Poetry in Motion

I write poetry. I know you find that hard to believe....not! But I have written it for years. I began writing it when I was eight; the year my brother died.  I needed some kind of outlet and poetry gave me just that.  It was a place I could release all the feelings, fears, anger, hurt and pain.  Music became my other outlet. I need music just like I need air to breathe. It is life blood for me. My grandfather was the starting source of my music. He took time with all of us when we were young and taught us all to play guitar if we wanted to learn. I was one of his students. When he died my grandmother gave me his mandolin.  It was a humped back one called a "tater bug" and it had suffered a lot of use and misuse.  There are missing inlays and it has a crack or two in the back....but I love it.  Several years later I penned this poem.

The Mandolin

Round back bent and broken

from years of nightly use

inlays missing, dusty,

rusty from neglect and abuse.

Strings that are still and silent,

out of tune, played no more.

Once a master stroked you,

coerced the sound to soar.

The songs that lie encased,

inside your wooden heart.

These songs were my beginning,

where I got my musical start.

My grandfather once held you,

just like he once held me.

And when he touched our heart strings,

set both out spirits free.

When I hold you now I know,

that I am gree to know,

where eagles fly, where steel wheels turn,

where'er I want to go.

Thank you Grandpa for this gift,

your favorite mandolin.

I'll use it - while I'm here -

and then pass it on again!

This poem and mandolin sparked another flame of musical symbolism in my soul and I began thinking about myself. The writer, the musician, the singer...and found myself asking...

Body Music

Who are you?

Where is the face I looked at yesterday....or was that last year?

God! This is so depressing.

I still feel young....yet, I am seeing my mother

in this mirror more and more.

My hands are short and stocky,

remnants of my Creek Indian Heritage.

These hands were made to work hard and the

calloused fingers are testimonials

that they have.

My eyes see into your soul.

I want to know you and I usually do...

many times on a plane higher than you are

even aware of.

My eyes are the windows to my very being.

They tell you when I 'm sick, tired, distressed,

or even....lying!

My eyes have never learned to keep secrets.

My mouth is not too big, so I don't

shoot it off without provocation.

It is not so small either.

I will strike up a conversation with anyone.

I like people.

Strangers are just people I haven't met yet.

My ears are large enough to listen when

my friends need a friend, yet

small enough to easily shut out

thinks I don't want to hear

at the most convenient times.

My body, once looked like a sleek, classical guitar

before the days of children and marriage.

Now I see a bass violin - curved, but

definitely thicker.

All in all I like me.

We can't all be classical guitars.

The worlds orchestration needs a mixture

of musical types.

I am a bass fiddle, at this time in my life...

so close your eyes and hear my music.

As I leave you with my poetic offerings today I give you this mock Irish blessing.  May your music today be soothing. May you share your song with all those you come in contact with...and no matter what instrument you play....may you know that you are part of a great earthly band called the human race.  God Bless you and yours today.

Stained Glass Shepherd Hear My Song

My Holy Shepherd and Me!

