Arkansas Blog

Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh;
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.

Now the darkness gathers,
Stars begin to peep,
Birds and beasts and flowers
Soon will be asleep.

Jesus, give the weary
Calm and sweet repose;
With Thy tend'rest blessing
May mine eyelids close.

Grant to little children
Visions bright of Thee;
Guard the sailors tossing
On the deep-blue sea.

Comfort every sufferer
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain.

Through the long night-watches
May Thine angels spread
Their white wings above me,
Watching round my bed.

When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise
Pure and fresh and sinless
In Thy holy eyes.

Glory to the Father,
Glory to the Son,
And to Thee, blest Spirit,
While all ages run.

There once was a girl from Nantuckett.....

Praise the Lord
and
Pass the ammunition.

Who are you to tell me how to sing the blues?

to the self-appointed
hall monitors with
machine guns
uninformed about the law
sure about the criminals
killing us with pretense
& to all their many poisoned ears

who are you
to tell me how
to sing the blues?
i am the blues
i ring the blues out loud
for you: hear me now
these are the 1983
denver AIDS principles
in song: we are persons
with AIDS, we are, we must be
expert voices hearkened to
in all public health
policy dialogs about
our lives & deaths & our disease
the refrain is the same for
medical cannabis

here are the blues
i sing to you
our city must be
not only a good
place to live
but also also a
good place to die

this dayâ?Ts challenge? to
create a greater good
with our land use wisdom

who are you
to tell me how
to sing the blues?
listen to my song
medical cannabis
saves lives
medical cannabis
can save more lives
medical cannabis
is the single most significant
in-place but unaccessed
AIDS treatment option
available today
in los angeles
for the more than
60,000 persons
livng here with
AIDS & HIV disease
& we represent
only 25 clandestined percent
of the medical cannabis community

iâ?Tm here
iâ?Tm queer
i medicate
here is my song
the time is ripe
to regulate
help us create
livable lives & deaths
who are you
to tell me how
to sing the blues?
i am the blues
song & singer
tap your foot & hum & listen
before iâ?Tm gone

"Who Are you to tell me how to sing the Blues",

I will not attempt to sing, but anything by the following will suffice: MercyMe, CeCe Winans, Natalie Grant, Selah, Third Day, Bebo Norman, Anointed, Helen Baylor, etc...

Oh Lord, please don't burn us,
Don't grill or toast your flock,
Don't put us on the barbecue,
Or simmer us in stock,
Don't braise or bake or boil us,
Or stir-fry us in a wok...

Oh please don't lightly poach us,
Or baste us with hot fat,
Don't fricassee or roast us,
Or boil us in a vat,
And please don't stick thy servants Lord,
In a Rotissomat...

Monty Python's Meaning of Life

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

"Wayfaring Stranger"

I'm a poor wayfaring stranger
While traveling thru this world of woe
Yet there's no sickness, toil, or danger
In that bright world to which I go
I'm going there to see my Father
I'm going there no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home

I know dark clouds will hang 'round me,
I know my way is rough and steep
Yet beauteous fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed their virgils keep
I'm going there to see my mother
She said she'd meet me when I come
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home

mazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

I always liked "Amazing Grace" sung to the tune of the Gilligan's Island theme.

Click

The young man who plays keyboard for MERCY ME is brother to one of our assistant
pastors at FBC in Hot Springs.

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
Amen

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

Words: Carl Boberg (1886)

Story:

A young minister's two-mile walk in the rain provided the inspiration for "How Great Thou Art." The Reverend Carl Boberg of Monsteras, on the southeast coast of Sweden, was 25 years old when he wrote the lyrics of this song after trekking through a thunderstorm from a church meeting two miles away

This great hymn has a history that stretches back over a hundred years. The original song was written by a young Swedish preacher, Carl Boberg, and first published in 1886, under the title O Store Gud. Boberg wrote a poem, not meaning to write a hymn, but later heard it being sung to an old Swedish tune.

More than forty years later, an English missionary, Stuart Hine, first heard the song in Russia. He and his young wife were missionaries to the Carpathian area of Russia, then a part of Czechoslovakia. There, they heard a very meaningful hymn that was a Russian translation of Carl Boberg's O Store Gud (O Great God).

