Your Top 10 (Part 2)

So, what do you want on your tombstone? Or at least, sung at your funeral? After I left yesterday the conversation went on a little while and some of the wits (half of them) came up with these:

WwwwWipeout! (the Surfaris)
Dead Man's Curve (Jan and Dean)
Another one bites the dust (Queen)
It's the end of the world as we know it (REM)
as well as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and the Beatles' "In My Life".

Gives you some sense of the people I hang around with, eh?

But, anyway, I need five more to finish my own top 10 list. Of course, if I don't die today I may have different ideas tomorrow. But here goes:

"Precious Lord Take My Hand" (Thomas Dorsey) - because it is the sweetest gospel number ever, and I dare you not to cry:
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.
When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home

Yesu Azali Awa (African hymn) - because it's fun to sing, and translates as "we're going to sing to Jesus in heaven":
Yesu azali awa, Yesu azali awa,
Yesu azali awa na biso
Biso toko sepela, Biso toko sepela
Biso toko sepela na lola
Oh, oh
Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia na Yesu

Forever Young (Bob Dylan) - A great song and a blessing on those who hear it:
May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

"Further On Up the Road" (Bruce Springsteen) - don't we need some rock and roll?
Got on my dead man's suit
And my smilin' skull ring
My lucky graveyard boots
And a song to sing
I got a song to sing, keep me out of the cold
And I'll meet you further on up the road
Further on up the road, further on up the road
where the way is dark and the night is cold
one sunny morning we'll rise, I know
and I'll meet you further on up the road

"Dust" (D. Hardesty) - OK, I'm a little biased here, but it's a good tune that puts things into perspective:
We are dust, we are grass
we are made from the earth;
to the earth we'll return someday
but we'll rise when He calls, and we'll live in heaven's halls
Gloryland is our home someday
Gloryland, Gloryland, we are bound for Gloryland
Gloryland, Gloryland, movin' on to Gloryland

And finally, "Dear Friend" by DeGarmo and Key. Yeah, some of you kids may not know this one, but it's a perfect encore:
Seasons change, days go by,
People come and people go.
Though our paths may lead us apart,
They will meet one day, I know.
And I owe you,
So much, dear friend,
For all those treasured times.
For you’ve made me a richer man,
Having had you in my life.

OK, OK, I know that's not 10. I can count to 11 (or 12). BUT HEY, IT'S MY FUNERAL AND I'LL PLAY WHAT I WANT.

Hope yours goes well, too.

Your Top 10 (Part 1)

What do you want sung at YOUR funeral?

That's the question some friends were discussing today. Pretty good question, and some pretty good answers (some repeatable, some not!). One of my favorite responses was Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here :-) Somebody else said, "Anything written after 2070." Also good.

So what about me?

Here are some (in no particular order) that I'd love to hear, either sung live, or piped in as folks mill about wondering "Why is he smiling?"

"Keep Me In Your Heart For Awhile" (Warren Zevon) - recognizing that I may not be permanent, but I'd still like to be remembered:
Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath
Keep me in your heart for awhile
If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less
Keep me in your heart for awhile
Sometimes when you're doing simple things around the house
Maybe you'll think of me and smile
You know I'm tied to you like the buttons on your blouse
Keep me in your heart for awhile

"How Firm A Foundation" (John Rippon) - because Someone's holding on to me:
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

"Be Thou My Vision" (Dallan Forgaill) - because I'm holding on to Someone:
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...
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

"Better Things" (the Kinks) - because I love and have great hopes for you all:
Here's wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way...
I know you've got a lot of good things happening up ahead.
The past is gone its all been said.
So heres to what the future brings,
I know tomorrow you'll find better things.
I know tomorrow you'll find better things.

"I Love to Tell the Story" (Katherine Hankey) - because the Story is what it's about:
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.


OK, there's five out of ten. Maybe I'll get to five more tomorrow. If I live that long. What's on YOUR list?

E Plurubus Unum

I had a great experience tonight. I went to my church for a prayer meeting. (And right now some of you are thinking "If that's a great experience you need to get out more!" But wait a sec...)

I was sitting in a small room with a small group of believers. All of us were disappointed, to varying degrees with the election. Hey, most of the people and issues I voted for won! (na-na-na :-P ) But I have to shake my head in awestruck amazement at some people's choices. (And there were other people sitting there, probably thinking the same thing about my choices :-)

So there we were, a 60's liberal, a friend of Republican candidates, a professional woman (classic Bill Clinton target), and a Baptist pastor. What could we do? From the media reports you'd expect nothing less than a slugfest.

Nope. We read the Bible - I Timothy 2:1-6, actually:
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

And then we prayed. We prayed for Nancy Pelosi, for the President, for Sen. Reid, for the hearts of those on Capitol hill, for our State politicians, for our Superintendent of Public Instruction, on and on.

What did we pray? First, that we would be cleansed and forgiven of harsh words and ill feelings. Then, that our leaders would serve selflessly, as God intends leaders to do. That they would work together for the good of the country. That they would have such success - Democrats AND Republicans - that those who voted against them would be amazed and delighted with their good governance.

And then we prayed for each other, and for eternal matters. After all, this country is a little thing that isn't going to last long, but eternity is, well, eternal.

You see, we might look like different tribes, wear different pins in our lapels, cheer for different teams, support different candidates, even speak different languages, but Jesus takes people of different descriptions, from all around the world, and He binds us into a loving family. E Plurubus Unum - "Out of Many, One".

And I'm glad He does. You'll never know how sweet it is to see Jews and Arabs, Broncos and Vandals, mods and rockers, blacks and whites, even Democrats and Republicans embrace each other with honest love and goodwill until you see what Christ can do in the hearts of His people. One people. Out of many.

Shalom.

Elections

I've made my voting decisions; by the time you read this you may be done, too. Or well-done. And while we may disagree on some particulars, some things remain true...


While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted."