I'm not big on New Year's resolutions--I always feel like I'm setting myself up to fail. And before you think it...yes, I know that our greatest lessons are often learned from falling flat on our faces and that simply moving in the direction of a goal (even if we don't reach it) means that we're farther along than when we started. I don't dispute those things and it's not that I don't want to grow and change...I do!
Part of my aversion to resolutions and personal goals is that I have to admit to myself and to everyone else that I'm not perfect. Though this is blaringly obvious to anyone who knows me for more than 2 seconds, and was obvious to me before the count even started, I hate the fact that I make mistakes, that I don't get everything right the first time and that the whole growth and change thing involves pain. Another reason I avoid resolutions is because making them is kind of what everyone else is doing at this time of year and though I'm a rule-follower of the greatest magnitude, I am also contrary to the core.
So, rather than set goals, I make a playlist, choose Scriptures and find maybe a quote or two that focus on an area I want to grow in. (Sounds suspiciously like personal goals and resolutions, but I won't tell me if you won't.)
The idea of open hands has popped up again and again over the last year and a half in conversations, in books and in songs. I am very much like the young man described in the gospels who told Jesus, hey, I've kept all these commandments since I was young (I've always thought he was a bit self-deceived, by the way.)...what else do I need to do to follow you? When Jesus answered, telling him to go sell all he owned and give to the poor, his "face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go."
When I think of open hands, words like trust, surrender, sacrifice and offering come to mind. The phrase "content to let God..." could be a caption beneath an image of open hands. I think how hard it is sometimes to hold whatever is dear to me, whether people or things, causes or talents--even fears and faults--in those open hands.
Being open-handed does not mean having a spirit of disregard or lack of care. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is handling everything and everyone like a treasure entrusted to my care, a treasure that is mine on loan for an undetermined amount of time, a treasure that I am responsible for keeping in mint condition until the owner is ready to have it back. Throughout 2014, I will be asking myself what having open hands means in every relationship and area of my life. How does it change my marriage, my parenting, my friendships? What does it mean for my hopes and passions? What are the ties that bind my heart? What do I treasure most? What if I have everything I want, or nothing?
Looking from a different angle, I see the open hands not as my own, but as God's. All he offers, all he gives, the way he holds us and never lets go, the fact that we can never be stolen from his grip, yet he never forces us to stay. This is what I want to learn, or maybe already know to some extent, but lack the fortitude to live consistently...and that is to love like God loves--with open hands.
////
I have a good start to my 2014 song list, but want to add a few more to the mix. I would love your suggestions and am open to any genre! Some of my favorite songs each year have been recommended by others. Any books or quotes or Scriptures you could point me toward related to the concept of open hands would be much appreciated as well.
Current 2014 Mix:
My One Comfort--Dustin Kensrue
Open Hands--Matt Papa
Let Go--The Neighbourhood
Hello My Old Heart--The Oh Hellos
Closer--Sanctus Real
Never Let Go--Seventh Day Slumber
Cast My Cares--Tim Timmons
In Your Hands--Unspoken
Where My Heart Goes--Colton Dixon
You Save Me--Kutless
Release the Panic--Red
I Surrender All--Clay Crosse
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Welcome to the Old Apartment
Looking around my house the other night, I was struck by how many similarities there are between it and me.
From the outside, it’s not always obvious what’s going on inside.
Walking through the door, the first thing you might notice is the new coat of paint or the artfully arranged décor. As my guest, I would usher you to the space that has been recently refurbished or show off the flower garden out back that I worked so hard on.
If this was your first visit, you wouldn’t see the rooms that had been collecting dust as a result of neglect or disuse. You probably wouldn’t see the room upstairs or the closet in the basement that was storing a carefully hidden mess. You might not notice the stains on the carpet or the gouge in the wood floor that are oh-so-obvious and glaring to me. In fact, if I was prepared for your visit, I probably would’ve placed a chair over that rip in the carpet and turned on some music so that you wouldn’t hear that pesky, leaking faucet.
If you came again, or stayed long enough, you might notice that the furniture is worn around the edges or that the painting over the fireplace hangs a bit crooked. But, you might also notice that each room and space has it’s own vibe and personality, that there are rare treasures amongst the bric-a-brac and cob-webbed books.
