The Lord's Prayer by Andrea Bocelli and the Mormon Choir - Talking about Be With Him Be Like Him by Vincent H.Chough, Open Memoir

 

It was about 6AM when I woke... Actually I was glad for a little extra sleep and spending time away from the computer...Oh No, immediately the glimpses of this beautiful song that I had seen for the last couple of days, popping up at UTube, reminded me...I AM About the Father's Work... So, since I am housebound these days, now was a good time, right?

The Lord's Prayer was given to All. It teaches us how to talk with God! A Good Thing...the words are coming--This is a time for prayer across the world, not just Christians--but Jews, Muslims, and all those who know that God Exists...MUST be praying...

The use of "My Words are being perverted," used by those who seek power, seek to rule over My People, must be stopped. Pray!

According to Chough, if we are not sure how to pray, he starts us by making sure that we spend a little time with Jesus...

Well, Folks, I've already mentioned when I stop and think of praying, pretty soon words of songs pop up in my mind, and I start singing... Yep, it happened, bringing both of these songs to my mind... So, if you don't mind, since Jesus apparently doesn't, I'm going to go along with this way today...

And tell you about how this came about...for me, at least.. I believe that each of us must find our personal relationship with God and...let Him tell you all about it... For I Know...

Hopefully you begin to see...words matter to me...and when I phrase them in a certain way, I seem to find words I want to say, but musically... Take for instance, The Lord's Prayer. I LOVE to sing this song. Normally, for church, there is no pianist who is able to provide the accompaniment... So I was thrilled to hear Bocelli, my favorite tenor, sing the words, in phrases, pauses, and speed, as I would sing it... I always sing along, or, if I can't sing it vocally, I will within my mind... So, if you know the prayer and want to say it, right now...remember, I'll be singing it along with you! Or, listen to the first vid above, and we'll sing it together!

Chough writes an excellent book... He takes you step by step (I promise I am NOT doing this on purpose... Is It the Holy Spirit speaking or my memory of His love shining through music? Well, I just had an answer, I typed in step by step, thinking Each Step I take would come up... Instead, the actual words I had said came with this song...which I had never heard before! And yet, it fits within the topic... God is Cool! isn't He?! For He speaks through this song to walk step by step in His Spirit... Indeed, the Holy Spirit sends words in all situations, I have found... What we most need is to learn how to listen...

Praying for most of us is a personal thing... In the closet, alone, we turn...

When I cannot, or could not, find the words when I was in deep depression, my pastor and wife had brought me Christian music without words... That did work, because I had been so burdened with all the words that I had to use in order to try to get my heavy workload done, that I could no longer bear to speak... Yet, even then with only accompaniment for the songs, the actual words of those selections filled my mind with those words...of comfort...of love...of...compassion...

Indeed as I began to gain some semblance of control - at the worst of times, I could not stop crying... whenever I would begin to "think..." or, worse, if I were in a conversation and something angered me, I would strike out with harsh words... In My Mind, I was saying, STOP... 

Two memories come to mind that I feel led to share. The first was when my older sister sent her son, Rick, over. I had not been answering the phone. Marlene was worried...and Rick, cared. He started at the front door... I was on the top floor of my condo and looked out the window and saw who it was... I did not want to talk. He kept knocking... I went downstairs and again, stood at the main floor at the top of the stairs, whispering, please leave me alone... And then it was quiet and I thought he might have gone...I was in turmoil, unable to gain control of my emotions, so I laid on the floor of my kitchen, trying to calm down. And, suddenly, knocking on the patio sliding door. I remember looking to my right and seeing feet..."Aunt Glenda" he called. I cried silently, and, in a way, prayed, over and over, please, just let me alone. The quiet, silence was what I needed...

The second was here in my cabin, after retiring, but still affected by the, I had learned, actual chemical changes that occurred in my brain when I had reached job burnout, resulting in clinical depression, a total lack of control of my mind... I had been...Emotionally Damaged...

I am still on medication for the changes my body made during those days of extreme workload, confusion, and pressure... The day my other sister, Dee, came knocking on my door, I had become upset over something I can't remember. It is normally related to having trouble with a bill, or some work I needed to try to have done... I find I have absolutely no patience, at times, to deal with...inefficiency, stupidity, or just plain nastiness, just because somebody wants to be that way... (As you can probably imagine, I've had many of those times during the last presidency's chaos)

Anyway, Dee, and her husband Bill, stood at my door. It was a day that I just could not deal with...more...words... I have two doors and they moved from one to another, knocking, calling out for me... Even as I write this, I can remember when my crying turned to anger...Why wouldn't they leave me alone?! And then, I think, for the very first time, I walked to the door, opened it, and angrily spoke to my sister, "You Are Not My Mother!" and started to close the door...and then, even now as I remember it, she had food in her hands and had held it out... Would you believe I opened the door, grabbed the food...and closed the door in her face?! Yes, I did...and though I was immediately sorry, I could not speak further words... I couldn't bring myself to open the door again and say "I'm sorry and thanks for the food..." I went to bed and to sleep, escaping as I did when my emotions had become out of control...

