CatHouse Chat

Music for a Saturday morning

The other day, I was listening to Radio CIA, and was re-introduced to a wonderful country/bluegrass/gospel artist, Ricky Skaggs. This morning while I was searching on Google for some video of Ricky, I came across a duet he did with one of my FAVORITE Christian artists, Carman (no, that's not a typo).

Ladies and gentlemen, "Step of Faith:"

I have three, maybe four, VHS tapes of Carman's videos that I need to transfer to my computer (now that the Beloved Husband has set the equipment up and I know how to use it). It will be wonderful to enjoy his wonderful music wherever I have my laptop!

Technorati Tags: Carman, Ricky Skaggs

Watch this group!

Just heard on Radio CIA (... You're not listening?! Why not?!!!) Whiskey Falls' song, "Last Train Running:"

At the end of my life when I take that journey all alone
And I’m on my own and there’s no one there to save me
Oh when I look back at all the things that I’ve done wrong
You know I wasn’t always strong lord will you take me

Cause I been down as far as a man can go
I wanna be ready when I hear that whistle blow

CHORUS:
And I’m on the last train running and the devil’s coming
Hoping that my good outweighs the bad
And I’m heading for the station the final destination
Praying for the lord to take my hand
And I’m on the last train running

When I close my eyes and I’m holding on to my last breath
I don’t want my regrets to coming back to haunt me
When it’s far too late to ask forgiveness for my sins
I hope my enemies and friends can both forgive me

Will there be tears for me when I go
Or will I be just another name carved in a stone

CHORUS:
When I’m on the last train running and the devil’s coming
Doing all he can to take my soul
And I’m heading for the station the final destination
Praying for the lord to take me home
And I’m on the last train running
I’m on the last train running

You only get one shot
One chance against the clock and
You only get one life
One chance to make it right

When I’m on the last train running and the devil’s coming
Doing all he can to take my soul or lord won’t you come and take me home
On the last train running
When I’m on the last
On the last train
When I’m on the last train running

Now THAT'S Country Gospel!

Oh, it's been a while!

I just "stumbled" across VH-1 Classics while looking for something on TV, and they're playing Rod Stewart's "Infatuation"!

I loved that video!

Dang, and just yesterday I heard T'Pau's "Heart and Soul" on XMRadio... I think I might need to immerse myself in the 80's again !

Thankful

 How thankful are we, really? I admit that, although I try to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude," all too often I fail. I'll grumble or whine, moan and complain rather than remembering all the multitudes of blessings that surround me.

And so, I thought it would be good to post the lyrics for "Thankful" by Caedmon's Call:

You know I ran across an old box of letters
While I was bagging up some clothes for Goodwill
But you Know I had to laugh at the same old struggles
That plagued me then are plaguing me still

Oh, and aren't they just?! When will I learn the moral fortitude, the strength of integrity, to just walk away from areas I know are triggers for me?

I know the road is long from the ground to glory
But a boy can hope he's getting some place
But you see, I'm running from the very clothes I'm wearing
And dressed like this I'm fit for the chase

'Cause no, there is none righteous
Not one who understands
There is none who seek God
No not one, I said no not one

"No one. Not ONE." None who seeks after God. All our mouths are like open graves, and the poison of asps is in them.

So I am thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own

'Cause we're all stillborn and dead in our transgressions
We're shackled up to the sin we hold so dear
So what part can I play in the work of redemption
I can't refuse, I cannot add a thing

And yet, there is One who does good, One who took all my sin and paid the price. And you know what He did then? He turned around and gave me all His perfection! All the infinite merit of His perfect and holy life, He gave to me! Just as He offered His redemption and His righteousness to me, so He offers it to all who will take Him at His Word.

'Cause I am just like Lazarus and I can hear your voice
I stand and rub my eyes and walk to You
Because I have no choice

I was dead in my sin. I was a rotten corpse, and could do nothing to save myself - nothing to move towards God. Even if I had been able to do something, I would not have wanted to: my sinful nature wanted to avoid and deny God at all costs.

But by God's sovereign grace, by His mercy and by His own plan, He reached down and called me out of the grave. Therefore I can sing and praise Him with this chorus:

I am thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own
I'm so thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own

'Cause by grace I have been saved
Through faith that's not my own
It is a gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast

It is His power that works in me. It is His love and kindness that allow this powerless and unworthy sinner to proclaim the mighty predominance of the Living God.

Thus says the LORD:
      “ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
      Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
      Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
      That he understands and knows Me,
      That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
      For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

Technorati Tags: redemption, grace, salvation, Caedmons Call, Bible, gratitude

Parents... They're watching you!

This morning as I was driving from the hotel to the Naval Academy (yeah, yeah, I'll post pictures - let me get this done, first. Oh, and last night's dinner and the pics of Annapolis, and... I'll get to it, OK??!) I was listening to this Rodney Atkins song, "Watching You."

Beautiful, just perfect - and oh, so true!

So, Dads and Moms, listen up and ask yourself what they're seeing, all right?

Drivin’ through town just my boy and me
With a “Happy Meal” in his booster seat
Knowin’ that he couldn’t have the toy ‘til his nuggets were gone.
A green traffic light turned straight to red
I hit my brakes and mumbled under my breath.
His fries went a flyin’, and his orange drink covered his lap
Well, then my 4 year old said a 4 letter word
It started with “S” and I was concerned
So I said, “Son, now where’d you learn to talk like that?”

Chorus:
He said, I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that kool?
I’m your buckaroo, I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
We got cowboy boots and camo pants
Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad
I want to do everything you do.
So I’ve been watching you.

We got back home and I went to the barn
I bowed my head and I prayed real hard
Said, “Lord, please help me help my stupid self.”
Just this side of bedtime later that night
Turnin’ on my son’s Scooby-doo nightlight.
He crawled out of bed and he got down on his knees.
He closed his little eyes, folded his little hands
Spoke to God like he was talkin’ to a friend.
And I said, “Son, now where’d you learn to pray like that?”

Chorus:
He said, I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that kool?
I’m your buckaroo; I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
We like fixin’ things and holding moma’s hand
Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad.
I want to do everything you do; so I’ve been watching you.

With tears in my eyes I wrapped him in a hug.
Said, “My little bear is growin’ up.”
And he said, “But when I’m big I’ll still know what to do.”

Chorus:
‘cause I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that kool?
I’m your buckaroo; I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
By then I’ll be strong as superman
We’ll be just alike, hey, won’t we dad
When I can do everything you do.
‘cause I’ve been watchin’ you.
hey yeah
uh huh

They're watching us.

Each and every day, our children are watching us. What are we teaching them? Do we show love or hate? Hope or despair? Courtesy or arrogance? Integrity or dishonesty? Courage or cowardice?

I would like to live an example of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Then, when my Darling Munchkin is exhorted

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

perhaps she'll think of me...

Technorati Tags: Rodney Atkins, country music, parenting, example, songs

Sunday kind of country...

This morning, I woke up early and turned on CMT for some background noise while I caffienated my brain into life. Three songs made me smile and I thought I'd share them with you...

First up was Rodney Atkins' song, "These Are My People," from his album, If You're Going Through Hell. It's a little slice of life, and it celebrates the wonderful joy to be found in just being normal people in America...