While ministering in the Carpathian Mountains, Hine found himself in the midst of a threatening storm. The thunder, as it rolled through the mountain range, was so awesome that it reminded Hine of the beautiful Russian hymn that had already become so dear to him. English verses began to form in his mind, verses that were suggested by portions of the Russian translation.

How Great Thou Art is an all-time favorite hymn today. Although its origin had roots in Europe, it was not widely known until 1957, when the Billy Graham Crusade in New York City launched it on a never-ending spiral around the world. It was performed nearly a hundred times during those meetings and countless times ever since.

Fun and edifying exercise, Blog. Thanks for indulging a long post.

Well, Theo, if it's good enough for Billy Graham it's good enough for us.

I LOVE How Great Thou Art. My grandfather was a pastor until he died at age 82. I remember well him singing that song from the pulpit on several occasions. Hee truely is a GREAT God.

A song I wish more Americans would take to heart, reminding them that, contrary to what we're told over and over, ours is not the only country of value in the world...

THIS IS MY SONG
(Tune: Finlandia by Sibelius)

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is;
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
But other hearts in other lands are beating
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on clover-leaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
Oh, hear my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for their land and for mine.

ARTIST: Jerry Herman
TITLE: I Am What I Am
Lyrics and Chords

[La Cage Aux Folles]

I am what I am, I am my own special creation
So come take a look, give me the hook or the ovation
It's my world that I want to have a little pride in
My world and it's not a place I have to hide in
Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, hey world
I am what I am

I am what I am, I don't want praise I don't want pity
I bang my own drum, some think it's noise I think it's pretty
And so what if I love each feather and each spangle
Why not try to see things from a different angle
Your life is a sham 'til you can shout out loud
I am what I am

I am what I am and what I am needs no excuses
I deal my own deck sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces
There's one life and there's no return and no deposit
One life so it's time to open up your closet
Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, hey world
I am what I am

Im Unitarian Universalist .

Turn to Hymn No. 404, brothers and sisters, and join in singin' "Blessed Assurance." Then, put down the Cokesbury and pick up the Book of Waits. Page 33, "Come on Up To The House."

Well, the moon is broken and the sky is cracked (Come on Up to the House)
The only thing that you can see is all that you lack (Come on Up to the House)
All that cryin' won't do you no good (Come on Up to the House)
Come down from the cross, we could use the wood (Come on Up to the House)

Come on Up to the House, Come on Up to the House
The world is Not my own, I'm just passin' through, Come on Up to the House

There's no light in the tunnel, there's no irons in the fire (Come on Up to the House)
And you been singin' lead soprano in a junkman's choir (Come on Up to the House)
Does life seem nasty, brutish and short (Come on Up to the House)
Well your seas are stormy and you can't find a port (Come on Up to the House)

(chorus)

There's nothin' in the world that you can do (Come on Up to the House)
You've been whipped by the forces inside of you (Come on Up to the House)
High atop your mountain of woe (Come on Up to the House)
Well you know you should surrender but you can't let go (Come on Up to the House)

Come on Up to the House (You gotta) Come on Up to the House
The world is NOT our own, we're just passin' through, you gotta Come on Up to House
You gotta Come on Up to the House
You gotta Come on Up to the Hoooouuuuuussssseeee,
Yeah-uh-yeah-uh-yeaaaaaaahhhhhh

I once walked begrudgingly into a church in full spiritual cynic mode.. Many words were spoken which evaporated my cynisism but when this song/hymn was sung by all I knew without a doubt I was in the right place.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

So sorry...but Spirit's comment about Sibelius' "Finlandia" reminded me of this other stirring hymn to that same tune>>

"Be Still my Soul"
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

(ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE SINCE I FIRST HEARD IT.)

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

I heard my country calling, away across the sea,
Across the waste of waters she calls and calls to me.
Her sword is girded at her side, her helmet on her head,
And round her feet are lying the dying and the dead.
I hear the noise of battle, the thunder of her guns,
I haste to thee my mother, a son among thy sons.

And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.

