Music Minute: Thanksgiving Happiness Edition!

Hey y'all, and Happy Thanksgiving from ec magazine. We are thankful for you - our readers and faithful blog followers - and we're hoping you have a really great holiday.


(photo © Heather Craig / istockphoto)

So maybe today you're thinking, "Thanksgiving, schmanksgiving!" and, truth be told, you don't like it. You don't like the travel and the relatives and trying to mind your manners and there's that annoying cousin/brother/friend who always comes along to your feasts and you wish they wouldn't. You're having a little trouble finding things to be thankful for, huh? It happens.

But think about your life in the last year. Have you eaten every single time you were hungry? I have. Have you had a warm bed to sleep in and a roof over your head? Me too. Some mornings I just stand in front of the clothes in my closet and sway back and forth because I can't decide what I want to wear. My apartment has running water, heat, air-conditioning and (praise God) a dishwasher. I'm thankful for that. God didn't have to give me a job I love, a nice family, and lots of friends. And I know that maybe you don't have all that. But maybe you have something, and if you would be worse off without that thing, you have something to be thankful for, right? I mean, I'm just doing the math.

It's really easy to take those things for granted. But I think there's also something more to be thankful for! Think about Paul for a second. He talks about being hungry and thirsty and in danger and shipwrecked and beaten...yet he was thankful. How did that happen?

The truth is, a grateful heart will find things for which to thank God. Did God save you? Are you thankful He did? Say a quiet prayer of thanks to Him. Take a minute to look around you and think about what you have. Try to forget for a minute what you don't have, and focus on what you do. And be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving.

Whew! That took longer than I was hoping.

What's new: New stuff this week from Jeremy Camp and The Almost. Since I've already mentioned Jeremy Camp in this column two other times, I'm moving on to other stuff. Just one review this week.

What we like:Today it's cold and blindingly sunny and I'm loving the acoustic, raw goodness of The Almost. Listen to their music, and you'll hear Americana influences, a little Bob Dylan, some Jennifer Knapp or Natalie-Merchant sounding vocals (if you like the old-school band 10,000 Maniacs). If you're feeling like listening to some powerful, emotional, unplugged music - check them out. We like "Little Drummer Boy."



What we're looking forward to: Honestly? Christmas break. :)

What we don't like: Mean holiday shoppers. (Don't be one!)

Thank you!

Today—my last day of work this week before some vacation days and time spent with family celebrating Thanksgiving—I'd actually like to stop for a moment and think about some of the things I'm thankful for. So I'm making a list for you all to read. (Please stop rolling your eyes!) Here we go!

• My family, particularly my new nephew, Eli. In all seriousness, I have wonderful parents who love God and serve Jesus. They brought me up with a beautiful heritage of faith, and I love and respect them. My brother is one of my best friends, and his wife makes me smile. You may not understand this now (I didn't when I was in high school), but I hope that there will come a day when you are simply grateful that God gave you the parents He did. That you thank Him for the people He chose to be your siblings.

• Jesus. Yes, it's the Sunday School answer, and I hate those as much as you do, but it's true. It struck me yesterday in church how thankful I am for what Jesus did. He made a way for salvation. My salvation! Jesus laid His life down so that we could live! What greater love than that? I am thankful for parents who lived out their faith and taught me what it meant to be a Christian, but I am eternally thankful for Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. I am thankful for the power of Christ in me. And I hope that I never get over the wonder and overwhelming love I feel when I think about His sacrifice.

• The TV show "Chuck." I can't explain why I like it; I just do. Chuck Bartowski is adorkable.

• My friends. God has blessed me with wonderful friends who are like my family in Nashville.

• My church. I love being part of a church that is really seeking God's leading. I love serving alongside these people, singing in the choir, and simply reading God's Word together. I love the sweet spirit that has come over the church and the expectation that God is calling us to something big. I am thankful for all of that. And the fact that I get to be a part of it.

• Cherry Coke Zero. The St. Louis Cardinals. My dog. (OK, those are silly, but I am seriously thankful for every last one of them!)

So what are you thankful for? List your thankful things in the comments. We'd love to know what's going through your heads.

Snippets and Soundbites

• Do you love the crunk rock sound of Family Force 5? Not only can you dance to their song “Radiator,” but now you can watch the music video, too. The video debuted on MySpace yesterday. View it and leave your comments on this site. Some people say it reminds them of an 80s video. What do you think? And if you love the video and you want to see this group live, you might be interested in the Winter Wonder Slam tour with TobyMac, Relient K and B.Reith. Dates and information are found here.

• How about some more music? You might have heard a song on the radio by Bebo Norman called “Britney.” It’s an apology to Britney Spears “for the lies we told 
- we took you into our arms and then left you cold.” Bebo tells the story behind the song. He said he was watching the news one night and saw another story about Britney Spears. The picture of her looked like she was in despair and confused. Realizing she’s a child of God, he saw her as a real-life tragedy, a girl in need of love. You can read Bebo’s whole story here. Listen to the song as well as watch a video here.

