Watch where you are walking in my state

Raising Children in Florida is a bit different than raising kids in the real world. Kids find things such as high humidity, bugs and snakes on the sidewalk normal. The beach is a conventional activity which excites less than the playground, while mountains, snow and culture are the stuff of legend. You slather on bug spray and sunscreen to go outside and dare not venture to the back yard in the summer, lest you are attacked by mosquitoes and other assorted flying creatures.

Amusement parks, golf, tennis and every dialect of Spanish are part of your every day experience (my kids think Amusement Parks are average experiences of every day life. But, if you live 3 miles from one it is stupid to not buy season passes), as are monster trucks, hurricane watches, predators and palm trees. You think the odd is unexceptional, while you miss the beauty surrounding you every day.Crazy people are everywhere and you need to pay attention to where you walk, since old people do not pay attention on the roads or in parking lots. It was the way I grew up. Heck, I thought it was commonplace to have a dog bitten by rattlesnakes every year, explore sinkholes/ underwater caves and ski/ swim in alligator or shark infested waters.

In fact, when we go to the zoo, aquarium or any other "natural" place, my kids are unimpressed with alligators. They are like snowbirds and drunk spring breakers, just part of the scenery and more common than someone graduating from a Florida school with a good education. That said, apparently I need to teach my kids to watch where they are walking in parking lots for a reason besides idiotic drivers.

This guy was found car shopping one block from my parents' house yesterday.

This one was found trying to deliver pizza at some Tampa lady's doorstep last week.

This guy trying to raid someone's fridge last year.

My Redneck Past (and your musical education)

As I have been making my way through Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, I am finding lost albums and artists I have loved and forgotten about, one being the late great Marty Robbins. Robbins, an iconic country music legend died in 1982 before he could experience a resurgence along the lines of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn or Waylon Jennings. 

Growing up with a father that loved everything about classic country music, I was well versed in the wonders of Marty Robbins, my dad's favorite. His 1973 album Good'n Country which has been out of print forever is one of the lost gems of music. My dad burned it up on our 8 track and it was one of the reasons I rebelled against country music and found other genres. 

It was not until I was older that I rediscovered my lost past, the country music of my childhood. Hating everything modern Nashville stood for, I had learned to dislike county music. But the stuff I remembered from my dad was unlike anything I heard (and hear) when I turned on the radio. It had more in common with punk, alternative rock, folk and Americana, extolling the glories of bad attitudes, lost love and innocence and twang, miles away from the cheap sentimentality that are hallmarks of modern country.

As I delved into my redneck past, I realized that very little music is better than country music from the 50s-70s. I also realized that this music I had rebelled against had seared itself into my consciousness and my blood. I eventually took a job at a country music station and made my dad happy once more.

While in grad school I even found this lost gem of Marty Robbins in a local used record store for $20. I made the guy play it loud in the store much to the chagrin of my roommates. 

As I grew older I found myself drawn to the alt country crowd and music, understanding that they were direct descendants of the musicians of my childhood while the Kenny Chesneys and whomever else Nashville is pimping stood in the shadows of American Bandstand, direct descendants of top 40, not the art of country music.

So, as I admit my redneck past, let me give you a glimpse into my most favored of all Marty Robbins songs, one that very few people have heard and even fewer remember (but I remember every little line even though I have heard it only a few times in the past 25 years and not once in the past 15, until today). You may not like it, because you don't get it. But, here is Marty Robbins singing Twentieth Century Drifter.

	- - Marty Robbins - Twentieth Century Drifter
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

The album many consider his best is Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs which has some of the best outlaw country you have never heard. I was listening to it today on my iPod (see, my music taste is so much cooler than yours- I listen to dead country singers).

I also recommend these songs you can hear on YouTube The Hanging Tree, Big Iron,  A White Sport (and a Pink Carnation) and his biggest song, El Paso:

remembering the forgotten

As we move towards Martin Luther King Day, January 19 (the day before the inauguration), I am reminded of the lost stories of the struggle for Civil Rights in America. Sadly, before MLK and Emmit Till there were a number of martyrs, victims of unspeakable violence that go unremembered. Before Rosa Parks there were brave African Americans standing for rights those of my race have taken for granted for a millennium whose stories go untold.

Yesterday was the 85th Anniversary of the Rosewood Massacre in North Florida. It is, sadly, one of the dark stains on the racial history of my home state, as well as the nation. Somehow, it has not gotten much press throughout the years, even the film version made little cultural impact.