Depending on when you visited, my house might be bright and clean, sun-warmed, with the curtains wide open and a fresh breeze flowing through. Or, it might be cold and uninviting with week-old trash in the kitchen, shutters closed tight, and strange, orange slime in the corners of the shower.
////
Have you ever noticed that when you visit someone else’s house it’s generally not the furniture, the décor or even the flaws and limitations that stand out or matter most to you? It’s the spirit that’s within. It’s the warmth with which you’re welcomed and the level of kindness and generosity you’re shown that leaves a lasting impression.
////
At this time of year, we traditionally have more people into our homes and find crowds everywhere we go. Ironically, it can also be the time of year that we feel especially guarded or lonely for reasons as varied as we are. The absence of a loved one leaves an aching void. Past emotional scars itch even as we put on the salve of new traditions and family memories. And more.
But…
“God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home… You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.” -Eph 2/I Co 3, the MSG
In the family of God, these words are true whether you’re currently in a state of disrepair or in show-home condition.
I've always enjoyed this song. It's sad or funny depending on my state of mind when I hear it.
From the outside, it’s not always obvious what’s going on inside.
Walking through the door, the first thing you might notice is the new coat of paint or the artfully arranged décor. As my guest, I would usher you to the space that has been recently refurbished or show off the flower garden out back that I worked so hard on.
If this was your first visit, you wouldn’t see the rooms that had been collecting dust as a result of neglect or disuse. You probably wouldn’t see the room upstairs or the closet in the basement that was storing a carefully hidden mess. You might not notice the stains on the carpet or the gouge in the wood floor that are oh-so-obvious and glaring to me. In fact, if I was prepared for your visit, I probably would’ve placed a chair over that rip in the carpet and turned on some music so that you wouldn’t hear that pesky, leaking faucet.
If you came again, or stayed long enough, you might notice that the furniture is worn around the edges or that the painting over the fireplace hangs a bit crooked. But, you might also notice that each room and space has it’s own vibe and personality, that there are rare treasures amongst the bric-a-brac and cob-webbed books.
Depending on when you visited, my house might be bright and clean, sun-warmed, with the curtains wide open and a fresh breeze flowing through. Or, it might be cold and uninviting with week-old trash in the kitchen, shutters closed tight, and strange, orange slime in the corners of the shower.
////
Have you ever noticed that when you visit someone else’s house it’s generally not the furniture, the décor or even the flaws and limitations that stand out or matter most to you? It’s the spirit that’s within. It’s the warmth with which you’re welcomed and the level of kindness and generosity you’re shown that leaves a lasting impression.
////
At this time of year, we traditionally have more people into our homes and find crowds everywhere we go. Ironically, it can also be the time of year that we feel especially guarded or lonely for reasons as varied as we are. The absence of a loved one leaves an aching void. Past emotional scars itch even as we put on the salve of new traditions and family memories. And more.
But…
“God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home… You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.” -Eph 2/I Co 3, the MSG
In the family of God, these words are true whether you’re currently in a state of disrepair or in show-home condition.
I've always enjoyed this song. It's sad or funny depending on my state of mind when I hear it.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
My One Comfort and the Concept of Freedom
Freedom is often equated with independence--the ability to do what you want, when you want, how you want. Isn’t this exactly what the declaration, “It’s a free country!,” conveys? (If you have a teen or have been one yourself, you know the tone with which this kind of statement is made!)
Dustin Kensrue’s song flips that notion of freedom on it’s head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY7TcNxct7I
His one comfort, he says, is that he belongs to someone else--namely Christ. Wait. Isn’t belonging to someone the opposite of freedom? If you equate freedom with independence, then the answer to that is yes. But what if freedom is something else entirely?
The kind of freedom that is about getting and doing whatever you want, the freedom that is often touted as our American birthright, leads to bondage of the most deceptive sort. (See 1 Peter 4:1-2; James 4:1-2; and Romans 6:15-18 in the Message)
True freedom is not something you search and fight and scrape for. It cannot be won by force. True freedom is a gift. It is something you have the power to bestow. It is something bestowed upon you. Think of forgiveness and acceptance. When you can be yourself (or let others be themselves) without fear of judgment--that’s freedom. (Romans 8:15) When a wrong you’ve committed (or that has been committed against you) is forever forgotten--that’s freedom.
