As the fake quote by Martin Luther King Jr. — “I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy.” — goes viral it begs to question: How are you dealing with the killing of Osama bin Laden?

Do the celebrations marking the killing of bin Laden bother you? Are you conflicted in your feelings? Did at first you rejoiced, then toned-down your celebration? Are you celebrating America and its resolve?

Liz Somers

Waving the flag at sporting events are a tradition. Allison Baver shows her allegiance after an event last year. ~ Photo by John Leyba, The Denver Post

Best national anthem I’ve ever witnessed was at a Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks game in Chicago in the early 1990s. It was the first time that I had been at the arena and I didn’t know about the tradition of cheering/screaming during “The Star Spangled Banner.” It gave me goosebumps.

Here’s a YouTube clip of the national anthem before 1991 NHL All-Star Game in Chicago.

If you’re wondering about the tradition, here’s an NHL.com story that gives all the details with players’ quotes on how stirring it is to hear the anthem before a Blackhawks game.

Liz Somers

Tim Tebow presented a Dove Award for the first Uplift Someone Award on Wednesday at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. ~ Photo by Eliza Marie Somers

Taking a break from figuring out how to train and prepare for the next NFL season during the lockout, Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow took a timeout to be a part of the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards in Atlanta on Wednesday night. (The Dove Awards will be aired Easter on the Gospel Music Channel.)

At the historic Fox Theater on Peachtree Street, Tebow, wearing a light blue and white pinstripe seersucker blazer, presented the first Dove Uplift Someone Award to Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth for their involvement with adoption issues and their Show Hope ministry.

The writers for the show could not resist Tebow’s link to the Florida Gators and their SEC rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs, in this college football hotbed.

“I’m honored to be in Georgia,” Tebow said as he greeted the audience. “Well, you know, we didn’t have too many problems with Georgia, so it’s OK.”

Read more…

Comedian Chonda Pierce got the audience at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta rolling with her unprecedent humorous look at women’s undergarments.

Spanx won’t be on her side of heaven, as she said. As any woman would tell you these new-age girdles push and press your extra layers into other places. Such as the full-body garments push your ankles up so high it creates cleavage.

Liz Somers

Sherri Shepherd is the host of the 2011 Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. ~ Photo by Eliza Marie Somers

Sherri Shepherd of “The View” light up the media room backstage at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Dressed in a vibrant purple dressed that was draped in the front, the Emmy Award winner was bursting by the fact she was at the Dove Awards.

“This is my first Dove Awards and hopefully not my last. I’m taking singing lessons,” she said. “The first thing I’m saying on stage is ‘I love Jesus,’ and I don’t have to worry about that three-second bleep.”

She said she is looking forward to hearing and meeting TobyMac, Mary Mary, Natalie Grant Kirk Franklin among others.

Shepherd explained that Natalie Grant’s song “Held” has a special meaning for her. Shepherd would hold her baby boy, who was born premature and did not have a good prognosis at the time. “That song just helped me through,” she said.

On “The View” the relationships among the hosts is like “sisters.”

“Do you have a sister?” Shepherd asked. “Then you know how our relationship is. We respect each other. We know we cannot because it would implode.”

Mandisa came backstage to the media room at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

The American Idol “loser” looks great. Since her time on Idol she has lost 120 pounds, but not because of pressures from the “Hollywood” world. She says she lost the weight as a tribute to God.

“Our bodies are the temple of God, and I wanted to honor that,” she said.

Her new CD “What If We Were Real” was a long journey for the singer. She said she cried and really learned to walk with the Lord.

“I’m a different person from when we started the CD,” she said. “I took off my mask before God. I went through a period where I didn’t trust the Lord, and I was real with him about it. And He has brought me to a place where I am ultra dependent on Him.”

Denver-based band Gungor was nominated for a Dove Award for ‘Beautiful Things” in the Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, but Michael Gungor and his wife Lisa fell short.

But beauty still won with NEEDTOBREATHE’s “Something Beautiful” out-pointing Gungor for the Dove.

“Beautiful, Beautiful” by Francesca Battistelli took the Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.

Liz Somers

TobyMac garners his 12th Dove Award since the breakup of DC Talk. ~ Photo by Eliza Marie Somers

TobyMac’s “Tonight” garnered the Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year. It was his 12th Dove outside of DC Talk.

“It’s amazing to work with people that you love. Especially when they tell you the truth, even when it hurts,” Toby McKeehan said. “God just keeps delivering songs to me.”

When asked about the hip-hop Christian movement breaking into mainstream media. TMac said: “We should be out there. Gospel has always been ahead of us, penetrating the wall of mainstream.”

McKeehan stressed that less is more when he writes music.

“I’ve always written real simply,” he said. “I like to be out there and use people for my inspiration — be it laughing or fighting. I just ask God to keep breathing songs into me. God just keeps delivering and I’m going to keep on.”

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There is a tie in one of the first categories presented at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Sandi Patty’s “The Edge of the Divine” and Patty Griffin’s “Downtown Church” tied for Inspirational Album of the Year.

Some of the other early award winners are: Israel Houghton for “Love God, Love People,” for Contemporaty Gospel Album of the Year; Chris August for “No Far Away” for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year; Gaither Vocal Group for “Better Day” in the Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year; Lizzie Long and Little Roy Lewis for “Mountaintop” in the Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year; and The British are Coming for “Wait on the Lord” in the Urban Recorded Song of the Year.

More to come…..

Hello from Atlanta. Or HOTlanta as it’s known. For the first time the Dove Awards will be presented at the historic Fox Theater in downtown Atlanta. The new venue is a beautiful old theater where “Gone With the Wind” was first shown to the Atlanta audience.

I just found out the Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow will be one of the presenters tonight. (The Gospel Music Channel will air the Doves on Easter). I’ve been promised a one-on-one interview with Tim. I’ll keep you posted.

Also I’ll keep you posted on Denver-based band Gungor. Michael Gungor and his wife are nominated Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year.