The Love of God
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
I cannot find in my own
And He keeps His fire burning
To melt this heart of stone
Keeps me aching with a yearning
Keeps me glad to have been caught
In the reckless raging fury,
That they call the love of God
Blame It On Her Wild Heart
I remember what it was like to dance before having self-awareness. You could get lost in the music. You could let it move you however you desired. You didn’t have to worry about what you looked like or how you came across or what others might think of your moves. You simply were. You existed.
I remember the chants of “Nomar” and “MVP”. The boyish shortstop with the wide smile. The one who cheered for the fans even as they cheered for him. I remember how they said that he played his best when he was playing with joy. The “love of the game,” they called it. It was the time before he “lost his smile”.
I wonder what it is like to be a professional athlete or musician. I wonder the point at which joy turns into duty and spontaneity turns into drudgery. There was a time when I couldn’t believe that athletes got paid to play baseball. Now, I wonder if a few of them aren’t so disappointed when the season ends. It becomes about money. Or fame. Maybe the love just wears off over time. Perhaps the continual demand to perform is just too great. Save for the littlest of little ones, there is so much pressure on us all.
I know next to nothing about Stevie Nicks. I mentioned her a few posts ago, but I wasn’t sure of her first name. I don’t even know what this song is all about. All I know is that she was singing it with joy. Who knows if she knew she was being recorded. I don’t think it mattered. For a few moments, she was a little girl again. Her wild heart was free.
Does her hair hang long?
I’ve listened to this song about 73 times in a row. There is something about it that won’t let me go. The song was written by Bob Dylan and is performed here by Bruce Hornsby.
Girl From The North Country
Well, if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.
Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm,
When the rivers freeze and summer ends,
Please see if she’s wearing a coat so warm,
To keep her from the howlin’ winds.
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
If it rolls and flows all down her breast.
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
That’s the way I remember her best.
I’m a-wonderin’ if she remembers me at all.
Many times I’ve often prayed
In the darkness of my night,
In the brightness of my day.
So if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.
Copyright ©1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music
(I first saw this posted at the Rabbitroom.com.)
You taught me how to love
I first heard this song about 4 years ago and instantly loved it. I found it on an unmarked CD that was laying around somewhere. I didn’t realize until later that it was written by my good friend and former roommate Andy and sung by my friends Luke and Nina. I love how Andy’s beautiful heart is expressed through Luke and Nina’s amazing voices.
I would like to dedicate this song to the Burns family (especially Terri). They are currently missionaries in Africa and I love that family very much. I saw something on Terri’s facebook page about how much the people in Africa are ministering to her and I wanted her to hear it. I hope you are as blessed by this song as I was, Terri.
So, I will play the role of Internet disc jockey matchmaker and dedicate a song I love about love by a person I love sung by people I love to people I love about people they love who love them back.
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“We love because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
Andy is the vice-president of “Kupenda”. Kupenda mean “to love” in Kiswahili and exists to meet the needs of children with disabilities. The current focus of Kupenda is in the Malindi district on the coast of Kenya. You can find out more about Kupenda at: http://kupenda.org/
The Burns are currently serving in South Africa with Child Evangelism Fellowship. More information about the Burns family and their adventures can be found at this address: http://www.theburnsfamilysouthafrica.org/
Looking for Jill C.
I have decided to mix it up a bit today and bring you (my faithful blog reader) a little musical treat. This song was (I think) written many years ago by a then Wheaton College student named Peter for a fellow student named Jill. The name of the song is, “I will find Jill C.” There are many things I like about this song. Here are a few:
a) The deep and somewhat mysterious lyrics
b) The line about throwing China on the ground
c) The line, “What a hand, what a fragile hand! I could put my finger on it.”
d) The Christmas concert reference reminds me of this time of year
A reviewer described the song as “moving and quirky”. I agree. Unfortunately, Jill C. never seemed to have been moved by Peter B. From what I understand, she didn’t give him the time of day. I wonder if Peter B. stopped searching for Jill C. after it was clear that she didn’t want to be found by him. I also wonder if Jill C. ever heard the song. Regardless of her apparent disdain for Pete, I hope she did hear the song and was eventually touched by the tender words she inspired.
Harrod & Funck covered this song:
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Lyrics:
We will wander away in time,
I’ve built apartments up and down.
That’s a given, I’m a prisoner.
I’m in this field, on this mountain
I’ll wait here until you walk through the trees
And sit down next to me, yes.
Of angels you have nothing missing,
I’m throwing china on the ground.
It’s ugly. It’s unclean.
You inspire me to climb trees
And to kiss the bark and to kiss the leaves.
I hear you’ve got offices up there.
Music loves you, the grasses love you, and so do I,
Soon as I find you in those trees somewhere.
You’re the final word, and still you’re the first and rightful, you’re the rightful one.
I never saw nothing like that before.
There I will be… There I will be…
What a delicate Christmas concert!
What a hand, what a fragile hand! I could put my finger on it.
If I could build a me for you,
What else would I ever have to do forever?
Letting your guard down
Fear not now, fear not now
Hear what I’m saying to you
You can trust now, let your guard down
Let my love embrace you (Shaded Red)
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4
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One of my favorite songs
“God Believes in You” (Pierce Pettis)
When you start to doubt if you exist, God believes in you
Confounded by the evidence, God believes in you
When your light burns so dim, when your chances seem so slim
And when you swear you don’t believe in Him, God believes in you
When you rise up just to fall again, God believes in you
Deserted by your closest friends, God believes in you
When you’re betrayed with a kiss, when you turn your cheek to another fist
It does not have to end like this, God believes in you
Oh everything matters if anything matters at all
Everything matters no matter how big, no matter how small
Oh God believes in you, God believes in you
When you’re so ashamed that you could die, God believes in you
And you can’t do right even though you try, God believes in you
Blessed are the ones who grieve, the ones who mourn, the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in joy you’ll reap, God believes in you
Andrew Peterson version:
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