True freedom is not without cost. It is the result of one sacrificing for another. It’s surrendering your own wants for the sake of someone else.
I’ve wrestled with this concept of freedom!
Dustin Kensrue sums up beautifully in one line all I’m trying to say : “Jesus, you have taken hold of me/And in your grip of grace I’m finally free.”
More:
Check out Dustin Kensrue's most recent album The Water & The Blood
Read another take on freedom at http://tylerhuckabee.com/
Dustin Kensrue’s song flips that notion of freedom on it’s head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY7TcNxct7I
His one comfort, he says, is that he belongs to someone else--namely Christ. Wait. Isn’t belonging to someone the opposite of freedom? If you equate freedom with independence, then the answer to that is yes. But what if freedom is something else entirely?
The kind of freedom that is about getting and doing whatever you want, the freedom that is often touted as our American birthright, leads to bondage of the most deceptive sort. (See 1 Peter 4:1-2; James 4:1-2; and Romans 6:15-18 in the Message)
True freedom is not something you search and fight and scrape for. It cannot be won by force. True freedom is a gift. It is something you have the power to bestow. It is something bestowed upon you. Think of forgiveness and acceptance. When you can be yourself (or let others be themselves) without fear of judgment--that’s freedom. (Romans 8:15) When a wrong you’ve committed (or that has been committed against you) is forever forgotten--that’s freedom.
True freedom is not without cost. It is the result of one sacrificing for another. It’s surrendering your own wants for the sake of someone else.
I’ve wrestled with this concept of freedom!
Dustin Kensrue sums up beautifully in one line all I’m trying to say : “Jesus, you have taken hold of me/And in your grip of grace I’m finally free.”
More:
Check out Dustin Kensrue's most recent album The Water & The Blood
Read another take on freedom at http://tylerhuckabee.com/
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Second Chance--Rend Collective Experiment
Rewind to innocence.
Is that possible? Can we go back to a time with no worries and no fear, no doubts and no loneliness? A time before expectation and disappointment, before failure and falling short? Can we return to a time before we realized that the world was not safe, to a time when nothing had happened to mar our faith in humanity or in God?
We can't time travel and we can't go back into our mother's womb to be reborn--all mothers everywhere thank God for that!
But...rewind to innocence...
Can we be, once again, like a newborn baby turning her head toward her mother's breast to nurse for the first time? With no instruction, she knows what she needs and how to get it. She is safe in her mother's arms, not the least concerned by the whirlwind all around her.
A small child just learning to walk tries and tries and tries again, determined to master this new skill. But why? No one told him he had to...it's simply something he was created to do. Is it possible to live as if we can do amazing and unimaginable things simply because we exist?
The world around us is in a constant state of renewal, regeneration, rebirth. Why should we, as part of that creation, be any different? Like the changing seasons, we experience at different times colorful metamorphosis, inner transformation, invigorating breakthrough and full-bloom growth.
1 Peter 5, from the Message version of the Bible, says, "Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you."
This verse conjures the very picture of innocence to me: a child dancing with abandon, basking in the smile on her Father's face. She is confident in his love and approval. She is safe and secure in his presence.
Rewind to innocence.
Is that possible? No. And yes. We can never go back to the innocence we had before, but we can experience innocence anew as we are continually made new.
Is that possible? Can we go back to a time with no worries and no fear, no doubts and no loneliness? A time before expectation and disappointment, before failure and falling short? Can we return to a time before we realized that the world was not safe, to a time when nothing had happened to mar our faith in humanity or in God?
We can't time travel and we can't go back into our mother's womb to be reborn--all mothers everywhere thank God for that!
But...rewind to innocence...
Can we be, once again, like a newborn baby turning her head toward her mother's breast to nurse for the first time? With no instruction, she knows what she needs and how to get it. She is safe in her mother's arms, not the least concerned by the whirlwind all around her.
A small child just learning to walk tries and tries and tries again, determined to master this new skill. But why? No one told him he had to...it's simply something he was created to do. Is it possible to live as if we can do amazing and unimaginable things simply because we exist?
