’ve had
And we’ll remember when

The best thing about country music is that when it doesn’t make you cry it is a blast to make fun of.
I mean where else could you find Bin Laden rhymed with forgotten or hear Toby Keith say in an interview that his song, “I Love This Bar” could just as easily be, “I Love This Church.” You know the lyrics:

“lots of lookers
And I’ve even seen dancing girls and hookers”

Well, then again, maybe he’s right.

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Are you teaching your children folk songs?

I have blogged before about our use of Ambleside Online’s folk song suggestions. This has turned out to be a big boon for poetic knowledge in our family. You will be amazed at how folk music relates back to the study of history and cultures and contributes to many “A-Ha” moments.

Now good friend Rick Saenz has put 80 free folk songs together for families to use. Most of these have an Appalachian flair and would go along wonderfully with a study of American History. But no matter what you are studying the use of folk songs is advantageous.

I will probably pick one song a week and have the kids gather round the computer to hear it once or twice a day. Isn’t that an oxymoron, Sitting around the computer listening to folk music? This will also come in handy in June when The Ridgewood Boys play for the rehearsal dinner at Nicholas’s wedding. Hopefully, we will all be able to sing along by that time.

The only problem I can foresee is picking which song to use first. I am leaning toward Salty Dog Blues. Tim and I heard that one while on a hayride in the early days of our courtship.

Rick and Chris have that wonderful thing known as family harmony. They just sound great together.

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Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it’s still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can’t find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

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Here is a wonderful hymn by Samuel Johnson. Yes, Boswell’s Johnson. It is not a sonnet and I found it in a murder mystery by Edmund Crispin. So now maybe I will get a little respect. This particular murder mystery, The Case of the Gilded Fly, even takes place in Oxford and the detective is a don and it is sprinkled throughout with fun literary allusions to Shakespeare and Dante and medieval Christianity.

I am feeling pretty pleased. I have given you a book, a poem and an Easter week hymn all in one post.

City of God, how broad and far
outspread thy walls sublime!
The true thy chartered freemen are
of every age and clime.

One holy Church, one army strong;
one steadfast, high intent;
one working band, one harvest song,
one King omnipotent.

How purely hath thy speech come down
from man’s primeval youth!
How grandly hath thine empire grown
of freedom, love and truth!

How gleam thy watch fires through the night
with never fainting ray!
How rise thy towers, serene and bright,
to meet the dawning day!

In vain the surge’s angry shock,
in vain the drifting sands;
unharmed upon the eternal Rock
the eternal City stands.

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From our worship this morning:

God Moves in A Mysterious Way
William Cowper

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

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We had the rare pleasure of having Timothy’s wedding locally. That meant we were able to have the RD at our home. So we picked a shady spot, spread some hay around, set up tables, chairs and games, made some food and took advantage of the excellent music of The Ridgewood Boys.

Here is the shady spot:

And here is a shady spot we invented:

And here are all the tables set up:

And here are The Ridgewood Boys sounding better than ever. I was worried about the sound because we were outside this time but it wasn’t a problem. The atmosphere and the music were a perfect match and everyone enjoyed it. Because we weren’t under time constraints and Rick and Chris didn’t have to travel halfway across country this time, we got to visit a lot more. Can you guess what we talked about? A certain author mostly. Monday morning I immediately began reading The Way of Ignorance which was on my summer reading list and I am all ready to blog about it.

Guys mostly:

The game of Corn Toss which is a indoor/outdoor favorite of ours since my brother bought us a set at Christmas. Here are my brother and Tim playing:

So now we have 2 rehearsal dinners down. Our family kept teasing us about seeing us 7 more times in the future. I just hope all our rehearsal dinners are this successful and all the spouses of the children are as wonderful as the 2 we picked up this summer.

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