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Category Archives: Hymns and Songs

Emails to God – “Give Me Jesus” by Fernando Ortega

23 Jul

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus

Chorus:
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone
Give me Jesus

Chorus

And when I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die
Give me Jesus

Chorus

Dear God, I was getting ready for work this morning and this song came on my Pandora app. It struck me as I was listening to it that the chorus makes an interesting statement: “You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.” Really? Do I mean that? Can others have ALL of this world and just leave me with you? Is that a trade I’m willing to make? (Click Here for a youtube video of “Give Me Jesus”)

I notice that the verses mention three different times in life. First is “in the morning.” That makes sense and is a little more all-encompassing. That can mean good times and bad times. Then the other two verses seem like natural times to want Jesus—when I’m alone and when I come to die.

Father, I want to write one more verse to this song. I’m not sure I really mean it, but I want to mean it.

And when I have it all
When I have it all
You can take it all away
And give me Jesus

 
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Posted by on July 23, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “Don’t Let The Fire Die” by Steven Curtis Chapman

21 Jul

I can still feel the prayers you prayed for me all those years
And I see now more than ever what a difference they have made
And I can still hear your voice spoken from a heart of great concern
Saying, “Keep your eyes on Jesus and love Him more than anything.”
And I’ve watched the wind blow hard against you
And I’ve seen your face get weakened by the pain
And I want you to know that I will be praying for you to hold on

[Chorus]
Don’t let the fire die
The flame has been dimmed by the tears that you’ve cried
But I can still see the spark of his love in your eyes
So don’t let the fire, oh, don’t let the fire die

This heavy weight you carry around of letting yourself and everybody down
Is pouring water on the passion that used to burn so bright
Well, I know you’ve got your reasons for resentment
And I know it’s more than I can understand
So just let me say that I’m going to be praying for you to let it all go

[Bridge]
Now, I’m not praying for the fire to burn the way it did before
Cause I believe the one who started this flame in your heart
He wants to give you more, so don’t let the fire die, don’t let the fire die.

Dear God, when I was on the airplane last Monday to come on this trip, this was one of the first songs that came up on my iPod. I have to admit that I wondered if you didn’t have a message in it for me. Did you have it play intentionally? Were you trying to encourage me?

This is the last day of my vacation, and I have to say that I think you have accomplished some things in me this week. Everything isn’t magically resolved, but you have given me some clarity on different challenges in my life. I don’t know what life will be like when I get home tomorrow, but I know that you will be with me.

So let’s look at this song and see what was going on with SCC when he wrote it. I could have this wrong, but I heard several years ago that this song was written for a relative, maybe even his mother. I think some hard life circumstances had turned her away from her faith. I don’t know what they were, but I can pretty easily see how it can happen.

Verse 1. As the writer of this song, I think about some of the pain that SCC has been through in his life—especially the pain of losing a young daughter just a few years ago. How did the years of prayers prepare him for that? How did watching his relative struggle with her faith prepare him for that? I have a young relative for whom I pray nearly every day, and I know that she does not want people to pray for her. There is some sort of pride issue there that befuddles me a little. But I continue to pray for her because I want your absolute best for her. Will I need her prayers for me one day? Probably. I have been vacationing with my parents this week, and I know there have been times when I needed their prayers. I suppose we would all like to think that we can handle life’s challenges on our own, but the truth is, I cannot handle it. I cannot do it without you. That’s what submitting my life to you is all about.

Verse 2. I think there are times when fatigue and then depression can just take over. Sometimes it is more than we can simply overcome on our own. I don’t know what the pain and sorrow are that SCC was specifically writing about here, but it’s not hard to imagine a life that is beaten down and trying to recover. It could be the loss of a loved one like a parent or child. It could be a damaged or broken marriage. It could be broken relationships with children. Heck, it could simply be the pursuit of self-indulgence. So this is where I sometimes need the prayer of others. One day, I will probably need the prayers of my young relative. I will need them to be the SCC in my life.