These are my people
This is where I come from
Were givin' this life everything we got and then some
It ain't always pretty
But its real
It's the way we were made
Wouldn't have it any other way
These are my people

Well We take it all week on the chin with a grin
'til we make it to a Friday night
And it's church league softball
holler about a bad call
preacher breaking up the fight

Then later on at the Green Light Tavern
Well everybody is gathered as friends
And the beers a pourin'
'til Monday mornin'
and we start it all over again

Then Bucky Covington's sang "A Different World," from his self titled album. I hadn't realized - since I never watch it - that he was an American Idol finalist!

We were born to mothers who smoked and drank
Our cribs were covered in lead based paint
No child proof lids no seat belts in cars
Rode bikes with no helmets and still here we are, still here we are
We got daddy’s belt when we misbehaved
Had three TV channels you got up to change
No video games and no satellite
All we had were friends and they were outside, playin’ outside

Chorus
It was a different life
When we were boys and girls
Not just a different time
It was a different world

School always started the same every day
The pledge of allegiance then someone would pray
Not every kid made the team when they tried
We got disappointed and that was all right, we turned out all right

Finally, Brooks & Dunn's video for "My Heart is Lost to You" from Steers and Stripes. You can go watch the video here (*I* didn't know Brooks & Dunn had their own YouTube channel!) Look at that beautiful sensuality the dancers display!

As I watched the dancers twist and slide around each other, twin comets caught up in each others' wake, it made me think of how sex might have been if Adam and Eve hadn't sinned against God.

In the perfect world which would have followed, I believe that the delight and joy which each husband and wife would have had in each other would have been evident. A mated pair would have danced together like this, and onlookers would have delighted in their love without any trace of lust or covetousness or jealousy. The couple would have eyes only for each other, absolutely confident in the love and fidelity or their partner, rejoicing in the gift God had given them.

How far we have fallen, and how terribly scarred by sin we have become! Yet, when God finally brings history to a close and takes us in to Eternity, the perfection He intended will be restored... and I can hardly wait!

Technorati Tags: Rodney Atkins, Bucky Covington, Brooks & Dunn

Manolo and the Bumblebees

Ah, the Manolo! I have great fondness for the blog of the superfantastic Manolo, and today he brings several of the YouTube gems to his ShoeBlog...

I adore the "Flight of the Bumblebee", and the Manolo serves up SIX versions!

This one is my favorite:

I mean, really - a Goth (or is it "punk"?) classical pianist? How wonderfully bizarre is that?!

The wonders of ‘net searches

I was just running through my Sitemeter hits, and saw that one visitor had found me via this search (for this post). But one of the other results was from February at BlackFive, which had this video posted:

Oh, yeah. Yes, indeed. Thank you so much, Subsunk - I needed that...! You made a perfect video to go with Trace Adkins' lyrics...

A forgotten gem...

I recently lost my iPod. Now, this isn't the terrible tragedy some might think: it must've been about 5 years old (second generation), and was definitely showing its age. It only had a 20GB capacity - which is more than plenty! - and it could get quite snicky sometimes. However, it did have the virtue of having my only copies of hundreds of songs! (It would have been even more, but about half of what I had had, died with our old server about 4 years ago *sob*) I had tried everything to figure out a way to back them up, but it never worked.

Nevertheless, the Beloved Husband spoils me terribly, and gave the go-ahead for me to purchase a refurbished 80GB 5th generation iPod. I was going to be virtuous and get the 30GB, but he said that we'd most likely want that storage eventually, so.... (Do you see one of the reasons why I adore him so much?)

Anyway, in preparation for the arrival and synchronization of the new iPod (Tuesday! ... I think....), I've been digging out all my old CDs and copying them onto my laptop's hard drive. I found an old Michel Sardou Best Of..., which had "Les yeux d'un animal" among other songs (actually, it's from this album, which I got for "Si l'on revient moins riches" -relax, guys - it's the only fwench album I like); I found that I still had the Royal Guardsmen CD, which has the "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" trilogy; and a whole bunch of Yes albums - but I think I need to re-purchase Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon... *sigh*

BUT! The gem I'm talking about is a group called Acapella, and a song from their album Beyond a Doubt, called "God Inhabits Our Praise." (UPDATE: Here's a snippet - I hope! I'm testing a new program...)

God inhabits our praise
God inhabits our praisechuck swindoll

God inhabits our praise
He lives in each heartfelt word
Each note that we sing, all things that we bring
Make our building of praise for our Lord

God inhabits our praise
He lives in each heartfelt word
We invite him inside, ask his love to abide
In our building of praise to the Lord

God inhabits our praise
God inhabits our praise

God inhabits our praise
He lives in each heartfelt word
When we give him heart, he will never depart
From our building of praise to our Lord

God inhabits our praise
He lives in each heartfelt word
When we lift up his name, His love will remain
From our building of praise to our Lord

God inhabits our praise
God inhabits our praise

Bridge:
My God, inhabit our praise
Lord, live in heartfelt word
In this haven of peace, let our anxious thoughts cease
In our building of praise to the Lord

God inhabits our praise
He lives in each heartfelt word
Each note that we sing, all things that we bring
Make our building of praise for our Lord

God inhabits our praise
He lives in each heartfelt word
We invite him inside, ask his love to abide
In our building of praise to the Lord

God inhabits our praise
God inhabits our praise
God inhabits our praise
God inhabits our praise!

 

Let the redeemed of the Lord... SAY SO!

Well, it's almost 3 a.m., I have no idea why I'm awake, and so I thought I'd post this and then try to get back to sleep...

Yesterday morning, after I'd dropped the Munchkin off at school, I was heading off to run errands. This song came up on KLOVE, and moved me to tears. I love this song - it's upbeat and bouncy, and very joyful. Normally I just bellow along at the top of my lungs, but yesterday... I think I got smacked in the face with a sense of how wonderful God has been to me!

God's grace and strength have been very present in my life the past couple of weeks. I'd been struggling with a persistent sin, making myself pretty miserable because I knew that I was spitting in God's face and was being very rebellious. Finally I got sick, so sick, of trying to argue with God - not a good idea, folks, trust me! - that I just caved to His kind and gentle remonstrations.

I've still got a ways to go on this, and I'll never ever be able to let down my guard, but God has been there with me the past two weeks and blessed me by taking away a large part of my longing for this sin. I don't know if this easing is only for a season, or if God will test me later and permit me to prove (to myself, really - He knows already) my faith and love for Him.

And so, when Nicole C. Mullen's voice came from the radio yesterday, all I could do was cry in thankfulness to the Lord God Almighty. Who am I, that all His tender power, grace and love are poured out upon me?

Thank You, Father! And yes, I will "Talk About It (Say So)":

Tell rich and poor in slavery
The King has ordered a decree:
"Ransom all captivity,
Ring the bells of liberty!"
He sacrificed His everything
To buy us new identities
So every knee could bow
And every tongue confess
That Jesus our Lord is marvellous!

So let the redeemed of the Lord, say so
Talk about it, (say so), talk talk about it
Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so
Talk about it, (say so), talk talk about it

Bangladesh to Bangor Maine
If you're talkin' about His name
Give him glory unashamed
(His love is so excitin')
Say it loud or quietly
Nod your head or disagree
But every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus our Lord is marvellous

So let the redeemed of the Lord, say so
Talk about it, (say so), talk talk about it
Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so
Talk about it, (say so), talk talk about it

If you're not ashamed
If you're not ashamed
If you're not ashamed
Lemme hear you say
I am not ashamed! (I am not ashamed)
I am not ashamed! (I am not ashamed)
I am not ashamed! (I am not ashamed)
I am not ashamed! (let's go)
I am not ashamed

Every knee shall bow
And every tongue confess
That Jesus our Lord is marvellous!