Well I'll tell you what. I feel like I've been to a revival tonight. What I took as simply another metaphor for an open mic was taken literally and to a nice end. Imagine is my favorite but some other great stuff was posted. Thanks, people.

ARK. BLOG: Hugh, same shock here. For what it's worth, I did mean the invitation metaphorically, but was pleased by the result. And since I started it, I should add my own two cents on the topic that evolved: "For All the Saints" and "A Mighty Fortress." Oh, and a fairly obscure Methodist mission hymn, "O Young and Fearless Prophet." One sample verse of many good ones:

Create in us the splendor that dawns when hearts are kind,
That knows not race nor station as boundaries of the mind;
That learns to value beauty, in heart, or brain, or soul,
And longs to bind God's children into one perfect whole

First of all I'm not gay so I don't like hymns, I like herns. But here is a little favorite of mine. My family purposely do not gather in front of the fireplace to sing this or any other song. We each have iTunes on our computers!

Gods rest ye, Unitarians, let nothing you dismay; Remember there's no evidence there was a Christmas Day; When Christ was born is just not known, no matter what they say, O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact, Glad tidings of reason and fact.

Our current Christmas Customs come from Persia and from Greece, From solstice celebrations of the ancient Middle East. This whole darn Christmas spiel is just another pagan feast, O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact, Glad tidings of reason and fact.

There was no star of Bethlehem, there was no angels' song; There could not have been wise men for the trip would take too long. The stories in the Bible are historically wrong, O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact, Glad tidings of reason and fact!

That durned DBI, always trying to jar folks back to reason and fact. Bah humbug! See if ol' Santy Claus comes to see you this xmas.

DBI's ditty can be sung to the Gilligan's Island tune also. Didn't know that show was so religious. I love taking some of those ol' standards, doing some modifications to the tempo, a few extra chords here and there, a righteous walking base line in places, and give it a gospel blues/boogie/rock sound. Put a little shouting Pentecostal feelin' to the music, if you know what I mean.

LaDeanna, a good friend of ours, said that she and her best friend used to thumb through the hymnals during boring sermons. For fun, they would do like we do with the Chinese fortune cookie predictions: add the words "between the sheets."

Of course, some of you remember when the music director would ask for hymn requests from the audience. Here's a story from my memory book:

There is music in silence. I know because I have heard it echoing in the still quietness of human love. It happened at the state hospital during a chapel service for the patients. It was 25 years ago and I was doing part-time work to help me make it through college.
My job was simple: show up every Sunday morning and play the organ for the services. It wasn't as easy as you think. The chaplain only picked out a hymn or two to go along with his message. What he always did was let the audience call out hymn numbers from the song book and we would play and sing them.
Did I mention this was at the state hospital? There's a whole different decorum there. First of all, if you're the preacher, you learn real fast that you don't ask rhetorical questions such as, "Do you know why Jesus wept?"
I saw a young man stand up, spend a few moments answering the question, and then politely sit down while those around him nodded their heads at his wisdom. Our preacher did keep his cool, though, even if the wisdom did escape him. He said, "That's right and I'm glad you know it." It was the state hospital and anything that made the patient feel better and good about themselves had to be properly noted and praised. Amen.
What the patients would often do when the chaplain requested their hymn selections would be to just call out any number that came into their minds. Many a time, I would have to signal the chaplain that there was no hymn 752 in the hymnal. Other times, both the chaplain and myself got to show our limited sight-reading skills when one of these random numbers hit a song neither of us knew.
Still, there were some plusses to this deal. I got really good at playing "Oh, Holy Night" and "Amazing Grace." Never mind that it usually wasn't Christmas. Someone always asked for "Oh, Holy Night." Something about being in a state hospital makes you wish for such things. Of course, you understand why "Amazing Grace" appeals to a "wretch like me."
Sometimes there were negatives. One day I recognized a young woman who had attended freshmen classes with me just a few short years back. She was the same and yet she was not. Something in her had changed dramatically and she had become lost inside. It was terrible to behold such inner agony.
Sometimes the spirit moved the crowd in the chapel and it was not a friendly spirit or the Holy Ghost. Stormy weather and a heavy dose of anti-depressants made the chapel atmosphere almost gothic. They would just numbly sit there, their legs bouncing up and down in nervous twitches, and they would mumble through all the songs, occasionally even through the sermon. Lord, hear our prayer. Oh dear Lord, please hear our prayer.
I had one other job and that was to practice with patients who volunteered to do solos and to form a small choir to do special numbers for the services. Mostly, the chaplain thought it would be good for them emotionally as well as spiritually. Someone once said that quantity is a quality. Well, we had neither. Still, we did a little extra about once a month and it pleased everyone involved.
One day, the chaplain told me that one of the patients in the choir was going to do a song for the group and needed to practice. He told me that she had been an accomplished singer but that severe personal trauma had affected her voice. Would I work with her and help her? Sure, I said, figuring it would be nice to work with someone who had received proper musical training.
When she sang for me, she sounded like she was scared to the core of her being. Her voice trembled, broke, and came out in punctuated gasps. However, she was very determined. It wasn't easy but her voice did improve a little bit. We worked on that song for several weeks until she felt ready to perform it for her peers.
Well, that day's service went as usual: announcements, "Oh, Holy Night" and other songs of unknown vintage, and a prayer or two for us and our families. Finally, the chaplain announced the soloist and she came away from the choir and stood beside the organ on my left side. I knew she was going to sing rather softly since we found it was easier for her to sing that way. So, I played my intro quietly and started her out with a nod.
As I played, I strained to hear her and couldn't hear anything. At first, I worried that my playing was too loud. I backed the foot pedal which controlled the volume further back. I still couldn't hear her singing. I looked over and saw that her lips were moving. In fact, her whole expression was like she was singing with confidence.
No voice. No song. Or, so I thought. Well, the show must go on so I kept on playing until the end. I glanced at the audience out of the corner of my eye. You cannot imagine how intently they all were looking and listening. They were so focused on her singing. If anything could've been quieter than she was, it was them as they tried their best to hear her.
When it was over and my last note had faded away, there was a brief silence. The chaplain stood, began applauding and quickly so did the audience. The soloist beamed, tears coming down her face as she acknowledged their applause.
No one heard her sing. No one heard a word of the hymn. No one cared. They loved her just for being brave enough to stand before them and against her demons and sing a song only the angels could hear.

We Shall Overcome

Lyrics derived from Charles Tindley's gospel song "I'll Overcome Some Day" (1900), and opening and closing melody from the 19th-century spiritual "No More Auction Block for Me" (a song that dates to before the Civil War). According to Professor Donnell King of Pellissippi State Technical Community College (in Knoxville, Tenn.), "We Shall Overcome" was adapted from these gospel songs by "Guy Carawan, Candy Carawan, and a couple of other people associated with the Highlander Research and Education Center, currently located near Knoxville, Tennessee. I have in my possession copies of the lyrics that include a brief history of the song, and a notation that royalties from the song go to support the Highlander Center."

1.
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day

CHORUS:
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day

2.
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand some day

CHORUS

3.
We shall all be free
We shall all be free
We shall all be free some day

CHORUS

4.
We are not afraid
We are not afraid
We are not afraid some day

CHORUS

5.
We are not alone
We are not alone
We are not alone some day

CHORUS

6.
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around some day

CHORUS

7.
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day

CHORUS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCES:
Eileen Southern, The Music of Black Americans: A History, Second Edition (Norton, 1971): 546-47, 159-60.
The International Lyrics Server. . March 1998.
Donnell King, email message, 29 Nov. 1999.

I always thougth this one was particularly well-crafted:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

My life goes on in endless song
Above earth's lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear it's music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?

While though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness 'round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble in their fear
And hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?

I got shoes ,you got shoes, all God's children got shoes.
When I get to heaven gonna put on my shoes,
I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven, heaven.
Everybody talkin' bout heaven ain't goin' there, heaven, heaven.
Gonna walk all over God's heaven.

I got a robe, you got a robe, all God's children got a robe.
When I get to heaven gonna put on my robe,
I'm gonna shout all over God's heaven, heaven.
Everybody talkin' bout heaven ain't goin' there, heaven, heaven.
Gonna shout all over God's heaven.