Bridge. I like this bridge because it acknowledges that the fire that burned before was not perfect. It had flaws in it. It was perhaps a little naïve. It didn’t respond to everything the way it was supposed to. So it isn’t to be pursued, but it is to be built upon. That’s what we are all called to do—purse the imperfections of our faith and use the solid parts as the foundation for adding to it even more.

Chorus. There have been times in my life when I have just wanted to “let the fire die”. I know a lot of people look at the exterior me and would be surprised to know that, but it’s true. And I would imagine it is true for more people than we know. One of the most encouraging things I ever heard was that Mother Theresa doubted her faith at times and felt like she went the last several decades of her life without hearing your voice or feeling your presence. I’m sure part of that was Satan attacking her. But he refused to let the fire die and she kept her faith in something that she could not see. Some people looked at the revelation of her doubts and struggles as confirmation that Christian faith is not all it’s cracked up to be. I disagree. I found it to be very encouraging.

Father, I know that Satan attacks our unity. Whether it is unity in marriage, with our children/parents, or even among employees at work. So protect my life from Satan’s attacks, please. Please protect my marriage and my relationships with my children. Help me to constantly seek your presence and invite you into all of these relationships. Keep my heart pure and humble. And help me to know how to lead my family in your ways.

 
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Posted by on July 21, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Mountain of God” by Mac Powell and Brown Bannister (Performed by Third Day)

20 Jul

I thought that I was all alone, broken and afraid
But you were there with me, yes, you were there with me
And I didn’t even know that I had lost my way
But you were there with me, yes, you were there with me
Until you opened up my eyes I never knew
That I couldn’t ever make it without you

[Chorus]
Even though the journey’s long and I know the road is hard
Well the one who’s gone before me, He will help me carry on
And after all that I’ve been through, now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain of God

And as I travel on the road that you have led me down
You are here with me, yes, you are here with me.
And I have need for nothing more, oh, now that I have found
That you are here with me, yes, you are here with me
I confess from time to time I lose my way
But you are always there to bring me back again

[Bridge]
Sometimes I think of where it is I’ve come from
And the things I’ve left behind
But of all I’ve had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare with what’s in front of me
Yeah, what’s in front of me

Dear God, it’s interesting that so many songs in worship to you mention certain themes: Valleys, struggles, wandering from you, mountains, inconsistency of faith, you being there to call me back, etc.

There is no other way to describe my life right now than as it being in a valley. It’s not the deepest valley in the world. To be sure, others are walking through far deeper valleys that me. But this is a valley. Work has struggles. My family has struggles. My marriage has struggles. We haven’t given up, and all is not lost. It’s not like that. But it is very hard to see the road ahead through the struggles of today.

I’ve always liked this song. To be honest, it wasn’t the lyrics that first drew me to this song, but Ashley Cleveland’s background vocals in the second half of the song. It is probably the best use of background vocals I have ever heard. They just make me want to close my eyes and sway my head as I lose myself in the sound. (Take a minute to click this youtube link and listen to the song) But then I stop and study the words and I realize that this is a really special song.

Verse 1:
I have to say that I have been a Christian so long (since I was nine) that I don’t remember a time of being in a valley and not realizing you were there with me. Oh, maybe when my parents were separated when I was seven, but for the most part, I have never felt alone. I can only ever remember one time when I was really mad at you. It was almost exactly seven years ago. I couldn’t find a job and I felt alone. I felt like you had forsaken me. Now, in retrospect, I can see what you were doing despite what things looked like to me at the time. It is that experience of doubting you and then seeing you come through in a rich and dramatic way that gives me faith, even in valleys like the one in which I now find myself.

Verse 2:
Probably the hardest part about the valley I am in right now as a parent and husband is that it requires so many actions of me, including changing habits and patterns in my own character that cause others pain. It’s not just a matter of living by faith and believing that one day things will get better. There is a lot of work for me to do, and I’m not sure how to do it. That is where I need you “here with me.” I need to hear your voice telling me what to do. I need you to speak to me through others. I need you to completely unite my wife and me together. I need you to parent our children through me. I need you to help me to be the leader at work that you need me to be. This isn’t just a matter of walking a path. I am trying to bushwhack through the forest of this valley right now, and I need you here with me.

