Thursday, March 31, 2011
50 Favorite Movies
Monday, March 21, 2011
50 Favorite Novels (In No Particular Order)
Devices and Desires by PD James
Brendan by Fredrick Buechner
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fennimore Cooper
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
The Deerslayer by James Fennimore Cooper
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
City of God by EL Doctorow
The Last Precinct by Patricia Cornwell
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien
Martha Peake: A Novel of the Revolution by Patrick McGrath
The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K LeGuin
The Farthest Shore by Ursula K LeGuin
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Tehanu by Ursula K Leguin
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K LeGuin
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Death in Holy Orders by PD James
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by CS Lewis
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Tinker, Taylor, Solider, Spy by John Le Carre
Smiley’s People by John Le Carre
The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis
The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien
The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien
The Firm by John Grisham
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
The Maytrees, by Annie Dillard
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
The Dead Hour by Denise Mena
Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott
The Telling by Ursula K LeGuin
Saturday, March 5, 2011
My 50 Favorite Athletes Of All Time
Friday, March 4, 2011
50 Presbyterian Churches That Have Played A Role In My Life
Thursday, March 3, 2011
My 50 Favorite Guitarists of All Time
Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Jimmy Page
Pete Townshend
Lindsey Buckingham
George Harrison
The Edge
Brian May
Angus Young
Chuck Berry
David Gilmour
Neil Young
Mick Jones
Joe Perry
Mark Knopfler
Peter Green
Carlos Santana
BB King
Jeff Beck
Mick Ronson
Billy Gibbons
Steve Howe
Robert Johnson
Andy Summers
Randy Rhodes
Eddie Van Halen
Alex Lifeson
Bo Diddley
Johnny Ramone
Kurt Cobain
Keith Richards
Duane Allman
Paul Simon
John Lennon
Steve Jones
Karla Bonoff
Steve Miller
Dave Davies
Jane Wiedlin
Rick Nielson
Keith Strickland
David LaMotte
Jimmy McCullouch
Peter Buck
Marco Pirroni
Prince
Joe Walsh
Joan Jett
George Thorougood
Tim Farriss
Al Stewart
Saturday, February 26, 2011
50 Things That Are NOT on My Bucket List
Skydiving
Cave Exploration
Cliff Diving
Space Travel
Tightrope Walking
Eating Rattlesnake Meat
Surfing
Freestyle Rock Climbing
Scuba Diving
Ski Jumping
Hang Gliding
Parasailing
Butchering Meat
Committing a Felony
Camping in the Amazon Basin
Competing in a Triathlon
Herding Cattle
Competitive Fishing
Yacht Racing
Attending the Masters Golf Tournament
Learning to Yodel
Going Through Basic Training
Attending an Autopsy
Selling Door to Door
Bull Riding
Taking Ballet
Serving as a Model for a Drawing Class
Competitive Eating
Working in a Mine
Lumberjacking
Embalming a Corpse
Scaling a Building
Visiting China
Bungy Jumping
Attending a NASCAR Race
Touring Napa Valley Wineries
Ghost Hunting
Pearl Diving
Hot Air Ballooning
Living on the Beach
Traveling to the North Pole
Traveling to the South Pole
Ocean Kayaking
Working on a Fishing Boat
Being Tazed
Fire Fighting
Attending the US Open Tennis Tournament
Taking Karate
Fly Fishing
Performing the National Anthem at a Sporting Event
Thursday, February 17, 2011
My 50 Favorite Sports Teams of All Time
2. Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (NFL)—Who can forget Earl Campbell and Billy “White Shoes” Johnson? Or Warren Moon? Or Steve “Air” McNair? Or Eddie George? Or Chris Johnson? Obviously I can’t.
3. University of Tennessee Volunteers Football (NCAA)—Especially now that Lane Kiffin is gone.
4. San Antonio Gunslingers (USFL)—Rick Neuheisel was the starting QB.
5. Memphis Southmen (WFL)—Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, Paul Warfield, Danny White: not bad for an upstart league.
6. Memphis Pros/Tams/Sound (ABA)—Would have become the Baltimore Claw if the ABA hadn’t merged with the NBA.
7. Trinity University (Texas) Tigers Football (NCAA Div. III)—Pulled off one of the great plays in football history—16 laterals to score on the last play of the game against Milsaps College in Mississippi.
