Memphis Music

As a former Memphian now living in Phoenix, I am always amazed at how much people, who have never lived in Memphis, especially the many professional muscians I know here, have a reverence and deep appreciation of the monumental part Memphis has played in changing the landscape of American music.

I really don't believe the average Memphian has any idea of its place in history and the impact that relatively small window in time, during which such great, timeless music was produced, had on the world. Indeed, the music that came out of Memphis influenced a long list of famous artists including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc., etc.

My 14 year old granddaughter is impressed that her grandma actually hung out at a party once with some of the cast members, (Booker T and the MG"S), of "The Blues Brothers" movie, one of her favorites. I was also a good friend of Pam Johnson, (we both graduated in 1964 from Central), whose recording "He's My Guy",is included in the Stax 9 cd set.

I grew up in the same neighborhood as Elvis, though he was 12 years older, and we never met, and, as a child, went to the same movie theatres in north Memphis, (Rialto and Suzore),and swimming pool,(Malone). Several of my relatives attended Humes High with him, including a cousin whom he used to walk home from school! Guess every native Memphian who is over the age of 60 has an "Elvis Story"!!

But I digress. One example of how Memphians,in general, don't seem to appreciate what they had "in their own backyard",is this:

Several years ago, I attended a "Memphis Bop Club" party with an old friend, and noticed that the DJ did not play any Elvis music. When I asked him about that, he,incredulously, replied that he wasn't allowed to play any!!!

The fact that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ended up in Cleveland instead of Memphis (although the Smithsonian Rock & Soul Museum in Memphis is fabulous) is a travesty, along with the loss of the "Memphis Belle", but that's another whole story!

I too, am really enjoying reading the responses on this thread from people who were involved in this phenomenon of American culture, known as "Memphis Music!"

Are Christians Protected by God?

The good news is that what Jesus offers is free. It is there for anyone who will "take up the cross and follow him". You do not have to earn God's Grace. It is simply given to all believers. Jesus has already paid the price for all of us on the cross. None of us is worthy of his grace, as we are all sinners, but it is there none the less.

Because there is profound evil in the world (contrary to what a lot of people today think), Christians are just as vulnerable,as non-believers,if not more so. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are given the strength to overcome adversity that might otherwise destroy us. The difference between the deaths of the unbelievers in Nanking, for instance, and the Christian missionaries and believers, would have been that in their hour of unspeakable tragedy, the Christians knew that their God was present guiding them and leading them out of the darkness. They were not alone. I'd like to think that, at that moment, they were able to find the "peace that passeth all understanding".

So I guess that my statement that unbelievers are not under his protection was too simplistic at best. Christians have been persecuted throughout history for their beliefs, so to think that nothing bad ever happens to them because they are "protected" by God is certainly not the case. On the contrary. God does not promise that nothing bad will happen to us, just that he is always with us even "in the Valley of the Shadow of Death", offering comfort and the promise of eternal life.

None of us can say who will and will not be saved. I would like to believe that every person in the world who lives a good and honest life, helping his fellow man, and doing no harm, intentionally, to anyone, will be saved, whatever his or her "religion".

I don't believe God cares about the earthly "labels" that humans put on themselves. As a Christian however, I have certain beliefs and do not judge anyone else who believes differently. Fortunately, none of us has to decide one another's salvation. That is in the hands of the Almighty.

Secular Progressive Public Schools in America

I attended the Memphis City Schools for 12 years in the 50's and 60's. We had a "devotional" every morning in homeroom at Central High School with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, and a bible reading of the student's choice. A large number of our student body was Jewish. At Christmas we had a "Christmas" concert which included mostly traditional Christmas songs as well as some Hannakah songs. As a member of the All State Chorus, I recall singing "Anthem for Spring" in the Choir competition in Nashville. The first line was, "Praise the Lord who has brought us a new life, who has ruled that the world be reborn..."

School life was much different then. Central had the most merit scholars my senior year of any school in the city and, as I recall, we were ranked nationally in the top 20 high schools academically! Among the violations that could get you sent to the principal's office were chewing gum in class, running in the halls, or being caught without a hall pass. Girls were sent home to change if their skirts were not the requisite number of inches from the floor, and you would be measured if suspect!! Shorts and pants or jeans were forbidden. Boys on the ROTC rife team were allowed to bring their own rifles to school!

But now that the schools are so "secular progressive" things are soooo much better!!!

