I’m one of those clueless people who really didn’t get into her music until recently. Yeah, I heard Alanis on the radio, I saw her in “Dogma” (awesomely subtle performance, by the way), but didn’t pay much attention to her until I heard a song playing off of my teenaged daughter’s ipod. I was intrigued and promptly gave her a 2-disc collection of her music. Of course the kid used my computer to transfer this to her ipod, and left the music in my music library. One day I started running through all my stuff and this song came on. I was blown away by the raw honesty and power of her lyrics, the evocative qualities in her voice, the simple, yet profound arrangement of the music….I was hooked. Check out the music video she made of Thank U, if you haven’t already. It’s a fittingly courageous work of art that compliments this song. I chose this clip though, because it allows me to focus on her words and music rather than be distracted by her physical beauty, which is formidable.
Yesterday afternoon, the sun was out, the weather clear, and I took a great walk up toward Green Mountain near Golden. Last night I looked out the window and-behold! Snow was falling steadily and in good measure. Today it looks like this:
It feels like winter, and in a good way. I remember life in Texas, when one of the key ingredients for successfully decorating the house at Christmas time was the can of fake snow used to flock the tree and the windows. Here, we get the real deal.
I hope all of you who so graciously stop by and visit Tumbleweed Life have had a good Thanksgiving holiday weekend and that those of you who don’t observe the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday still have had a good time.
Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
Yes, to the very end.
Will the day’s journey take the whole long day?
From morn to night, my friend.
But is there for the night a resting-place?
A roof for when the slow dark hours begin.
May not the darkness hide it from my face?
You cannot miss that inn.
Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?
Those who have gone before.
Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?
They will not keep you standing at that door.
Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?
Of labor you shall find the sum.
Will there be beds for me and all who seek?
Yea, beds for all who come.
Lest we forget: Texas blasted OU 45-35, on a neutral field in October. Texas then went on to play the hardest schedule of any of the teams competing for the National Championship. Their only loss was a razor-thin loss to Texas Tech on Tech’s field because: a) a freshman db dropped the interception thrown to him, and b) Tech then came from behind to score the winning touchdown on the next to last play of the game. Texas beat OU (top ten), obliterated Mizzou (then in top ten), soundly beat Oklahoma State (then in top ten), and nearly pulled it out against number 5 Texas Tech.
No matter what OU does Saturday against the Cowboys, they can’t change the reality that Texas beat them decisively, 45-35. Please, BCS voters, let this fact guide your votes this weekend.
PS: Do you really want a hand in sending Bob Stoops’ Sooners back to a National Title Game? Remember what West Virginia, LSU, and USC have done to them in big bowl games? Remember Texas’ performance against USC in ‘05? Look at Mack Brown’s bowl record. How often does he get blown out in the post season? He and Texas have done what they’ve needed to do this season. Look at the calibre of their opponents. Texas is a young team that is getting stronger and better every game. And Colt McCoy is the Heisman front-runner after tonight.
It’s likely going to be a stomach-churning Thanksgiving evening for the Aggie faithful. Normally I’d go with the Ags to make a game of it. They were overachievers against Texas the last 2 years, upsetting the Longhorns both years with last-minute, time-consuming drives that ground up the Longhorn D-line and linebackers into burnt-orange hamburger. The two key players for both drives in both years are QB Stephen McGee and FB Jorvorskie Lane. Both are seniors. Both have been surprising non-factors in the Aggies’ 2008 season. McGee’s shoulder was seriously hurt in the second game of the season against New Mexico. His injury propelled Sophomore QB Jerrod Johnson into the cockpit of the Aggie offense. Though as poorly as the Aggies have played this year they might as well have Navin Johnson at QB. Baylor hung 41 on them. Wait for a minute and take that in….now read it again: Baylor, the clawless, toothless Bears, hung 41 on the Wrecked Crew. OK, I’m being too hard on Baylor. They are a team on the rise and playing with greater and greater intensity. But A&M looks more and more like a team headed for the deep dark corner of the root cellar. And where is Jorvorskie Lane in all of this? When I have seen him play against Texas he has been an unstoppable bull of a running back. His stats this year, however, are abysmal. In 11 games Number 11 has touched the ball a grand total of 30 times. In 11 games he has rushed for a grand total of 83 yards. 83 measly yards. Hey, would any Aggies reading this post do me a favor and explain this to me? Is he in Sherman’s dog house? Is he hurt? Has he O.D.’d on Whataburgers with cheese? Whassup with J.L.?
Even if A&M has had the team finely tuned for this game, I’m afraid it wouldn’t matter. You see, they basically lost this game by about 30 points last weekend when neither team played. But OU badly molested Texas Tech, leaving pundits to talk ad nauseum about how the Sooners ought to leapfrog the Longhorns into the #2 BCS spot. It didn’t happen, but all this talk has no doubt left the Longhorns thinking that they need to make a statement in this game and rack up some BCS style points. Ordinarily the juices might not be flowing so decidedly in this direction. But, we’re talking about the arch-rival Sooners here, a team Texas roared back on and beat the dog out of in the second half of their October showdown in Dallas. And we’re also talking about the Aggies, who have surprised Texas the last two years and are due some serious payback. Texas will be tuned and ready. A&M will come out with fire, but they don’t have the hosses. Even McGee and Lane both operating in tip-top shape, which they aren’t, couldn’t save the Ags from the equivalent of a Burnt Orange Tsunami that will swallow them up by the middle of the third quarter if not sooner. I wish it weren’t so. The state of Texas would be well-served by having both teams ranked in the top five and slugging it out on national television Thanksgiving night. But that ain’t the case, and if Coach Sherman doesn’t make some recruiting inroads quickly, A&M’s fortunes seem to be headed straight for the clothesline, alongside the other rugs and doormats being repeatedly beaten with an ugly stick. My prediction: Texas 55, A&M 12.
Great God of the Universe, you have created all galaxies, stars and planets, and have set them in motion; you created the sun to be the anchor for our planet and for others, to provide warmth, light and life. You created our planet Earth, bringing forth mountains from the depths of the sea, separating the waters from dry land, and then bringing forth abundant life in plants and animals, fish and flowers, birds and insects, all too numerous to count. And then you made us, male and female, and blessed us with all the abundance of this world while asking us to tend to the world as a gardener would tend to a garden.
We come before you now in this knowledge that you have given us this day of life and all that is in it. We give you thanks, O God, for all of your gifts which include this time to gather together for this dinner, and for the special love and companionship we find here. In our breaking bread together, we ask your blessing upon the bread and all the bounty at our table, in humble awareness that these gifts come from you.
And we ask, O God, that you would sustain us on our journeys as you sustain the course of everything in the universe. We pray that you would enable us to tend wisely that which you have entrusted to our care. We pray especially in the awareness that we need your ongoing aid, trusting that you tend to us in special ways, as a loving Father tends to His youngest and most frail children. Thank you for providing the sun that warms our days, and the Beloved Son who warms our hearts. Help us to always make room in our hearts for this Son who brings each of us such warm and comforting love. Allow our vision, no matter how dim, to see your hope and plan for good and abundant life; for us and for all that you have made.
And we especially pray for those beyond this room who may need special attention, because of illness, disease, poverty, violence, war, and famine. We ask that your Wisdom and Strength, your Healing and Life would come to bear against every force that opposes your Way of Justice and Peace.
Banish our fear and nourish us in love, for you and for one another. Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to trust in your good life which has no end. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