Bridge:
The hope, I suppose, is that there is a mountain in front of me that, as a result of traversing this valley, will be even higher and greater than the mountains I’ve experienced before. There has been pain in my life recently. My hope is in the fact that you will use it to make me a better man and not let it return void.

Chorus:
Father, it is all about me allowing you to help me. I know you are there for me and are ready to help me. But I have to be ready for this help. So I ask for it. I ask for your help as I try to clear the way the brush that covers my path and move through this valley.

 
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Posted by on July 20, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “Speechless” by Taalib Johnson and Kyle Jones (Performed by Steven Curtis Chapman)

19 Jul

Words fall like drops of rain
My lips are like clouds
I say so many things
Trying to figure You out
But as mercy opens my eyes
And my words are stolen away
With this breathtaking view of your grace

[Chorus]

I am speechless, I’m astonished and amazed
I am silenced by your wondrous grace
You have saved me. You have raised me from the grave
I am speechless in your presence now
I’m astounded as I consider how
You have shown us a love that leaves us speechless

So what kind of love can this be
That would trade heaven’s throne for a cross
And to think you still celebrate
Over finding just one who was lost
And to know You rejoice over us
The God of this whole universe
It’s a story that’s too great for words

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
Oh how great is the love the Father has lavished upon us
That we should be called the sons and the daughters of God

[Choir mixed with Chorus]
We stand in awe of your grace
We stand in awe of your mercy
We stand in awe of your love
We are speechless
We stand in awe of your cross
We stand in awe of your power
We are speechless

Dear God, as I look at the words of this song it makes me think about my theology and its irrelevance. This song basically says it all. (Click Here to see Steven Curtis Chapman perform Speechless live in concert)

Verse 1: I have no idea who the two people are who wrote this song. And I don’t know how they wrote it. I don’t know if they wrote the words and music together or if one did the words and one did the music, but I can imagine two men sitting and talking about this first verse. I can hear the conversation about how we “say” so many things about what we believe. Some of it might be right, but a lot of it is probably wrong. Yet we use the words to feel better about ourselves. We use them to feel smart and to appear smart to others. But then as we really start to experience the depths of your grace all of our intelligence and human righteousness begins to appear as it really is—rubbish.

Verse 2: This verse basically talks about the one part of my theology that is critical. Your love traded heaven’s throne for a cross. That is the part that is not negotiable for me. I told someone one time that I am convinced that 95% of my theology is probably wrong, and I can imagine getting to heaven, having my eyes opened to truth and being in wonder about how much of what I believed was wrong. I believe the 5% that is right is the part about Jesus’s
divinity, death, and resurrection. Everything else is negotiable for me.

Chorus: So where does that leave me? It should leave me speechless, but does it? Do I really appreciate WHO you are and WHAT you did for me and the rest of us? Sometimes I am. Sometimes I am astonished and amazed. Sometimes I am even silenced by your wondrous grace. But too often I take it for granted. Thankfully, I think there is grace for that too.

Choir mixed with Chorus: Sometimes it helps to just be reminded that I should stand in awe of your grace, mercy, love, cross and power. I guess that’s why they record songs like this and why I buy them.

Father, I offer this day to you. I will do my best to focus on you during the quiet times of my day today. I will also do my best to intentionally find some quiet times that will give me some space to give you some appropriate worship and reverence.

 
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Posted by on July 19, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “Nothing is Beyond You” by Rich Mullins

18 Jul

Where would I go? Where would I run,
Even if I found the strength to fly?
if I rose on the wings of the dawn
And crashed through the corners of the sky
And if I sailed past the edge of the sea
Even if I made my bed in hell,
Still there You would find me.