The world around us is in a constant state of renewal, regeneration, rebirth. Why should we, as part of that creation, be any different? Like the changing seasons, we experience at different times colorful metamorphosis, inner transformation, invigorating breakthrough and full-bloom growth.
1 Peter 5, from the Message version of the Bible, says, "Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you."
This verse conjures the very picture of innocence to me: a child dancing with abandon, basking in the smile on her Father's face. She is confident in his love and approval. She is safe and secure in his presence.
Rewind to innocence.
Is that possible? No. And yes. We can never go back to the innocence we had before, but we can experience innocence anew as we are continually made new.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Imagine Dragons--Demons
In the midst of a pulsing crowd, in the chaos of life, we go unnoticed by those around us. We carry secret hurts and sorrows and afflictions. We struggle with ourselves--with our past, with our present, with our future. We relive nightmares of our own making or those imposed on us by others.
It's dark and lonely, a hell that no one else sees. We're out of control, beating ourselves black and blue to set our caged souls free. We cry out, but no one hears. This cannot be real, this mess cannot be who we really are. We want someone to look inside and tell us the truth, but no! They'd only find a beast, a monster. We'd be misunderstood, rejected and more alone than ever.
We think no one understands.
That is a lie.
3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains... (Isaiah 53:3-4)
23 When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.
24 He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [g][as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:23-24)
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Hello My Old Heart and All of Me
Walls. We all have them. We all build them.
They may be
Strong, vine-covered fortresses meant to keep out flaming arrows
Or
Invisible force fields, repelling anyone who comes too close
They may be
Canvas screens painted to suit whoever is on the outside looking in
Or
Facades that shift and change with every scene
Walls divide, enclose, protect.
Walls are not always bad. Sometimes they may even be necessary.
But I wonder...in trying to protect ourselves, how often do we end up constructing our own prisons? How often do we, in an effort to preserve our hearts, actually stop them from beating?
We have the choice every day to keep our hearts behind closed doors or to release them into the wide open spaces. Hello My Old Heart by the Oh Hellos and All of Me by Matt Hammitt explore each of these choices.
The first describes what happens when we choose to shut our hearts away, to keep them safe, building walls of protection around them. The other explores what it means to deliberately break down those walls. One heart is safe, dying a slow death. The other opens itself to pain, embracing life.
I hope you take the time to check out these two links!
http://theohhellos.com/track/hello-my-old-heart-2
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FFF1FJNU
I also gotta mention Glass Houses by Red! Great song by a great band!
"...build a wall, invite a burglar." Proverbs 17:19
They may be
Strong, vine-covered fortresses meant to keep out flaming arrows
Or
Invisible force fields, repelling anyone who comes too close
They may be
Canvas screens painted to suit whoever is on the outside looking in
Or
Facades that shift and change with every scene
Walls divide, enclose, protect.
Walls are not always bad. Sometimes they may even be necessary.
But I wonder...in trying to protect ourselves, how often do we end up constructing our own prisons? How often do we, in an effort to preserve our hearts, actually stop them from beating?
We have the choice every day to keep our hearts behind closed doors or to release them into the wide open spaces. Hello My Old Heart by the Oh Hellos and All of Me by Matt Hammitt explore each of these choices.
The first describes what happens when we choose to shut our hearts away, to keep them safe, building walls of protection around them. The other explores what it means to deliberately break down those walls. One heart is safe, dying a slow death. The other opens itself to pain, embracing life.
I hope you take the time to check out these two links!
http://theohhellos.com/track/hello-my-old-heart-2
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FFF1FJNU
I also gotta mention Glass Houses by Red! Great song by a great band!
"...build a wall, invite a burglar." Proverbs 17:19
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
In Loving Memory: Hanh Nguyen, 5/15/54-8/8/13
For the past month, I have wanted to honor my father-in-law's memory through this blog. I have thought and thought about what to say and how to say it just so. Each time I begin to write, though, feelings well up and tears overflow and I have to stop and blow my nose. I read and re-read what I write, deciding that my words are inadequate and that I'll return to it "later."
I have decided that the perfect "later" will never come because I will never be able to capture the sum total of my father-in-law's life, let alone the essence of the man himself, in a few short sentences. His absence leaves a void in the lives of so many.
