During this past year … far and away, the most-asked-about song that we play on enLighten was “Attitudes” by the now-retired Mast Brothers. While there’s no longer a source for ordering on line, the CD containing the song is available and we can provide that information. Going back three years or so, Tim Lovelace’s “Wall Song” held this distinction. It seems that songs that address a current-day “issue” in a humorous manner attract our attention.
Another song that continues to touch hearts to the extent that we hear from one or two listeners a month is by another family group that’s been retired for several years, the Sons Family and their “A Place That I Love.” Most writers requesting information on the song and where to purchase the recording indicate that they’ve recently lost a love one and its message provides a comforting message. For several months this past year, this CD was unavailable due to a change in ownership of the record company that originally distributed the album, but we’ve now located a new source for it.
For enLighten … I’d have to say that there were two significant highlights during 2011 – the first being in the Springtime, when Man … who was being forced to choose a group of channels to remove from the Sirius XM lineup … concluded that there wasn’t a large, vital audience for Southern Gospel music … a logical deduction for someone who lives an “isolated” life in New York City. However, our God and His people who love our kind of music communicated loud and clear to the company’s management that it was not a wise action.
The other, of course, was our full week of live broadcasting from the National Quartet Convention in September. While some at the NQC believe that having Freedom Hall performances broadcast on enLighten will hurt their revenue potential … it’s always been my belief – and E-mail after E-mail over the years have confirmed this – that those who are able to attend or have the capability to view/listen via the Internet webcasts, do so … but that we provide a service to a vast number of persons spread all across North America who simply are not able to come to Louisville for financial or physical reasons, or don’t have Internet service able to support live webcasting.
The New . . .
As we enter the new year . . .
- Do you have faith?
- Do you have a positive personal outlook?
- Do you believe that you will have a good or better 2012?
I know these seem like strange questions. If you listen to enLighten and are reading this page, I trust that you have a strong faith in our Lord God and the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yet, as I heard addressed in a sermon recently, do you have faith in yourself and live with a positive attitude about what the day ahead, the year ahead holds for you?
As written by King Solomon in Proverbs 18:21 …
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
As this pastor interpreted … what your thoughts and mouth think and say play a major role in what life holds for you. I have been blessed in so many ways throughout much of my life, including pretty good health and an upbeat outlook. However, every now and then, I find myself falling into a slightly “woe-is-me” attitude. These moments usually come when I suffer briefly with some pain or malady that comes with older age or that I cannot get support for something I want to do for you, the enLighten listeners. Fortunately, I quickly am able, as that old pop song says, “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”
I pray that you are able to do the same in this coming year. And, my prayer for myself is that the Lord will continue to give me the strength and ability to continue to shepherd enLighten … and that resources will be provided to permit us to do even greater things in the way of programming in this coming year.
Finally . . .
As you’ll hear me say on the air this week, we’d like to hear from you … if this Christmas just past was very special or different from any other within your memory, please share the story with us … and/or what your prayer, your hope, or desire is for this coming year, either for yourself, our nations or the world.
Marlin