I got a harp, you got a harp, all of God's children got a harp. Oh, glory,
When I get to heaven gonna play on my harp,
I'm gonna play all over God's heaven, heaven.
Everybody talkin' bout heaven ain't goin' there, heaven, heaven.
Gonna play all over God's heaven.

I got wings, you get wings, all got children got wings.
When I get to heaven gonna put on my wings,
I'm gonna fly, fly.
Everybody talkin' bout heaven ain't going there, heaven, heaven.
Going to fly all over, going to shout all over, going play all over,
Gonna walk all over God's heaven.

Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo giusto,
Li tutti vivono in pace e in onestà.
Io sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano,
Pien' d'umanità in fondo all'anima.

Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo chiaro,
Li anche la notte è meno oscura.
Io sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano.

Nella fantasia esiste un vento caldo,
Che soffia sulle città, come amico.
Io sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano,
Pien' d'umanità in fondo all'anima.

[English translation:]

In my fantasy I see a just world
Where everyone lives in peace and honesty
I dream of a place to live that is always free
Like a cloud that floats
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul

In my fantasy I see a bright world
Where each night there is less darkness
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the cloud that floats

In my fantasy exists a warm wind
That breathes into the city, like a friend
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the cloud that floats

"Something Inside So Strong"
by Labi Siffre

The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The farther you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me
You can decide to turn your face away
No matter, cos there's....

Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly
It will blind you
Cos there's......

Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
When we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
I'm gonna do it anyway x 2

Something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just good not enough
When we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
I'm gonna do it anyway x 4

Because there's something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me, so wrong
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

"Gracias a la Vida

by Violeta Parra

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me dio dos luceros que, cuando los abro,
perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco,
y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado
y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado el oído que, en todo su ancho,
graba noche y día grillos y canarios;
martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario,
con él las palabras que pienso y declaro:
madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando
la ruta del alma del que estoy amando.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados;
con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me dio el corazón que agita su marco
cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano;
cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo,
cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto.
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto
y el canto de todos, que es mi propio canto.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me down to lie
Through pastures green He leadeth me the silent waters by.
With bright knives He releaseth my soul.
He maketh me to hang on hooks in high places.
He converteth me to lamb cutlets,
For lo, He hath great power, and great hunger.
When cometh the day we lowly ones,
Through quiet reflection, and great dedication
Master the art of karate,
Lo, we shall rise up,
And then we'll make the bugger's eyes water.

"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." Voltaire

Here's a new one!

Karl Rove has resigned
Karl Rove has resigned
Oh, one fine morning,
Karl Rove resigned.
The angels in heaven
and the Democrats on earth (except for Mark Pryor)
rejoice the mostest cause
Karl Rove has resigned.

Music has a way of soothing the soul and comforting when many of us need comfort. Its good to see that once again we have come together as a community here and recieved some comfort and healing. May that Great Shepherd of Peace keep you in the palm of his hand, working with you to do that which is well pleasing in his sight, and may the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with you now and forevermore.

"I can't sing. I ruined my voice crying for gravy when I was small."

----Governor Jeff Davis

damn jake. one of the best.

RLR, I was unfamiliar with Unitarian Universalism at the time you noted your UU membership earlier on this thread. So I read up on it, and am impressed with the openness of your religion. I quote from the Web:

"Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion that encompasses many faith traditions. Unitarian Universalists include people who identify as Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, and others. As there is no official Unitarian Universalist creed, Unitarian Universalists are free to search for truth on many paths. Although we uphold shared principles, individual Unitarian Universalists have varied beliefs about everything from scripture to rituals to God."

I was particularly impressed with UU's openness to atheists and agnostics. Again, I quote from the Web:

"Atheists (people who do not believe in a god) and Agnostics (people who think that we cannot know whether a god exists) are more than welcome within Unitarian Universalism. Unitarian Universalism is unusual in its belief that a person can be very religious, spiritual, moral, etc. without believing in a god. There is no requirement to believe in a god of any sort within our faith. At last count, 19% of Unitarian Universalists said that they did not believe in any type of god."

"Some Unitarian Universalist congregations are more Deistic (god-centered) than others. While some congregations regularly refer to God in worship and prayer, others have a much more varied approach to addressing the religious spirit. Even in those congregations where they often use the word "God," it's ok if you don't believe in a god."

