Beautiful Things / Kiss the Son

Kiss the Son by Brenda Bogart

We've all heard this adage: music is the soundtrack of our lives. As true as that is, awhile back I got crystal clear revelation that our lives are actually a song. I've come to believe that each of us has a song written about and/or for us. The songwriters doesn't always don't know who it's for and in fact they may think they're writing about and for themselves. But there are times when they are penning for and about someone else, they just don't know exactly who.

When I first heard "Kiss the Son" by Kevin Prosch in a small home-based intercession prayer meeting I was absolutely transfixed. I don't know how, but I just knew this song is...me.

Right around the same time frame, I also heard Gungor's "Beautiful Things" and something deep inside of me connected with it and I said "whoop, there it is."

What's the connection between these two songs? Why do they make my heart sing and shore up my identity? The words shed some light. Pain? Broken? Change? Ashes? Garden? Fields? Chaos? Slay? Beautiful? Rose? New? Opened?

I cannot quite explain why the Father gave me this revelation or why He chose two such gorgeous and profound songs to sing over me. All I know is when I listen to these songs my heart becomes almost instantly pliable in His hands. Hope springs up in me. And I bow down and Kiss the Son.

KISS THE SON

When you've been broken, broken to pieces
And Your heart begins to faint
'cause you don't understand
And when there is nothing to rake from the ashes
And you can't even walk onto the fields of praise
But I bow down and kiss the Son
Let the praise of the Lord be in my mouth
Well, though You slay me, I will trust You, Lord
When the rock falls, falls upon You
And you get ground to dust, no music for your pain.
You open the windows, the windows of heaven.

And then You opened me and You crushed me like a rose.

BEAUTIFUL THINGS
All this pain I wonder if I'll ever find my way?

I wonder if my life could really change at all?

All this earth could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come up from this ground at all?

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

All around hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
(You make me new)
You make beautiful things out of the dust
(You are making me new, making me new)

You make me new, You are making me new

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

A monthful of music

Music. So much has been written about it. There's just so much to say. Albums, songs and their artists have led me through good times and heartbreak, marriage, singleness, pointed the way to the divine, taken me to soul exploding worship and helped to do so much work in my heart.

These days I'm in a reflective mode. My father passed away this past spring and my mother is ailing. What do I turn to? My Saviour of course, but I'm also drawn to the music of my childhood, the music I've listened to in the past and the music that is speaking to me now. 

I want to share a month full of music – savoury and delicious songs – that have moved me in one way or another, rocked my world and touched me in my deep innermost places. Just because. 

I grew up around my parent's eclectic collection of LPs, 8-tracks and cassettes. When I think of them, strangely it's Henry Mancini that immediately springs to mind. But I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash is unquestionably the most inspirational song of my childhood that has managed to chase me all through my life.

When I'm confused, down or just feeling meh, more times that I can count I will hear Johnny Nash's voice sing to me in my car, a coffee shop, a mall or a lounge. And I just know that I know in my knower that it's Abba reminding me that everything is gonna work out okay. And you know what? It always does. 

I think I can make it now the pain is gone

All of the bad feelings have disappeared

Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin for

It’s gonna be a bright bright sunshiny day

Look all around, there’s nothin but blue skies

Look straight ahead, nothing but blue skies

I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright bright sunshiny day

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

war on grumbling day twenty seven

Day 27

Today I'm thankful for music and what it does for my soul. #WarOnGrumbling #40DaysOfThanksgiving

What a special invention music is. Created by God. Designed for me. 

This morning could've been like any other. But I sent someone a song that I thought would touch their heart. It ended up touching mine. 

Photo credit: Heidi Phillips

The result was bouts of weeping and that good ole mixture of awe and wonder at lyrics, melody, choruses...oh I could go on and on. 

And like the good addict I am, I needed more. All day long. Until tomorrow when another song, another artist -- maybe someone new, perhaps an old friend -- will tickle my fancy. And thus, the cycle will go on and on. 

 Oh, God, I let intruders into the garden of my soul //
Foxes are running wild //

I thought You were holding out on me now to keep me from being free //

How could I have been so wrong //
Forgive me, forgive me, Lord // For living like I'm not Yours
I forget how kind You are