Life Perspective: Reviews & More

2009 New Year's Resolutions of Gospel Artists What Some of Your Favorite Christian Artists Resolve for 2009 featuring DecembeRadio, Bob Halligan of  Ceili Rain, Joanne Cash--sister of Johnny Cash, After Edmund, and other artists. Find the complete list at: 2009 New Year's Resolutions of Gospel Artists - Yahoo

Top Ten Songs for New Year's In years past I have been disappointed with the lack of good playlists for radio stations on New Year's Eve. A few years ago, I created a play list for my brother who loves New Year's Eve celebrations and wondered why there aren't any good New Year's songs. Over the years I have refined it somewhat introducing new songs. This is my top 10 list of great New Year's songs from Robert Burns, U2, Barry Manilo, Relient K, Dan Fogelburg, Stacy Orrico, Ella Fitzgerald, Sir Cliff Richards and more. Read it at: Top Ten Songs for New Year's - Yahoo

New Year Acrostic - a Poem for the New Year - Yahoo The New Year hands you a clean, fresh slate. This acrostic poem asks the question: What will you choose to write on it? New Year Acrostic - a Poem for the New Year N igh draws the New Year E veryone takes stock W eighing past and future...   Read the full poem here

 I wrote this Christmas acrostic poem today while answering phones at Toys R Us. Well, there were occasionally short periods when all 6 lines were not ringing!   Eternal Herald Angels - a Christmas Acrostic  C ry eternal herald angels ' H ere is mercy come to man!'  R ighteous ones will see His glory  I n every nation, every land. Read the complete poem at:  Eternal Herald Angels - a Christmas Acrostic

Angels Sing with Harry Connick,Jr., Connie Britton a great family Christmas film "Angels Sing" is a sweet 2013 family Christmas movie starring Harry Connick, Jr., "Nashville's" Connie Britton, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Kris Kristofferson, Chandler Canterbury, and Fionnula Flanagan. Review at Angels Sing with Harry Connick,Jr., Connie Britton a great family Christmas film - Nashville Gospel Music & Entertainment | Examiner.com

  Duck hunting season runs from Nov. 28, 2013 - Jan. 26, 2014, which makes sense because apparently it is open season on Phil Robertson of Duck Commander and "Duck Dynasty" fame. While I have never seen the show and am therefore neither a fan of the show nor of Robertson, the recent bruhaha over his comments has made me question a few things. Here are my thoughts on some of the reactions from the Christian community to Phil Robertson's statements and why I think perhaps the Pot is calling the Kettle black. Why is it that if Christians speak out against greed or pride or intolerance, there is no great contingency of fellow Christians who rise up to criticize us for our lack of tolerance and compassion toward the greedy, the prideful and the intolerant? Why are we only expected to be tolerant about certain sins in the 21st century? And why is rebuking greed or pride or intolerance usually perceived as righteous, but quoting a scripture about another sin is co...

Where to donate to Toys for Tots in Nashville for Christmas 2013 Christmas is almost here and many Christian music fans are looking for last-minute ways to help the needy this year. One charity is a perennial favorite in Nashville--the U.S Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. Read more at: Where to donate to Toys for Tots in Nashville for Christmas 2013 - Nashville Gospel Music & Entertainment Examiner

  A Tender Nashville Tennessee Christmas Nashville/Davidson County is a large Metropolitan area full of free things to do for the holidays Article at: A Tender Nashville Tennessee Christmas - Yahoo

Today is my birthday, and I  just had a disappointing discussion with my dentist office, Bellevue Dental. What a way to celebrate! On Aug. 17, 2013, I went in to see Dr. Gross about a crown she said I needed due to a cracked tooth. She asked if I was having any pain in the tooth and I said no, but she said it needed a crown to save it. I suspected my days working at Sears were numbered at the time due to layoffs, so I opted to have the crown put on while I had a part-time insurance plan since I have been on such a tight budget following the Nashville flood with all the resulting home repairs. The tooth was X-rayed on Aug. 17 and filed way down. An impression was taken, then a second one when the first one did not turn out well, all of which was quite painful. I had to wear a temporary crown for a week or so while I waited for the permanent crown to come in.  Dr. Gross said it was one of the deepest crowns she had ever done, but in hindsight I wonder -- was it too deep??...

Christmas in Mayberry Imagine what Christmas would be like in Mayberry and on "The Andy Griffith Show." It's Christmas in Mayberry, the mountains are white  Opie and his friends are all filled with delight.  Poem at Christmas in Mayberry - Yahoo

Friday the 13th was a big night for me this year. I have a "decades" birthday on Dec. 19th and wanted to celebrate with some old friends. I have been dealing with a toothache following a crown put on several months ago and have been to the Bellevue Dental every week since then complaining of the pain. Turns out the tooth was abscessing under the crown and they lanced it on Monday (oh so very painful!) and put me on mega doses of antibiotics that have had me going to bed as soon as I got home from work every night this week. I almost called off the party, but I had been looking forward to it so much that I just couldn't bring myself to cancel. After work I hurried home to get ready. I spent time styling my hair. Since I struggle with rosacea, I carefully applied my Soothe treatment followed by my hypoallergenic makeup. I wore my best Nine West pants and a beautiful and expensive Christmas sweater that was a treasured gift. I even wore cute little fringed boots wit...