Over the course of a week or so many blacks were killed or injured by a mob of whites from the region surrounding Cedar Key. In fact, the historically black village of Rosewood was destroyed, never to become more than a marker on the side of the road. It is a story that needs to be remembered, especially by those of us from Florida.

Yet another story I was reminded of yesterday upon hearing it was the anniversary of the Rosewood Massacre was the death of Willie James Howard, which also happened in early January. I first heard of this tragic story a couple of years ago while reading about it in the Tampa paper. Very seldom do I see stories about my home town 3 hours from Tampa in the bend of Florida as the Panhandle begins in the big city paper.

The story I read about a young black man whose only crime was sending a Christmas card to the daughter of an influential white man in Live Oak in 1944. He was kidnapped, along with his dad, tied up and taken to the Suwanee River, which I grew up on. He was killed in front of his father, who was driven back to work to finish his shift. 

As I read the story, I became aware of names that I knew. Those 3 white men involved in death of this young man were prominent in my community. In fact, I was friends with grandchildren or nephews of 2 of the names. According to mom, one of the families is related to us (but everyone is related in my home town). They were on the list of deacons from my home church and their names still carry weight around Live Oak.

I called my mom, who was born there in 1930 and she confirmed the story. She had long heard the rumors and stories, seen the men at church and knew their past. She told me that people used to talk about it quietly, but the gossip had ended decades before. In fact, she had forgotten about the story of the murder of a young man her age until I reminded her of it.

For days I, as a big city guy with Liberal tendencies was aghast at how close such violence was to me and my heritage. I was sure that people I had grown up in the homes of, celebrated holidays with, been taught Sunday School by and respected were involved in such atrocities. However, I realized that I would never know. I would not go home and ask people about their connections, knowing they would not be honest and those my age had never been told the truth. I was (and still am) haunted by this.

As we think about our first black President and the heritage of MLK and the Civil Rights struggle, we should investigate our own towns, whether South Boston, Queens, North Georgia or Virginia. Sadly, I am sure there are people in every place that need to be remembered and celebrated, their stories told and retold at this time of year.

follow the links from the blog title, along with those in the story to find out more about these 2 events.

Ways to support families with support of next president

From everything I understand about our incoming president, he cares deeply for families. As a Christian that is agreement with the emphasis he puts upon families I am glad for the new emphasis. Even, "Family Values" voters that disagree with Obama on a number of issues can find ways to support him and his administration's family values in a number of ways.

This article explains the ways everyone can support our families by supporting our new president on a number of fronts that help all families. Here is the list (but read the entire thing):

1. Personal and Family Responsibility. (We must all own our responsibility and power to care for each other and create the positive changes we want for our own family, friends and neighbors).
   
2.  Family and Future Mindfulness. (Family must be our cause, and we must think about families with the future in mind).
   
3. Multicultural Respect.
   
4. Sustainable Lifestyles
   
5. Community Involvement.
   

We may disagree in how we accomplish these tasks, but we will be better off if we take them seriously.. all of us.

7 Year Old Politics

our daughter, not yet 7 and very concerned about the election (ah, the wonders of living in a swing state) asked us yesterday at lunch who God would vote for, if God were to come down to earth and vote in the Presidential election. A politically savvy child, she is concerned on a number of fronts. 

First of all, she wants to please God. Secondly, she has her opinions (some from brainwashing, many on her own- she is her own woman) and has been vocal in her support for a particular candidate (she is processing Obama's desire for change in light of God's creation of the world). Thirdly, and most importantly, she saw a picture of her Aunt's home with the yard sign of the other candidate. This has led to soul searching and rationalization (why would they support the other candidate?). She thinks that, if God wants us to vote for a particular candidate, then maybe her Aunt would also vote for that candidate.

Very astute for a 7 year old. Of course, when you are 50 and still making choices with that level of discernment, you may need to grow up. Here is the entire conversation from Kristi's blog.

Wall-E Irony

Like anyone that is not a agenda driven nincompoop we thoroughly loved Wall-E when we saw it last week. After an initial bout of rebellion from our daughter due to the intensive preview (Eve blows something up loudly), it was all systems go and no one left disappointed, least of all the parents (of course, we think all Pixar movies are made for mom and dad).

