THOUGHTFUL RAMBLING No. 23
"A Christmas Miracle... Sorta"

Most people don't love a cappella music. It's a fact. You can look it up.

Oh, sure, most people will sit in church and listen. And on occasion, you might listen to 47 seconds of some trendy pop song on the radio before turning the station, but in general, a cappella music, that is, vocal music with no instruments, is not a fan favorite. Unless maybe you once sang in the Glee Club. If that was the case, there is certainly more of an affinity for tight harmonies and the kind of vocal resolution that in some of us, produces both goosebumps and envy.

It's not anybody's fault, really. Singing 4-part arrangements by a bunch of dead Europeans who for the most part, never heard of syncopation, just isn't that sexy. Not when compared with Rock, Pop, Jazz, Classical, Hip Hop, R&B and Rap. That said, I'm pretty sure A Cappella could still kick the crap out of polka in a fair fight. But you didn't hear that here.

Personally, I love a cappella music and am always on the lookout for really good groups. I had the privilege of singing in a 12-man group in college called "Southern Comfort" and last year around Christmas, I looked on YouTube to see if maybe the group had posted videos of their performances. They had not. But a group called "Straight, No Chaser" from Indiana University had and boy, they were smokin.

The video was of the group performing an arrangement of "The 12 Days of Christmas" in a concert more than 10 years ago in 1998. It was brilliant. All kinds of fun twists and turns with an ending set to Toto's "Africa." As I often do, I sent the link to my other singing buddies and family members who like this sort of thing, so they too could enjoy the little treasure I found buried on YouTube. But as it turns out, I wasn't the only one mining A Cappella gold.

To date, more than 8 million people have viewed the video and as a result, the group has reunited and recorded a new Christmas CD called "Holiday Spirits" that's complete with the live performance of "12 Days" plus more than a dozen other Christmas classics and at least one original piece. It's a fantastic CD and will be a holiday favorite of mine for years to come.

If you haven't heard Straight, Chaser or seen their YouTube video, check it out. Consider it an early Christmas present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

THOUGHTFUL RAMBLING No. 22

"Thank You and Godspeed"

Like so many other people, for years, Veterans Day has been a holiday on the periphery for me. A special day to honor those who have served our country in the Armed Forces, but as much, a day when the banks were closed and government employees had the day off. Oh, the town might have everyone to the park for hot dogs and lemonade and a neighbor down the street might come by and put little flags in everyone's yards, but sadly, that's about all the thought I can ever really remember giving to Veterans Day. It's not that I didn't care. I simply didn't take the time to stop and show the respect that's due to those who in many cases have paid the ultimate price so that you and I can enjoy the freedoms we do.

Yesterday, in the warmth of a Texas afternoon, our scout troop gathered at Flower Mound High School with other groups of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies and Girl Scouts, as well as an ROTC unit from a local high school and we marched about 150 yards across the track that separates the football field from the stadium bleachers to pay our respect to a small gathering of Veterans and about 300 Flower Mound onlookers who too had come to pay their respects. Among the masses in the stands Sunday was a man in his Navy whites who last served our country in World War II. We figured even if he served at the end of the war, that was 63 years ago which probably puts him well into his 80s. He was there with a walker. But he was there. And we were all proud to honor him, even if only with something as simple as walking across a track with an American flag. I don't really know his story. But I'd sure like to.

When my father died, one of the things my brother and I did to help my Mother was go through the things in the top drawer of his dresser. That had always been the treasure drawer where you'd find things like half-used cans of Kiwi shoe polish, tiny seals from the Aleutian Islands carved out of Ivory and maybe a political button for Lyndon Johnson or Jimmy Carter. On this particular night, we also found a long, narrow navy box made of faded leather and a slightly rusted hinge. Gold filigree adorned each side and on top, there were three simple words. It said, "Bronze Star Medal." Upon opening the box, that's exactly what we found inside.

To be clear, my father never served in the military. Neither did my grandfather. And while my father was certainly a hero of ours, he never did anything heroic in combat. Certainly not anything that would have won him a Bronze Star we had never seen, nor heard about. We asked Mom about it and she too had no idea where it would have come from or who might have given it to Daddy. We assume it was a client he helped in some capacity. It remains one of the great mysteries I fear I will never figure out.

I want to know who it belongs to. I want to know why they would ever give it up. Someone earned that Bronze Star for heroic or meritorious service to our country. Someone stood up and fought for the freedoms I enjoy yet somehow now, through fate and extenuating circumstances beyond my comprehension, that Bronze Star has now made its way into my possession. It doesn't have a name. It doesn't have a serial number. To my knowledge, there is no way to tell who it belongs to. I'm sad for that. At very least, I would like to find the family to whom this medal, this recognition, this validation, rightly belongs.

In the absence of that, all I can do, is say "thank you." To my cousin Kathleen's husband Lt. Colonel Tom O'Connor who is missing his four children and beautiful wife so he can fight on my behalf in Afghanistan. To Reservist John Cox, a husband from our Sunday School class who is serving in the Middle East and just buried six of his friends. To all the Veterans who have fought and will continue to fight today, and every day so that I can sleep at night in the security and freedom of Democracy, my thoughts and my prayers are with you.

With the thanks of a grateful nation, have a happy, healthy and safe Veterans Day. And for those who are far, far away - come home soon!

TRUE GREATNESS No. 2
"Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy"

For anyone who needs a blessing today, here you go!