Happy Groundhog Day! Let's celebrate with a musical homage to the one and only Punxsutawney Phil. Click here to download the song for FREE!

Also, check out the question page and coloring sheet. Just go to www.TeachersPayTeachers.com and search, or click on the picture below.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but Christmas seems to get all of the attention. Even though you probably have lots of good Thanksgiving memories, you might not be able to name one classic Thanksgiving song. The Bonus Point Band is hoping to change that.

A few years ago, I taught third grade at a school that produced a brief radio broadcast every morning. It consisted of announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance, but occasionally I would write and perform a song for a holiday or special event. These songs were usually written on the night before the broadcast, and I have long forgotten some of the songs I wrote back then. However, one song that I did around Thanksgiving is more memorable than the others.

On this particular Thanksgiving, I had contracted some type of cold virus that had locked up my sinuses tighter than teacher's pocket book. Not wanting to disappoint the kids, I was determined to come up with some type of song that my phlegm-covered vocal cords could pull off at eight o'clock the next morning. All I could think of was my sickness, so I decided to put it into the song. "What about a sick turkey?" I thought. "Yuck! Nobody would want to eat that!" I began with a minor chord because it typified my miserable condition. My new found bass voice became the Native chant, "Hey-ya-ya-ya." Then I just told a story about an Indian and a Pilgrim who were preparing for a feast. Since then, I've performed the song almost every Thanksgiving to one group or another.

This year, I've made the song available in MP3 format on TeachersPayTeachers for $2.00. You can download a preview for free if you want to hear the first few seconds.

I've even written a Thanksgiving play that goes with the song. The play is another story altogether, so maybe I'll blog about it later. I hope you enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Hopefully, you'll be well. If not, maybe you can leverage your misfortune so that something good comes out of it in the end.

A few years ago, I took a group of teenagers up to Freed-Hardeman University for RUSH weekend so that they could be lured into filling out some admissions papers. Part of the program was a witty, unasuming comedian named Brad Montague. I was familiar with Brad. He had been a camp counselor in the area, and maintained an incredible following of teens just like the ones I had brought up from Alabama that weekend. After his show, I made sure to pick up one of his CD's, and I have followed his work for the past few years. He even came to Alabama one night and played a show for one of our church youth events. Later that night, we got to talk for a few minutes, and he shared some of his experiences. It was encouraging to be able to talk to someone who had experienced so many of the same obstacles I had faced, but with undaunted courage and the will to carry on.

Behind Brad's silly fascade is a heart of passion that drives him to serve others. A couple of years ago, after I played a few songs at The Black Box Theatre in Henderson, TN, he shared with me his vision for Love in Stereo. Since then, I have watched from a distance, hoping to play some part in this exciting endeavor. So, when I was asked to make a contribution to a compilation album that would help raise money for a special needs ball field, I was thrilled for the opportunity. I sent Brad a few songs, and he chose "When I Wake Up." I hope you'll take a minute to go to his site and purchase a copy of "One for the Team" so that you can be a part of this project too.