[Chorus]
Nothing is beyond You, You stand beyond the reach
Of my vain imaginations, my misguided pieties
The heavens stretch to hold You and deep cries out to deep
Saying that nothing is beyond You
Time cannot contain You, You fill eternity
Sin could never stain You, death has lost its sting
And I cannot explain how You came to love me
Except to say that nothing is beyond You,
Nothing is beyond You

If I shrink back from the light, so I can sink into the dark
If I take cover and I close my eyes, even then You would see my heart
And you’d cut through all of the pain and rage,
The darkness is not dark to you, the night’s as bright as day

Dear God, this is one of those last songs Rich Mullins wrote and recorded before he died, but the recording is something he did as a demo, just sitting in an old church with a piano and a “boom box”. Others like Amy Grant, have recorded since then, but I still prefer Rich’s version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwbVy3Ak3V8

When they released this collection of songs after he died and called it The Jesus Record, this one was my instant favorite. It just kind of addresses that dark, sad place I let myself go to sometimes. There are times when I just want to be alone. I want to be away from everyone and everything, and that includes You. The seductive thing about these times is that they usually start pretty well. After all, a little alone time can be healthy (although I think I am still supposed to “take you with me” to those places. But what ends up happening is that I become self-indulgent. Then I start to feel sorry for myself. My heart gets darker and before I know it I am overwhelmed y everything around me and I have no perspective.

As I typed out the words to this song this morning, the second verse struck me in a new way. Here are the words that really hit me: “so I can sink into the dark.” What is it about sinking into the dark that is so appealing to a human who is in the Light? Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s not. But there is something about the quiet hole of sin that is enticing.

Father, my other favorite part of this son is when he says, “Even if I made my bed it hell, still there You would find me.” You are, for whatever reason, always seeking me. Like the Prodigal Son’s father, seeing the son a long way off, you are always looking for me. So thank you for your love. As a father, I can get just a little feel for your love for me. I am sorry where I fail you. I am sorry for when I indulge my slothful, sinful side. I am sorry when I shrink back from the light and seek a little time away from you. The truth is, it is NEVER fulfilling. It is empty and hollow.

 
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Posted by on July 18, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “Great is the Lord” by James Mark Gulley

17 Jul

I look over the hillside
And out to the sunrise
I stand in awe of your ways
And I see your beauty
Your love that drew me
And so I give myself to your grace
And I’m amazed at your love for me.
[Chorus]
Great is the Lord and worthy of Praise
Slow to your anger and rushing to grace
Covered in mercy I stand at your throne
And dance for the praise of this love that I own
Great is your faithfulness, God, unto me
Never forsaking you always will be
The glorious Lamb of God, Slain for us all
The Lion before whom the nations will fall

[Repeat All]

[Bridge]
They fall singing, “Holy, Holy!”
They’ll sing, “Holy, Holy!”
They’ll sing, “Holy, Holy!
Oh Holy, Holy!”

Dear God, frankly, I need to do something a little fresh. Not that I am tired of scripture, but I am a little tired of scripture. What I mean is, I am not enjoying life very much right now, so I have decided to embrace some praise and worship music and really contemplate the lyrics of those who are fellow sojourners through sometimes blissful and sometimes challenging lives.

While I was flying for vacation yesterday I turned my iPod on my “Christian” playlist and heard some songs I haven’t heard in a while (there are 575 songs on that playlist and I chose “shuffle”. This is one of them. So I’ve decided to go back and pray through some worshipful lyrics as I try to find my smile (to quote City Slickers).

Before I go any further, I want to take an aside to say that I am visiting my parents by myself on this vacation and, while it is great to be with them, I find it very weird to be here without my wife. I don’t think I have been to Colorado without her since we were married and somehow, as great as it is here, I somehow feel incomplete without her being here too.

Anyway, back to our song. I’m sorry that I can’t find a link to a youtube video or something that will enable those reading this to hear the song, because it really is great. It was written by the music minister at the church we attended in Waco back in the early 2000’s.