However, isn't the thought of buying any of this authorized merchandise just a little too ironic in face of the film's premise? Of course, tell that to a 5 year old.

Best Kid Music playlist or CD you have ever seen!

A couple of day sago I mentioned that I would be sharing my Kid Music CDs, compiled by me. The rules of the game are here. The list of Kid songs is here:

CD #1
Who Can It Be Now by Men at Work
Year of the Rat by Badly Drawn Boy
If I had a Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies
The Man of Metropolis Steals our Hearts by Sufjan Stevens
Atlas by Battles (a particular fave of Aedan- he calls it the robot song)
Polythene Pam by The Beatles
Jesusland by Ben Folds (this is "the Jesus song" in my house)
Mean Mr. Mustard by The Beatles
Is this Love by Bob Marley
Mahna, Mahna by Cake
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead by XTC
Eat It by Weird Al
Twist and Shout by The Beatles
Brown Eyed Girl (clean version) by Van Morrison
Rise by Robbie Seay Band
On The Radio by Regina Spektor
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song by The Flaming Lips
Holy Grail by Badly Drawn Boy
John Henry by Bruce Springsteen

CD #2
Guantanamera by Omara Portuondo (from Latin Playground- this is a different version)
Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas (very popular)
Love Train by Keb' Mo'
Wooly Bully by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
Mardi Gras Mambo by Buckwheat Zydeco
Fidelity by Regina Spektor (all time family fave)
I Love You by Barenaked Ladies
Octopus's Garden by The Beatles
Elevation by U2
Stay Up Late by The Talking Heads
We Are Free by Robbie Seay Band
Yellow Submarine by The Beatles
Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley & The Wailers
The Mayor of Simpleton by XTC
Beautiful Day by U2
Safety Dance by Men Without Hats
Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Selmanaire Rock by The Selmanaires (an all time fave that know one knows- we dance to this)
Song Of Hope by Robbie Seay Band

tomorrow CDs #3 and #4

Good Kid Music

a few days ago, the Paste blog gave us the Top 10 Kids Songs that Don't Suck (alternatively titled the Top Songs Me and My Kid Agree on). While I appreciated the list, which included gems by Dan Zane, The Polyphonic Spree, TMBG and Ray Stevens. I have to say that I don't get much kid music for our children.

Now, understand that we play lots of music around the house and much of it is kid friendly. However, I am reinterpreting what "Kid Music" is. Why can't we play age-appropriate, yet smart, well made music for our children that will educate them musically and keep us sane? As one that hopes to raise my son to be another Rick Rubin or T Bone Burnett and my daughter to be the next Aimee Mann (at least to have the diverse musical stylings, interest and taste of such producers/ artists), I need to start early, as I have.

I remember a congregant coming over 1 day in Boston while I was watching the kids alone. She was surprised to hear me blaring David Bowie and dancing around with my daughter. I told her it needs to start early to give kids the proper education so they won't be swayed by the ways of the world (of course, my great fear is rebellion in which they listen to Toby Kieth, American Idol and show tunes). This must include classical (my daughter loves opera), jazz, folk, a little worship music (they need some baggage), classic rock, standards, Indie Rock, New Wave, Hip Hop, Punk and World selections.

Last year I gave my kids a CD player with a group of CDs from my collection. I also made 5 mixtapes (yes on CD) that are on the iPod for their listening pleasure (in our house, this is "Kid Music"). As I worked on the CDs, I had a few guidelines. It had to be (1) good music on its on, (2) be musically simple enough for a kid understanding, (3) stand the test of time, (4) have appropriate lyrical content. The list had to include classic music and could also include some "kid songs" when done well.

Next up... the list (culled from what was already on my iTunes list).

good question

since it is freakin hot outside, my kids have chosen to spend the afternoon watching (rewatching) the Prince of Egypt. During the climactic parting of the Red Sea, my son blurts out to me (from another room), "Can God Do that for us?"

I declare, "yes, if we ever need to escape Egyptians, God will do that for us."

an Easter Conundrum

As a former pastor and church planter, there has been very little choice in where to spend Easter Sunday. On very few occasions has the decision not been made for me.

While in seminary I remember a group of friends gathering at the botanical gardens in Fort Worth for a day long picnic. We decided to let our seats be taken by some C&E Christians and spend a beautiful day outside. It was one of the best Easters I had experienced.