So let the redeemed of the Lord, say so
Talk about it, (say so), talk talk about it
Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so
Talk about it, (say so), talk talk about it

Let the redeemed of the Lord... SAY SO!

CMT Music Awards - “Anyway”

From what I understand, Jeff Foxworthy, the MC, delivered a wonderful speech, just before Martina McBride sang "Anyway." It's a beautiful song, and Jeff's speech, rather than focusing on comedy, was heartfelt and moving. You can see the videos at each link, but CMT has made a baffling decision to support viewing only in *spit* IE *spit* (fair warning, LOL)

Here are the glorious lyrics to "Anyway:"

You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might never come your way
Dream it anyway

CHORUS
God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This world's gone crazy
It's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yea - sing it anyway

I sing
I dream
I love
Anyway

LOVED these videos!

I love my iPod - I always find stuff I'd forgotten about (hey, 20 gigs can hold a lot of songs!), and when I can find the music video on YouTube, it's wonderful...

You know I’m not a big fan of NPR...

... but when I was returning from the quilt show the other week, I happened (during some channel surfing) to stumble upon their program, The Thistle and Shamrock, hosted by Fiona Ritchie.

Now, y'all may not know, but my family is descended from Scots immigrants, and I love my Scottish heritage - I even adore bagpipes! So, when I heard Fiona's Scots accent (mmmm!), I paid attention. I'm very glad I did, because I've been introduced to some lovely music richly infused with Celtic influences (and, gee, didn't it take me a while to phrase that!).

I strongly urge you to go on over and subscribe to the podcast, or peruse the playlist. I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy... And perhaps you'll send me something which will help me figure out how to pronounce all those Scots words?

(UPDATE) Oh, and in case you're interested: 1) the podcasts are not the same as the broadcasts [pout], and 2) the show which caught my interest was a repeat of show #1238, which featured Karine Polwart when she was here for the "Scotland at the Smithsonian" event at the National Mall in 2003.

Glorious God, Sovereign King, Loving Father

I first heard this beautiful song, "Our Great God," on the City on a Hill album Sing Alleluia. It is a rhythmic, driving, and dramatic duet between Mac Powell of Third Day, and Fernando Ortega. I believe Mr. Ortega actually wrote it, as it also appears as a solo on his album Storm.

Because of my odd ear (the first version of a song that I hear and like is always and ever, to me, the "original"), I prefer the duet. However, I highly recommend Mr. Ortega's albums, because they are superb! His voice, the simplicity of his recordings, and the purity of the lyrics - he loves to record old hymns - are simply out of this world, and excellent to listen to and meditate upon.

Of course, when I want to worship from my gut, Third Day cannot be beat. They have a southern-rock style which grabs you, shakes you up, and gets you dancing before the Lord before you know what you're doing! Mac Powell also has a wonderful duet with Randy Travis, "Love Lifted Me," on Randy's Worship and Faith CD. Mac's powerful, growly voice compliments Ortega's light, classical tenor as well as Randy's country bass, and you should go and listen to the samples on all the linked albums - I think you'll find a lot to enjoy.

But the words of this song never fail to make me lift my eyes to Heaven in praise and gratitude to the Living God, who reached down and rescued me from Satan's clutches. I now serve, however imperfectly, the One True God and live in His kingdom of light and love and righteousness.

Eternal God, unchanging,
Mysterious and unknown -

Father, You are so big! You are infinite, and we will never know You entirely. But You have given us Your Word, and so we know that You are holy and just, merciful and loving, righteous and powerful. We know that You created the world and all that is in it, and we know that You have created each and every one of us in Your image.

Your boundless love, unfailing,
In grace and mercy shown.

You shower Your love upon us each and every day: You offer Your salvation with a patient, consistent hand; You send the rain and guide the Sun; You hold the Universe together by the power of Your Word. You sustain our lives and each breath that we take, and You provide us all that we need. We know of Your great love by Your Word and the awesome sacrifice You made for our salvation on the Cross. The bounty of Your goodness and grace pours over us in an everlasting display of Your loving-kindness!

Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around Your glorious throne,
They raise their voices day and night
In praise to You alone.

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory!" Thus sing the the seraphim endlessly, giving due honor and praise to their Creator. The Lord is high and lifted up, He is exalted above all the Universe, for it is His Word that brought everything into existence, and there is nothing made that He has not made. Father, help us to live in praise to You and follow the example of the seraphim; let us always keep Your perfect holiness in our minds, and live openly and humbly before You.

Lord, we are weak and frail,
Helpless in the storm.

Father, without You, we are lost and dead in our sin. We deserve judgment and Hell, yet You have reached down to us and provided Your salvation. You in Your mercy and grace have given us what we cannot earn and do not deserve: Heaven and eternal life. Father, remind us that in our weakness we may rest in You and Your power. Help us remember and trust that You are our mighty fortress, our strong tower of refuge. You hold us in Your hand, and nothing can wrest us from Your embrace.

Surround us with Your angels,
Hold us in Your arms.

Your love is displayed daily in Your protection and provision. Your holy angels watch over us at Your order, and while we are thankful, we still know that it is You and You alone who truly protects us. You will never leave us nor forsake us, and You will never desert us to our foes. We can do all things in the power of Your strength. You and You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. You and You alone deserve all honor and glory!

Our cold and ruthless enemy,
His pleasure is our harm!
Rise up, o Lord, and he will flee
Before our Sovereign God!

Satan is a defeated foe. He is but a creature, and will one day be undone with a simple word from Your mouth. True, he is powerful - but greater is Your Spirit who dwells in us. You have promised that if we resist the devil he will flee, but we can only do that in Your power and strength.

Let every creature in the sea,
And every flying bird;
Let every mountain, every field,
And valley of the Earth;
Let all the moons and all the stars
In all the Universe

Let all of creation acknowledge its Creator. Let all creation bow down before its Lord!

Sing praises to the Living God
Who rules them by His Word!

Our God - the Living God - is Sovereign and in control. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and there is no place we can hide from Him. He sustains the Universe by His power alone, and He does not sleep or grow weary. Our King is on His throne, guiding and protecting, providing and calling, judging and forgiving. His will is unstoppable, and there is none who can resist it. He is perfect in holiness and glory, and there is nothing which can compare with Him!

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

Amen!

“All replete with very me”

My last post garnered some wonderful comments, and they reminded me of the beloved author of one of my favorite books: Madeleine L'Engle and A Ring of Endless Light. The main character in the book is a girl named Vicky Austin, and she writes poetry. Now, of course, poetry can be pure drivel, especially when written by the young (and yes, I penned more than my fair share of absolutely atrocious poems when I was young...), but Vicky has the advantage of being a character written by Ms L'Engle.

One of the poems Vicky writes and reads to her dying grandfather has the phrase "all replete with very me" which I -obviously - remember to this day. At this time, I can't find her actual poem, but my search led me to two poems by real people who provided inspiration for this book.

First is the inspiration for the title of the book - a poem by Henry Vaughn:

I saw Eternity the other night
Like a great Ring of pure and endless light,
All calm, as it was bright,
And round beneath it,
Time is hours, days, years
Driven by the spheres
Like a vast shadow mov'd, in which the world
And all her train were hurl'd;

A ring of endless light - eternity. How beautiful an image! A simmering, peaceful luminosity stretching out forever and ever. What a glorious future we could have in our eternal home, if we would only turn to our Father and accept His grace and love.

