The Demons are Still Legion (The Joseph Dwyer Story)
Jul/30/2008 10:40 PM Filed in: Thoughts
from Purple Land
Several weeks ago, I
blogged about "the girl in the
picture"
from the Vietnam War, and the improbable story of how
she's overcome her hatred with a powerful and deep
forgiveness.
Days after I posted the blog, I saw a news item about Joseph Dwyer, and I've been haunted by his story ever since. Like Kim Phuc, Joseph Dywer is the subject of a picture that many simply refer to as "the picture." Like Kim Phuc, it's become a seminal picture for people during a time of war.
But unlike the arc of Kim Phuc's story, Army Medic Joseph Dwyer's story finds him home from the war unable to shake his demons, unable to live with being called a "hero," and ultimately unable to cope with life itself. (Read the rest. Click here)
Days after I posted the blog, I saw a news item about Joseph Dwyer, and I've been haunted by his story ever since. Like Kim Phuc, Joseph Dywer is the subject of a picture that many simply refer to as "the picture." Like Kim Phuc, it's become a seminal picture for people during a time of war.
But unlike the arc of Kim Phuc's story, Army Medic Joseph Dwyer's story finds him home from the war unable to shake his demons, unable to live with being called a "hero," and ultimately unable to cope with life itself. (Read the rest. Click here)
Goodbye, Randy Pausch. Thanks for playing all your cards.
Jul/26/2008 09:07 AM Filed in: Balcony
People
Randy Pausch died yesterday.
It was totally an expected event, as he was suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 47-years-old, and leaves two small children and a loving wife. And it was his gift to them that ended up inspiring the world.
If you have not heard Randy's gift to us all, you must --you absolutely must-- give yourself the gift of watching. The gift was something college professors often called "The Last Lecture," an old tradition of giving one final speech before retirement. That name took on an entirely new meaning when Randy delivered his on September 19, 2007.
You can watch it right here... (Read the rest. Click here)
It was totally an expected event, as he was suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 47-years-old, and leaves two small children and a loving wife. And it was his gift to them that ended up inspiring the world.
If you have not heard Randy's gift to us all, you must --you absolutely must-- give yourself the gift of watching. The gift was something college professors often called "The Last Lecture," an old tradition of giving one final speech before retirement. That name took on an entirely new meaning when Randy delivered his on September 19, 2007.
You can watch it right here... (Read the rest. Click here)
Connections Band this Sunday: Tribute to Carole King and James Taylor
Jul/24/2008 08:42 AM Filed in: Music News
Hey Everybody:
Hope you're finding ways to stay cool during this "hottest July on record."
One great way would be to come to our Connections Band show this Sunday night.
How about THAT for a segue?
Did you know, btw, that the etymology of "segue" comes the music world? It was originally used to describe smooth transitions from one song or piece to another.
For example, it's a pretty smooth segue that our show this Sunday night is:
A Tribute to James Taylor and Carole King (Read the rest. Click here)
Hope you're finding ways to stay cool during this "hottest July on record."
One great way would be to come to our Connections Band show this Sunday night.
How about THAT for a segue?
Did you know, btw, that the etymology of "segue" comes the music world? It was originally used to describe smooth transitions from one song or piece to another.
For example, it's a pretty smooth segue that our show this Sunday night is:
A Tribute to James Taylor and Carole King (Read the rest. Click here)
The Long Road To Forgiveness (The Kim Phuc Story)
Jul/13/2008 04:41 PM Filed in: Angels and
Pins
Every so often, I find one of the "The I Believe"
podcasts that is so compelling that I just have to
pass it along to you. That happened yesterday, as I
was driving along listening to an episode of the
great NPR series.
What came up on the iPod was the incredible story of Kim Phuc.
You have seen a picture of Kim. It was when she was nine-years-old, and running down the road between Phnom Penh and Saigon. She is naked. Her clothes have been burned off by a napalm bomb. She is crying. She is, to a generation, simply "the girl in the photograph."
She's an adult now, living in Canada with children of her own, and her essay for "This I Believe" has the enticing title of "The Long Road to Forgiveness." (Read the rest. Click here)
What came up on the iPod was the incredible story of Kim Phuc.
You have seen a picture of Kim. It was when she was nine-years-old, and running down the road between Phnom Penh and Saigon. She is naked. Her clothes have been burned off by a napalm bomb. She is crying. She is, to a generation, simply "the girl in the photograph."
She's an adult now, living in Canada with children of her own, and her essay for "This I Believe" has the enticing title of "The Long Road to Forgiveness." (Read the rest. Click here)
A Conversation with Job (Yes, the guy from the Bible...)
Jul/12/2008 12:00 AM Filed in: Angels and
Pins
Job, the guy from the Old Testament, stopped by the
house the other day for a visit. He looked good for
somebody pushing 2,500-years-old. We had a nice chat.
I wish I'd turned on the tape recorder in time, but I
didn't think about that quickly enough. However, I'm
pretty sure I can recall the gist of the
conversation.
So what follows is a pretty close transcription... (Read the rest. Click here)
So what follows is a pretty close transcription... (Read the rest. Click here)
The Declaration
Jul/08/2008 05:42 PM Filed in: Music News
Charles Gaby is one of my best soul friends. He's
written a new song called "The Declaration" that's up
on YouTube. I'd love for you to give it a listen.
He's also written a "pledge" I want you to know
about. (Read the rest. Click
here)