8. University of Memphis Men’s Basketball (NCAA)—Were tied with Bill Walton and UCLA at halftime of the 1973 NCAA finals.
9. Memphis Grizzlies (NBA)
10. Chicago Bulls (NBA)—During the Jordan years mainly.
11. Memphis Showboats (USFL)—Coached by Pepper Rogers.
12. Houston Gamblers (USFL)—Jim Kelly was QB.
13. Buffalo Bills (NFL)—Kent Hull, starting center through the four Super Bowl losses is a really nice guy. Jim Kelly was QB here as well.
14. St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)
15. New Orleans Saints (NFL)—Archie Manning! And later Bum Philips coached Kenny “The Snake” Stabler and Earl Campbell there.
16. Pittsburg Stealers (NFL)—They weren’t always a favorite of mine, but then I married a fan and she convinced me to appreciate a great team when I saw one.
17. Indianapolis Colts (NFL)—They weren’t always a favorite, either, but I can’t root against Peyton Manning, I just can’t.
18. Arkansas Twisters/Diamonds (AF2/IFL)—Arena Football 2: fun sport to watch, sort of like human pinball.
19. McAllen (Texas) High School Bulldogs (High School Football)—My high school.
20. Little Rock (Arkansas) Central High School Tigers (High School Football)—My kids’ high school.
21. San Antonio Racquets (Domino’s Pizza Team Tennis)—No, honest. Look them up.
22. Charlotte Heat (Domino’s Pizza Team Tennis)—One of only two championships I’ve ever seen in any sport: San Antonio at Charlotte, summer of 1987. Charlotte won.
23. Tulsa University Football (NCAA)—Good team for a small school, though it is the largest Presbyterian-related university in the country.
24. Oakland A’s (MLB)—In the mid-70s this was a great team.
25. Houston Astros (MLB)—Rooted for them in the 90s.
26. McAllen Dusters (Independent Baseball)—played one, maybe two seasons. The big question was always which would be higher, the number of runs scored or the number of errors committed. Lots of fun to watch, though.
27. Green Bay Packers (NFL)—Got to love a team owned by a city.
28. Davidson (North Carolina) Wildcats Men’s Basketball (NCAA)—Their historic run in the NCAA’s was thrilling to watch. A Presbyterian-related school where my Dad went.
29. Philadelphia Stars (USFL)—Jim Mora coached them.
30. (Tie) Indiana Pacers, New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets (ABA/NBA)—Along with San Antonio, the only remaining former ABA teams, now merged with the NBA.
33. Arkansas Travelers (Minor League Baseball/Texas League)—An historic team with connections back to 1901.
34. Arkansas RimRockers (ABA)—Team began in 2004-05 with the revamped American Basketball League. They played for one year, won a league championship, and then left for the NBA’s Developmental League. One of only two league championships of any kind I’ve ever attended.
35. Tulsa Talons (AF2)—Arch rivals for a number of years of the Arkansas Twisters. I developed a grudging respect for the team.
36. Memphis Mad Dogs (CFL)—Part of the Canadian Football League’s effort to “invade” the US. Pepper Rogers coached the team in it’s only year of 1995. Gary Anderson played his last year of professional football for the team.
37. Hamilton Tiger-cats (CFL)—Our family attended a Hamilton game a couple of years ago (versus Toronto). Great atmosphere and wonderful folks seated in the “family section.” I became a fan for life.
38. Seattle Seahawks (NFL)—Their first few years as an expansion team were fun to watch. Jim Zorn at QB and Steve Largent at WR were among the highlights.
39. Glasgow Rangers (Scottish Football League)—That’s soccer to you and me.
40. Duzcespor (Turkish Football)—I spent a summer in Duzce as an exchange student and attended a match.
41. Arkansas Riverblades (ECHL)—One of two hockey teams to play in Little Rock at one time. This one played in much nicer Alltel Arena in North Little Rock.
42. Arkansas GlacierCats (WPHL)—The other hockey team to play in Little Rock at one time, playing their games at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock.
43. San Antonio Wings (WFL)—Saw them play once, against the Memphis Southmen in San Antonio. San Antonio won the game and the league went belly up the next week.