But we are often too focused on temporal things of lesser value, which leads to the second poem by Sir Thomas Browne which is the inspiration for the phrase "all replete with very me" -

If thou could'st empty all thyself of self,
Like to a shell dishabited,
Then might He find thee on the ocean shelf,
And say, "This is not dead,"
And fill thee with Himself instead.

But thou are all replete with very thou
And hast such shrewd activity,
That when He comes He says, "This is enow
Unto itself - 'twere better let it be,
It is so small and full, there is no room for Me."

We are so often replete with ourselves. We are self-focused, self-involved, self-satisfied, self-absorbed. We fill our lives with people imortant to us, issues important to us, activities important to us... We forget that we ourselves are not eternal, we are here today and gone tomorrow -

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind

I would much prefer that God finds me "disinhabited," so that He can fill me with Himself. But, I am still so filled to bursting with "very me" that I wonder if there is even a tiny niche open and available for Him!

And yet, God is still there. Even when we are so full of ourselves that there seems to be no room for Him, the Hound of Heaven comes in to our lives and offers His grace and mercy and purpose - and love! Like a gentle mist falling on a parched land, He rains on us until we slowly - oh, so slowly! - begin to open and grow. Slowly, we begin to have an inkling of an idea that, if we move aside, He will flood us with Himself. His Spirit will come to live in us to seal us unto eternity and to give us His power and His assurance

Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

So slowly our doors creak open, the windows of our souls are cracked ajar, and we creep out of the dark poverty of our selfishness. We tentatively take hold of His offered hand... And God catches us and comes in in a torrant of love..

I am confounded when people, confronted with this infinite love, who reject the mercy and grace that are offered so freely and so generously. The pain and sacrifice endured by Jesus wasn't something He had to do - it was something He wanted to do! Our Savior

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus looked ahead to the JOY of His children being with Him for eternity. He looked ahead to the JOY of our voices raised in praise and thanksgiving for the incredible gift He won for us. He looked ahead to the JOY of the final triumph of good over evil, and the eternity of righteousness and beauty without sin.

How can we not desire to empty ourselves of US, and let Him come in and fill us with His love?! The glorious, eternal, and joyful love of God. THAT kind of love:

Happiness in view
Please let it be true
How I've waited in line
Longing for a love
To come hold this heart of mine

Promises unkept
Boundaries overstepped
Left alone with the hurt
Feeling like my life
Couldn't feel much worse

CHORUS
Then I saw the way You saw Me
As my heart let You come in
And I know I felt You hold me
When You told me I could live
Safe in Your arms
That's what I want
That kind of love

Love that will not leave
Use me or deceive
One I know I can trust
Love that will not bring me down
And always builds me up

Love that knows my soul
Shows me where to go
When all I see is a cloud
How could this exist as I stood there
In my doubt

REPEAT CHORUS

BRIDGE
You opened my soul
With what I'd never known
At a time when I was so so alone

REPEAT CHORUS

I am so tired of being all "replete with very me." I want that kind of love. Don't you?

So let's empty ourselves of ourselves and invite the Lord of Life, the Lord of Light, into our souls. Let Him fill us up with His love and His power and His joy. Let us drink from the Fountain of Living Water, and shower the blessings of His salvation on a weary, discouraged, and dying world.

The Father's Song

I have heard so many songs
Listened to a thousand tongues
But there is one
That sounds above them all

The Father's song
The Father's love
You've sung it over me and for eternity
It's written on my heart

CHORUS:
Heaven's perfect melody
The Creator's symphony
You are singing over me
The Father's song
Heaven's perfect mystery
The King of love has sent for me
And now You're singing over me
The Father's song

I have heard so many songs
Listened to a thousand tongues
But there is one
That sounds above them all
[Thank You, Lord]

The Father's song
The Father's love
You sung it over me and for eternity
It's written on my heart

CHORUS

[Let us sing Your song over us tonight, O God
The song of Your grace, the song of Your love
Yes, Your song brings me joy]

Heaven's perfect melody
The Creator's symphony
You are singing over me
The Father's song

The Father's song
The Father's love
You sung it over me and for eternity
It's written on my heart
[You've written it in love
You've written it in grace
Into the depths of our hearts
Father, thank You!]      (by Matt Redman, from his album Blessed Be Your Name)

Indeed, Father - thank You!

The LORD your God in your midst,   
      The Mighty One, will save; 
      He will rejoice over you with gladness, 
      He will quiet you with His love, 
      He will rejoice over you with singing.”   (Zephaniah 3:17, NKJV)

Heard on the radio

I am blessed that I can listen to KLOVE in my car (but you can listen online, too!), and this morning they played a beautiful song by Bebo Norman, off of his Between the Dreaming and the Coming True album:

I Will Lift My Eyes

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near, calm my fear
And take my doubt

Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let Mercy sing
Her melody over me
God, right here all I bring
Is all of me

'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
The Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
So hold me now

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

... and a prayer for my heart...

From the wonderful group, MercyMe - "Here With Me" from their album Undone...

I long for your embrace
Every single day
To meet you in this place
And see you face to face Will you show me?
Reveal yourself to me
Because of your mercy
I fall down on my knees And I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love You're everywhere I go
I am not alone
You call me as your own
To know you and be known You are holy
And I fall down on my knees I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love I surrender to your grace
I surrender to the one who took my place I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender: I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

Father, I want to get lost in the beauty and love You have showered upon me. Let me always remember Your blessings so that I may live in Your grace. Help me to sing songs of joy and awe to Your mercy and righteousness. Conform me to the image of Your Son, so that when I stand before You, I may see Your face and worship You in holiness!

A Prayer from a Parent's Heart

"Find Your Wings," by Mark Harris

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And If I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow

Chorus:

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way
May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

Chorus

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

Chorus

To my Darling Munchkin - I do hope that God fills your heart with dreams and faith and courage. He has given your Father and me such a blessing in you, and yet He loves you far more than we ever could. Don't ever be afraid to throw yourself and your goals into His arms, because He is faithful. If you are true to Him, He will give you the desires of your heart. I pray you grow strong in your confidence in your Heavenly Father. Your Dad and I make mistakes, and we fail, but God never will.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your path.

Tales from the iPod

After dropping the Munchkin off at school this morning, I fired up the ol' iPod and told it to play songs from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I love the BTC - it's a huge and very talented group of people who love the Lord and sing their hearts out in praise and worship. I had the opportunity a few years ago to go to New York with my old choir and premiere a worship musical there at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and it was a wonderful experience!

While we were there, they were working on songs from their (then) newest album, Live... This Is Your House, and the song that just gave me GOOSEBUMPS of joy and anticipation was "Days of Elijah."

And that's what came on my iPod this morning...

The song opens with a strong, vibrant soprano singing the clarion call of the chorus:

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!

Behold, He comes!!! As 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says,

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

And the Apostle John in the book of Revelation writes of the triumphant Return of Christ:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

What a hope that is! I do not use the word "hope" like we do today (i.e. hoping for something that may or may not happen), but as the New Testament writers use it: I have the Promise of God Himself that this will happen, so I know it will happen - I just hope it's soon!

Therefore, with that positive hope, I can proclaim the triumphant anticipation of the song:

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord:
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
'Prepare ye the way of the Lord!'

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world,
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord!

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

There's no God like Jehovah.
There's no God like Jehovah!

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

New additions to the CatHouse

UPDATE (03Jan07): Well, for some reason, I cannot get the Evoca widget to work. The FAQ i read said that by widening the right sidebar to a minimum of 220px would probably work... didn't. So, it's coming off [pout]

Well, I got jealous of my dear brother, GM Roper, who installed this COOL voice message system on his blog a little while ago... So of course *I* had to be a copycat and go get my own. I'm very glad for TypePad Widgets, because the Evoca script practically loaded itself! You'll see it there in the right-hand column (yeah, kinda hard to miss... *snicker*).

