My son has been having some difficulty with math. Maybe I need to become a rapper in order to help him with it…
Book & Musical Leanings of KevinStilley.com Readers
What are the book, music, and video leanings of the readers of KevinStilley.com? I love to check out the items that people actually purchased at Amazon after clicking through from a hyperlink at KevinStilley.com. Below are the purchases that were made by my readers over the last four months.
Books
- The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Penguin Classics)
- An Introduction to Ancient Philosophy (A.H. Armstrong)
- Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education (Douglas Wilson – Turning Point Christian Worldview Series)
- The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, Revised and Updated Edition
- The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
- Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (Zondervan Vocabulary Builder Series, The)
- The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism (Michael Behe)
- The Epistles of John: Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (F.F. Bruce)
- The Gospel of John (F.F. Bruce)
- Epistles of John (New International Commentary on the New Testament — I. Howard Marshal)
- The Epistle of James (New International Commentary on the New Testament)
- Exposition of James, Epistles of John, Peter, and Jude (Simon J. Kistemaker)
- The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings (Robert Stein)
- If You Will Ask (Oswald Chambers)
- The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
- Reason and Imagination in C. S. Lewis: A Study of “Till We Have Faces”
- Till We Have Faces – Novel Inquiries Study Guide
- Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter
- The Last Lecture (Randy Pausch)
- The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World
- Can I Tell You About Asperger Syndrome?: A Guide for Friends and Family
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t
- On the Frontline: A Personal Guidebook for the Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Challenges of Military Life
- The Road to Unafraid: How the Army’s Top Ranger Faced Fear and Found Courage
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
- The Dream Manager
- The Elements of Style
- Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
- Expanding Universe
- For Whom the Bell Tolls
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Brave New World Revisited (P.S.)
- Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools
- Modern Compiler Implementation in Java
- Signals and Systems (Prentice-Hall Signal Processing Series)
- Andy Stevenson vs. The Lord of the Loins
DVD
Video On Demand Videos
MP3 Downloads
- Amazing Grace (Royal Scots Dragoon Guards)
- Amazing Grace (Caledonian Heritage Pipes & Drums)
- Amazing Grace (Aretha Franklin)
- Amazing Grace (Eden Symphony Orchestra)
- Amazing Grace (101 Strings Orchestra)
- Amazing Grace (Judy Collins)
- Amazing Grace (Acoustic Guitar Instrumental)
- Amazing Grace (Timeless Hymns of Faith)
- Amazing Grace (Instrumental – Pat Surface & Paul Imholte)
- Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone – Chris Tomlin)
Electronics
- SanDisk SDMSPD-4096-A11 4 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo (Retail Package)
- SimpleTech SimpleDrive SP-U35/250 250GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive (designed by Pininfarina)
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Previous Lists of KevinStilley.com Reader’s Purchases
What Do You Think?
If you could play an instrument, what would you choose? Why?
(Share your answers in the comments below.)
Wedding Music
Looking for wedding music? In the Minister’s Marriage Manual, Samuel Ward Hutton
ORGAN MUSIC
Johann Sebastian Bach – “Prelude in G Major”
Johann Sebastian Back – “Fugue from the Tocatta and Fugue in C”
Alexandre Guilmant – “Nuptial March in E Major”
Alexandre Guilmant – “Postlude Nuptiale”
VOCAL MUSIC
Johann Sebastian Bach – “My Hear Ever Faithful” (from the Petecost Cantata)
Roberta Bitgood – “The Greatest of These Is Love”
Jennie Prince Black – “The Pledge”
D.S. Blomfield and Oscar Fox – “O Perfect Love”
Ernest Charles – “Love Is of God”
Roland Diggle – “A Wedding Prayer”
Vern Glasgo Dunlap – “Wedding Prayer”
Charles Francois Gounod – “Entreat Me Not to Leave Thee”
Rena Silverman Lesser – “God Bless This Day”
Austin Lovelace – “We Lift Our Hearts to Thee”
Austin Lovelace – “A Wedding Benediction”
Albert Hay Malotte – “The Lord’s Prayer”
HYMNS
“Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts”
“O Perfect Love”
“O Happy Home, Where Thou Art Loved the Dearest”
“Now Thank We All Our God”
“O Father, Thou Who Givest All”
“Let the Whole Creation Cry”
“Bless the Four Corners of This House”
What music did you use in your wedding?
Worship Texts – Gary Parrett
Dr. Gary Parrett taught a course in Worship at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary during the summer of 2001. The following textbooks were used in the class.
Marva J. Dawn, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time, Eerdmans, 1995
Marva J. Dawn, A Royal “Waste” of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World, Eerdmans, 1999
John M. Frame, Contemporary Worship Music: A Biblical Defense, P&R Press, 1997
John M. Frame, Worship in Spirit and Truth: A Refreshing Study of the Principles and Practice of Biblical Worship, P&R Press, 1996
David Peterson, Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of Worship, InterVarsity Press, 2002
James B. Torrance, Worship, Community & the Triune God of Grace, InterVarsity Press, 1997
Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Worship, Ancient-Future Worship Video Series
Best Amazing Grace Recording
What is the best audio recording of Amazing Grace? This week I was at a party for my brother-in-law in which each of the guests had contributed a favorite song for a compilation CD. One of those attending had selected Elvis’ recording of Amazing Grace. They explained, “Everyone knows it is the best recording of Amazing Grace, ever.” Really? This particular “everyone” doesn’t know that. I like Elvis, but am not particularly fond of his rendition of Amazing Grace.
So, my question is, which is the best recording of Amazing Grace ever?
Here are some of those that I know of. Feel free to contribute others in the comment area below.
101 Strings Orchestra
Tori Amos
Chet Atkins
Joan Baez
Batmobile
The Beat Daddys
Elmer Bernstein
Blind Boys of Alabama
Pat Boone
Boys II Men
Shirley Caesar
Glen Campbell
Johnny Cash
Cecilia
Charley Daniels Band
Cherry Bomb Club
Cincinnati Pops
Charlotte Church
Judy Collins
Crazy Cat George
Dave Matthews Band
The David Rose Orchestra
Ani DeFranco
Phil Driscoll
Esteban
Faith Evans
Fats Domino
Scott Fitzgerald
Aretha Franklin
Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
The Gatlin Brothers
George Gershwin
Mickey Gilley
Al Green
Arlo Guthrie
Merl Haggard
Jimmy Hendrix
Whitney Houston
Mahalia Jackson
Sonny James
George Jones
Janis Joplin
Jordanaires
K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Krystal
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Christy Lane
Leadbelly
Meadowlark Lemon
The Lemonheads
Loretta Lynn
Blind Willie McTell
Herbie Mann
Glenn Miller
Drop Kick Murphy
Anne Murray
Jim Neighbors
Willie Nelson
The Neville Brothers
Oak Ridge Boys
Original Drifters
Patti Page
Twila Paris
Vicki Philips
Pras-Ghetto
Elvis Presley
Ray Prices
Boots Randolph
Lou Rawls
Charlie Rich
LeAnn Rimes
Diana Ross
Pete Seeger
Seven Nations
Shanon
Robert Shaw Festival Singers
Paul Simon
Tommy Smith
Ray Stevens
Rod Stewart
Supastar Mantovani
B.J. Thomas
Randy Travis
Tsa’ Ne Dose
Ike & Tina Turner
Conway Twitty
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Voices of Watts
The Von Trapp Children
The Weavers
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lawrence Welk
Andy Williams
Victor Wooten
Glen Yarbrough
Okay, there are a few for you to consider. Amazon lists 3,213 Mp3 downloads for “Amazing Grace”
I Was Warned – Robert Cray
Robert Cray is one of my favorite musicians. There is something about his “sound” that is completely unique. There are others that bear a resemblance such as Buddy Guy or Eric Clapton, … but no one does it like the Robert Cray band. Back in August of 1992 I heard the I Was Warned CD and became hooked forever. Check out some of the song samples in the widget above.
Learning From Cher?
Cher can not be 61 years old! That is my immediate response, but then I remember she has a daughter almost as old as I am and, well, I guess she is getting to be an old broad. And, when you consider her career accomplishments, well, it would be impossible to fit them all into a life less than sixty-one years in extent.
Personally, I have never been a giant fan of Cher as are some of my friends and family. In fact, I have said some pretty harsh things about the nature of her influence. Okay, I have said some really, really, really, really harsh things about her influence. Nevertheless, as someone who appreciates personal achievement I tip my hat to Cher for her many accomplishments.
She began her career the year I was born; 1962. Since that time she has sold more than 200 million records, has been in 15 movies, has been all over the television screen, and it would appear that there might need to be a whole new internet created just to accommodate all of the Cher Mania. I would mention all the awards she has won, but my fingers would succumb to cramps from all the typing.
Back in the 1960’s she and Sonny were doing the Las Vegas resort circuit when they were discovered by network TV scouts which eventually resulted in them having their own variety program. Four decades later Cher is returning to Vegas. She has signed a deal for 200 performances at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas which will include dancers, aerialists, and of course, the costumes.
I plead guilty to having blasted Cher for what I believe to be a negative influence on our culture. But in an effort to be fair I want to ask what I can learn from her successes. Here are a few thoughts:
1. If talented people persevere when they hit rough spots, the talent will catch other people’s attention.
2. If you tattoo your body extensively it will catch people’s attention.
3. If you medically augment your body and then don’t wear very many clothes it will catch people’s attention.
4. If you wear outrageous costumes it will catch people’s attention.
5. Catching people’s attention can result in great popularity and wealth.
Okay, I’m one-dimensional, so help me. What positive things do you think can be learned from Cher and her lengthy career?