I love stained glass.  One of my most vivid memories as a child was the huge piece of stained glass in the back/front of my church of Jesus, the Shepherd.  Anytime I had problems(especially when my brother died) I would sneek into the sanctuary....and talk to that picture.  I even think I sang in the choirs so I could sing to that picture.  It is permanantly etched in my mind forever....and has always been a constant comfort.  Can't you just imagine Him....standing there...holding his little sheep?  I could....and I knew that that little sheep was somehow me.  Back then, and even today.....I find that music is just like that stained glass because it is a composition of many elements that make up a complete object.  With music you have the base line, alto line, melody, rests, pauses, louder parts, softer parts....and when you add it all together....you have a beautiful song.  Stained glass is broken pieces of colored glass....compiled to make a beautiful picture.  Just like the stained glass Shepherd soothed me when I was a child, music does today.  Singers like Sandi Patti, Mary Mary, Travis Cottrell all manage to soothe, delight, inspire, and entertain me.  I sing all the time.  My poor husband gets an overdose anytime we get into a car.  I can hardly contain myself.  Sometimes I sing and cry....other times I sing really loud.  I am sure there are countless unsuspecting motorists who have been entertained by my boisterous singing at red lights.  I love to sing at Veteran's remembrances...Lee Greenwood's, "God Bless the U.S.A." fills me with tears and pride.  I love to look in each veteran's face and see the flood of emotions.  It lifts me so much.  I also sing a goofy song called "Ol' Blue" that I have done for my kids all their life time....and they are over 30.  It is still one of their most requested songs.  Music is almost like life blood to me.  Even King Saul, when he was troubled, would send for the shepherd boy, David, to sing to him. David's psalms covered a multitude of topics from good to bad.  For me....the songs that bring the most comfort are the ones I connect with.  Even my way is the darkest, I can sing....I may be crying....but I am still singing.  It is all the mosaic that makes up my life....it is my personal stained glass picture....and I know one day....it will be as breathtaking as the one I loved so at First Methodist Church in West Palm Beach.  Have a Wonderful Friday.

I Want To Sing A Song

Amandas post for Saturday over at  Beth Moore's Living Proof Ministries Blog  was called "Songs in the Car" and it reminded me also of some truly wonderful times in my life when music + car = memories.  I grew up in South Florida and both sets of my grandparents lived in Alabama.  The drive...back before Interstates....took close to fourteen hours.  How do you keep two small children happily occupied in the back seat of a Chevy for that long?  The answer to the bonus round question for today....is SING!  My parents loved to sing.  I could sit and listen to my parents sing for hours.  My mother would start the Song Fest off with something like, "Oh You Can't Get To Heaven In A Rocking Chair" and before the trip was over we would be singing "Bally Hi"  from the South Pacific.  It is no wonder I have a reportoire of thousands of songs.  Just think about it....three minutes per song times 14 hours......do the math...that is a lot of songs...pretty close to 300.  When it was just the three of us, after my brother died, we still sang....there were new show tunes, big band hits, you name it....we sang it.  We would even take the hymnal from the house and sing every song in it.  I thought this was how everyone traveled.  All my mom's family did....they were all musical.  Later in life I discovered that some people actually prefer to travel in silence....what a rude awakening for me....and what a boring trip.  When my children came along....we sang....we have sat in the drive way to finish belting out our favorite line from many Sandi Patti or Larnelle Harris songs.  I was delighted when Kat began to experiment with harmony because that made the music even better......Even now that my nest is empty....Frank and I have sat in our carport....or in a parking lot...so we(mostly I...though he humors me a lot) can hear the last line of something.  I love it that Frank sings too.  It thrills me to hear his rich voice blending with mine.  I have planned trips....where music was a key element....going west....songs had a western flair....or they were about states we were traveling in or through.  Oh yes....music does rock my world.  This past summer I went on a Girls Gone Wild trip to Michigan....Kat and I had loaded our Ipods with much great music....I was driving....and when I drive...I love to bump it up...and get everybody singing....and it was sort of working....until one of the passengers...felt she could not text with the music loud enough to hear.  No problem....I am a team player....and we had just gotten started....so I turned it down low....and bumped the speakers to the front.  It was then requested of me to turn it down even lower....because again it was interfering with texting.  I turned it off....totally.  Excuse me for messing with your fingers with my music.  I was glad when we stopped for gas and I could shake it off....it would have been a long 6 days if I hadn't.  Music returned and things lightened up a bit.  I learned a great deal about sharing space and actually worked on some patience skills....but that is another post.  My fondest memories all revolve around music....so let me ask you....what do some of your fondest memories revolve around?  The kitchen, a fireplace, a repeated trip...would you share it with me?  I'd love to relive a memory with you.  Happy Saturday and be sure to come back tomorrow for my week in pictures.  This has been a fun week.  I can't wait to share them with you.