Secondly, when you come to the CatHouse, you will be enjoying some lovely classical music. There's a Real Amplify player on the left column (hard to miss that one, too), right under my "eye." It's set to auto-play which some might dislike, but even so - beautiful music!!!

I only wish they also had a Christian music option...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy... and leave me a message! ;-)

Classic Christmas? *I'll* give you CLASSIC!

               
 

This clip is from a 1977 Christmas special hosted by Bing Crosby. He and David Bowie were an unusual combination, but - oh! - they melded so beautifully! I have enjoyed Bing's voice for a long time, and I also loved a lot of Bowie's work (what the heck is he doing these days, anyway?), and this song has long been a favorite. So, please enjoy this little bit of Classic Christmas, and say thank you to the Beloved Husband for sending this link to me!

Shine on us, Lord

Lord, let Your light,
Light of Your face
Shine on us
Lord, let Your light,
Light of your face
Shine on Us
That we may be saved
That we may have life
To find our way
In the darkest night
Let Your light shine on us

Father, let the Light of the World, Your beloved Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shine in our hearts. Let His light be kindled in each lost and sinful soul, and may the warmth of His glory dwell in Your people. As He came to us in a stable so many years ago, let Him come now through the Holy Spirit in us. Let us shine Your light before all men, that they may see our good deeds and glorify You!

Lord, let Your grace
Grace from Your hand
Fall on us
Lord,let Your grace
Grace from Your hand
Fall on us
That we may be saved
That we may have life
To find our way
In the darkest night
Let Your grace fall on us

Father, give us each day Your grace to live and be faithful to You. Help us abide in this boundless grace and manifest it to each person You bring to us. Conform us to the image of Your Son, so we may bring glory to You and sing Your praises throughout the world.

Lord, let Your love
Love with no end
Come over us
Lord, let Your love
Love with no end
Come over us
That we may be saved
That we may have life
To find our way
In the darkest night
Let Your love come over us

Dear Father, let us remember the love You showed us when You gave us Your wonderful Son. Let us remember His life among us, showing us who You are and how very much You love us. Let us remember the infinite love of Jesus, who gave Himself up to the Cross for the love of His church. Help us radiate that sacrificial love in our own lives. Set us apart and sanctify us to Your service so all the world may marvel and praise Your holy name.

Let Your light shine on us

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [...]

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-4, 9-14, NKJV)

(Submitted to the Carnival of Christmas and the Christmas Alliance)

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christ, Carnival of Christmas, Christmas Alliance, music, scripture

There's a Rose in Bethlehem...

...With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent, holy night

So begins the title track of Selah's Christmas album, Rose of Bethlehem. I've enjoyed this group's beautiful, harmonic singing, especially since they add tunes and rhythms unfamiliar to American ears. Their songs are also theologically sound, and remind me of the Great God I love and serve.

This song continues

There's a fragrance much like hope
That it sends upon the wind
Reaching out to every soul
From a lowly manger's crib

Chorus:
Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
Colored red like mercy's blood
Tis the flower of our faith
Tis the blossom of God's love

Though its bloom is fresh with youth
Surely what will be He knows
For a tear of morning dew
Is rolling down the Rose

Chorus

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent, holy night

Two thousand years ago, Christ came softly and graciously into this tired and sin-cursed world. His pure and perfect beauty, the beauty of God made flesh, shines out through the centuries to all the world. The glory He gave to His Father in His faithful life and in the thorns He wore at His death, the hope and salvation He won for His children must ever be at the forefront of our minds.

Remember, although He was born to live among us - "Immanuel," God dwelling with us - He was also born to die for us. And so during this wonderous season, let us lift our minds and voices and spirits to praise and glorify the God who came to give us abundant life...

... His life.

"Glory to God in the Highest,
And on Earth,
Peace,
Goodwill to men..."

(Linked at the Carnival of Christmas and at the Christmas Alliance.)

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christ, Carnival of Christmas, Christmas Alliance, Selah, Rose of Bethlehem, music

Sing we now of Christmas

From Michael W. Smith's album, Christmas Collection (it was originally on Christmastime), comes this lovely song. He has a boys' choir singing it, and the harmony and beauty are wonderful!

Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Of the Lord and Savior
We the tidings tell
Sing we Noel
For Christ our Lord is born
Sing we Noel
For Christ our Lord is born
Angels from on high
May shepherds come and see
He's born in Bethlehem
A blessed family
Glory to God
For Christ our King is born
Glory to God
For Christ our King is born
Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Sing we all Noel

This medly, "Sing We Now of Christmas/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/Emmanuel," is joyous and triumphant, and finishes with the simple anthem:

Emmanuel, emmanuel
Emmanuel, emmanuel
Wonderful counselor
Lord of life, lord of all
He is the prince of peace,
Mighty god, holy one
Emmanuel, emmanuel

"Emmanuel" - "God with us!" I love the indescribable miracle of Christmas: that God Himself would come down and dwell with us, teach us, heal us... and eventually die for us. But the glory of Christmas, paired with the redemption of Easter, is the purpose for which Christ came...

... And I thank Him for it every day!

"Even so, come Lord Jesus! Maranatha!"

(Linked to the Christmas Alliance, and the Carnival of Christmas II - make sure YOU send your submissions in!)

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christ, carols, music, Carnival of Christmas, Christmas Alliance

It's a Newsboys morning, I guess...

I have loved this song since it came out on the Newsboys' album, Adoration... Here's a video on their website.

It's the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It's the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God's holy fire
It's every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir

It's all God's children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
It's all God's children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

Let it rise about the four winds
Caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals
To the faithful gathered underground
Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation
Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples
None rings truer than this

And all the powers of darkness
Tremble at what they've just heard
'Cause all the powers of darkness
Can't drown out a single word

When all God's children sing out
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
All God's people singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

    Technorati : Christian, Newsboys, music

This morning's selections from the iPod

First up is Rich Mullins' "Sometimes by Step," which I've loved for the longest time. My favorite part is:

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

And then there's Avalon's "Take You at Your Word"

Your word is life,
Your word is love,
Your word is true. . .
Everybody's looking for something to believe in
Lord, I find the faithful are few and far between
The more I read about You
The less I've cause to doubt you
What You say Lord,
You mean Now I've seen
I can take You at Your word
And my heart can rest assured
Lord I love you, Oh, I trust You
As I live I've learned
That I can take You at Your word
Your name is written here on the my life in love and kindness
Your word is hidden here in my heart to guard my soul
I've heard the gospel of
You're redeeming love
What You say, Lord, You do
I know it's true
Your word is life,
Your word is love,
Your word is true
Say You, say Your word to me
Lord, Your word is a lamp to my feet
And Your word is a light to my path

And, finally, Casting Crowns (an excellent band which debuted about three years ago, and keeps getting better) "Glory"

You are holy in this place
You are worthy of my praise and we worship You
Jesus we worship You
(You're the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
You're the Master of the Universe
You're the Ruler of all Nations
And we sing to You,

When You call my name, I'll run to You
I'll do anything You ask me to
Falling on my knees I worship You, my Lord )
We give You GLORY <We give You GLORY>
We give You GLORY <We give You GLORY>

Mmmmm! God is good, He is good all the time, and I love to praise Him!

