Thanksgiving Song by Mary Chapin Carpenter

Thanksgiving Song Grateful for each hand we hold Gathered round this table. From far and near we travel home, Blessed that we are able. Grateful for this sheltered place With light in every window, Saying welcome, welcome, share this feast Come in away from sorrow. Father, mother, daughter, son, Neighbor, friend and friendless; All together …Read More

A Story is like water

Sometimes a story washes over you, cleanses you, and leaves you open to new possibilities. The National Storytelling Festival started 46 years ago in the small town of Jonesborough, Tennessee. Today, on this annual festival in October, the small town explodes as thousands and thousands come to listen to some of the best performers in …Read More

The Lion King – Circle of Life

Disney has become an iconic part of American culture. Reaching into the mythical stories from cultures around the world, Disney recreates those stories to bring the messages from those narratives into modern light. Pablo Picasso famously stated, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” Pablo was a dramatic Spaniard; I prefer to say the secret of …Read More

“Sorrow Songs” become “Spirituals”

Originally called “Sorrow Songs,” they were composed by African slaves whose names we will never know. With hidden stories and meanings, what we call “Spirituals” today are songs of suffering, survival, and hope. How do we survive when the worst happens? Through these songs, faith was transmitted as the stories of the Bible became the …Read More