While on staff at a church in Richmond, the decision was usually made by necessity, until my wife became a school teacher. With no children and only 1 week in which we could vacation (spring break-the week after Easter), I took the unprecedented Day Off on Easter Sunday my final 2 years. I had reminded the staff that we canceled Sunday School on Easter Sunday for the extra worship service. Plus, all youth events were canceled and I played no part in the traditional worship service (besides an invocation).

It was fun to be out of church on Easter. The first year we attended a friend's service in Miami on our way to Key West. The second year of rebellion was spent in San Juan, PR. We thought about attending mass, but knew no Spanish and liked the excuse. We spent the day roaming Old San Juan.

After leaving our last position, we attended Easter services in the megachurch Buckhead campus of Northpoint in Atlanta with some friends. The next year is fuzzy. We had not yet found a congregation we liked. I think we attended the service of this incredibly shallow "church" that has been in the news lately for its commitment to sex. Hopefully they spoke about the resurrection, but only if they could make it sound "cool."

We are now in that conundrum I spoke of in the title. We now longer attend the congregation we attended the past few Easter Sundays and I am no longer in an interim staff position. So, without a congregation we regularly attend, what do we do?

Do we skip the most important celebration of the church year, at a time when our kids are learning important lessons regarding Jesus, God and church? Do we pull up a random church out of the phone book and attend in our neighborhood? Do we attend the church I used to work at on a day when C&E Christians make the parking lot and nursery unnavigable? Do we attend the church a friend invited us to, with its special service for children, a church that swells to 3X its regular size on Easter?

The problem with both of these churches is their extremely traditional and wealthy environments, where children and parents are decked out in brand new outfits, each showing off their bonnets and handbags. This type of culture is one of those things that led us to church planting in the first place. To turn a day in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour into a fashion show accentuates everything I stand against. Plus, I do not feel like spending money we do not have to spare on outfits so our children do not feel like outcasts.

Hopefully we will have a decision by tomorrow morning.

Family Top 10

Although some of these albums are a couple of years old, these were the top players in our house or car when the entire family was together. We do not listen to much traditional "Kid" music, but try to be careful with the lyrical content of the selections. Hence, Green Day (a favorite of our son) takes a lot of censoring of the car stereo, as does Rilo Kiley.

Our kids seem to steer towards fun music and pop, like any kids. Our son's favorite song of the year by far was by Battles. He can listen to Atlas over and over again, always making hit clear he wants "the robot song." Gillian's favorites included the first 4 tracks on Regina Spektor's latest and a couple of borderline appropriate Rilo Kiley numbers.

Musical agreement always surrounded The New Pornographer's Your Rights vs. Mine, (especially the line "new empire in rags"), She Doesn't Get It by The Format, anything by Feist and Rise by Robbie Seay (we are not complete heathens).

10. The Cobalt Season- In Search of a Unified Theory
9. Rilo Kiley- Under the Blacklight
8. Sufjan Stevens- Come on Feel the Illinois
7. The Flaming Lips- At War With The Mystics
6. The New Pornographers- Challengers
5. Robbie Seay Band- Give Yourself Away
4. Battles- Mirrored
3. Feist- The Reminder
2. The Format- Dog Problems
1. Regina Spektor- Begin to Hope

There is no Santa

Our daughter turns 6 next week and she has already found out there is no Santa, which pleases me because I did not particularly like the competition. I mean, we buy these gifts and some stupid guy in a red suit gets the credit. What a rip off.

Anyway, she asked my wife point blank a few days ago if there was a Santa. She had been thinking about it and he did not make since to her. He was not in the Bible and since Christmas was about Jesus, it seemed logical that Santa would be in the Bible if he was of any consequence. Plus, we had only let Santa bring things in the stocking anyway. I was proud of her.

Kristi did not want to let the cat out of the bag, but we have a policy around the household of not lying to our kids about such matters. This plays directly into our desire to keep Christmas about Jesus and rebel against the societal norms of the holiday. Of course, her first action was to let her 4 year old brother know there was no Santa Claus.

However, we have a wrinkle... When she told her teacher that she did not believe in Santa, she was told that her teacher still believed. It is our first direct competition from the popular teacher and I must win this battle.

Stay tuned.

our son supports our political views

personal update

We are heading to the beach for a few days beginning on Tuesday. It should be a fun time and it is a much needed respite. Since Kristi was pregnant during the summer, we did not vacation. So, we are needing time away.