Verse One:

  • My dad texted a picture from the mountains to my brother, sister, and me a couple of days ago, and my sister’s comment was, “I’ll be when you saw that you said, ‘Thank you, Jesus!’” Unfortunately, my first thought way, “Really?” I had a dismissive and hostile attitude towards her comment. It wasn’t about her. It was about me and my attitude towards life right now. I’m a little burned out. Beauty is something I see, but I don’t appreciate it.
  • So as I sit in Colorado and here the opening words of this song I am actually looking at a mountain behind a mountain behind a mountain. I see an awful lot of beauty out there. This song reminds me that I should stand in awe of your ways. The earth and its grandeur is so much more than my life. It is so much more than I can imagine. The way you are weaving history together is so much more that I can imagine.
  • Then there is the part of your love that drew me. I remember conviction. I remember the feeling of needing to give myself to your grace. I remember being amazed at your love for me. I’ve lost some of those emotions now. I’m not condemning myself for that because I don’t think we should depend on emotions like that to sustain us. At the same time, it is also not good to live without emotions about you. You are to be worshipped. I should feel awe when I see you.

Chorus:

  • You are obviously worthy of praise and great, but the part that catches my attention in this first part is about you being slow to anger. You do get angry, but you are not temperamental. And then, on the back end, you rush to grace. I remember when my children were little I would find myself getting angry with them and then finding it very easy to forgive them. Even now, no matter how angry I might get over something they do (and, make no mistake, I think they are great kids) I find that, when they give an honest, heartfelt apology I am very ready and willing to forgive them. So, while I sometimes feel I am very far off from your standard here I can at least get a little bit of a feel for your love for us (and me).
  • The only reason I can even be here praying to you right now is because you have graciously covered me in grace. To quote my sister, “Thank you, Jesus!”
  • I can only remember one time in my life where I really felt forsaken by you. You hadn’t forsaken me, and I can now, in fact, see what you were doing at the time, but I felt forsaken at the time and very angry at you. I guess it was the seeing of what you were doing in my life at the time that brought me to the point that, no matter what my life is bringing me, I can’t blame you for it. Even if I am suffering, and even if you are allowing it, I will trust that it fits into your bigger purpose somehow (even if that eventual outcome is to benefit someone else besides me).

So, Father, I offer you my worship. I thank you for reminding me to stop and remember how awesome you are. I thank you for this trip. You know that I’m tired, but I also know that there are so many more people who are suffering more than I am. So help me to be a blessing to those who are suffering. Help to restore my soul. Help my cup to runneth over so that others might benefit. Help my wife and children to have a lovely, peaceful day. Help us all to find restoration to you, to each other, and to others around us.

 
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Posted by on July 17, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “Staring At A Bird” by The Waiting

10 Mar

It’s song time again. One of the great things about the shuffle feature on an ipod is that it will sometimes reveal songs from your past. I had that happen this week while driving to work.

I was unemployed for about six months in 2003 and then again in 2005. I really had to fight off depression during that time as I experienced a lot of rejection and had a hard time feeling useful. This song is one that I listened to almost every day. It reminded me that I have a freedom, joy, and ability to be carefree and courageous in Jesus that I often forget. It reminded me in the morning that I needed to get out of bed, exercise, and find some work to do, even if it was volunteering. I especially like the first words of the chorus: “I’m pinned down in my bed again. I don’t think I could fly, I wouldn’t try.”

Before we get going, here’s a link to the song on youtube so you can hear it for yourself. It’s a pretty obscure one that you probably haven’t heard. I worked for a Christian music publisher from 1990-97 so I had access to a lot of obscure music back then. Makes me wonder what great obscure music I’m missing out on now.

“Staring at a Bird” by The Waiting

I’m here staring at a bird in a tree
Lying still, only wishing he were me
‘Cause for a bird it’s not a crime to try and satisfy
His bird belly hunger or fly the blue belly sky
And from his bird’s eye view
He can pick and he can choose
He doesn’t have to grieve his spirit no he doesn’t have to lose
a moment’s joy there in his nest no matter what his mess,
He can barrel out his chest and he can fly away…

CHORUS
But I’m pinned down in my bed again
I don’t think I could fly (I wouldn’t try)
If I was a bird I would be content
To peck along the ground
‘Cause I’m pinned down again…