Our Great God

This past week I've been enjoying my "Christian Favs" playlist on my iPod (BTW, anyone able to tell me how to put them on my current laptop??), and Fernando Ortega's song, "Our Great God" from his Storm album. Actually, I prefer the duet he did with Mac Powell (Third Day) on City on a Hill: Sing Alleluia, but for some reason, it's disappeared from my iPod. I guess I'll have to see if I can dig out the CD....

Anyway, it's a gorgeous, dramatic song, and here are the lyrics:

(Words and Music by Fernando Ortega and Johnnie Mac Powell)

Eternal God unchanging
Mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love unfailing
In grace and mercy shown

Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around Your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night
In praise to You alone

Chorus:

Hallelujah
Glory be to our great God
Hallelujah
Glory be to our great God

Lord we are weak and frail
Helpless in the storm
Surround us with Your angels
Hold us in Your arms

Our cold and ruthless enemy
His pleasure is our harm
Rise up O Lord and he will flee
Before our sovereign God

Chorus

Let every creature in the sea and
Every flying bird
Let every mountain every field
And valley of the earth

Let all the moons and all the stars
In all the universe
Sing praises to the living God
Who rules them by His Word

Chorus

*sigh* Just... uplifting!

"He Is" by Aaron Jeoffrey

I finally wrestled back my iPod from the Darling Munchkin - who had let the battery die, thankyouverymuch - and was listening to some of the songs on my "Christian Favs" list. It's been a long time since I've heard this song by the father-son group, Aaron Jeoffrey (I don't believe they're recording anymore...), and I'd forgotten how awesome it is - because it reminds me of how awesome *HE* is!

All praise, all glory, all honor be unto Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lamb upon the throne!

In Genesis, He's the breath of Life
In Exodus, the passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our high priest
Numbers, the fire by night
Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice
In Joshua, He is salvation's choice
Judges, Law giver
In Ruth, the kinsman redeemer
First and Second Samuel, our trusted prophet
In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign
Ezra, true and faithful scribe
Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage
In Job, the timeless redeemer
In Psalms, He is our morning song
In Proverbs, wisdom's cry
Ecclesiastes, the time and season
In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is, He is, He is

In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet
In Lamentations, the cry for Israel
Ezekiel, He's the call from sin
In Daniel, the stranger in the fire
In Hosea, He is forever faithful
In Joel, He's the Spirits power
In Amos, the arms that carry us
In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior
In Jonah, He's the great missionary
In Micah, the promise of peace
In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival
In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage
In Zechariah, our fountain
In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

He is, He is, He is

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah
In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven
In Romans, He's the grace of God
In Corinthians, the power of love
In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin
Ephesians, our glorious treasure
Philippians, the servants heart
In Colossians, He's the Godhead trinity
Thessalonians, our coming King
In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor
In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant
In James, the one who heals the sick.
In First and Second Peter, he is our Shepherd
In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride
In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and the Lord of Lords

He is, He is, He is

The prince of peace
The Son of man
The Lamb of God

The great I am

He's the alpha and omega
Our God and our Savior
He is Jesus Christ Lord and when time is no more

He is, He is

Hawaiian Style

I'm in Hawaii, right?

So, that means I need to listen to Hawaiian music while I enjoy my morning coffee! I like KAPA radio - it's got a good mix of old stuff and new. Modern Hawaiian music - even a lot in the Hawaiian language - is a robust and productive musical style...

... Anyone know how I might be able to find this stuff on iTunes or somewhere on the web?

(Oh - and why aren't you listening?!)

Lord, Have Mercy: In memory of Timothy A. Roy

"Lord, Have Mercy" sung by David Proffitt .... (UPDATE: Well, for some odd reason, this file isn't uploading to TPad properly... sorry about that, because it's an incredibly beautiful song. Thanks for letting me know, David !)

It is my honor to remember Timothy A. Roy, a Sergeant in the NYPD bus squad.

He is survived by his wife, Stacey, and three children. This brave man loved the outdoors and golf, and enjoyed vacations with his family.

Sgt Roy came from a family which served: his late father was a firefighter, as were three of his brothers. He began his career in the NYPD in July of 1985, he was promoted to sergeant in March 1991, and assigned to the Traffic Control Division in November 1995.

Although Sgt Roy was on his way to Traffic Court that morning, he showed no hesitation offering his services in the rescue operations. After witnessing the first plane crash into the first tower, he called his wife on his cell phone to tell her he would not be home that evening due to the rescue operations.

And when one of the Towers fell that terrible day, Sgt Roy was in it. He had served honorably for sixteen years, and he was 36 years old.

Sgt Roy was well respected, known as a good squad leader and supervisor, a man of integrity and dedication. On his memorial page, many friends stopped by and left their respects:

Timmy, for 5 years I had the pleasure of putting up with your antics and trying to keep up with your energy level. I will miss you dearly, whether it was the ashes you flicked on my desk or the fun we had breaking the other guys in, you'll always be a dear friend. But I also know that no one will miss you you more than you wife kids. I know they were everything to you and I'm certain they realize that.

I was not surprised at all that you were in the middle of the action and most of all you made sure your men were unhurt. God bless you Tim. You were one of the guys. Love and prayers, Mike

-- Sgt Michael Flanning

Timmy was one of my Sgts. He was the best of the bunch, and was always the first one in, in an emergency. He was a hard working, honest cop whose integrity was beyond reproach.He always backed his cops and looked out for them and he will be sorely missed. He is survived by a wife and three children, and both Timmy and his family will never be forgotten. May he and all the other brave Police and Firemen who made the supreme sacrifice on that dreary day REST IN PEACE and NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

-- LT. Jim Williams

I pray for this family, which had this good man taken from them so early.

And I thank God above for all the men and women He has given us who serve so selflessly, with bravery and dedication, and honor.

Thank you, Sgt Roy. Thank you.

In God We Still Trust"

Here's your Monday morning wake-up ("WAKE UP, America!") video.

Mom showed me this when I was last down in Orlando, and one of my friends, Seth, just asked me a question which reminded me that I hadn't posted it. So - here it is:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Diamond Rio - "In God We Still Trust"

The lyrics:

You place your hand on His bible, when you swear to tell the truth.
His name is on our greatest monuments an' all our money too.
An' when we pledge allegiance, there's no doubt where we stand:
There's no separation, we're one nation under Him.

In God, we still trust here in America,
He's the one we turn to every time the going gets rough.
He is the source of all our strength, the one who watches over us.
Here in America, in God, we still trust.

Now there are those among us,
Who wanna push Him out.
And erase his name from everything,
This country's all about.
From the schoolhouse to the courthouse,
They're silencing His word,
An' now it's time for all believers,
To make our voices heard.

In God, we still trust here in America,
He's the one we turn to every time the goin' gets rough.
He is the source of all our strength, the one who watches over us.
Here in America, in God, we still trust.
Here in America,
Here in America,
Here in America, in God, we still trust.
Here in America, in God, we still trust.
Here in America

Dear Father, call us back to You. This glorious country was founded in prayer and love for You. We earned our freedom by Your power and Your grace. You have uniquely blessed us with a rich land; a wide, generous land teeming with variety and beauty. The work of Your hand is before us each and every day, and we rarely lift our hands in praise and thanksgiving.

Call us back to You, Lord! Send Your Spirit like a fire, and revive us again!

Techorati Tags: Diamond Rio, video, music, country music, In God We Trust

GREAT concert Friday night!

We had so much fun!

We got to the Crossings at the Dan at about 5:30 - the gates opened at 6 p.m., and the crowd was pretty big...