Another Musical Monday

Musical Monday is a brainchild of Jori and Diane's. This month they have chosen movie titles but I have a mission today and therefore I am going to hang onto songs that move you another Monday. I will start the movies songs next week. It is the end of the school year....so humor me please. My song today is one that being of Irish heritage really touches my soul and after watching the season finale of Extreme Home Makeover last night....I am reminded that we must lift up...as we rise up! So...tell me, what song moves you today?

Musical Monday

My favorite song for today is South City Midnight Lady by the Doobie Brothers. It reminds me of a time in the past when I was first finding out just exactly who I was....and if I even liked myself. When I hear it now...I think of L.A. and smile.



Like my choice of songs for Monday? If you do then follow the link and hear some more good music choices. Who knows you might want to make your own Musical Monday choice.

Be Thou My Vision

One of my other favorite songs is an Irish one written by Dallen Forgaill entitled Be Thou My Vision. I love Irish music....I love the flute sound, I love the fiddle sound, I love all the celtic goodies they can pack into the song....and yes...Michael Flatley and River Dance rocks my world. I wish I could dance that way....with so much passion and emotion....but alas....I was given a voice....not rhythm. I dance like an orangutan who has had too much caffeine. Back to the subject at hand. Be Thou My Vision....is another one of those minor chord songs I adore so much....but it goes ever so much deeper than that....the words of this song could be my prayer, my mantra, everything I believe....or want to believe about being a Christian. I am a teacher and within the confines of education....we are always looking for a vision.....or a mission statement. The words that follow....are my personal mission statement.....

"Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all."
Dal­lan For­gaill (translated from the Irish byMa­ry E. Byrne, Versified by El­ea­nor H. Hull)

As I sat here tonight and pondered these words and held them dear to my heart I decided to plug in my IPOD and listen to 4HIM's version of the song. I love it because they modulate between verses and three people sing it....it is so powerful. There is nothing I love more than writing with music playing in my head....and in my heart. The power and majesty of the words come swelling forth....Be Thou My vision....O Lord of my heart. Thou my best thought by day and by night......waking or sleeping thy presence my light.....I have to ask....how can someone not believe in anyone....who is the best thought you have all day.....whether you are awake or asleep....we should all keep our eyes focused on Him.....the Ruler of all. Amen and amen. Next time you hear this song.....or do it in church....don't just listen to the tune....listen to the words.....and understand the depth. Praise the Lord....He is my true vision.....now and forever.