I’m here staring at a bird on a limb
Lying still, only wishing I was him
‘Cause I could use a haven, a nest above my fate
Call it a rest from the chasing of my pillow and my plate
And for a bird it’s always right to love his appetite
He’s too dumb to know the struggle, too weak to know the fight
He can fly south when he gets cold, sing until he’s old
And on a whim he can unfold his wings and fly away

CHORUS

I’m here staring at a bird in the air
I wonder what I’d see if I looked down from there
I’d see a shattered temple, all its members in a sweat
Everyone’s been degraded, every sermon they forget
I’d see a man pulled from his bed by the same Hands of Love
That hung a cross around his neck
Just to remind him, remind him who he was…

CHORUS

So let’s take a look at the three verses and the chorus.

  • Verse 1: Isn’t it interesting to think about the lack of care and concern an animal seemingly feels for their existence. Almost everything they do seems to be motivated by instinct in the moment and without regard to the future. One of the powerful things I learned from the 17th Letter of C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters is that Satan wants to do whatever he can to keep us from living in the moment because it is the present that interfaces with God. We can’t interface with him in the past or in the future, but only in the given moment. It seems to me that that is an advantage animals have on us.
  • Verse 2: Favorite line from this verse: “He’s too dumb to know the struggle, too weak to know the fight.” Not that we don’t need to make reasonable plans for the future, but it is dangerous when we start to lose the freedom that God has for us now because we become immobilized by our fears or anticipation of the future. We can become a slave to is and sacrifice the present in the process. Again, learning from the impulsiveness of animals. “Consider the lillies of the field…”
  • Verse 3: What does the bird’s eye view of my life look like? What foolish perspectives do I have that vex God and frustrate Him with me? Most of all, we would see someone whom God truly loves, keeps trying to motivate, and sends back out into the world each day to be a witness to His glory, mercy, peace, and joy.
  • Chorus: Those days when I was unemployed (and even sometimes now), there were times when I literally just wanted to stay in bed all day. Thankfully, I started making myself get out and volunteer at a nonprofit a couple of times a week. I exercised like a fiend in order to get those endorphins going and my brain in the right place. I made myself send out “x” number of resumes a week so that I would feel like I was doing my part to try to find a job (and to show my wife I was trying). I love the image here of a bird with my heart and motivation being limited to pecking along the ground.

So what will my metaphoric bird look like this given Saturday. Where I live, it is cold and rainy today. Can’t really get outside and exercise or trim the bushes, like I planned. So what will I do to barrel out my chest, unfold my wings, and fly?

 
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Posted by on March 10, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “The Words I Would Say” by Sidewalk Prophets

04 Mar

It’s song time again. We are blessed in that our local McDonald’s plays Christian music in its McCafe. I went there this week for a quick lunch and while I was there I heard this song. I had heard it before, but was so moved I downloaded it as a ringtone. I thought I would share it with you today.

First, here’s a link to the youtube video with lyrics. I thought you might enjoy hearing it. Also, here is a link to a Q&A with one of the songwriters, David Frey.

Now, without further ado, here are the lyrics to the song:

“The Words I Would Say” by Sidewalk Prophets

Three in the morning, and I’m still awake
So I picked up a pen and a page
And I started writing just what I’d say
If we were face to face
I’d tell you just what you mean to me
Tell you these simple truths

Chorus
Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things
I already know
God’s got His hand on you
So don’t live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don’t forget why you’re here
Take your time and pray
These are the words I would say

Last time we spoke you said you were hurting
And I felt your pain in my heart
I want to tell you that I keep on praying
That love will find you where you are
I know cause I’ve already been there
So please here these simple truths

Chorus

From one simple life to another
I will say…come find peace in the Father

Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things
I already know
God’s got His hand on you
So don’t live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don’t forget why you’re here
Take your time and pray
And thank God for each day
His love will find a way
These are the words I would say