44. University of Arkansas Razorbacks Football (NCAA)—Proud tradition of great teams over the years.
45. Arkansas State University Red Wolves Football (NCAA)—Trying very hard to make Arkansas a two-team state.
46. New Jersey Devils (NHL)—For some reason I found myself rooting for this team for a year or two.
47. Philadelphia Bell (WFL)—What a wacky name for a pro football team! Got to love it.
48. Memphis Rogues (NASL)—Saw them play once against the Rochester Lancers. Thought they had a cool team name.
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)—Now that Lebron James has bailed on them I’ll be rooting for them to win a title––someday.
50. New York Knights (AFL)—I saw the very first Arena Football game ever played in Madison Square Garden. This was one of the teams.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
50 Places I've Never Been That I Would Like to Visit
(In No Particular Order)
Oslo, Norway
Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Orkney Islands, Scotland
Stockholm, Sweden
Australia
Christchurch, New Zealand
San Francisco, California
Berlin, Germany
Hawaii
Athens, Greece
Ephesus, Turkey
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin (for a Packers game)
Copenhagen, Denmark
The Florida Keys
Seattle, Washington
Portland, Oregon
Helena, Montana
Salt Lake City, Utah
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Boise, Idaho
Los Angeles, California
The Shetland Islands, Scotland
Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota
Fargo, North Dakota
Prince Edward Island, Canada
Truva, Turkey (Ancient Troy)
Tobermory, Mull, Scotland
Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
San Diego, California
Peru
Tonga
Guam
Hastings Battlefield, England
Agincourt Battlefield, France
Cannes, France
Monaco
St. Lucia
Liechtenstein
Republic of Nauru
Tuvalu
Andorra
Greenland
Helsinki, Finland
St. Petersburg, Russia
Van Buren, Maine
Newport, New Hampshire
Ramsey Island, Wales
Isle of Man
Isle of Wight, England
Friday, February 4, 2011
50 People I'd Invite to Dinner
50 people, real or fictitious, living or dead, and in no particular order that I’d invite to dinner (excluding family members and close friends, who of course would be invited).
Sam Waterston
The Apostle Paul
John Adams
Annie Dillard
Ann LaMotte
Charles Dickens
Paul McCartney
Ringo Starr
Jane Austin
Michael Jordan
Paul Simon
Arthur Miller
Queen Elizabeth I
John Lennon
George Harrison
Chrissy Hynde
Tom Brokaw
Gene Hackman
Sandra Bulloch
Francis Ford Coppola
Abraham Lincoln
David McCullough
John Knox
Arthur Ashe
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Denzel Washington
Karl Barth
Jason Bourne
Elizabeth Bennett
Hermione Granger
Benjamin Franklin
Theodore White
Rosa Parks
Winston Churchill
Lady Dianna
Salvador Dali
Samuel Clements
Barak Obama
Isaac Watts
Virginia Dare
Gilda Radner
John Cleese
Peyton Manning
Walter Payton
Bill Murray
Bono
Jethro Gibbs
LL Cool J
Linda Cohn
Carl Sandburg
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Top 50 Most Played Songs on My iPod as of January 29, 2011
Nothing From Nothing—Billy Preston
Peace Train—Cat Stevens
Two Eighty One—Love Gone Wrong Garage Band/Dumpton Park
Rebel Rebel—David Bowie
Revolution—The Beatles
Tenderness—General Public
Instant Karma—John Lennon
Hello, Goodbye—The Beatles
Bang A Gong (Get It On)—T. Rex
Should I Stay or Should I Go?—The Clash
Cars—Gary Numan
Tenor Recitative - Comfort ye—Messiah (Ama Deus Ensemble)
Changes—David Bowie
52 Girls—The B-52’s
Message In A Bottle—The Police
Mama Said Knock You Out—LL Cool J
Golden Years—David Bowie
Intergalactic—Beastie Boys
Gimme Shelter—The Rolling Stones
Let It Be—The Beatles
Overture - Sinfonia—Messiah (Ama Deus Ensemble)
Alleluia—John L. Bell & The Wild Goose Worship Group
Let’s Get It Started (Spike Mix)—Black Eyed Peas
S.O.S.—ABBA
Beautiful Day—U2
Morning Has Broken—Cat Stevens
Godzilla—Blue Oyster Cult
Bless The Lord—John L. Bell & The Wild Goose Worship Group
Feel Good Inc.—Gorillaz
(What Have They Done To) Dreamland—Dumpton Park
It’s Tricky—Run-DMC
Shattered—The Rolling Stones
Oh Well-Pt. 1—Fleetwood Mac
Poor Poor Pitiful Me—Warren Zevon
Sabotage—Beastie Boys
She Makes Me Want You—Dumpton Park
Waterloo—ABBA
Word Up! (7” Vocal Version)—Cameo
Can’t Get There from Here—R.E.M.