• Thanksgiving is one week away, and a turkey dinner is probably going to be your family’s meal of choice. It’s been said that turkey has sleep-inducing effects. Maybe you’ve needed a nap after the Thanksgiving meal. According to this site, though, the truth is turkey only makes you sleepy if you eat it alone. You’ve probably never done that! There’s mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, apple pie … those are too tasty to pass up! If you do feel tired after the meal, it’s probably because you ate too much. 

• Speaking of Thanksgiving, next week we won’t be posting a Snippets blog because we’ll be taking the day off to hang out with our families. We hope you will tell your family how much you love them and thank God for all the blessings in your life. That’s what we’ll be doing!

Survey!

Don't forget to tell us what you think about ec! How, you ask?
Answer the survey printed in our November issue. Or just go here: www.lifeway.com/ecsurvey.

A plea for Thanksgiving

Emily, ec's trusty production editor, here. Ready for another confession?

I’ll be honest with you. I got a little angry yesterday in the grocery store when I heard “The Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting on an open fire)” playing over the speakers. Now don’t get me wrong; I love that song. But only when it’s played at the appropriate time. As a person who loves the anticipation of a holiday almost as much as the holiday itself, I get frustrated when I am forced to listen to music or look at decorations that don’t apply to the holiday at hand. And for now, that holiday is Thanksgiving. Ah, Thanksgiving, the only chance for turkeys to be made out of something besides, well, turkey. See what I mean?




Someone has to stand up for what’s right, and if I’m alone in this, then so be it. I have to make a case for Thanksgiving. This poor holiday gets crammed in between Halloween and Christmas, relegated to single day instead of a season of gratitude by most Americans. Retail stores overlook it completely. (Well, except for stores like Williams Sonoma, which are completely dedicated to the art of food preparation and consumption. Kind of like my family. Observe:)



And I adore Thanksgiving, so I’m especially protective of it. What’s not to love about a holiday that centers on food (something else I adore), and then gives you an opportunity to tell people what you’re thankful for and why without the usual awkwardness? Yes, there are no presents to exchange or sentimental decorations to put up, but can’t Thanksgiving be enjoyed without being encroached upon by the two holidays that sandwich it?

Now to those of you who started listening to Christmas music back in September, I’ll agree that Christmas should be anticipated and celebrated with gusto. And I’ll be more than happy to do that just as soon as I’ve polished off my plate of Thanksgiving leftovers next Thursday night.

Who’s with me on this? Let me know by responding to the quiz below by putting your answer and why you chose it in a comment:

a.) I’m with you! Thanksgiving must be protected at all costs!
b.) I like Thanksgiving, but it’s the whole season of all the holidays that I enjoy. I don’t care which one is celebrated when. Let ‘em overlap!
c.) Thanksgiving is a boring holiday. I’d prefer to skip it and get extra days off at Christmas.
d.) I think this is a crazy idea. Just be glad the grocery store was playing music that had words.
e.) Thanksgiving gets plenty of attention as it is.

First a fiesta, then a siesta

Here in the offices of ec in beautiful (and colder than usual) Nashville, we're getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving. We always celebrate as a department with some kind of meal, and since most of us expect to be tired of turkey and dressing in the near future, this year we did something a little different. A Mexican feast, to be exact.

Here's Emily, ec's production editor, having some chips:


As a team, we're all very thankful for the Mexican food (an ec team fave!) and the time spent together. We're also thankful this year that we get to spend our time making a magazine for you. So thanks for being you! And thanks for reading!

Now, I think we all need a nap.

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

• There's only one more month left in the ec fiction writing contest . . . and we haven't received very many entries! The winning story will be featured in an upcoming issue of ec! So get busy writing! Send your submissions to godlifefun@gmail.com.

• CNN does a special blog and interview on “Young People Who Rock.” It’s focused on people under 30 who are doing all kinds of remarkable things. Teens Hannah and Joseph Salwen from Atlanta made the list because they convinced their parents to sell their home and donate half the sale price to Africa’s poor. Hannah was inspired when she saw a homeless person on a street corner and a Mercedes Benz near him. She thought that if the person with the nice car bought a less expensive one, then the homeless person could have something to eat. She reflected on her own privilege, too, and realized her family didn’t need a 7-bedroom mansion with an elevator and library. You can watch the interview with Hannah and Joseph here.

• Your mom probably does the grocery shopping for your family. But one day you’ll have to buy your own. And choosing the healthiest grocery store is important. Health experts ranked the top 10 healthiest grocery stores out of the nation’s largest chains. Wanna know which ones won? Whole Foods got first place, followed by Safeway and Harris Teeter. Check out the whole list, as well as the reasons behind it, here.

• Are you rude? According to the Oprah Winfrey Show, 80 percent of Americans think that rudeness is a serious national problem, but 99 percent of the same people say that they themselves are not rude. You can take a quiz here to see how you compare to others. The rudeness quiz asks questions like “Have you ever texted or talked on a cell phone in a movie theater?” And “Have you ever cut in front of someone in line?” You can also read the whole story here.

