Monday, September 26, 2011

Wait For Me

This past weekend I had the joy of attending the wedding of one of my best college friends.  She is not the first of my really good friends to be married, not even the first to start having babies.  


While I couldn't be happier to see my friends so happy with their lives, it is still a bit of a slap in the face.  I am not a jealous person and I don't typically covet what others have.  However, when I see my friends so happy and finding the person that they want to spend the rest of their lives with, I can't help but want what they have.  I hope and pray that someday I find someone who I can spend the rest of my own life with and that God has a man in his plan for me.  


The song of my day is by Rebecca St. James and it's called "Wait For Me."


How do I know if that is His plan for me though?  I know, I'm young, I have plenty of time - at least that's what I tell myself... but that doesn't mean that I still don't hope that I get to experience what they are experiencing sooner rather than later.  I guess I just have to continue to remind myself that while I am waiting for 'that guy,' 'that guy' is out there, somewhere, waiting for me too.  

Friday, September 23, 2011

These Hard Times

It seems like every time I turn on the TV and see the news people are fighting or badmouthing or complaining about the state of the world.  What if all of these people tried acting to make a change instead of just talking about it?


These are the lyrics to NEEDTOBREATHE's song, "These Hard Times"


Give me something brighter
Give me something I can see
Give me something vicious
Give me something I can be
Give me all the love and peace
To end these wars
Give me something sacred
Something worth fighting for

It's clear enough to me
The ugliness I see
Is evidence of who I need

Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times

Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times

Give me motivation
Give me all my heart's desires
Show me something gorgeous
Show me till my eyes get tired
Give me all the drums and
Show me how to play them loud
Show me how to move
When I can't feel that you're around

It's clear enough to me
The ugliness I see
Is evidence of who I need

Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times

Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times

We hide like thieves in shadows
Scared of the sun
We know the light will find us
Us and all we've done

Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times 

Give me an answer
Give me a way out
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times
Give me the faith
To believe in these hard times

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

What a Wonderful World

While the weather outside is nasty - cool, rainy, and gray - today's song of the day is Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."

Today marks the 6th anniversary of my Gram's death and the song that we played at both her and my grampa's funerals was this song.  It took awhile for me to be able to listen to this song without tears forming, but now when I hear it I think of my grandparents and my memories of them.

I hope you're having a good day so far!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Bleed Red

This is a topic I wrote about in May when Osama Bin Laden was killed, and it's appropriate to talk about it again.


September 11, 2001.


On Sunday the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001 will be upon us.  The reason I am writing this tonight instead of on Sunday is because I'm working the next few days and wanted to make sure I put my thoughts out in the world before the day has come and gone.  


The song of the past few days and for the coming days, for me, is "Bleed Red" by Ronnie Dunn.


9/11 is a date that I will never forget for the sadness, fear and confusion that it brought.  But also for the unity, faith, and compassion that it brought.  


We can all easily bring back the horrible feelings of that day.  With all that is going on in the world right now - the wars, the hatred, the financial turmoil, political unrest, fighting between parties and governments, etc, it is more difficult to conjure up the feelings of unit, faith and compassion that such a terrible day brought upon our country.   


I remember hearing of so many firefighters, policeman, nurses, doctors, just plain old regular people packing their bags and heading out to NYC after the attacks.  I remember seeing our beautiful flag flying from every house up and down my street, from so many cars on the road, pictures hung from business doors, and signs saying "Proud to be an American."  This was the first time I had seen and felt that our country was united for a cause.  It was the first time I had lived through an event so powerful that not one single person was unaffected by it whether they lived thousands of miles from me or just next door.  People were helping one another.  People were thoughtful, altruistic and not asking what was being done for them, but what they could do for others.  


My song for this anniversary is "Bleed Red" because it reminds us that we are all people.  No matter our color to the world, our background, our faith, our orientation, or our income, we are all people.  We all bleed red.  We are all the same.   I believe that it is time for us to use this anniversary as a stepping stone to becoming a unified country again and to forget all of our petty differences and to work as a unified group again for the best of the country.  This is my prayer going into Sunday.


Here are some of the lyrics to the song - 
Let’s say were sorry, before it’s too late, give forgiveness a chance
Turn the anger into water; let it slip through our hands
We all bleed red, we all taste rain, all fall down, lose our way, 
We all say words we regret, we all cry tears, we all bleed red

If we’re fighting, we’re both losing; we’re just wasting our time
Because my scars, they are your scars and your world is mine
You and I, we all bleed red, we all taste rain, all fall down, lose our way
We all say words, we regret, well cry tears, we all bleed red
Sometimes we’re strong, sometimes we’re weak, sometimes we’re hurt and it cuts deep
We live this life, breath to breath, we’re all the same; we all bleed red

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Stereo Hearts

Oh my goodness, I fell asleep with a song stuck in my head last night, woke up with it playing in my head this morning and have been singing it to myself all day long.   I really like the song and the lyrics, but I have to admit that I want it out of my head!  


The song is Gym Class Heroes (featuring Adam Levine) song 'Stereo Hearts.'  


The lyrics are endearing and I've been a fan of Adam Levine's for a long time so it's fun that he is a part of the song too.


If I could only find a note to make you understand
I'd sing it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand
Just keep it stuck inside your head, like your favorite tune
And know my heart's a stereo that only plays for you

[Chorus]
My heart's a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note, oh oh
Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo



The video is good too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3E9Wjbq44E

Monday, September 5, 2011

We Live

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up.  These are the lyrics to Superchick's song, "We Live."


Living, loving and forgiving is something that we should all strive to do each and every day because we never know which day is going to be our last.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

By Your Side

I must admit that I have not been very good about going to church this summer.  These past few weeks I've been thinking a lot about it and how I had been wanting to find a church where I felt more comfortable than at the other church that I had been going to.  Well, last Saturday night before going to bed I googled 'non-denominational church' near my zip code.  Guess what I found!  A church that was moving to a new location within walking distance to my apartment that sounded just like the type of church I had been praying for.  


So, this past Sunday I woke up and while a little nervous, went to the church and really enjoyed it.  Unfortunately I work the next few Sundays so I will be unable to attend, but I can't wait until I can go back.  Hopefully next time I'll be a little less nervous and a little more brave to talk to more people.  


One song that I've been listening to a lot lately is by Tenth Avenue North called "By Your Side."  It's sung from God's point of view - here are the lyrics 



Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

(Chorus 2x)

I often wonder what God must think of my life and if he laughs, smiles, cries or yells "what are you doing?!".  I must remember that nothing is more important than having a relationship with Him and that no matter what I am doing or experiencing He is beside me, invisibly holding my heart and my hand in His hands.  This gives me such a feeling of comfort and strength to make it through my days.