I will be attempting to keep up with my fantasy football commitments*, but work is off the table. We will play with kids (and hopefully friends) and do very little. I am hoping to read The Year of Living Biblically during the week. It looks like a blast. I am also hoping to finish Brian McLaren's latest, Everything Must Change (started it 2 months ago- oops), which is his most important book (in many ways) and should be seen as the logical conclusion of a new way to do Christianity.

We will also try to keep up the latest additions to our media diet (we decided we could add 1 or 2 shows this year, since we only watch Thursday night comedies). We are loving Chuck and Pushing Daisies (actually, I am loving PD, while Kristi is putting up with it).

However, before leaving for Anna Maria Island (one of Florida's few remaining hidden gems) tomorrow, I will be flying to DC** for an interview with a great organization I hope to work for. I have been talking to this organization about a specific job for over a year and it is finally getting serious. Keep it in your prayers (if you do that sort of thing).

*after starting the season 0-2, I have rebounded with a tie and 3 straight wins- including a shellacking of the previous undefeated powerhouse. Go Mosquito Larvae!

** I will leave Tampa at 7AM, be interviewed at 10AM and catch a return flight at 1:45, hopefully landing in Tampa at 4:10 to leave for vacation a few minutes later.

Being Kristi Bennett (my wife)

Kristi, my wife, is blogging again. If you are interested in pictures, updates and personal Bennett matters, please link up and read it. She has just posted a funny story about an inappropriate song our daughter learned at school.

Link

the birth of Rhys

On Thursday, August 9 at 9:44 p.m. the Bennett family added another member to the brood, joining mom, dad, firstborn Marley the Dog, second born Gillian Flannery Grace and heir to the throne, Aedan Walker Coltrane. Rhys (reece) Gabriel Patrick is the newest Bennett.






















Check out our picture blog for more pictures and Kristi's blog if you desire to know about labor and birth (natural, short, no doctors involved).

picture blog
Kristi's blog

family pictures online

as we make final preparations for the expansion of the Bennett clan (car, furniture, buying last minute kid things, checking insurance), I have updated our Bennett photo blog in anticipation of using it much more with a new one on the way.

Check out some great photos of our kids (going back to last December). Here is a taste...

Kristi has a blog

My wife (who is very pregnant and rearranging the house) has finally decided to join the blog world.

Here is her site (btw- it is a Faulkner quote).
http://carryingawaysmallstones.wordpress.com/

where have I been?

So, here is the latest excuse for not blogging...

I have all of the ideas I keep writing down to blog about, but none of them are particularly simple postings. I keep losing steam due to busyness I am trying to remedy (mostly by organizing according to getting things done, which I have always said I would).

The youth ministry gig takes a decent amount of time, but I enjoy it. Plus, I have been trying to take care of much more around the house due to the rambunctiousness of our children and Kristi's final month of pregnancy (I have come to realize that we have Lucy from Peanuts for a daughter and Calvin from Calvin and Hobbs for a son).

However, the thing that has taken most of my time and energy (and kept me from the job search) is the departure of the pastor from the church our family has attended the past 21 months. Due to my friendship with him and a de facto leadership position, much of the transitional stuff has come into my lap.

It has taken up much more time than I would expect but it is more important than my blog and even the job search. I am hoping that things calm down pretty soon and we find our rhythm as a family and community in the near future.

I will attempt to blog a bit more now that I am getting things done and hope to grace the blogosphere with my thoughts on the film Sicko, great new music and much more. In the meantime, please pray for the leadership and future at Watermark Church in Tampa and our former pastor and his family.

Bead for Life Party

Last night Kristi hosted a Bead for Life Party at our home. Over 20 women attended and bought around $800 worth of beads. Unlike your conventional Pampered Chef Party (or whatever is popular among women), there is no money to be made by a host or staff member.

Bead for Life is a non profit organization supporting women in Uganda. The proceeds from the beads (which are quite beautiful and made from discarded magazines) are split between the home office, craftswomen and development (including micro-enterprise).

You can buy directly from the online store or host an event or party for neighbors, friends or your church. It is a great way to help others and get to know your neighbors (acting missionally). Plus, they will think you are very cool for doing this and getting nothing in return.

It is very easy (you get the beads in the mail, along with African recipes, music and a DVD to show).