Christianity in China

Regarding the recent surge of government sanctioned Christianity in Communist China. My husband has been to China numerous times over the last 10-20 years. His last assignment was as a software instructor at Wuhan University in Guangzhou in 1993. At that time he had been warned not to even attempt to bring a Bible into China, and he was very careful to steer clear of talking about Christianity while he was there.

This new develpment is awe inspiring, and as a Christian, I have to believe that it is simply the answer to millions of prayers, and God's hand upon those people that has brought about this profound change.

Rev. Al Green's Full Gospel Tabernacle Church /Memphis

I live in Phoenix, was born and raised in Memphis, and have been an R&B fan since the 60's back in the Stax records heyday. Since I was visiting family in Memphis last year, and had never been to the Rev. Green's Tabernacle church, my sister suggested we go that Sunday.

Rev. Green was not there that day, which was disappointing, but the "Spirit" certainly was. After about 2 hours of praying, singing wonderful praise songs with the awesome band, the 90+ year old elder standing in for Al Green that Sunday informed the congregation that it was "testimony" day. My sister was invited up to give a testimony which was very well received. In fact there were several visitors from around the world that day and after her testimony, several more women, who also happened to be white, felt empowered to speak. Some of the most poignant remarks came from a woman visiting from Israel who was a Jew. We left there that day feeling energized and uplifted!

Obamamania

President Barrack Hussein Obama, 1st term junior senator from Illinois:

closely associated with far left extremists and self professed terrorists, husband and wife, William Ayers and Bernadette Dorhn,

member for 20 years of a so-called Christian church which has pledged its total allegiance to Africa and honors racist, Louis Farrakan, as well as having had all those years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, an extremely racist, anti-American "pastor", whom Obama called his "spiritual mentor" and the pattern continues....

whose Harvard educated wife has written an anti-American dissertation, as well as publically stated that she has never been proud of her country until now, etc.etc.etc.!

These are just a few of the facts I can think of off the top of my head at 10:30 p.m. this Saturday evening.

And so I ask:
Has this nation so lost it's
collective mind that it would even consider this man as its leader and the leader of the free world?

Well, I'm no political expert, but I am a thinker, and here is my take on this:

I believe people have been totally mesmerized by Obama, mostly because he is a brilliant orator (as long as he has a prepared speech in front of him). Did you notice he absolutely refused to do more than one town hall meeting with McCain, most likely because he would have to "think on his feet" at those forums and face some tough questions from ordinary citizens who "cling to their God and their guns!"

Another reason I believe for this "Obamamania", in addition to the liberal mainstream media clearly showing a bias in his favor, is that, in this time of extreme economic strife and the stress of a long, seemingly never ending war, (both for which Bush and the Republicans have in large part, been unfairly blamed), Americans are so, understandably, desperate for "change". Apparently any "change". People have not stopped to consider that it, most likely, will not be a change for the better with an Obama presidency, unless sending the country into a downward spiral towards socialism and a weakend military at a time of extreme vulnerability to radical Muslim extremists who are developing nuclear weapons, will be a positive "change"!

The "changes" he speaks of have yet to be outlined in any meaningful way, and it seems his stance on serious issues "changes" with the weather! One must also never forget however, that he has a long association with far left liberal persons and organizations and has been called the most liberal senator. A leopard soes not change his spots!

Does America really need a leader who is so polarizing and inexperienced at this very crucial moment in our nation's history?

John McCain is most certainly not perfect, but lacking, at this time, a viable third choice, and taking into consideration all of the afore mentioned facts about Obama, I truly believe John McCain, the ex-POW and "maverick" long time senator from Arizona, is our best bet to be the distinguished next President of the United States of America!!!

4th of July 2008

We had a family birthday dinner/4th of July party last night, all eight of us age 4 to 61 gathered around the big dining room table for bbq sandwiches with coleslaw on them (of course), baked beans, homemade potato salad, watermelon and key lime pie.

This was my daughter-in-law's first Independence Day celebration as an American citizen.

The most poignant part of the evening was when we all took turns (except for the 4 year old), reading the entire Declaration of Independence, pausing after each paragraph to discuss its meaning. Not having read it in a few years, I had forgotten that in the last paragraph, there are two references to God:
"appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions", and
"with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence".

It's probably just a matter of time until the ACLU forbids this document from being read in a public arena!

My 14 year old granddaughter seemed especially caught up in the reading, even though she balked at the beginning. We plan to make reading that on the 4th of July a family tradition!