Hymns: 2013 Memories

I began this series with my Hymns: 1980 Memories post, so this is the 33rd in the series 😀.

My mother used to say, “youth is wasted on the young.” I can see what she means nowadays. I spent much of 2013 being stressed out at work, but I do have some pleasant memories.

Worship songs from 2013 include the following:

I remember listening to Pilgrim Theology on Audible and purchasing Michael Horton’s longer book, Christian Faith, on the Olive Tree Bible app. I generally stick with Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, but it’s good to explore other ones from time to time.

That summer, we had a couple visiting our fellowship in Tipperary from Newport, Wales, who attended Graham Harrison‘s church. He taught me systematic theology back in the early 1990s. He was also one of my favorite preachers.

I was very sorry to hear that he passed away shortly after, but he’s in a much better place now. I count him as one of my greatest influences. He had a great love for hymns. He was one of the editors of Christian Hymns, which we used in Tipperary, along with Mission Praise.

We studied 2 Kings and the book of James in Tipperary in 2013. I think we probably did Jeremiah too, if my memory serves me well. And we would have had courses in Christianity Explained and Systematic Theology too.

For our summer holidays that year, we stayed in Canterbury in the UK with trips to Rye in East Sussex, Eastbourne, Beachy Head, Cambridge, Margate, Tunbridge Wells and London. That’s a lovely part of the world that I’d like to visit again sometime soon.

I got a bass guitar for Christmas 2012, so I spent much of my few moments of leisure in 2013 on that. Rocksmith 2014 was released that year too, so I could connect both my guitar and bass to the computer and play along with downloaded songs.

Anyway, here are some music, events, and films/TV shows that would have formed the background to 2013. I don’t necessarily endorse all the songs or films 😀.

10 Songs of 2013

• Where Are We Now – David Bowie
• Pompei – Bastille
• ​Get Lucky​ – Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams
• Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell
• Burn – Ellie Goulding
• Roar – Katie Perry​ 
• Counting Stars – One Republic​
• Atlas – Coldplay​
• Royals – Lorde​
• Ordinary Love – U2

10 Movies or TV Shows of 2013

• Frozen
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
• The Great Gatsby
• Iron Man 3
• 12 Years a Slave
• Gravity
• Monsters University
• Planes
• Philomena
• Peaky Blinders (UK TV show)

10 News Events from 2013

• One of the strongest storms ever recorded killed over 6,000 people in the Philippines and displaced millions.
• Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the first Jesuit and Latin American pope, Pope Francis, signaling a new era for the Catholic Church.
• In the Boston Marathon, twin bombings killed 3 and injured over 260. A massive manhunt followed, ending with the capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
• The former South African president, Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid icon, passed away at age 95, prompting global mourning.
• In Syria, hundreds died in Ghouta, leading to international outrage and a U.S.-Russia brokered deal to dismantle Syria’s chemical arsenal.
• In the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, over 1,100 garment workers died, highlighting unsafe labor conditions and sparking global reform efforts.
• A 20-meter meteor injured over 1,000 people in Russia and caused widespread damage, shocking scientists and citizens.
• In Kenya, Al-Shabaab militants killed 67 people in a four-day siege in Westgate Mall, drawing global condemnation.
• Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for eased sanctions, marking a diplomatic breakthrough.
• In Egypt, following mass protests, the army removed the Islamist president, President Morsi, sparking unrest and a crackdown on dissent.

10 Famous People Who Passed Away in 2013

• Nelson Mandela – Former President of South Africa
• Margaret Thatcher – Former UK Prime Minister
• Richard Griffiths – Actor (Harry Potter)
• George Jones – Country Music Legend
• Ray Manzarek – Musician (The Doors)
• Peter O’Toole – Actor (Lawrence of Arabia)
• Lou Reed – Musician (Velvet Underground)
• Mel Smith – Comedian (Not the Nine O’Clock News)
• Seamus Heaney – Irish poet, Nobel Laureate
• Sir David Bellamy – British botanist and broadcaster

Many people mistrust AI applications, but I generally find that it gives me good replies. I wouldn’t put all my trust in it, but I wouldn’t put all my trust in anyone – except Jesus 😀.