So here are some thoughts as I experience these verses and chorus

  • Verse 1: There have been times when a friend or a loved one have been put on my heart. Sometimes I stop what I am doing and pray. Sometimes I write a note. And sometimes I turn over and go back to sleep without doing anything. I guess the biggest challenge is to decide whether or not to write something down and send it to them. I don’t want to come off as preachy. I don’t want to come off as someone who has it all figured out. My preference is to start by talking about a struggle in my life so that they will know that I relate to them and am not coming from a know-it-all, self-righteous position. That’s probably the hardest part about writing notes to someone when they are struggling. How do you do it in a way that they are willing to hear?
  • Verse 2: Sometimes it is hard to know how deeply to get involved in someone else’s pain (or how much they do or do NOT want you to be involved. Do they want my solutions? Do they just want my sympathy? Do they even want to know I am praying for them or will that simple knowledge drive them further from God? I have had and continue to have friends who experience pain, and I sometimes have a hard time finding the line.
  • Bridge: It can sometimes sound trite to say, “Come find peace in the Father.” I really struggle with when to say this and when not to. When is someone ready to hear it and when aren’t they. I love God. I know I have found peace in God, even though there have been and continue to be periods of struggle. How do I offer that comfort to my friend or loved one when they are in pain?
  • Chorus: Whenever I have heard this chorus in the past I have always thought of my children. I heard Rich Mullins say one time that he wrote the song “Bound to Come Some Trouble” as the words he would speak to children he might have if he knew he could only tell them one thing. I think that this chorus’ collection of little Christian phrases is actually pretty inclusive of what I would hope for my children.

The last question is, is there anything in this song that is for me now? The part of the chorus that hits me each time is, “Don’t live life in fear.” I have different things in my life that I fear, but this is a reminder that there is no place for fear in my life when I have Christ. That’s not to say that bad things won’t happen. It’s just that I shouldn’t fear when they do.

 
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Posted by on March 4, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – “Leader of the Band” by Dan Fogelberg

25 Feb

I was riding my bike this week and this classic song came on my ipod (yes, I’m probably the only person in the world who works out to Dan Fogelberg). I listened carefully to the lyrics and they are beautiful. So in the spirit of some of the posts I have done on this blog about different hymns and songs and the depth of their meaning, here are some thoughts on “Leader of the Band”.

Dan Fogelberg wrote this song for his dad, Lawrence Fogelberg. The song released in 1981 and Lawrence passed away in 1982 meaning that he got to hear one of the sweetest tributes a dad could receive from his son or daughter (incidentally, I poked around the Internet and found a cover that Lucie Arnaz did of this song for her dad, Desi).

Here are the lyrics (and here’s a link to a youtube video complete with lyrics)

“Leader of the Band” – By Dan Fogelberg

A lonely child alone and wild
A cabinet maker’s son
His hands were meant for different work
And his heart was known to none
He left his home and went his lone
And solitary way
And he gave to me a gift I know
I never can repay

A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn’t wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band

My brothers’ lives were different
For they heard another call
One went to Chicago
And the other to St. Paul
And I’m in Colorado
When I’m not in some hotel
Living out this life I’ve chosen
And come to know so well

I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go
I thank you for your kindness
And the times when you got tough
And Papa, I don’t think I’ve said,
“I love you,” near enough

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader of the band

I saw a 2003 video of Dan performing this song and he said that if he had only been allowed to write one song in his life it would be this one. Before I go any further, here’s a link to an interview done in March 1982 with Dan’s dad, Lawrence Fogelberg, the Leader of the Band. (You’ll probably want to copy and paste it into a word processor because the font is hard to read with the background.)