I must say that UU's outlook blends well with my own "to each his own" philosophy, be it with regard to religion or other matters.

Unitarians claim Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and other Founding Fathers as part of their heritage. They associate/identify with deism.

One of the first times I learned much about Unitarian Universalists was when the Internets first came about. There was a website that let you complete a quiz and then helped you identify what religion most fits your responses.

I'm glad to see that it still exists - or at least some form of it does. Click on blue name to find out if you would match up well with UU or pagan or Jewish or one of many other religions.

I was a Secular Humanist. Who would've thunk it....

Liberal and Proud, that's a fascinating test, and thanks for sharing it. Out of 27 religion possibilities, the top three matches for me, based on my responses, were:

01. Unitarian Universalism (score 100)
02 Liberal Quakers (score 99) that's a surprise!
03. Mainline-Liberal Christian Protestant (score 98)

The two religions with which I had the fewest beliefs in common were Jehovah's Witness and Seventh Day Adventist. Score for both, 21.

I think I'll remain a Mainline-Liberal Christian Protestant (Methodist), though, as undistinguished a one as I am.

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet,
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered;
Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
Thou Who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou Who hast by Thy might, led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee.
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee.
Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.

Darangokid here is one thing we did as UU members at our last convention in Portland OR I'm proud of my faith and the religion Unitarian Universlist religion.

Unitarian Universalists call for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Faith Based Community Overwhelmingly Supports Repeal

Washington, DC - On June 24, the Unitarian Universalist Association of
Congregations concluded its annual General Assembly in Portland, OR with
passage of a statement calling for repeal of the U.S. Military's "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. The
Action of Immediate Witness, which calls for passage of the Military
Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), a Congressional bill to repeal
the law, was overwhelmingly supported by the 6000 attendees at the
conference.

"People of compassionate faith understand the importance of ending
discrimination in our Armed Forces," said Captain Joan Darrah, USN
(Ret.), a member of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network's (SLDN)
Advisory Board, who was instrumental in the resolution's passage. "SLDN
salutes the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations for
their tireless efforts in building grassroots momentum for repeal. Our
nation must treat all service members with dignity and respect, but
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' denies that honor to our lesbian, gay and
bisexual personel."

"I am proud that the Unitarian Universalist' s have taken a strong stand
in support of lesbian gay bisexual and transgendered patriots," said
Unitarian minister, SLDN Advisory Board member and Master Chief Petty
Officer of the Coast Guard (Ret.) Vincent Patton. "The action of the
General Assembly puts the Unitarian Universalist Association at the
forefront of the national effort to improve our nation's security by
embracing America's best and brightest, including lesbian gay bisexual
and transgendered Americans who have answered our nation's call to
duty."

The Unitarian Universalist Association consists of over 1,010
congregations in the United States, with over 220,000 members, and is
served by more than 1,100 ministers. The statement by the General
Assembly calls upon its individual members to pledge themselves to work
for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." For more information on the UUA,
visit www.uua.org.

Principles.of Unitarian Universalism
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote
The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

A Brief History of the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Little Rock

The Little Rock church began in the summer of 1950 when the American Unitarian Association placed advertisements in the Little Rock newspapers. On October 15th of that year the first Unitarian meeting was held in the Temple B'nai Israel. On October 30th the Little Rock Unitarian Fellowship with its 16 members formally affiliated with the American Unitarian Association. By June of 1951 there were 28 members.

The first formal services were held at the Sam Peck Hotel on January 20, 1951. The first Sunday School class met on February 17th of that year. The membership split in the spring of 1953 on the question of admitting African Americans to the congregation (the "pros" prevailed). The first building fund was started that same year. The following year the Board of Directors was created.

The Unitarian Fellowship Newsletter (now called The Outer Circle) was first published in 1954. In July and August Carl Whittier, a student minister, served the fellowship for six weeks.

In June of 1955 the church, then 42 members strong, began renting the American Legion Hall at 24th and Wolfe streets.

The building fund was discontinued in 1957 in favor of securing a minister for the Fellowship.

