I Want You To Know Who I Am November 19, 2009

I was driving with one of my Young Life friends the other day, and she wanted to hear a song we  sang at camp.  The song turned out to be “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, one of my favorite bands, and we started listening to it on my iPod.  I said what do you think that song means?  She replied, “I think he’s talking to God.  I think that’s why I like it.  It’s what I would say to God if I could talk to him.”  The song was actually written for the movie City of Angels which is about an angel who gives up everything to be with the woman he loves.   The refrain, “I just want you to know who I am,” is repeated over and over.

My friend is a new believer, and she’s learning to know God.  Teenagers are masters of the mask and pretending to be something they are or are not.  It’s really neat to hear my friend say, this is what I would tell God.  I want you to know me.

And I’d give up forever to touch you
‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be
And I don’t want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
‘Cause sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t want to miss you tonight

And I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

A Different Sort of Christmas Song December 24, 2008

Just downloaded Chris Tomlin’s new album, Love, this morning.  This song caught my ear because the first verse makes a reference to Psalm 75:26, my life verse if I had to choose one, and one of my favorite hymns, It is Well.  As I listened to the whole song (which is amazing), I thought, what a great song for Christmas.  This is the real message and hope of Christmas that began with a baby in a manger and ends with all the saints singing “worthy is the Lamb.”

There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say “It is well”

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when
He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees And rise
I will rise

There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when
He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of
many angels sing,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of
every longing heart,
“Worthy is the Lamb”

And I will rise when
He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees And rise
I will rise

A New Revelation August 3, 2008

I am an infinitely impatient person.  That’s not a new revelation at all, but lately I’m discovering the depth of my impatience.  It always seems God has a way of revealing and stripping away the things that I take pride in.  My patience for example.  People have complimented me on my patience in the past.  I do consider myself to have a fairly high degree of patience with people.  Longsuffering.  A friend of mine calls it my “high tolerance for weird.”

I can be patient at times except when I feel like things that matter most to me are at stake.  A friendship.  A relationship.  A job.  A family member.  Then, everything in me screams.  What I do want?  Certainty.   When do I want it?  Now.  What do I want?  Security.  When do I want it? Now. What do I want?  Rest.  When do I want it?  Now.  I do protest too much.

All my protesting eventually leads me back to the same place it always does eventually.  I come back again to God as my only foundation.  My only hope.  My only true security.  I don’t have answers, but He does.  I don’t know the way the pathway lies.  He does.  I don’t know the end of the story.  He does.  So, again, I come back, surrender my pride and my protests and rest again.  In him.

One day, I’m going to meet the person who has been praying for me to be patient.  I’m going to smack them.  Really hard.

Take It All
words by Mark Lee / music by Third Day

All the promises I’ve broken
All the times I’ve let you down
You’ve forgot them
But still I hold on to the pain that makes me drown
Now I’m ready
To let it go
To give it away

Take it all
‘Cause I can’t take it any longer
All I have, I can’t make it on my own
Take the first, take the last
Take the good and take the rest
Here I am, all I have
Take it all

All the roads that lie before me
All the struggles I go through
Every second I’m reminded
That it all belongs to you
Now I’m ready
To let it go
To give it away

Ever since I died to myself
You gave a better life to me
I give you my finest moment
I give you the last breath I breathe

Strength for Today, Bright Hope for Tomorrow July 7, 2008

Ever since Melissa prompted me to think about songs that have been defining my summer, this one has been coming up on my Ipod alot.  I’ve always loved Fernando Ortega, and this is one of my favorite hymns ever.

Music is such an important part of my life and worship of God.  Any kind of music really.  Whether it is a hymn or a secular song, I can almost always find something that prompts me to worship.  It may just be a catchy tune that quickens my step a little bit and makes me laugh.  That is a reason for worship and a gift from God.  I often listen to music while I’m walking in the mornings around the neighborhood.  Every now and then I get this urge to bust out a move and dance down the street.  I don’t of course, because my neighbors would think I’m crazy.  Maybe they already do, and it wouldn’t matter.

This song has popped on my Ipod lately when I’ve been walking and praying or driving and praying about circumstances and situations beyond my control.  I think it’s God’s reminder to me to trust him.  Almost like God is singing in my ear.

A Musical Challenge June 26, 2008

Melissa N. challenged me to make a list of 7 songs that were shaping my summer.  I don’t know that I have specific songs as much as specific artists that I’m listening to this summer.  I have some old favorites, but I’m always on the lookout for new music and have a bad addiction to iTunes (admitting it is the first step, right?).  So, here goes:

1.  Vienna Teng–A work colleague just suggested her to me and I love her voice and the piano.  Any thing on Warm Strangers and Dreaming Through the Noise.  Safe in Your Harbor is a personal favorites.

2.  Chantal Kreviazuk–Feels Like Home–always liked this song and thanks to Pandora (another cool music website) I now know who sings it.

3.  Kim Richey–A Place Called Home (do you sense a pattern?)

4.  Patty Griffin–Heavenly Day

5.  Counting Crows–Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby, Hanging Around, Colorblind

6.  David Crowder–Wholly Yours, Here is Our King, Foreverandever etc., Everything Glorious

7.  Jack Johnson–Curious George soundtrack–just for fun.