Pretty Pursuasion—R.E.M.
Go Your Own Way—Fleetwood Mac
U Can’t Touch This—MC Hammer
Lunatic Fringe—Red Rider
Train in Vain (Stand By Me)—The Clash
John, I’m Only Dancing—David Bowie
Chorus-For unto us a child––Messiah (Ama Deus Ensemble)
Hallelujah Chorus––Messiah (Ama Deus Ensemble)
She Drives Me Crazy—Fine Young Cannibals
Be Still And Know—John L. Bell & The Wild Goose Worship Group
Black Dog—Led Zeppelin
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Top 50 Musical Acts I've Heard Live (Some More Than Once)
1. Fleetwood Mac—Dallas, Texas; Reunion Arena, “Tusk” tour. Had obscured view seats and it still remains my favorite concert.
2. INXS—Richmond, Virginia; The Mosque. “Kick” tour. The only band I can remember actually sounding better live than on their albums.
3. The Police—Austin, Texas; Frank Erwin Center. “Ghost in the Machine” tour. In my opinion they went down from there.
4. Jackson Browne #2—San Antonio, Texas; I forget the venue. “Lives in the Balance” tour. Politically edgy.
5. Elvis Costello #1—Austin; Austin Country Club. Very, very cool live.
6. Adam Ant—San Antonio; The Majestic Theatre. “Vive Le Rock” tour. Absolutely the loudest show I’ve ever experienced. Ears were still ringing the next afternoon.
7. B-52’s #2—Little Rock, Arkansas; The Riverfront Amphitheater. The kids and I were standing together at the front of the stage. Very cool experience.
8. The Pretenders—Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Opened for the B-52’s and, of course, were just as good.
9. Jackson Browne #1—Austin; Erwin Center. The “Hold On, Hold Out” tour. He was still playing big arenas at that point.
10. The Bus Boys—San Antonio; Laurie Auditorium, Trinity University. Best known from the “48 Hours” soundtrack, they opened for the Stray Cats and were way, way better.
11. Al Stewart—San Antonio; forget the venue. Way past his glory days, but a real treat.
12. Karla Bonoff—Little Rock; Piano Center. A very intimate concert.
13. Elvis Costello #2—Austin; Austin Country Club. Knew every song.
14. Bob Seger #1—Austin, Erwin Center. “Hollywood Nights” had just come out and he had been on the cover of Rolling Stone.
15. Jackson Browne #3—Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Shawn Colvin opened.
16. LL Cool J—Little Rock; Riverfest. Old school!
17. Ho Hum—Little Rock/North Little Rock; Various venues. Knowing members of this Arkansas-based group makes the shows more enjoyable. Very accessible stuff.
18. Nick Lowe and his Cowboy Outfit—Austin; Austin Country Club. Opened for Elvis Costello. Very nice set.
19. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band—Austin; Erwin Center. Though not one of my all-time favorite acts it was certainly a great show, full of energy.
20. Willy Nelson—San Antonio; Hemisfair Arena. Actually heard him perform several numbers while I was part of the crowd for his movie “Honeysuckle Rose.”
21. Smash Mouth—Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. One of those shows where you don’t realize how much of their music you know until you hear them play it all.
22. Bob Seger #2—North Little Rock; Verizon Arena. Good performances of most of his hits.
23. Squeeze—Austin; Austin Country Club. Opened for Elvis Costello. Very cool vibe.
24. Billy Squire—San Antonio; Hemisfair Arena. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this show. Another one where I had no idea how much of his music I knew until I heard him play.
