Dear Friends,
Those who know me know
that there are few people who love country music more than I do. Christian music
and classic country are almost always emanating from my Alexa playlist or my
computer via U Tube selections.
Today after umpiring a
high school baseball game in 40-degree weather, I needed something to thaw me
out and warm my heart, so I went to U Tube and typed in "Grand Ole Opry at
Carnegie Hall."
My friends, I spent
the next hour and a half glued to the computer listening to some of the
greatest legends of country music perform on the stage of the historic Carnegie
Hall, and with tears streaming down my face, I listening to the likes of
Alan Jackson singing "Remember When," Vince Gill, Rickey Skaggs
and Alison Krause singing "Go Rest High on that Mountain," and
Brad Paisley and Alison singing "Whiskey Lullaby."
They were all on
stage, some of country's greatest: Charlie Pride, Bill Anderson, Trace Atkins,
Vince Gill, Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood to name some of those featured
Carnegie Hall performers.
Who said country
music and Carnegie Hall don't have anything in common?
Now I know this is not
a normal Leadership Thought, and I'm aware that this is not a day that I
typically send out a message, but I felt like you might be in need of some
music that will touch your heart and keep your lips a 'smilin' and your
feet a 'dancin' as you listen to little Jimmy Dickens sing
"May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose." Yes, you heard me
right-that is the song's title. But if you want something a little
less satirical go to the end of the concert and listen to all those together on
stage singing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" You'll be signing along.
Don't tell me Country
Music is 'ole' fashioned. if you think that listen to the first song by Trace
Atkins, "Songs about Me."
Am I trying to make
you a "classic country music fan? You betcha; there are certainly a
lot of worse things you could be fans of.
Hope you have a great
weekend. I will be looking forward to tomorrow night and our annual Fellowship
of Christian Athletes Annual Fund-Raising Celebration whose featured speaker
is Greg Schiano, head football coach at Rutgers, and a great friend of
the F.C.A.
But as special as that
will be, the most exciting part of the night for me will be when my dear wife,
Jean, is posthumously recognized and honored with the presentation of an
annual F.C.A. award to be given in her name.
For those who may not
know it, I accepted Jesus as my Savior in 1962 at an FCA Conference in Lake
Geneva, Wisc., and together with Jean we have been involved in the ministry of
the F.C.A. ministry throughout our 53 years of marriage. It was because of her
love and support of the FCA, that the State Chapter of the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes created a special award in her honor that will be given
annually to a deserving young person. I am so glad that the memory of her will
continue to live on through this annual award.
So, as I close, let me
encourage you to click on the link below. The only annoying thing about
listening to the concert is that you periodically have to click out of
advertisements that will interrupt the presentations.
Yours in faith and
friendship,
Tom
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