God's Favorite Music

I love XM Radio. I have it in my car and spend my drive time flipping between Channel 7, which is 70’s music and 32 which is The Message. I really like the kind of music they play on XM32, The Message. It’s contemporary. It’s catchy. And it’s Christian. Maybe I should just tell you….I love music….I love to sing. I sing when I am happy, sad, depressed, worried, it does not matter…I just love singing.
I was listening to my Ipod the other day to one of my favorite songs by Mary Mary. The song is called “Shackles” and trust me….when it comes on….I can hardly stand or sit still…The words talk about the corners of our minds where we just can’t seem to find a reason to believe that we can break free….cause we have been down for so long, feel like all hope is gone…but as we lift our hands we’ll grow to understand that we should praise God through each circumstance. It seems that everything that can go wrong seems to go wrong at one time. There is so much pressure building up in us that sometimes it seems we might lose our minds….but we should know that God wants to see if we will hold on through these trials….the only thing is, is that we will need Him to lift this load because we can’t do it on our own!....The song then asks Jesus to please take these shackles off my feet so I can dance….I just want to praise you…..I’m gonna praise You….You broke the chains so I can lift my hands….set me free….so I can praise you…... And all I want…today….and everyday is praise you Lord.
I am telling you….I love that kind of music... But I am also intelligent enough to know that not everyone does! The truth is that we don’t all like the same stuff. When First United Methodist in Alex City started the Arbor service….which I am a part of… there was no organ and we began to worship with the hottest contemporary music of ten years ago, many people said, "Wait a minute! I miss the classic hymns! Where’s "In the Garden? Where’s "Rescue the Perishing, Care for the Dying?" Where’s "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms?" Those songs made me think! They had depth! And substance! And power! And they can touch my heart like no other music I’ve ever heard!" So let me ask you. Are the songs in the hymnal the only kind of music God blesses? Does God have a favorite music?"I believe that the Bible can teach us about the kind of music God appreciates. Number one: He likes variety. Psalm 150 mentions 9 different instruments!
Psalms 150: verses 1-6 says
“Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies; Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his magnificent greatness; Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings; Praise him with castanets and dance, praise him with banjo and flute; Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise him with fiddles and mandolin. Let every living, breathing creature praise God! Hallelujah! “
And Colossians 3:17 mentions psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
“ And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. “
The early church was very creative. They took psalms from the Bible and put them to music. They created praise choruses. They even wrote new hymns from scratch. Philippians 2:5-11 is a good example. Verses 5-8 tell us to “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
9-11 continues with “Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.”
We have no idea what this stuff sounded like. But we do know that there was variety in the early church.Since the Praise and Worship service started at the Arbor 10 years ago, I’ve been to polka masses, contemporary worship services with massive bands, and with combos, churches with full blown orchestras, and traditional services. And I can truly say that I was blessed at each one. As a matter of fact….every Sunday for the past two years when the Arbor service concludes….I jump in my car and drive to Waverly United Methodist where I am the pastors wife at a church where the mean age of the congregation is over 60 and they love those old hymns….and we recite the Apostles Creed….and I love being part of this too. God doesn’t prefer one music style over another. He prefers that we worship him in Spirit and in truth. No matter what style of worship we choose.In the late 1980’s Saddleback Community Church in California decided to play contemporary Christian rock music And within a year of that decision, the church literally exploded with growth. And now they have almost 20,000 in worship each week. 20,000….can you believe that? Waverly has almost 40 members….First Church Alex City has 1000….but I can’t even comprehend.....20,000.But….just as Saddleback exploded with their contemporary plan… down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, near my home town of West Palm Beach….you will find Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church…this church made a decision to stick mainly with traditional pipe organ music. And God is blessing them, too! Today, they have over 10,000 members. Sometimes, people go to church ….any church….just because the music scratches them where they itch. Does it really matter what got them there?.....I think what God wants….is just for them to be there….whatever kind of music floats their boat. The point is that God uses all kinds of music to reach all kinds of people for Jesus Christ. Our God is a God of variety.Another thing that God likes is new music! Psalm 33:2 says "Sing to the Lord a NEW song. Don’t just sing the same tired old tunes over and over again! Let’s try something different! Let’s speed up the tempo! Let’s add new instruments. Let’s be open to a new working of the Holy Spirit! Let’s get the blood flowing!" One of my favorite traditional songs…is Be Thou My Vision….and Amazing Grace……but I also love Chris Tomlin’s version….Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone. I cut my teeth on traditional music…but have matured my soul with a music blend.In Exodus 15, after God brought the Jews out of Egypt, the first thing the community did was to celebrate by singing a new song! "I will sing unto the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and rider were thrown into the sea!" And in Judges 5, when God delivered Israel from the harsh rule of the Canaanites, they wrote another new song.Did you know that every major revival in the history of Christianity was always accompanied by new music? When Luther broke away from the Catholic church, he wrote a new song called "A Mighty Fortress is our God." And when Charles Wesley wrote "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" in 1739, the Great Awakening was just breaking out in America and in England. So new music is not a sign from the devil. It’s a sign of new life! And creativity. A hint that there are better days ahead for the people of God! Another thing that God likes is passionate music. Sometimes when people sing hymns, they sound so dreary. (sing wearily) ’Happy Day. Happy Day. When Jesus washed my sins away." The way people sing it, it doesn’t really sound like a happy day. It sounds like they didn’t want to get out of bed…..but let me tell you…I love how the black churches sing. They could teach us a little something about passion. (with passion and clapping) "O Happy Day! O Happy Day! When Jesus washed, my sins away!" Psalm 33:1 says "Sing joyfully to the Lord" You’re singing to the one who saved you from sin, death, and hell. And changed your life for the better. So sing like you mean it! God likes music with Christ centered lyrics. It’s not the music that makes a song sacred. It’s the message that makes it sacred! The most powerful songs ever created are songs that give glory to God. That’s why I love Psalm 150: "Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tamborine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals. Praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath PRAISE THE LORD! Praise the Lord." The most important thing about Christian music is that Jesus Christ is praised. It doesn’t matter if the song is rock. Or Bach. If Jesus Christ is glorified in the lyrics, then the song is sacred.That’s why I like the Christian rock band Apologetix. They’ve taken some of the worst secular songs I’ve ever heard. And by given the lyrics a Christian perspective, they’ve turned them into some of the best songs I’ve ever heard. They took Eminem’s filthy song "The Real Slim Shady." And they turned it into a song about Jesus Christ now called "The Real Sin Savior." And I can’t even listen to that song now without crying. It’s so incredible. And it touches me deeply to know that some of the secular songs that used to be so dirty have been redeemed for the glory of God.And let me just give you two quick pieces of advice about music in the church. First of all, be open-minded. We can no longer assume that the only kind of music God is blessing is 150 year old organ music. God is bigger than any one person’s musical tastes. And he can use any piece of music he wants to bring glory to himself. When my son, who is now 38 was 5….he attended Bible School…..that is not a big thing really….my kids went to bible school all summer at every church in town. I had more bible school crafts than Heinz has varieties…but…one particular bible school stands out….the first day…he came home singing a song he learned in bible school…it went something like this….”We have a King who rides a donkey, we have a King who rides a donkey, we have a King who rides a donkey, early in the morning….I had a fleeting moment….of recognizing the tune….but not the words….and I blew it off…until later in the week….when I found the lyrics to the secular song that the innocently sweet bible school song came from….it was rewritten from an Irish pub song….called “What do you do with a drunken sailor.”….Talk about God using music….to get His message across…that was a profound lesson.
And number two: besides being open-minded….you must Be tolerant. Romans 15:7 says "Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you." God accepted Tom Balliew even though he’s a little bit country. And God accepted me even though I’m a little bit rock and roll. And we should accept each other.Ten years ago….when the Arbor service began…. I heard my church argue over the issue of traditional versus contemporary music. There was a group in the church saying, "We want modern church music! We’re tired of singing the same old hymns that have no melody! We have to modernize the way we do worship. We have to stop pretending that it’s still 1953. If we don’t start looking at ways to change things, then the church is gonna die!" And there was another group in the church saying, "Wait a minute! This church has done fine the way it is for all these years! There’s no way you’re going to make us sing those lightweight choruses that repeat the same phrases over and over again like a broken record. The hymns are much more meaningful. If you don’t like it, then you can go to another church." Fortunately our pastor at the time was a man of great vision….who had a love for both services….And this is what he said: "I’m interested in serving the entire congregation. Not just the side of the street that agrees with me. Let’s leave the 8:30 am and 11:00 worship services alone. And let’s start a third service at 9:30, as an outreach for the community members who won’t come to traditional service…let’s go out and disciple to them….in a different way.” By having both a traditional service and a contemporary service, we were able to reach people for Jesus Christ that we weren’t able to reach before with the traditional service. Remember: God’s favorite music is not bluegrass. Or country. Or even rock and roll. God’s favorite music is anything that brings honor and glory to Jesus Christ. And nothing would bring him greater honor than for you to come back to Him this morning. And repent of your sins. And ask for forgiveness and salvation. That is truly God’s favorite music. It is music to his ears. When His people bow down….and talk to Him. So make sure you take some time today to pray....even if it is just a short blurb in the car at the stop light.