Each year, my family gathers nearly 60 family members for a holiday dinner in which I am in charge of reading a family prayer written specifically for the night- a tradition that goes back nearly 50 years with my grandfather. To wish all of my That Nashville Sound readers a very warm Christmas holiday, I thought today's post would be my family prayer shared with my family of readers. We wish all of you the very best of holidays filled with family, friends and food.
Dear Lord,
As this amazingly enormous and close family gathers today in your honor, it gives us an opportunity to reflect on all of those things that we are so incredibly grateful for.
We are first grateful for life. Grateful for all the warm loving homes that we’ve been placed in and for all the people that you’ve brought across our paths. We’re grateful for our beloved children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends that might as well be family. We are grateful for the ability to love, the willingness to forgive and the opportunity to be forgiven. We are forever blessed with an abundance of people who care about us as individuals and who we can return that love to. We feel grateful for all the wonderful teachers in our lives that have taken so many shapes. They have helped us to stand up for ourselves, speak the truth, face our fears, see ourselves more clearly and teach patience, tolerance and forgiveness. We are grateful for the experience of being fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers. You’ve blessed us with multiple generations where we can honor the newborn and the eldest with equal celebration.
We are grateful for this beautiful Earth and all living plants and creatures that make this a paradise of color and diversity. We’re honored that you allow us the opportunity to travel this planet and soak in the wonder that you have created for us.
We are grateful God for Life- including sound bodies and minds and for opening hearts to compassion, strength, courage, determination, perseverance and joy. The blessings that you have granted by touching us and guiding us with your hand are unending in their proportions- it is love pure and unadulterated.
We are grateful for our purpose- that in the end, you bring us to a path that we are meant to walk. We remain thankful for lining that path with family and friends, for love, divine guidance, shelter, nourishment, health, truth, balance, harmony, grace, mercy, forgiveness, passion and happiness. We are thankful for rising each and every day to see beauty in things that most people take for granted.
Let us just for a moment, Lord, hold this night in our heart. Help us remember the immense love we share for each of us in this room. With each gift that is opened today, let it be an extension of the many ways you gift us each day, especially with your presence in our hearts and the presence of each other in our lives.
Amen
Saturday, December 25, 2010
TNS Video History- Johnny Cash's "Christmas Guest"
That Nashville Sound wishes all of my loyal readers the very happiest of Christmas holidays today. It's a blessing to be able to share the love of music with you each and every day and I'd like to just say "thank you" for sharing a little bit of that love. I hope you and your family and friends have a fantastic day- in the meantime check out this beautiful song that talks about the true meaning behind the holiday. It's Johnny Cash's "Christmas Guest."
Friday, December 24, 2010
TNS Video History- Rascal Flatts Sing "I'll Be Home For Christmas"
In case you didn't know... there's one more shopping day until Christmas...
Thursday, December 23, 2010
More Johnny Cash Music Arriving In 2011- Bootlegs 2: From Memphis to Hollywood
Bootlegs 2: From Memphis to Hollywood, a collection of rare recordings from Johnny Cash's early career, will be released as a double album on Feb. 22 by Columbia/Legacy. The first album covers Cash's career in Memphis from late 1954 to late 1957, beginning with a Memphis radio broadcast hosted by Cash, as well as a dozen demos (11 previously unreleased) and seven outtakes from Sun Records. The second disc gathers Cash's non-album singles, outtakes and B-sides he recorded for Columbia from 1958 to 1969, following his move to Los Angeles to pursue TV and film work as a songwriter and actor.
TNS Video History- Loretta Lynn- “To Heck With Ole Santa Claus” (1966)
Don’t let Loretta Lynn’s sweet country image fool you. Her songs have always had a bit of a nasty edge, from the brutal kiss-off of “Fist City” to the no-means-no anthem “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’.” This deceptively sweet-sounding holiday number, penned by Lynn herself, contains the fury of a woman scorned at Christmas: After getting stiffed for a present, she threatens jolly ol’ St. Nick with a collection of revenge scenarios, including falling in the snow, receiving a beating, and getting burned to death after he comes down the chimney.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Marcel & Jessica Andrews Marriage Proposal Video
This isn't song-related per se, but it's pretty fun stuff regardless- it's the marriage proposal video between country music artists Marcel and Jessica Andrews.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
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