Poems for Soldiers Overseas? - Ask.com : What does Ask.com have to say about "Christmas in Iraq?" Christmas in Iraq is a poem written by Kathryn Darden, that was written for a a troop in Iraq in 2005. It is a touching poem about what it is like to be far from home and everyone you love at this special time of year. You can read the poem here.

I first met Mark Smeby when I was attending Bellevue Community Church with my brother in the mid 1990s. Mark was on the drama team and was frequently on stage delivering his lines. Off stage he was the most personable person I had ever met--so much so that I wrote him off as one of those glib, insincere artistic types that moves to Nashville to use its people and resources to make it big. That turned out to be a big mistake on my part as through the years he has proven me wrong on multiple occasions. I have had to eat a portion of crow with my humble pie more than once. Here are a few articles I have written recently about this interesting, talented and overall nice guy:   Experience the Hope of Christmas with singer Mark Smeby December 11, 2013 If you have not heard of singer, author and actor Mark Smeby, that's because he hasn't become a "big" name yet outside of industry and church circles. However, h...

How to Be a Salvation Army Volunteer Bell Ringer at Christmas For more than 100 years, the Salvation Army's Red Kettles have been a Christmas tradition in cities and towns across America, making their way into movies and popular culture. The Salvation Army often looks for volunteers to be a part of this tradition to man the Red Kettles and be Salvation Army bell ringers in many locations around the country during the holiday season. Read More: How to Be a Salvation Army Volunteer Bell Ringer at Christmas - Yahoo Voices

2014 Gospel GRAMMY nominations announced The 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominations were announced by the Recording Academy on Friday evening live from Los Angeles including those nominated in the four Gospel Music categories. Continued: 2014 Gospel GRAMMY nominations announced - Nashville Gospel Music & Entertainment Examiner

I wrote this poem eight years ago to slip in a package for a soldier and his troop I was sponsoring in Iraq. I posted it on MySpace, and before I knew it, it was showing up on hundreds of other MySpace pages, discussion boards, newsletters, radio stations and other places. My patriotic take on "Twas the Night Before Christmas" had gone viral! (I kept a scrapbook for a while but have not had a working printer since the Nashville flood.) So here it is again for the eighth year, and I still hope the link to the verses is shared with all our military men and their families: Christmas in Iraq - a Christmas Poem for Our Soldiers Christmas in Iraq is a poem written for a soldier and his troop I sponsored in Iraq in 2005. It is my hope that this poem and others like it will be forwarded to our military men and women during the Christmas season so they will know they are not forgotten during the holidays. Read it at: Christmas in Iraq - a Christmas Poem for Our Sold...

While I earn part of my income writing, I have a lot of trouble typing them due to my Dyslexia. The Dyslexic Writer - a Journalist Coping with Dyslexia When I was little, I was an avid reader, but it took me a long time to master writing certain letters and numbers, especially 3s, Es, Zs, Ns, and Ss. Today if I am very tired, I still get confused about which way Ns, Ss and Zs face. As I grew older, it became apparent I had some grasp of math, yet trying to add, subtract or multiply numbers longer than a couple of digits was a problem. And my entire life I have been easily tongue-tied. I know what I want to say in my head where complex thoughts swirl just wanting to come out, but somehow between my brain and my mouth and fingers, there is a barrier. I suffer from dyslexia and dyscalculia. Read more: The Dyslexic Writer - a Journalist Coping with Dyslexia - Yahoo

What do your favorite Christian artists enjoy doing for the holidays? Find out what Christian artists like KEVIN MAX, MIKE WEAVE, MISSION SIX, BONNIE KEEN, BARLOWGIRL, LYRYCYST, RUSH OF FOOLS, SARA GROVES, LARNELLE HARRIS, JAIME JAMGOCHIAN, JASON GRAY, KEVIN LEVAR, ALACHE, ALEXA JAMES, DECEMBERADIO, TAMMY TRENT, AFTER EDMUND and others have to say about their  Favorite Christmas Traditions. In my article Christmas Memories - What Christmas Means to Me , I shared some of my favorite Christmas memories and family traditions. I thought I would turn the tables and ask some of the gospel artists and groups what their favorite Christmas traditions are to give us a glimpse into what they enjoy doing during the holiday season. Continued: Favorite Christmas Traditions of Gospel Artists - Yahoo Voices

  What do you call the holiday season around December 25? Christmas - What's in a Name? In 2007 I was more than a little surprised when people on the discussion boards for devout Christians J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis posted their odd holiday greetings between December 21 and 25 omitting the word "Christmas." So, what do you call the December 25 holiday? Here is what President Franklin D. Roosevelt had to say about the holiday in December 1944:   Here, at home, we will celebrate this Christmas Day in our traditional American way because of its deep spiritual meaning to us; because the teachings of Christ are fundamental in our lives; and because we want our youngest generation to grow up knowing the significance of this tradition and the story of the coming of the immortal Prince of Peace and Good Will. Read more at:  Christmas - What's in a Name? - Yahoo Voices