Another time when I was unable to control my emotions, I'd like to share...just because...it's a precious memory... When my cousin, Beverly (Babe) died, with whom I had also been very close friends, she had asked me to sing He Touched Me at her funeral, First, this has become one of my top 10 favorite songs and I have to be in a happy frame of mind to sing it, normally. On that day, I, of course, wasn't... My sister Dee was playing the piano as accompaniment. But... I couldn't stop crying and the more I got upset not doing what she had asked of me, I cried even more... Then quietly, without saying anything, my brother, Keith, got up from somewhere behind me in the church, walked up to the piano...and started to sing...He touched Me! I sat, with the words in my mind, singing, calming down slowly...and then, for just the last phrase, I looked upward and sang with my brother... And, Oh, the joy that floods my soul... Something Happened And NOW I KNOW...He Touched Me and Made Me Whole! You know, nobody ever said anything to me after that service--not one person...I hope it was because they knew Babe was looking down...and was pleased... 

So, when those days occur, and I can't find words, nor sleep, this is what I did... in order to calm myself down, and later, just when I couldn't rest easily, I would start with the alphabet... A Amen!

B

C

I find a song for nearly ever letter of the alphabet...except those, like X, for which no song has even been written, that I knew, that is... Sometimes I would make my way all the way to Z, singing some songs I knew by heart, some only the first verse and chorus, and some just the chorus...It was the need to make it through until I had calmed... Sometimes, I had to start over with A... and, yes, I would remember a new and different song, with the letter in the title...

So, most times when I start to pray, and think a word...I immediately hear the notes to sing!

Sometimes I would move into a different part that I might sing as a duet (just like some do in this vid of one of my most favorite, I think, prayer and praise songs... My sister and I routinely sang duets in church with her as lead, and my finding a part either higher or lower, whichever my ear would hear within the accompaniment. 

Finally, as I came to reading the final part of Be With Him; Be Like Him, and reading the part when you use The Lord's Prayer, he notes that by that time, we could spend, normally an hour or so with just the one song... I began to realize... have I been doing this type of praying all of my life, only...singing the words?  In his book, Chough, takes each phrase of The Lord's Prayer and prays about what those particular words mean... I realize that this would be an effective way to spend time in prayer... for surely that is the goal, spending time... Being With Him...Being Like Him...

For me, way back when I was young and thinking about all things, asking why, who, when, where, and how even in those days... I learned of the Holy Trinity, 3 parts in 1, God, the Father, Jesus, His Son, and The Holy Spirit... Well, for me, since my father had been killed before I was born, I fully accepted God as my Father... His Son, ah... I heard the song...and knew He was to be my greatest, and bestest friend!

And His Holy Spirit was He Who Lives Within Me!

I had never heard this particular song...

but I believe it is

a God Incident...for me...

I am to speak of this experience within my book

I have been emotionally damaged,

But I am...still...about my Father's Business...

Soon...

God Bless,

Gabbie

Enjoy Valentine's Day With Fabulous Tenor, Andrea Bocelli With His Beautiful Love Songs!

Andrea Bocelli, born 1958. Bocelli is an Italian singer of beautiful voice, who was blinded by a childhood soccer accident. He sings to the new millennium as a man from Tuscany who rose to stardom during the 1990's as an opera star and popular singer, with his records selling in the millions. A Golden Globe heads his list of awards.
--Bravo by Guy Graybill

Spotlighting Sacred Music With Andrea Bocelli...