25. Dave Matthews Band—North Little Rock; Dickey Stephens Park. I’m not real familiar with their music, but this was a very good show.
26. Bo Diddley—San Antonio; can’t remember the venue. Played with a group of local musicians so it wasn’t great, but it was a thrill to get to hear him.
27. Ringo Starr—Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. One of his “All Starrs” tours. The only former Beatle I’ve ever seen.
28. Lloyd Cole and the Commotion—Austin; forget the venue. A mostly Scottish band who had a few minor hits on MTV. Got to meet them after the show and found them to be very affable.
29. Gregg Allman—North Little Rock; Dickey Stephens Park. Opened for Dave Matthews Band and later performed “Melissa” as a part of the DMB set. Great blues and rock.
30. Thompson Twins—San Antonio; Laurie Auditorium. This was very early in their career so there were none of the later hits. But it was a crazy show with a lot of energy.
31. B-52’s #1—Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Good show, but we were seated way in the back and didn’t get in on any of the energy.
32. Joan Jett––Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Late in her career, but it was a lot of fun.
33. David LaMotte—Little Rock; Westover Hills Presbyterian Church. A great guitarist/singer/songwriter. Check him out on Youtube. Also he’s a Presbyterian, which is worth a lot of points in my book.
34. Dan Fogelberg—Austin; Erwin Center. I thought I would hate this show (only went to take pictures for my college newspaper). But it turned out to be a pretty good show.
35. Elton John––Austin; Erwin Center. A surprisingly disappointing concert. There were a bunch of hits he didn’t play, but his encore was “Get Up and Dance.” Yuck. Plus Nigel Olsson was the drummer on the tour and he did a set of songs like “Dancing Shoes.” Yuck, yuck. Still, we’re talking Elton John.
36. Sheila E.––Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Part of Ringo’s All Starrs. She did a great job on percussion for the band and then took a set of her own songs, like “Glamorous Life.”
37. The Members—San Antonio; Laurie Auditorium. Opened for the Thompson Twins and had one hit called “I’m In Love With a Working Girl.”
38. Rush—San Antonio; Hemisfair Arena. “Moving Pictures” Tour. The only backstage pass I’ve ever had which made it fun. But this was never one of my favorite bands.
39. Paul Carrack––Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Another of Ringo’s All Starrs he covered several Squeeze numbers and “How Long Has This Been Going On” which he recorded with Ace.
40. Shawn Colvin––Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Opened for Jackson Browne and did the obligatory high harmony on “Load Out/Stay.” Not someone I was familiar with, but a good show.
41. Colin Hay––Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. Yet another of Ringo’s All Starrs. He covered several Men At Work numbers as a part of the show.
42. Marshall Tucker Band—Little Rock; Riverfest. Well past their prime, but a good show.
43. Ice House—San Antonio; forget the venue. This was well before they went top 40. My friend David Arthur and I had an interview with them before the show which helped. Plus it was my birthday.
44. Billy Burnett—Dallas; Reunion Arena. Opened for Fleetwood Mac on the “Tusk” tour. Had one big hit at the time, “Toeing the Line.”
45. John Waite––Little Rock; Riverfront Amphitheater. One more of Ringo’s All Starrs. He covered his own music plus some Babys tunes.
46. Georgia Satellites––Little Rock; Riverfest. Way, way past their prime, but still a fun show.
47. Gym Class Heroes––Little Rock; Riverfest. Not someone I would have sought out, but they were on the same stage as LL Cool J, and “Cupid’s Chokehold” was a hit at the time.
48. The Stray Cats—San Antonio; Laurie Auditorium. Very disappointing. In fact, The Bus Boys opened and in my opinion stole the show. But these guys did have some unforgettable songs.
49. Yes—San Antonio; Hemisfair Arena. Not a very good show, either. It was a strange lineup including the guys from the Buggles (“Video Killed the Radio Star”) so I’m not sure it really qualifies as Yes. But they covered the classics pretty well.
50. Michael Murphy—San Antonio; Laurie Auditorium. “Wild Fire” was the only song I knew, but I got to interview him after the show and he told me he expected to see me writing for Rolling Stone someday. (He was wrong).