It is often said that though someone is physically gone, he lives on in our hearts. I have said this myself! But what hollow comfort, when someone lives on only in our memory.
Yet, somehow, to have a loss acknowledged by others is comforting--it validates the fact that the world simply is not the same anymore. And to be able to share memories of a loved one--that brings him alive again, if only for a moment at a time. Once again, we hear that familiar laugh or see that quirky mannerism or (what a gift!) discover something completely new. We see, through the eyes of friends and family, glimpses into his heart and character that we didn't see before. I find this bittersweet.
My dad-by-marriage was a grandfather whose face lit up every time he introduced his grandkids to a customer. He was a father who bestowed grand gifts on his son and daughter-in-law, always envisioning something better for them. He was a husband who shared hopes and dreams with his wife and worked like crazy to see them fulfilled.
He was a man who exemplified my belief that family is not defined by genetics, but by a decision to love. He also--and I can't help but write this with a smile--was a man who rocked his music louder than anyone I know. (I like to think that being hard of hearing only played a small part in that.) Because of this, it seemed fitting to honor his life and memory in Life Set to Music.
I hope you enjoy Kiep Nao Co Yeu Nhau, one of my father-in-law's favorite songs. I've heard the title translated as "To Love Each Other in Another Life" (by Amazon) or as "Forever Love" (by my husband). If you are so inclined, please enjoy it as he would have, with the volume turned so high the floor vibrates and the neighbors drop by to find out what's going on.
I have decided that the perfect "later" will never come because I will never be able to capture the sum total of my father-in-law's life, let alone the essence of the man himself, in a few short sentences. His absence leaves a void in the lives of so many.
It is often said that though someone is physically gone, he lives on in our hearts. I have said this myself! But what hollow comfort, when someone lives on only in our memory.
Yet, somehow, to have a loss acknowledged by others is comforting--it validates the fact that the world simply is not the same anymore. And to be able to share memories of a loved one--that brings him alive again, if only for a moment at a time. Once again, we hear that familiar laugh or see that quirky mannerism or (what a gift!) discover something completely new. We see, through the eyes of friends and family, glimpses into his heart and character that we didn't see before. I find this bittersweet.
My dad-by-marriage was a grandfather whose face lit up every time he introduced his grandkids to a customer. He was a father who bestowed grand gifts on his son and daughter-in-law, always envisioning something better for them. He was a husband who shared hopes and dreams with his wife and worked like crazy to see them fulfilled.
He was a man who exemplified my belief that family is not defined by genetics, but by a decision to love. He also--and I can't help but write this with a smile--was a man who rocked his music louder than anyone I know. (I like to think that being hard of hearing only played a small part in that.) Because of this, it seemed fitting to honor his life and memory in Life Set to Music.
I hope you enjoy Kiep Nao Co Yeu Nhau, one of my father-in-law's favorite songs. I've heard the title translated as "To Love Each Other in Another Life" (by Amazon) or as "Forever Love" (by my husband). If you are so inclined, please enjoy it as he would have, with the volume turned so high the floor vibrates and the neighbors drop by to find out what's going on.
Chung con yeu bo.
(We love you, Dad)
and
we miss you.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
7eventh Time Down--Just Say Jesus
No fancy music video. Just lyrics. Just Jesus.
I keep coming back to this song again and again this week. When life hits fast and hard, I don't turn to lofty philosophies or intellectual arguments. When I'm overwhelmed and can't think clearly, I cling to solid, simple truths.
The truth is, there is power in the name of Jesus. It is a name that signals hope and embodies love. It is a name that means "God saves" and is synonymous with "good news." It is a name that heals, strengthens and creates life. It is a name that protects. It is a name that sacrifices. At the sound of this name, demons flee and knees bow.
The truth is, when we cry out to God, he hears.
Psalm 18:5-6
(The Message)
4-5 The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.
6 A hostile world! I call to God,
I cry to God to help me.
From his palace he hears my call;
my cry brings me right into his presence—
a private audience!
I cry to God to help me.
From his palace he hears my call;
my cry brings me right into his presence—
a private audience!
The truth is Jesus.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Promises--Sanctus Real
I come back to this song again and again. Sometimes as I sing along to it in the car, I grin and go all out with the hand motions (grabbing the promises out of the air and pulling them to me). Cheesy? Maybe. But sometimes ya just gotta. At least when life is going along in such a way that a fist-pumping celebration is in order.