Andrea Bocelli (b. 1958) Bocelli is an Italian singer of beautiful voice, who was blinded by a childhood soccer accident. He sings to the new millennium as a man from Tuscany who rose to stardom during the 1990s as an opera star and popular singer, with his records selling in the millions. A Golden Globe heads his list of awards.
~~~

In case you haven't read it here before, I'm a fan of this man! In fact, if I were a "star swooner" this is the man I'd be swooning over! LOL

Thanks again to Guy Graybill for allowing me to use parts of his fantastic book, Bravo!

For this one, however, I'm dedicating this page to Adolfo Caso
who brought to me all things Italian through his books and poetry...
and became a friend...

Adolph Caso Speaks Out on Behalf of Italian Americans in Mass Media Vs. Italian Americans...

I recently saw the publicity for the new show, Public Morals, coming this fall. I was reminded of previous shows that were actually on television during the 60s that were criticized by more than one book I've read and one, which was on my TBR stack, which I then pulled out...

I noticed one thing especially...The trailer for the upcoming show dwells on the police, including their Irish-American background... Whereas, one of the major shows, although not the only one by any means, The Sopranos, placed the criminals--the gangsters--the Mob/Mafia as the leading group... And, of course, all of the actors were Italian-American...

The Godfather alone has perhaps instilled more fear on the part of American citizens of non Italian background than any other book--fiction or non-fiction alike. With the cinematic renditions and sequels, Mario Puzo succeeded in convincing American and perhaps the world that every Italian American has connections with either the mob, or with organized crime...
The best part of the "Godfather" situation was the recurrent editorial statement on the television screen made by the editors of the national network showing the film, saying that the names and situations did not reflect or depict any ethnic group. What this means is that the Americans were told not to believe that Corleone was an Italian name, etc.
Someone suggested, however, that the television screen should have shown this more accurate statement:
The movie you are seeing represents and denigrates only the Mafia and the Italian Americans. You need not fear retaliation, however. The former does not exist; the latter have no balls. Otherwise, this film would not have been shown..."
~~~

What happens when such an emphasis is placed on the criminal element, a small percentage of an entire population of a country? Of course the answer is easy for any thinking person--a reputation is formed... In this case, all Italian-Americans are part of the criminal element!

One of the major ways this type of prejudice is transmitted is through Mass Media... Adolph Caso has updated his earlier edition and I had a chance to read the 2014 edition now available. It is disheartening, to say the least...

Mass Media vs.