Monday, December 13, 2010
50 Countries From Which My Blog "Daily Readings" Has Been Accessed
Australia
Barbados
Brazil
Canada
China
Columbia
Croatia
Denmark
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Ghana
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kuwait
Latvia
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Nigeria
Philippines
Poland
Puerto Rico
Russia
Saint Lucia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Friday, December 3, 2010
50 Things I'm Waiting For This Advent (Subject to Change)
The reign of God to come in its fullness
The Tennessee Titans to win the Super Bowl
A sustainable and relevant third party in American politics
A trip to Scandinavia
An end to incivility in Washington
A trip to Lambeau Field in December to watch the Packers and Bears
A trip to the Monopoly World Championships
A professional Monopoly tour—I would have to give it a shot!
Pete Townshend, Roger Daltry, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr to tour together—it’s a natural!
Klatuu’s first four albums on iTunes
To hear from the new Presbyterian Hymnal as to whether my submissions were accepted
To lose 20 lbs.
To walk the entire Little Rock/North Little Rock River Trail in a day
To stage my play “Fragments”—once it’s finished
To finish the “Dumpton Park” CD
To finish my Doctor of Ministy degree
To have a SECOND visit with the members of U2—yes, I’ve met them once before.
To preach in Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia
To figure out what I’m going to be when I grow up
The Presbyterian Church (USA) to return to annual General Assemblies
To find out whatever happened to Mary Magdalene
Kent Hull to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame
A trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio
To find my name in the index of someone else’s book—how cool would that be?
A majority of Americans to put the eradication of poverty ahead of the accumulation of personal wealth
Universal health care to be accepted as the right thing to do in America
An end to the AIDS epidemic sooner than later
Access to safe, clean water for all people
Adequate housing to be seen as a right, not a privilege
An end to global warming
To hear one of my son’s songs on the radio
To watch my daughter flourish in whatever career she chooses
My wife’s migraines to end once and for all
The peace that surpasses all understanding
Christmas and Easter to return to their status as religious festivals and not as marketing tools
Courage
More drive and determination
Less procrastination
An end to states’ dependence on lotteries as a source of revenue
More time with friends from high school, college, and seminary
To be able to eat pizza with cheese again—and ice cream
To be able to read two books a month
To get the house painted
A copy of “It’s A Wonderful Life” to replace the one that’s ruined
Two weeks in Montreat, North Carolina
A trip back to Scotland
To do play-by-play for a sporting event
To become a tidy person
To record a podcast
To interview Paul Simon
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
My 50 Favorite Bible Passages
1. Romans 8:18-39—If I could have only one scripture passage to use for the rest of my life I believe this would be the one I chose.
2. Psalm 121—For generations this has been the traveling psalm for the Freeman family.
3. 1 Peter 2:4-10—The first time I became aware of this passage it resonated strongly with me, and has ever sense.
4. 2 Timothy 3:14-17—The passage with which my grandfather Freeman inscribed the Bible he and my grandmother gave to me when I was a child.
5. Micah 6:6-8—My personal mission statement.
6. Psalm 84—I wrote a play based heavily on this psalm and the notion of belonging to God.
7. Romans 14:7—In life and death we belong to God.
8. 2 Corinthians 4:1-12—(Especially verses 5-6.) What we preach is not ourselves; these are very liberating words for a minister to hear, and have long helped me clarify my sense of call.
9. Psalm 8—A long-time favorite and a reminder of God’s sovereignty over all creation.
10. Isaiah 6:1-8—Also very helpful in considering my call. This is the first of several Old Testament call stories on the list.
11. Luke 2:1-20—The familiar words of the story of Jesus’ birth remain relevant in any era.
12. John 1:1-5—Though John is not my favorite of the gospels, the words of this passage are very profound, pointing to Jesus (the Word of God) as vital to creation.
13. Matthew 28:16-20—Jesus’ “Great Commission” to his disciples.
14. Psalm 23—Though often read at funerals the words of this psalm are appropriate in any setting as a reminder of God’s love.
15. Hebrews 12:1-2—This passage serves to remind me of all those who have gone before me in the faith, especially my grandparents.