Life is not always so easy going, though. It can punch you in the gut, then have the nerve to kick you when you’re down. At those times, I listen to the song and lift empty hands, longing for reassurance, and hard-pressed to see God’s promises through tears and running mascara.
I read Hebrews 6 recently and was reminded that God is faithful. It is impossible for him to break his word. And he does not lie.
“And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:18-20, MSG)
Hope. It is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline. Another version of the Bible calls it an anchor for the soul.
Life’s circumstances toss us around. Unexpected twists and turns or inevitable life
changes leave us stranded, lost or lonely. We’re overwhelmed by finances or emotions or relationships. Our choices or the choices of others leave us bruised and broken. The waves keep coming and so often we’re left gasping for air.
Life is not always so easy going, though. It can punch you in the gut, then have the nerve to kick you when you’re down. At those times, I listen to the song and lift empty hands, longing for reassurance, and hard-pressed to see God’s promises through tears and running mascara.
I read Hebrews 6 recently and was reminded that God is faithful. It is impossible for him to break his word. And he does not lie.
“And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:18-20, MSG)
Hope. It is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline. Another version of the Bible calls it an anchor for the soul.
Life’s circumstances toss us around. Unexpected twists and turns or inevitable life
changes leave us stranded, lost or lonely. We’re overwhelmed by finances or emotions or relationships. Our choices or the choices of others leave us bruised and broken. The waves keep coming and so often we’re left gasping for air.
But...
Hope. If we cling to it, we have a sure and steady promise to keep us afloat. We have an unshakable, steady link to the other side of it, whatever it is at any given moment. And hope brings us right into the very presence of God, to the starting point of all his other great and precious promises.
Check out these other songs by Sanctus Real:
Song Title--Album Title
Run--Run
Pray--Run
Nothing Between--Run
Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)--We Need Each Other
We Need Each Other--We Need Each Other
Closer--Fight the Tide
I'm Not Alright--The Face of Love
Forgiven--Pieces of a Real Heart
Everything About You--Pieces of Our Past-The Santus Real Anthology
Friday, July 19, 2013
TGIF
The Friday Song. I suggested the idea shortly after becoming department Lead and my co-workers have run with it.
It's a fun, stress-relieving, laugh-at-the-absurdities, sing-away-your-troubles little tradition that helps us wake up on a Friday morning, laugh away the mid-afternoon challenges of office communications or say good-bye to the last few minutes of the work week.
Each Friday, one of us suggests a song to play depending on our mood or whatever office craziness has gone on that week.
We've played everything from Aretha Franklin's Respect, to Ozzie Osbourne's Crazy Train, to Marky Mark's Good Vibrations.
Two of my personal all-time favorites are included here.
Laugh. Have fun. Happy Friday!!
We played this, of course, on December 21, 2012.
It's a fun, stress-relieving, laugh-at-the-absurdities, sing-away-your-troubles little tradition that helps us wake up on a Friday morning, laugh away the mid-afternoon challenges of office communications or say good-bye to the last few minutes of the work week.
Each Friday, one of us suggests a song to play depending on our mood or whatever office craziness has gone on that week.
We've played everything from Aretha Franklin's Respect, to Ozzie Osbourne's Crazy Train, to Marky Mark's Good Vibrations.
Two of my personal all-time favorites are included here.
Laugh. Have fun. Happy Friday!!
We played this, of course, on December 21, 2012.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Unlikely Candidates
I heard The Unlikely Candidates song "Follow My Feet" for the first time on the local alt rock radio station several week ago. I was driving but pulled out my pen and paper (which I always have with me) to write down the band's name and a snippet of the lyrics so that I could look up the song later.
Something about the song really struck me. I guess it's the fact that we're constantly faced with choices. Some big. Some small. We can choose the high road or the low road. We can take what we want or do what we want simply because we can. Or, we can give everything and love others, simply because we can. Our choices, the paths we choose, are determined by our motives. Why do we do what we do? The answers to this shape who we are and play a part in shaping others.
The song begins and ends with a note of uncertainty. Maybe this is why it resonates as well--who hasn't struggled with the question of identity? Of not knowing where the path will lead?