We met Kelly and her daughter, Heather, who had gotten tickets (GOOD ones! Seven rows back on the left side of the Pavillion) via the Dierks Bentley Fan Club. The Munchkin and Heather hit it off right away, and had fun visiting back and forth.

The gates opened right on time, and we went in with the crowd - who were mostly there for the unassigned lawn seating. Note to self: Next time, when you buy assigned seats, you can get there later... However, the lawn seating was very attractive: the venue is small and pretty intimate for headliners like Chris Cagle and Trace Adkins to visit (IMO - I'm used to bigger cities' stadiums).

As you can see, it's an open area, and the covered seating is relatively limited. However, it's very friendly-feeling: family oriented, casual crowd, and the ages ranged from 80-ish all the way on down.

Fighting Words

PREACH it, Trace!

"Fighting Words," from Trace Adkins' new album, Dangerous Man. [source for lyrics]

Alright

Everyone knows I'm the hard workin' peace lovin' type
I walk a thousand miles out of my way
Just to keep from a fight
Poke fun at the way that I talk
Or this hat that I wear
You can say what you want about me
See if I care

But one slip of the tongue 'bout my God Or my mama
Or this flag that I wear on my shirt
You'll see a side of me man
That I don't think you wanna
Cause them there's fightin' words

Now don't get me wrong
I've swapped skin now and then in my youth
I was all for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
Now the older I get
The less I wanna stand toe to toe
But before you go runnin' your mouth
I think you oughta know

That one slip of the tongue 'bout my God
Or my mama
Or this flag that I wear on my shirt
You'll see a side of me man
That I don't think you wanna
Cause them there's fightin' words

Chevrolet or Ford
The south or the north
That ain't gonna get me worked up
But I'll draw the line
Everytime when it comes to the things that I love

So one slip of the tongue 'bout my dog
Or my woman
Or this country that I proudly serve
You'll see a side of me man
That you damn sure don't wanna
Cause them there's fightin' words
Yeah, them's fightin' words
Ahh them's fightin' words, Hoss

(spoken)

Excuse me
First amendment?
Son, the first amendment protects you from the government
Not from me
You can say whatever you want to out there
You come within reach of me
I'll exercise my right to give you a good ol' country ass whoopin'
Is what I'll do for you
By God

Trace...

... is ON! ... and he's HOT!(Geeze, these photos from my cell phone are... crappy! But, I've got - and hubby's got - MUCH better photos with our real cameras... I'll post 'em tomorrow...)

PREACH it Chris!

'What a Beautiful Day' - I TOLD YOU he would play it!

Chris Cagle is ON!

... and the Hubby's pix are gonna be AWESOME!

At the concert - waiting to start

We're ready to rock 'n' roll - COUNTRY style! Sorry, no video, ;cause it's against the rules, but I'll post the pics we take!

Friday Night fun!

Trace Adkins will be playing the Crossings at Danville tonight - and I get to go!!!

The Beloved Husband and I are taking the Darling Munchkin, and we're going to enjoy Chris Cagle, who is opening for Trace. Chris has lots of good songs: "Miss Me, Baby," "Laredo," "Country By the Grace of God," "Chicks Dig It," and so many others: he's going to be a great opener, especially since he's pretty much a headliner himself!

Trace, of course, will be singing several songs off is newest album Dangerous Man, most notably "Honky Tonk Badonkabonk." I'm sure he'll include past hits, like "Chrome," "I'm Tryin'," "Then They Do," "Don't Lie," "Every Light in the House Is On," "Songs About Me," and - I hope and PRAY - "Arlington."

And absolutely beautiful song!

Hm, and here's "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," since it's his most current hit:

It's a little raunchy for me, but - MAN! - what a bounce! Good, no-nonsense dancing music!!

... I think we're going to have FUN!

Broken Bridges

I just watched this music video: Lindsay Haun singing "Broken," (UPDATE: lyrics here) from the soundtrack to Broken Bridges. Go watch it: the lyrics are wonderful, and Ms. Haun's voice is beautiful!

I think I'm going to have to see this movie (which stars Toby Keith... AND Burt Reynolds!) when it comes out on September 7th...

 

Yet another reason why I love Country Music!

Shannon Brown has a lovely, wonderful song called "Corn Fed" from the album of the same name.

We don't flip the bird, we don't cuss an' scream,
When the cars don't move when the light turns green.
We don't lock our doors when we leave the house,
There ain't nobody here that we'd keep out.
That's the way we do it in our town, yeah.

You never hear me apologise,
For growin' up strong, growin' up right.
Livin' life by the Golden Rule.
Say: "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank You."
Green fields for miles an' miles,
Ain't nothin' but country on the radio dial.
I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred,
Corn fed.

Ain't no burnin' flags on our Court House Square.
You see Old Glory flyin' everywhere.
There ain't no Valley joint with five-star atmosphere.
Daddy's home-grown beet's what's for dinner here.
An we wash it down with a tall, cold beer, yeah.

You never hear me apologise,
For growin' up strong, growin' up right.
Livin' life by the Golden Rule.
Say: "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank You."
Green fields for miles an' miles,
Ain't nothin' but country on the radio dial.
I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred,
Corn fed.

Rooster crows, six a.m.;
John Deere pulling that plow again.
Spit on your face, hands in the dirt,
Ain't nothin' better on God's great earth.

You never hear me apologise,
For growin' up strong, growin' up right.
Livin' life by the Golden Rule.
Say: "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank You."
Green fields for miles an' miles,
Ain't nothin' but country on the radio dial.
I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred;
Well, I thank the good Lord I was born an' bred,
Corn fed.
Corn fed.
Corn fed.
Corn fed.

How 'bout you?

Where do you stand? Who are you?

For me, Eric Chruch's song off of his Sinners Like Me album (which will be realesed on 18July) says it very, very well:

I know where I come from:
How 'bout you?
I don't need baggy clothes,
Or rings in my nose to be cool.
The scars on my knuckles,
Match these scuffs on these cowboy boots.
An' there's a whole lot more like me:
How 'bout you?

I punch the clock tryin' to make it to the top:
How 'bout you?
I ain't got no blue-blood trust fund,
I can dip in to.
Yeah, I wish Uncle Sam would give a damn,
About the man who's collar's blue.
But if he don't, hell, I'll make it on my own:
How 'bout you?

An' how 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
To tell the truth,
I think we're the chosen few.
But that's just me:
How 'bout you?

I still say: "Yes, Ma'am" to my Momma:
How 'bout you?
If I shake your hand, look you in the eye,
You can bet your ass, it'll be the truth.
I cover my heart with my hat,
When they fly that Red, White and Blue,
Just like my Daddy taught me:
How 'bout you?

An' how 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
To tell the truth,
I think we're the chosen few.
But that's just me:
Well, how 'bout you?

I like my country rockin':
How 'bout you?
Just put me on a stage, man,
Turn it up an' I'll turn it loose.
Yeah, give me a crowd that's redneck an' loud,
We'll raise the roof.
Yeah, I might just stay all night long.

How 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
To tell the truth,
I think we're the chosen few.
An' how 'bout you?
Do you feel the way I do?
'Cause, man, I know where I come from:
How 'bout you?