16. Habakkuk 2:1-4—For Presbyterians the “watchposts” of the faith are the font, the table, and the pulpit.
17. Isaiah 40:1-11, 27-31—Great words of hope.
18. Luke 1:46-55—A firm reminder that God is fully on the side of the dispossessed and downtrodden.
19. Ephesians 4:1-16—Full of imagery about the unity of God and of the faith.
20. Genesis 32:22-32—Jacob wrestled with God at the ford of the River Jabbok. In Hebrew the term for wrestling is to get dusty. What great imagery, God drawing close enough to humanity to get dusty with us.
21. Ezekiel 1—Another call story. The part of this that I love most is Ezekiel’s reaction to encountering God in the exile. He falls on his face.
22. Amos 7:14-15—Amos describes his sense of mission as a prophet of God.
23. Luke 4:14-21—The inauguration of Jesus’ ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth.
24. 1 John 1:8-9—If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves.
25. Acts 2:1-21—The day of Pentecost and the birth of the church.
26. Galatians 1:13-17—Paul’s account of his conversion to Christianity.
27. 1 Samuel 3:1-18—Samuel hears God’s voice in the night.
28. Mark 1:9-11—The baptism of Jesus.
29. Mark 16:1-8—The resurrection, which, in Mark’s account, is brief and almost ambiguous. As my colleague the Rev. Dick Hardie has said, the tension and excitement comes form knowing that Jesus is “our there, loose in the world.”
30. Isaiah 5:1-7—The song of the vineyard, God’s judgment of the people of Israel.
31. Galatians 3:27-28—All are one in Christ Jesus our Lord.
32. Amos 5:18-24—“Let waters roll down like waters…”
33. Jeremiah 18:1-11—Jeremiah and the potter working the clay.
34. 2 Samuel 11:27-12:15a—Nathan condemns David for his sin against Uriah.
35. Philippians 2:3-11—An appeal for humility in the example of Jesus Christ.
36. Micah 4:1-5—A beautiful image of the restoration of Israel “In days to come.”
37. Romans 12—A very rich and meaningful chapter.
38. Psalm 24—“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof…” in the KJV. A profound statement of God’s glory.
39. Luke 8:40-56—Jesus heals Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the flow of blood, each of which shows Jesus’ willingness to accept even the lowest members of society into fellowship.
40. Matthew 5:1-12—The Beatitudes, a significant part of the Sermon on the Mount.
41. 2 Kings 5:1-19a—Elisha cures Naaman of leprosy.
42. Exodus 3: 1-4:17—The call of Moses.
43. Deuteronomy 6:4-9—The “Shema,” one of Judaism’s most sacred texts.
44. Genesis 1-3—God’s work of creation reveals a great deal about God and humanity.
45. Revelation 21:1-6—The new Jerusalem in the midst of a new creation.
46. Jonah—This entire book tells a story rich in detail and full of truth about God.
47. Acts 10—The conversion of Cornelius and his household.
48, John 3:16—A verse so familiar that it’s like an old friend.
49. Psalm 100—One of the earliest psalms I ever learned.
50. 1 Corinthians 4:1—I once had a plaque made to recognize the 50th anniversary of a colleague’s ordination. I meant to refer to 2 Corinthians 4:1, but wrote 1 Corinthians instead. Turns out this passage was more appropriate.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
50 Greatest Events in History (Good or Bad)
1. The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (c. 4-37 AD)
2. The birth of the Church at Pentecost and conversion of Saul to Christianity (c. 37 AD)
3. The dawn of Greek Civilization (and ultimately Western culture) (c. 1600 BC)
4. Guttenberg’s invention of moveable type (1455 AD)
5. Martin Luther launches the Protestant Reformation (1517 AD)
6. Dawn of Egyptian culture (3414 BC)
7. Hammurabi’s Code is history’s first system of laws (c. 1760 BC)
8. The fall of Roman Empire (476 AD)
9. United States Declares Independence (1776 AD)
10.. Birth of Muhammad (c. 520 AD)
11. Constantine converts to Christianity (312 AD)
12. Birth of William Shakespeare (c. 1564)
13. Columbus sails west (1492 AD)
14. The Wright Brothers prove that human flight is possible (1903 AD)