Isaiah 42:16, the Message version, says:
"But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them—
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.”
The songwriters say that they don't know the way, but they guess that they'll follow their feet. I'm not sure about them, but I want to be deliberate about where my feet take me. There are so many things in life that are out of my control, but the choices I make are mine to own and I want them to mean something positive.
Several other songs came to mind as I thought about choice and identity.
All Along--Remedy Drive; All I Want--A Day to Remember; All the Pretty Things--Tenth Avenue North; Be Somebody--Thousand Foot Krutch; Breathe--Anberlin; Change Your Mind--Sister Hazel; Faceless--Red; Walk--Foo Fighters; It's Time--Imagine Dragons; When Love Sees You--Mac Powell; All of Me--Matt Hammit; Stubborn Love--The Lumineers; New Low--Middle Class Rut; The High Road--Three Days Grace; Run--Sanctus Real; Maybe--Sick Puppies; Tonight--TobyMac
What song(s) would you add to this list?
Something about the song really struck me. I guess it's the fact that we're constantly faced with choices. Some big. Some small. We can choose the high road or the low road. We can take what we want or do what we want simply because we can. Or, we can give everything and love others, simply because we can. Our choices, the paths we choose, are determined by our motives. Why do we do what we do? The answers to this shape who we are and play a part in shaping others.
The song begins and ends with a note of uncertainty. Maybe this is why it resonates as well--who hasn't struggled with the question of identity? Of not knowing where the path will lead?
Isaiah 42:16, the Message version, says:
"But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them—
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.”
The songwriters say that they don't know the way, but they guess that they'll follow their feet. I'm not sure about them, but I want to be deliberate about where my feet take me. There are so many things in life that are out of my control, but the choices I make are mine to own and I want them to mean something positive.
Several other songs came to mind as I thought about choice and identity.
All Along--Remedy Drive; All I Want--A Day to Remember; All the Pretty Things--Tenth Avenue North; Be Somebody--Thousand Foot Krutch; Breathe--Anberlin; Change Your Mind--Sister Hazel; Faceless--Red; Walk--Foo Fighters; It's Time--Imagine Dragons; When Love Sees You--Mac Powell; All of Me--Matt Hammit; Stubborn Love--The Lumineers; New Low--Middle Class Rut; The High Road--Three Days Grace; Run--Sanctus Real; Maybe--Sick Puppies; Tonight--TobyMac
What song(s) would you add to this list?
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Faith, Music and Sharing the Journey
Have you ever had a song meet you in your sorrow or loneliness, walking like a friend alongside you? Maybe you've heard a tune that made you laugh when you were taking life (or yourself) too seriously. Has music ever spurred you out of complacency or calmed you in the midst of a trial? Have you ever found yourself praying the lyrics to a song because surely the songwriter must have pulled those words straight from your very own heart?
Music is powerful. I don't think it's any coincidence that the longest book in the Bible is a compilation of song lyrics or that people most often turn to that very same book when they want to connect with God. Music, lyrics, and the combination of the two have a way of reaching into the core of who we are.
Music is about connecting--with our innermost selves, with one another and with our Creator.
Music is also about serious FUN. What's every trumpet player's dream? To play John William's Star Wars theme, of course! And what self-respecting woman does not LOVE belting out Skillet's Monster driving down the highway with her husband and kids?
As music intersects and infuses my life, I hope that the thoughts I share will in some way encourage you.
Is there a song that has recently inspired you, comforted you, or made you laugh out loud? I'd love to hear about it!
Music is powerful. I don't think it's any coincidence that the longest book in the Bible is a compilation of song lyrics or that people most often turn to that very same book when they want to connect with God. Music, lyrics, and the combination of the two have a way of reaching into the core of who we are.
Music is about connecting--with our innermost selves, with one another and with our Creator.
Music is also about serious FUN. What's every trumpet player's dream? To play John William's Star Wars theme, of course! And what self-respecting woman does not LOVE belting out Skillet's Monster driving down the highway with her husband and kids?
As music intersects and infuses my life, I hope that the thoughts I share will in some way encourage you.
Is there a song that has recently inspired you, comforted you, or made you laugh out loud? I'd love to hear about it!
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