Forty-five-year member Shirley McFarlin recalls this as a pivotal time. One of the most hotly debated business topics for the fledgling group was always whether they would even take up a collection. Now they had to set up of formal donation system to be able to support a minister. It told her that they were going to be a viable group. Unitarian Minister-At-Large, the Reverend Charles A. Wing, assisted the Fellowship from December 1957 through April 1958. On January 26, 1960 the Reverend Richard Kelley was installed as the first minister.

Rick Kelly had a profound effect on the life of Mrs. McFarlin's husband, Jack. "He really challenged our intellects and made us think. He also gave us the feeling that there were others across the country who thought similarly to us."

During this period the Unitarian Fellowship served as a gathering place for those whose religious and social views went decidedly against the grain of traditional thought. In October, 1954, shortly after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, Ray Schute, national President of the Unitarian Laymen's League led a panel discussion in Little Rock on the import of that decision. Later, when Gov. Faubus closed the schools, rather than integrate, the church with only fifty-some members had as many members of the Women's Emergency Committee To Re-open Our Schools as any church in Little Rock, with the possible exception of the Temple B'nai Israel.

The Rev. Kelley served the fledgling congregation until January 1967. During that time the church achieved these goals:

legally incorporated on November 6, 1960;

bought the land on which the current edifice sits on March 10, 1961
and paid off the mortgage just a year later;

built its own building which continues to house the services and other activities and
the first service in the new building was held January 10, 1965.

New church groups and activities during this time included the Unitarian Forum, the Women's Alliance and closer ties with the Southwestern Unitarian Conference.

The Rev. Fred F. Campbell succeeded Rev. Kelley and served for eight years. During the Seventies both co-chairs and the majority of the leadership of the Coalition to Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment were members of this small congregation. The Chair of the Women's Political Caucus is also a member. Members found fellowship through an active square dance group, a singles group and the institution of the Feathered Goat Roast on Labor Day.

When Rev. Campbell left in 1975, the Rev. Gerald Sylvester began his tenure, which lasted until March 1982.One of the most notable projects of that time was the establishment of the UU Film Society, which showed foreign and avant-garde films. It was to continue for more than 20 years. In addition to the active participation of many congregants in feminist causes the church also participated in other social causes such as the annual hunger walk.

The Rev. Jean M. Rickard (now the Rev. Rowe) arrived in February 1983. During her nine years of service the congregation became more multi-faceted and embarked on an ambitious program to expand the church facilities. The new building program included expansion of the sanctuary, revamping the religious education wing and construction of a fellowship hall that also houses the church offices, known as Thomson Hall. UUCLR hosted the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in June of 1987. Community involvement during this time included the formation of a R.A.I.N. team, a partnership with Garland Elementary School and providing meals at the Our House homeless shelter. The latter two activities have continued to this day.

During this period many members of UUCLR were active in supporting Planned Parenthood and working to defeat state legislation that would undercut a woman's right to choose.

After Rev. Rickard became the extension minister with a new Memphis congregation, the congregation was lay led for more than a year. During this period new mission and covenant statements developed in a series of Saturday morning workshops were adopted. The Rev. Fern C. Stanley served as interim minister from September 1993 to August 1994.

The Rev. JoEllen Willis was called by the congregation in April of 1994 and arrived in Little Rock in August 1994.She quickly became active in the community, participating in the newly formed Interfaith Alliance, serving on the board of Planned Parenthood of Greater Arkansas and volunteering at our partner school, Garland Elementary - all in the first year.

During this most recent period the congregation has paid off the mortgage that financed the expansion, expanded the religious education program and established Covenant Groups. Members of the congregation have taken the lead in defending the civil rights of gays, lesbians and bisexuals especially their rights to act as parents.

Rev. Willis left UUCLR in 2002 and Rev. Scotty Meek served as interim minister during the search for a new settled minister until April 2004. Rev. Meek, now retired and residing in Arizona, led the congregation gently toward a "unity of diversity" and was voted as UUCLR's first Minister Emeritus in April 2004.

The Rev. Bob Klein was elected as settled minister in April 2004 and began active ministry the middle of August 2004 and was installed on November 17, 2004..

Thanks, again, RLR. Very impressive history and membership!