15. Germany’s invasion of Poland and the beginning of WW2 (1939 AD)
16. The Holocaust (1939-45 AD)
17. The signing of the Magna Charta (1215 AD)
18. The French Revolution overthrows the French monarchy (1789 AD)
19. Assassination of John F. Kennedy (1963 AD)
20. Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968 AD)
21. The Silicon chip is invented ushering in the modern computer age (1959 AD)
22. Aristotle writes Poetics, the first detailed account of drama (c. 335 BC)
23. Small pox vaccine developed (1700’s AD)
24. Jonas Salk develops a polio vaccine (1952 AD)
25. The US drops atomic bombs on Japan (1945 AD)
26. The Berlin Wall comes down ending the Cold War (1990 AD)
27. D-Day landings in France (1944 AD)
28. Washington and Rochambeau defeat Cornwallis at Yorktown (1781 AD)
29. First human to walk on the moon (1969 AD)
30. The Tale of Genji the world’s first novel, is written in Japan (c. 1021 AD)
31. Birth of Alexander the Great (356 BC)
32. Henry Ford perfects the assembly line (1913 AD)
33. The Russian Revolution overthrows the Tsar (1917 AD)
34. Jessie Owens wins gold at the Munich Olympics to Hitler’s embarrassment (1936 AD)
35. End of Apartheid in South Africa (1990-93 AD)
36. Development of the motion picture camera (c. 1880 AD)
37. Stalin becomes leader of the Soviet Union (1924 AD)
38. Civil Rights march at Selma, Alabama (1965 AD)
39. India gains independence from Britain (1947 AD)
40. Elizabeth I becomes Queen of England (1558 AD)
41. Elvis Presley records “That’s All Right” (1954 AD)
42. First TV broadcast takes place in London (1926 AD)
43. The Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show (1964 AD)
44. Live Aid concerts for African famine relief organized by Boomtown Rats front man Bob Geldoff (1985 AD)
45. The attack on the World Trade Center in New York (2001 AD)
46. Great Chinese Famine kills anywhere from 15 to 40 million people (1958-62 AD)
47. United Nations founded (1945 AD)
48. Antonio Meucci invents the telephone (c. 1871 AD)
49. Native slavery abolished in Spanish American colonies (1542 AD)
50. Oil discovered in the Middle East (1908 AD)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
My 50 Favorite Songs of All Time
2. “Revolution” The Beatles
3. “Imagine” John Lennon
4. “Won’t Get Fooled Again” The Who
5. “Nothing From Nothing” Billy Preston
6. “London Calling” The Clash
7 “Year of the Cat” Al Stewart
8. “Stairway to Heaven” Led Zeppelin
9. “Don’t Stop” Fleetwood Mac
10. “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” Simon and Garfunkel
11. “Instant Karma” John Lennon
12. “Hello Goodbye” The Beatles
13. “Rebel, Rebel” Davie Bowie
14. “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” U2
15. “Cars” Gary Newman
16. “Listen Like Thieves” INXS
17. “Rock the Casbah” The Clash
18. “Graceland” Paul Simon
19. “Hey Jude” The Beatles
20. “Shattered” The Rolling Stones
21. “Silly Love Songs” Wings
22. “I’ve Got My Mind Set On You” George Harrison
23. “Rocking In the Free World” Neil Young
24. “Whip It” Devo
25. “52 Girls” The B52’s
26. “Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me” Warren Zevon
27. “Burning Down the House” Talking Heads
28. “Let It Be” The Beatles
29. “Break On Through” The Doors
30. “Peace Train” Cat Stephens
31. “Message In a Bottle” The Police
32. “Radio, Radio” Elvis Costello and the Attractions
33. “Finest Work Song” REM
34. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” George Harrison
35. “Anarchy in the UK” The Sex Pistols
36. “I Wanna Be Sedated” The Ramones
37. “We Will Rock You” Queen
38. “Would I Lie To You?” Eurythmics
39. “1999” Prince
40. “Mama Said Knock You Out” L L Cool J
41. “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” John Mellencamp
42. “S.O.S.” Abba
43. “No Brain No Pain” Hall and Oates
44. “Band on the Run” Paul McCartney and Wings
45. “It’s a Heart Ache” Bonnie Tyler
46. “I Want You to Want Me (Live)” Cheap Trick
47. “Good Vibrations” The Beach Boys
48. “Fire” The Ohio Players
49. “Middle of the Road” The Pretenders
50. “The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald” Gordon Lightfoot