The Italian Americans

By Adolph Caso

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

~~~

Let's tell the truth--America does not have a history of actually accepting the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, does it...? Perhaps we are no different than other countries, I don't know, but I do know enough from actual history, not fictional accounts, to know that we have not lovingly accepted "different" people when they come to America to become citizens. Adolph Caso has had the opportunity as a writer, publisher, and more, to research and study the actions against, just one group of people. those originally from Italy, especially, by the media. In my opinion, the evidence is damning.

First Amendment
During the Watergate Scandal, which came  to
light mainly through the investigative work of two
newspapermen, one often heard reporters
commenting on the Press as having become the
fourth power in the process of America's checks
and balance government. The Founding Fathers
established the system so as to achieve a certain
balance between the Executive, the Legislative,
and the Judicial branches. The Press, through the
First, was, on the other hand, designed and
perceived to be a vehicle given to the people
through which to practice the ultimate check
on those branches. When, therefore, those from
the Media arrogate for themselves that power,
they do not want to understand that it belongs
to the people and is not transferable. Worse, they
do not understand that they, as media, were and
are intended to function as the means to an end.
However, when they use that power for their end,
they become tyrannical. Consequently, they go
against the very people for whom they exist...
!!!

The thing about the media is that you normally see, read, or hear about what is being said as a single entity... Unless you read a book, such as Mass Media, the impact of what is being "fed" to your brain is not noticed--until you become saturated and disgusted with it--or, worse, believe it to be true...

Consider another book I recently reviewed. Justice in the Round by Harold Michael Harvey. That author spoke in a similar way about American's Justice System vs. Black Americans.

I want to highlight here that we will learn of even more in Seduced: The Grooming of America's Teenagers...coming soon...

If you are an older American, you may have already realized how much the media has skewed and damaged both individuals as well as entire races and those of specific nationalities... And we allow it to happen, either by not caring, or by lack of attention.

Adolph Caso has recognized this problem and has spoken out on behalf of his heritage--He is an Italian-American, proud of it...and thinks they've deserved better! I agree! Let's look more closely...

Briefly, freedom of the Press, as the Founding Fathers saw it, was and is simply this: any individual has the freedom to express his or her opinion no matter how different that opinion may be from those in government or in other organizations. Through the Press, the citizens can guard themselves against possible tyrannical practices on the part of individuals in power positions, who have the capability to establish controls.

At no time did the Forefathers mean, through the First Amendment, that freedom of speech and the right of the people, peaceably to assemble, that the people had the right in public to express their opinion in vulgar terms or in ways that could inflict damage or infamy on innocent individuals with different opinions. That is why the First Amendment ends with the statement that the people have the right, if harm is done to them, "to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

After making those declarations, the author proceeds to provide background documentation to support them. He refers first to Cesare Beccaria's book, On Crimes and Punishments and then on to other references. In fact, the book is full of historical documentation to support what he presents as he speaks out against Mass Media... and to some Italian Americans such as Mario Puzo, who have supported the denigration of the reputation of Italian-Americans...

But Caso does not limit his documentation to fiction--actually it is more toward newspapers such as the New York Times who used headlines like "The Mob Gambles on Atlantic City" or The Boston Globe who spotlighted that Rocco Antonelli, held two jobs, and made more money than the governor... Details were, of course, omitted and the reader would naturally pick up on the insinuation received first-page coverage! What!? All done around election time...???

Unfortunately, the sad display of this type of "selective reporting" continues for page after page, ad nauseam. There is no need to doubt Mr. Caso's information, full details plus an index are provided for readers.  The impact of the prejudicial headlines alone is offensive for everybody, in my opinion. Who wants a newspaper to flaunt prejudice?!

And then we get into the unwillingness to reveal sources...and they claim it is to protect the rights of the public... Ahhhhhh, not this public member...

Another issue covered in the book is one about which I'd already changed my earlier opinion...that of prayer in school... If you feel strongly about this topic, the discussion alone, I think, is worth your checking out the book...

Going into many historical controversial issues have been merged into the book to support the continued negativity about the worth of Italians and Italian-Americans.

On the other hand, I must say I was relieved and enjoyed going onto a topic that brings pride--the contribution of Italians to the world of music! While Caso's review involves music from different countries, it is impossible, in my opinion, not to already have experienced the joy brought by Italian composers and artists...

The Orchestra, which made possible the symphony as a musical form, was first put together by Claudio Monteverdi, the genius that also established Opera and many other forms, including the string quartet...

The piano: The basic instrument was developed by Bartolomei Cristofori of Padova. In 1710, he created the pianoforte, the name he was to give to the first and practical hammer action instrument...

An interesting closing to the book is a guide, "How to Lessen Media Abuses" which would be applicable, I am sure, for everybody's use! We can all show similar types of abuse by mass media!

Whether you are an Italian American is irrelevant as it relates to how Mass Media is handling the news of America. Can we really afford to allow this to continue? Think about it... This book is highly recommended...

"I read the report about how Bobby Kennedy protected me from investigation by Government agents and now realize that after five grand-jury subpoenas, two (Internal Revenue Service) investigations (which probably utilized 30 men) and a couple of subpoenas to congressional committees, if you have a close friend in high office, you don't need any enemies."--Frank Sinatra

GABixlerReviews

Sharing my Favorite Italian Singer...

Adolfo Presents "Jazz Chimera" and more! Celebrating the close of National Poetry Month~

Jazz Chimera

Beat the drum to start the tempo;

strike the cymbals

for a silvery tone;

sound the sax

for an indigo mood;

let the horn sing out in despair.

Sing all

with disconcerted sounds.

Combine the pastoral 

to the storm

with clarinets and strings,

the thunder with the base

and the fury of a gong.

Let the bodies quiver from within 

and build

the jazz's chimerical beat

into a tantrum

of ecstatic expectation.
--Adolph Caso
~~~

Sera D'Ottobre

Penombre di nuvole rosse
affiancano l'orizzonte lontano
sfolgorato di un sole d'autunno
e con se si fonde il mio animo.

La sera silenziosamente scende
nel cinguettio frenetico di uccelli

sugli alberi che non son piu di ieri
--Adolph Caso

On the evening in October 

Shadows of red clouds

 alongside the distant horizon

 shone forth of an autumn sun

 and if it melts my heart . 

 The evening falls silently

 the frantic chirping of birds

 trees which are not more than yesterday

~~~

Confessione

Musica,

divinamente

mi arrivi

e investi i miei sensi.

L'anima trema

incontrollabile:

Dio! io dico

L'estasi esclama!
--Adolph Caso

Confession

 Music,

 divinely I arrive and invest my senses.

 The soul trembles

 uncontrollable:

 God! I say 

The ecstasy exclaims!

~~~

Bravo! Greatness of Italian Music - by Guy Graybill From Sinatri to Pavarotti and so Much More!

Be sure to find the latest updated and expanded Edition, dated 2014... Bravo! The Case for Italian Musical Mastery

Historian Guy Graybill undoubtedly loves music as well as history. So if you are a fan of either, I am certain you will want to consider his latest book, Bravo! Greatness of Italian Music, 

I must say immediately that I very much enjoyed this writer's brilliant presentation of what many will see as a major historical text with indepth, well-documented information on his chosen topic. This is very true! But there were subtle small touches that added to my personal delight, such as:

· His use of Acts rather than the common "chapter" to separate his material.
· His choice of highlighting both Sinatra and Pavarotti on the cover to show the breadth of his content.
· His inclusion of small asides of personal opinion and/or tidbits of humor that normally would never appear in a significant research effort; for instance his personal comment about ballet: "What perversity resides within the masculine soul that drives men to create ways to physically hobble females?" (p. 144)
· And, finally, the inclusion of many historical pictures as well as many beautiful hand-drawn portraits from the Dante University Press.