• Fan of Twitter? Follow ec at www.twitter.com/ecmagazine.

Music Minute

Hey sports fans! I've gotta tell you, I agree with Mandy. November is my favorite time of year. Pretty leaves, college football, cooler temperatures - they all make it so much fun.

My favorite thing this November is that my team, the Tennessee Titans, are 9-0 and the only undefeated team in the NFL. Did y'all know they used to be the Houston Oilers? I remember watching the Oilers in Michigan as a kid. I was a Lions fan then, and had no idea I'd grow up and move to Nashville and they would too, and I'd be a fan. Which is an odd testimony to how much things can change in your life!

So let's see what's changing in Christian music this week. There's just one featured album today - November is a notoriously slow month in the music industry. But there's still lots to check out!

What's new: A lot of compilation albums came out this month. Look for best-of albums from Switchfoot, Audio Adrenaline, dcTalk, and Nichole Nordeman. There's also new stuff from Starflyer 59 that's worth checking out.



California indie-rock band Starflyer 59 released Dial M, full of haunting, powerful rock tunes. From what we've heard, this album sounds like a drive down a desert highway at night. Lead vocalist, songwriter, and producer Jason Martin says this album is all about the loss of someone close to him. Check out "The Brightest of the Head."



What we're looking forward to: We've said it before, and we'll say it again, Jeremy Camp's new album, Speaking Louder than Before, releases on November 25th. In the meantime, have a listen to the title track.

I heart November

October is great. It's my birthday month, candy corn hits the stores, and fall starts to make its appearance. But November. November is when fall hits full force here in Nashville. The trees change colors, the leaves start to fall, and cooler temps sneak in, meaning I can light a fire in the fireplace and curl up in the chair with a blanket. I love fall. It's my favorite. And I'm so happy that it finally seems to be here—and that I get to share it with you!

With fall also comes the November issue of ec. We can't wait to hear what you think about it. Be sure to check out the lead article on spiritual markers (your faith isn't a one-time event; it's a journey). And if you need advice on how to get through the holidays with a little grace, be sure to the read the Thanksgiving Survival Guide on page 53. This month's ec is full of info you can use, some random info that might come in handy someday, and devotions that will help you to dig into God's Word and read it for yourself.

While you're here, please answer the question of the month. It's right over there, on the left-hand menu. We'll put the coffee poll up later this week. . . .so come back then to answer!

(And honor a veteran today. They deserve it!)

Snippets and Soundbites

• Obama is going to be the new president. You’re probably tired of all the political news on TV, but if you’re interested, you can go to this website to find out how each state voted.

• The Walt Disney Company sells $5 Daisy Duck key chains. They also sell $6,000 chandeliers patterned after the décor in Mr. Disney’s former office. At one time all of Disney’s products were plastered with depictions of popular cartoon characters. Now their products are “inspired by Tinker Bell” and may not have a recognizable Disney feature at all. The chairman of Disney Consumer Products is asking people to think of Disney as a brand of luxury clothing, expensive home furnishings and hip jewelry. Do you think it’s cool to buy expensive Disney stuff? Read the whole story here.

• When you are 28 (a little over 10 years from now!) do you think you could handle the responsibilities of being a king? That might sound like a strange question – considering you live in America and we don’t have royalty. But some countries in the world still have monarchies. Bhutan is one such country. Today they crowned the world’s youngest king. This small Himalayan nation has just 635,000 people. Look at this website to read about the unique celebration and how the new king’s father established a democratic system and then gave up his crown.
  

Tree-riffic

“I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop" (John 12:24).

Jen here. An orange tree has caught my attention. Not the kind of tree that grows oranges; the kind of tree that turns orange in the fall. When I lock my front door in the morning and head down the steps to work, I can't help but see this single, astonishingly orange tree. I'll be honest - I've lived in my apartment for almost ten years and I don't ever remember noticing it before. It's a completely unassuming, plain little tree that has totally transformed, through the death of its leaves, into something beautiful.



I could tell you a lot of stories about me or the people I love who have lost something this year. One of the things you realize when you get older is that life just kind of keeps going. You can sit still, or you can move with it. You can fight it and spend all your time angry and afraid, or you can get going and roll with it. But what I really want to do is tell you to look for the beauty in your life, even in the places where God takes something away.

The Bible says we Christians will be pruned. It's what a gardener does to a tree in order to make it more beautiful. Trees that have been pruned continue to grow. You've seen it yourself. Your dad gets out those long, scary clipper things and chops up the front hedge, and a few weeks later, it's back. Trees don't let pruning stop them.

So this little orange tree got me thinking. Part of that tree's nature is for the leaves to die in the fall and come back in the spring. Part of the tree's job is to let go of its leaves and let them fall, and trust it will be made new again when the time is right.

This month's ec is about spiritual markers. I think that little tree has become a marker for me, a reminder that God uses everything for His glory. He didn't have to make those dying leaves beautiful, but He did. You may be going through something painful at the moment and thinking your leaves are dying and it hurts. You see pain and difficulty, but someone else may be looking at you at this very moment and seeing God's hand in your life.