So let’s look at this song and see what it tells us

  • Verse 1a: It seems that Lawrence communicated to Dan at some point that he felt like he (Lawrence) didn’t fit in as a child. He felt different from his family and Dan says at the end of this stanza that he got a gift from his dad that he can’t repay. I wonder if that gift is the peace of knowing that it is okay to be himself, even if that made him different from his brothers.
  • Verse 1b: Lawrence was a high school and college band director. In the 1982 interview he says that the thundering velvet hand was his perfectionism with his students, but he was careful to add that he never belittled a student in front of the rest of the band. It seems that Dan came to appreciate how lawrence molded his students’ lives.
  • Verse 2a: It’s interesting that Dan moves from talking about his dad’s students to talking about himself and his brothers. It is apparent that he felt the difference in how they were pursuing their lives. I think there’s something in all of us that tries to figure out our place in our families and how we fit in. I figure that Dan probably got some of his peace about who he was from his knowledge that the musical part of him came from his dad.
  • Verse 2b: First, as a dad, I can’t wait for the day when my children thank me for being tough. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine. But the big thing I get from this verse is that Dan felt his father’s blessing. My dad has blessed me to live my own life, and it is his greatest gift to me. I hope I am able to give it to my children.
  • Chorus: The interview I linked to above was done in March 1982. I don’t know what caused it, but Lawrence died later that year. Perhaps he was terminally ill and that is what Dan meant when he said that his dad was tired. It feels like he had a bond with his dad by the time he died that was beautiful. I am sure there was pain in their past together. I am sure there were scars. But somehow love, forgiveness, and acceptance took over.

I am a sucker for father/son stories. I am blessed with two parents who are loving and supportive of me beyond reason, and the tribute that Dan pays to his father here is beautiful. It’s hard to imagine the joy Lawrence must have felt when he heard “Leader of the Band” for the first time.

 
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Posted by on February 25, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Emails to God – Two Songs, a Wedding, and a Funeral

07 Feb

I went to a Mass of Resurrection (funeral) yesterday for a woman who was beautiful in every sense of the word, Cynthia Pedregon. The two highlights for me were two of her granddaughters singing and the eulogy given by a local pastor. The eulogy was a collection of quotes from her friends and family about her. It was a tribute unlike any I have ever heard. Every word spoken about her was consistent with the woman I knew in only a small way. It was remarkable.

There was one other thing I noticed about the program for the Mass. The last song they played before the service began was “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris (music only). The recessional was “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You.” Both of these songs were in our wedding nearly twenty years ago. My wife’s aunt say “How Beautiful” during the service, and we picked “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” as our recessional as well. So here are the lyrics for both songs. I wonder what each one has to sang about the birth of a marriage and the end of a life well-lived.

“How Beautiful” By Twila Paris

How beautiful the hands that served
the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful the feet that walked
the long dusty roads and the hills to  the cross.
How beautiful, how beautiful,
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the heart that bled
that took all my sin and bore it instead.
How beautiful the tender eyes
that chose to forgiveand never despise.
How beautiful,how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

And  as He laid down His life we offer this sacrifice
that we will live just as he died willing to pay the  price,willing to pay the  price.

How beautiful the radiant Bride
who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes.
How beautiful when humble hearts give
the fruit of pure lives so that others may live.
How beautiful, how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the feet that bring
the sound of good news and the love of  the King.
How beautiful the hands that serve
the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful,how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

When I read this song and imagine what Mrs. Paris must have been thinking as she wrote it, I think that she was just struck by the beauty of God and what He brings to life. First verse: That Jesus came and lived like us was beautiful. Second verse: Jesus’ death and sacrifice for us was a different kind of beautiful. Third verse: The life submitted to God is beautiful. Fourth verse: The life lived out in submission to God is beautiful. Well, those four verses really do speak to the life that begins with to people joining in marriage, and, in Cynthia’s case, they are descriptive of the life she lived.

“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” Lyrics by Henry van Dyke
Set to “Ode to Joy” from Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Count this one as my favorite hymn. Here is a quote from Mr. van Dyke (according to Wikipedia–so it must be true) about his intentions for this song:

These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this present time—hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thought of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.

While I didn’t know of this quote when I chose this (yes, I picked this one for the wedding ceremony) as our recessional, and I doubt Cynthia knew of it when she chose it as the recessional for her funeral, I think we both chose it because the song accomplishes exactly what Mr. van Dyke intended: “…this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.” For me, the beginning of my married life in God was about trust, joy, and hope. I’m sure Cynthia felt like the end of her earthy life in God was about trust, joy, and hope. Finally, I think for her family, the beginning of their lives without her in God will be about trust, joy, and hope.

 
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Posted by on February 7, 2012 in Hymns and Songs

 

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