Matthew West - "More"

Beautiful lyrics (even better with music!): (UPDATED - new link, and the rest of the lyrics)

Take a look at the mountain
Stretching a mile high
Take a look at the ocean
Far as your eye can see
And think of Me Take a look at the desert
Do you feel like a grain of sand?
I am with you wherever
Where you go is where I am And I'm always thinking of you
Take a look around you
I'm spelling it out one by one
(Chorus)
I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you yesterday and today
And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more Just a face in the city
Just a tear on a crowded street
But you are one in a million
And you belong to Me And I want you to know
That I'm not letting go
Even when you come undone (Chorus)
I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you yesterday and today
And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more Shine for Me
Shine for Me
Shine on, shine on
Shine for Me (Chorus)
I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you yesterday and today
And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again
I love you more Than the sun
and the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for me too
I love you, yesterday and today
Through the joy and the pain
I'll say it again and again
I love you more
I love you more And I see you
And I made you
And I love you more than you can imagine
More than you can fathom
I love you more than the sun
And you shine for Me (All emphasis mine - R'cat)

God's love constantly astonishes me. It is amazing how patient, how kind, and how gracious He is to me - to all humanity!

How easy it would be to love Him and praise Him at all times, if we were to keep our minds and hearts focused on the depth and breadth of His faithfulness, holiness, and mercy. As the beautiful old hymn proclaims: "Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing/ My great Redeemer's praise,/ The glories of my God and King,/ The triumphs of His grace!"

Linked in for open trackbacks at Adam's Blog and Third World County.

Heard this morning on KLOVE radio...

Rich Mullins, "Awesome God!"

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
with wisdom, pow'r and love
Our God is an awesome God

Oh yes. Yes, He is!

Watching (and enjoying) now....

STOMP: Out Loud...

I remember these people from my high school days. Not music and dance in their "traditional" sense - but the rhythm, and tones and synchronized actions combine into a mezmerising, intriguing, and absorbing attraction.

If you've never seen/heard/experienced STOMP, I strongly urge you to do so!

More reasons why I love Country Music

Some quick snippets from several songs I listened to on our drive into Virginia Beach last night..

Brooks & Dunn, "I Believe"

Old man Wrigley lived in that white house
Down the street where i grew up
Momma used to send me over with things
We struck a friendship up
I spent a few long summers out on his old porch swing

Says he was in the war when in the navy
Lost his wife, lost his baby
Broke down and asked him one time
How ya keep from going crazy
He said I'll see my wife and son in just a little while
I asked him what he meant
He looked at me and smiled, said

I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
Oh i believe

Carrie Underwood, "Jesus, Take the Wheel"

And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Tim McGraw, "Drugs or Jesus"

Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
There's not much space between us
Drugs or Jesus

Everybody wants acceptance
We all just want some proof

Everyone's just looking for the truth
Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
We follow the roads that lead us
To drugs or Jesus
To drugs or Jesus
Oh I need you Jesus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah

Rodney Atkins, "If You're Going Through Hell"

Well, you know those times when you feel like
There's a sign there on your back.
Says: "I don't mind if you kick me;
"Seems like everybody has."
Things go from bad to worse:
You think they can't get worse than that an' then they do.

You step off the straight an' narrow,
An' you don't know where you are.
Use the needle of your compass,
To sew up your broken heart.
Ask directions from a genie,
In a bottle of Jim Beam an' she lies to you.

Well, that's when you learn the truth:
If you're goin' through hell,
Keep on goin'.
Don't slow down:
If you're scared don't show it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.

*sigh* I love popular music that doesn't shy away from the foundation that has made this country strong!

Say WHAT?!

From Conservative Voice News: Pink Floyd Leader Urged by Palestinians to Boycott Israel

Representatives from a Palestinian group are pressuring Roger Waters, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, to cancel a scheduled rock concert in Tel Aviv in June as a protest against Israeli policy towards the Palestinians.

A coalition of activists, cultural organizations and other Palestinian supporters have sent a letter to Mr. Waters asking him to remove the Israeli city from his summer concert tour. Waters has been vocal about his strong opposition to the 450-mile security wall being built by Israel to protect them from terrorist attacks.

Fortunately (well, so far - he may cave), in spite of being against the security wall, Roger Waters isn't planning to cancel:

But Waters responded to the letter when he was interviewed by the British media. He stated: "I am happy to play to anybody who believes in peace. I don't discriminate between any of my fans, wherever they live. Being an Israeli does not disbar from being a human being."

Good for him. But, geeze, if he caves, I know someone who is gonna be really pissed, 'cause she loves Pink Floyd!

Hey, if the Paleo-swinians are so concerned about Israel's "atrocities" against them, perhaps they ought to take some advice from another "rock star" and take a long, hard look at the "Man in the Mirror."

Seven songs - Sunday Thoughts edition

Seven songs I'm currently re-playing in my head. [head in hands, shaking back and forth mournfully]

Yeah, I got tagged again! Well, considering that I haven't posted much at all this week, that's fair All right (gee, David, where DO people come up with these things?), let's see what I come up with...

Hm, it seems that I have a lot of Christian music running through my head today, so I'm going to put it all together and make it a Sunday Thoughts version of the meme. So, look below the fold and see what's been running through my brain and reminding me of the Love which surpasses all understanding!

For other lucky XMRadio subscribers...

I have been a subscriber to XM Radio since December, 2004, thanks to the Beloved Husband™'s very thoughtful Christmas gift that year. I really enjoy being able to listen to Steve, E.D., and Brian on Fox&Friends in the morning (FoxNews), I loooove channel 168 (FoxNews Talk), and also Highway 16 (Country Hits).

However, just recently, I "discovered" channel 113, which is XM Pops - Classical's Greatest Hits. I love it! I've heard Gershwin, Strauss, Dvorak, Beethoven, Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin (!!!), the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (baaaad theology, goooooood music!!!), Copeland, some guy playing classics on a harmonica (don't knock it: it was brilliant!)... Oh, and just now they were playing Gilbert and Sullivan's "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General," from the Pirates of Penzance.

Now, why didn't I have the sense to appreciate this really awesome stuff when I was younger?

I love XM Radio!

I love Country music, 2.0

Just saw Books & Dunn's video, "Believe." Oh, yeah. Yeah, yes, absolutely!

I challenge anyone to post, with proof, any other music genre (except Contemporary Christian or similar lists, obviously - loaded dice) which is as unconcerned about having overtly religious hits in the top-40. Well, actually, "unconcerned" is the wrong word. Um, how about... "proactive"? "Unashamed"? "Joyful"?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brooks & Dunn: Believe , from their album, Hillbilly Deluxe.

Old man Wrigley lived in that white house
Down the street where i grew up
Momma used to send me over with things
We struck a freindship up
I spent a few long summers out on his old porch swing
Says he was in the war when in the navy
Lost his wife, lost his baby
Broke down and asked him one time
How ya keep from going crazy
He said I'll see my wife and son in just a little while
I asked him what he meant
He looked at me and smiled, said

(Chorus) I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
Oh i believe

Few years later i was off at college
Talkin' to mom on the phone one night
Getting all caught up on the gossip
The ins and outs of the small town life
She said oh by the way son, old man Wrigley's died.
Later on that night, i laid there thinkin' back
Thought 'bout a couple long-lost summers
I didn't know whether to cry or laugh
If there was ever anybody desevred a ticket to the other side
It'd be that sweet old man who looked me in the eye, said

(Chorus)

I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
I can't quote the book
The chapter or the verse
You can't tell me it all ends
In a slow ride in a hearse
You know I'm more and more convinced
The longer that i live
Yeah, this can't be
No, this can't be
No, this can't be all there is

(Chorus)

When I raise my hands, bow my head
I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see
I believe
Oh, I
I believe
I believe
I believe
I believe
I believe