Do not doubt that this book will become a major reference for students of music!

The back cover states, "The Italians were so busy creating and performing superb music that they neglected to tell the great epic story of their wondrous achievement." Indeed, the author has "demonstrated...the Italian contribution to music is overwhelmingly superior." (p. 234) His Curtain on that same page provides 14 areas of music in which Italians excel! Obviously, creation of fine instruments, operas, and symphonies are just a few.

Let me illustrate by just highlighting names that many of you will readily recognize: Gregory who composed the Gregorian chants; Stradivari, makers of stringed instruments; Paganini; Monteverdi, opera's first genius; Verdi; Caruso; Pavarotti; and, one of my favorites, Andrea Bocelli, who is involved in both opera and more modern music and even has his singing in a commercial--how cool is that!

If you don't recognize those involved with classical music, how about: Anna Maria Alberghetti, Mario Lanza, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Jim Croce, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Frankie Lane, Jerry Vale, Sonny Bono, Jerry Colonna, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, and, of course, Frank Sinatra.

Just imagine! I've highlighted only those individuals whose name you will probably recognize. I believe you will realize that this book is well beyond a students' text! Anybody who is interested in music will find the personal stories and biographical information on these individuals fascinating!

From Italians and Italian-Americans, there has been "more music lost" than has been created by others! That's a powerful statement, isn't it? Graybill has the statistics--the numbers, to back this up if that will interest you. I think anybody who stops to think about the great music they've come to love, they will realize the impact that Italy's musical genius has made on all of their lives.

Graybill has done an outstanding performance--a major triumph for both history and music! Consider this a must-read for music students and professionals! For others, enjoy this writer, like I did, as I read little tidbits like, "Do corpses really roll over within their graves if something disturbing happens in the world of the living? If so, there's no doubt that the corpse of operatic composer Amilcare Ponchielli took a couple of whirls during the 20th century...especially if he heard the "highly successful musical parody in which Amilcare's stirring music is sung to the opening words, "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah..." (pps. 98-99) You're going to enjoy this one!

Guy Graybill is the author of five published books: KEYSTONE, BRAVO!, PROHIBITION'S PRINCE, PRINCE AND THE PAUPERS and FROST!
Guy attended rural Pennsylvania schools and graduated from Gettysburg College with a degree in History.
Guy Graybill worked in a Pennsylvania state capital mail room, in a brick plant, in the Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, PA) and in schools in Aguilar, Colorado (one year) and Loganton, Pennsylvania (two years). His career position was three decades in Middleburg, PA as a secondary History teacher. After retiring from Middleburg, he was elected to a four-year term as chairman of the board of commissioners of Snyder County.
Guy married his high-school sweetheart, Nancy Yerger. They have now been married for many decades and are the parents of four grown children.
Guy Graybill is proud of the support he has received from individuals who wrote the forewords to his books. They include a man who is now Budget Secretary to the governor of Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia opera singer, and a former speechwriter to five U.S. presidents.
Other than writing, Guy Graybill's hobbies include travel, amateur archaeology and photography. Guy has traveled in more than 40 of the U.S. states, as well as Japan, Okinawa, Canada and Guatemala. He conducted one local archaelogy project for the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial observance and his photographs have appeared on greetings, postal cards, and more than 100 covers of small magazines.
Current writing projects include two developing books that are growing within the computer. A book of poetry/commentary [WHIMSY AND WRY] is currently on the publisher's desk. That book includes many poems and bits of commentary. Two samples of rhymes follow:
The following title comes from
the word, 'century' that Nostradamus
used to identify a group of his verses.
It seems especially appropriate following
the Mayan Doomsday silliness.
CENTURIES
The fabled Nostradamus
Fooled simple-minded hacks,
With riddles that were riddled
With trash instead of facts.
Yet, ev'ry generation
Construes his mutant rhymes
In ways that fit their motives
And SEEM to match the times.
The truly thoughtful person
Will alwys be content,
To save each grand prediction
'Til AFTER the event.
]]] [[[
AN ACT OF SELF DEFENSE
Her smile is a rebel smile.
She knows the disarming art.
Her lips bring to light her guile:
A threat to my sov'reign heart.
Before my defiance slips,
I'll show that her threat is known.
I'll siege those rebellious lips,
To crush them beneath my own!
]]] [[[
Copyright, Guy Graybill